Detroit Red Wings
The Daily: Mark Howe Explains Why He Quit the Red Wings
Mark Howe, son of Gordie, spent roughly a quarter century working for the Detroit Red Wings as a pro scout. He was a fixture on the road for those in the hockey community. He watched more than his fair share of NHL games.
But last summer, Howe, 66, informed the Red Wings he was retiring.
He explained his reasons to the Detroit News writer Mark Falkner in a recent subscriber-only story.
“I think Stevie was set back a little bit when I told him,” Howe told the News. “Then I brought up the same thing to him that I used to ask my dad about retirement. I said, ‘Steve, you were a player. Why did you retire?’ And, in his words to me, he said, ‘I get it.’”
He slipped away quietly this summer. There wasn’t even a press release. That low profile exit fits Howe’s personality. He has always done a good job without fanfare.
“I can remember asking dad, ‘How do you know when it’s time to retire?’” Howe said in Falkner’s story “His answer would always be, ‘Well, you’ll know.’ I would say, ‘Dad, that’s a stupid answer and you’re not helping me one iota.’ He said, ‘Don’t worry. You’ll know.’ In 1995, I was headed home from a game that we won convincingly. I did my job as a fifth or sixth defenseman. Played my 16 minutes but then I said, ‘Wow.’ It just hit me. (You) know it’s time to give this game up. I just didn’t have the same feeling anymore. So I called dad and said, ‘Well, thanks. I get it. Thanks for the advice.’”
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Around the NHL
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