Photo: Ralston-Purina Company, makers of Chex cereals via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
File No. 734284 · Adjudicated
Gordie Howe
Athlete — Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Houston Aeros
Born
1928
Birthplace
FLORAL, SASKATCHEWAN
Citizenships
CA
Canadianness Score
🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁
5.0/ 5
Weighted across 2 scored criteria
Designation
Bleeds Maple Syrup 🍁Born, raised, and still says “out for a rip” unironically.
Scorecard
Path A — born on Canadian soilI. Origin
Born on Canadian soil — yes
FLORAL, SASKATCHEWAN
Canadian parentage — not scored
Both parents Canadian
Citizenship on record — not scored
Automatic by birth
II. Residency
Formative years spent in Canada — yes
Raised — Saskatchewan
Lived in Canada by choice — not scored
Residency on record as an adult
Worked or filmed in Canada — not scored
Credits filed north of the 49th
III. Cultural evidence — not scored
Section III is recorded for the file only. Birth on Canadian soil already settles the matter.
Publicly claims to be Canadian — not scored
Says so, out loud
Canada claims them back — not scored
Claimed, enthusiastically
Fun fact
Scored his first NHL goal against the legendary Turk Broda while playing ambidextrously, a skill he developed as a kid using whatever hockey stick he could find.
The verdict
Mr. Hockey himself, born in a Saskatchewan hamlet so small it doesn't even have its own post office, went on to define the game for generations. Played 32 professional seasons across five decades, represented Canada internationally, and remains the gold standard for toughness and skill combined. Canada doesn't just claim him — he IS the embodiment of Canadian hockey, eh.
Adjudicated by
The Standings Committee
Status
Final — appealable
Related files
More from the files: Saskatchewan · Bleeds Maple Syrup 🍁
References — en.wikipedia.org