Howe as quick with a quip as with a stick.

Gordie Howe looked closer to 18 than 80-something.

Flash back to the Vancouver Giants’ Memorial Cup win in 2007. Coach Don Hay was talking to the media in the team’s weight room at the Pacific Coliseum and Howe, one of the team’s coowners, sashayed by, chanting, “We love the coach!”

We love Mr. Hockey, and part of the reason is he’s never been cliche. In honour of his 85th birthday Friday, we present some of Howe’s best quotes.

“Thank God that’s over. It was getting so the boys wouldn’t even have a beer with me.”

—On breaking Maurice (The Rocket) Richard’s career goal record. (Sports Illustrated, March 16, 1964)

“I don’t know; I’ve never felt his nose.”

—On whether he considered the Rangers’ Reg Fleming a “hard-nosed player.” (SI, Feb. 28, 1966)

“I think the NHL doesn’t think I’m turning my back on it. I’m not worried about my image; I’ll let those 25 years I spent with the Red Wings answer that question.”

—On jumping to the WHA. (SI, June 18, 1973)

“The secret to it all is that I’m happy on and off the ice for a change. The game is fun again, compared to the way things were the last several years in Detroit. Playing with my kids makes it fun, of course, and so does the atmosphere in Houston.

“Look, if I want to get away from hockey now, I can play golf or go fishing after practice. In Detroit, the only thing I ever did was shovel snow off my neighbours’ driveways.”

—On playing in Houston with his sons Marty and Mark after being retired and in the Red Wings’ front office for two years. (SI, March 11, 1974)

“The funny thing is, except for the teams going under, our league has never been in better shape.”

—On the condition of the WHA. (SI, March 17, 1976)

“People used to complain that I was nonchalant on the ice, while the Rocket was like a cobra. But that was my style. The Rocket even told some writers that he didn’t think I tried hard all the time. Well, a couple of years ago I ran into the Rocket and he told me, ‘Gordie, I guess you were really trying all those years.’”

—On Maurice (The Rocket) Richard. (SI, Dec. 5, 1977)

“I’m goofy crazy about this sport called hockey.”

—( Associated Press, June 9, 2009)