Rating and contextualizing Hasek's performance in the 1998 Winter Olympics

[NyQuil]

I think it's more in terms of preparedness rather than experience. There have been various articles regarding Canada's failure in 1998 and the players and management have talked various times about how the shootout was something that they barely practiced or considered, in a way that wouldn't be true ever again. As part of the hockey culture in Canada it wouldn't have been something that those guys grew up practicing or had even considered. It also gets a lot of attention for being, at the time and still today, the biggest shootout that Canada had ever participated in and just how bad Canada's shooters looked.

None of that means that Canada was bound to lose or that the Czechs had some huge advantage in the shootout. In terms of hockey culture, Canada losing a best on best tournament in a shootout, of all things, was something that people fixated on more than people not there at the time would expect. It's faded away a lot since the NHL adopted the shootout but most fans in Canada really, really hated shootouts regardless of the outcome.

What's funny is that the most frequent anecdote about the shootout was that Gretzky was left on the bench, while NHL all-star accuracy champ but defenceman Ray Bourque was included.

At the time, I remember thinking it was smart - Gretzky himself admitted he was no good on breakaways - so it was a wise coaching move. I can't recall the exact reference (in his autobiography?) but it was something along the lines of having too much time to think.

In retrospect, you don't leave the greatest player of all-time on the bench, but at the time, I even wondered if Wayne took his own name out of consideration.

My understanding in the end was that they didn’t have anything planned in advance, so they were scrambling to pick the five names.

One of the outcomes of the “Hockey Summit” activity following the 1998 ouster of Team Canada was the emphasis on a more professional, organized and prepared Team Canada apparatus.

Personally I think it’s a big step in the right direction.

Our national teams seem much less thrown together, casual and seemingly flying by the seat of their pants, and I think players are committing to being involved at all levels of competition due at least in part with how they are treated.

 

[Staniowski]

What's funny is that the most frequent anecdote about the shootout was that Gretzky was left on the bench, while NHL all-star accuracy champ but defenceman Ray Bourque was included.

At the time, I remember thinking it was smart - Gretzky himself admitted he was no good on breakaways - so it was a wise coaching move. I can't recall the exact reference (in his autobiography?) but it was something along the lines of having too much time to think.

In retrospect, you don't leave the greatest player of all-time on the bench, but at the time, I even wondered if Wayne took his own name out of consideration.

My understanding in the end was that they didn’t have anything planned in advance, so they were scrambling to pick the five names.

One of the outcomes of the “Hockey Summit” activity following the 1998 ouster of Team Canada was the emphasis on a more professional, organized and prepared Team Canada apparatus.

Personally I think it’s a big step in the right direction.

Our national teams seem much less thrown together, casual and seemingly flying by the seat of their pants, and I think players are committing to being involved at all levels of competition due at least in part with how they are treated.

Bourque and Gretzky were both bad options for the shootout.

Ideally, Lindros and Fleury were the only two of the five who were appealing at all.

 

[The Panther]

What's funny is that the most frequent anecdote about the shootout was that Gretzky was left on the bench, while NHL all-star accuracy champ but defenceman Ray Bourque was included.

At the time, I remember thinking it was smart - Gretzky himself admitted he was no good on breakaways - so it was a wise coaching move. I can't recall the exact reference (in his autobiography?) but it was something along the lines of having too much time to think.

In retrospect, you don't leave the greatest player of all-time on the bench, but at the time, I even wondered if Wayne took his own name out of consideration.

He didn't. Rod Brind'amour said they had a hotel-room party the night after the loss to the Czechs, and Gretzky brought the beer, although of course they weren't supposed to be drinking (which is perhaps why they lost the Bronze medal game). While downing beers, Gretzky said to the guys, "How many goals have I scored in the NHL...?" Seems he was a bit pissed.

 

[The Panther]

Bourque and Gretzky were both bad options for the shootout.

Ideally, Lindros and Fleury were the only two of the five who were appealing at all.

Only two anti-Gretzky posts this week? You need a couple more to make your quota...


While I'm at it...

 

[The Panther]

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Only two anti-Gretzky posts this week? You need a couple more to make your quota...


While I'm at it...

Ok, but he's still not wrong

Gretzky's game wasn't shoot out friendly. He wasn't the fastest or a slick dangler, not a knock on him he just didn't have a shoot out game. Especially a 37/38 yr old Gretzky

 

[Staniowski]

Only two anti-Gretzky posts this week? You need a couple more to make your quota...


While I'm at it...

haha....well, I said both Bourque and Gretzky were bad options, and implied that Shanahan and Nieuwendyk weren't good options either, so it's not really anti-Gretzky.

Take Gretzky in the shootout over Bourque, though....

 

[DickSmehlik]

Indeed.

But there was also the injuries + stupid shoot-out choices. Imagine if Mario Lemieux, Paul Kariya, and Joe Sakic had been the first three shooters.


Anyway, it was a big moment and a superb performance by the Czechs. I don't know enough about past Olympics to know where to rank it.

I know Gretzky was far into the back nine of his career at this point, but the older I get, the more it irritates me that we were robbed of the spectacle that would have been the great one versus the dominator on such a massive stage.

What's funny is that the most frequent anecdote about the shootout was that Gretzky was left on the bench, while NHL all-star accuracy champ but defenceman Ray Bourque was included.

At the time, I remember thinking it was smart - Gretzky himself admitted he was no good on breakaways - so it was a wise coaching move. I can't recall the exact reference (in his autobiography?) but it was something along the lines of having too much time to think.

In retrospect, you don't leave the greatest player of all-time on the bench, but at the time, I even wondered if Wayne took his own name out of consideration.

My understanding in the end was that they didn’t have anything planned in advance, so they were scrambling to pick the five names.

One of the outcomes of the “Hockey Summit” activity following the 1998 ouster of Team Canada was the emphasis on a more professional, organized and prepared Team Canada apparatus.

Personally I think it’s a big step in the right direction.

Our national teams seem much less thrown together, casual and seemingly flying by the seat of their pants, and I think players are committing to being involved at all levels of competition due at least in part with how they are treated.

Bourque and Gretzky were both bad options for the shootout.

Ideally, Lindros and Fleury were the only two of the five who were appealing at all.

I am not sure it would have mattered much who Canada sent out. Hasek in his prime was the best goaltender ever at denying breakaways.

In the All-Star barely a month before, team North America sent out Leetch, Niedermeyer, Fleury, Sakic, Reechi and Gretzky against Hasek in the breakaway competition. Team North America needed one goal to win, and they all failed to score against him (Roy, Kolzig, Belfour, Brodeur and the Bulin Wall had combined to let in 12 goals during the breakaway competition previously).

Sabre fans heart rates barley spiked when they allowed a breakaway when Dom was in net because we knew he was exceptional one on one.

 

[NyQuil]

I am not sure it would have mattered much who Canada sent out. Hasek in his prime was the best goaltender ever at denying breakaways.

Probably not, but I suspect Wayne (and a lot of Canadians) would have liked to know for sure.

We saw what an older Mario Lemieux was capable of at the 2002 Olympic Games, where he was far and away the best player right up until the final game.

 

[Maag80]

Indeed.

But there was also the injuries + stupid shoot-out choices. Imagine if Mario Lemieux, Paul Kariya, and Joe Sakic had been the first three shooters.


Anyway, it was a big moment and a superb performance by the Czechs. I don't know enough about past Olympics to know where to rank it.

At least I would have been shocked if Mario had taken a penalty in the 1998 Olympics! Kariya did not get a direct opportunity either