Why is Gretzky so underrated on HF?

[Video Nasty]

Most posters didn't see him play.

He's built like a nerd, and hockey fans refuse to accept that a nerd could dominate their vicious sport.

His dominance was nuanced and subtle. Not very obvious to the naked eye. People don't like/accept what they don't understand.

He played during the '80s, an era that today's fans ridicule in order to elevate their modern-day heroes.

Some just like to be contrarian so as to stand out from the crowd with their "unique" understanding.

Orr and Lemieux fans extrapolate their shortened career stats, while conveniently ignoring natural decline/Gretzky's mileage before his 30th birthday, in order to prop them up above Wayne.

Myths like Semenko being his conjoined twin and the league not allowing anyone to touch Gretzky.

His stats are video game stats, so some reject his numbers on the mere premise of their outlandishness. Dismissing something requires no mental strain.

The Tom Brady/Michael Jordan Effect: some people find dominance boring/unfair.

Take your pick.

Excellent post. I think you covered it all. People can make their arguments for Orr, Howe, Lemieux etc, but it’s total ignorance and lack of hockey watching IQ to downplay Gretzky like many on these forums do (outside the History of Hockey subsection of course).

 

[Tofveve]

Jelly

 

[MasterDecoy]

So this is where we are now huh?

 

[MikeyMike01]

People like hot takes and there’s nothing hotter than putting down the best player ever.

 

[saluki]

I do believe Gretzky is the greatest hockey player of all time when considering careers. I also believe it's complex question with many layers.

Gretzky was a hockey savant, an absolute genius. Mario was a physical freak of nature.

It's game 7 of a hard fought SC final, and you can add either one in their prime to your roster for that single game. I don't think the answer is easily 100% Gretzky.

 

[Flair Hay]

Because most people here didnt see him play

 

[sansabri]

Gretzky was an underrated coach, maybe (lol).

 

[egelband]

It’s a fallacy to take a few opinions and project them as a substantial number. It’s like saying “this team’s fans think...”. Most fan bases are pretty interchangeable, give or take a couple percent. And I think most people agree Gretzky is amazing and probably the best ever.

 

[Hellraising Senator]

because he sucks. pretty simple really.

 

[solidprospect]

His Corsi was low.

 

[Butch 19]

I rate Gretzky juuuust right

 

[binop7]

He wasn't as dominant as Mario at his best.

But that doesn't mean he's not the greatest overall. Pete Sampras at the top of his game was the most dominant tennis player I ever saw but few call him the greatest tennis payer ever.

I would still put him against any other player in history when he was in his groove. Easily.

I'd say 92 goals (212 points) is pretty fricking dominant

 

[yogintheaveragebears]

Well, the other players of his time were shooting on the same goals and the players who play now are all shooting on modern goalies. Greatness is defined by transcendence. I'm not going to get too heavily into philosophy, but according to the German philosopher Nietzsche (who theorized the "Superman"), a truly superior individual is basically one who sets himself apart from his contemporaries and transcends the apparent limitations and boundaries of his time.

Brave man bringing up Nietzsche in today’s sjw era. I applaud you

 

[Machinehead]

I think it's because the goaltending honestly was suspect, but it was suspect for everyone.

From 79-80 through 89-90 (the era in question), 150 points was only eclipsed three times by other players (by two different players).

Gretzky did it nine times.

 

[Regal]

you're not wrong, but that's why to a modern viewer it doesn't look that impressive. it causes you to wonder just how he would have done in the modern game with faster defensemen, tighter systems, and strong positional goalie play.

his play informed the modern game as well so it's just one of those things.

I think people underrate how many similar plays go in today, the goalie just looks better while still giving up the goal

 

[PensandCaps]

His competition sucked. Every star player today is better than Gretzky.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Because he played with Kurri and his „goon“ was Tikkanen.

 

[sansabri]

Even if the goalies were better, Gretzky would still have more assists than the next guy had goals+assists (until Lemieux comes along).

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

I'm 95% sure this post was sarcasm.

 

[Garbageyuk]

I do believe Gretzky is the greatest hockey player of all time when considering careers. I also believe it's complex question with many layers.

Gretzky was a hockey savant, an absolute genius. Mario was a physical freak of nature.

It's game 7 of a hard fought SC final, and you can add either one in their prime to your roster for that single game. I don't think the answer is easily 100% Gretzky.

I think I'd pick Hasek or Roy for that.

 

[Garbageyuk]

His competition sucked. Every star player today is better than Gretzky.

Normally it would be easy to tell that this is sarcasm, but this is HF, and you have a Crosby avatar, so I don't know what to make of it. I think I'll just back away instead.

 

[Addison Rae]

People are young.

It's like basketball. Lebron can't sniff Jordans jock all time, but all of these youngins call Lebron the GOAT lollll

LMAO absolutely awful comparison, there’s a number of quality arguments for Lebron being better.

No one comes close to Gretzky in hockey where as LeBron is right there with Jordan.

 

[Shaman464]

Meh, worth a conditional 3rd round pick at most.

 

[shtorm2005]

He played during the '80s, an era that today's fans ridicule in order to elevate their modern-day heroes.

There is something wrong this statement. Yes, maybe they do it to elevate their modern-day heroes, but low competition '80s hockey is not a fiction.

 

[holy]

Cause the Coyotes stank.