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Paul Coffey admits Wayne Gretzky was worried about his status as NHL great after Oilers '83 loss
Hockey Hall of Famer Paul Coffey revealed that Wayne Gretzky was concerned about his status as an NHL great following the Edmonton Oilers' Stanley Cup loss to the New York Islanders in the 1983 Final. Coffey recalled (via Sportsnet's Marc Spector):
"I still remember when the Islanders beat us four straight (in the 1983 Final). Wayne had just finished with 196 points. We’re leaving the dressing room, and Wayne is just feeling down. I say, ‘Hey, we’ll be back.'
"And he says, ‘I’ll never be a great, like Bryan Trottier and Guy Lafleur, unless I win a Cup.' "
Gretzky's determination paid off the following season when, at 23 years old, he clinched his first of four Stanley Cups, solidifying his status as one of the NHL's greatest players.
Just like Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid, now in his ninth season with the Oilers, is facing a situation where he could potentially clinch his first Stanley Cup. McDavid has waited longer than both Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux to potentially secure his first title.
However, his journey is not as long as the 12 years it took Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman to make it to the postseason or the 14 seasons it took him to ultimately win the Cup.
Wayne Gretzky picks his favorite to win Stanley Cup
In his prediction, Wayne Gretzky chose the Edmonton Oilers to triumph over the Florida Panthers. Despite the Oilers falling behind 3-0 initially, "The Great One" maintained faith in his original pick:
"Edmonton, I picked them at the beginning and they were down 3-0, which made me nervous. Florida's good, they're both good. And we're [Oilers] doing things just a little faster.
"Florida is a fighting team. They're grinders and scrappy. You know, they're just well-coached. Oh, don't listen to me. I'm the worst at guessing. I'm just going with my heart."
The stage is set for an epic showdown between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers as they face off in a winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday night. The puck drops at 8 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena.
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