Selection to Hall of Fame leaves former Flyers defenseman Howe 'awestruck'

Mark Howe was standing in the front yard at his shore house in Beach Haven, N.J., getting ready to trim the bushes, when his phone rang.

"It was a number that my phone didn't recognize, so I didn't answer," Howe said. "Finally, I got a message from our secretary in Detroit, saying that people in Toronto were trying to get ahold of me.

"Next, I got a call from Pat Quinn and Jim Gregory to give me the news. I was awestruck and speechless."

On a day when Howe was focused on doing the mundane - like checking on his shore house and boat - he finally received a call that he had long stopped thinking about: selection into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Howe, 56, will join Ed Belfour, Doug Gilmour and Joe Nieuwendyk in hockey's hallowed Hall in Toronto as part of the class of 2011 when he is inducted on Nov. 14 in a long overdue ceremony.

A veteran of 929 NHL games and another 426 in the long-defunct WHA, Howe was one of the best two-way defensemen in his generation and arguably the top blue liner in Flyers history.

Howe said he was excited to talk to his father, "Mr. Hockey," Gordie Howe, to break the news. Howe said in a conference call last night that his father had found out within 15 minutes of the news and was very happy his son would be joining him in the Hall of Fame.

Despite playing alongside his brother, Marty, and father with Houston in the WHA and Hartford in the NHL, Howe was able to break free of his father's shadow during his 10-year tenure in Philadelphia.

"Hey, I'm Gordie Howe's son, there's no way around that," Howe said. "I'm still a part of the family. I'll always be . I think I was far more in that frame when I was in Houston or Hartford. I think I was on my own more [in Philadelphia] when things started to change."

Howe helped take the Flyers to two Stanley Cup finals, where they came up short to the vaunted Edmonton Oilers in 1985 and 1987. Howe was a runner-up for the Norris Trophy three times as best defenseman in the league. He was also a four-time All-Star.

With the Flyers, Howe took down franchise records in goals (138), assists (342) and points (480) by a defenseman in 594 games from 1982 to 1992. Those records still stand, along with the plus-85 rating that he posted in 1986. He ranks 14th on the Flyers' all-time scoring list.

Howe was inducted into the Flyers' Hall of Fame in 2001 and the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.

His biggest regret, though, is not being able to top the Oilers dynasty.

"I just wish we could've played Edmonton with a healthy Dave Poulin or Tim Kerr," said Howe, who has been a pro scout with the Red Wings since 1995 but spends the bulk of his time scouting the opposition at Flyers home games. "We took a lot of pride in our work ethic. We had very gifted hockey players that maybe a lot of people didn't think were very good."

Howe, who lives year-round in Jackson, N.J., said he received calls from some of his teammates, who remain close friends. All had nice things to say.

"Mark Howe is the first Flyers defenseman to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and rightfully so," Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider said. "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."

It's safe to say Howe took a break from trimming the bushes at the beach. Not a bad phone call to accept on a Tuesday in June a full 16 years after wrapping up your playing career.

"Just to be considered for the honor is an honor in itself," Howe said. "It's a tremendous thrill."

While Mark Howe was given a great honor, the Hall of Fame's 18 selection committee members again chose to posthumously snub former Flyers coach Fred Shero.

Shero, who led the Flyers to their only two Stanley Cups, was one of the game's great innovators.

Pat Burns, the former New Jersey Stanley Cup-winning coach, also was denied entry a little more than 7 months after succumbing to cancer. This will be the first year since 1981 that no one will be inducted in the "builder" category, of which coaches are a member.