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Is Wayne Gretzky Getting Underrated on This Board?
- Thread starter LeafFever
- Start date
Voight
#winning
Lemieux was in his prime during the 88-89 season and scored 199 points (missed a mere 4 games). So no, 215 wouldn't be smashed because he had a legitimate chance to do so and didn't (nor he wouldn't of if he had played all 80 games).
Actually 84-85 or 85-86 Gretzky fits that mantle.
In 84-85 he scored 208 in the reg season and then 47 points in 18 playoff games.
In 85-86 he scored 215 points but "only" 19 points (10 GP) in the playoffs. Oh, and he could have won the scoring title by 20 points if you took out the 52 goals he scored. THAT is dominance.
Voight
#winning
Do some research on Howe. He was literally Gretzky before Gretzky existed. regularly beating the competition and winning scoring titles left right and center. Also was on the AST for pretty much every season of his career.
DrDangles
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Butch 19
Go cart Mozart
hello? is this thing on?... "Gretzky would be the GOAT, in any era, for sure."
mic drop
DrDangles
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Except Lemieux did it after two months of intense chemotherapy. So no, it's not really the same thing at all.
Nathaniel Skywalker
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Let me know when he does that while fighting cancer. Imagine a 27 year old Lemieux in 84-85 on the oilers. Lmao the devastation...
Nathaniel Skywalker
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Hmmm... Literally Gretzky than post age 25 routinely out scored by his peers. Put it this way. For 16 straight years only Gretzky and Lemieux won the art Ross. Do the same for Howe.
Nathaniel Skywalker
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Nathaniel Skywalker
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coulda, woulda, shoulda. If Bobby Orr had access to modern knee surgery techniques. If Hull, Mahovlich and Howe didn't play in the WHA. Beliveau for the Aces. If the Rocket had modern, curved sticks. If old era players actually made decent money, so they could hire personal trainers and didn't have to work in the off season at straight jobs. If WWII didn't happen for Ted Williams, and a host of players in all sports.
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GreatGonzo
Surrounded by Snowflakes
For me, Mario was right there with Gretzky, and had so many chances to possibly be better...but injuries.
I agree though. Mario was a freak. The most purely talented hockey player i ever saw. Rarely had to put in effort to be great. If only he took better care of himself.
GreatGonzo
Surrounded by Snowflakes
Well Gretzky won the Art Ross in ‘94.....
And finished 3rd in ‘98....and 4th in ‘97. The whole goalie argument is BS. Lemieux and Gretzky were continuously up there in the standings regardless of the changes of the game.
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No kidding that was a disingenuous post. Selanne was a rookie in 92 93 and scored 76 goals and he never came close again. If anything 92-93 was the last year of 80's style run and gun hockey.
Kudos to Lemieux for doing what he did beating cancer. But it wasn't a full season. I think Mario is pretty close but Gretzky accomplished more in just about every way.
Hockeyisl1fe
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The arguments "he wouldn't stand a chance against better competition today with his skinny stature" reminds me of arguments against Messi in soccer years ago. "He scores a lot in Spanish league yeah, but that 5'7 midget would get destroyed in premier league"... then he does this against one of the best teams in the world and vs a player who was considered the best defender in the world
THall4
Registered User
This.
Because he was so much smarter on the ice than anyone else, I have no doubts he would've found a way to adjust himself in whatever era he played in and continued to dominate. Gretzky knew where his linemates were going to be even before they knew, it that makes sense.
If you knock Gretzky, you have to knock any player that played in the 80's. That is really unfair. The guy had 700 more points than anyone else in the decade.
I think he's still the best player in the modern era, just not quite as dominant compared to the rest of the league as some suppose. Not saying he wouldn't score a ton of points no matter what era he played, but the competition today would put up a much better fight than those in the 80s. I mean he always seemed to take the game seriously, but only a percentage of the league was has committed as he was. Even 4th line grinders today are pure athletes who would be pretty good players in their own right back then.
Gretzky's greatness was in how he thought the game and his skill with or without the puck. His game would transition today far better then say a Lindros who was like a man among boys. I like to think a better question is how good players like Ovy or Crosby would be back in Gretzky's league with how they train now. Gretzky is the greatest no matter what era he gets dropped in.
Gretzky's greatness was in how he thought the game and his skill with or without the puck. His game would transition today far better then say a Lindros who was like a man among boys. I like to think a better question is how good players like Ovy or Crosby would be back in Gretzky's league with how they train now. Gretzky is the greatest no matter what era he gets dropped in.
Machinehead
GoAwayTrouba
His skill and goal-scoring is underrated.
People always say "he wasn't that dominant, he just had a hockey IQ above everyone else's." Yes, he did, and he's also one of the top 5 most skilled players of all time, with one of the best wristers and maybe the best hands ever. That's how you score almost 3,000 points.
They also say "the goaltending just sucked back then and he wouldn't actually score that many now." Bullshit, prime 90-goal Gretzky would be average over 50 today and would hit 65-70 in good years. Yes, the goaltending was bad back then. I don't see anyone else scoring 92.
People always say "he wasn't that dominant, he just had a hockey IQ above everyone else's." Yes, he did, and he's also one of the top 5 most skilled players of all time, with one of the best wristers and maybe the best hands ever. That's how you score almost 3,000 points.
They also say "the goaltending just sucked back then and he wouldn't actually score that many now." Bullshit, prime 90-goal Gretzky would be average over 50 today and would hit 65-70 in good years. Yes, the goaltending was bad back then. I don't see anyone else scoring 92.
ManofSteel55
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That's probably because Gretzky said that about those guys, so homers latched onto it. Gretzky is ridiculously humble though. Every team has a more skilled player than him if you ask him.
TheAngryHank
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