Why is Gretzky so underrated on HF?

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Lebron will never be the icon Jordan is/was, but he's right there with him as a player.

Wilt Chamberlain is another matter. He's really the only NBA player I can think of that was close to Gretzky in terms of how dominant he was compared to anyone else and that was really only one season. Following his 50.4 points per game season he "only" put up 44.8 PPG and 24.3 rebounds per game...

Yeah his competion were a bunch of white guys.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Nope 30% of people have the cohones to forge their own opinion.

No, it doesn’t have cohones to say something like Gretzky is overrated.

It takes a lack of hockey smarts on the other hand.

 

[maacoshark]

People seem to think very highly of the stars of the 20th century, but compared to most, Gretzky doesn't seem to get a lot of respect. It seems people constantly try to downplay his numbers, as if they are meaningless because of his era, and believe he wouldn't be very good in today's game. Why is that?

He was the most creative player the league has ever seen but he also cherry picked more than anyone else. Definitely wasnt a 200 foot player.

 

[rfournier103]

Lebron will never be the icon Jordan is/was, but he's right there with him as a player.

Wilt Chamberlain is another matter. He's really the only NBA player I can think of that was close to Gretzky in terms of how dominant he was compared to anyone else and that was really only one season. Following his 50.4 points per game season he "only" put up 44.8 PPG and 24.3 rebounds per game...

Yeah his competion were a bunch of white guys.

Like 11-time NBA Champion and Hall of Fame center Bill Russell?

 

[Frank Garrett]

He was the leader and Johnny Chimpo of the Tocchet gambling ring.

 

[Amazinmets73]

The goalies in my Rec league are all better than the NHL goalies when Wayne played in the 80s. My Rec league goalies are not just better. They are way better. The top recreational goalie in my beer league would be the best NHL goalie in the 80s by 1000%. Watching goals being scored in the 80s is embarrassing.

Goalies in your beer league are better than Roy? Which league?

 

[Amazinmets73]

Yes, the goalies and players were worse back then, but it's not like anyone thinks Gretzky would score 92 goals and 215 points in today's NHL. Everyone unanimously agrees his stats are "inflated" due to the era he played in.

That said, he's still the best. He would absolutely lead the league in points in today's NHL, and by a decent margin. Eras overlap, and that overlapping is the proof needed to back up this claim.

97-98 was the 4th lowest scoring season in the modern era. Top goalies were guys like Hasek, Brodeur, Roy, etc... Top Dmen were Blake, Lidstrom, Pronger, Neidermayer, etc... Top forwards were Jagr, Selanne, Bure, Forsberg, a 36yr old Gretzky who finished 3rd in league scoring, etc... These are guys who were all-stars for years after Gretzky retired, and he was right up there with them. At age 36, Gretzky was well past his prime (like all players), so it's easy to make the connection that he would score more and dominate more had he been in his prime at that time (97-98). And since some of those guys also went on and competed alongside the top guys of today, you can conclude Gretzky would have also dominated now - even if it wouldn't be by stupid margins like before.

TL;DR - Gretzky is #1

Kinda a nitpick but 99 played roughly half of his games age 37 in the '97-'98 season.

 

[Soundwave]

I am from Edmonton and I have seen Gretzky play numerous times in person and countless times on TV. He is the greatest of all time. Only Lemiuex was his equal in my opinion. Gretzky wins because of longevity and a healthier career.

I have seen McDavid live many times and countless times on TV. I would trade McDavid for the same age Gretzky or Lemieux and never regret it.

There is Gretzky and Lemieux and everyone else.

I do think Gretzky is the GOAT in hockey by a fair margin.

That said, I do also think if you replaced him with current McDavid and put him into the 1980s and gave him the same team (Messier, Kurri, Coffey, Anderson, Fuhr, etc.) that was ridiculously more loaded than anyone else's team ... I think he probably wins 4 Cups at least too.