There will never be another Mr. Hockey.
On Friday the hockey world said goodbye to Gordie Howe, the only man to ever appropriately don the ultimate nickname that encompasses everything the rugged and finesse game is about.
But while he last took to the ice as a member of the NHL in 1980, his impact can still be seen on it nightly.
The players of today's NHL who take to the ice with the same unmatched skill, physicality, and dominance that Howe once delivered to his opponents every time he touched the ice, are a testament to how No. 9 played the game.
Here are five current players that have continued to emulate arguably hockey's greatest.
Corey Perry
Howe's play was tough, sometimes bordering on dirty - just ask Bobby Baun - quite reminiscent of Anaheim Ducks star Corey Perry.
While Perry has been one of the most electric goal scorers in the game over the last handful of seasons - with 212 goals since the 2010-11 season and having only failed to hit the 30-goal plateau during the lockout-shortened 2013 season - his dirty side has also been prevalent.
Just ask Finnish prospect Patrik Laine, who encountered as much at this year's World Championship.
Jonathan Toews
As Howe was during his time, Jonathan Toews has been referred to by many as the best all-around player in the world.
While Toews' offensive production is marginally less on the scale set by Howe - with no scoring titles to his belt - his leadership and incredible well-rounded game make him a star in every sense of the word.
Captain Serious is not afraid to go into the corners, drop the gloves, and earn every inch of the ice, but he also boasts silky soft hands capable of fooling defenders and beating goaltenders, a true Howe trait.
Brent Burns
Few people in the NHL tower over San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, as few did Howe in his time.
While Burns has become a finesse player with a sly skating ability and wicked shot, he might most emulate Howe in how he takes care of his body.
While he clearly takes care of his flowing beard, the 31-year-old can also always been seen donning a military-style backpack prior to games. A pack that holds protein, tea, and a blender among other oddities.
Of course Burns is also the last player to achieve the infamous "Gordie Howe Hat trick".
Alex Ovechkin
As far as offensive accolades go, no one on the list rivals Howe quite as closely as Alex Ovechkin does.
Ovechkin has three Hart Trophies to his name - still only half as many as Howe - and with 525 career goals, it would seem that staying healthy is all Ovechkin needs to do to one day amass Howe's mark of 801.
Goal scoring aside, few players play with the intensity, passion, and will to win that Ovechkin does nightly. The Washington Capitals captain not only leads on the scoreboard, but is not afraid to lay the body out in order to create room for himself and his teammates, or just simply to ware down the opposition.
Jamie Benn
Jamie Benn is a human bulldozer.
Not only does he have the hands and scoring touch to finish first and second in league scoring the past two seasons respectively, he has the size and brute strength to impose his will on the ice.
Like Howe, Benn also remains humble off the ice, but with 64 penalty minutes in three-straight seasons, it's no question he is a warrior and can beat the opposition on the scoreboard or in the alley.
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