Nitzy's Hockey Den

Time to share some of my favourite Gretzky magazine covers from my collection. The Great One was a deservedly a cover choice of multiple publications throughout the 1980's. These are my Hockey Illustrated covers featuring The Kid. The first one, above is the season preview issue prior to the 1980/81 NHL season. Wayner was the cover boy for the next two season preview specials as well (why not?). Another thing consistent on all three covers is the rise of the New York Islanders and their Stanley Cup wins. I included this April 1982 issue with Dale Hawerchuk on the cover since Gretzky is the back cover subject. Pretty sure I had this one hanging up in my bedroom as a kid. May 1983, Stanley Cup playoff preview. Gretz and the Oilers still trying for their first Cup, and once again the Islanders and their Cup run is highlighted. 1984/85 season preview with not one, but two photos of Gretzky on the cover. The Oilers have finally won their first Cup and are on the hunt for a dynasty of th...

Auston Matthews has 40 goals at the 20024 All-Star break. Exactly 40 years ago, another Maple Leaf sniper, Rick Vaive, also had 40 goals at the 1984 All-Star break (in 50 games played). There was talk of Vaive shattering his own Leaf record of 54 goals in a season as he sat second to only Wayne Gretzky in NHL goals. At the All-Star game that season in New Jersey on January 31, 1984, Vaive was given the plum role of playing on Gretzky's Right Wing in lieu of Jari Kurri being injured and unable to play. Vaive responded with three assists, including one on Gretzky's only goal of the match. The following night, Vaive was back with the struggling Leafs for a 7-2 loss in Chicago. (there was no extended All-Star break back then, and the thought of a bye-week would have been laughable). Vaive was held scoreless as the Leafs lost their sixth game in a row. The Leafs were in such a rut (like usual during my childhood of the early 80's) that their captain Vaive had seemed to have had ...