Ryan Smyth-Wayne Gretzky

[AndTheySayChiCity 0]

i don't know if there's been an actual topic on this.. but i remember it being mentioned a couple times while reading random posts before i was a member.

but does it scare anyone how much Ryan Smyth resembles Wayne Gretzky.. not as far as performance and skill (NO ONE can match the Great One.. although you got Crosby on the come up.. but still no wear near Gretz caliber.. but that's another story).. but as far as appearance.. even down to the stick.

and he played on the Oilers for a looong time as well.

did he model his game after Gretz or is it just a huge coincidence that they totally resemble each other on the ice?

[mrusse01 0]

i don't know if there's been an actual topic on this.. but i remember it being mentioned a couple times while reading random posts before i was a member.

but does it scare anyone how much Ryan Smyth resembles Wayne Gretzky.. not as far as performance and skill (NO ONE can match the Great One.. although you got Crosby on the come up.. but still no wear near Gretz caliber.. but that's another story).. but as far as appearance.. even down to the stick.

and he played on the Oilers for a looong time as well.

did he model his game after Gretz or is it just a huge coincidence that they totally resemble each other on the ice?

It's a known fact that it's just a huge coincidence.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

i don't know if there's been an actual topic on this.. but i remember it being mentioned a couple times while reading random posts before i was a member.

but does it scare anyone how much Ryan Smyth resembles Wayne Gretzky.. not as far as performance and skill (NO ONE can match the Great One.. although you got Crosby on the come up.. but still no wear near Gretz caliber.. but that's another story).. but as far as appearance.. even down to the stick.

and he played on the Oilers for a looong time as well.

did he model his game after Gretz or is it just a huge coincidence that they totally resemble each other on the ice?

It's a known fact that it's just a huge coincidence.

You're joking, right?

It's a well-known fact that Gretzky's his idol.

[mrusse01 0]

Yes I was joking...there was Sportscentre commercial up here in Canada a year or so ago with Smyth where he was wearing the Gretzky Jofa helmet, the big cuffed gloves, etc...I think they may have even spliced in a few scenes of Gretz if I recall correctly.

I still can't believe he didn't resign with the Oilers, although I've heard a rumor that he had some -hmm- encouragement from his wife to get out of that city.

[TBLfan 25]

yeah and Bure => Afinogenov

Skill wise I wouldn't say he's super far off. Remember Gretz wasn't extremely fast, certainly wasn't strong, didn't have the hardest shot... The biggest difference is how well Gretzky understood the game and how quickly he could read a play. Gretzky wasn't great because he was the most talented on the ice, it was because he was by FAR the smartest player to ever play the game.

[Theo 1]

Two great examples with the Bure and Smyth brought up, and it is pretty amazing how well they both mimic their idols skating style and form

[-brady2 0]

I find it pretty interesting that guys will still act like their idols, even as they turn into younger kids idol's themselves

[royals07 0]

really. check out aaron voros(mn. wild) and mike modano(dallas stars duh). some pictures of voros look like a younger form of modano. creeepy.

[chippa13 1844]

yeah and Bure => Afinogenov

Skill wise I wouldn't say he's super far off. Remember Gretz wasn't extremely fast, certainly wasn't strong, didn't have the hardest shot... The biggest difference is how well Gretzky understood the game and how quickly he could read a play. Gretzky wasn't great because he was the most talented on the ice, it was because he was by FAR the smartest player to ever play the game.

Don't kid yourself. While Gretzky was always a play ahead in his mind, he was also one of the most skilled players to ever play the game. Crosby isn't considered the Next One because of his mind for the game but because of his skill. Smyth has one play, skate straight at the net and hope the puck goes in off some part of his body.

[Chadd 916]

yeah and Bure => Afinogenov

Skill wise I wouldn't say he's super far off. Remember Gretz wasn't extremely fast, certainly wasn't strong, didn't have the hardest shot... The biggest difference is how well Gretzky understood the game and how quickly he could read a play. Gretzky wasn't great because he was the most talented on the ice, it was because he was by FAR the smartest player to ever play the game.

Don't kid yourself. While Gretzky was always a play ahead in his mind, he was also one of the most skilled players to ever play the game. Crosby isn't considered the Next One because of his mind for the game but because of his skill. Smyth has one play, skate straight at the net and hope the puck goes in off some part of his body.

People seem to confuse skilled with flashy. Gretz was skilled but rarely did he waste efforty along the way and that economy of motion has a beauty all its own.

[TBLfan 25]

Gretzky really wasn't as talented as everyone thinks he was, he was just incredibly smart. Look at video clips, even highlights of his. He wasn't doing anything spectacular as far as stickhandling or skating, it was the no-look passes and patience of letting the play happen. Gretzky used to skate around in circles just inside the blue line so that his teammates could get in position to make a play. They were too scared to pressure him in fear that he'd make the pass and make them look stupid.

Gretzky was the first guy to park himself behind the net to make a play, no one knew how to defend this for a long time. If you are two plays ahead of everyone else it's easy to make other people look stupid.

[chippa13 1844]

Sorry, you're right, it takes no skill to score 92 goals in a season or 50 in 39. You win, Gretz was just smart, not skilled.

[jeffw 1]

Sorry, you're right, it takes no skill to score 92 goals in a season or 50 in 39. You win, Gretz was just smart, not skilled.

I'd like to see how many Ovechkin or Kovalchuk could put up against the goaltending of Gretzky's era.

