Mark Howe going to Hockey Hall of Fame
Daily News Flyers blog
Mark Howe going to Hockey Hall of Fame
Former Flyers defenseman Mark Howe has been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Howe played for the Flyers from 1982-92. Howe played 929 games in 18 NHL seasons and scored 197 goals and 545 assists. Howe started his professional career in the World Hockey Association, where he played with his legendary father, Gordie, and his brother Marty. Mark Howe played 426 games in the WHA, scoring 208 goals and 296 assists.
With the Flyers, Howe was a smooth and fast skater who was equally strong on the power play or defending a power play.
Howe, a Detroit native, played junior hockey in Toronto before turning professional with the Houston Aeros in 1973. He stayed in the WHA until the merger with the NHL, playing with the Hartford Whalers, Flyers and Detroit Red Wings before retiring in 1995.
“I was elated to have this dream come true given that it is a tremendous honor just to have my name mentioned with the upper echelon of hockey,” Howe said. “To actually have my name in the Hall of Fame with my Dad will mean so much to my family.”
"Mark Howe is the first Flyers defenseman to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and rightfully so," said Comcast-Spectacor Chairman and Flyers founder Ed Snider. "When he played for the Flyers, he was the ultimate leader both on and off the ice. He is one helluva guy and one of the classiest men I've ever been around. I'm particularly proud of Mark on his outstanding career and his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. This is a tremendous honor for Mark and I'd like to congratulate him on this milestone in his career."
“Mark Howe was one of the greatest defensemen of his era,” said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. “His skill and grace, as well as his leadership ability, both on and off the ice, put him in a class by himself. The Flyers are proud to see one of our former players be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.”
Howe will be joined in this year's Hall of Fame class by Doug Gilmour, Joe Niewendyk and Ed Belfour. The 18-person selection committee announced the class of 2011 this afternoon.
The induction ceremony in Toronto will be Nov. 14.
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Well deserved. Best defenseman in Flyers history by a mile.— HorshamGuy
Comment removed.- He should go in as a flyer !!!— Taxman
- I loved watching Howe and McCrimmon. Awesome duo. Howe was always a classy guy. Congrats to him.— phillyinsd
- Noice!...and I totally agree with you, HorshamGuy. Greatest D-man in Flyers history. (and that is saying A LOT)
Love those 80's Flyers teams!
— Reality Speaks - My favorite player of all time. Got my picture with him and the cup at the carnival one year. Went to a baseball autograph show five years later and the legend Gordie, Marty and Mark were signing - he autographed for me. Class act from the first family of hockey - the Howes. Now just to get the wife to let me scoot away in November to Toronto - oh boy.— Taranis
- Howe will always be one of the all-time Flyer greats. Nice guy, too. Taxman, he BETTER go in as a Flyer!!— Raggamonkey
My favorite Flyer as a kid. Great to see people recognize how great he was!!!- The biggest part of those mid 80's teams that I remember very fondly along with Hextall, Kerr, Zezel, McCrimmon, Eklund, Lindburgh, and Tocchet. Congrats #2!! He will go in as a Flyer unless Gordie Howe wants his WHL project to get some publicity.— kjuggs77
- This is awesome news! Mark Howe is still my favorite all time Flyer. I have a picture of him checking Gretzky into the boards and lifting him off the ice with his stick that I got autographed a few years back. Everytime the Flyers start playing sloppy defense, I look at that picture of Mark hitting Wayne and think why can't any of these stiffs hit Crosby like that, and then I remember that none of our current Dmen can skate as well as Mark did. Congrats to a great Flyer and a really classy/nice guy.— Zeke24a
- I know some people don't think so, but I'm still holding out hope that Eric Lindros gets the call someday. Maybe if he wasn't so dominating, he wouldn't have been targeted by every goon in the league for at least 10 years. Yes, I couldn't stand his parents or the way Eric's brain injuries were treated by the Flyers staff and Bobby Clark. Congrats again to Mark Howe!!— kjuggs77
- What a joke. Never won the Norris Trophy, never won the Stanley Cup. Who's next? Forbes Kennedy?— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- Memo to Wilhem, he played at a time when Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey were at their primes. He couldn't help that his teams ran up against the Oilers dynasty...please wise up as his numbers speak for themselves.— camtheman
- I thought he'd never get in. Well done.— eres
- Finally !!!— mean mean pride,mean mean pride.
