The Great One: Wayne Gretzky on Ovechkin's Record Chase, Matthews & TNT Career

Wayne Gretzky joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren for the very first NHL Wraparound episode. The Great One discusses Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers' remarkable 22-3 turnaround in their last 25 games, Connor Bedard adapting after Brendan Smith's legal jaw-breaking hit, generational players from Bobby Orr through Sidney Crosby to Austin Matthews potentially reaching 800 goals, and Alex Ovechkin's chase of 894. Hear about playing at 147 pounds in Indianapolis, learning from Bobby Clarke to play behind the net because Phil Esposito could stand in the box, why today's players are better than the 80s, Gordie Howe's class when records get broken, Edmonton's four-line success with Paul Coffey coaching defense and Mattias Ekholm's impact, Kenny Holland's patience at 2-9 not trading for a goalie, and transitioning to TNT with Liam McHugh, Anson Carter, Henrik Lundqvist and Paul Bissonnette who studies more than people realize. Plus the only wraparound goal Gretz remembers, steak vs salmon game day meals, playing against Mark Messier in Edmonton, and teaching Coyotes kids to be pros on a $25M payroll.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] - Welcome: First NHL Wraparound guest ever, Wayne Gretzky, The Great One

[01:00] - Only wraparound goal Gretz remembers: Vancouver 1997 hat trick third goal

[02:00] - Darren Blake traveling secretary: ordered salmon in Vancouver, Gretz wanted steak

[03:00] - Steak and potato game day meal entire career, never eaten salmon on game day

[04:00] - That night scored three goals, last one wraparound against Cloutier

[05:00] - Today's kids: Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, practice tricks, get excited

[06:00] - Gretz not comfortable with skills competition: nothing to gain, everything to lose

[07:00] - Connor Bedard jaw injury: Brendan Smith legal hit coming through middle

[08:00] - Smith answering the bell: showed teammates toughness, respect for game

[09:00] - First day Indianapolis training camp: 147 pounds, Blaine Stoughton "this is our savior"

[10:00] - Playing against bigger competition entire career: 6 vs 10-year-olds, 11 vs 12-year-olds

[11:00] - 14 playing against 20-year-olds, 16 playing against 20-year-olds, never big

[12:00] - Learned to protect myself through years of bigger competition

[13:00] - Age 14 junior B coach Dean Pappas: Phil Esposito greatest center

[14:00] - Esposito 500 shots one year, middle of box on power play, nobody could move him

[15:00] - Coach: go home watch Bobby Clarke, played out of corners more than behind net

[16:00] - Started playing behind net and corners because of size, copying Bobby Clarke

[17:00] - Couldn't stand in middle of box: would've been on rear end, guys knocked you over

[18:00] - Generational player definition: combination of skill, talent, consistency, championships

[19:00] - Gordie Howe retired, Bobby Orr retired, Guy Lafleur retired, Mike Bossy retired

[20:00] - Along came Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Steve Yzerman, game survived

[21:00] - Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin: consistent every year, Crosby 37 having best year

[22:00] - Both won championships, great for NHL, wonderful in communities

[23:00] - Helping people less fortunate, helping kids who want to play hockey

[24:00] - Not just on-ice, combination of ice, Stanley Cup, fitting into community

[25:00] - Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Mitch Marner, Austin Matthews, Connor McDavid next

[26:00] - Great players, great for league, great in communities

[27:00] - Never say we were better in 80s: these kids better than we were 40 years ago

[28:00] - Progression: 20 years from now kids will be better than today, how NHL grows

[29:00] - Impressed how kids handle themselves, play hard every night, show up competitive

[30:00] - Winning Stanley Cup big part: MacKinnon and Makar won, Sidney won, Ovechkin won

[31:00] - Would be nice Matthews win Cup, would be nice McDavid and Edmonton win Cup

[32:00] - Alex Ovechkin chasing 894 goals: another player with better metrics

[33:00] - Austin Matthews ice coverage and diversity in goal scoring

[34:00] - Will Matthews reach 800 goals? Absolutely, metrics at this stage better

[35:00] - Gordie Howe traveling when Gretz broke record, felt guilty breaking it

[36:00] - Dad: Gordie classy person genuinely happy, won't you be same class when someone breaks yours?

[37:00] - Gretz response: "Can I get it first?" Dad knew someone would come along

[38:00] - Hard to score 800 in NHL, Austin's metrics wonderful player

[39:00] - Hard to play in Toronto under microscope, hard for McDavid in Edmonton

[40:00] - Love what Pettersson, Miller, Hughes doing in Vancouver, markets demand you play well

[41:00] - Austin Matthews shows up every game, plays hard every night, will have chance barring injury

[42:00] - Edmonton Oilers turnaround: amazing to watch from beginning to now

[43:00] - Do you think this is reality? Real Oilers or somewhere in between?

