According to Bobby Hull, Bobby Orr passed the torch to Wayne Gretzky and Gretzky has passed it to everyone and no one.
Although Gretzky symbolically passed the torch to Jaromir Jagr on his retirement day last month, Hull doesn’t believe the Devil-killer Jagr can become hockey’s ambassador.
“I don’t really think a European can do it just for that reason,” said the 60-year-old Hull, who was signing autographs last night at Roosevelt Field’s Hall of Heroes on Long Island. “Possibly if Jagr was U.S. or Canadian, it could happen because he is a great player. I just think it’s going to take everybody on every team to rise to the occasion.”
Hull regrets coming out of retirement for one season in 1979-1980 at age 41 when the WHA Winnipeg landed into the NHL. He had retired early in the 1978-79 season. So he marvels at Gretzky’s decision.
“They talked me into coming back and I shouldn’t have,” said Hull, embroiled in a libel lawsuit in which he denies making a controversial remark about Hitler to a Moscow newspaper. “He retired at a good time. He’s done everything he possibly can. I’m sure he doesn’t want to go out on a bad note. It’s a good time.”
While Hull will always mention Orr in the same breath as Gretzky, the Golden Jet believes The Great One deserved all the fanfare he got.
“He not only carried two franchises [the Oilers and Kings], but carried the league after Orr retired when the NHL didn’t have too much to brag about,” Hull said.
Hull played against a 17-year-old Gretzky in the WHA in 1978. “It was one of his first games and one of my last,” Hull said. “He made things happen that night. He hit a few posts and was grumbling. I said take it easy, kid, you’re going to be around for a while. I was having coffee before that game in the hotel and this lady approached and said: “My name is Phyllis Gretzky and you’re playing against my son tonight and I don’t want you to hurt him.”
While Hull’s heart is with Dallas, which employs his son, Brett, the father’s brain says Detroit for the Cup.
“I thought Dallas needed another good defenseman and another strong scoring forward to get it all done, so Detroit was listening to me and they went out and did that,” said Hull, referring to Red Wing pickups Wendel Clark and Ulf Samuelsson.