Matthews a part of Gretzky’s southwest legacy
In a way, Wayne Gretzky is responsible for Auston Matthews.
It’s only partly because Gretzky raised the interest level in Arizona as coach of the Coyotes around the time Matthews was honing his skills as a young hockey player. It’s more because Gretzky played in Los Angeles, a superstar in a city that demands superstars, and put hockey on the map in parts of America where it had been only a curiosity.
Even Gretzky acknowledged Matthews is part of that emerging group of players from hockey’s former netherworlds.
“It is one of the things that has changed a little bit in the southwest,” Gretzky said. “The best athletes at eight, nine, 10, 11 play baseball, tennis, golf or whatever. And now some of the best ones are saying: ‘I want to play ice hockey.’
“That opens doors for a lot of other kids. And gives everybody opportunities. And exposure. What (Matthews) has done is really something special.”
The Great One was in town to see two pretty good ones in Matthews and Connor McDavid. The two best 19-year-old hockey players in the world were going head-to-head with the Oilers visiting the Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.
It seemed appropriate for the NHL’s all-time leading scorer to weigh in on the pressures and expectations the two phenoms will face not just this year, but throughout their career.
“I remember being 18 and being compared to (Marcel) Dionne and (Guy) Lafleur and all of a sudden, you’re 26 and that new kid is coming in. Is this (Mario) Lemieux the next Gretzky?” said Gretzky. “It goes by really quickly. Just enjoy it.
“Both of those kids seem to understand their scenario and their responsibility to not only the team but to the league. They are both really good, young, mature kids. It’s great for hockey. It is great to see.”
McDavid and Matthews are the focus of media and fan attention wher- ever they go, much like Gretzky was in his day.
“It’s different,” Gretzky said. “There is much more media now. There’s more attention. The game is bigger. It is tougher probably now than it was for us.”
Gretzky is impressed with McDavid’s ability to be a captain at such a young age, and believes both players can carry the mantle that comes with expected greatness.
“It’s not like they just got thrown into the frying pan and then told: ‘OK, you are the new faces of the league.’ These kids were good at14,15.
“Auston went to play in Europe as a 17-year-old. That was a good thing for him. You play against men and that makes you that much better. For Connor, he has been in the limelight since he was a young boy. He handles himself very well.
“He’s a very mature young man that’s loving playing in Edmonton. He has accepted his responsibility of being a captain at a young age. Good for him. The game is in great shape.”
As for those scoring records Gretzky holds, does he think one of those two players might break them?
“Records are made to be broken,” said Gretzky. “People ask me all the time, ‘Which is your favourite?’ My favourite record is 50 goals in 39 games because I think that one is going to be tough to break. Fifty in 38 will be pretty tough.
“Gordie Howe and Phil Esposito were there when I broke their records. If somebody gets close to my records, I’ll be the first person to shake their hands.”