Howe Compares Ovechkin To Himself

Mr. Hockey Gordie Howe is Vancouver this weekend. The part owner of the WHL Vancouver Giants junior team is in the city as the team throws an early 80th birthday party.

Needless to say every sports journalist in the city will be looking for a piece of his time.

The Vancouver Sun published 32 interesting facts about Gordie Howe, including that he was offered the first ever head coaching job of the expansion New York Islanders and that he is a member of 11 Halls of Fame. Although apparently his star on Canada's Walk of Fame is not nearly as tough as he is.

The most interesting piece I've come across so far is his radio interview with Team 1040 show Pratt and Taylor. Son Marty Howe was also part of the show. Don Taylor and guest host Blake Price asked Mr. Hockey a variety of questions, ranging from the supposed lack of respect in the NHL nowadays compared to when he played, to the Chris Pronger stomping incident.

Taylor and Price also asked Gordie which modern player most reminds him of himself. They went on to suggest Mark Messier, Cam Neely, Jarome Iginla and Brendan Shanahan, but Howe picked a much younger star: Alexander Ovechkin.

"Don't forget that young man in his (third) year with 60 goals playing for Washington. I like the way the kid plays. If he's even up, you're going to get hit and get hit well, and he's going to make good plays for you."

You can listen to the podcast here or download via iTunes.

The selection certainly surprised me. Ovechkin reminds me of Maurice Richard much more, or at least the Russian Rocket Pavel Bure since I never saw the original Rocket play. Ovechkin, like both Rockets, is flashy and dramatic, even theatrical. Howe may have been better than all three, but he was rarely as spectacular.