The Great One getting there as coach
Saturday, December 29, 2007 | 09:43 PM ET
Through every new step in the journey of his life as a public figure, Wayne Gretzky has had to listen to those who would question his abilities. As a 16-year-old junior hockey player, they said he would never be able to continue his dominance on the scoresheet like he had in minor hockey, because of his size and speed. He proved them wrong.
As a scrawny seventeen year old in the WHA, surely his lack of size and strength would not allow him to succeed. Wrong again. When he was centre stage with the Edmonton Oilers as an NHL rookie, there were plenty of people who were waiting for failure. How could he possibly dominate the game at the NHL level. The speed of the game and the size and strength of the players would finally be too much for his frail frame.
Well, after 1,487 games, 894 goals, 1963 assists, 2857 points, 4 Stanley Cups, 61 NHL records, and more individual awards than anyone in NHL history, the Great One proved that size and speed weren’t everything, and his legacy as the games’ greatest player was complete.
With a Hall of Fame career complete and a life of celebrity, endorsements and privilege, many people wondered why Wayne Gretzky would possibly risk his unblemished reputation by getting into coaching. The answer however, is really quite simple. The same drive that pushed him to be the best player in the world still burns deep inside him. Sitting upstairs in the press box as part owner and watching the Phoenix Coyotes struggle to win games became unbearable, and getting behind the bench, and trying to do something about it, was the only answer.
Turning Things Around
In his first two years there have been many reasons to doubt the logic or even the sanity of his desire to be a coach, as Phoenix has struggled to achieve mediocrity under his guidance. But this season, signs of progress are growing daily. Wayne Gretzky the coach is finally making an impact on his team.
While his team is still a long way away from being a Stanley Cup contender, this year’s edition of the Coyotes are a tough team to play against, they work hard, and they compete at a high level of play on a consistent basis. This team that used to look unorganized and disjointed on the ice now has structure and discipline in their game. The attention to detail and the ability to put together a successful game plan from night to night, which used to be missing in their game, is now a big part of their success on a nightly basis.
While many skeptics have noted that superstar NHL players have rarely, if ever, turned into superstar NHL coaches, don’t count the Great One out. His team is starting to take on the persona of their leader. They are tenacious, they are energetic, and they work hard and have plenty of skill in their lineup.
On many nights over the last two years Gretzky looked dejected, frustrated, and demoralized behind the Phoenix bench, but this season has been different. Buoyed by the play of his young players, and the overall commitment and work ethic of his team, Gretzky now has the look of confidence, energy and passion that were his hallmark traits as a player.
Playoffs or bust
While hockey is still a tough sell in a retirement community of transitory snowbirds, the logic of bringing in a hockey icon like Gretzky to sell the game, is finally looking like it may pay off.
The Coyotes are no longer a joke, and are looking like a respectable team both on and off the ice. While the playoffs still may be a stretch this season, that goal is not far out of reach. With a stockpile of good young talent like Peter Meuller, Martin Hanzel, Keith Yandle and Kyle Turris on the way, mixed with re-energized veterans like Shane Doan, Steve Reinprecht and Ed Jovanovski, and a first-class goaltender in Ilya Bryzgalov, they are a better than .500 team, and one that is exciting to watch.
With an improving and more confident Gretzky on the bench, and general manager Don Maloney managing the front office, things are looking up in the desert.
The odds of Phoenix quickly becoming a successful franchise still may be slim, but if history has taught us anything about Wayne Gretzky, it's to not bet against him.
« Previous Post | Main | Next Post »
This discussion is now Open. Submit your Comment.
« Previous Post | Main | Next Post »
Post a Comment
Simpson on Hockey »
About the Author
Former NHL player, coach and broadcaster Craig Simpson brings over 18 years of expertise to his analyst role on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. Craig played 10 years in the NHL with Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Edmonton, capturing two Stanley Cups with the Oilers in 1988 and 1990. He continues to hold the distinction of being the last Oiler to score 50 goals in one season (56 goals in 1987-88).
Injuries cut his playing career short in 1995, but the native of London, Ont., didn’t stray far from the game. Simpson worked for eight seasons as a hockey commentator with TSN, FoxSportsNet and Rogers Sportsnet and was an assistant coach with the Oilers organization for the past four years (2003-07) before joining CBC.
Simpson lives in Edmonton with his wife and three children. Viewers can catch Craig on Saturday nights providing analysis and commentary during the second game on HNIC. His blog appears every Tuesday on CBCSports.ca.
Recent Posts
- The NHL’s best two teams face off
- Wednesday, May 21, 2008
- It's down to the final four
- Tuesday, May 6, 2008
- On To Round Two
- Friday, April 25, 2008
- Round One Begins
- Wednesday, April 9, 2008
- Was Playfair really the problem?
- Tuesday, April 1, 2008
- Subscribe to Simpson on Hockey
Archives
- May 2008 (2)
- April 2008 (3)
- March 2008 (4)
- February 2008 (5)
- January 2008 (4)
- December 2007 (4)
Comments
chris
winnipeg
Right on Craig, it is always tempting to belittle. My nieces like to sneer at Avril Lavigne, and I've tried to tell them that whether or not you like her music,you have to respect the amount of work and talent it took to get her there.
