All that means is that his Dad would have loved to play for the Habs.
My dad was a Gordie Howe fan. One of my middle names is Gordon as a result of this. The first hockey sweater I ever got was a Red Wings sweater (and I do recall my Dad being a bit pissed off when I told him I didn't like the Red Wings, although, like the kid in the Roch Carrier story, I did wear it) But I sure as hell never dreamed of suiting up for the Red Wings. By then, Howe was playing in Houston, Detroit was a shithole and the team was a bottom feeder.