Michigan native Brad Keselowski mourns loss of NHL great Gordie Howe
The NHL lost one of its all-time greats Friday, when former Detroit Red Wings superstar Gordie Howe died at the age of 88. And for Michigan native Brad Keselowski, it was a particularly big loss.
Speaking at Michigan International Speedway Friday afternoon, Keselowski paid homage to Howe, who scored a remarkable 975 goals in a career that began in 1949 and ended in 1980.
So great was Howe's influence that he was known simply as "Mr. Hockey," a richly deserved nickname.
"Being in Detroit it is a huge deal if you are from this area, his passing," Keselowski told local and national media at MIS. ".... He lived really close to me when I was growing up and it is a big deal for all my friends and family and probably isn't as big a deal for all of you here but that is a guy that left a tremendous legacy on his sport. I am thinking about him and his family."
The near universal adoration Howe earned impressed Keselowski.
"I don't think you can grow up in this area and not be a hockey fan of the Red Wings. Looking at that, I think he had more than just the respect of just his community, he had the respect of his entire sport, which is hard to do for anyone," said Keselowski.
"He had such admiration from the fan base and it has been almost 40 years since he retired. That really says something about someone. In the community, he was someone that remained a pillar after he finished his career. There is so much you can say about a guy like that. It is hard to put it into words but certainly left a tremendous legacy for his sport and a huge loss."
