Gordie Howe (1928–2016) was considered one of hockey’s greatest players. He led the Detroit Red Wings to four Stanley Cup championships (1950, 1952, 1954, and 1955) in a career that encompassed a record 1,767 NHL games played over 32 seasons (25 of them with the Red Wings). His extraordinary puck handling, skillful wrist shots (which he could make with either hand), and legendary toughness earned him the sobriquet “Mr. Hockey.” The Gordie Howe hat trick—a goal, an assist, and a fight within a single game—memorialized his style of play.
At the time of his retirement in 1980, Howe had an NHL career record of 1,850 points (broken in 1989 by Wayne Gretzky) and 801 goals (broken in 1994 by Gretzky). His total professional career record stood at 975 goals and 1,383 assists (1,049 in the NHL). Howe was also a six-time winner of both the Hart Memorial Trophy for most valuable player (1952–53, 1957–60, and 1963) and the Art Ross Trophy as top point scorer (1951–54, 1957, and 1963).
The Canadian-born Howe was one of hockey’s most admired players and was beloved in Michigan. In 2018 construction began on the Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The bridge—which was paid for by Canada and was to be jointly operated by that country and Michigan—was scheduled to open in 2026. However, U.S. Pres. Donald Trump has threatened to prevent the opening “until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve.”