Anaheim Ducks Clinch Playoffs

On April 4, 1997, the Anaheim Ducks clinch their first-ever playoff berth.

The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). Since their inception, the Ducks have played their home games at the Honda Center.

Teemu Selanne of the Anaheim Ducks.

The club was founded in 1993 by The Walt Disney Company as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, a name based on the 1992 film The Mighty Ducks. Disney sold the franchise in 2005 to Henry and Susan Samueli, who along with GM Brian Burke changed the name of the team to the Anaheim Ducks before the 2006–07 season. In their 20-year existence, the Ducks have made the playoffs eight times, winning one Pacific Division title (2007), two Western Conference Championships (2003 and 2007), and one Stanley Cup Championship (2007).

The official mascot for the Anaheim Ducks is an anthropomorphized duck by the name of Wild Wing. He has been the team's mascot since its inaugural season, and his name was chosen through fan voting. He wears a Ducks jersey with the number 93 on the back; referring to the year the Ducks became an NHL team.

He regularly descends from the rafters of the arena when making his in-game entrances. In one such descent the rigging that lowered Wild Wing from the rafters malfunctioned leaving the mascot trapped fifty feet above the ice for several minutes. Another well-known blunder occurred in October 1995 when Wild Wing, attempting to jump through a "wall of fire", accidentally tripped causing the mascot to land on the fire and set his costume ablaze.

His physical appearance is similar to the duck mask in the original Mighty Ducks logo. A bronze statue of Wild Wing is also located outside the team's arena (located at the West side of the South Doors), Honda Center.

The mascot's name was also used for the leader of the Ducks, Wildwing Flashblade; in Disney's Mighty Ducks cartoon series.

During the same time in which the team announced a name change as well as change in jersey designs, there was an attempt by the team's owners to change or replace the mascot, Wild Wing, but was halted after a highly successful petition by fans.

The Mighty Ducks also used a secondary "mascot," a person (with no particular costume) called "The Iceman," during the team's first game in 1993. "The Iceman" appeared occasionally in the stands, played an electric guitar, and attempted to liven up the crowd. However, "The Iceman" was poorly received by fans and was quickly eliminated.

Mario Lemieux Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Scoring Record

Wayne Gretzky, the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer.

On April 3, 1988, Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins wins the NHL scoring title, stopping Gretzky’s seven-year run of the title.

Lemieux, who won he Art Ross trophy as the National Hockey League’s top scorer in 1988, did the feat with 168 points.

Lemieux also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player, an award that he had snatched away from Gretzky after an amazing eight straight seasons of claiming that title. Lemieux went on to win the scoring title again in 1989, 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1997.

Mario Lemieux, one of the greatest NHL players of all time.

Lemieux retired from hockey at the end of the 1996-1997 season, but in 1999 he became the majority owner of the Penguins franchise and then in 2000 he delighted the Penguin faithful by rejoining the team as a player and staged a successful comeback before announcing his permanent retirement from the NHL, at age 40, in January 2006.

Lemieux played 915 regular season games and scored 690 goals, 1,033 assist for 1,723 career points.

Gordie Howe Signs With Syracuse Crunch

On March 14, 1997, that a 68-year-old Gordie Howe signed a contract with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.  He was attempting to become the first player to play professional hockey in six consecutive decades.

The Syracuse Crunch of the AHL's jersey.

Unfortunately, Howe’s comeback had to be canceled because the Crunch were in the playoff hunt and could not afford to sacrifice a roster spot for a player that they felt could put them at a disadvantage. 

Later on that year, he would get his chance to accomplish the milestone, stepping onto the ice for one shift as a member of the IHL’s Detroit Vipers.

Godie Howe (right) at 68-years-old became the oldest player to suit up for a professional hockey team, and became the first player to suit up in six consecutive decades.

Strangely enough, the significance of this day for Howe goes beyond just his contract with the Syracuse Crunch.  He also became just the second NHL player to score 500 goals on March 14, 1962. 

It was just another one of the many milestones Howe reached during his incredibly long professional hockey career.

Howe set several marks of longevity in the NHL, playing in a record 1,767 regular season games over 26 years spanning an incredible five decades.

Gordie also held the records for most goals, assists and points in a career until Wayne Gretzky came along and broke them all.

Howe won four Stanley Cups, six Art Ross trophies and six Hart trophies as the league’s MVP.

Howe is often referred to as Mr. Hockey, and is generally regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time.

Red Wings Retire Howe's Jersey

On March 12, 1972, that Gordie Howe had his no. 9 jersey retired by the Detroit Red Wings. 

 

Gordie Howe in the late 2000s at a Detroit Red Wings press conference.

Howe would return to playing a couple years later for the Houston Aeros of the newly formed WHA.  After the WHA went bust in 1979,  “Mr. Hockey” would return for one more year in the NHL with the Hartford Whalers.

Howe set several marks of longevity in the NHL, playing in a record 1,767 regular season games over 26 years spanning an incredible five decades. 

