Big Phil
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2003
- 31,703
- 4,144
Okay, we all know Andrew Luck, right in the prime of his career but battling injuries, retired from the NFL. What comparison I am trying to find is where in hockey was there a shocker like that? I don't mean Bobby Orr, or Cam Neely, who were at similar ages because they were hurt for a while, missing all sorts of time before they hung them up. I mean who came out of left field to make the announcement?
Think Barry Sanders for instance back in 1999. That came out of nowhere.
I know there are those stories in hockey, but not a lot off the top of my head. We knew Gretzky was on his way out in 1999, it wasn't a shock. Mario in 1997 was always "will he or won't he" the entire season. And even though he had some hockey left in him, Ray Bourque, or even Patrick Roy, retiring was not a wholesale shock, they had a full career and were older.
I am talking about a star player who is young and shocks the hockey world with the announcement. Something no one expected.
Guy Lafleur wasn't the same player in 1984-'85 anymore, he had 70 points in 80 games in 1984, not very Lafleur-like. Then 5 points in 19 games playing in Lemaire's stifling system. It may have been shocking, but was it THAT shocking?
I am trying to remember if Dryden leaving the Habs after 1979 was known ahead of time or not. Comes off a Vezina and a Cup and he is only turning 32 that summer.
Think Barry Sanders for instance back in 1999. That came out of nowhere.
I know there are those stories in hockey, but not a lot off the top of my head. We knew Gretzky was on his way out in 1999, it wasn't a shock. Mario in 1997 was always "will he or won't he" the entire season. And even though he had some hockey left in him, Ray Bourque, or even Patrick Roy, retiring was not a wholesale shock, they had a full career and were older.
I am talking about a star player who is young and shocks the hockey world with the announcement. Something no one expected.
Guy Lafleur wasn't the same player in 1984-'85 anymore, he had 70 points in 80 games in 1984, not very Lafleur-like. Then 5 points in 19 games playing in Lemaire's stifling system. It may have been shocking, but was it THAT shocking?
I am trying to remember if Dryden leaving the Habs after 1979 was known ahead of time or not. Comes off a Vezina and a Cup and he is only turning 32 that summer.