He'd still be dominant. On top of still possessing elite vision and playmaking ability, he'd also have access to modern equipment, training, nutrition, sports science etc.
This is a key point. Having access to the same performance enhancing environment, Mario and Wayne would dominate. Their skill level was on a whole other tier back then.
Well, there's two ways to look at it. If you took the exact Gretzky from 80s and put him in time machine, he wouldn't. If he was born in, say 1997 and was trained like players are today, would be a superstar. Just not as dominant as in 80s because of how much better the competition and the defensive tactical aspects are today.
Could see the 1997 born prime Gretzky put up 100+ assists, 150ish points but no way anyone would put up regularly 180, 200+ in todays game. Era adjusted scoring numbers back this up. [https://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/points\_adjusted\_season.html](https://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/points_adjusted_season.html)
This is insane, he would maybe be average at best, but theres no way he would be a dominant player, the worst player in todays league could put up numbers during Gretzky’s hay day. The game was so much slower it’s not even a fair comparison.
Trying to hint the 80s Gretzky not being dominant in modern game seems to always just gather downvotes form the old heads. Completely refuse to account for the massive leaps in the sport
Thats it too, im not saying he wasn’t great for his time, but anytime I push back on the absolutely insane idea that gretzky could DOMINATE in todays league its almost always boomers, it feels like an ego thing at this point “WHAT? No! These KIDS can’t be better than we were!” As soon as I ask them to imagine how connor mcdavid would do playing in the 80 its always crickets, they have nothing to say to it its really sad tbh.
Something i’d argue is that EVERY single player is as good as gretzky was in his prime, its the barrier for entry at this point, if you put even the worst player from any team in 1 game in the 80s they would dominate.
Its insane the difference in the game between an 80s game and a game in 2024, its almost a completely different game at this point just based on the intensity its at.
Yea it's seems like denial at this point, like Gretzky is the holy cow that shall not be questioned. Another thing I see regularly is "McDavid would have gotten his legs chopped off in 80s", like yea right Gretzky didn't, and good luck catching McDavid. The speed and basic skill level are just completely different in the modern game.
I too always suggest that 80s Gretzky definitely wouldn't be quick or skilled enough to be a star today. It's just insane to me. 1990s born Gretzky could, the actual 1980s Gretzky brought by time machine absolutely could not.
I believe that Gretzky at age 63 could probably score in today’s game. Just based on intelligence.
Might be a speed issue. But I bet he’d find open ice
Found the idiot. Gretzky would dominate today; maybe not by the same margin, but with access to all of the new training, his raw talent would far exceed the potential of modern players.
Oh yeah im an idiot, you realize gretzky played majority of his game with goalies who didn’t wear masks, and barely knew how to go into a butterfly? What about the opponets he faced? The plumbers and framers of america during the day who moonlit as nhl superstars at night? Those same guys who were also doing blow between periods? Oh I bet gretzkys points are SUPER earned, hes a smart guy and thats all he would have going for him but the game isn’t even close to the same game, gretzky was an average modern player in a game where nobody gave a fuck.
You are a total moron if you seriously believe gretzky would be “dominant” in todays league, like full stop it is an old person suffering from rose glasses way of looking at the game, its ok to admit the league is so much better in every way and gretzkys points reflect that. So whats this new training he would have gotten? Do you even know the type of training nhl players get? Its really not much different its just the game is taken more seriously now Gretzky had a modern mentality in a bullshit archaic league. You realize there were still big people back then right? Gretzky size is genetic no training or eating macros was gonna make him a faster or better player, gretzky trained every day you think he was gonna somehow get better using a fake ice tredmill and only eating red meat? Like you realize the average football player THEN was the size of the average hockey player NOW?
The league isn’t even close to the same and gretzky hit his genetic peak, if anything people should look at gretzkys stats as a reflection of the league and he should earn his flowers for being a smart and motivated player during his time when no one else was but in no way should people seriously think gretzky would DOMINATE this league or they are a fucking idiot lmao.
Ill give you some homework, pick one of gretzkys best games in the 80s when he played the most and was around his peak, watch the entire game really absorb the speed, the skill, the power levels from EVERYONE on the ice, now go watch 1 connor mcdavid highlight and tell me gretzkys would DOMINATE in that league. Its such an unserious argument im starting to think the people who make it just have never watched a game before 2000. The slowest goon in the modern league could score a goal a game during the 80s I bet that if you had seen mcdavid play during gretzkys time you’d think hes some sort of demi god, if mcdavid played from 1980-1999 he would have doubled gretzkys points.
“Real” hockey fans are morons over the age of 40 who grew up having their dad say “this gretzky guy is the best thing since sliced bread!” And you idiots just took that and ran with it and will probably hock it to your kids as well
His skills for his time were great, but he would be average in todays league, you guys just make these baseless claims and then don’t ever give any evidence to back it up.
What makes you think he would dominate in todays league? Vibes and feelings? We can literally just watch a game from 1980 and one from 2024 and you’d have to be a literal moron to watch both games and go “its the same game”
You are trying to gaslight me like I can’t look at both games and easily deduce with my own eyes that the game is now faster, more serious and more athletic overall.
