SIMMONS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins GOAT conversation with Wayne Gretzky and Guy Lafleur
Article content
And now another name: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, born in Toronto, raised in Hamilton, the fourth player of the 4,800 or so who have suited up in the NBA to win a championship, a league MVP award, a scoring title and a Finals MVP all in the very same season.
Article content
Article content
One of the truly great individual and team seasons in Canadian sports history.
Article content
Wayne Gretzky did precisely the same thing in 1985. His Edmonton Oilers won the Stanley Cup. Gretzky won the scoring championship and the Hart Trophy as most valuable player during this regular season. He then went on to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Article content
For all of Gretzky's records, his nine Hart Trophy wins, his 11 scoring titles, his four Stanley Cups, he only had one Gilgeous-Alexander season where he took home everything.
Article content
That puts them together now, Gretzky and Gilgeous-Alexander, as unlikely as that may seem. Gretzky being one of two Canadian players in the modern history of the NHL to have a season winning everything.
Article content
Article content
Guy Lafleur won the NHL scoring title in 1977, the same year he took home the Hart, the Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens. He was Canada's athlete of the year in 1977. Gretzky was Canada's athlete of the year in 1985. Gilgeous-Alexander should win his second Northern Star award this December.
Article content
And in his sport, Gilgeous-Alexsander won an NBA scoring title with the champion Oklahoma City Thunder while averaging 32.7 points per game.
Article content
To put that number into some kind of perspective, consider this: The 32.7 points per game was more than Steph Curry scored in his two scoring championship seasons; it's more than Kevin Durant scored in winning four scoring titles; it's more than Jordan scored in seven of the nine seasons he won scoring championships and more than Allen Iverson scored in his three times leading the league.
Article content
Article content
Some of the greatest Canadian athletes in history — Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr — all won Stanley Cups and scoring titles and MVP awards, just not necessarily in the same seasons.
Article content
Lemieux had his best scoring season in 1993, after Pittsburgh had won two straight Stanley Cups. That year, they lost to Glenn Healy, Ray Ferraro and the New York Islanders in the second round of the playoffs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
33 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
AL-leading Blue Jays take round one vs. Tigers by knockout: ‘We're gritty as hell'
By Baseball Columnist Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the baseball podcast 'Deep Left Field.' Follow him on Bluesky: @wilnerness DETROIT— The Blue Jays welcomed back an old pal on Thursday night. Having been stymied by Tigers starter Reese Olson on just three singles through five innings, the Jays went into the sixth down 1-0, but quickly tied the game when Vladimir Guerrero's double to left scored George Springer from first. Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Edmonton Journal
5 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
'Public narrative was one-sided': Hockey Canada sex assault defence lawyers respond to verdict
Five former Canadian world junior hockey players were found not guilty in a high-profile sexual assault trial related to a 2018 incident in London, Ont. The case had sparked a national reckoning over hockey culture, and what is and what isn't considered consent. Here's how the lawyers for Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote reacted to Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia's verdict, which was delivered in a London courtroom on Thursday. Article content Article content Article content Mr. McLeod will not be speaking to the media, and I understand the other players will not be speaking to the media. I will not be taking questions and other counsel who come to address you, they will not be taking any questions. Article content Mr. McLeod had confidence in the Justice process, and he welcomes Justice Carrocia's decision, confirming that he and his co defendants are not guilty of sexual assault. Justice Carrocia's carefully reasoned decision represents a resounding vindication for Mr. McLeod and for his co defendants. Justice Carrocia's found that the complainant's testimony was incredible and was unreliable. Article content For years, public perception was shaped by a one-sided narrative from a civil lawsuit that went unchallenged. In large part because hockey Canada settled the claim without first informing or consulting the players. The decision was made unilaterally, and the players were only told of the lawsuit and the settlement after the fact. Had they been consulted, they would have refused to settle, and they would have vigorously contested EM's allegations. Article content Article content That version of events dominated headlines and created a lasting and, a false, a false impression of guilt. It was only through this criminal trial that the allegations were fully and finally tested. The court compared the complainant's 2018 statements to the police, which rightly resulted in no charges with the later conflicting civil claim. Key elements of EM's story were contradicted by the evidence, exposing serious falsehood and leading to today's clear and just verdict of not guilty. Justice Carrocia rejected EM's claims of fear and her claims of non consent. That should be the takeaway from today's judgment. Article content Article content The damage to Mr. McLeod's reputation and his career has been significant. But today's decision begins to restore what was very unfairly taken away from him. Mr. McLeod is deeply grateful to his family, friends, his agent, and everybody who stood by him.
