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Old 02-21-2005, 08:15 PM   #35 (permalink)
Quadraton
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Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada
Quote:
Originally Posted by lunchbox
I get what you mean but there is an immense amount of talent in the league that's not being showcased. Look at the NFL they have players on every team that's marketed and every team has at least a player or two who has an amazing skill set that you can market. If the NHL wants to model its business after something it should be the NFL. I can probably give you at least 25 players who could be marketed to show how amazing they are at this game there are guys who can do some ridiculous things with the puck and I just think they need to showcase the starts of the entire league and not worry about there being a next gretzky.
That talent is being showcased. Up here in Ottawa, when there was still NHL hockey, I always saw the likes of Daniel Alfredson, Zdeno Chara, Patrick Lalime, et al. being marketed on the New RO for the sake of the Senators organization. The same went for Leafs players in Toronto, and I would imagine everywhere else.

But really, outside of the team you are cheering for, is there anyone you can get excited about? Does a Leafs fan really care that Trevor Linden is coming to town, or does a Canucks fan care that Mats Sundin is playing tonight? The fact is, most, if not all players can only be marketed in their respective markets. Outside of that, no one really cares. If you want to market the game, you don't need someone who just plays the game. You need someone who defines the game.

And that's where Gretzky differed above all others. It didn't matter if you weren't an Oilers fan, or a Kings fan, or a Blues fan, or a Rangers fan. When Gretzky came to town, people showed up just to see him define the game.

All the marketing in the world couldn't convince people do that for someone else. While I have no doubt there are many talented players in the NHL right now, it takes more than just "another fancy goal scorer" to draw people in. It takes someone who demonstrates a mastery of the game so unrivalled that it captures the hearts and minds of every fan who watches him. Right now, I'm sorry to say that person just doesn't exist. So, it's natural that people would instead fall back to the last truly great hockey player they can remember, and that happens to be Wayne Gretzky.

However, if I can say one last thing, I honestly think the next guy that's going to carry that torch is going to be Jarome Iginla. He can skate, he can score, and unlike Gretzky, he can rumble. His successful run in the Playoffs dubbed him Mr.Canada, and as he demonstrated on The National last year, he has a great sense of humility. Unfortunately fate is a cruel mistress, and the fact that he couldn't bring the Cup home kept him from "sealing the deal". I still have hope for him, but we'll see.
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