He is one of only eight players to have scored 700 goals in the NHL. He established an NHL record of seventeen 30-goal seasons. In short, Mike Gartner was born to score goals.
Currently the chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Gartner joined Neil and Vic for an in-depth conversation covering numerous topics from learning to become one of the game's great skaters to being traded near the deadline on three different occasions to his admiration of two present day legends.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[01:08] - Neil welcomes in Mike Gartner to NHL Wraparound's Hall of Fame Edition. Some small talk includes Vic interviewing Mike back in 1984.
[02:47] - Neil recalls a first for him when it came time to doing a contract with Mike - an historic deal from the N.Y. Rangers perspective.
[06:56] - Neil recalls the short-lived players strike in 1992. With Mike being head of the NHLPA, it did present an awkward situation with the Rangers en route to the Presidents' Trophy with aspirations of a Stanley Cup.
[08:26] - Neil shares with Mike that both of them played for the same youth team, albeit at different times.
[10:57] - One of the great skaters in the history of the NHL, Mike takes us all the way back to the beginning, where natural ability and power skating school were key elements to defining himself. This served him well not only in the NHL, but in international tournaments as well.
[15:53] - Aftercoming up through the junior ranks, Gartner signed with Cincinnati in the WHA and had a pretty renowned teammate in advance of being drafted by Washington in 1979.
[17:10] - Mike shares the players who were helpful to him upon his arrival with the Caps in 1979.
[18:43] - A few words on Brian Engblom, who was influential on prior Hall of Fame Edition guest, Scott Stevens.
[20:24] - Discussing the three deals involving Mike at or around the trade deadline from Washington to Minnesota in 1989, on to New York the next year and from the Rangers to Toronto in 1994 - a deal Neil still regrets having had to make despite the ultimate prize finally coming to the Rangers after 54 years.
[23:00] - Further discussion between Mike and Neil on the trade.
[24:14] - The brief stop in Minnesota before the trade to New York.
[26:40] - The speed becomes legend after Gartner's performance in the 1996 NHL Skills competition, only broken recently by another legend. Mike speaks about the amazing skating of Connor McDavid and where he separates himself from all others.
[28:50] - Mike notes how his offensive game might be different in today's NHL.
[31:14] - From speed and skating to goalscoring, Mike comments on the greatest ever, Alexander Ovechkin.
[34:39] - Mike's career wrapped up in Phoenix with the Coyotes and was a teammate of Keith Tkachuk, who's sons are certainly household names in the NHL.
[36:47] - The new role as full chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame succeeding Lanny McDonald and what Mike hopes to accomplish during his term.
[39:02] - Some closing words with Hall of Famer Mike Gartner.
[41:47] - Vic and Neil close with some final words.
X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound
Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil
Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/
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