Known as “Mr. Hockey,” Gordie Howe contributed so much to the sport, including a phrase — “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” — that’s still tossed around with regularity even if its origin is unclear.
A Gordie Howe Hat Trick is a feat in which a player scores a goal, records an assist and gets into a fight all in one game. Amazingly, Howe had just two Gordie Howe Hat Tricks in his 32-year NHL career, but some other NHL stars mastered the art of dropping the gloves and picking up points in the same game.
As we celebrate the life of Howe, who died Friday at age 88, let’s look back at the all-time career leaders in Gordie Howe hat tricks. It only seems like a fitting tribute for one of the greatest hockey players who ever lived.
The following information comes from a graphic in an article published Friday on The Washington Post’s website, citing hockeyfights.com as its source. Presumably, based on information also posted by a user (inglorious42) on hockeyfights.com’s message boards, this information takes into account both regular-season games and playoff games.
Rick Tocchet — 18
Brendan Shanahan — 17
Brian Sutter — 17
Wilf Paiement — 16
Cam Neely — 12
Jarome Iginla — 11
Keith Tkachuk — 10
Thumbnail photo via Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Images
