how come gretzky seems to be viewed as the best player?

Question

stats, stats, stats. i understand the meaning of gretzky's 2, 800 points. I don't degrade him because of it. I admire him because of it, and I seriously doubt anyone would reach that total in this day of age, no matter how good they are. The nhl is different than it was in the 70's-80's.
but why is gretzky viewed as the "best player" the nhl has ever seen. In my mind, lemieux should own that title. There is only ONE STAT, that really matters when you compare such greats, and that is POINTS PER GAME.....NOT POINTS!! Lemieux averaged 2.0-2.1 points per game before he came back from his retirement, he had 1,700 pts in about 900 games! Gretzky played something like 1,500 games and averaged around 1.9. Those who argue this, should at least consider this evidence. again, i am not taking anything away from gretzky. the man was unstoppable and i understand that.

Answer 1

well i agree that hes not the best ever just because he wouldn't last a minute back in The Rocket Richard era, he would of been killed. Lemieux in the other hand can play a physical game, and is big and can handle the pushing and grabbing. but i would have to look back further in the past to players like Maurice Richard and Gordie Howe they simply had it all and to me a player that can do everything on the ice and still score big numbers those guy's deserve to be considered the best ever. remember back in the earlier years with the Original Six teams all players where the best of the best and once the NHL expanded then it gave more chance to players that wouldn't have a shot at making the Original Six. well that's what a think. yes Gretz is an amazing player but could he do it in the Original Six with all the players being top stars and can fight a battle on there own.

AND DON'T FORGET THAT GRETZKY, LEMIEUX PLAYED IN 80,84 AND 82 GAMES SEASON'S TO THE ROCKETS OF 40 AND 50 GAMES A SEASON BIG DIFFERENCES. THAT'S A DEFERENCE OF 30 AND 40 LESS GAMES PLAYED A SEASON.


GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Answer 2

With Gretzky it was also more than stats. Gretzky and the Oilers revolutionized the game the way Patrick Roy did. The Oilers played a faster game and shot the puck higher into the net. Players had been shooting lower before because they didn't want to kill any goalie. Patrick Roy and his butterfly style of goaltending is what countered it. Gretzky was a very hard working player and was the best on serval levels. However, he had the advantage of playing all through the high scoring 80's while Lemieux got 85 and after. Had Lemieux played the same years and The Great One and not been injured so much, we might be asking why he is considered the greatest instead of Gretzky.

Gretzky's teams worked out well for him throughout most carrer. He spent years playing with Kurri in Edmonton and they definatly boosted eachother's stats. Lemieux came into the league with a horrible Penguins team. Gretzky also won twice as many Stanley Cup's as Lemieux so that could be a factor as well.

Answer 3

I have had this discussion many times with many different people and I am sticking to the same answer.

THERE IS NO GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME. The game is so different from decade to decade you have no idea what other players could have done during different periods. Secondly how do you compare different position's such as goalie to forward or defesneman?

What if Wayne Gretzky played in the 60's? Does everyone honestly think he would have been able to play as a finesse player in a league where you would get your teeth knocked out even thinking of going toward the net like he did? Or even in the era of the defensive trap in the 90's right after he retiered? How would he get around the Scott Steven's of the leagues patrolling the blue line waiting for players like that? He played in a perfect time period when the NHL was transitioning from a player base of slow big defenseman in a decade that put stress on scoring resulting in not very good defense throughout the leage? How many times did you hear Defense wins championships in the 80's in the NHL as compared to the 90's? On top of all that Messier and Gretzky playing together probably didn't hurt either ones point total.

What abou Bobby Orr playing his whole career as a defenseman with a bad knee in the 70's? If he was a forward with a good knee you never know what he could have done.

As for goalies by the end of his career could Marty Borduer be conisdered the greatest player of all time with the numbers he is racking up?

There is no greatest player of all time.

Answer 4

There are a number of great players including Lemieux, Orr, Richard etc. However, no single player has ever had as much impact to a sport as Gretzky had during his career. Granted he was not the most physical player ever, but physicality does not equal greatness. In fact, it's usually a substitute for skill.

