“Clash of the Legends: How Gretzky’s Grace and Ovechkin’s Power Redefine Greatness in the NHL”
Gretzky was also so influential that he made the league rewrite part of its rulebook. His teams were too good at 4 on 4 with more ice to work with that each team taking a penalty no longer led to that, and the play remained 5 on 5.
Goaltenders also geared up more along the way, adding padding as stick technology improved and shots got harder and faster. It got more difficult to score, yet Ovechkin still did it more than anyone else.
“It’s so hard,” Gretzky said. “I don’t care what era you play in: ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, it’s hard to score goals. Good for him. Players are better today. The equipment’s better. The coaching’s better. But that’s the progression in our game.”
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