Detroit Red Wings

Howe Enduring: Mr. Hockey’s Long Connection to the Stanley Cup Final

The first time a Gordie Howe teammate played in the Stanley Cup final was in 1938. The last time was in 1992

Published

2 years ago

June 13, 2022

Bob Duff

Gordie Howe teammates played in all but three Stanley Cup final series between 1938-1992.

When the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche begin the 2022 Stanley Cup final on Wednesday, Jaromir Jagr’s ties to the event will finally be coming to a halt. For the first time since the 1979 final between the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, there won’t be a former Jagr teammate skating in the series.

Gordie Howe visits the Leafs dressing room to congratulate coach Punch Imlach following the 1963 Stanley Cup Final. pic.twitter.com/USTXK1ctZR

— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) May 16, 2016

That’s 42 years in a row and without a doubt is an impressive feat. However, when it comes to anything involving hockey and longevity, it takes a back seat to the legacy of Gordie Howe.

Gordie Howe’s Stanley Cup Legacy

Mr. Hockey played his first NHL game in 1946 and his final one in 1980. Howe’s future NHL teammates began appearing in Stanley Cup final series in 1938, eight years prior to his NHL debut. They were still skating in the final battle for Lord Stanley’s mug in 1995, 15 years following his retirement.

Between 1938-79, the only year that a Howe NHL teammate didn’t appear in a Stanley Cup final series was in 1944, when the Montreal Canadiens beat the Chicago Blackhawks. Amazingly, Detroit-born Gordie Roberts, whose parents named him after Howe, played in the 1991 and 1992 Cup final series with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Roberts and Howe were teammates with the 1979-80 Hartford Whalers.

WHA, IHL Extend Streak

However, take into account Howe’s teammates from his six WHA seasons and his Stanley Cup streak grows even more impressive. John Tonelli, who played in the WHA with Howe on the Houston Aeros, appeared in every Cup final series from 1980-84 and again in 1986. Gordie’s son Mark Howe, who played on the 1979-80 Whalers, skated in the 1985 and 1987 finals with the Philadelphia Flyers and in 1995 with the Red Wings. After missing out on the 1988 and 1989 final series, Howe’s Hartford teammate Ray Neufeld played for the 1990 Boston Bruins.

Gordie Howe's Game Winning Goal from the 1955 Stanley Cup Finals.#LGRW #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/taQu0x0Cmv

— Red Wings SPORTalk (@SPORTalkWings) March 31, 2016

In fact, if you take into account Howe’s one-game appearance for the IHL’s Detroit Vipers during the 1996-97 IHL season, the streak gets unbelievably astonishing. Jimmy Carson was with those Vipers and suited up for the Los Angeles Kings (1993) and Vancouver Canucks (1994). Sergei Samsonov also played for the 1996-97 Vipers. Samsonov skated in the 2006 Stanley Cup final for the Edmonton Oilers – 26 years after Howe’s farewell NHL appearance.

