Looking back on the Great One s time in the Sault, part one
From right out of the gates with the Greyhounds, Wayne Gretzky distinguished himself as a great playmaker
Feb 7, 2021 11:00 AM By: Remember This?
From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:
Long before he was named “The Great One” for winning four Stanley Cups, scoring a record-breaking number of goals, tallying more assists than the total points of any other NHL player, and being considered the greatest hockey player of all-time, Wayne Gretzky was a Soo Greyhound.
At the 1977 Ontario Major Junior Hockey League Midget Draft on June 6, 1977, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds selected 16-year-old Wayne Gretzky with the third overall pick.
The last time the Chicago Blackhawks started a season with three-straight regulation losses was in 1997-98. The team was coached by Craig Hartsburg, captained by Chris Chelios, led in scoring by Tony Amonte, and finished 18th out of 26 teams in the league. That 1997-98 team, in fact, started the season with seven-straight regulation losses and still avoided the very bottom of the league. So for the 2021 Chicago Blackhawks, it’s not as bad as it historically could be.
I’m trying my best here, folks
• The Blackhawks dropped their third-straight regulation loss to start the 2021 season last night against the Florida Panthers. It was also their third-straight game giving up five goals against in a game.
Article content
They had missed the playoffs in each of their first three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, beginning with their debut campaign of 1972-1973. And fans and supporters of the Greyhounds who were used to the winning ways from the team’s days in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association were becoming restless and impatient. Ergo, with attendance declining and mumbles turning into grumbles, Greyhounds president Jim McAuley and general manager Angelo Bumbacco (who we would both lose to Heaven in 2020) went on a mission to western Canada and returned with a flamboyant, fast-talking showman as their new coach for the 1975-1976 season.