Allan Maki's article is nearly a year old, but I just discovered it today.On the 50th anniversary of Rocket Richard's 500th goal, Maki asks the question: Would Rocket Richard Be Successful Today?
Maki actually goes on to question Richard's skating, size, and his infamous temper.
Fortunately he poses these questions to Dick Irvin, Jr., one of hockey's true hockey experts. Irvin defends Richard vigorously, saying:
- “From a standing start, he had a great first stride. And he was strong on his feet, very strong.”
- “He weighed about 170, 180 pounds but he would literally carry guys on his back. They couldn’t knock him down.”
- Rocket scored six overtime goals and had 82 playoff goals back when you just had to win two series to win the Stanley Cup.”
Hockey has several distinct eras and has changed a lot over the years. And while everyone will agree that today's players are bigger, better coached and conditioned and superior than the average player from the past, the bottom line is the best players from any era could play today. The best players are set apart because of talent, intelligence and instinct.
And the same goes in reverse. Lots of Wayne Gretzky detractors suggest #99 would get killed in a rough and tumble days of the Original Six. I've got news for you - the 1980s were pretty rough times too. And Gretzky was physically targeted on every shift, but because of his superior intelligence and vision, he was able to escape most hits. Why would the most intelligent hockey player in history be any less successful in an older era?
Forgive the rant. The era debate is one of my biggest pet peeves.
Gretzky And Richard Together
Speaking of Richard and Gretzky crossing generational boundaries, have you seen the new advertising campaign for Invesco Trimark?
I guess Invesco and Trimark, allegedly legends in their own field, have merged to create what they call a dream matchup in history. To get the point across they have imaged Gretzky and Richard playing together for tv commercials and magazine spots.
I haven't been able to successful in finding any such images through Google or YouTube, but when I do I will post them.
3 comments:
Not to mention the advances in hockey equipment since Richard's day... imagine the Rocket fully embracing the slapshot (invented just before his retirement) with a curved composite stick?
I'm among those that would question Gretzky's place in the orignal six era, mostly because back then, there was no enforcer to protect the stars. But that's not to say that Gretzky would not have learned to fight.
Gretzky would not have necessarily had to have fought. Gretzky's early day comparables rarely did - Syl Apps, Frank Boucher, Joe Primeau, Alex Delvecchio, Red Kelly....
I'm so tired of bigger, better nowadays...come on people, can you say watered down after 1967, oh ya. Phil Esposito scored something like 72 goals in the first expansion year. Never heard of before expansion. On the Gretzky thing, can u imagine if Gordie had protectors all his life...can u say 3000. There's a lot of slugs skating out there today that couldn't even make the american league back in the days.
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