From Gordie Howe to Wayne Gretzky: The Fascinating Hockey Journey of Former Red Wing Poul Popiel

The Danish-born defenseman played alongside two of hockey's greatest legends, won two WHA championships and carved out a unique career spanning nearly two decades.

Detroit Red Wings logo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not many hockey players can say they shared a locker room with Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky.

Poul Popiel is among the select few who can.

The former Detroit Red Wings defenseman never became a household name, but his career placed him alongside two of the greatest players in NHL history, at opposite ends of their careers.

And along the way, Popiel built an impressive resume of his own.

Born on February 28, 1943 in Sollested, Denmark, Popiel moved to Canada with his family as a youngster. He eventually became the first Danish-born player to appear in an NHL game.

His professional journey began in the minor leagues before he made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins during the 1965-66 season.

After a brief appearance with the Los Angeles Kings, Popiel was traded to the Red Wings on November 12, 1968, in exchange for Ron Anderson.

The move gave Popiel an opportunity to play alongside Howe, who was already firmly established as one of the greatest players in hockey history.

During the 1968-69 season, Popiel appeared in 62 games for the Red Wings, scoring two goals and adding 13 assists for 15 points.

He returned for another 32 games the following season, finishing his Red Wings career with 19 points in 94 games.

Although his time in Detroit was relatively brief, his association with Howe was far from over.

Popiel was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1970 expansion draft. He spent parts of two seasons with the Canucks before joining the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association.

It was in Houston that his career took another interesting turn.

After retiring from the NHL in 1971, Howe returned to professional hockey in 1973 to play alongside his sons, Mark and Marty, with the Aeros.

Popiel suddenly found himself reunited with his former Red Wings teammate.

This time, however, the two weren't playing for an established Original Six franchise.

They were helping build a championship team in a league attempting to challenge the NHL.

The Aeros won consecutive Avco World Trophy championships in 1974 and 1975, giving Popiel two professional championship while playing with Howe.

According to Charles Swanlund of the Texas State Historical Association, Popiel was among the original Aeros players who remained with the organization throughout its six-season existence.

His offensive production also flourished.

During the 1974-75 season, Popiel scored 11 goals and added 53 assists for 64 points in 78 games.

Two seasons later, he enjoyed an even better campaign, producing 12 goals and 56 assists for a career-high 68 points in 80 games.

Popiel finished his WHA career with 62 goals, 265 assists and 327 points in 487 games.

Those were impressive numbers for a defenseman who had never scored more than 32 points in an NHL season.

Following the Aeros' demise in 1978, Popiel spent the 1978-79 season playing professionally in Austria.

But his NHL career wasn't finished.

In November 1979, the Edmonton Oilers signed the veteran defenseman as a free agent.

The decision brought Popiel into the same organization as an 18-year-old phenom named Wayne Gretzky, who was beginning his first NHL season.

The contrast was remarkable.

Popiel had played with Howe during the latter stages of his career and later helped him win championships in Houston of the WHA.

Now, more than a decade after first arriving in Detroit, he was teammates with the player who would eventually break many of Howe's most celebrated records.

Popiel appeared in just 10 games for the Oilers during the 1979-80 season, recording no points.

It was his final NHL stop.

He finished his NHL career with 13 goals, 41 assists and 54 points in 225 regular season games.

Those numbers hardly reflect the unusual path his career followed.

Popiel played during the Original Six era's aftermath, experienced the NHL's rapid expansion, became a championship defenseman in the WHA and returned to the NHL just as Gretzky was beginning his ascent.

He also established himself as one of the more productive defensemen in WHA history.

For Red Wings fans, Popiel's story offers an interesting connection to the franchise's most celebrated player.

He wasn't a star and his stay with the organization lasted only two seasons, but few players can claim the historical distinction of having shared the ice with both Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky.

Poul Popiel can. And that's a hockey story woth remembering.