Gretzky vs Ovi/Crosby

[Asheville]

There’s no guarantee Gretzky would be as good as Crosby or Ovechkin in today’s hockey, all we know is today’s hockey is significantly more difficult.

No, we don't know.

 

[Asheville]

Gretzky, because he's the GOAT and turns his sidekick into a HHOFer.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Ovechkin or Crosby on their own are already better than Gretzky.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Gretzky, because he's the GOAT and turns his sidekick into a HHOFer.

Lemieux was better than Gretzky let it go.

 

[La Masse]

99 easily

 

[Asheville]

Lemieux was better than Gretzky let it go.

What? Don't.

 

[Asheville]

Gretzky's always been overrated.

Please explain this opinion.

Dis gon be gud

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

No, we don't know.

Really? I mean only 92 of the Top 100 season point scorers have been before the 2000s... You’d think that would correlate with the fact Hockey wasn’t as tough on the better of the bunch players..

 

[Asheville]

Really? I mean only 92 of the Top 100 season point scorers have been before the 2000s... You’d think that would correlate with the fact Hockey wasn’t as tough on the better of the bunch players..

Perhaps a decline in scoring could have been related to philosophical changes by coaches who did everything possible to counter offensive giants like Gretzky and Lemieux. You think Mike Babcock would have let Gretzky be Gretzky?

 

[ijuka]

Gretzky with his salary while he was playing, vs Crosby and Ovechkin's salary now? Gretzky easily.

Otherwise, it depends on the cap hit. Gretzky at 10 million? Maybe. Gretzky at 15? No. Gretzky at 5? Yes.

Doing well is very much so about getting as many players as possible with contracts that are good value.

 

[Fantomas]

They didn't play on the same line

Look through the boxscores that season and you will see them hooking up with each other very frequently. And not just on the powerplay.

 

[snipes]

Gretzky without even much of a debate.

Put even an average winger with The Great One and they dominate.

 

[Silky mitts]

Warriors have barely sweat against the Cavs with merely the 2nd and 3rd best player in the league, 2 guys who aren’t necessarily top 20 all time players. It’s a different sport but in basketball it should be better to have the best all time player than 2 top 30 all time guys more so than in hockey. I think purely from a value standpoint I’d take 2 top 40 all time players over Gretzky because you’d have 2 of the top 10 players in the league at worst. Having 2 of the top 10 players in the league (Pens, Detroit) are a far better indicator of winning multiple championships than having the best player (Gretzky in LA, Jagr, Hasek).

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

Perhaps a decline in scoring could have been related to philosophical changes by coaches who did everything possible to counter offensive giants like Gretzky and Lemieux. You think Mike Babcock would have let Gretzky be Gretzky?

No I think players naturally got more athletic and coaches got better at countering those offensive giants.

 

[Asheville]

No I think players naturally got more athletic and coaches got better at countering those offensive giants.

Don't confuse athleticism with conditioning. You think Gretzky wasn't in shape? Check out is ATOI.

Coaching got better? You mean coaching got better at stifling talent? If so, yup.

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

Gretzky quite easily.

I can see how the younger pups that never saw him play first hand would say otherwise though.

Put any decent player on his wing and they are already better than Crosby or Ovechkin.

 

[82Ninety42011]

Gretzky and its not even close. Ovi scores goals awesome Gretzky scored more. Crosby can lead league in points Gretzky did to a little bigger margin over next guy behind him to compared to Crosby. 99 was sublime I saw him play he was unstoppable. People just look at his numbers compared to people behind 99 in his career he was 30-70 points ahead of number two points leader back in day. That will never happen again.

 

[82Ninety42011]

Gretzky quite easily.

I can see how the younger pups that never saw him play first hand would say otherwise though.

Put any decent player on his wing and they are already better than Crosby or Ovechkin.

Remember Mike Krushelnyski in 83-84 scored 43 riding shot gun never scored more then 26 any other year. Young kids don't realize how sick he was.

 

[bobbyking]

Gretzky and its not even close. Ovi scores goals awesome Gretzky scored more. Crosby can lead league in points Gretzky did to a little bigger margin over next guy behind him to compared to Crosby. 99 was sublime I saw him play he was unstoppable. People just look at his numbers compared to people behind 99 in his career he was 30-70 points ahead of number two points leader back in day. That will never happen again.

His competition was trash. Had the 90s stars arrived in the 80s he'd have a lot less hardware. Very weak euro talent and Mario pre peak. No Hasek Roy lindros jagr

 

[82Ninety42011]

His competition was trash. Had the 90s stars arrived in the 80s he'd have a lot less hardware. Very weak euro talent and Mario pre peak. No Hasek Roy lindros jagr

At 36 years old in 96/97 he put up 97 points and 90 the next season at 37 were your 90's stars around then?

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

At 36 years old in 96/97 he put up 97 points and 90 the next season at 37 were your 90's stars around then?

Facts have no place here sir.

 

[Randyne]

At 36 years old in 96/97 he put up 97 points and 90 the next season at 37 were your 90's stars around then?

In 1996-98, 90's star Jagr was nowhere near Gretzky because Jagr was far ahead:
Gretzky 187P/164GP=1.14 PPG,
Jagr 197P/140GP=1.41 PPG
Stats you're describing is not something special. 36 years old Thorton in 2015/16 did the same thing (with ratios taking into account)

 

[BeastoftheEast85]

Ovi and Crosby. Depth is everything in hockey and having two of the greatest players of all time is better than have the greatest. Even a prime Gretzky couldn’t lead his team to a Stanley Cup when he didn’t have a HoF supporting cast.

 

[Plural]

Maybe they didn't match him individually. But Crosby/Malkin are arguably the best 1-2 punch of all time.

That's an interesting idea. Never thought of it before. I guess it depends on how long timeframe we're looking at. Sid and Geno have played in the same team for so long.

Messier played LW quite a lot when 99 was the #1 C in Oilers but they were 1-2 punch too. Shorter time but I'd say that 1-2 punch is significantly better. Albeit much shorter time.

Beliveau and Pocket Rocket is quite nice too.

Crosby and Malkin certainly are up there with the best 1-2 punch ever.

 

[82Ninety42011]

In 1996-98, 90's star Jagr was nowhere near Gretzky because Jagr was far ahead:
Gretzky 187P/164GP=1.14 PPG,
Jagr 197P/140GP=1.41 PPG
Stats you're describing is not something special. 36 years old Thorton in 2015/16 did the same thing (with ratios taking into account)

Thats's awesome unfortunately Gretzky annihilated Jagr's numbers when both were in prime. Pretty sure no one has ever said Jagr was better then Gretzky. However you can be the first if you want everyone is entitled to an opinion.