Paul Coffey and Grant Fuhr know greatness. Each is in the Hockey Hall of Fame and played for the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s, when the Oilers also had Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier and Jari Kurri and company.
When Coffey and Fuhr watch the Oilers now, what do they see? As a defenseman, how would Coffey try to slow forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl? As a goalie, how would Fuhr try to stop them?
"I think with Connor, I mean, it's always, 'Feet don't fail me now,'" Coffey said Wednesday on a video call to commemorate the Oilers' run in the 1987 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when they won the Cup for the third time in four seasons.
Draisaitl and McDavid were first and second in the NHL scoring race when the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, Draisaitl with 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) in 71 games, McDavid with 97 points (34 goals, 63 assists) in 64 games.
Not since the '80s have the Oilers finished a season with the top two players in scoring. Gretzky and Kurri did it twice, when Gretzky had 208 points (73 goals, 135 assists) and Kurri had 135 points (71 goals, 64 assists) in 1984-85, and when Gretzky had 183 points (62 goals, 121 assists) and Kurri had 108 points (54 goals, 54 assists) in 1986-87. Gretzky and Coffey did it in 1983-84, when Gretzky had 205 points (87 goals, 118 assists) and Coffey had 126 points (40 goals, 86 assists).
We all know McDavid is not only fast but can make plays with the puck at warp speed. Still, it's something else to hear that comment from someone like Coffey, one of the best skaters in NHL history. Coffey was voted the Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's best defenseman three times. He's 13th on the NHL scoring list (1,531 points), second among defensemen behind Ray Bourque (1,579).
"If you're a defenseman and you've got a guy coming down on you like that, that means, 'Feet don't fail me now,'" Coffey said, repeating the phrase. "You're not going to shut him down. You're just going to try to limit what he can do. And a lot of times, he's going to burn you anyway, and you can't do a thing about it. And that's where I just look over my shoulder and say, 'Fuhrsie! He's coming!'"
McDavid was voted the Hart Trophy winner as NHL most valuable player and won the Art Ross Trophy as the League scoring champion in 2016-17, when he had 100 points (30 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games.
He won the scoring title again in 2017-18 with 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists) in 82 games, then increased his numbers again last season with 116 points (41 goals, 75 assists) in 78 games.
This season, he's tied for his NHL career high in goals per game (0.53) and has NHL career highs in assists per game (0.98) and points per game (1.52).
Draisaitl reached a new level last season, when he was second in goals (50) to Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (51) and fourth in points (105) behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (128), McDavid (116) and Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (110).
This season, he has built upon that.
"You've got a guy like Leon who's just a horse out there, is becoming a better player every single game he plays, stronger," Coffey said. "… Leon's vision and passing and his strength is incredible. It's just a treat to watch those two play."
Fuhr, who won the Vezina Trophy voting as the NHL's best goalie in 1987-88 and ranks 12th in wins (403) in NHL history, would try to bait McDavid and Draisaitl to attack his strength.
"I've got to agree with Paul," Fuhr said. "It's fun to watch the two play. I'm kind of happy I'm not playing against them.
"But at the same time, when you play against players that have that much skill, you try and give them something to look at, so it takes away some of their benefit. I mean, I'd try and give them the glove side so they can see it, and then you're playing their best against your best, and you hope for the best result."
Fuhr used to do the same thing in the '80s.
"Fuhrsie, you were great at that, especially in practice with me, teasing me, giving me that corner and then stopping it and looking and laughing at me," Coffey said. "But those two guys, they're just beautiful to watch."
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