[davidhunternyc]

I know, I need to get a life, but in the spirit of the Olympics, I have been wondering about something. I have been comparing Wayne Gretzky (the all-time greatest hockey player who ever lived) to the young 22 year old phenom, Sidney Crosby. Tonight, Sidney Crosby made sports history by scoring the winning goal in sudden-death overtime at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Some people have already said that this was the greatest hockey game ever played. Hyperbole aside, I keep thinking that Wayne Gretzty, for all of his accomplishments, never did what Sidney Crosby did tonight to win gold for Canada.

Admittedly, I know very little about hockey history. I am hoping that there are some experts out there that will be able to compare and contrast these two great athletes and my naive but heartfelt statement.

 

[logwed]

Don't count your Wayne Gretzky's/great sports stars before they don't live up to your expectations.

 

[RedLeader]

You're kidding me, right? The guy was useless for pretty much the entire tournament when it counted, and finally managed to score. He was pretty damn lucky, and has a good 15years+ before he can be be compared to the likes of Gretzky or Orr

 

[Homeless]

Not sure why I am even entertaining any Gretzky vs. question but i'll take Gretzky vs. any other player in history. Put it this way, he has more assists than anyone else has points before you even consider his goals.

Crosby is good, but like it was already mentioned he was pretty invisble for the last three games and coughed up the puck quite a few times in the gold medal game. Don't get me wrong, I am happy he scored the goal, but I can think of a few other players who had muh better games and tournaments than Sid.

 

[mbriant]

In Crosby's defence, when you're playing both for and against a "best players in the world dream team" it's difficult to stand out as something extra special. IMO, it's unfair to burden anyone with a "The next Gretsky" handle, as that's an awful difficult position to fill and adds to the pressure to perform ... much in the same way the stupid "Own The Podium" slogan put unnecessary expectations and stress on the entire group of Canadian athletes.

 

[davidhunternyc]

^^^ That is what is so odd and incredible about Crosby's goal. So his performance might have been lackluster (was it, really?), but all the stars aligned at the most important moment in Canadian hockey history.

 

[Gberg]

He definitely redeemed himself for a poor tournament (and a quite terrible gold medal game.. apart from the goal).
It kind of puts you into place as you wonder why he was choking so hard, but he's still a -very- young player.
Not even close to Gretzky, but as one poster said, we can re-evaluate after 15 years.

I loved how well Drew Doughty played in the tournament, as a 21 year old defenceman, just phenomenal.

 

[Happy Camper]

RedLeader has it right. Crosby has a long way to go to be considered in the same sentence.

Now between Gretzky and Orr..... that's not ot.

While this was a good game on the world stage, I think the Summit Series between Canada and the USSR had better hockey. Since the Olympics have stopped the NHL in season, there is little time to gel as a team. You literally take your pro jersey off and put on your countries.

 

[mbriant]

One critical goal worked for Paul Henderson. He was a great player no doubt, but was never considered the best in the league. However, that one famous winning goal decades ago, elevated him to immortality. (In Canada at least) The same thing will likely occur with Crosby. Crosby had an opportunity to score. He could have fanned on the shot, he could have hit the post, he could have shot the puck right at the goalie's pads ... but he didn't ... he found the hole and he scored. Might have been luck ... but in most cases in circumstances like that, you make your own luck.

 

[Landis]

I don't really watch hockey, but that game-winning-goal he made was kind of a fluke... It was a quick shot that just happened score.

Yes, I'm Canadian and was moderately excited for the win, but after looking at the replays that followed, it wasn't exactly a well aimed shot.

 

[davidhunternyc]

... I don't know, I'm still crying for Canada. What Sidney did tonight was beautiful.

 

[boomana]

But the goal got in, and that's what matters. I'm not a Crosby fan at all, though I admit he's got talent. Comparing him, or any other young player for that matter, to Gretsky or Orr really isn't right or fair. Let's see what happens over the next decade and then talk comparisons.

 

[grawk]

and this is why the whole rest of the world rolls their eyes every time crosby is mentioned.

 

[mbriant]

Quote:

that game-winning-goal he made was kind of a fluke... It was a quick shot that just happened score.

I'm not sure what replays you saw that would make you believe it was just a fluke shot. The fact that it was instinctively quick, without hesitation, would have helped a lot. It's those sort of small details, even being in the right place at the right time, done with consistency, that gets results and separates average players from great players. Let's not forget that it was also Crosby who scored the winning goal against Switzerland .... on another quick shot that somehow found the right spot and blazed untouched, straight into the net as well. In both cases, the goalie didn't even have time to flinch. Two very important winning goals in one very short tournament, is probably not a fluke.

Against USA:
Sidney Crosby scores game winning goal for Canada over USA - Olympics by @jose3030 - TwitVid

Against Switzerland: http://www.flickr.com/photos/reemer/4370548499/

 

[grawk]

the switzerland goal was in a skills competition, not a hockey game. It's not a similar thing really at all. Crosby is a good player, but he's not, from what I can tell, a generational player.