Same with WG. Something in a Canadians distrusts the star among us, who could say why? But before you knock it, give a minute to think how rare someone like WG is. Not even once a generation come the Tiger Woods etc.
Another thing Craig, I've enjoyed your comments on CBC the few times I've seen you. those guys have a distinct talent shortage at 'colour man' these days. Why don't you throw your hat in? From what I've seen, you'd be good at it. Cheers, Chris.
Posted December 31, 2007 07:25 PM
Lindsay
Calgary
Maybe someday Gretzky could apply his experienced coaching abilities for a Canadian
NHL team . Oilers or Maple Laffs would seem
to be a good fit. He can still have seasonal residence in California and Phoenix.
Posted December 31, 2007 01:30 AM
Terri
Abbotsford
Just a thought - aren't a great number of those transitory snowbirds in Phoenix Canadian, quite possibly hockey fans, with disposable income????? Gee that is a tough sell.
Posted December 31, 2007 12:41 AM
Craig
It was a privilege to have grown up watching the Great One on the ice. I still remember his news conference announcing his retirement and that fitting video tribute to him put to Green Day's "Time of Your Life". It said it all.
I wish him all the best in his coaching career and know that he will be better than most. He's already brought Phoenix leaps and bounds beyond what anyones' expectations were / are. They are a good team to watch, better than some more seasoned ones.
He is a true modern day hero: blessed with poise, grace, dignity and perhaps most importantly, humility. I don't ever recall a bad thing being said about him or for that matter by him. He has demonstrated it all; the joy in victory and the agony in defeat, while being gracious in both camps.
It's too bad that he is coaching in the US and didn't go back to / is involved in Edmonton.
It would be phenomenal if he was to win a Stanley Cup as coach, better if he did it back here in Canada with one of our teams.
Hopefully the Senators will bring the Cup home this year.
Happy New Year and all the best.
Posted December 30, 2007 08:39 PM
John Dickinson
Craig, it would be interesting to dive a little deeper and explore what Wayne has done to get the team playing cohesively. What leadership qualities has he developed as coach--often very different than a player--that has resulted in his growth as an off-ice leader?
Posted December 30, 2007 05:46 PM
Mark
Hamilton
It seems that it is always hard for great players in any sport to translate thier skills to other people with lesser skills. For some reason history has shown the best coaches never played the sport or were not very successful at a high level. Wayne is learning to coach and is doing better, but at first they probably put him behind the bench to put people in the seats. He's grown the sport in Phoenix just like he did in L.A.
Posted December 30, 2007 05:04 PM
Bruce Gibbons
Ottawa
Great article but one small point, Gretzky was actually never a "NHL rookie". Like many other WHA players, he was declared a 'non-rookie' when the Oilers, Nords, Jets and Whalers joined the NHL in the 1979-80 season. Gretzky was inelgible for the Calder Trophy for the best rookie. In his first year he tied for the NHL scoring lead with Marcel Dionne who won the Art Ross Trophy through a tie breaking procedure (53 goals to Gretzky's 50). Although, that season Gretzky did receive his first of many Hart Trophies as the League MVP.
Posted December 30, 2007 04:42 PM
Joe Peel
London
Mr Simpson:
I beg to differ with your comments about Wayne Gretzky turning it around with the Coyotes. For two years they were the laughing stock of the NHL. Now there is a slight improvement this season, but this does not mean he has in anyway established himself as a top NHL coach. If he was anyone else, he would have been fired before this season started. The jury is still out on Gretzky's ability to coach.
J.P.
Posted December 30, 2007 03:11 PM
Henry Josic
Given the statistics from his playing days, as well as his grit and determination as a person, I firmly believe Mr. Gretzky will turn his team into a winner. No doubt about it.
Posted December 30, 2007 02:49 PM
Owen Stairs
There are many kinds of "great" players. Some have pure skills, some are physically dominant, and some have genius, most if not all of the greatest players have some combination of these three. Gretzky was smart, maybe the smartest player to ever play the game, both as a hockey player, and with his interpersonal skills, and those are the two elements that make up a great coach.
Great players that dominate primarily due to their skills, or their physical attributes, rarely make great coaches. But a player like Gretzky, that dominated because he saw everything that was happening on the ice, and was smart enough to know how best to use that information, and then on top of that had interpersonal skills second to none, has every chance to become, not just a good coach, but one of the best the game has ever seen.
It will be interesting to see in ten or twenty years how high Wayne Gretzky the coach will soar in his new career. I'm betting that some day he will be remembered in the hall of fame for far more than what happened before he retired as a player.
Posted December 30, 2007 02:15 PM
Drew
Ottawa
He is a great leader and now that he understands the effort that goes into coaching an elite level team, the Coyotes will be a successful team in the NHL.
Posted December 30, 2007 01:50 PM