Harry Howell NHL Legend and New York Ranger great
On my walk through Woodland Cemetery in Burlington, Ontario, I visited the grave of long-serving New York Ranger and star defenceman Henry “Harry” Howell.
Affectionately known as “Harry the Horse,” Howell became a Rangers legend, setting a franchise record with 1,160 games played and missing only 20 games over 17 seasons with the club. Before his remarkable NHL career, he was already an outstanding young defenceman, honing his skills in minor hockey around Hamilton, Ontario.
At just 16 years old, Howell was scouted by the New York Rangers and signed as a free agent in 1949. Three years later, on October 18, 1952, he made his NHL debut at Maple Leaf Gardens—and wasted no time making an impression. He scored his first NHL goal on his first shot, against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Henry “Harry” Vernon Howell went on to play and coach in both the NHL and WHA, leaving an enduring legacy in professional hockey.
In 2009, the Rangers honoured him by retiring his No. 3 sweater. A seven-time All-Star and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Howell passed away in Hamilton, Ontario, on March 9, 2019, at the age of 86.
