Garry Howatt

Garry Howatt
Born (1952-09-26) 26 September 1952 (age 72)
Grand Centre, Alberta, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for New York Islanders
Hartford Whalers
New Jersey Devils
NHL draft 144th overall, 1972
New York Islanders
Playing career 1972–1984

Garry Robert Charles Howatt (born September 26, 1952) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Islanders, Hartford Whalers, and New Jersey Devils between 1972 and 1984. With the Islanders Howatt won the Stanley Cup in 1980 and 1981. Howatt was known for his toughness and, due to his small size, had the nickname "Toy Tiger."[1]

Career

Junior and AHL

Born in Grand Centre (now part of Cold Lake), Alberta, Howatt played one season in the WCHL with the Flin Flon Bombers in 1971-72. He amassed 79 points in 60 games. That year he was drafted into the NHL by the New York Islanders at the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft. The following year he played with the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League, scoring 49 points in 65 games.[citation needed]

NHL

Howatt started his National Hockey League career with the New York Islanders in 1972.

Howatt enjoyed his greatest popularity with the Islanders, remaining on the team from their first season, through their formative years of steady improvement, right through to their first two Stanley Cup championships, in 1980 and 1981. Howatt, known along with teammate Bobby Nystrom as a member of the "Dynamic Duo", was a fan favourite admired for his scrappy, energetic style of play. For this reason, Islander fans established a Howatt-Nystrom booster club, called the "Dynamic Duo Fan Club", which was active throughout the 1970s.[2]

When he left the Islanders in 1981, Howatt held the Islanders' career penalty-minutes record (1,466) and career playoffs penalty-minutes record (279).[2] With the Hartford Whalers, Howatt scored a career-high 50 points and was offered a long-term contract and the team's captaincy. However, in his words, "bad advice from some former teammates" led him to request a trade to the New Jersey Devils, and was traded with Rick Meagher for Merlin Malinowski and the rights to Scott Fusco.[3] After squabbling with Devils' management, he played only sporadically before ending his career with the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League (AHL), where he helped them win a Calder Cup as their captain.[4][5]

On January 15, 1983 Howatt, as a member of the Devils, and Mickey Volcan, as a member of the Whalers, became the only active players to officiate an NHL game, when a snowstorm prevented a referee, Ron Fournier, and a linesman, Ron Asselstine, from reaching the Hartford Civic Center for a game between the two teams.[6][7] The two players stepped down after the first period once the officials arrived. He retired after the 1983–84 NHL season.

Personal life

Howatt suffers from epilepsy and was recognized by the epilepsy community for his grittiness by being awarded the National Epileptic Foundation Man of the Year for 1974. He later resided in New Jersey, where he owned and operated his own business, Mt. Freedom Golf, which he sold in 2010. Howatt now[when?] lives in Arizona with his wife and is still active playing hockey with NHL alumni. He is also active in rodeos throughout Arizona, participating in team roping competitions.[1]

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1971–72 Victoria Cougars WCHL 24 5 15 20 36 — — — — —
1971–72 Flin Flon Bombers WCHL 36 24 35 59 109 7 4 1 5 30
1972–73 New York Islanders NHL 8 0 1 1 18 — — — — —
1972–73 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 65 22 27 49 157 — — — — —
1973–74 New York Islanders NHL 78 6 11 17 204 — — — — —
1974–75 New York Islanders NHL 77 18 30 48 121 17 3 3 6 59
1975–76 New York Islanders NHL 80 21 13 34 197 13 5 5 10 23
1976–77 New York Islanders NHL 70 13 15 28 182 12 1 1 2 28
1977–78 New York Islanders NHL 61 7 12 19 146 7 0 1 1 62
1978–79 New York Islanders NHL 75 16 12 28 205 9 0 1 1 18
1979–80 New York Islanders NHL 77 8 11 19 219 21 3 1 4 84
1980–81 New York Islanders NHL 70 4 15 19 174 8 0 2 2 15
1981–82 Hartford Whalers NHL 80 18 32 50 242 — — — — —
1982–83 New Jersey Devils NHL 38 1 4 5 114 — — — — —
1982–83 Wichita Wind CHL 11 0 5 5 4 — — — — —
1983–84 New Jersey Devils NHL 6 0 0 0 14 — — — — —
1983–84 Maine Mariners AHL 63 12 20 32 124 17 4 7 11 46
NHL totals 720 112 156 268 1836 87 12 14 26 289

References

  1. ^ a b Leonard, Pat (2010-09-25). "Brawler Howatt takes his fight to the rodeo". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
  2. ^ a b "NYI TOP 10: ENFORCERS 1-5". New York Islanders. 5 June 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  3. ^ Eskenazi, Gerald (16 October 1982). "DEVILS GET HOWATT FROM THE WHALERS". New York Times. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  4. ^ Jacobs, Jeff. "Coach John Paddock's Long, Strange Trip To Become The Leader Of The Pack". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Mariners Are Honored". The Lewiston Journal. 19 May 1984. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Whalers Top Devils, 2-1". New York Times. 16 January 1983. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  7. ^ Pinchevsky, Tal. "Volcan, Howatt made NHL history 30 years ago". NHL.com. Retrieved 1 January 2016.