Older members of HF, what was it like when Gretzky started out?

[Boxscore]

Unfortunately, the internet, social media and streaming video content weren't around when Gretzky entered the league. As a fan in the States, my exposure to Gretzky was limited. I read all about him and "followed him" in the box scores and highlights (when available) but only saw him up close when he played the Flyers and the games were televised locally.

I think this lack of exposure added to his mystique in a phantomish way. Here was a kid absolutely destroying the NHL offensively and you "heard" all about this legend but rarely had the chance to watch him perform. With today's technology, a player like Gretzky would dominate the sports world, globally. No player (in any sport) dominates their peers offensively the way Gretzky did. Early Tiger Woods maybe comes to mind. Think of the amount of hype athletes like Lebron, Brady, Crosby, McDavid, etc. receive today and magnify that by 10, based on the highlights and sheer dominance.

 

[shazariahl]

The Panther:
"No doubt there was some good luck in Gretzky's having only two modest injuries during his first 10.5 seasons in the NHL (and 11.5 at pro-level). One cost him 6 games, the other 16.

But I also think Gretzky's style was a major factor. Obviously, he wasn't the guy to go into the corners and grind it out, but also his entire offensive strategy was based on open ice. If he was covered, he passed to a teammate in open ice, which takes the D off of him. If defencemen were stacked between him and the net, he didn't skate towards the net -- as most star forwards would -- but instead to open ice (if he didn't take a shot). When he was in a race for the puck, he would push the puck far ahead of himself and chase it down rather than carry it closely with a D-man fighting him for it. "

Good observation. One thing I rarely see others talk about is how Gretzky would play his opponents against themselves. Like you said, rather than head to the net, Gretzky would head to open ice. But then he'd use the Dman as a screen, and shoot back against the goalie's movement. Or he'd get one Dman to press him, then skate laterally towards his defensive partner, often freezing the Dmen. Does the right D continue to chase, leaving his side open knowing Gretzky would likely pass to an open man now? Or do you back off, let your partner get him, and just hope he's quick enough to get on Gretzky before he can make a play? Gretzky would camp behind the net, using the goal itself to buy himself time. And if you tried to charge on one side, he'd either slip out the other, or make a pass, or deke the Dman by passing to himself off the back of the net and go around you, leaving you now behind the net and going in the wrong direction.

He would skate in, gain the line, get the D to back off, then curl back and hit the trailer. But if they didn't back off, he'd either pass or try to pull the D all to one spot then either pass to an open teammate or else use the D as a screen to fire his slapper. He was the master of creating and abusing space on the ice.

People talk about his hockey IQ, and rightly so. But honestly Gretzky was like a great stage magician. He'd get you watching one hand, while the trick was happening in the other.

edit: I messed up the quote and had to edit it in after. Sorry Panther.

 

[Andy6]

I have a strong memory of listening to the radio the night the Jets first played the Indianapolis Racers in the Fall of 1978, and hearing the Jets' announcer Ken Nicolson saying that this kid was skinny "but they say he's going to be a great one". Not that any such memory is likely to be very accurate as to the exact words, but the moment stuck in my mind.

 

[Eisen]

Unfortunately, the internet, social media and streaming video content weren't around when Gretzky entered the league. As a fan in the States, my exposure to Gretzky was limited. I read all about him and "followed him" in the box scores and highlights (when available) but only saw him up close when he played the Flyers and the games were televised locally.

I think this lack of exposure added to his mystique in a phantomish way. Here was a kid absolutely destroying the NHL offensively and you "heard" all about this legend but rarely had the chance to watch him perform. With today's technology, a player like Gretzky would dominate the sports world, globally. No player (in any sport) dominates their peers offensively the way Gretzky did. Early Tiger Woods maybe comes to mind. Think of the amount of hype athletes like Lebron, Brady, Crosby, McDavid, etc. receive today and magnify that by 10, based on the highlights and sheer dominance.

There are a couple in discussion (think Bradman (cricket), Schumacher (Formula 1), Khan (Squash), Karelin (Greco-Roman wrestling), Ed Moses (Hurdles) etc.). That doesn't take away from Gretzky.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Not to contradict anyone here, but I'm going to throw two names out that dominated offensively from their entry onto their respective pro sports.

-Pele
-Wilt Chaimberlin

This does nothing to diminish Gretzky's early brilliance - and his continued brilliance.

 

[supsens]

I think yoru above post is a good one for discussion.

Faster defenseman of todays game would have played him tighter, and I'd argue finish checks - but consider this:

Out of Bodyguards Curt Brackenbury, Dave Semenko, Kevin McClelland, and Marty McSorley, I'd say McSorley would be the only one capable of skating in todays game.

Also, the instigator rule was "enforced" (technically it had been in the rules many years prior) in 1992, so his protection would be less a deterrent on todays game.

Let me muse upon this a bit more and post again.....

Did you says todays defensemen would finish checks? lol I'm guessing you have no idea how the game used to be played, everyone has seen what Stevens did to people with late hits..
Back then they were not called late hits, it was called "getting caught admiring your pass"
and there was a thing called "clearing the front of the net" they call it cross checking now,
Blind side hits were 'getting caught with your head down..
with those pads I have no idea how those guys lasted an entire season

 

[Canadiens1958]

Back to the OP. Seventies produced great offensive forwards at the junior level. Most fizzled at the NHL level, Likes of Richard David, Normand Dupont etc.Some had pro level,reasonable, one dimensional offensive careers - Dale McCourt, Peter Lee, Pierre Larouche, Mark Napier types. Some became solid hockey players - Bobby Smith, Brian Propp, Ryan Walter types, others had HHOF careers, Mike Bossy, Bernie Federko to name a few.

