One player who doesn’t get anywhere near the recognition he deserves is Mark Howe. He famously started out as a forward in the WHA, playing on a line with his father and brother and winning Avco Cups at age 18 and 19. But he was just as skilled a defenseman – he made the WHA All-Star team as both a forward and a defenseman in the same season. He would go on to play both the PP and PK for over a decade in the NHL, making the first-team All-Star team three times and was a key component in a Philadelphia Flyers team that twice went to the Stanley Cup finals.
What impresses me is that Howe battled his way through injuries for the last seven years of his career, playing until age 40. It was almost worth making sure he didn't play all season just so he was available for the playoffs!
So it makes me sad that both Scott Niedermayer and Jere Lehtinen have retired. Both of them (particularly Niedermayer) have significant skill left, even if they’ve slipped a little from their peak. It would be great if they decided to make a comeback this season for a team with Stanley Cup potential – too bad it won’t happen…
