Is the Sidney Crosby of "2007" a better player than Wayne Gretzky of "1981"?

Question

For the past 2 years, Crosby has been compared and contrasted to none other than The Great One, Wayne Gretzky. Not long ago did Crosby surpass Gretzky as the youngest player to reach 200 points, but is that merely a circumstantial feat as a result of today's "new" NHL? Not to mention the fact that Wayne didn't even start his career in the NHL until after a couple years playing for the WHA, setting his own records there as well.

The game has already changed a lot from 3 years ago, let alone 2 decades ago, so how do you think Crosby now compares to Gretzky, back when he was still a fresh faced player in the days of yore?

Answer 1

I doubt Crosby will ever match Gretzky's 50 goals in 39 games.. or score 92 goals in a season... I think things like those make Gretzky in a league of his own...

So until Crosby shows that he has the scoring capabilities to threaten those records... I think we should stop comparing...

Let Crosby be Crosby...

Answer 2

I will say that nobody will ever surpass the Great Wayne Gretzky - it's just not going to happen.

While Crosby is a great young player on the rise, I don't know if I feel he is even better than Alexander the Great Ovechkin. (I am a Caps and a Pens fan, which is a contradiction these days...)

These two players are neck and neck, as I see it, and I don't know if I can point out one as better than the other.

Certainly though, they will never take the place of Gretzky, no matter how good they become in later years.

Answer 3

Is Crosby Good? Yes, very good. Is Crosby as good now as Gretzky was then? Not even close. The record that Crosby set relies on his birth date, not number of games played. Gretzky reached his 200th point 25 games sooner than Crosby. Gretzky was both smaller and slower than Crosby and in age where the physical play was far more intense than it is now, an obvious benefit to the speedy Crosby, he was able to set or share countless records (over 60 at the time). It was Gretzky's maturity, his mental understanding of the game that allowed him to do what he did and that is what made him great and will keep Sid "The Kid" from being great himself.

Answer 4

That's a hard call to make. It's kind of like asking Lemieux or Gretzky. I think that like the guy before me said, Crosby is the Gretzky of this era. Everything has changed so much since then. Goalies have bigger pads, slap shots have been mastered, the sticks are quicker, the rules are different...I think that Gretzky should still be given the benefit of the doubt, but time will tell how they stack up against each other.

Answer 5

Crosby better then Gretzky hell no!!! Look at the scoring the last 2 seasons!! Smaller goalie pads, 2 line passes allowed now, not to mention the new penalties they call now for thinking about hooking someone. 80's hockey was much more physical then what it is today and you can thank Mr. Bettman for his new kind and gentle NHL. Look at all the Fuss the Sabres-Senators game got because it actually had some fights. Bring fighting and checking back to the NHL! But, back to the original question there will only be one great one!
Go Sabres!

Answer 6

It took Gretzky less games to get the same amount of NHL points. And Gretzky scored-I beleive 14 points his first pro season and reached 200 way faster than Sid-That is just an NHL record. And yes the NHL is much more watered down than it was in 1981. Sid is good-maybe will even be great-but he is no Gretzky, Lemeiux, or Orr.

Answer 7

Absolutely. It is much difficult for players to score in this era. Players are much bigger and faster, goalie equipment is bigger, etc. It was not uncommon for players to get over 100 points in a season back when gretzky played in his peak years. With the exception of this past year you rarely saw more than 2-3 players reach 100 points in a season. Gretzkys record 215 point season, there was also 3 other players just on his team that scored over 100, including Defensemen Paul Coffey who had 138 which no forward has reached that high in at least the past 5-6 years, and coffey also has had 100+ points for 5 seasons... I can't remember the last time i've seen a defensemen score 100 points in season (because it was probably him). It's much more difficult to score and Crosby is still tearing up the scoring chart.

Answer 8

I would love to see what the Great One coulda done in his prime in the "new" NHL. No clutching, grabbing, hooking or holding anymore. His numbers would be staggering and untouchable in all areas. This new NHL is designed for higher offensive oppourtunities for players like the crosby's, Ovechkins, Stall's and Malkin's of the NHL. These guys would be eaten alive if they played in the Gretzky era.

Answer 9

No, Crosby does not have the leadership and class that Gretzky had.

Answer 10

Crosby is the Gretzky of THIS era.