TORONTO

As the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, Wayne Gretzky remains one of the most highly-respected spokespersons for the sport. In the second leg of a two-part, 1-on-1 interview with the Sun, The Great One gives his take on the lack-of-goal-scoring issue that has become a hot-button topic in the hockey world -- and whether the configuration of the net should be altered as a result.

Some trickled over the goal line.

Some bulged the twine at the back of the cage with such ferocity, you would have thought he was trying to put the puck right through the net.

There were slapshots, snapshots, wrist shots, backhand shots and even breakaway conversions.

When all was said and done, in almost every possible way, Wayne Gretzky scored more regular season goals -- 894 -- than anyone in the history of the National Hockey League.

Keeping that in mind, can you imagine what his total might have been if the NHL had implemented bigger nets back in his playing days? Certainly 1,000-plus goals might not have been out of the question.

Of course, thanks to the combination of ballooning goaltending equipment; bigger, more athletic goalies; an increase in the size of the average player which has caused a reduction of available open ice; and advancement in defensive systems developed between the ears of always imaginative NHL coaches; the days of firewagon, end-to-end hockey that was the trademark of the No. 99 era are a distant memory.

Given the dropoff in offence, Gretzky’s career goal-scoring mark is a milestone that likely will never be broken.

Of course, if the size of the nets ends up being increased, traditionalists argue that all the league’s individual records -- of which the Great One owns a fair chunk -- would be rendered moot. As such, the popular assumption is that Gretzky would be opposed to such a change.

RELATED:

Not so fast.

While it wouldn’t be his first choice, a candid Gretzky admits he wouldn’t be against such a drastic measure, although a tweak to the goal posts would be at the top of his personal list as a potential adrenalin boost to NHL goal scoring.

“People talk about 'Oh, Wayne Gretzky wouldn’t like it if they made the nets bigger.' The truth is, I don’t really care,” Gretzky told the Sun. “But I do have a theory.”

The Great One’s “theory,” as it is, was formulated during his usual morning routine, one in which he always listens to SiriusXM NHL Satellite radio while driving his kids to school out in California.

One day not so long ago, Gretzky was tuned in to the usual puck chats on the airwaves when an idea reached his ears forwarded by one of the people being interviewed on the network, a concept that revolves around angled goal posts.

“They’re really smart and good at what they talk about and I heard a guy on there recently say they should turn the posts on an angle so that the if the puck hits the post it will go into the net any time it hits them,” Gretzky said. “So instead of having them the way they are now, plan it so that if the puck hits the post, it’s in.

“With this idea, you’re not actually making the nets bigger. But whenever you hit the post -- unless it hits flush on the opposite side -- it’s going to go into the net. You’ll score more goals, you’ll create more offence. And I think whoever came up with that idea is a genius. It’s a great concept.”

And, in Gretzky’s mind, there is no better stage upon which to test out such an experiment than at the AHL level.

“This is where I think the NHL gets it right -- they try things in the American League,” Gretzky said. “If you try it at the American League level, I think it would be good. I think you’d see a lot more goals.

“That’s where they tested three-on-three. Three-on-three right now is exceptional. I think it’s fun. I love it.”

To sum up the post idea, Gretzky put it this way.

“So the goaltender’s friend is the goal post ... and it could end up to be his worst enemy,” he chuckled.

As for reducing the size of goalie equipment, Gretzky is against it.

“(The NHL) shouldn’t do that,” he said. “(Goalies) need to be protected. Guys shoot much harder now.”

Imagine that.

Wayne Gretzky exhibiting mercy toward NHL goaltenders.

He certainly didn’t show such sympathy toward them when he was depositing 894 pucks into nets -- regulation sized nets at that -- that they were allegedly guarding.

mike.zeisberger@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/zeisberger