Hockey legend Gordie Howe dies at age 88

The Detroit Red Wings have confirmed that one of hockey’s greatest players has died. Gordie Howe, known as “Mr. Hockey,” died this morning in Toledo, Ohio. The Hall of Famer played for Detroit from 1946 to 1971, leading the Red Wings to the NHL’s Stanley Cup championship four times in five years (1950–1955). Howe suffered a stroke in October 2014 and had dementia in his later years. His wife, Colleen, died in 2009, and he is survived by a daughter and two sons, one of whom, Mark, is also in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Howe’s death comes in the midst of hockey’s biggest showcase: the Stanley Cup Finals, where the Pittsburgh Penguins lead the San Jose Sharks three games to two in the best-of-seven series.