No one in New York Rangers history has played more games than Howell, a Hall of Fame defenseman known for his smart, steady play during 21 seasons in the NHL.

The native of Hamilton, Ontario, stepped right into the NHL with the Rangers as a 20-year-old in 1952-53 after helping Guelph win the Memorial Cup. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, he was strong and durable, a reliable stay-at-home defenseman, though not necessarily the physical presence that fans a Madison Square Garden wanted. "I was a big guy for the time I played," but I wasn't the type of guy to go run through people," he said in "Game of My Life: New York Rangers."

He was part of the Rangers' revival in the late 1950s, when Howell and a number of his teammates from Guelph formed the core of a team that advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs (1955-56 through 1957-58) after missing the postseason for five consecutive seasons.

Though Howell scored on his first shot in his NHL debut on Oct. 18, 1952, in was never a big point producer. However, he picked the right time to have his career year. In 1966-67, the 34-year-old had NHL career highs in goals (12) and points (40). He was voted winner of the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in the NHL in the final season of the Original Six era, though he recognized where the future of the award was headed when he noted at the awards luncheon that he was glad to have won the Norris when he did -- then pointed to Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr, a rookie who had finished second, would "own" the Norris for some time (Orr won it in each of the next eight seasons).

Back problems began to plague Howell, but he turned down an offer to retire and stay with the Rangers in another capacity. Instead, he was traded and played two seasons with the Oakland Seals, three with the Los Angeles Kings and three more in the World Hockey Association before retiring at age 43. He finished his NHL career with 418 points (94 goals, 324 assists) in 1,411 games, and six points (three goals, three assists) in 36 playoff games.

Howell was named general manager of the Cleveland Barons in 1977-78; after the Barons merged with the Minnesota North Stars, he coached the North Stars for 11 games in 1978-79. He later spent many years with the Edmonton Oilers as a scout, earning the Stanley Cup ring that had eluded him as a player in 1990, when the Oilers won their fifth championship in seven seasons.

The Hall of Fame inducted Howell in 1979. On Feb. 22, 2009, Howell's No. 3 and longtime New York teammate Andy Bathgate's No. 9 were retired by the Rangers.

Howell was 86 when he died on March 10, 2019.