Wayne Gretzky is about as revered as professional athletes get. Nobody’s posted more goals, assists or points than him — in a career or a single season.
He owns the NHL’s longest point streak, has the most 100-point seasons, claimed the most scoring titles, scored the most shorthanded goals, was the quickest to 50 goals, won the Hart Trophy the most times.
On top of all that, it seems like nobody’s ever said a bad word about the guy.
But don’t mistake respect for concern. Nobody’s going to feel too bad for The Great One when The Great 8 inevitably breaks his once seemingly unbreakable career mark of 894 goals. Heck, the way Alex Ovechkin is going, it might even happen this season.
“Listen, Wayne’s got plenty of records that nobody will touch, so I think he’ll be OK giving that one up,” one NHL player told The Athletic. “Even though I never thought that one would be touched.”
In a sport in which fist fights are essentially legal, in a league built on rivalries and hatred, there are precious few topics that can approach near unanimity. After polling 161 NHL players, granting them anonymity so they could speak honestly, it’s clear that Ovechkin’s goal chase is one of them.
But what about expansion? What about gambling? What about the rulebook? There was plenty of disagreement to be found there.
Here are the results of our first player poll of the season, with a representative sampling of the best comments for each question.
Ninety-eight percent. Short of “would you like to have Leon Draisaitl’s contract?” there might not be another question that garners that many yeses.
Ovechkin is 39 years old, and the average NHL player is 28 years old. Macklin Celebrini was born two months after Ovechkin completed his spectacular 52-goal rookie season. So much of the league grew up watching and idolizing Ovechkin. No shock that the word “cool” appeared 40 times in the players’ responses.
“I think he’s proven how he’s probably the best goal scorer in history given the times. I think it would be cool to see. Nobody is ever going to get the other records, right? So if he breaks this one, I think that would be cool.”
“Yes, because I could say that I played against the greatest goal scorer to ever play. My first goal was in Washington and he scored in that game, too. It would be cool to have our names on the same game sheet.”
“It’s going to be cool playing in the era where you can say you played against Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and the best goal scorer of all time.”
“I wouldn’t even mind being on the ice for the goal against — as long as he doesn’t put it through my legs, go around me and go top corner.”
“I think it’s great for hockey, because it shows it’s attainable.”
Gretzky has made it clear he’s pulling for Ovechkin. The Capitals star even told NHL.com last month that Gretzky texts him little pep talks when he’s slumping.
“If Wayne is rooting him on, we should all be rooting him on, too.”
“Do I think it takes away from Wayne Gretzky’s greatness? No. Not in any way. But his record stood for so long and he’s still so far above the pack, it’s not even close. It’s like Tom Brady and whether he’s the greatest football player or quarterback. It’s kind of undisputed. If (Patrick) Mahomes keeps his pace up for another 10 years, then he might catch him. Right now, if Ovi catches him, it doesn’t take anything away from Wayne.”
“I think he already would have broken it if it wasn’t for COVID and lockouts. I think Gretzky has enough records.”
“Played against him so many times and scored a lot of goals on me; I’ll be a part of history because of that … the wrong way,” said Marc-Andre Fleury, agreeing to put his comment on the record after likely giving away his identity anyway. “But I think he’s been around for so long, he’s been such a good shooter for so many years — one-timer, on the power play — but he’s also got such a great release on his wrister coming down the wing or through the defenseman’s legs and stuff, so it would be cool.”
So just about everyone is rooting for Ovechkin to break the record. Mostly with one caveat:
“Just not against us.”
We all roll our eyes when a player skates off the ice with his left arm dangling and a stone-faced coach lies right to reporters’ faces and says, “lower-body injury” in the postgame presser. Here’s the thing: The players roll their eyes, too. But they insist it’s for a reason: “It’s not about leaving other people guessing. It’s about protecting us.”
It might not be the wild west of the 1970s anymore, but hockey players can still be utterly ruthless. Particularly in the playoffs.
“This anonymous? I mean, during the regular season, you’re not going to target a guy’s injury. But in the playoffs, you’re going to.”
“If you know a guy’s got a banged-up knee, it’s not hard for the other team to take a couple extra slashes or whack at that knee and actually hurt it even more.”
“I know guys would get targeted. I’d target people and hit his foot from the crease. But in the season, I think they could be more transparent. Sometimes it’s so stupid when they’re vague. You see them hit in the head and they say ‘upper body.’”
“As a player, I want less transparency. You don’t want people to know what’s wrong with you. I think it’s the same thing with the way it works in the playoffs. If someone knows that you have a bad wrist, we’re going to slash your wrist. Same thing you see in football. Last weekend or the week before, we all know Justin Herbert has a bad ankle, guys are rolling on it. We’re competitive. It’s violent out there. Everyone says they don’t try and hurt or injure people, but we all know you do.”
“Maybe they can do something where during the regular season it’s transparent, but in the playoffs it’s hush-hush.”
The NFL has a daily injury report that includes specific injuries and a classification from probable to questionable to doubtful to out. Given how much money is spent on fantasy football and football betting, the league has no choice. Some players feel it’s only a matter of time before the NHL reaches that point, too.