[trevor13478 1]

Sorry, you're right, it takes no skill to score 92 goals in a season or 50 in 39. You win, Gretz was just smart, not skilled.

nobody said that he wasn't skilled. It's just that his skills were overrated. He is certainly not overrated as a hockey player, but he got it done with his smarts, not all skill. Not taking anything away from Gretz, (he's called the Great One for a reason) but what set him appart wasn't his speed or his hands or his shot, it was his brain.

[TBLfan 25]

Exactly. Look at many of the goals he scored, 95% of them wasn't because of his rocket of a shot. It was because he outsmarted them and had a half empty net to put the puck into. He was certainly a talented player but that's not why he put up such great numbers.

[Leafsrok 0]

this is why Gretz has, and rightfully deserves the "Great One" title. he didnt have super speed, he wasnt the biggest guy out there, he didnt have a cannon of a shot nor was he even the best stickhandler ever. but he used his head. he could find people in spots no one else would even see, he saw the ice better than anyone else to ever play the game and thats what made him such a special player

[TBLfan 25]

Right on, he read a play soo incredibly well and even moreso he could tell where the puck was going before it went there. If you have two steps on someone to get to a puck, you're going to beat them to the puck.

Gretz is clearly the greatest player to ever play in the NHL, but he was never the most talented.

Believe me, I'm a huge fan of Gretzky. All time he has to be my favorite player, but I've come to terms with the fact that he wasn't the most talented player on the ice. In fact, I've come to terms that his career is more impressive because of that, he proved that you didn't have to be a certain type of guy to make it... Smart can win out. For you smaller guys, this is something you guys should think about.

[Theo 1]

Exactly. Look at many of the goals he scored, 95% of them wasn't because of his rocket of a shot. It was because he outsmarted them and had a half empty net to put the puck into. He was certainly a talented player but that's not why he put up such great numbers.

time he has to be my favorite player, but I've come to terms with the fact that he wasn't the most talented player on the ice.

You should get his DVD because you are quite wrong. I have seen many of his goals from slappers that were perfectly placed top shelf, with the goalie in good position. Also, while he was able to read the play better than anyone and anticipate better than anyone, actually making his passes happen did require something on his part.

Also wrong by saying he wasn't the most talented player on the ice. He was usually by and far, because talent is not defined by having the hardest shot or this or that. High Intelligence is associated with talent as well as creativity and I think we would both agree that Gretz had those areas down pretty well.

I see your point in that it is more impressive to think about what he did without the ungodly attributes of Mario, but Gretz still had top notch talent and very good to great skill.

[chippa13 1844]

Sorry, you're right, it takes no skill to score 92 goals in a season or 50 in 39. You win, Gretz was just smart, not skilled.

I'd like to see how many Ovechkin or Kovalchuk could put up against the goaltending of Gretzky's era.

Apples and oranges. Training, equipment, and pretty much everything has evolved over the last 25 years.

[topshelf11 0]

Smyth has one play, skate straight at the net and hope the puck goes in off some part of his body.

Hey! I resemble that remark! :lol:

[mrusse01 0]

Exactly. Look at many of the goals he scored, 95% of them wasn't because of his rocket of a shot. It was because he outsmarted them and had a half empty net to put the puck into. He was certainly a talented player but that's not why he put up such great numbers.

time he has to be my favorite player, but I've come to terms with the fact that he wasn't the most talented player on the ice.

You should get his DVD because you are quite wrong. I have seen many of his goals from slappers that were perfectly placed top shelf, with the goalie in good position. Also, while he was able to read the play better than anyone and anticipate better than anyone, actually making his passes happen did require something on his part.

Also wrong by saying he wasn't the most talented player on the ice. He was usually by and far, because talent is not defined by having the hardest shot or this or that. High Intelligence is associated with talent as well as creativity and I think we would both agree that Gretz had those areas down pretty well.

I see your point in that it is more impressive to think about what he did without the ungodly attributes of Mario, but Gretz still had top notch talent and very good to great skill.

I concur. I have his old VHS, 'Above and Beyond' I believe...just ridiculous. Watching his passing it is hard to even understand what is going on, he makes those super slow passes that nobody seem to be able to get a stick on. He played a different game from everyone else.

Also don't forget the guy scored 92 goals in a season. That's talent. It is utterly remarkable that by far the greatest passer in the history of the game also holds all the goal scoring records. I think he was such a ridiculous passer that his goal scoring skills are somewhat overlooked when we look back on his career, but the dude could fill up the net.

[ean 0]

Pretty clear the connection...though Ryan Smyth is just inherently uglier, probably has something to do with his nose.

[psh 25]

To be more precise, maybe we should say Gretzky was never the most physically gifted player on the ice. Talent and physical gifts are two very different things. I remember in one of Gretzky's bios the author describes the Oilers pre-season physicals. Gretzky was at or near the bottom of most of the categories, from bench presses to leg presses and, most amazingly, he even had poorer eyesight than most of his team-mates. I say that makes him all the more amazing.

[Gongshow11 1]

although gretz was amazing, mario was still in a class of his own. Not only did guys take runs at him, but he played his whole career injured. Never once was he 100% healthy. I like to think that if he was healthy his whole career, hed be the great one

[Theo 1]

although gretz was amazing, mario was still in a class of his own. Not only did guys take runs at him, but he played his whole career injured. Never once was he 100% healthy. I like to think that if he was healthy his whole career, hed be the great one

Yeah, but injuries come into play as well. Mario was the most skilled ever, no one can deny this. But in terms of greatness, Gretzky with the slight size and how he beat the game with his brain was more impressive, IMO. Guys took runs at Gretz as well and much like you see with Crosby in most cases, Gretz can dodge or skim 99% of those hits. He was so frail, it is amazing he played as many years as he did.

Gretzky once said he wished he had the skills Lemuiex had (in a good way). That explains it all.