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wbon22
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I have been reading more and more that Gretzky...and to a far lesser extent Mario Lemieux were the beneficiaries of a diluted era and their (mostly Gretzky's) stats should be viewed with a big grain of salt. These same arguments however are never put forth for the ridiculously low goals against and save %"s and other numbers that have been inflated by the oversized goalie equipment era and the clutch, grab and obstruct till you truck era.
My $.02
Some of Gretzky's incredibel #'s are the result of playing in the same division as Winnipeg and Vancouver when they were both weak sisters. Playing in a hockey dedicated arena with ice that is groomed to improve and promote passing and puck control and skating also helped. Some are the result of playing in the era when skate technology and stick technology gave offensive players an edge over goalies allowing for greater accuracy and power in shooting and passing. Most of his numbers are the result of playing mostly healthy with a group of like minded players in the above environment for a coach who encourage offense as defense.
As for the inflated goalie equipment era. I was a goalie. My last season was the only one that I didn't play with leather, saw dust and horse hair pads. If I wasn't covered with bruised and welts, I wasn't in the game. Playing butterfly didn't mean loosening your overly long leg pads so they twist on the ice. Goalies now have equipment that has tilted the advantage back to them. They are physically taller but the equipment that they wear makes them all look like bears. And the "catching glove" which has become a trapper...that is 2x the size of the gloves used in the early 80's.
So...really the stats today are being dragged down by goalies who are dressed like the the Michelin man and teams content to play clutch and grab to avoid having to develop real talent. Scores are artificially lower because arenas playing surfaces are compromised by over use and universally hinder skating and passing. All things being relative...in the early 80's, Crosby and Malkin would be scoring in the mid 100's. Players like Giroux would be 100+ players as well. Not because the era was diluted but because the technology of the age and the coaching of the age was geared towards skating and shooting and goalies were seen as little more than shooter tooters who take up a seat on the team plane.
....again, my $.02
My $.02
Some of Gretzky's incredibel #'s are the result of playing in the same division as Winnipeg and Vancouver when they were both weak sisters. Playing in a hockey dedicated arena with ice that is groomed to improve and promote passing and puck control and skating also helped. Some are the result of playing in the era when skate technology and stick technology gave offensive players an edge over goalies allowing for greater accuracy and power in shooting and passing. Most of his numbers are the result of playing mostly healthy with a group of like minded players in the above environment for a coach who encourage offense as defense.
As for the inflated goalie equipment era. I was a goalie. My last season was the only one that I didn't play with leather, saw dust and horse hair pads. If I wasn't covered with bruised and welts, I wasn't in the game. Playing butterfly didn't mean loosening your overly long leg pads so they twist on the ice. Goalies now have equipment that has tilted the advantage back to them. They are physically taller but the equipment that they wear makes them all look like bears. And the "catching glove" which has become a trapper...that is 2x the size of the gloves used in the early 80's.
So...really the stats today are being dragged down by goalies who are dressed like the the Michelin man and teams content to play clutch and grab to avoid having to develop real talent. Scores are artificially lower because arenas playing surfaces are compromised by over use and universally hinder skating and passing. All things being relative...in the early 80's, Crosby and Malkin would be scoring in the mid 100's. Players like Giroux would be 100+ players as well. Not because the era was diluted but because the technology of the age and the coaching of the age was geared towards skating and shooting and goalies were seen as little more than shooter tooters who take up a seat on the team plane.
....again, my $.02
