Wayne Gretzky believes this Edmonton Oilers team is better than last year's, thanks in part to stellar performances by Connor McDavid and Stuart Skinner, the hockey legend told Gene Principe and Bob Stauffer on Saturday.
"Let's be honest, he's the best player in hockey," Gretzky said during the second intermission about Oilers captain, who has 15 goals and 31 points in 15 games this season. "I hope the people in Edmonton — and I know they love him — really take it in and enjoy what he does for this team and this city.
"We always think, when Béliveau retired and Gordie Howe retired and Mario retired and Messier retired, who takes over?" Gretzky said. "Now you have guys like Connor, Leon, Auston Matthews, and the game gets better all the time, right?"
Gretzky also credited Oilers back-up netminder Skinner for his remarkable play at an opportune time as starting goalie Jack Campbell is struggling.
"My brother told me he was the best player in the American league for a couple of years," Gretzky said about the 24-year-old goaltender. "Watch out for this kid, he's going to be a great young goaltender in the National Hockey League."
Over six games this season, Skinner has a .928 save percentage and a 2.68 goals-against average on an Oilers team that struggled to find its footing out of the gate.
Gretzky was confident the slumping Campbell will bounce back.
"People don't understand when you leave a city, move your family and go to another city, go to another organization, you're stressed, you're tense, you want to do well," he said of the former Toronto Maple Leafs starter. "Give him the opportunity, let him get his feet wet. The fact that, right now, Skinner's playing so well (it) takes a lot of pressure off Campbell."
At the end of the day, the four-time Stanley Cup winner believes the most consequential time for the Oilers is still to come.
"As we all know, it comes down to the playoffs, right?"
After beating the Calgary Flames in the second round of last year's playoffs, the Oilers suffered a disappointing sweep in the Western Conference Final by the eventual champion Colorado Avalanche, but have higher hopes for this season.
They may have to go through the Flames once again, who Gretzky hopes will pull through their early-season slump after acquiring Jonathan Huberdeau as part of the trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to Florida.
"Huberdeau — I saw him play a lot, he's a great hockey player," he said of the Flames left winger. "And I think Matthew Tkachuk is going to be really good for (the Panthers) organization, he's got some nails in him, he's tough to play against, and I think it's a good trade for both teams."
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