Wayne Gretzky - full junior season, especially WJC, it was obvious that he was offensively gifted but a defensive liability. How would his game translate at the pro level. Would surrounding him with offensive talent enhance his skills? In junior a large number of opportunities were missed by forgetable linemates. Would teammates have to compensate for his defensive weaknesses or would he develop defensively?

We eventually saw the answers. offensive savant, most prolific in NHL history. Little movement elsewhere.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Unfortunately, the internet, social media and streaming video content weren't around when Gretzky entered the league.

I don't think that's unfortunate at all.

 

[BlueBull]

Unfortunately, the internet, social media and streaming video content weren't around when Gretzky entered the league.

If Gretzky came in the media era, people on youtube, twitter, facebook and other media places would flip the frick out.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Just goes to show that you never truly know how great Junior Players will respond to the Pro game, regardless of the sport.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Did you says todays defensemen would finish checks? lol I'm guessing you have no idea how the game used to be played, everyone has seen what Stevens did to people with late hits..
Back then they were not called late hits, it was called "getting caught admiring your pass"
and there was a thing called "clearing the front of the net" they call it cross checking now,
Blind side hits were 'getting caught with your head down..
with those pads I have no idea how those guys lasted an entire season

I'll choose my words more carefully, and restate my point.

Today's players are more likely to take liberties with him were he playing now. Manning taking out McDavid two seasons ago would be an example off the top of my head. Wouldn't have happened to Wayne like that.

Instigator rule, and practical elimination of enforcers has seen to that.


Regarding the media; with 24/7 coverage, and Youtube, as mentioned above, he would have had even further exposure. In fact that whole Edmonton team would have been media darlings and internet sensations, much like The Golden State Warriors and Barcelona FC are today........

 

[Boxscore]

If Gretzky came in the media era, people on youtube, twitter, facebook and other media places would flip the frick out.

#Iknowright

 

[Tage2Tuch]

I was born two weeks after and in the same city well, St. Albert after the 87' Cup win against the Flyers in Game 7 when all the fans came onto the ice.

When I started following hockey as a kid Gretzky played for LA in 93' and was already considered the greatest (by most) maybe to ever play and definitely the best in the game.

It kind of sucks that I only got to see his last 5-6 seasons but it's better then nothing he was still amazing.

I got to see almost all of Jagr! And he's still going....lol

 

[supsens]

I'll choose my words more carefully, and restate my point.

Today's players are more likely to take liberties with him were he playing now. Manning taking out McDavid two seasons ago would be an example off the top of my head. Wouldn't have happened to Wayne like that.

Instigator rule, and practical elimination of enforcers has seen to that.


Regarding the media; with 24/7 coverage, and Youtube, as mentioned above, he would have had even further exposure. In fact that whole Edmonton team would have been media darlings and internet sensations, much like The Golden State Warriors and Barcelona FC are today........

Back then they had two scoring lines, one checking line and a line that was there to do nothing but take people out, Pro people taker outers. Guys that did nothing but try to hurt other players and drive them into the ground.
And look at Lindros and Kariya, people rarely take liberties anymore, do not underestimate Gretzky's sneakiness. Every teams plan was to stop him, crush him, hit him. If he got dropped into todays game he would wonder why after he passed the puck elbows were not on the way and why no one is getting hit anywhere on the ice, he would think he was at the ballet

 

[tmmr]

Did you says todays defensemen would finish checks? lol I'm guessing you have no idea how the game used to be played, everyone has seen what Stevens did to people with late hits..
Back then they were not called late hits, it was called "getting caught admiring your pass"
and there was a thing called "clearing the front of the net" they call it cross checking now,
Blind side hits were 'getting caught with your head down..
with those pads I have no idea how those guys lasted an entire season

The current era of "check finishing" (i.e., hitting a guy several seconds after the puck is gone, even when it's on someone else's stick) didn't start until the mid-90's or so, at the tail end of Gretzky's career. Look at video from the 60's, 70's, 80's - as soon as a player released the puck, the defenders wold circle away instead of deliberately targeting the guy, as they do now, mainly in the playoffs . In the old days, if you hit a star player late the way they do today, an enforcer would come over and clobber you. Or Gordie would do it himself.

Coaches have stretched the laxness of the interference rule to a ridiculous extent, and since the league turns a blind eye, everyone has to do it, especially in the playoffs. Having said that - Gretzky was a master at avoiding and rolling away from checks, it was uncanny how he could avoid big hits and rarely get caught solidly. And in the 80's you didn't have headhunters like Stevens looking to target guys with blindside hits well after the puck was gone.

 

[Thenameless]

I collect hockey cards. I was impressed by the scoring stats on the backs of his cards every year.

 

[The Panther]

And in the 80's you didn't have headhunters like Stevens looking to target guys with blindside hits well after the puck was gone.

Yeah... what? No.

First of all, Stevens was head-hunting guys in the 80s. Gretzky managed only eight scoring titles against Stevens. Most of Messier's elbows were in the 80s.

Denis Potvin was not fun to play against. Chelios. Dale Hunter. Hextall. Every team in the 80s had an entire line that was just there to fight. The reason the Oilers had to dress Semenko, McSorley, and McLelland in second-round playoff games against Calgary was because the Flames had a Junior-B level player like Neil Sheehy (later a teammate of Stevens, btw) who was just there to hit Gretzky and Kurri, usually after they scored. He basically couldn't play at all.

There's a reason Pittsburgh doesn't have to dress three John Scott-type players in the playoffs.