“I understand why they do it in the NFL, with fantasy and all of the money that goes into betting, but I don’t want other teams knowing my business.”
“If the betting market gets bigger in hockey, they’re going to have to do that. Ours is so vague which is nice for players, but if gambling gets bigger in hockey, they’ll have to do that because it wouldn’t be fair.”
“I don’t think it should be quite to the level of the NFL, but I think we could be a little more transparent. And, at a minimum, consistent among all the teams. Fans deserve to know when their favorite player is going to be back playing.”
Some players just want a little privacy.
“I don’t think you have to specify what the injury is. Who cares? If it’s upper body, it’s upper body. If it’s lower body, it’s lower.”
“I hate it. I don’t think anyone should know unless you want them to know.”
On the other hand …
“I could see how on the flip side, if you’re playing like s—, well, then people could understand that maybe there’s something that’s holding you back.”
There are more than 1.6 million registered hockey players in the world. Only 736 of them can be in the NHL at once. So, no, NHL players are not going to say no to another 46 NHL roster spots, thank you very much.
“More jobs for players is better. We can play longer. From an NHLPA player standpoint, more money in the system. More teams, more money for players. I’m on board for that, but keep it at 82 games and get rid of preseason.”
“Why not? That means more jobs.”
“Yeah, it’ll keep me in the league longer.”
“If it brings in more money, I’m all for it.”
“They’re going to. Did you see those valuations?”
GO DEEPER
NHL franchise valuations up 37 percent: How much each is worth, per Sportico, and why they’re rising
“As a fan, I would say no. As a player, I would say yes. More money, more jobs. I think that’s good.”
That said, plenty of players understand the argument against further expansion.
“We grinded to get to 32, and now all of a sudden we just want the buy-in money?”
“I kind of like where it’s at now. I think it’s perfect. Half the teams get in. So I’m a ‘no.’ The way the playoffs are, with half the teams getting in, I think it’s perfect. So I wouldn’t add just because of that.”
But with the sport becoming more and more global, the talent pool just keeps getting deeper. As one player put it, there are fourth-liners in the NHL right now who would skate circles around almost anyone from the Original Six era.
“I was worried when they expanded the last few that it would maybe dilute the product. But I think we are still getting exciting hockey. We still have exciting players. It’s worked. It’s more jobs. I’m in favor of it.”
So the obvious question then becomes where?
Arizona was the laughingstock of the sports world for years. But it was also seemingly every player’s favorite road trip. So while you might be tired of commissioner Gary Bettman’s endless experiment in the desert, there’s still a lot of support for another franchise in the Valley among the rank and file.
“Every player will tell you we love going to Arizona. It’s so nice there. If we could get a better owner in there this time and see what we can do, I think it would thrive there.”
With more than 7 million people in the metropolitan area, Houston has long been a potential target for the league. And players are on board with the idea.
“I’m gung-ho on Houston. I don’t want to see another Canadian team. I think Houston could be a really good spot.”
“Tax-free state. Tax-free. Sunshine states.”
“(Houston.) It’s the (fourth) largest city in the U.S. and they don’t have a team yet. We can’t go to another Canadian market right now, not with how the Canadian dollar is. You can’t go to Quebec City. The Canadian dollar is s—. You’d have to take the team out of Winnipeg.”
Ah, Quebec City. Bringing back the Nordiques is always a hot topic.
“I’d love to see Quebec City because, being French-Canadian, the fight between Montreal and Quebec is so good. But from a business standpoint, I don’t know if Quebec is the right call because it’s a smaller market. But I know they will fill the rink with fans and stuff. I’m not a business guy, but the big sponsors and the people that buy the suites, I don’t know if they could support. But I would love to see them back. People love hockey there.”
“I understand the exchange rate and all the finances that come with that, but I think it’d be cool to have another Canadian team to make it eight.”
“Get out of Canada, we need (hockey-related revenue). Houston. It’s five million people. Quebec’s a great city. I don’t think it’s big enough for an NHL team.”
Then, of course, there’s always a second Toronto team.
“It would do better than Atlanta or Houston or something.”
“They’d probably win a Cup before the Leafs.”
Some other thoughts:
“Definitely not Atlanta. We’ve already seen that one fail enough.”
“If Green Bay could get a team, I would like to see that. They go crazy for the Packers. I’ve played there in junior and it was pretty fun. I’d like to see another team in that area. Honestly, I’ll give Wisconsin a team. Whatever makes more sense numbers-wise and financially. It’s a hockey hotbed.”
“We played (in Austin, Texas) a bunch of times in the American League. Amazing city. Great hockey fans. They pack the barn every night. Great arena. Love it there.”
“San Diego would be pretty cool. Get another team on the West Coast.”
“I think the market (in Dubai) is great and it’d be cool to go there.”
“Is Miami too close to Fort Lauderdale?”
