Could Peak Gretzky and Lemieux lead the very worst team to the Stanley Cup?

[um]

It says 3-5 years in the poll question.

Ah I see, thanks.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

It’s no secret that the Red Wings are by far the worst team in the league. Let’s say, in a fantasy world, the Wings could replace their two first Centers (Larkin and Filppula) with peak Gretzky and peak Lemieux.

Could Wayne & Mario elevate their teammates and carry this following team to a Stanley Cup within 3-5 years?

Bertuzzi -Gretzky ‘84 - Mantha
Fabbri- Lemieux ‘89 - Gagner
Timashov-Nielsen-Helm
Perlini-Ehn-Glendening

Daley-Hronek
Nemeth-Biega
Ericsson-Lindstrom

Bernier
Howard​

Absolutely. Stevie Y is good enough to build a bottom 6 and add some dmen to make this a contender. There's also promising prospects in Seider.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

With Yzerman as GM?

Bet.

 

[Roasted Nuts]

Was peak Gretzky and Lemieux really that dominant? I know that they're considered the best of the game, but are they really that much better than today's superstars such as McDavid/ Draisaltl. Some posters have suggested that they would score 60/90 G/A. I can't picture anyone being that much better than McDavid, who already is freakishly athletic and intelligent but can score only 50/60.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

If you had asked people in 2005 would the Pens win the cup in the next 4 years I bet over 90% would have said not a chance.

 

[FlyTimmo]

Within 3-5 years, absolutely.

 

[82Ninety42011]

Within 3-5 years I have no doubt they would and win. 99 and 66 would make scrubs 30 goal scorers. Larkin, Bertuzzi and others are not scrubs. They would have two number 1 lines right away and have 5 years to figure out rest.

 

[garbageteam]

Key qualifying statement is within 3-5 years. I think it's a no brainer they could.

 

[Eat The Rich]

That roster specifically? Not a chance in hell.

They're by far the worst team defensively in the entire league. They have more goals against than the highest scoring team has goals for.

Within 3-5 years? As long as they drastically improve said defense and goaltending, then possibly.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

My game plan, put big gritty 4th line wingers on both of their lines, after season one trade every one of them for top 4 defensmen. Sign decent value wingers the 2nd year, win Stanley Cup.

 

[jay caufield forhead]

those two on a team would be getting 10 to 20 pp a game the way its called today as compared to there prime years. so yes

 

[ole ole]

A prime Wayne and Mario on the Habs and we would win the cup next season and a few more to boot.

 

[Thenameless]

Was peak Gretzky and Lemieux really that dominant? I know that they're considered the best of the game, but are they really that much better than today's superstars such as McDavid/ Draisaltl. Some posters have suggested that they would score 60/90 G/A. I can't picture anyone being that much better than McDavid, who already is freakishly athletic and intelligent but can score only 50/60.

You can't picture them being much better than McDavid/Draisaitl? Did you see either of Gretzky or Lemieux play when they were at their best? Gretzky looked like he was 4 moves ahead of everyone else, and Lemieux looked like he was playing against a junior team.

 

[psycat]

People saying yes are absolutely out to lunch.

95/96 Penguin team with elite level players: Lemieux, Jagr, Francis, Zubov. Not to mention other great players such as Naslund, Sandstrom, Nedved. All those players mentioned cannot be replaced by Gretzky, and then suddenly take that team to a cup win.

82/83 and the 85/86 Oilers had Gretzky, Coffey, Kurri, Anderson, Messier, Fuhr and couldn't win cups those years. Replacing 5 Hall of Fame players like that with Lemieux does not give them cups those years.

While valid poitns those teams didn't face salary cap era teams.

 

[psycat]

Was peak Gretzky and Lemieux really that dominant? I know that they're considered the best of the game, but are they really that much better than today's superstars such as McDavid/ Draisaltl. Some posters have suggested that they would score 60/90 G/A. I can't picture anyone being that much better than McDavid, who already is freakishly athletic and intelligent but can score only 50/60.

Yes they were, just because you can't picture it didn't mean it didn't happen. As great as Draisaitl is doing this year it's not unfathomable to see someone add an extra point every 2 games or so, and I would bet much on them doing it. Hell if they got same ice-time as they did back in the days I could see 180pts seasons in todays game.

McDavid while obviously great is not even on the level of a peak Ovechkin, Jagr etc and Jagr was contemporary with Lemieux(And Gretzky) and they simply put made him look rather pedestrian so much it in my opinion tarnished his legacy being in their backwater.

 

[Regal]

Assuming they're as good as they were then relative to the current league, I don't think they could with the current roster, though similar to Edmonton (with a better big 2 and worse supporting cast) I think they could get them into the playoffs. Within 3-5 years, I think there's definitely a good chance at a cup. Detroit has some good prospects and guys like Mantha and Bertuzzi would thrive with elite centers. I think playing next to guys like that and watching them every day, especially Gretzky because of how hard he worked, tends to rub off on guys as well and they tend to become better players because of it. People forget the Oilers stars weren't expected to be stars alongside Gretzky.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Gretzky+Lemieux and 3-5 years to build around them? Could see them winning multiple.

 

[valet]

With Detroit's current roster, no. But they might make the playoffs a couple years.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

The answer is objectively no, they couldn't do it with mediocre teams in their era and they wouldn't do it now.

 

[wintersej]

What are their cap hits? 3-5 years is a hell of a long time to turn over some of that roster.

 

[Los merengues]

Probably multiple

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Assuming peak Gretzky and Lemieux perform as they did in their era, they'd make the playoffs right away.

As for the cup, I think Detroit would win sometime in years 3-5 with a good GM.

 

[bobholly39]

The answer is objectively no, they couldn't do it with mediocre teams in their era and they wouldn't do it now.

You realize they both did do it in their era, right?

Their teams sucked. Within 3-5 years - both were multiple time champions, and mostly off of their stellar play.

In the OP - you get both players, instead of just one.