Joe Watson's Rookie Lesson from Gordie Howe Included a Broken Nose
During a 1966 game at Boston Garden, Joe Watson elbowed Gordie Howe in a corner before realizing who he had hit. Bobby Orr, who was also making his NHL debut that night, warned Watson that Howe would retaliate, and Howe later broke Watson's nose with an elbow. Watson got payback in 1971 when a collision in front of the net in Philadelphia caused Howe to break three ribs.
Watson first encountered Howe on Oct. 19, 1966, at Boston Garden. After absorbing an unexpected check in the corner, the young Bruins defenseman elbowed the offender and later learned from Bobby Orr that it was Howe. Orr’s warning stood out because that same game marked his own NHL debut.
Howe retaliated in the second period, breaking Watson’s nose with an elbow during a net-front battle and making clear the rookie had been welcomed harshly. Watson’s response came in 1971 in Philadelphia, where a collision in front of the net, after Frank Mahovlich passed to Howe, left Howe with three broken ribs.
This tale may circulate among hockey fans as a vivid example of rookie initiation and on-ice payback. It could influence how young players interpret respect, retaliation, and physical risk in professional sport. Audiences may enjoy the era’s rough nostalgia, yet the story also could remind them that injuries—broken noses and ribs—carry real consequences for athletes and teams. Its impact may remain cultural and anecdotal rather than broad.