A bit early to compare Matty to the Great One but…
With a point in the Kraken’s next game Beniers ties Gretzky for longest point streak to start a career with an expansion team.
I know, way too soon and kind of obscure, but he does kind of resemble a younger Gretzky, and it’s been a long first season in Seattle. Go Matty!!
April 23rd, 2022 at 11:41 AM ^
Is it too early to consider Fernando Tatis Jr the next Babe Ruth too?
April 23rd, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
Touché
April 23rd, 2022 at 12:04 PM ^
Touché
tatis jr would have wrecked pitchers in 1923
April 23rd, 2022 at 11:53 AM ^
Definitely a good start for Beniers!
Gretzky's record in itself has an asterisk to it. Interesting history behind it.
The NFL fully recognizes the AFL's history and all those games "count" as regards NFL records, statistics, et cetera. But both the NHL and NBA consider teams that came over from the WHA and ABA expansion teams, they don't recognize those leagues' history.
In the NBA, the Nuggets won the division their 1st year and the Spurs won their division 5 of their first 6 years. The WHA teams weren't as immediately successful because the NHL seriously gutted their rosters as a prerequisite for coming over: any WHA players who had once been in the NHL were subject to a "reclamation draft."
Gretzky only wound up entering the league as an Oiler because Indianapolis in the WHA signed him to a "personal services contract" and then the Indy owner sold that contract to Edmonton (as opposed to an NHL team) right before the merger. Gretzky's first professional goal (with Indy) was actually against Edmonton.
TY. I’ll pile on and add that the ‘84-85 Oilers we’re freaking loaded: Paul Coffey, Mark Messier, Andy Moog, Jari Kirk, Eddie Mio, etc. Gretzky got a lot of “easy” goals hanging around (and behind) the net and waiting for rebounds. Nobody has that luxury in today’s League.
* Kurri
That is true, but Gretzky was 2nd in the league in points even in 1979-1980 (as a teenager, the Oilers “expansion” season) before they really became a juggernaut (of the guys you mentioned Messier, the old Cincinnati Stinger, and Mio were there in 79-80).
Of course as well, the well known stat - Gretzky has more NHL career assists than anyone else has career points.
On a tangential topic, Ovechkin is likely to catch Gretzky in career goals which is incredible in its own right.
April 23rd, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
Way to jinx him!
April 23rd, 2022 at 12:32 PM ^
It's generally a good rule of thumb to ignore everything in a sentence before the word 'but'. In this case, that would mean ignoring the OP entirely, which, when it comes to comparing Matty to Wayne Fucking Gretzky, I can do quite easily. Maybe if the OP has set the sights a bit lower, like to Marcel Dionne or Martin St. Louis...
April 23rd, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
Have you heard of Chris Pittaro and Torrey Lovullo?
Funny you should mention that—I caught the post-game wrap-up after the first Tiger game today and Dickerson was singing the virtues of some Tiger rookie and I thought immediately of Pittaro. I’d forgotten about Lovullo.
April 23rd, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
Certainly an expansion team named after mythical Norse creatures. Not sure if that will be broken, especially with Portland not being able to fund the expansion Valkyries.
April 23rd, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
Damn. I thought the Kraken was of Greek origin. I guess I shouldn’t get my history from Clash of the Titans (the original).
Matty is better than Gretzkey! Compared to Matty, Gretzky is garbage!
Let's wait til Matty's daughter hooks up with a pro golfer.
It's NOT too early to compare Vlad Guerrero Jr. to Vlad Guerrero.
Way too soon yes. However, he has had a fabulous start ! I had the good fortune of visiting my oldest daughter in Seattle Easter weekend, and she had purchased Kraken tix in a charity auction for us to attend. It ended up being Matty's first home game. He and his family were very warmly received. He scored a goal, drew 2 or 3 penalties and was given the second penalty shot in OT, which went off the post. He plays with remarkable poise and seems like a natural. My daughter and I had a blast rooting for Matty, and I'm now a fan of his and look forward to following what I suspect will be a very successful career. Way to get Kraken Matty ! Go Blue !
i’m blushing.
I don't see Robitaille, he'll never be able to match Gretzky.\ by himself.