What Lemieux did at the turn of the millenium isn't equal to the play of today. 80's and 90's saw huge expansions, which stopped just when Lemieux left. The next 20 years saw almost no expansions at a time when the worldwide hockey pool exploded. Those are actually the years, the last 2 decades, when talent has risen much higher, where the playing field has been much closer than it has ever been. A game in 2001 is far from the same as a game in 2021, just like 1981 is a world of difference with 2001.
As someone who has spent a considerable time reading up on the dynamics of complex systems, to think you even know the answer to those questions make me think you do not appreciate the complexity in differences in dynamics between eras.
It's just pure idolization of the past without regards to a true comparative model, other than stats, which are useless with such different contexts.
What Lemieux did in 2000 is not equal ...... wtf..
Wake up... he was 35 years old....retired at 31 for godsake came back 4 f......years later.........and he did almost 2 points a game and 35 goals in half of a season.
He was dominant, and 2 years later at...37...look what he did.
Did you watched him at the time??? I did and did you watched the game at the time..with the hooking, Red line, low scoring era ......it was harder to score in 2000...
If you think that 7 years from now Mcdavid will retire and will come back 4 years later at 35 and be able to dominate like Lemieux..good luck
If you think Crosby is better than Mario Lemieux , you dont know nothing about hockey.
Crosby is far than Lemieux. If you think that a 33 years Lemieux would only have 55 points today...i dont know what to say.
Lemieix at his prime was completely alone on his team except Coffey.
He did 199 points in 76 games and the power play was Lemieux, Errey, Brown, Coffey and Taglianetti ....
.he was alone....
You clearly did not seen 66 at his prime dominate his peers. In 92,93..he was just too good for the league..Crosby and Mcdavid have never been too good for the league
Nothing to do with idolization..my own eyes have seen loving Lemieux and Crosby for example...and Crosby is far ..very far the beast that Lemieux was on the ice offensively