Namely...

"What's in a name, anyways..." Well, to loosely quote Shakespeare..."A bridge by any other name, wouldn't be the same..." Or at least not the same effect. Affectionally known around here ("Hockey Town") as "Mr. Hockey.", he came fully prepared to play, every day, sans helmet and frequently throwing down perfectly good gloves, in favor of bare fists. Here he enjoyed a career that spanned several gens (long enough for him to usher the "grandfather" clause into the NHL, a moniker that could earn you a black eye if you used it in his presence). One that also spanned the so-called cultural divide "eh?" and connected two continents. Also known for his straight shooting, given that the rarity of his straight blade, on his stick - - allowing him to shoot from both directions (given his ambidextrous nature), an Ambassador in his own right. But the most compelling argument for naming this connector in his honor is that if you fail to follow one of the most cardinal rules in hockey - - "skate with your head up" - - you could easily be in need of one yourself, to cover the gap between your front teeth, after meeting him at center ice. "And Howe!"