Mick Kern appears courtesy of Live From Wayne Gretzky’s

Instead of coming up with a semi-accurate, half-hearted definition of what constitutes a superstar, let’s consult a dictionary.  Since it’s 2009, let’s thumb through an on-line edition.

Superstar, according to Merriam-Webster Online:

• Function: noun
• Date: 1924

1 : a star (as in sports or the movies) who is considered extremely talented, has great public appeal, and can usually command a high salary
2 : one that is very prominent or is a prime attraction <a diplomatic superstar>

When the Dany Heatley trade to San Jose was finally completed over the weekend, a number of sports news services identified Heatley as being a superstar.

A superstar?  Really?  Sure, only two other NHL players have scored more goals since the lockout than Heatley, but does he meet all the qualifications required in order to wear the superstar crown?

From my vantage point, a superstar in any milieu transcends their surroundings.  In other words, even your dear Aunt Gertie that doesn’t like sports knows who, say, Alexander Ovechkin is, and probably has an opinion about him.  Don’t get her going on the hot stick celebration.

Following that line of thinking, I propose that there are currently only two NHL players that are bigger than the sport.

Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.  The ying and the yang.  The Beatles and the Stones.  Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.

Evgeni Malkin should be considered, if only because his on-ice talents are so immense, and only getting stronger, but I haven’t seen any tangible evidence that supports his inclusion into the select club of superstars.  If on-ice talent were the only yardstick being applied, then Pavel Datsyuk or Ilya Kovalchuk, and maybe Dany Heatley, would have to be included.

Where these gentlemen fall short for serious consideration of being called a superstar is this section of the definition:

has great public appeal

Keep-in-mind every individual franchise has a player or two that is held very close to the bosom of the local fanbase, and as such, their respective values are usually inflated.  For instance, Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets can be one of the most exciting players in the league today.  His YouTube-ready goals, where he dekes through half the team, and some of the guys up in the press box, are a beauty to behold, and understandably, the faithful in Ohio would clamour that Nash is a superstar.

The argument is all context.  Within the world of the Blue Jackets, Nash is the face of the franchise, thus he is a superstar.  Within the expanded world of the National Hockey League, Nash is one of the young stars that make the game so exciting to watch.  You could make a credible argument that Nash is an NHL superstar.

You would have to work awfully hard to convince me that Nash, or Heatley or Datsyuk or Roberto Luongo, are true superstars.  They do not transcend the game of hockey.  Within the hockey world, they are larger-than-life.  Outside of those cozy borders, they would be lost, unrecognizable to the average person walking down the street of any American city.  For that matter, the majority of non-hockey fans in Canada wouldn’t recognize them either.

Put Ovechkin or Crosby in downtown Manhattan (without the Zamboni in Ovechkin’s case), or on Manhattan Beach in Southern California, or in surburban St. Louis or at the Steak ‘n Shake in Battle Creek, Michigan, and most likely both of these dudes would be recognized.

For a variety of reasons, Ovechkin and Crosby are currently bigger than the game of hockey.

That doesn’t mean they’re better or smarter.  That doesn’t mean we should all bow down and praise them (though maybe we should for all the attention they bring to the game).  That doesn’t mean that their opinons are sacrosanct.  So before the mouthbreathing bloggers of the cyberworld get their shorts all in a knot, keep this sobering thought in mind.  Most likely your favourite player is a nobody outside of the world of hockey.  That’s not the case with Ovechkin and Crosby.

Why these two?  Well, we’ve already listed awesome on-ice talent as one major factor, but they have to have more than that.  Both young men have been marketed very successfully, in particular Crosby, who became the face of the NHL as it emerged from the 2004-05 lockout.

Ovechkin basically elbowed his way onto the marquee, and his fun-loving flair that he paints everything he touches with cannot be denied.

The camera likes both of these guys, for different reasons.  The media likes both of these guys, for different reasons.  Hockey fans are drawn to these two guys, for different reasons.  Love them or hate them, you’re talking about them.

Thus it comes as no real surprise that the sports media sought out Crosby and Ovechkin to get their opinions on the recent firing of NHLPA head Paul Kelly.  Some hockey fans ridiculed the need to ask these two particular players their personal opinions.  Where did they get off thinking they were bigger and better than the game?

