Gretzky's "potential" at 18 obviously wasn't an 8.5C though. Gretzky clearly had the potential of a 10, as that is what he achieved. An 8.5C may have been his percieved potential, but what scouts percieve as ones abilities are definitely not inherently accurate.Stiffler's Mom said:No one is a generational hockey player at the age of 18! Even Gretzky had many many expert doubters at 18. Many thought with his skinny frame that he wouldn't last in the NHL and probably wouldn't be successful at all. Would Gretzky have been considered a 10 ANYTHING at 17 or 18, I don't think so. He probably would have been an 8.5C. So if you think Crosby is a 10 ANYTHING, you are saying that he has more potential than Gretzky did at age 18? THINK AGAIN BUDDY!!
He obviously DID have potential at 18 far beyond that of 8.5C as he accomplished vastly more then such a rating would indicate, his potential merely went largely unrecognized.
(Though personally I think his potential was clearly recognized as being extremely high, there was simply considerable doubt as to whether he would live up to it. The relative lack of broad distributed media in the late 70's compared to now certainly played a part as well)