What Gretzky did was create nationwide interest in what, at the time, was a very regional sport. Until Gretzky came along, hockey was pretty much a Canadian and Northeastern-Midwestern American sport. He played at such a high level of skill and competitiveness AND he was a decent, humble guy. His skill and ability singlehandedly elevated the game and made people in other parts of the country want to tune in to watch hockey, and more specifically - Gretzky.

If you were lucky enough to have seen him in his prime, you wouldn't really have to ask this question. He was a joy to watch. He was practically unstoppable, despite his lack of size and speed. His skills were so superior to everyone elses. And I disagree with the others, he would have been great in any era - he was that good.

Gretzky's impact goes far beyond what he did on ice or the stat columns, he lifted hockey from relative obscurity to a national sport - as great as many of those other players were, none of them can claim that.

Answer 5

Ok, there is a difference between the highest scoring player and the best player. Does the NHL keep stats on how many goals scored with a bum knee or how many key shots were blocked with a player's body? No. Gretzky was a good scorer, no doubt there, but the best "player" is in the mind of each individual fan. How many "Gordie Howe Hattricks" did Gretzky have? None. Does a "Wayne Gretzky Hattrick" exist? No. Hockey is more than just having the puck brilliantly put on your tape for the score. It is about heart. Todays NHL is missing the picture altogether. I mean, when the coaches whine more than the players. You've made your money, now play the game. Oh wait, isn't Gretzky a coach now? Yep, and he whines like the rest. How "Great" is that?!

Answer 6

So...by your arguement if a player averaged 4 points a game in his rookie season but got injured and his career ended, he would be the best player in hockey because he averaged more than Gretzky? If points per game is the only stat that matters this would be true, lets not be silly about it. Lemieux could have been the best had he not been plagued by injuries. There is a lot more to Gretzky's career than just stats so your argument that Lemieux is the best player does not have me convinced. Don't get me wrong, I think he is one of the best and I like the guy for what he has done for hockey but he isn't the best.

Answer 7

I've used this argument before, but the players that Gretzky had around him would have been just as good without him. Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, and Paul Coffey stand out in my mind. The same basic team minus Coffey won the cup in 89 without Gretzky. If Lemieux didn't play in Pittsburgh, would Rob Brown, Phil Bourque, or Kevin Stevens have scored as much as they did? Brown was a 40 goal scorer on Lemieux's line, and never again matched that total. I think it's how you make the people around you play, and Lemieux elevated everyone's game. I think though, Orr could be the best ever. He changed the way defense is played. As far as Gretzky getting a "Gordie Howe hattrick", he had one back in 1985. The youtube video of his fight is hilarious.

Answer 8

I can understand your view point and agree with you, up to a point. You are the one that provided that point in your question. "before he came back from his retirement". what were his numbers after he came back? How did his stats change after he came back. I think it's safe to say that both Gretzky and Lemieux were the two best players the NHL has ever seen. I could see, in a couple of years, the NHL doing the same to Lemieux as they did Gretzky, reitre the number, league wide.

Answer 9

Being a lifelong Pens fan; I would love to agree with you but can't.

Mario didn't play enough games to be considered as the best player. Out of 17 odd seasons, I think he only played 6 or 7 full seasons. He spent huge chunks of seasons out due to back, cancer issues.

I used to disparage Wayne because he was surrounded by such great players in Edmonton, but the fact that he kept up the stats when playing on a less than good NYR team won me over.

If Mario had stayed healthy and played in almost as many games as Wayne than sure. And if wishes were fishes we would all live in the sea.

The current NHL rules would allow for Wayne like numbers to be put up by the current crop of young superstars; if they stay healthy and have competent linemates.

Answer 10

as a hockey player and fan for over 30 years i always find it hard to believe to call 1 player the best there was in any sport. I believe you can call them the best of there era. You had Howe (mr.Hockey) of his time. Richard (the rocket ) bes t of his era Bobby Orr of his and so on. THe players become bigger faster and more skilled the equipment no longer is the same. the league now has 30 teams of watered down talent you can pick any player from above list.Why thy dont talk about Mario that way, its easy to many injuries.Gretzky owns or shares 61 nhl records and that alone is why he called what he is. you might not all agree. And there's a case to be made in any sport when you talk about the best theres always debate.Eveyone has opion and thats what we do.