Shell
06-02-2003, 08:34 AM
Mon, June 2, 2003
60,000 to see No. 99 play?
By Terry Jones
ANAHEIM -- Wayne Gretzky is dusting off his skates. If they build an outdoor rink in Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 22, Wayne Gretzky says he will play. "It will be my one and only,'' Gretzky said of the planned game between the Oilumni and Les Ancient Canadiens. "I said I would never play an oldtimers' game. But this one is special. It's in Edmonton. It's outdoors in front of 60,000 fans.''
The plan is to hold a regular-season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers in Commonwealth Stadium with the oldtimers' game as a preliminary.
That is, of course, if the NHLPA ever signs off on it. And Gretzky says he can't fathom the NHLPA taking this game away from hockey and a franchise celebrating its 25th season in the league?
"I'm sure they will (agree to it),'' said No. 99 of the players association giving their blessing -- the only thing stopping the game from happening.
"I'm hoping it's more a formality than anything else. It's really special. It's a unique event outside. It would be great for everybody. It would be great for hockey."
Not counting his legendary exploits on his own backyard rink, Gretzky said he has played in just one outdoor game "since I was six.''
That one was after he left Edmonton.
"We had an exhibition game in Las Vegas with the L.A. Kings,'' he said.
Gretzky was back on skates this summer for a fantasy camp.
"I was a third-line centre at best,'' he said. "Ah, I was okay. I played for all the teams. I played for about four hours.''
This one will be less than a regulation-length game, possibly in toe-freezing conditions. But Gretzky says it'll be a blast.
"I hope The Flower plays,'' he said of Guy Lafleur. "It would be great if he plays.''
Gretzky said the Old Oilers ought to be favoured over the Old Canadiens in the game, regardless of who is on the ice.
"I'm sure all our guys will play if Kevin Lowe asks them ... Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson. I'm sure they'll all show up.''
Well, maybe not Mark Messier. He might still be playing with the Rangers.
"We're a little younger. The Oilers are always a little younger than the other team. Even in an oldtimers game, the Oilers are the youngest team,'' he said, laughing. "I'm really looking forward to it. I would bring my boys up there.''
Gretzky says he won't be bringing Mike Weir to Calgary for his Wayne Gretzky and Friends golf tournament to play with himself, Brett Hull and Jarome Iginla like he did last summer.
"We made that decision last September,'' he said, noting a conflict with Weir's schedule prevents the Masters champ from attending. Ian Leggatt will sub for Weir.
After Weir won the Masters in April, Gretzky said he shared in the joy like most Canadians .
"I felt like I won a green jacket,'' he said.
Gretzky allowed himself to touch briefly on the state of the game in these Stanley Cup playoffs which largely have been panned as unbelievably boring.
"The goaltending equipment is too big,'' he said. "That's the biggest thing. We've got to get the goaltending equipment back to the size it was in the 1970s and '80s.''
And he laughed at commissioner Gary Bettman's off-the-cuff remark that maybe the nets should be made bigger.
"I believe in hockey heritage,'' Gretzky said.
"Fans want to see 93 goals and 50 goals in 39 games into the same size net. Get the goalie equipment back to the old size and there should be a lot more goals. When you have a picnic table guarding the net it's pretty hard to score. But I don't believe you can change the history of the game by changing the size of the nets. The good goalies would still be the good goalies.
"We need to get back to the wood sticks, too. The players have no feel for the puck. They do shoot the puck harder, but they have no feel.''
60,000 to see No. 99 play?
By Terry Jones
ANAHEIM -- Wayne Gretzky is dusting off his skates. If they build an outdoor rink in Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 22, Wayne Gretzky says he will play. "It will be my one and only,'' Gretzky said of the planned game between the Oilumni and Les Ancient Canadiens. "I said I would never play an oldtimers' game. But this one is special. It's in Edmonton. It's outdoors in front of 60,000 fans.''
The plan is to hold a regular-season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers in Commonwealth Stadium with the oldtimers' game as a preliminary.
That is, of course, if the NHLPA ever signs off on it. And Gretzky says he can't fathom the NHLPA taking this game away from hockey and a franchise celebrating its 25th season in the league?
"I'm sure they will (agree to it),'' said No. 99 of the players association giving their blessing -- the only thing stopping the game from happening.
"I'm hoping it's more a formality than anything else. It's really special. It's a unique event outside. It would be great for everybody. It would be great for hockey."
Not counting his legendary exploits on his own backyard rink, Gretzky said he has played in just one outdoor game "since I was six.''
That one was after he left Edmonton.
"We had an exhibition game in Las Vegas with the L.A. Kings,'' he said.
Gretzky was back on skates this summer for a fantasy camp.
"I was a third-line centre at best,'' he said. "Ah, I was okay. I played for all the teams. I played for about four hours.''
This one will be less than a regulation-length game, possibly in toe-freezing conditions. But Gretzky says it'll be a blast.
"I hope The Flower plays,'' he said of Guy Lafleur. "It would be great if he plays.''
Gretzky said the Old Oilers ought to be favoured over the Old Canadiens in the game, regardless of who is on the ice.
"I'm sure all our guys will play if Kevin Lowe asks them ... Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson. I'm sure they'll all show up.''
Well, maybe not Mark Messier. He might still be playing with the Rangers.
"We're a little younger. The Oilers are always a little younger than the other team. Even in an oldtimers game, the Oilers are the youngest team,'' he said, laughing. "I'm really looking forward to it. I would bring my boys up there.''
Gretzky says he won't be bringing Mike Weir to Calgary for his Wayne Gretzky and Friends golf tournament to play with himself, Brett Hull and Jarome Iginla like he did last summer.
"We made that decision last September,'' he said, noting a conflict with Weir's schedule prevents the Masters champ from attending. Ian Leggatt will sub for Weir.
After Weir won the Masters in April, Gretzky said he shared in the joy like most Canadians .
"I felt like I won a green jacket,'' he said.
Gretzky allowed himself to touch briefly on the state of the game in these Stanley Cup playoffs which largely have been panned as unbelievably boring.
"The goaltending equipment is too big,'' he said. "That's the biggest thing. We've got to get the goaltending equipment back to the size it was in the 1970s and '80s.''
And he laughed at commissioner Gary Bettman's off-the-cuff remark that maybe the nets should be made bigger.
"I believe in hockey heritage,'' Gretzky said.
"Fans want to see 93 goals and 50 goals in 39 games into the same size net. Get the goalie equipment back to the old size and there should be a lot more goals. When you have a picnic table guarding the net it's pretty hard to score. But I don't believe you can change the history of the game by changing the size of the nets. The good goalies would still be the good goalies.
"We need to get back to the wood sticks, too. The players have no feel for the puck. They do shoot the puck harder, but they have no feel.''