- Jan 18, 2016
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Gretzky as a skater
- Thread starter The Abusement Park
- Start date
Cyborg LeClair
Thank You Mr. Snider
He was above average in speed, but his edge work and everything else that had to do with skating was sublime. Could stop or turn on a dime.
And as most people will tell you, Gretzky didnt get so many breakaways with speed but rather anticipation. Knowing where the puck would be and when was his 6th or maybe even 7th sense.
And as most people will tell you, Gretzky didnt get so many breakaways with speed but rather anticipation. Knowing where the puck would be and when was his 6th or maybe even 7th sense.
Last edited:
Canadiens1958
Registered User
Mobility and Movement
Issue goes beyond linear speed which is often the criteria that catches attention.
Gretzky had incredible movement and mobility especially lateral mobility.
The other aspect that is often overlooked about Wayne Gretzky is that in his younger days he was a very accomplished box lacrosse palyer, a sport played on a hockey rink but one that requires unique corporal movement and and geometries.
Issue goes beyond linear speed which is often the criteria that catches attention.
Gretzky had incredible movement and mobility especially lateral mobility.
The other aspect that is often overlooked about Wayne Gretzky is that in his younger days he was a very accomplished box lacrosse palyer, a sport played on a hockey rink but one that requires unique corporal movement and and geometries.
- Jan 18, 2016
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Ok, that's what I thought and what I was told. The reason he seemed so "fast" was because he thought so much faster than everyone else. What a player.
I wasn't born until very late into Gretzky's career, but I will say that from watching old games/highlights, Gretzky is easily one of the most agile players I've ever seen. If not the most agile. Great edgework, could stop or turn on a dime.
DisgruntledGoat*
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- Dec 26, 2010
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Sens Rule
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- Sep 22, 2005
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Gretzky as a skater might be a 7/10 in overall speed. But overall in reality and in an in game situation he is a 9.9/10 in skating effectiveness.
Gretzky's skating ability was one aspect of his utter, absurd greatness. It is easy to see Bure or Fedorov or Orr and appreciate their awesome skating. Gretzky... Doesn't "seem" like a skater of that class. He did not have the high end speed. The perhaps "200 foot" aspect to his skating. But the reality is, Gretzky's skating, edgework, balance, first step ability to be wuick in anything he wanted to do, his ability to change direction on a whim. Gretzky was an uber-elite skater. His skating was not in a vacuum... It was all inter-woven into his greatness.
You hear many that look at Gretzky and say. He wasn't that fast a skater. And that he did not have a lot of velocity on his shot. Both are so irrelevant a criticism. Also his stickhandlimg is massively underrated as well.
Gretzky was the master of intention. Whatever he intended to do. He did. Whenever he wanted, however he wanted. Against anyone... Heck against 2 or 3 guys. If you can use your skating and puckhandling and shot and pasd to do anything you want... Almost every time... You are great at all those things. Skills are not performed in a vacuum.
Gretzky's skating ability was one aspect of his utter, absurd greatness. It is easy to see Bure or Fedorov or Orr and appreciate their awesome skating. Gretzky... Doesn't "seem" like a skater of that class. He did not have the high end speed. The perhaps "200 foot" aspect to his skating. But the reality is, Gretzky's skating, edgework, balance, first step ability to be wuick in anything he wanted to do, his ability to change direction on a whim. Gretzky was an uber-elite skater. His skating was not in a vacuum... It was all inter-woven into his greatness.
You hear many that look at Gretzky and say. He wasn't that fast a skater. And that he did not have a lot of velocity on his shot. Both are so irrelevant a criticism. Also his stickhandlimg is massively underrated as well.
Gretzky was the master of intention. Whatever he intended to do. He did. Whenever he wanted, however he wanted. Against anyone... Heck against 2 or 3 guys. If you can use your skating and puckhandling and shot and pasd to do anything you want... Almost every time... You are great at all those things. Skills are not performed in a vacuum.
