howe about that!
Mr. Hockey.
Okay. I know I’m late to the party on this, but I needed some time to let it sink in and really think about it. Mr. Hockey left us on June 10, 2016, but what you didn’t see—or at least I didn’t—is the typical conversation about him being one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. There’s a good reason for that. He isn’t one of the greatest. He is the greatest. He had no equal and there is no debate.
This isn’t about statistics or records. It’s about being a symbol of the game you love for six decades. Gordie Howe invented the Howe Hat Trick—a goal, assist and a fight all in the same game. He experienced the joy of playing professionally with his two sons. And he was still getting paid to play the game at 53 years old.
Gordie Howe was and should still be the bar by which hockey players are measured. I know the Gretzky fans out there will argue that #99 is the bar. Sports writers tout players like Sidney Crosby as “the next Gretzky,” but although these players are wildly talented, rarely do they reach the same heights. That may sound like I’m making the case for Gretzky, but you don’t even hear people try to compare players to Howe.
Make no mistake—I’m a Wayne Gretzky fan. He was a one-of-a-kind talent, and he changed the way people talk about hockey for many years. But ask yourself how people view the game now? It’s about skills and physical play. Fans still watch for the fights, despite how much people like me dislike that part of the game. Gretzky was truly great, but in my opinion, he simply didn’t leave as deep an imprint on the game as Gordie Howe did.
Shortly after Howe died, I found myself drinking beer in the garage with my neighbor, Dean. That in and of itself is unremarkable. In fact, most of our neighbors, our wives and our children would just call that Friday. Or Saturday. Or any of the other five days of the week. But we started talking about guys who played the game like Howe—complete hockey players who could score and mix things up. We debated who should be in the conversation—who would make the list of “next up” if we were to make such a list. So I’m going to offer up seven names and then throw it to other students of the game for your opinions. It’s good conversation, so here they are–just a group (no order):
Pierre Pilote
Pilote was and is a legend in Chicago. He wasn’t a big man, but he played tough and even mean at a time when you had to. As his brother and dear friend of mine, Flo, once told me, “Back then there were only six teams, so there were a lot more guys gunning for your job. And they weren’t afraid to hurt you to get it.” Pilote changed the game and paved the way for players like Bobby Orr to become superstars.
Gilbert Perreault
Yes, the Buffalo guy put a Sabres’ icon on the list. Perreault was amazing to watch. He was big by 1970s standards, but he was also the very definition of finesse. And although he was known for his fancy stickhandling and scoring, the other teams gave him a wide berth because he never shied away from the physical stuff. He didn’t fight because he didn’t need to.
Cam Neely
I remember playing fantasy hockey back in college and always wanting this guy on my team. He was a lock for 75-100 points and nearly 200 penalty minutes. Yes, we got points for penalty minutes. It was hockey, after all. I really wish Neely would’ve been able to play longer. I’m no Bruins fan, but I loved watching him play. And truth be told, I liked him from his early days with Vancouver. He was tougher than most with an incredible nose for the net, and he seemed to always put the team first.
Jeremy Roenick
In 1985, Jeremy Roenick was a skinny, smart-assed kid who could do just about anything he wanted to with a hockey puck. I was fortunate to center his line in a tournament in Vancouver, and I was amazed with what he could do on the ice. He was fun to watch because he knew he was going to play in the NHL. He worked his ass off to get bigger, stronger and tougher, and by the time he retired from the NHL after 20 seasons, he was one of the best players in the history of the game. He was still fun to watch. And he could still do just about anything he wanted to do with a hockey puck.
Bobby Orr
Talk about changing the game forever. Bobby Orr built upon the foundation that guys like Pierre Pilote created and redefined the position of defense. He had the strength and vision of the best defensemen and the speed, stickhandling and scoring ability of the top forwards. Like Neely, injuries robbed him of a longer career and robbed us of the joy of seeing him dominate the ice surface for many more years.
Mario Lemieux
Another big guy in the mold of Gilbert Perreault, Lemieux was never going to be the fastest guy on the ice. But he didn’t have to be. He was always an imposing presence in front of the net, and if you were going to take a run at him you better consider bringing a friend. Sometimes, though, when you play as tough as Lemieux with a target on your back, you don’t get to play as long. I can’t help but wonder if he wouldn’t hold some of those records if he played as many years as #99.
Mark Messier
In my mind, Messier is Howe’s heir apparent. He was an absolute force when he played. He was fast. He could pass and score. He could hit. He could fight if the need arose. And he was one of the best leaders the game has ever known. In a world where many sports figures let fame and fortune go directly to their heads, resulting in stupid shit coming out of their mouths, Messier is a true role model. To be fair to the rest of the NHL, I find that hockey players in general are kinder and better humans than just about any other pro athletes. But Messier takes it to a different plateau.
Honorable Mention
I’m sure there are some hockey pioneers (e.g., Toe Blake, Eddie Shore, Hap Day) who could or should be on this list, but I don’t know enough about their careers to make the argument. That said, here are a few others I considered who could easily make the list if it were longer.
Ray Bourque
Niklas Lidstrom
Bobby Clarke
Sergei Fetisov
So there it is. My short list of players who I’d put in the conversation of greatest complete hockey players of all time. Well maybe not the conversation. That conversation can only be about Gordie Howe. But definitely the follow-up conversation. Howe about that?
Cheers.
