Post-Game Talk: Blue Jackets 7 Oilers 3

[Arpeggio]

Completely off topic but I wonder if it bothers Gretzky that he never broke Sittler’s record of 10 points in a game. Of all the records he holds, that’s the one you’d assume he’d have. So many 7 and 8 point games but never got to 10. Gretzky did everything else in hockey but he didn’t do that.

I think that and not having 100 goals in a year would be the two that would be most annoying.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think that and not having 100 goals in a year would be the two that would be most annoying.

Neither even matter to him. Gretz was on record that he respected Sittlers accomplishment and highly adored his play. Would have to be remembered that Gretz was a kid in GTA when that was going on. Gretz probably had a Sittler poster in his room.

100 goals wouldn't bother him because he wasn't close to that. As it was he piled in goals to get where he did and a figure that he is on record thinking that nobody will beat.

The thing that bothers Gretz most is not getting a SC in LA. That's the one.

The somewhat funny thing is he was pretty indifferent to the current Kings team winning two cups. I think THAT actually bothered him that he couldn't do it, and Doughty, Quick, Kopitar, Carter, could, twice for good measure.

Another example of hockey being a team sport. Gretzky said good bye to the SC when he left Edmonton.

 

[Arpeggio]

100 goals wouldn't bother him because he wasn't close to that. As it was he piled in goals to get where he did and a figure that he is on record thinking that nobody will beat.

Just because this annoyed me: Wayne Gretzky persisted to score No. 77

"It was a thrill to get 92 goals, but in some ways, I thought I let myself down by not getting 100," Gretzky said two decades later when asked if he were disappointed he hadn't hit the century mark. "Maybe I should have pushed myself more."

This isn't the only time he's said this. I think he was on pace for 100 right up until the least few weeks of the season.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Just because this annoyed me: Wayne Gretzky persisted to score No. 77

"It was a thrill to get 92 goals, but in some ways, I thought I let myself down by not getting 100," Gretzky said two decades later when asked if he were disappointed he hadn't hit the century mark. "Maybe I should have pushed myself more."

This isn't the only time he's said this. I think he was on pace for 100 right up until the least few weeks of the season.

Thanks, I'd never seen the quote.

But as always sometimes recollections end up being revisionist in nature. At the time beating the Esposito record was the huge thing, what everybody talked about. But Gretz as I recall had exhausted himself getting to that point. It was a monumental task and I think Gretz took it on too hard and had little left. That was also the Oilers worst playoffs that season. Gretz after that Buffalo game continued he scored for a couple more and by my count had 82 goals in 66 GP. So close to pace for a 100 with 14 games remaining. However Gretz then went 6 games without scoring at all so that with that done there was no way of reaching 100. Gretzky actually scored 10 more in last 8GP but any possibility of 100 goals was not really feasible by that time. Gretz would have required 8 goals in last 2 GP to do it.


Gretz went on to be -4 in the deciding game of the opening round Kings series that year and was very bad in that one being responsible for a few of the give aways leading to goals against.

By my reckoning Gretz was exhausted by March 1 that season. He finally hit a wall. I think it was a learning experience for him that he wasn't as interested in repeating.

The whole seasonal saga was in response to writers and critiques saying he wasn't a premier goal scorer. Gretz always had enough chip on shoulder to make people eat comments like that. But it was the 82, 83 playoffs that turned Gretz into a more complete player. The Oilers into a more complete team.

The chasing specious totals, was, is, and will always be a meaningless stat. Team results of course matter more, or should.

 

[rboomercat90]

I think that and not having 100 goals in a year would be the two that would be most annoying.

I wouldn’t think the 100 goal season would matter. Nobody has ever come close to that number and aside from Brett Hull scoring 86 (I think that’s what he got) nobody has come close to his record 92.
He may view Sittler’s record differently. That was set before Gretzky played in the NHL. It was staring him in the face through all those big years he had and he just couldn’t quite get there although he was close so many times. Just curious if Gretzky views that record as the one that got away.

