Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC (born March 31, 1928) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, Howe played twenty-six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first twenty-five seasons were spent with the Detroit Red Wings. Nicknamed "Mr. Hockey", Howe is considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time.