After the Major League Baseball uniform fiasco this past season, there was a lot of skepticism that Fanatics was up to the challenge of taking over the NHL’s jersey manufacturing. The jerseys are made in the same Montreal factory with the same specifications as the old ones, but the shoulder dimples were removed and some extra fabric was used in the forearms, which are prone to board burn.
Some players didn’t even notice. Some did. Some might have imagined some things.
“(A): I think they all look awesome. I’d say A. They look great. They did a good job.”
“(A): I actually like them. I can’t tell the difference. And I like our practice jerseys. I think they’re cool.”
“(C): I’m not a huge fan. I don’t think they’re that great. I find them a little uncomfortable and bulky.”
“(B): I don’t think they look as cool because the old ones had dimples on the shoulders.”
“(B): They’re a little smaller.”
“(B): They feel a little longer.”
“(B): They’re a little heavier, a little stiffer.”
“(B): The neck is a little bit different, but other than that they feel the same. I would still like Nike stuff.”
“(C): Don’t notice a difference but I prefer Adidas.”
“(B): You notice the difference. It’s not as thick, so it’s not what it was. But I was expecting way worse, so that’s a positive.”
“(A): They feel the exact same to me.”
Good luck making sense of all that, Fanatics quality-control team.
Some players were just relieved the jerseys didn’t change colors when sweat-soaked and didn’t have tiny letters on the back.
“(C): I thought they’d be worse after seeing the baseball ones. The baseball ones were see-through. I was like, ‘These are the worst jerseys ever.’ I don’t know what the ones the fans are getting. But the ones we’ve gotten are good material.”
“(B): They’re not as good as they used to be, so I’ll give them a B. Because if the old Adidas (jersey) was an A, then this is a B. I think, for me, it’s the fit and the sizing. And also a little bit of the material on its own. You know sometimes when you grab a hold of an old tool or an old machine, and you know this is sturdy, it’s never going to break? You don’t get the same thing nowadays. But also they’re made with different materials. You can just feel the difference.”
And then, of course, there were plenty of players who greeted the question with a quizzical look.
“(B): I didn’t actually know we were wearing Fanatics jerseys.”
If you’re sick of seeing people posting every little bet they make on social media, imagine being tagged in those posts. Or having those bettors demand you pay them back because you only had two shots on goal that night, when the over/under was 2.5.
“You get Venmo requests from fans,” one player said. “They’re demands, not requests. ‘You owe me $200 because you were on the ice when …’ and it’s insane. It’s really bad when you play against Toronto because it seems like everybody is betting on Leafs games. But that’s Toronto for you.”
We’re going to dive more deeply into this phenomenon later in the week, but here’s a quick sampling of responses:
“Yeah, that’s real. When you ruin a guy’s parlay or something? One hundred percent, that’s real. I got one last game where some guy bet on my number of shots or something and then he’s DM’ing me: ‘You f—ed my parlay!’ Pardon my language, but that’s what he said.”
“Oh, almost every day. Honestly, I’d say 75 percent of them are them being mad about something. ‘How did you let in that late goal? I had the under. Thanks a lot. You f—ing suck.’ Things like that constantly. I feel like, as a goalie, we’re a little bit more exposed to it, too.”
“Oh yeah. People on social media are way crazier now because they have more skin in the game. I think that’s for all sports.”
This is one instance in which it helps to be a fourth-liner or a third-pairing guy.
“I don’t think I’m the betting favorite.”
One rule change
We’ll dive deeper into this one later this week too, because when you ask 161 players an open-ended question like this, the answers are all over the hockey map. But there were some common answers.
“Continuous overtime; abolish the shootout.”
“Instead of shootouts, three-on-three, then two-on-two. … It could be kind of fun. But then it would be tough with the stats because it could change things.”
“Ten-minute overtimes. I just think overtime’s the best for the fans. I think for the players, it’s fun too.”
An overtime shot clock wasn’t popular, but there was plenty of support for an over-and-back rule, prohibiting players from regrouping beyond the red line in overtime.
Another popular area of discussion was power plays, including “two-minute majors” and “jailbreaks.”
“Power plays shouldn’t end if a goal is scored.”
“The PWHL jailbreak: A shorthanded goal results in the player leaving the box.”
“If you score shorthanded, the power play ends. In Europe, if you’re on the power play and you get scored on (shorthanded), the power play’s over. I like that.”
Some players got really specific with faceoffs and line changes. One just wanted to be able to sit on top of the boards while waiting to change again. And some players got a little wacky, with one suggesting getting rid of the blue line entirely and making the red line the offside line.
Lots of discussion about challenges and reviews, with some wanting more and some wanting none.
One player wanted to open up the ways in which a player could score. Hey, man, it’s tough to score in this league. If the puck goes in, it goes in, right?
“Allow kicking and head-butting the puck in. You’re going to the gritty area. If you can get a skate on it, that should be a goal. I also think you should be able to ‘head’ the puck in. The Andrew Shaw rule. I don’t know, if you could head the puck in, that’s pretty impressive.”
(Top graphic: Meech Robinson / The Athletic, with photos of Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky from Harry Scull Jr., Bruce Bennett and Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)