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Mark Howe (born May 28 1955, in Detroit, Michigan) is a former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League and 6 seasons in the World Hockey Association. He is the son of Mr. Hockey, NHL and WHA legend Gordie Howe. Despite the enormous shadow cast by his father and splitting time between two leagues, Mark shone as one of the best two-way defensemen of the 1980s.
Howe played junior hockey for the Detroit Jr. Red Wings. As a 15 year old, he led his Red Wings to the US Junior Championship in 1971. In 1972, the United States earned a Silver Medal at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo, Japan with 16 year old Mark Howe as one of the stars. Howe eventually ended his junior hockey career playing for the Toronto Marlboros of the OHL, winning a Memorial Cup MVP in the process.
In 1973, he decided to play in the WHA along side his brother, Marty and his father. Led by the Howes, the Houston Aeros won the first two Avco Cups, awarded to the league champions of the WHA. Mark, playing left wing, was awarded the Lou Kaplan Award as Rookie of the Year and earned 2nd team All-Star status. By the 1976-1977 season, Howe was a full-time defenseman. Before the 1977-1978 season, the Howes moved their family act to Hartford, Connecticut to play for the New England Whalers.
When the NHL and WHA merged in 1979, one of the four WHA teams left standing were the Whalers. They changed their name to the Hartford Whalers and Mark Howe, his father and his brother continued one more season together, this time in the National Hockey League. The 1980-1981 season proved to be one of Howe's best. Howe was both a mid-season All-Star and finalist for the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL's Best Defenseman. Howe would finish his career having been the runner-up for the Norris Trophy on 3 occasions, this being the first time. During this season, Howe was involved in one of the more memorable injuries in NHL history. While fighting for the puck, his own net became dislodged. Mark fell on the net and suffered a 5 inch puncture wound. He lost 35 pounds and his stamina suffered after requiring liquid diet to avoid intenstinal infections. This injury eventually led to a change in how nets are attached to the ice surface. Howe became damaged goods in the eyes of the Whalers management, so they moved Howe, in a 4 player deal that also involved draft picks, to Philadelphia.
As a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, his career took off. The backbone of one of the NHL's best defensive teams of the mid 1980's, he was a finalist for the Norris Trophy after the 1982-1983 season. His Philadelphia team ended the 1984-1985 season with most points and earned a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose to the Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier led Edmonton Oilers. Howe again finished second in the Norris Trophy voting
Howe had his best season during the 1985-1986 season where he posted some of the best numbers ever by an NHL defenseman. He scored 24 goals, added 58 assists for 82 total points. He led the NHL with a remarkable +85. He also added 7 shorthanded goals while being the lifeline out of the Flyers defensive zone with his outstanding skating & passing ability. Unfortunately for Howe, Edmonton's Paul Coffey had perhaps the best season by a defenseman in NHL history, breaking Bobby Orr's single-season records for goals and tallying 138 points. Howe, for the third and final time, finished 2nd in Norris Trophy voting.
The 1986-1987 season brought great success to both Howe and his Philadelphia Flyers teammates. The Flyers, for the 3rd consecutive season, led the Prince of Wales Conference in points. Led by Howe, rookie netminder Ron Hextall, and a line featuring Brian Propp, Rick Tocchet and Pelle Eklund, the injury-riddled Flyers took the vaunted Edmonton Oilers to 7 games in the NHL Finals before succumbing 3-1 in the finale.
Howe, having struggled with both knee & back injuries, became a part-time player virtually the rest of his career. The decline in his games played coincided with the Flyers decline in play overall. It was no mystery to anyone watching the Flyers on a regular basis from the years 1988-1991 why the team struggled. When Howe would be in the lineup, the Flyers looked like a playoff team. Without him, they looked disorganized in their own end.
After the 1991-1992 season, the Flyers granted Howe free agency so he could win the elusive Stanley Cup. He signed with the Detroit Red Wings, the team which his dad had starred. The signing was a popular one in Detroit, as Mark was "returning home" to help build the Wings into a consistent playoff contendor. He became a steadying influence on Detroit's young corps of defensemen, mostly notably Nicklas Lidstrom. He would have one more appearance in the Stanley Cup finals, but his Red Wings were swept in 1995 by the New Jersey Devils. He retired following the season, and assumed a role in the Red Wings front office.
Mark Howe was elected to Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame in 2001 and the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003. Currently, Howe is a pro scout for the Detroit Red Wings and makes his home, with his wife and 3 children in suburban Detroit.
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1955 births | Living people | American ice hockey players | Toronto Marlboros alumni | Hartford Whalers players | Philadelphia Flyers players | Detroit Red Wings players | United States Hockey Hall of Fame | People from Detroit
"Mark Howe"