Players like Gretzky and Mario were great for their time, but how do you think they would fair in the new format of the NHL, saying that Mario and Wayne were like 25, 26 years old. Would it be easier for them or would it be harder?
2006-12-17 12:10:00 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Hockey
Did any of you people who said Gretzky would do well because of his speed ever see him play!? He was not a skilled skater, he was, however the best puckhandler to ever play the game.
Gretzky would probably get more points in the new NHL, but mostly because of more powerplay chances. Not because he would be more free to move. His style of play was such that opponents didn't actually commit fouls against him (even by today's standards). He got a lot of his points while standing still. Made perfect passes from the corner or from behind the net. He scored goals because he was able to find the 2 inches of space the goalie left open. You can't slow down a guy who's not moving, so the new rules wouldn't have changed Gretzky's abbility much. When you think of a typical Grezky highlight, you picture him spining and dropping the puck between his legs, then kicking it back to his stick to either pass or shoot for a goal.
The Player that would benefit most would be Lemieux. He spent most of his career dragging an opponent who was holding him. If he was free to move like today, then it would be ridiculous to see the numbers he would post. Regardless if he was playing with Crosby or Rob Brown. When you think of a typical Lemieux highlight, you think split 2 defence, then deke the goalie's pants off.
Lemieux's style meant that in order to stop him you had to hold him or hook him. He was big, strong and fast. He scored goals and made his passes while he was on the move.
2006-12-18 04:26:43 · answer #1 · answered by Road R 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Gretzky played part of his early career in the open ice era of the late 70s and 80s and did well with the Oilers (then again who couldn't do well with the likes of Messier and Kurri as teamates) much of Lemieux's career was during the hook and hold days of the late 80s and through the 90s. If Lemieux plays in todays era I think he stays a LOT healthier and piles up the numbers. Gretzky probably has a few more points but a large part of what made 99 so great was his ability to use the talent around him. In the new salary cap NHL not sure all those legends would be able to stay in one place.
2006-12-18 01:38:12 · answer #2 · answered by needingajob 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry did that one person say that Gretzky and Lemieux aren't pure goal scorers?
They had 1584 goals between the 2 of them and they are only joined by Brett Hull as players who have scored over 80 in a season.
And Mario as you can see in a goal against the Nordiques scored when guys were trying to take his uniform off so yeah he'd be tearing up right now if he would have come into the league right now.
Plus it would have been harder to keep as many greats on one team but most teams get to play with more talent now because it's dispersed more evenly and hopefully will be more and more as we move into the later year of the first decade of 2000. My point is even though you can't have as many stars as the earl 80s Oilers you can at least have a shot at having enough to make a playoff/Stanley Cup contending team almost every season.
2006-12-18 05:47:49 · answer #3 · answered by playmkr278 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on who you are talking about, and how "former" you are talking.
I would say that all goalies from the previous years would not be able to keep the floodgates from being opened every night. Stand-up goalies like Dryden and Esposito wouldn't be able to do anything. The way that goalies play now, they are all over the ice, they do acrobatic-like things and make sure that the puck stays out of the net (unless your name is Manny Fernandez, what happened this year bud?).
Former greats like Bobby Orr, Gretz, the Rocket would all do very well because of their speed and ability. Orr would still be a top notch defenceman because of his speed and his scoring touch. Obviously Gretz and the Rocket would do well for the same reasons. I don't know if Gretzky or Lemieux would have the same numbers, because they entered the league when goalies were still randomly kicking at pucks in order to stop them. I still think that theyw ould fair well because they still have the necessary skill set in order to perform exceptionally.
If you don't think that the Great One or Lemiux could fire along side Sid-the-Kid or Ovechkin (does he have a nickname yet?), you have got to be kidding yourself. Wayne still holds the records for a reason.
2006-12-18 09:03:37 · answer #4 · answered by dano_the_danimal_sadler 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hockey has changed so much from decade to decade ti would be hard to tell. I think Gretz and Mario would be about the same. The game is more wide open and they would get more opportunities, but don't forget the size/style of goaltending has also changed. The goalies take up twice as much net as they did before, so they might get more scoring chaces but not necessarily score more goals.
If you go back to players in the 60's and 70's like Howe and Orr, I don't think they would do as well was they did. The game was wide open back then, but mix them in with bigger, faster, more skilled players they wouldn't stand out like they did.
2006-12-18 09:16:16 · answer #5 · answered by Ronnie Gardocki 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probably a little harder, just because gretzky relied on speed and quickness a lot to beat a lot of slower guys, and mario's a big guy, so in the new nhl, where the overall speed is a lot faster, they might struggle a little at first, but i'd think they'd overcome it and still be great. and plus, the goalies nowadays are very talented and very big (equipment).
2006-12-17 20:19:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Seeing as how the new NHL calls penalties every 2 minutes abd you get a penalty if you blink at an opposing player, I think # 99 & # 66 would score about 100 goals per season.
2006-12-17 21:15:00 · answer #7 · answered by foleycat 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In my mind, Lemieux, Gretzky, Orr and Rocket Richard would do great in this NHL, because they could all skate. The muckers and bangers who were slower on their skates, not so much.
2006-12-18 11:59:08 · answer #8 · answered by jpspencer1966 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They would fit in nicely. Mario complained his whole career about the holding and obstructing, they finally changed it after he retired (3rd time). Hockey is all about skating and they were some of the best.
2006-12-18 01:22:35 · answer #9 · answered by Speed Of Thought 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I always thought Maurice Richard would be a good fit in the new NHL.
2006-12-17 23:19:56 · answer #10 · answered by DLG 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