Gordie Howe Teammates In Stanley Cup Final

Stanley Cup Final	Gordie Howe Teammate(s)
1938	Hal Jackson (Chicago)
1939	Roy Conacher (Boston)
1940	Billy Taylor (Toronto)
1941	Roy Conacher (Boston); Eddie Bruneteau, Sid Abel, Jack Stewart, Hal Jackson (Detroit)
1942	Billy Taylor, Bob Goldham, Gaye Stewart (Toronto); Sid Abel, Jack Stewart, Adam Brown, Doug McCaig (Detroit)
1943	Bep Guidolin (Boston); Sid Abel, Jack Stewart, Adam Brown, Hal Jackson (Detroit)
1944	None
1945	Eddie Bruneteau, Ted Lindsay, Hal Jackson (Detroit)
1946	Jimmy Peters Sr (Montreal), Roy Conacher, Bep Guidolin (Boston)
1947	Gaye Stewart, Gus Mortson, Bud Poile, Bob Goldham (Toronto)
1948	Gus Mortson (Toronto); 20 Red Wings teammates
1949	Gus Mortson (Toronto); 19 Red Wings teammates
1950	Tony Lewswick, Nick Mickoski, Dunc Fisher (New York Rangers); 22 Red Wings teammates
1951	Calum McKay (Montreal); Gus Mortson (Toronto)
1952	Calum McKay (Montreal); 16 Red Wings teammates
1953	Lorne Davis, Calum McKay (Montreal); Leo Labine, Bill Quackenbush, Real Chevrefils, Jack McIntyre (Boston)
1954	Calum McKay, Gaye Stewart, Lorne Davis (Montreal); 17 Red Wings teammates
1955	Calum McKay (Montreal); 16 Red Wings teammates
1956	Jean-Guy Talbot (Montreal); 19 Red Wings teammates
1957	Jean-Guy Talbot, Andre Pronovost (Montreal); Don McKenney, Leo Labine, Jerry Toppazzini, Leo Boivin, Vic Stasiuk, Real Chevrefils (Boston)
1958	Marcel Bonin, Ab McDonald, Junior Langlois, Jean-Guy Talbot, Andre Pronovost (Montreal); Don McKenney, Leo Labine, Jerry Toppazzini, Leo Boivin, Vic Stasiuk, Bronco Horvath, John Bucyk, Larry Hillman (Boston)
1959	Marcel Bonin, Ab McDonald, Junior Langlois, Jean-Guy Talbot, Andre Pronovost (Montreal); Billy Harris, Frank Mahovlich, Gerry Ehman, Carl Brewer, Barry Cullen, Marc Reaume, Bob Baun, Noel Price (Toronto)
1960	Marcel Bonin, Junior Langlois, Jean-Guy Talbot, Andre Pronovost (Montreal); Billy Harris, Frank Mahovlich, Johnny Wilson, Carl Brewer, Barry Cullen, Red Kelly, Bob Baun, Gerry Ehman (Toronto)
1961	Glenn Hall, Bobby Hull, Ron Murphy, Ab McDonald, Ed Litzenberger, Al Arbour (Chicago); 18 Red Wings teammates
1962	Glenn Hall, Bobby Hull, Bronco Horvath, Ab McDonald, Gerry Melnyk (Chicago); Billy Harris, Frank Mahovlich, Carl Brewer, Red Kelly, Bob Baun, Dave Keon, Al Arbour, Ed Litzenberger (Toronto)
1963	Billy Harris, Frank Mahovlich, Carl Brewer, Red Kelly, Bob Baun, Dave Keon, Al Arbour, Ed Litzenberger, John MacMillan, Kent Douglas (Toronto); 19 Red Wings teammates
1964	Billy Harris, Frank Mahovlich, Carl Brewer, Red Kelly, Bob Baun, Dave Keon, Al Arbour, Ed Litzenberger, Larry Hillman, Kent Douglas, Don McKenney, Andy Bathgate, Gerry Ehman (Toronto); 19 Red Wings teammates
1965	Red Berenson, Jean-Guy Talbot (Montreal); Glenn Hall, Bobby Hull, John McKenzie, Matt Ravlich, Gerry Melnyk (Chicago)
1966	Noel Price, Jean-Guy Talbot (Montreal); 21 Red Wings teammates
1967	Jean-Guy Talbot (Montreal); Terry Sawchuk, Frank Mahovlich, Bob Baun, Dave Keon, Larry Hillman, Marcel Pronovost, Pete Stemkowski, Red Kelly, Larry Jeffrey (Toronto)
1968	Mickey Redmond (Montreal); Red Berenson, Craig Cameron, Al Arbour, Tim Ecclestone, Don McKenney, Jean-Guy Talbot, Bill McCreary, Gerry Melnyk, Glenn Hall (St. Louis)
1969	Mickey Redmond, Larry Hillman (Montreal); Red Berenson, Craig Cameron, Al Arbour, Tim Ecclestone, Ab McDonald, Jean-Guy Talbot, Bill McCreary, Gerry Melnyk, Glenn Hall (St. Louis)
1970	John Bucyk, Gary Doak, John McKenzie (Boston); Red Berenson, Al Arbour, Tim Ecclestone, Jean-Guy Talbot, Bill McCreary, Ron Anderson, Glenn Hall (St. Louis)
1971	Frank Mahovlich, Pete Mahovlich (Montreal); Bobby Hull, Pit Martin (Chicago)
1972	John Bucyk, John McKenzie (Boston); Pete Stemkowski, Dale Rolfe, Bruce MacGregor, Gary Doak (New York Rangers)
1973	Frank Mahovlich, Pete Mahovlich (Montreal); Pit Martin (Chicago)
1974	John Bucyk, Al Sims (Boston)
1975	Roger Crozier, Don Luce (Buffalo)
1976	Pete Mahovlich (Montreal)
1977	Pete Mahovlich (Montreal); John Bucyk, Al Sims, Gary Doak (Boston)
1978	Al Sims, Gary Doak (Boston)
1979	Nick Fotiu (New York Rangers)
1980	John Tonelli (New York Islanders)*
1981	John Tonelli (New York Islanders)*
1982	John Tonelli (New York Islanders)*
1983	John Tonelli (New York Islanders)*
1984	John Tonelli (New York Islanders)*
1985	Mark Howe (Philadelphia)
1986	John Tonelli (Calgary)*
1987	Mark Howe (Philadelphia)
1988	None
1989	None
1990	Ray Neufeld (Boston)
1991	Gordie Roberts (Pittsburgh)
1992	Gordie Roberts (Pittsburgh)
1993	Jimmy Carson (Los Angeles)**
1994	Jimmy Carson (Vancouver)**
1995	Mark Howe (Detroit)
2006	Sergei Samsonov (Edmonton)**