Beginnings don't necessarily foretell endings. Often a story, or a life, starts one way and then takes off, missile-like, in an entirely different direction, winding up in a place nobody would have predicted.

So it was with Howie Morenz, Hockey Hall of Fame center for the Montreal Canadiens, a man whose life was as brilliant as it was brief. Many hockey historians consider Morenz the most dynamic player in the NHL between the two World Wars, a status built on his trademark, high-speed rushes up ice that saw him blow by opponents as if they were traffic cones, seemingly inventing moves as he went.

For more of Howie Morenz's 100 Greatest Players bio, please click here.