Marty McSorley never, ever needed Glen Sather or anybody else to draw him a picture about what his job description with the Edmonton Oilers was and he damn sure didn’t need a written invitation from opposing players to carry it out. McSorley’s job was to ride shotgun for Wayne Gretzky and the rest of a star-studded Oiler line-up and he did it with both barrels.
Happy and willing in his role was McSorley, and he was so good at it that when Edmonton owner Peter Pocklington sold Gretzky to Bruce McNall and the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of 1988, the Great One insisted that the big lug from Hamilton with the flowing blond hair make the journey with him to Tinseltown. If Gretzky had to go, he wasn’t packing light.
Marty McSorley
Defense
Born May 18 1963 — Hamilton, ONT
Height 6.01 — Weight 230 pounds
BY THE NUMBERS
|
Season |
Tm |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
S |
S% |
|
1983-84 |
72 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
-39 |
224 |
75 |
2.7 |
|
|
1984-85 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-3 |
15 |
11 |
0.0 |
|
|
1985-86 |
59 |
11 |
12 |
23 |
9 |
265 |
72 |
15.3 |
|
|
1986-87 |
41 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
-4 |
159 |
32 |
6.3 |
|
|
1987-88 |
60 |
9 |
17 |
26 |
23 |
223 |
66 |
13.6 |
|
|
1988-89 |
66 |
10 |
17 |
27 |
3 |
350 |
87 |
11.5 |
|
|
1989-90 |
75 |
15 |
21 |
36 |
2 |
322 |
127 |
11.8 |
|
|
1990-91 |
61 |
7 |
32 |
39 |
48 |
221 |
100 |
7.0 |
|
|
1991-92 |
71 |
7 |
22 |
29 |
-13 |
268 |
119 |
5.9 |
|
|
1992-93 |
81 |
15 |
26 |
41 |
1 |
399 |
197 |
7.6 |
|
|
1993-94 |
TOT |
65 |
7 |
24 |
31 |
-12 |
194 |
160 |
4.4 |
|
1993-94 |
47 |
3 |
18 |
21 |
-9 |
139 |
122 |
2.5 |
|
|
1993-94 |
18 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
-3 |
55 |
38 |
10.5 |
|
|
1994-95 |
41 |
3 |
18 |
21 |
-14 |
83 |
75 |
4.0 |
|
|
1995-96 |
TOT |
68 |
10 |
23 |
33 |
-20 |
169 |
130 |
7.7 |
|
1995-96 |
59 |
10 |
21 |
31 |
-14 |
148 |
118 |
8.5 |
|
|
1995-96 |
9 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
-6 |
21 |
12 |
0.0 |
|
|
1996-97 |
57 |
4 |
12 |
16 |
-6 |
186 |
74 |
5.4 |
|
|
1997-98 |
56 |
2 |
10 |
12 |
10 |
140 |
46 |
4.3 |
|
|
1998-99 |
46 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
-5 |
101 |
29 |
6.9 |
|
|
1999-00 |
27 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
62 |
24 |
8.3 |
|
|
8 yrs |
LAK |
472 |
71 |
163 |
234 |
10 |
1846 |
861 |
8.2 |
|
4 yrs |
EDM |
206 |
24 |
36 |
60 |
23 |
748 |
199 |
12.1 |
|
3 yrs |
PIT |
134 |
5 |
25 |
30 |
-51 |
378 |
208 |
2.4 |
|
2 yrs |
SJS |
113 |
6 |
22 |
28 |
4 |
326 |
120 |
5.0 |
|
1 yr |
BOS |
27 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
62 |
24 |
8.3 |
|
1 yr |
NYR |
9 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
-6 |
21 |
12 |
0.0 |
|
Career |
961 |
108 |
251 |
359 |
-18 |
3381 |
1424 |
7.6 |
PLAYOFFS
|
Season |
Tm |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
S |
S% |
|
1985-86 |
8 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
50 |
4 |
0.0 |
|
|
1986-87 |
21 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
8 |
65 |
21 |
19.0 |
|
|
1987-88 |
16 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
67 |
15 |
0.0 |
|
|
1988-89 |
11 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
-6 |
33 |
16 |
0.0 |
|
|
1989-90 |
10 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
-8 |
18 |
26 |
3.8 |
|
|
1990-91 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-1 |
58 |
30 |
0.0 |
|
|
1991-92 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
21 |
10 |
10.0 |
|
|
1992-93 |
24 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
-2 |
60 |
42 |
9.5 |
|
|
1995-96 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-1 |
0 |
3 |
0.0 |
|
|
1998-99 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0.0 |
|
|
Career |
115 |
10 |
19 |
29 |
-3 |
374 |
170 |
5.9 |
NOTABLE
“Wayne said to me, ‘Make sure you get McSorley.’ I worked that out pretty quickly, although Sather was not happy about the idea,” McNall said about how the biggest trade in the history of the NHL unfolded. When the greatest player ever to lace on the blades in the NHL makes you a part of a deal like that, you’re doing something right. That was McSorley, a ruffian on the ice and a smart, engaging guy off it.
