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andyhack
PickupHockey Pro
Japan
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 Posted - 05/29/2007 : 20:27:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Guest0956
That's probably the biggest reason why I don't think Dionne (or anyone else) could have had the same impact on the team.
First, thanks for the compliment.
Second, I actually can bring myself to agree with your point above as it pertains to Dionne. Marcel probably couldn't have had the same impact on the Oilers as Wayne. BUT my point, and this is why I brought up the Wall Street quote a few posts back, is that the loss of that extra impact may very well not have mattered. What I was getting at with that quote is that I think the "law of diminishing returns" applies once you reach certain levels of greatness for offensive production in hockey. The '88 Bruin series for example. Maybe Dionne gets only 2/3 the points Gretzky gets. It's still excellent production and it still does the necessary damage to my poor Bruins . The same could be said for '85 against the Flyers. The drop off between a guy like Dionne and say a point a game guy is much more significant I think then the difference between Gretzky and Dionne.
So, the question is not whether Gretzky had a greater impact on the Oilers than Dionne would have had, the question is, even if there is such a difference in impact, would it have mattered in terms of Cup wins? As I say, for me, maybe they lose in '87, but otherwise I really like the Oiler's chances with Dionne at the helm. |
Edited by - andyhack on 05/29/2007 20:29:33 |
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Guest0956
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Posted - 05/29/2007 : 20:40:16
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No worries, Andyhack - it's nice to have a civil discussion on here! Thanks for that.
I suppose what makes this question so difficult for me is that the Oilers' growth from a bunch of young punks to a dyansty is inextricably linked to Gretzky and his relationship on and off the ice with his team. They grew together into the team they became due to a perfect blend of ingredients. The bonding that came from Gretzky's early astronomical records and notoriety was an integral component to the makeup and swagger of the Edmonton Oilers. I don't think that any other hockey player, no matter how gifted, could have propelled that team to 4 cups in 5 years, or even their first cup. They would have been an entirely different team without Gretzky in the mix, and who knows, maybe they would have won a cup or two in a different universal timeline...but the entire chemistry would be so different that it's not as simple as taking out one player. It's like you're taking out every player and changing them into a different version of who the would become, if that makes any sense. That is, to me, how powerful Gretzky's presence was on that 1980s Oiler team. |
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Guest0956
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Posted - 05/29/2007 : 20:45:41
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EDIT:
No worries, Andyhack - it's nice to have a civil discussion on here! Thanks for that.
I suppose what makes this question so difficult for me is that the Oilers' growth from a bunch of young punks to a dyansty is inextricably linked to Gretzky and his relationship on and off the ice with his teammates. They grew together into the team they became due to a perfect blend of ingredients. The bonding that came from Gretzky's early astronomical records and notoriety, for example, was an integral component to the makeup and swagger of the Edmonton Oilers. I don't think that any other hockey player at the time, no matter how gifted, could have propelled that team to 4 cups in 5 years, or even their first cup. They would have been an entirely different team without Gretzky in the mix, and who knows, maybe they would have won a cup or two in a different universal timeline...but the entire chemistry would be so different that it's not as simple as taking out one player. It's like you're taking out every player and changing them into a different version of who they would become, if that makes any sense. That is, to me, how powerful Gretzky's presence was on that 1980s Oiler team. That team was probably the tightest team in any sport, ever. To remove one piece would change everything. |
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Oilers Hypothetical 
