Canadian hockey icon Howie Meeker has died at age 97.
Meeker won the Stanley Cup on four occasions over eight seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A spokesman for the NHL team confirmed that Meeker died earlier today. Meeker won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 1947 and was a three-time all-star. He also had a 30-year broadcasting career with CBC and TSN.
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Today isn't a great day for well known Canadians. Glad to see he made it to 97 years old, and I hope he enjoyed his years after HNIC. If my memory is right, wasn't he basically the first commentator to use the telestrator?
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Today isn't a great day for well known Canadians. Glad to see he made it to 97 years old, and I hope he enjoyed his years after HNIC. If my memory is right, wasn't he basically the first commentator to use the telestrator?
I don't know if he was the first, but he was certainly the most memorable with the way he would yell out his instructions to the person running the tape.
"Back it up. Back it up. Now, stop it right there..."
RIP
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Turn up the good, turn down the suck!
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Attended his hockey school - 1978- he was tying up my skates- they didn’t fit properly- searched out my poor dad and gave him hell
But boy did I have fun and learn a lot!
I didn't attend the school, but for some reason which I can't recall, my first ever hockey related clothing was a black and orangey brown Howie Meeker Hockey School t-shirt which I wore to the outdoor rink in Renfrew in early spring.
I was freezing cold and in net, but I needed to show off that t-shirt.
I always looked forward to what he had to say, as a commentator, for many years. The thing I recall most about him was that his enthusiasm would rise to a fever pitch at times and you couldn't help getting caught up in it. With his colorful language he came across as a real character, and I think he added a great deal to many peoples' overall hockey experience.
Not hearing about him for so long, I also assumed he had passed away long ago. I'm happy to see he enjoyed a long life. RIP.
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I have so many HNIC memories and Howie Meeker has both good and bad recollections in my experience.
I loved when I agreed with him, and yet many times had my brains explode listening to other bits of his hockey analysis.
He always will hold a special place in my heart as a sports personality and voice that I will never forget.
RIP
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But living an honest life - for that you need the truth. That's the other thing I learned that day, that the truth, however shocking or uncomfortable, leads to liberation and dignity. -Ricky Gervais
Howie Meeker Has Died