The other thing about McSorley, of course, is he could play the game. As rugged and raw as he was when he broke into the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1983-84 after being undrafted, McSorley spent his years in Edmonton, and later in Los Angeles, working non-stop to become a better player. He started out as an unskilled enforcer who could throw opponents around for fun and didn’t stop striving to be better until he was a reliable player who could throw opponents around for fun.
With the Oilers, McSorley not only took a regular shift, he eventually took over from Dave Semenko as Gretzky’s designated muscle. In an era when some tough guys could barely play the game at the NHL level, the ability to do double duty served McSorley well on the way to winning two Stanley Cups in his first stint with the Oilers before he packed for Los Angeles.
THE STORY
Slow of foot even with all the work he put in, McSorley played within his limits on the blue line and always had one eye out for trouble. Cross the line and you’d find Marty in the middle of the ensuing mayhem. In his first season with the Oilers he scored 11 goals. In his third, 1987-88, he had 26 points – not sluggo-level production, even in an era of inflated numbers.
Off the ice, McSorley was as easy-going as he was intense and ready to riot on it. I’ll never forget one early morning in Washington when we spent 30 minutes or so just walking around downtown and chatting about hockey and life in general before heading to the rink. Marty loved to walk. He loved to talk. But when the gate opened, he was ready to go.
Younger fans who don’t remember McSorley during his time in Edmonton might know him for the end of his career and an ugly incident during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks in 2000 – a hideous assault on Donald Brashear. It was an inexcusable act by the big lug and one that tainted his legacy as a tough, honest player who made the most out of the limited talent he had.
This series will look at the top 100 Edmonton Oilers from the NHL era 1979-80 to 2014-15, starting with 100 and working up.
Listen to Robin Brownlee Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Jason Gregor Show on TSN 1260.
PREVIOUSLY:
- 35. Jordan Eberle
- 36. Patt Hughes
- 37. Jeff Beukeboom
- 38. Craig Muni
- 39. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- 40. Adam Graves
- 41. Ken Linseman
- 42. Jason Arnott
- 43. Todd Marchant
- 44. Don Jackson
- 45. Dwayne Roloson
I can still hear Rod Phillips
BOOMING LEFT HAND BY McSORLEY
Connor needs a Marty. Loved this guy.
Lucic, Maroon, Nurse, Larsson, Kassian.
all nasty players listed in order of nastiness.
Larsson has yet to show his ugly side but its there… and its very Prongerish.
McDavid is coverd lol so is every other Oiler.
It is about freaking time.
I completely agree with what you are saying, I know he’s covered. My point is just that none of these players (Love them all) are the nuclear bomb that Marty was. Not taking anything away from any of our guys. Totally not meant as a slight to anyone. Sorry.
The nuclear bomb no longer exists in the NHL. If this was the 80’s I have no doubt that Kassian, Lucic and Maroon would be able to deliver.
I met Marty once at LAX, and he couldn’t have been a nicer guy. Interaction went something like this:
Me: Hey Mr. McSorley (wearing Oilers hat)
MM: Hey! Call me Marty, are you in LA for the game?
ME: Yeah you bet, visiting some friends down here and heading to the game with them.
MM: Awesome, make sure you head to Manhattan Beach bars, that is where all the players hang out. Oh.. hey you wanna picture
ME: Uh sure.
MM: Hey Lady (speaking to random passerby) will you take our picture? Thanks!
The Guy was as chill as they come.
Similar experience as AdambomB’s. I stopped in Cabela’s (think it was the one in Sherwood Park) and Marty was signing autographs (didn’t know ahead of time). Made each person that he signed for feel like a long time friend. Talked with my wife and me for about 10 minutes while he signed pictures for our three boys. Also got him to write out a funny one for a buddy of mine. Let my wife wear his ring for a picture with him and then got one with him myself. Super classy guy and a great ambassador for the team and the game.
Marty loved to just sit around and shoot the breeze and tell stories. He always appreciated his fans.
Honest player?
Mean and nasty? Sure. Hard to play against? Sure. Tough as nails? Sure.
But honest, come on spearing a guy in the junk or slashing a guy in the head hardly spells honest player to me. He may have worked hard and you guys may have been buddy buddy off the ice but he was one of the dirtiest players in league history. That’s not an honest player in my eyes. Honest players don’t intentionally try to hurt guys with cheap shots. Sure he answered the bell when it rang but he wasn’t without his fair share of dirty/dishonest play.
You are mistaking honest with clean. They are two separate things. No one said Marty did not have a nasty side.
Sorry but you’ll have a hard time convincing me that clubbing someone upside the head with your stick is an honest hockey play that’s somehow misunderstood as dirty. Honest players don’t deliberately try to injure or end guys careers.
In respect to the Bullard spear – Gary Roberts ran McSorely from behind into the boards and he was still dazed when he speared Bullard. Was it right – well no, but the player that was dishonest on that play was Gary Roberts, it was his cheap shot that started the episode. Rather than taking responsibility for his actions, he let a team mate take the fall. It’s not any different than the game Tkachuk is playing right now.
Love reading the anecdotes in the comments section almost as much as these articles. Keep ’em coming RB and ON!
