Gordie Howe's family and Bobby Orr share important career milestones that happened on this date
October 19 should occupy a significant place on the Howe family's hockey history calendar. Patriarch Gordie and son Mark achieved several milestones on that date that span more than 30 years.
It was on Oct. 19, 1946, when Gordie Howe, then an 18-year-old rookie with the Detroit Red Wings, garnered his first assist in the NHL and also fought for the first time in the big league.
The Wings were visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs for a rematch after their season opener three nights earlier in Detroit. The Leafs won handily 6-3, with Vic Lynn and Howie Meeker, who would win the Calder Trophy as the top rookie of 1946-47, each scoring their first NHL goal.
Howe, who got his own first goal in the season opener, assisted on a tally by linemate Adam Brown in the third period of the rematch. He also dropped the gloves with Toronto tough guy “Wild Bill” Ezinicki to earn his first major penalty.
Exactly 20 years later, the 38-year-old Howe stepped onto the ice at the Boston Garden to begin his 21st season in the NHL. That broke the record of 20 seasons that he shared with Dit Clapper and former teammate Bill Gadsby. Howe picked up another assist on this evening, helping out on a goal by Andy Bathgate.
This game was also noteworthy because it marked the NHL debut of Bobby Orr. The much-heralded Boston Bruins rookie collected his first point, an assist on a goal by Wayne Connelly, and the Bruins cruised to a 6-2 win.
Fast-forward another 13 years. On Oct. 19, 1979, Gordie’s son Mark Howe scored his first three NHL points – two goals and an assist – as a member of the Hartford Whalers. Once again, Gordie had an assist on this date, but this time his team came out on top as the Whalers doubled the Los Angeles Kings 6-3.
That was the Whalers’ first NHL win; they had gone 0-2-2 in their first four games after joining the league from the World Hockey Association.
October 19 has some additional meaning for Orr as well. In 1978, exactly 12 years after recording his first assist, he got his 645th and final assist while playing for the Chicago Black Hawks against the Minnesota North Stars. Orr also scored a goal in Chicago’s 6-2 victory – the second-to-last point of his NHL career, which would end prematurely only two weeks later.