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
My thoughts from having watched him his whole career:
- He may have great "edgework", making quick stops and turns, but that's a result of superior decision making not skating skill
- He does have great balance, can change directions quickly with no threat of falling down
- His magic does not ever come from his skates, but from his stick! (a sign of his hockey sense)
- He did lose a step over the years but even as a youngster he was never one of the fastest on the team, and never won the pilon relay exercises prior to the all-star games.
- Gretzky as a skater was UNPREDICTABLE, that was his great skating skill, but that wasn't a result of skating skill per se, but mental skill. He knew what to do, when. He simply made the right choice; didn't impress with his wheels or agility, but with where he decided to go and when.
- It's amazing how often he looked both slow and yet one step ahead of everyone else. It was remarkable.
BenchBrawl
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- Jul 26, 2010
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So many Gretzky threads lately, not that I mind.
Gretzky was like Lemieux, his skating seemed random and like VanIslander said, unpredictable.The style doesn't look like Lemieux but both were among the rare players with a huge amount of gears.Weird angles too.
In any 2 seconds interval they might have switch gears 7 times in ways that are almost invisible to the eye, same with subtle changes of direction.
I guess it all comes down to his superior vision.Everytime I watch a Gretzky highlights video there's a couple of plays that I need to re-watch 10 times to understand why it worked, and sometimes I still don't know.That is, why it worked and why he did that, and why, how and when the opposite players got fooled into doing something else.
Gretzky was like Lemieux, his skating seemed random and like VanIslander said, unpredictable.The style doesn't look like Lemieux but both were among the rare players with a huge amount of gears.Weird angles too.
In any 2 seconds interval they might have switch gears 7 times in ways that are almost invisible to the eye, same with subtle changes of direction.
I guess it all comes down to his superior vision.Everytime I watch a Gretzky highlights video there's a couple of plays that I need to re-watch 10 times to understand why it worked, and sometimes I still don't know.That is, why it worked and why he did that, and why, how and when the opposite players got fooled into doing something else.
He also gambled alot as did the Oilers players when they potted all those goals, they allowed a ton but with all that talent no problem as they threw the kitchen sink at their opponents.
Even though i was a Hawks fan i tuned in to many Blues games while growing up north of Chicago, they would come in pretty clear on KMOX. One time Gretzky potted a breakaway, the puck was dropped and he scored again on another breakaway some seconds later (where was the Blues D?)
By the way Pat Hughes when with the Oilers did a similar thing against the Blues shorthanded, scored on a breakaway, 25 seconds later on another breakaway, 2 quickest shorties in NHL history.
The Hawks lost to them once in the 1st game of the 1st round 11 to 3, lost a rs game 12 to 9 in the old barn, i recall an 8 to 7 win at the Northlands coliseum where Lysiak and Gretzky were at the dot and when the Linesman dropped the puck Tommy whipped it past i think Ron Lowe.
Hawks got crushed so many times, lost several po series a couple of those rounds were swept. Will never see a team again like the Oilers, a powerhouse of offense.
The thing i remember most about Gretzky was his ability to pass the puck, those beautiful mattress passes right on the tape and timed perfectly, what a joy to watch. The passing in today's game stinks.
Game sure has changed since then, Goalies and D have improved drastically and in my opinion the offensive ability in players, especially the ability to one time the puck has declined rapidly.
As skilled as Gretzky was Dan Kelly used to say that Savvy (Denis Savard) was more exciting than Gretzky. Great memories.
Even though i was a Hawks fan i tuned in to many Blues games while growing up north of Chicago, they would come in pretty clear on KMOX. One time Gretzky potted a breakaway, the puck was dropped and he scored again on another breakaway some seconds later (where was the Blues D?)
By the way Pat Hughes when with the Oilers did a similar thing against the Blues shorthanded, scored on a breakaway, 25 seconds later on another breakaway, 2 quickest shorties in NHL history.
The Hawks lost to them once in the 1st game of the 1st round 11 to 3, lost a rs game 12 to 9 in the old barn, i recall an 8 to 7 win at the Northlands coliseum where Lysiak and Gretzky were at the dot and when the Linesman dropped the puck Tommy whipped it past i think Ron Lowe.