[44:00] - Won 8 in row, lost 3, then won 14 in row: 22-3 in last 25 games

[45:00] - Last year: carried completely on power play, this year different

[46:00] - Winning 2-1 games, 3-2 games with team defense and structure

[47:00] - Keith Gretzky (brother): Derek Ryan 20 shifts, Connor McDavid 22 shifts

[48:00] - Playing more as a team: need four lines to be successful in NHL now

[49:00] - Vegas and Colorado last two winners: played four lines, six D

[50:00] - Game too hard, too fast, big man's game, can't play two guys 26 minutes

[51:00] - Coach brought in four lines, comfortable with six defensemen

[52:00] - Kenny Holland tremendous trade: Mattias Ekholm from Nashville last year

[53:00] - Ekholm gave size, toughness, meanness, defensively really solid

[54:00] - Stuart Skinner started shaky: hard when first good rookie year, expectations high

[55:00] - Goaltender nervous at beginning, team structure wasn't great first 12 games

[56:00] - Since then goaltending with team structure tremendous, no more trade talk

[57:00] - Patience of good general manager: didn't panic at 2-9, could have

[58:00] - People hollering trade first-round picks for goaltender, he didn't do that

[59:00] - Stuck to guns, believed in organization, they've turned it around

[01:00:00] - Legitimate contender: not only make playoffs but maybe finish first in division

[01:01:00] - Barring Vancouver breakdown, sky's the limit playing this way

[01:02:00] - Little bit older now, couple years playoff experience

[01:03:00] - Beat Calgary in series, know how difficult to win in Colorado, beat LA

[01:04:00] - Edmonton legit, Vancouver legit, Colorado legit, Dallas strong, St. Louis coming on

[01:05:00] - All you gotta do is get in: eight teams evenly matched, LA won finishing eighth

[01:06:00] - Two years ago Jay Woodcroft: improved defensive structure, conference finals

[01:07:00] - Paul Coffey coaching defense with Chris Knoblauch head coach

[01:08:00] - Is this sustainable to win 16 playoff games in spring?

[01:09:00] - Difference from two years ago: more of a team, playing four lines

[01:10:00] - Young guys feeling confident and comfortable being on team now

[01:11:00] - Paul done really good job with six defense: Darnell Nurse best I've seen him play

[01:12:00] - Nurse simplified game, moving puck, not worrying about 15 goals, strong defensive force

[01:13:00] - Legit team this time: not just relying on 29 and 97

[01:14:00] - Guys like Ryan McLeod playing well, Derek Ryan, more in tank with Evander Kane

[01:15:00] - Two years ago playoffs: Kane was their best player, if he gets back to that level tough to beat

[01:16:00] - Four lines, more structured defensively, goaltender playing with confidence now

[01:17:00] - Toughest task: facing Mark Messier after leaving Oilers, coaching Coyotes, or TNT analyst?

[01:18:00] - Analyst thing kind of easy: can talk hockey all day long, great group

[01:19:00] - Liam McHugh: never seen guy more professional, fun working with Anson Carter

[01:20:00] - Henrik Lundqvist tremendous, boys said "Dad you gotta get Paul Bissonnette hired"

[01:21:00] - Asked why? "He's unreal" - when called back, nobody knows already hired Biz

[01:22:00] - Bissonnette showman obviously good at it, knows more about game than people realize

[01:23:00] - Really intelligent, studies it, watches video and games, been a pleasure

[01:24:00] - Wouldn't say easy but transition I've loved

[01:25:00] - Playing against Mark Messier really difficult: never got comfortable going back to Edmonton

[01:26:00] - People there 10 years treating me like their own son, really hard

[01:27:00] - Coaching Coyotes interesting challenge: $25M payroll vs $75-80M other teams

[01:28:00] - Knew we were in different mode, different lifetime than other teams

[01:29:00] - Priority: teach kids the game, how to be professional, deal with media

[01:30:00] - How to be in community, help other people, not just about winning Stanley Cup

[01:31:00] - Youngest team, unrealistic expectations, wanted them to learn to be good pros

[01:32:00] - First guest on show about hockey: thanks for giving us time

[01:33:00] - Gretz: thank you Neil, thank you Vic, good luck on show, pleasure to be first guest

X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound

Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil

Vic Morren: