Howell Underrated, But Fully Appreciated
A gentleman, a scholar, and a dentist's dream come true
Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 at 1:03 AMThe Rangers announced they will honor three greats in February: Adam Graves Night on Feb. 3; Andy Bathgate and Harry Howell Night on Feb. 22. Following the announcement, Stan Fischler offered these words on Howell:
Harry Howell ranks among the most underrated defensemen of all time; except for one area: He ranks in the Hall of Fame. Howell spent 22 years in the NHL. Seventeen of those years were spent with the Rangers, for whom Howell played 1,160 games, a team record. For his 1,000th game, the Rangers honored him with a memorable Harry Howell Night at Madison Square Garden.
If Harry had a problem, it was that he lacked the fire and brimstone style of his defensive teammate Lou (Louie the Leaper) Fontinato. Harry played a methodical, clever, and tough game when he had to.
Howell remembered one of his solid performances: "We were playing the Canadiens," he recalled. "At the time, they had big 'Spider' Mazur up front. Well, one night he comes down the side, throws a deke, but I get him good with my shoulder — clipped him right in the teeth — and half his molars fall on the ice. I had a notion he might be going."
Asked how Mazur reacted to the hit, Howell said, "He looked up at me with the sorriest look you can imagine and said, 'Geez, Harry, I wish you hadn't done that.'"
Harry posted his best offensive year in 1966-67 with 12 goals and 28 assists for 40 points. This accomplishment, along with his strong defensive play, garnered him a nomination to the NHL All-Star squad in 1967 as well as the Norris Trophy — and this was the year that Bobby Orr made his debut with the Bruins.
"I'm glad I won it this year," Howell said prophetically when he earned the Norris. "I think some other guy is going to win it for the next decade."
And while eight years is not a decade, Orr did take home the award the next eight seasons.
Bobby Orr notwithstanding, Howell always will be remembered as a gentleman, hockey scholar and superb backliner.
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