Wayne Gretzky is still the game's great ambassador. He is still
the NHL's most commanding presence and the only hockey player
whose name is known in virtually every U.S. household. And on
many nights this season the 37-year-old has still been the most
magical, awe-inspiring player in the game.
As of Sunday, Gretzky had scored more points (45) since Jan. 1
than anyone in the league and had moved into a tie for fourth
place in scoring (81) for the season. In the Rangers' 16 games
since the Olympic break, Gretzky had four three-point games and
one four-assist performance.
On March 18, with New York still clawing for a playoff position,
he threaded a pass through traffic and onto the stick of winger
Kevin Stevens, who tipped the puck past Jocelyn Thibault to beat
the Canadiens 2-1 in overtime. Four days later, in a 5-4
overtime loss to the Flyers, Gretzky scored twice, including a
goal to tie the game with 1:48 remaining. Then in the 3-2 loss
to the Senators on March 25 that essentially eliminated the
Rangers from playoff contention, Gretzky set up both of his
team's goals.
At 37, Gretzky continues to be one of the NHL's
dominant individual performers.
(Lou Capozzola)
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"People say he's lost a step," says Rangers winger Adam Graves.
"But I can't imagine anyone playing better than he has the past
couple of months. He draws three defenders, and he still takes
over games. Playing with him is a privilege."
Gretzky's surge has made fools of people like Swedish national
team coach Kent Forsberg, who during the Olympics said Gretzky
looked tired and "should quit." The Great One heard that barb,
but he was too gracious to fire back. After all of his success
he is still given to utterances such as "Everything I've got I
owe to the NHL."
What the NHL owes Gretzky is immeasurable. When the Rangers
played the Hurricanes in Carolina in November, for example,
Gretzky took it upon himself to arrive a day early, meet the
media and spread the gospel of hockey in Greensboro, where the
team was averaging about 7,000 fans in the 20,800-seat arena.
The next night the Hurricanes had their biggest crowd of the
season (19,358). "That was probably the most important thing
that's happened in getting hockey noticed down here," says
Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford. "Then he had a goal
and two assists against us."
Rangers general manager Neil Smith says Gretzky can play for his
club "until he decides he doesn't want to play hockey anymore."
For now there is time to cherish Gretzky not as a symbol or
legend, but as an elite player. In his 18th season he is still
pulling up at the blue line to shake his defender, still
completing cross-ice passes few others could even conceive,
still setting up goals from behind the net. "You know what he's
going to do, but it doesn't matter," says Hurricanes left wing
Gary Roberts. "The same thing is true now that was true 10 years
ago: You can't stop Wayne Gretzky."
Issue date: April 6, 1998
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