"It was a surprise to me': NHL awards John Garrett long-overdue assist on Gordie Howe's final goal
John Garrett (via Getty Images)
After 45 years, former NHL goaltender and longtime Vancouver Canucks broadcaster John Garrett has finally received official recognition for his role in the final goal of Gordie Howe's legendary NHL career.
During the second intermission of Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, John Garrett was caught completely off guard. In true Canadian fashion, he had switched the channel to check on a Toronto Blue Jays game, only to be bombarded by congratulatory messages moments later.
How a missed assist turned into a decades-long campaign for John Garrett
The play came on April 9, 1980, during a playoff game between the Hartford Whalers and the Montreal Canadiens. Garrett was then the Whalers' goaltender, who played the puck from behind the net to defenseman Mark Howe.
Mark sent it up to his father, Gordie Howe, who scored his 801st—and final—NHL goal at the age of 52.
"It was a surprise to me, too," said the 73-year-old Garrett. "I'm quite happy that I'm finally getting the assist on Gordie Howe's last NHL goal. There was no trapezoid [rule] back then and I was never a very good puck handler so I had to switch hands on my stick. The puck was in the corner and I went out and threw it around to Mark.
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And Mark, the great player that he was, made a nice play to Gordie, and Gordie kind of got a fluky goal.
But it was still a pretty obvious second assist."
The push to give Garrett the credit he deserved was led by Greg Shannon, a longtime Sportsnet producer and Garrett's colleague. Shannon launched the #GiveItToCheech campaign on social media in 2013 and persistently lobbied the NHL to review the historic assist.
Initially, the league declined, citing concerns over opening a floodgate of retroactive stat changes.
However, persistence paid off. Garrett credits NHL executive vice-president Colin Campbell — a fellow alum of the Peterborough Petes — for helping to finally push it through.
Also read:
Toronto Maple Leafs fan Cal finds heartwarming support from NHL community after injury
A fitting tribute to a humble player and a cherished moment in
NHL history
John Garrett's connection to Gordie Howe wasn't just a single assist — it was a bond formed late in Howe's career, during the Whalers' years. 'It was great to have Gordie as a friend and teammate. One of the best players on the ice and one of the best human beings off the ice,' said Garrett. The long-awaited acknowledgment doesn't just rewrite a stat line, it cements Garrett's place in NHL history.
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