 

[rboomercat90]

[QUOTE="Drivesaitl, post: 143658037, member: 292061"



The thing that bothers Gretz most is not getting a SC in LA. That's the one.
.[/QUOTE]
That’s the only thing that makes that trade liveable for me, lol.
The trade alone was enough of a punch in the stomach, that seemed to last for years, for me. Him winning a cup there would have made it infinitely worse. I suspect you’re right though.

 

[rboomercat90]

Just because this annoyed me: Wayne Gretzky persisted to score No. 77

"It was a thrill to get 92 goals, but in some ways, I thought I let myself down by not getting 100," Gretzky said two decades later when asked if he were disappointed he hadn't hit the century mark. "Maybe I should have pushed myself more."

This isn't the only time he's said this. I think he was on pace for 100 right up until the least few weeks of the season.

Thanks for posting, never saw that article before. Good catch.

 

[Summary]

Not if they hire a competent manager, the sooner they do that, the sooner this will turn.

Oilers won't even fire incompetent managers so I'm not holding out much hope

 

[Drivesaitl]

Thanks for posting, never saw that article before. Good catch.

Just for the record the latter statement: "I wish I had pushed myself more" was part of Gretzky joking about it. He was laughing as he stated that in an interview afairc. Nobody pushed himself more than Gretzky always. I think the context gets lost. It was a tongue and cheek comment from what I remember. The article is also somewhat misleading. 100 goals was always going to be a stretch. He had 77 after 65GP thus requiring a monumental 23G in last 15GP. That is a considerably higher scoring rate than he had attained to that point. His pace at 65GP was finishing with 94 goals. 100 was always going to be tough.

But I'll always think that record was hollow given the aftermath of the unceremonious first round exit at the hands of the Veteran Kings squad that spanked the Oilers in a series the Oilers should have been able to win.

To me chasing records is a pretty nebulous thing within team sport. I wish even Connor McDavid was less inclined to chase personal totals.

 

[rboomercat90]

Just for the record the latter statement: "I wish I had pushed myself more" was part of Gretzky joking about it. He was laughing as he stated that in an interview afairc. Nobody pushed himself more than Gretzky always. I think the context gets lost. It was a tongue and cheek comment from what I remember. The article is also somewhat misleading. 100 goals was always going to be a stretch. He had 77 after 65GP thus requiring a monumental 23G in last 15GP. That is a considerably higher scoring rate than he had attained to that point. His pace at 65GP was finishing with 94 goals. 100 was always going to be tough.

But I'll always think that record was hollow given the aftermath of the unceremonious first round exit at the hands of the Veteran Kings squad that spanked the Oilers in a series the Oilers should have been able to win.

To me chasing records is a pretty nebulous thing within team sport. I wish even Connor McDavid was less inclined to chase personal totals.

You’d think being disappointed over not hitting 100 goals in a season would be unlikely consisidering the record he was trying to break was 76 and he smashed it.

I brought up Sittler’s record as something Gretzky might look back in disappointment to because that was one that was set before he joined the league. It was there the entire time he was in the league and pretty much the only offensive record he didn’t set himself despite getting close to it many times. I’ve got no idea how he looks at these things but it’s probably the question I’d want to ask him if I ever met him.

 

[McAsuno]

Todd playing the 4th line while sitting Connor is just the definition of moronic. Can't wait the idiot gets fired along with his pals.

 

[Oil75]

I could, he has 33 points on a team that is complete ass and for most of the year he has had high school level players with him. I wouldnt count him out yet.

Not nearly enough jam to check the other teams top studs.

 

[flashy]

lucic needs to see a shrink. 1 goal in 40 games? thats insane. hes completely checked out. if i was him i would just spend the summer working on the shot and one timer. right now he isnt crashing the net, hes shooting muffins, he barely asserts himself for most of the game.

Which is my biggest problem, like if your not scoring, bring something to the table. get under the other teams skin. watching him float around is annoying as f***, why are you here??