Over 20 years in the National Hockey League, most with just a six team format, and not a Stanley Cup championship to show for it. Harry Howell entered the NHL for the 1952-53 season, fresh off a Memorial Cup championship.
However, the NHL was pretty abusive to the two teams on the Eastern Seaboard and Howell spent most of his career with the New York Rangers in the ’50’s and ’60’s. He ended his NHL career playing for lowly expansion teams in California. While playing over 1,400 regular season games, Harry participated in just 38 games in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Junior Career
NHL Career
Hockey Card Collection
WHA Career
Rookie Card
Career Stats
Harry Howell – Junior
Howell spent parts of four years with the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters in the OHA from 1949-50 to 1952-53, not too far from his place of birth in Hamilton, Ontario. His final season consisted of just five games before moving up to become a regular defenseman with the Rangers. The Biltmores evolved to become the present day Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League.
The pinnacle of Harry’s junior career was the 1951-52 season. He scored 17 goals and assisted on 20 for 37 points from the blue line over 51 regular season games. Guelph placed second in the ten team league during the regular season. Up front, the Mad Hatters had future NHL stars Andy Bathgate and Dean Prentice providing the offense.
In the Robertson Cup playoffs, Guelph eliminated the first place Toronto Marlboros in the semi-finals. It took five games to defeat the St. Catherines Teepees in the finals to capture the championship. The Biltmores then beat the Montreal Junior Canadiens for the George Richardson Memorial Trophy to earn a Memorial Cup showdown with the Regina Pats. The Mem was an easy sweep for Guelph, with all games being held at either Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto or the Guelph Memorial Gardens.
Harry Howell – NHL
Between 1952-53 and 1972-73, Howell played 1,411 regular season National Hockey League games with the Rangers, Oakland Seals / California Golden Seals and Los Angeles Kings. Over his career, he scored 94 goals and assisted on 324 for 418 points. In the playoffs, he added another six points over his 38 games.
Harry Howell Collection
He still sits 28th all-time for most regular season NHL games played. A rarity in the Original 6 era, Harry jumped right to the Rangers from junior. He played just one game in the AHL during his career, with the Cincinnati Mohawks during the 1952-53 season.
Howell acted as team captain with the Rangers for the 1955-56 and 1956-57 seasons. He replaced Don Raleigh and was replaced by Red Sullivan. Harry finished his NHL career with less than a penalty minute per game. However, in 1958-59, he tied for seventh in the league with 101 PIM.
His career wasn’t completely void of accolades. In 1966-67, Howell was awarded the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. He was the last to win the trophy before Bobby Orr dominated the award for the next eight years. Over 70 games, Harry scored 12 goals and assisted on 28 for 40 points. All these offensive numbers were career highs. He placed second on the Rangers for assists, behind Phil Goyette.
The Rangers responded by making the Stanley Cup playoffs in the final year of the Original 6 NHL. New York placed fourth, two points behind third place Toronto and five points behind second place Montreal. However, in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, New York was swept by the Canadiens in four.
In an interesting twist, when Harry Howell was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979, it was Bobby Orr that was by his side. It was a great induction year for the Hall with Henri Richard completing the trio.
Harry Howell – WHA
Howell’s post season luck did not change when he jumped to the World Hockey Association for the 1973-74 season. He spent three years in the rebel league with three different teams, playing a total of just seven playoff games.
Between 1973-74 and 1975-76, Harry spent one year each with the New Jersey Knights, San Diego Mariners and Calgary Cowboys. Perhaps, the only player to play for three major league California teams? He appeared in 170 regular season WHA games, totalling 43 points.
Harry Howell – Rookie Card
The Harry Howell rookie card appears as number 57 in the 1953-54 Parkhurst set. The first Howell hockey card is valued at about four times that of a common card and is equal in value to the rookie card of Rangers teammate Andy Bathgate.
The top rookies in the 1953-54 Parkhurst set belong to Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens and Gump Worsley of the Rangers. The most valuable card in the set belongs to none other than Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings.
Harry Howell Career Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1949-50 | Guelph Biltmores | OHA | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1950-51 | Guelph Biltmores | OHA | 50 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 77 |
| 1951-52 | Guelph Biltmores | OHA | 51 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 79 |
| 1951-52 | Cincinnati Mohawks | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952-53 | Guelph Biltmores | OHA | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 1952-53 | New York Rangers | NHL | 67 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 46 |
| 1953-54 | New York Rangers | NHL | 67 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 58 |
| 1954-55 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 87 |
| 1955-56 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 77 |
| 1956-57 | New York Rangers | NHL | 65 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 70 |
| 1957-58 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 62 |
| 1958-59 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 101 |
| 1959-60 | New York Rangers | NHL | 67 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 58 |
| 1960-61 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 62 |
| 1961-62 | New York Rangers | NHL | 66 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 89 |
| 1962-63 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 55 |
| 1963-64 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 5 | 31 | 36 | 75 |
| 1964-65 | New York Rangers | NHL | 68 | 2 | 20 | 22 | 63 |
| 1965-66 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 4 | 29 | 33 | 92 |
| 1966-67 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 12 | 28 | 40 | 54 |
| 1967-68 | New York Rangers | NHL | 74 | 5 | 24 | 29 | 62 |
| 1968-69 | New York Rangers | NHL | 56 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 36 |
| 1969-70 | Oakland Seals | NHL | 55 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 52 |
| 1970-71 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 28 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 14 |
| 1970-71 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 18 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 4 |
| 1971-72 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 77 | 1 | 17 | 18 | 53 |
| 1972-73 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 73 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 28 |
| 1973-74 | New York Golden Blades | WHA | 65 | 3 | 23 | 26 | 24 |
| 1974-75 | San Diego Mariners | WHA | 74 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 28 |
| 1975-76 | Calgary Cowboys | WHA | 31 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| NHL Totals | 1411 | 94 | 324 | 418 | 1298 | ||
| WHA Totals | 170 | 7 | 36 | 43 | 58 |