PITTSBURGH — Nail Yakupov grew up idolizing Pavel Bure. The 18-year-old Yakupov is already one up on the Russian Rocket. The Edmonton Oilers selected the dynamic forward with the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft Friday night, hoping Yakupov is the next piece of a core that includes center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and winger Taylor …
Read the full post →“This Day In Hockey History-June 22, 2012-Nail Yakupov taken by Oilers No. 1”
Gretzky Worth Every Penny Wayne Gretzky — as he promised when he arrived five years ago — has truly made Southern California mad about hockey. Babe Ruth, I always thought, came to the New York Yankees with the World Series trophy attached. I figured it was a package deal from the Red Sox: $125,000 cash …
Goalies Can’t Turn Their Backs On Him MONTREAL — Wayne Gretzky didn’t discover the little slab of ice behind the net. Bobby Clarke, the old Philadelphia Flyer, did. Gretzky just made it fashionable. Set up shop there, set down an easy chair. Also built a shelf that, to date, holds four Stanley Cups but has …
Read the full post →“This Day In Hockey History-June 2, 1993-Behind Net, Gretzky Is The King”
EDMONTON, Alberta — Now that Wayne Gretzky has taken another Stanley Cup and gone home for the summer, it’s time to pause. It’s time to inhale and to try to appreciate what this 24-year-old has accomplished in his six years in the NHL. Hockey history will forever be astounded by him. Let’s make sure we …
EDMONTON — The Crown Prince of the shinny world arrived at practice wearing a white shirt, blue shorts, expensive sneakers and patience. He walked with a slight limp, a reminder of a hard but clean check from Ron Sutter of the Philadelphia Flyers, and he was talking with one of his agents. He signed a …
BOSTON (CP) — Wayne Gretzky’s shadow hung over the Edmonton Oilers for two years. Only a Stanley Cup could make it go away and that’s just what Mark Messier, Kevin Lowe, Glenn Anderson and Gretzky’s other ex-teammates accomplished with heart and flair Thursday night. “This is for you Gretz,” Messier said in the champagne-soaked Bosto’n …
The Edmonton Oilers’ choker image and the New York Islanders’ “Drive for Five’’ are both things of the past. EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — It was one of the wildest victory celebrations imaginable, a bunch of youngsters going crazy. The Edmonton Oilers were celebrating more than winning the Stanley Cup. They finally erased the stigma of …
Read the full post →“This Day In Hockey History-May 20, 1984-A new Reign in Edmonton?”
Associated Press EDMONTON, Alberta — Wayne Gretzky has virtually every honor the game of hockey has to offer. He has smashed individual scoring records, he has collected Most Valuable Player awards, he even has helped change the way the game is played in North America. But when Gretzky stood on the ice of the Northlands …
By JIM MATHESON – THE EDMONTON JOURNAL Grant Fuhr treated it like just another day at the office. Punchin, punch-out. Work his 60 minutes and go home. Fuhr was surrounded by notebooks and cameras Monday, however, after out-duelling Ron Hextall the night before in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. The assembly seemed to …
Read the full post →“This Day In Hockey History-May 19, 1987-Fuhr Best In Business When Heat On”
Somebody once asked me who I’d like to come back as and I said Fred Flint-Stone. Why Fred Flinstone? He’ll live forever. He’s on every day.— Wayne Gretzky EDMONTON (Gazette) – Wayne Gretzky has been the Great One for so long that he’s reduced to going one-on-one with a legend, the legend of No. 99 …