Hawks got crushed so many times, lost several po series a couple of those rounds were swept. Will never see a team again like the Oilers, a powerhouse of offense.
The thing i remember most about Gretzky was his ability to pass the puck, those beautiful mattress passes right on the tape and timed perfectly, what a joy to watch. The passing in today's game stinks.
Game sure has changed since then, Goalies and D have improved drastically and in my opinion the offensive ability in players, especially the ability to one time the puck has declined rapidly.
As skilled as Gretzky was Dan Kelly used to say that Savvy (Denis Savard) was more exciting than Gretzky. Great memories.
The Panther
Registered User
Re: Gretzky's skating, it's true that you didn't see him go full throttle very often... except when he was chasing down a loose puck.
One great clip for seeing his straight speed is in this Edmonton@Calgary playoff game in 1983 -- it's actually one of my favorite Gretzky plays. The Flames enter the Edmonton zone, roughly 3 skaters against 3. On the backcheck, Gretzky strips Steve Konroyd of the puck, then plays it through the legs (!) of Jamie Hislop, then skates hard to create a 2-on-1 the other way, which eventually (after a great Jari Kurri play) ends up as his goal. Skip to the sequence at 2:40:
One great clip for seeing his straight speed is in this Edmonton@Calgary playoff game in 1983 -- it's actually one of my favorite Gretzky plays. The Flames enter the Edmonton zone, roughly 3 skaters against 3. On the backcheck, Gretzky strips Steve Konroyd of the puck, then plays it through the legs (!) of Jamie Hislop, then skates hard to create a 2-on-1 the other way, which eventually (after a great Jari Kurri play) ends up as his goal. Skip to the sequence at 2:40:
Man, don't get me started... offense is boring as hell to watch now. I think 50% of the problem is the sticks used today.
Another thing Gretzky could do better than anyone is use his skates (almost as well as his stick) to handle the puck. Look at this sequence starting at 52 seconds for an example of how Gretzky not only used his skates while in full motion, but how his physical skills allowed him to execute the vision necessary to completely dismantle the Flyers defense without them even realizing what he just did to them:
At 52 seconds:
At 52 seconds:
And here are two examples of Gretzky's deceptive straight line speed. The first video also shows how his ability to swivle and stop on a dime allowed him to avoid countless checks, followed by his straight ahead speed:
At 1:57:
The 2nd example is when he was way past his prime and still somehow out-skated Bill Guerin (who I believe had won the fastest skater competition at the all star game):
At 1:57:
The 2nd example is when he was way past his prime and still somehow out-skated Bill Guerin (who I believe had won the fastest skater competition at the all star game):
In 1981 or 82 Vladimir Tretiak invited Gretzky and his family to Russia. The Russians asked Gretzky's dad show us what you taught Gretzky. One of the things Gretzky's dad showed the Russians was when going into the corners do you skate slow, medium or fast when retrieving the puck. He put the puck one inch away from the boards along the goal line and ask Gretzky to go get the puck. Gretzky skated full speed and skated past the puck then spun on a dime by literally tilting his skates parallel to the ice. By the time he had spun around the puck was on his stick and was out of the corner. Gretzky was able to do this because at around the age of six had taken away his skate laces for a year to help him strengthen his ankles. This is how he was able to spin in a dime like no one else.
So your comment about Gretzky's magic never came from his skates is completely incorrect. His magic came from his skates, stick and mind.
blood gin
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- Jan 17, 2017
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Gretzky was a fast skater just never the fastest in the league, but he had a great first step and outstanding acceleration. Wasn't the most picture perfect skater aesthetically with that hunched over style but had great balance and was incredibly elusive. And yea the rare time you made contact with him you could knock him off the puck...but that just didn't happen often
He also always had that extra little reserve in the tank. If he was at the end of a long shift and saw some daylight somewhere he'd be able to beat someone to get there and get a scoring chance
He also always had that extra little reserve in the tank. If he was at the end of a long shift and saw some daylight somewhere he'd be able to beat someone to get there and get a scoring chance
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