Hypothetical head to head race for Ross, at peak optimal conditions. Lemieux vs Gretzky - who wins?

[McFlash97]

A lot of people probably don't realize that because it is not true.

Gretzky absolutely trashes Mario even Strength, The discrepancy is evident.


several years. Not one.

 

[McFlash97]

I’ll take a 2.67 ppg while fighting cancer in 92-93 over 2.77 on in the early 80’s

Mario being rested actually was a good thing for him that year. He was cancer free when hitting the ice. Your talking as if this guy was in the middle of treatment and playing hockey at the same time.... Taking nothing away from 66, it was an insane year for him, but he still falls short of a few of Gretzkys best seasons.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Mario being rested actually was a good thing for him that year. He was cancer free when hitting the ice. Your talking as if this guy was in the middle of treatment and playing hockey at the same time.... Taking nothing away from 66, it was an insane year for him, but he still falls short of a few of Gretzkys best seasons.

He was not rested he was getting cancer treatment. His first game back (against Philly) was the same day as his last radiation treatment.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

A 92-93 lemieux is the most dominant player in history. What he accomplished that season Gretzky never could. And you know it.

Their peak full seasons
215 points in 80 2.69 ppg
199 in 76 2.62 ppg.

lets not act like they weren’t the same level. Gretzky fans are too much.

Lol. Quite the shift here.

 

[Steven Toast]

Like I give a damn about my spelling on my mobile device. Only a complete idiot would think two months of radiation treatment is a good thing for an athletes performance.

Only a fool would compare one players best season to anothers 7th best to try and show one is better.

 

[JoVel]

Lol where is the but goals crowd now. Certainly @Midnight Judges will say Lemieux>Gretzky in the 87 Canada cup.

You know you're desperate when you have to reach for MJ to make an argument.

 

[JoVel]

Like I give a damn about my spelling on my mobile device. Only a complete idiot would think two months of radiation treatment is a good thing for an athletes performance.

You must realize the irony in calling someone "a imbecile", right?

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

You must realize the irony in calling someone "a imbecile", right?

Not really. The only irony is the best player ever apparantley being done at age 27.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

I just looked at the stats and it turns out you are correct. It was 120 even strength points for Lemieux vs 115 for Gretzky by season's end. I saw a comparison a long time ago, and was going by memory. The comparison reviewed how Gretzky was actually neck and neck with Lemieux and even outscoring him at even strength (and not just even strength as I remember) most of that season, but I guess that wasn't for the entire season. Regardless, Lemieux scored the 2nd most power play points ever that season (79 PPP) and also two other seasons with 80 PPP (the most ever). This is what propelled him to a 199 point season. Had Gretzky had that many power play opportunities, it would have been Gretzky with another 200 point season quite likely.... Here are the final stats for 1988/89:

1988-89 NHL Skater Statistics | Hockey-Reference.com

Lemieux has the top 4 most power play point seasons ever. Talk about feasting on the power play!

Who Has The Most Power Play Points In A Season | StatMuse

I've calculated that if the 1985-86 Oilers had the same number of power plays as the 88-89 Pens, Gretzky would have been very, very, very close to 240 points that season. In other words, 3 points per game for an entire season.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

That's a fair assessment, and I can definitely see where you're coming from, and might actually agree. I really don't see Mario topping his own 85 goals, simply because he was playing at his very limit that season with soooo many PP opportunities. He had Paul Coffey too. This was the moment for him to do it. The final 3 games leading up to the 50th game when Gretzky scored 50 in 39, he scored 12 goals in those final 3 games to hit the 50th. 3 against Vancouver (if I remember), 4 against LA, then 5 against Philadelphia. That's the kind of thing Mario would have to have done to get 92 goals (or more). He was certainly capable of it, but like you said, it was a perfect storm in a sense (thank you for clarifying). It just so happens Gretzky had a lot of these perfect storms throughout his career. His 87 goal season might have been even more impressive, as I said earlier. The Oilers fans were so spoiled, that his 50 goals in 42 games that season didn't even make headlines. People were walking out the building when he did it, as they were when he broke his own recored for assists with 136 in 1986 (on route to 163 assists). The magic was simply expected at that point...