Well, they don’t think that.  Neither player put out a press release saying “come and talk to me about Paul Kelly”.  It was only natural for the media to beat a path to their doors, because when these two young men speak, people listen.

Much like when a young Wayne Gretzky, after another blowout win over the woeful New Jersey Devils, called the Devils a Mickey Mouse organization.  No truth to the rumour that’s what got Michael Eisner interested in hockey.

Much like when a younger Mario Lemieux, tired of carrying a couple of clutching-and-grabbing defencemen on his back almost every time he broke into the offensive zone, openly questioned the NHL about their lack of enforcement of their own rule book.

The hockey, and sports world, listened.  And yes, some people complained then that Gretzky and Lemieux should just shut up and play the game.  What makes these whippersnappers think they’re bigger than the game?

(There are reactionaries everywhere).

Both players were right. Bang on.  And both were right to speak out.

So when Ovechkin tells espn.com that even if the NHL decides not to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics, he still plans to go…well folks, that’s news.  Washington Capitals’ owner Ted Leonsis, one of the more progressive owners in the league, did his best to downplay the comments, but the desired effect was already achieved.  It got people, and no doubt the players, thinking about the issue.

Once again, Ovechkin elbowed his way in.

With all due respect, Dany Heatley does not have that same ability.  Nor has he asked for it; if anything, he seems rather happy not to be in the spotlight.  Ovechkin craves it, while Crosby understands he’s been thrust into it since an early age.  Both men handle the spotlight differently, and they handle it well.

Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are the only two true superstars in the league today.  Now what remains to be seen is if they can transcend North American popular culture.  Arguably, only two NHL players have ever reached those lofty heights.

Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky.

Particularly Wayne Gretzky.  The Great One is still the face of hockey for most of the world.

We tend to throw around words carelessly.  The word great has been mostly stripped of its power.  Anyone that is in the public eye is a star.  In the sports media, we have also devalued the word superstar.  I am trying to reclaim it for those few worthy enough to wear the crown.

Ovechkin and Crosby.

If you don’t like it, deal with it.  You might want to start by shunning all popular media in North America.  No doubt you’ll be seeing the faces of these two men plastered all over television, and magazines, and posters, and websites for the better part of the next decade.

- Mick Kern

Mick Kern appears courtesy of Live From Wayne Gretzky’s

WG Authentic – the official company of Wayne Gretzky memorabilia – announces the launch of its new online store on Gretzky.com, located at www.gretzky.com/shop. This updated store features unique and limited edition autographed memorabilia from Wayne, plus other legends of hockey, including Gordie Howe, Guy Lafleur, Bobby Orr and Mario Lemieux, with much more to come.

Items currently available for sale include framed photos and high definition canvas prints capturing moments from the storied careers of some of the game’s all-time greats. Additional collectables are also available and more products are being added each week, including signed Gretzky jerseys and items autographed by top athletes throughout the world of sports and legends of their respective games, such as Steve Nash, Sidney Crosby and Muhammad Ali.

Gretzky.com/shop has been designed to better serve our customers with an easy to navigate interface. Additionally, online accounts can be created that will allow customers to personalize their Gretzky.com/shop experience by creating wish lists and being among the first to learn about new items and exclusive offers. Shipping is easy from Gretzky.com/shop and the new store will allow customers to track the progress of their order.

For more information, please visit www.gretzky.com/shop or contact WG Authentic at (480) 778-1899.

Article by Don Schwartz, WG Authentic / Watch Video

You know that you’ve had a one-of-a-kind hockey career when the words of a national anthem – in a country different from your native land – are changed to reflect what you’ve meant to the sport.

Such was the case a decade ago at Wayne Gretzky’s final National Hockey League game on April 18, 1999 at Madison Square Garden. As the New York Rangers prepared to end their season by hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins, the hockey world gathered to say goodbye to the all-time record holder in 61 NHL statistical categories, accomplished throughout his 20-year career.

But it was clear to many that while everyone’s eyes were fixed on Wayne that evening, his thoughts were squarely on others, making sure that that the people close to him were taken care of on a night that was supposed to be his shining moment.

“Wayne didn’t forget anyone,” said Rangers broadcaster Sam Rosen, who was part of the national TV coverage of the game and worked alongside Wayne throughout his three seasons in New York. “With all that was going on, you knew how much emotion there was and what he had to be feeling inside. But when he would come off the ice he’d make sure that his stick was pulled aside and he would sign that stick and he’d go on and get another stick. He made sure that every stick used that night was noted and taken care of and made sure that everyone knew that it was going to someone that deserved to have one, whether it was a teammate or people that worked in the locker room.”

