"Can't hit Gretzky"

[Motown Beatdown]

The game was different back then. A goon would never go after a superstar. McSorley knew if he went after Yzerman, Probert or Kocur would go right after Wayne. That's what people mean when they talk about "the code"

You also didn't have as many as the yappers and cheap shot artists running around looking to ko people then run. Most teams had quite a few guys that can handle themselves so in reality there was a fighter on the ice at all times. So you didn't see as much nonsense. A guy like Maltby would have never survived in the mid 80's

 

[Thesensation19*]

Ok, guys, I'm Finnish and in Finland majority of hockey people seem to believe that during Wayne Gretzky's career other players weren't allowed to hit him.

Based on many interviews I've seen, many former players keep on saying that "you couldn't hit Gretzky". Then they go on that Gretzky wasn't in position to be hit or he had already passed the puck long time ago when he could have been hit, etc. And here's my problem: "can't hit Gretzky" can be tranlated into Finnish in two ways; either "you're not allowed to hit Gretzky" or "it's hard to hit Gretzky". Feels to me that since it's more popular to hate the player than respect his game (among Finns, I mean), many of us think it's "not allowed to hit".

And there are also stories to back this opinion: I remember hearing, that during one of his first pre-season games in Winnipeg, Teemu Selänne did hit Gretzky. A few moments later Marty McSorley skated next to Teemu and told him something like "people don't hit that guy", etc.

My question to you who did understand hockey in the 80s: How was it? Were other players allowed to hit Wayne Gretzky?

Its a conspiracy made by fans to give hinder the legacy of Gretzky. When in reality, everyone on the ice would have loved to hit Gretzky, steal the puck from him, take it and win the game. yet it was not as easy as it seems. Gretzky was 3 steps ahead of everyone else due to his constant training of skating and puck handling.

They said playing lacrosse at a young age allowed him to learn how to handle pressure from behind. He trained hours at end since he was 5 on how to escape the tortures of the corners, how to avoid hits and how to utilize everyone on the ice.

Denis Potvin is quoted saying that its not that we didnt try, its that it was like hugging fog. He was too evasive. He knew where to be, where to go and how to get it done.

Wayne Gretzky was a mastermind, a pure playmaker. Maybe not always the most flashy, but boy the most productive.

 

[WingsFan95]

Don't think Hawerchuk was blacklisted.

While Gretzky had immense protection from teammates, it was a different game and it wasn't that easy to lay a guy like Gretzky out.

 

[Rhiessan71]

Don't think Hawerchuk was blacklisted.

While Gretzky had immense protection from teammates, it was a different game and it wasn't that easy to lay a guy like Gretzky out.

It's not like Dale had any intention of doing that to Gretzky until he took Wayne's stick blade in the face.
It was purely reactionary.

 

[JoeMalone]

As has been stated in this thread, there was a different code of conduct back then. You were welcome to try and drill Gretzky, if you could. But if it was even a touch borderline, or hell, even if it wasn't, you had more than few guys who were going to drop the gloves with you. Whether you wanted to or not.

Semenko may not have been the most feared fighter, but it was known that he was not going to back down from anyone, and he was most assuredly going to take offence at anyone taking liberties with Gretzky. Clark Gillies may not have been afraid of Semenko, but the stick artists and guys with high elbows were.

And besides Semenko, there was always another tough customer to take care of business just in case Dave was in the box. McLelland, Brown, Beukeboom, Jackson. The names changed, but they knew what to do.

Messier or Lowe would step up if they had too. Hell, Anderson might slip the blade of his stick into your jock at some point to get the message across.

The point is, hitting Gretzky clean was hard to do. Cheap shotting him was a decision not taken lightly. Whether it was Semenko or Brown beating the crap out of your, or Messier planting an elbow into your forehead in a corner ten minutes later, there were going to be repercussions.

 

[Cloned]

Gretzky was probably the most agile player in the game when it came to avoiding hits. He knew how to position his body to roll off hits and never lose the puck.

The other thing was that players started to get weary of attempting to hit him because of the "legend" surrounding his elusiveness. As an opponent you could potentially be embarassed if you went for the big hit, missed, and he set up his teammate for a goal because you went for the hit and was out of position.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Lindros and Lemieux didn't really have goons look out for them. For starters Lindros was one of the best fighters in NHL history. Lemieux wasn't, but he was a big boy and could handle himself a bit better. Plus he was a bigger target because he was.........bigger.

True, Lemieux didn't initially have a guy riding shotgun with him... but, the Penguins did eventually upgrade their enforcement from a bunch of Rod Buskas type guys to Jay Caulfield and then Rick Tocchet.