Gordie Howe expected to leave hospital Wednesday

Gordie Howe did not have a stroke Monday and is expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday, the Howe family said in a statement released by the Detroit Red Wings.

"During the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 1, our father appeared to have suffered another severe stroke as he displayed diminished consciousness to his attending caregivers and physical therapy personnel for more than 30 minutes," the statement read. "EMS was called and he was immediately transported to UMC Hospital. An MRI was performed Tuesday afternoon which revealed the great news that he did not in fact have a second severe stoke. It was determined that he was suffering from dehydration and is currently being treated accordingly. He is having difficulty eating solid foods at this time, has slurred speech and has been unable to walk for more than three weeks now. All of these factors are contributing to his overall decline in health. His mental awareness has improved enough in the past 24 hours to where we expect him to be out of the hospital and in his own bed at home before the night is over."

Howe, 86, was living at the home of his daughter in Lubbock, Texas, when he had a major stroke Oct. 26. Gordie Howe also has dealt with serious back pain, but his son Mark Howe said a recent epidural had relieved most of those issues.

Gordie Howe is considered one of the greatest players in hockey history. His professional career spanned five decades, most notably with the Red Wings. He played 25 seasons with the Red Wings, making his debut on Oct. 16, 1946, and led them to four Stanley Cup titles.

Howe played 1,767 regular-season NHL games, scoring 801 goals and adding 1,049 assists for 1,850 points.