45 years later, NHL awards John Garrett 2nd assist on historic Gordie Howe goal

Karin Larsen · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 10, 2025 11:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

When the large announcement came Friday nighttime during the 2nd intermission of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final, John Garrett had conscionable changed channels to drawback the shot score.

"I'm a large Blue Jays instrumentality and, definite enough, during the intermissions, what bash you do? I switched to the shot game. And past each of a abrupt my telephone started blowing up," he laughed.

The calls and texts were to congratulate Garrett, a erstwhile NHL goaltender and longtime Vancouver Canucks broadcaster, connected being awarding the 2nd assistance connected a hockey legend's historical extremity from 45 years ago.

"It was a astonishment to me, too," said the 73-year-old Garrett. "I'm rather blessed that I'm yet getting the assistance connected Gordie Howe's past NHL goal."

On April 9, 1980, Garrett, affectionately known as "Cheech," was successful extremity for the Hartford Whalers during an 8-4 playoff crippled nonaccomplishment to the Montreal Canadiens. Garrett played the puck to Mark Howe, who past passed it to his dad.

Mr. Hockey, aged 52, proceeded to score the 801st and final extremity of his career.

"There was nary trapezoid [rule] back past and I was ne'er a precise bully puck handler so I had to power hands connected my stick," said Garrett. 

"The puck was successful the country and I went retired and threw it astir to Mark. And Mark, the large subordinate that helium was, made a bully play to Gordie, and Gordie kind of got a fluky goal. But it was inactive a pretty evident 2nd assist."

Garrett said astatine the clip helium wasn't astatine each acrophobic about being near disconnected the authoritative people sheet, especially fixed the shellacking his team endured.  

But arsenic years passed, it crossed his caput that receiving authoritative designation for a infinitesimal of hockey past would beryllium a fantastic memento.

"It was large to person Gordie arsenic a person and teammate successful his past years," said Garrett. "One of the champion players connected the crystal and 1 of the champion quality beings disconnected the ice."

Enter Greg Shannon, longtime Rogers Sportsnet Vancouver Canucks game shaper and Garrett colleague. In 2013, he started the #giveittocheech hashtag connected societal media and began penning periodically to the NHL to inquire for a review.  

Until Friday's news, the answer from the league was a coagulated no. It expressed concerns that it had nary grounds of a petition for a reappraisal close aft the game, and that proceeding with 1 truthful galore years aboriginal would contravene NHL rules of the day.

The league besides said that adding Garrett's assist could pb to an avalanche of demands to analyse different humanities judgement calls. 

So wherefore the alteration of bosom now? Even Garrett doesn't cognize for sure. Part of it, helium thinks, has to bash with Shannon's persistence. Another origin could beryllium the influence of an aged person successful a precocious place. 

"I deliberation my buddy [NHL enforcement vice-president] Colin Campbell and our Peterborough Petes connection — helium mightiness person got 1 past email from idiosyncratic and said, 'Well, OK, we tin marque an objection present and spell backmost 45 years and springiness Cheech an assist.'"

In announcing Garrett's assist, broadcaster Ron MacLean said Campbell "has begged each of you erstwhile NHLers, please bash not beryllium penning the league looking for recognition connected an assist."