Every moment meant to honor Wayne for his accomplishments became an opportunity for him to thank others. As John Davidson, former Rangers broadcaster and current St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations, headed to the arena that night he received a call from Wayne asking him to make a special mention during the pre-game ceremony.

“Tom Mees was a broadcaster for ESPN who had passed away as he drowned in a terrible swimming accident at his home,” Davidson said. “We had all worked with Tom. He was a wonderful, passionate hockey guy and for Wayne to remember that out of the blue during his day to say goodbye to the world of hockey as a player was the way he was. Nobody was more important than other people to him. Nobody’s ever been. It didn’t matter what you did for a living. You could just be a guy who works hard and makes the minimum wage, he’ll take care of you. He’s that type of guy.”

In a game filled with obvious emotions, the Rangers tried to keep the situation light and the team’s focus off the inevitable ending to Gretzky’s playing days; even turning their thoughts to a new beginning.

“My daughter was pregnant and she was in the hospital giving birth to a baby,” said John Muckler, then the coach of the Rangers and now a senior advisor to the general manager for the Phoenix Coyotes. “It was in the third period and I had instructed our P.R. guy to come down to tell me as soon as the baby was born. So he came down and told me it was a baby boy. I called time out with maybe about a minute left in the game and called Wayne over to the bench. I said ‘You were right. My daughter’s going to have that baby on the day you retire. And here’s what I want you to do for me, I want you to go and score another goal.’ Well, he looked at me like ‘Oh my gosh, don’t put that kind of pressure on me.’ He said ‘I could have done that one time, but I don’t think I can do it tonight.’”

“I just wanted the guys to try to relax and have fun,” Muckler added. “Even the organization tried to have a little bit of fun with him because they showed a lot of Wayne’s previous commercials when he was younger and the players had a lot of fun teasing him. They tried to keep it as light as possible. But you knew when it got into the third period and we ended up with a tie that it was going to end suddenly, since it was headed to overtime where the first goal wins, of course, so you knew it wasn’t going to take too long to come.”

That moment came 82 seconds into overtime as a Jaromir Jagr goal gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 victory. While Wayne wasn’t able to add one last goal to his all-time record, he did provide the sold-out crowd with one final glimpse of greatness, assisting on a Brian Leetch goal that tied the game in the second period and set up the sudden death stanza.

Jagr’s game-ending goal set off a lengthy standing ovation followed by multiple curtain calls from the fans who wanted a few more moments with Wayne. It was the capstone to a night that began with a star-studded ceremony, featuring well wishes from contemporaries Mario Lemieux and Mark Messier, a new Mercedes as a gift from the Rangers organization and an announcement by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman that no other player would wear No. 99 again. And in addition to John Amirante’s special version of the American anthem, pop-singer Bryan Adams altered the Canadian national anthem, changing “We stand on guard for thee” to “We’re gonna miss you, Wayne Gretzky.”

“I think he was somewhat ready to retire,” Muckler said. “I’m sure he had thought about this for a long time and it seemed to be the right year, ’99. He had made up his mind going into Ottawa for his last game played in Canada, which was also emotional for the players and his teammates, because we didn’t want to see him go. We tried to talk him into staying for another year, but he had made up his mind and he was comfortable with his decision and he knew that he had to move on.”

Though Wayne has remained in the game throughout the ten years since his final NHL contest – first as an ambassador and now as a head coach – that night in New York closed the chapter on a career that continues to resonate throughout the sport of hockey.

“It was not only him playing his last game as a New York Ranger, I think he was playing his last game as something that the world of hockey should have seen and been a part of  and the whole world was able to see it,” Davidson said. “I found that to be fascinating because what Wayne did for our sport and the ambassador he’s always been, our sport wouldn’t be where it is today without him and what he’s done for us. I think he’s the greatest player that’s ever played. I was fortunate to have broadcast – in the hundreds – the number of games that I saw him play live and I’ve never seen a player like him and I don’t think we’ll ever see a player like him again. His records will not, in my mind, ever be broken. He’s the best ever.”

Article by Don Schwartz, WG Authentic / Watch Video