All this and acted in Conair as a pilot.
He did come by his nickname Marty McSlowly honestly though.
Always had a soft place in my heart for the big guy, glad he won a couple of cups with us before being shipped out with Gretzky.
Never ever heard anyone call him McSlowly. Not sure where you got that from?
Always one of my all time favourite Oilers
As Grapes would say: “Marty is a beaut”
Anyone else remember the Battle Of Alberta when it happened in the playoffs?
Risebrough ending up with McSorley’s sweater in the penalty box after a fight then proceeding to shred it with his skates. After the game Slats saying to the media he will be sending Risebrough a bill for the destroyed sweater.
Good times.
fLames fans cannot tell the difference between Marty McSorley and matt tkachuk. Lol
Jeez Robin, one sentence in and all I want is a Wanye PC-Paint re-imagining of Sather’s job description for McSorley.
We also made a great co-pilot in the movie Con-Air :
http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=40975
It was a shame his career ended the way it did. I really did feel bad for him, knowing that would be his last game.
Hated the way his career ended in Boston and hated the way the Province of British Columbia had to stuff their 2 cents in. Brashear’s chin strap used to hang around his bloody knees, but it’s Marty’s fault when his helmet falls off?
Great player, knew his role. In his era you couldn’t get things done without a guy like Marty on the ice keeping people honest. It’s no wonder that Gretz insisted he be part of the Kings deal.
I like Marty, unfortunately never got to watch him until he was passed his prime. Needed guys like him absolutely, and yes I agree no wonder Gretz asked for him to be included, so he must have been the best at his role. However, I have to disagree with you on the Chin Strap stuff…. It was Marty’s fault that he hit Brashear in the head with his stick. I love violence in hockey, I wish there was more, but if you hit someone in the head with your stick like Marty did, he’s absolutely responsible for any of the consequences. IMO, Marty’s incident was head and shoulders worse than say the Bertuzzi incident.
Not that I condone violence but I have often wondered if Mike Bullard paid Marty for the vasectomy that Marty gave him. Classic battle of Alberta moment.
Great Oiler and great guy (I too, had a couple of memorable interactions with him and he couldn’t have been nicer) I remember the writers saying that his Dad would show up at random on the road to watch his boy play. And this pics with his dad after a cup win were fantastic. Love Marty.
Marty was 100% responsible for what he did. However, I always found it curious that Brashear would not man – up and drop his gloves with Marty.
Pretty much agree with Robin’s list so far. I think we all will probably all agree on 1 through 4 but the real argument will be about the fifth,sixth and seventh best all timers.
Is McDavid in the top 4?
I don’t think he is there yet but it might be argueable. I actually wasn’t thinking about him when I made my comment.
Was just curious, I wasn’t around for the 80’s teams, but figure 1. Gretz (obviously) 2. Messier (again obvious I think) 3. Kurri (?) 4. Coffee (?) 5. Fuhr (?)
I think eventually McDavid will be #3 or maybe even #2, but not in the time this list is made though. Curious to hear your top 5 or even 10!? I know all of the names from the 80’s, but as I said I never got to see those teams. Earliest I remember is pretty much all of the Dallas series era. Where would a guy like Doug Weight end up you figure? 10-15?
I’ll leave it for Robin and I am sure there wiil be lots of back and forth on here once he gets into the top 10 or 12. You have to figure Dougie pretty high but I don’t know how high.
Over the years I’ve heard 100 stories form 100 people on how nice Marty was when they approached him all over North America. Class act – complete beauty.
what a great picture of him hoisting the cup – the boys are so pumped!
He was a gat dang disgrace to the game!
Is it just me or are you always bitter? I see your name is Hallsy so guessing your upset about that trade? Cheer up big guy we’re winning now!!! PC has done in 18 months what Klowe hasn’t been able to do in 10 years it’s all good brother!
I liked the trade at the time, and like it even more now after seeing the way Larsson plays! In Chia Pete we trust, keep on keepin on brother good times ahead.
If you haven’t been a fan during the 80s, then the last few seasons of Marty’s play will undoubtedly color your opinion of him.
A huge piece of the Oil response to being pushed around.
Wait, does this put Moog ahead of McSorley? I need to think about that.
Dance with the one tha brung ya: Moog’s 1981 series against the Habs was lights out, never mind a few more play off games in his career. That was Conn Smythe ‘tending in that 3 games that let the team know they could win in the playoffs.
Ultimately the number Moog gets is meaningless to me, in the top 100, but he’s up there with the best whatever the number is.
Amazing video: no ads, no helmets, no screens protecting fans from pucks, no glass in front of the penalty box, and about a dozen halll of famers and a Gretzky hatty.
Moog was great in his Oilers years and beyond Gretzky talks about how Moog usually played more regular season games then Fuhr but the team had complete confidence in him.
Arguably the greatest doaltending duo of all time.
McSorley is all class when dealing with the public. He takes time out of his life to attend so many fundraisers and events. It amazes me how hard some people work in retirement.The DB slash huants him, but everyone deserves forgiveness.Besides DB was just as bad.