Gordie also held the records for most goals, assists and points in a career until Wayne Gretzky came along and broke them all. 

Gordie Howe in 1968 with the Detroit Red Wings.

Howe won four Stanley Cups, six Art Ross trophies and six Hart trophies as the league’s MVP. 

Howe is often referred to as Mr. Hockey, and is generally regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time.

Howe is most famous for his scoring prowess, physical strength, and career longevity. He is the only player to have competed in the NHL in five different decades (1940s through 1980s). A four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Red Wings, he won six Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player and six Art Ross Trophies as the leading scorer. He was the inaugural recipient of the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

Howe's name and nickname, "Mr. Hockey," as well as his wife's nickname as "Mrs. Hockey," are registered trademarks.

During his NHL career Howe scored 801 regular season goals and 1048 assists totaling 1850 points 1767 games. In the playoffs Howe would score 68 goals and 92 assists for 160 total points in 157 games. 

In 1998, The Hockey News released their List of Top 100 NHL Players of All Time and listed Howe third overall, ahead of Mario Lemieux, but behind Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr. Of the list, Orr was quoted as regarding Howe as the greatest player.

On April 10, 2007, Howe was honored with the unveiling of a new bronze statue in Joe Louis Arena. The statue is 12 feet tall and weighs about 4,500 pounds. The man who was commissioned to create the art was Omri Amrany. The statue contains all of Howe's stats and history. Another statue of Howe was erected in downtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on the corner of 20th Street and 1st Ave. He is depicted wearing a Detroit Red Wings sweater. The statue has since been relocated to the Credit Union Centre.

In February 2011, various groups have proposed naming the Detroit River International Crossing bridge, a proposed bridge that will connect Detroit and Windsor by linking Highway 401 in Ontario with Interstate 75 and Interstate 94 in Michigan, in honor of Gordie Howe. Gordie Howe is a prime choice, because he is a native Canadian and his long affiliation with Detroit. This name is backed by Canadian politicians and Michigan governor Rick Snyder.

Howe Sets NHL Mark

On Nov. 10, 1963, Gordie Howe set the career NHL goal scoring mark.

ESPN reported Howe was battling injuries when he scored career goal 545, breaking a tie with legendary player Maurice Richard.   

 The Detroit Red Wings hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs on Howe's home ice. 

The fans gave their hero an 20-minute standing ovation.

Howe's mark would last until Wayne Gretzky broke it March 23, 1989, when Gretzky scored career goal 802.

Howe made his NHL debut in 1946 at the age of 18, playing right wing for the Detroit Red Wings, for which he wore no. 17 as a rookie. 

When Roy Conacher moved on to the Chicago Blackhawks after the 1946–47 season, however, Howe was offered Conacher's no. 9, which he would wear for the rest of his career (although he had not requested the change. 

Howe accepted it when he was informed that "9" would entitle him to a lower Pullman berth on road trips).

He quickly established himself as a great goal scorer and a gifted playmaker with a willingness to fight. 

In fact, Howe fought so often in his rookie season that coach Jack Adams told him, "I know you can fight. Now can you show me you can play hockey?"  

The term Gordie Howe hat trick (consisting of a goal, an assist, and a fight) was coined in reference to his penchant for fighting. 

It should be noted, however, that Howe himself only recorded two Gordie Howe hat tricks in his career, on Oct. 10, 1953 and March 21, 1954.

Using his great physical strength, he was able to dominate the opposition in a career that spanned five decades. 

In a feat unsurpassed by any hockey player, he finished in the top five in scoring for twenty straight seasons. 

Howe also scored 20 or more goals in 22 consecutive seasons between 1949 and 1971, an NHL record.

Howe is most famous for his scoring prowess, physical strength, and career longevity. He is the only player to have competed in the NHL in five (1940s through 1980s) different decades.

 A four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Red Wings, he won six Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player and six Art Ross Trophies as the leading scorer.

In 1998, The Hockey News released their List of Top 100 NHL Players of All Time and listed Howe third overall, ahead of Mario Lemieux, but behind Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr. 

Of the list, Orr was quoted as regarding Howe as the greatest player.

On April 10, 2007, Howe was honoured with the unveiling of a new bronze statue in Joe Louis Arena. The statue is 12 feet tall and weighs about 4,500 pounds. 

The man who was commissioned to create the art was Omri Amrany. The statue contains all of Howe's stats and history. Another statue of Howe was erected in downtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on the corner of 20th Street and 1st Ave. 

He is depicted wearing a Detroit Red Wings sweater. 

The statue has since been relocated to the Credit Union Centre.

He was the inaugural recipient of the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

In February 2011, various groups have proposed naming the Detroit River International Crossing bridge, a proposed bridge that will connect Detroit and Windsor by linking Highway 401 in Ontario with Interstate 75 and Interstate 94 in Michigan, in honor of Gordie Howe.  

Gordie Howe is a prime choice, because he is a native Canadian and his long affiliation with Detroit. This name is backed by Canadian politicians and Michigan governor Rick Snyder.