Red Wings legend Gordie Howe used to “work on Christmas day,” and, in an article discussing the NHL’s long history of Christmas Day games, Stubbs speaks with one Marty Howe regarding his dad’s scoring exploits:
Gordie Howe was more than Mr. Hockey.
He also was Mr. Christmas.
It’s been 50 years since the NHL last played games on Christmas Day and it’s highly unlikely that teams ever will skate again Dec. 25. So lock up Howe’s half-century-old records for most career Christmas goals (12) and points (24), eight points ahead of the 16 (10 goals, six assists) Frank Mahovlich scored in 12 games.
The NHL played 124 games on Christmas between the 1920-21 and 1971-72 seasons, with Howe playing an NHL-record 21 times on Dec. 25. But the League has not dropped a puck that day since 1971, by agreement between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association.
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Howe and his wife, Colleen, loved everything about the holiday, Mr. Hockey taking pride in the elaborate light displays he designed on their home. Then he’d string more lights over the rink he built on the front lawn for children Marty and Mark, with whom he’d play in the World Hockey Association and NHL, and Murray and Cathy.
“Gordie played so well on Christmas probably because he behaved himself pretty well, he never really overindulged,” Marty said. “He’d be social, have a couple with his teammates, then excuse himself, probably to see what Mark and I were going to do next.”
Continued, with quite a bit of information about the NHL’s Christmas Day games…And some of Howe’s records.