Playing on a line with Lumley and Semenko.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

There is no one to compare to Gretzky.
Gretzky has like 40 assists more than the 2nd place's all time points total.
both in prime too, wew.
Mario was insane, Gretzky was just on a different level.

 

[tazzy19]

I've calculated that if the 1985-86 Oilers had the same number of power plays as the 88-89 Pens, Gretzky would have been very, very, very close to 240 points that season. In other words, 3 points per game for an entire season.

As he was in 1983/84 before he got injured (when his 51 game scoring streak came to an end). I still think had he not been injured for those 6 games with the sore shoulder, he would have finished with around 230 points and likely would have beaten his own goal scoring record. Imagine not just being the only one to 90+ goals, but doing it twice? No one would be asking which was Gretzky's best season anymore, and no other player would have been in the conversation for best season ever. I mean, to not only be the only one to hit 200 points, but to completely smash 200 points with 230 would have been a sight to behold....

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Lemieux was also on os

As he was in 1983/84 before he got injured (when his 51 game scoring streak came to an end). I still think had he not been injured for those 6 games with the sore shoulder, he would have finished with around 230 points and likely would have beaten his own goal scoring record. Imagine not just being the only one to 90+ goals, but doing it twice? No one would be asking which was Gretzky's best season anymore, and no other player would have been in the conversation for best season ever. I mean, to not only be the only one to hit 200 points, but to completely smash 200 points with 230 would have been a sight to behold....

if we’re talking like that Lemieux was on pace for 224 in 93.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Lemieux was also on os
if we’re talking like that Lemieux was on pace for 224 in 93.

Sure, if you adjust for the two extra games that they got to play in 93.

Still not as good as Gretzky though.

Still waiting on you to explain Lemieux being better without using what ifs/ injuries.

 

[Voight]

Sure, if you adjust for the two extra games that they got to play in 93.

Still not as good as Gretzky though.

Still waiting on you to explain Lemieux being better without using what ifs/ injuries.

Still waiting on him to elaborate on "A 92-93 lemieux is the most dominant player in history. What he accomplished that season Gretzky never could"

Even though 99 accomplished things nobody ever did before or after.... only w/ Pitt/Lemieux Stans is 199 better than 215.

 

[authentic]

Only a fool would compare one players best season to anothers 7th best to try and show one is better.

Lemieux was a better player at age 35 and not playing for 3 and a half years than Gretzky ever was. The NHL during Gretzky's prime was horrific compared to just 10 years later. Hence why he wasn't half the player despite being faster and having a harder shot. Pretty sure his IQ didn't magically get worse either.

 

[Club]

Please keep it on topic folks, no name calling.

 

[Regal]

I've calculated that if the 1985-86 Oilers had the same number of power plays as the 88-89 Pens, Gretzky would have been very, very, very close to 240 points that season. In other words, 3 points per game for an entire season.

Are you taking into account that Gretzky would play fewer ES minutes if he had more PPOs though?

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Are you taking into account that Gretzky would play fewer ES minutes if he had more PPOs though?

Yes, I did.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Still waiting on him to elaborate on "A 92-93 lemieux is the most dominant player in history. What he accomplished that season Gretzky never could"

1992-93 was quite the magical season, where so many players hit their peak at the same time.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Sure, if you adjust for the two extra games that they got to play in 93.

Still not as good as Gretzky though.

Still waiting on you to explain Lemieux being better without using what ifs/ injuries.

League was far superior in 93 in contrast to 84. Watching a game will make that evident. And the 93 season is was 84 games so no adjustment needed. That was the schedule

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

1992-93 was quite the magical season, where so many players hit their peak at the same time.

Yup and Lemieux still dominated to a Gretzky degree

 

[spiny norman]

Lopsided result.