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Quebec wrestlers recall Hulk Hogan's unique relationship with the province
The Green Phantom speaks about the special relationship Hulk Hogan had with Montreal and Canada, who the Phantom said 'changed wrestling!' The professional wrestling world lost an icon in Hulk Hogan, who leaves behind a major legacy on every mat around the world. Hogan wrestled a number of times in Montreal, including a legendary match when he turned heel and squared off against Quebec legend Jacques Rougeau in 1997. 'What he gave to me, that man, he gave me so much,' said Rougeau. 'He gave me my victory in Montreal. It came from him. He said, 'Jacques, I want you to win this match tonight in Montreal.' He had this respect for me and you could talk to any other wrestler, it's hard to understand.' Jacques Rougeau Jacques Rougeau The Green Phantom wrestles in multiple independent circuits in Montreal and abroad, and he models a lot of his act on Hogan. He uses Hogan's 'brother' throughout his promos and interviews, and stands on the top rope with one arm pointed to the sky and the other flexed a la Hogan. HULK HOGAN Wrestler Hulk Hogan flexes as he jokes with the Toronto Raptors mascot during a break in the play against the Miami Heat during NBA play in Toronto Friday December 20, 2002. (Kevin Frayer/ The Canadian Press) He said seeing Rougeau pin Hogan was shocking to many. 'Hulk Hogan almost never, ever, ever, ever got pinned, and he did Jacques Rougeau the favour of letting him pin him,' said the Phantom. 'Is it because of the Rougeau family? Is it because I stood up to the British Bulldogs and the bullying in the dressing room? There are so many reasons why but I never got to the bottom of it,' said Rougeau. 'I never wanted to ask him either out of respect, but I know he loved me.' The fans that night apparently loved Hogan too. The Phantom said that even though Hogan was the villain against the hometown hero Rougeau, fans were for the Hulkster. 'Even though Hulk Hogan was a bad guy, the crowd was way more on the side of Hulk Hogan, and wanted Hulk Hogan to win,' said the Phantom. 'The crowd erupted in boos like this hometown guy, even though it was his moment, like, 'oh yeah, I beat Hulk Hogan.' I know everyone I heard was really upset that Hulk Hogan was able to be pinned by this guy.' The Green Phantom Noted Hulk Hogan fan The Green Phantom was influenced by the pro wrestling legend. Matt Viviani wrestles in the IWS and saw Hogan at WWE Smackdown in 2002. 'He got this, like, five-minute-long standing ovation,' said Viviani. 'It was one of the craziest, I think to this day, the biggest ovation I've ever seen, like, up there with like, you know, Carey Price, P.K. Subban in the playoffs, big. It was something else for it to not be the Montreal Canadiens or like Celine Dion. It was pretty impressive how big of innovation he got.' Viviani met Hogan at a comic con later and spoke about that night. 'He said, he still thinks about it to this day,' said Viviani. 'It had a personal effect on him, the connection he had with the fans here in Canada and Quebec in general.' Matt Viviani Matt Viviani has travelled the world wrestling and credits his success with the IWS dojo that opened in Montreal North in 2016. (Daniel J. Rowe, CTV News) Mad Dog Wrestling promoter Andy Ellison said that, though opinions may vary on Hogan, his impact on wrestling was immense. 'Montreal has always been a mecca for professional wrestling and they really set the stage and the bar quite high, and Hulk Hogan, whether you liked him or not, because he wasn't everybody's cup of tea, he was really someone who could captivate an audience and that really was what someone by the name of Vince McMahon Jr. was looking for in the mid-'80s when he really changed wrestling completely,' said Ellison.