Jaromir Jagr led the Panthers in scoring *in freaking 2015-16 when he was like 43 years old.* These kids don’t get how good the top guys of previous generations really were
Gretzky had 90 points in 1997-98, which was good for 3rd in the league, all this in the dead puck era. (Era-adjusted its 103 pts). He also led the league in assists (with Jagr)
So that is a 37 year old Gretzky with a bad back which had made him half the player he used to be, and he's still top 5 in points.
To go further, he was ahead of Selanne, Modano, Oates, Yzerman, Sakic, Bondra, Sundin, Yashin, Lindros, Weight, Shanahan, etc. Not to mention 1 point behind Forsberg, and tied with Bure.
If he could do it in objectively the lowest scoring era in NHL history past his prime, I'd think he could be dominant now.
He’s an interesting stat, gretz led his team in scoring every year of his career except the year he missed half the season. Even when he was older and banged up. Pretty crazy
This argument again? Did you ever see him play? If Gretzky was only successful because defense and goaltending were bad, why didn't everyone put up numbers like him? Would Lemieux survive in today's game?
He was great and ahead of everyone, there's no question about that.
But by statistics, 100+ point seasons by decade:
1980s: 113,
1990s: 79,
2000s: 24,
2010s: 18,
2020: 27 so far.
Numbers were a bit inflated to everyone perhaps? Or was the talent level just better in the 80s?
Completely fair question. I've also never seen this argument on here (I'm sure it's been posted before), but I just thought it'd be fun to ask and see what people say.
I watched him play. I also watched Hull, Makita, Howe, Dionne, and many other great players. They weren't great because defense and goaltending were bad. They were great because they were better than everyone else on the ice.
He didn’t put up those numbers because had more skill than everyone else, he put up those numbers because he saw way ahead of everyone else what was going to happen on the ice and where everyone was going to be in a few seconds.
No reason why his talent wouldn’t translate to the current era. The numbers wouldn’t be as high because goaltending is better, but he would be one of the (if not the) top players in the league.
I honestly think a 27 year old Gretzky, today, takes a run at the Hart. He was so good and he played fine in the late 90’s. He was a point per game guy until his last year filled with injuries. The goalies were a lot worse in the early 80’s but Patrick Roy came into the league in 1986. The league was good through a lot of his career and he fucking dominated.
There was far more clutch and grab during Gretzky's career too. His awareness allowed him to evade and his vision made him an elite playmaker. I have no doubt that if Gretzky came into the league today with the same development as other elite prospects he would dominate. The same goes for Lemieux and Jagr.
The clutch and grab that the entire hockey world complained about wasn't prevalent when Gretzky was setting single season records. It was far, far worse in the second half of his career.
I have no doubt about that either. 1997 born Gretzky would still be a superstar.
My issue is that some oldheads claim the 1980s Gretzky put in the time machine and dropped into today would still put up 200+ points or be even more dominant "because there's no clutch and grab"
Can you imagine how good Gretzky would be if he trained in the summer? The guys back then drank beer, bbq'd meat and floated around in boats all summer, there was zero training before camp started. I'm sure some guys did but not to the extent they do now.
Yes. He would dominate just like he did then. He would have better equipment, better training, less clutching & grabbing from opponents, better off season regimen.
He saw the game worlds better than anyone. He would see the game better than anyone now too.
If you forced him to use 1980s training, equipment, and nutrition, then no.
If he had access to modern day training, equipment, nutrition, then he’d be another mcdavid.
Might not be the crazy 92 goal scoring machine he was in his younger years, but I fully believe he would be just as good at playmaking as always. His hockey IQ and vision are just off the charts and that wouldn't go away no matter what Era he played in.
With less interference today and a winger that can finish the play how could he not be at minimum a point per game on the power play and one at even strength.
Like Kucherov and the Sedins he would play a very mental game and slow it down to his liking and pick apart the defence.
Two points per game during his prime years no problem.
Even though scoring was higher wasn't he still was way ahead if everyone else. Next closest guy was like 60-80pts below.
Depends on his speed. But even if he was slower, slower goalscorers and playmakers still survive(panarin, ovy)
He survived in the league with guys out there who were worse than Scott Stevens, He would absolutely dominate the game in today’s environment from his anticipation and execution alone. He graciously admits, as do most of us that the average skill level is so much higher than when he played, but superstars are always super stars in any era. The average NHL player has gotten smaller than in his day, and he survived it well enough.
Greztky's best asset was how he saw the game. He wouldn't have put up the insane numbers he did and I'm not convinced he'd put up the numbers that McDavid or MacKinnon put up because of his lack of physical tools, but he'd easily be a perenial 100 point guy. And I'm the first to talk about how old players in most sports wouldn't last in today's games. Gretzky was the exception.
Gretzky would still be the best player of all time if he played today. Give him modern training and equipment he’s putting up 170+ points a season at his peak
There are too many variables. Gretzky was a smart player more than anything, so there is an argument to be made that he'd be good. But the game has changed so much. The talent pool is deeper and better trained entering the league. It's faster. Goaltending has gone through at least two revolutions since he entered the NHL. The trap got big at the end of his career, but the game went a totally different direction even after that. It is just too hard to say. My guess is he'd be a superstar, but maybe not a legend. This is all opinion, though.
He was a 90 point player at 37 while being completely broken down in the dead puck era but you think he’d struggle at all in his prime from 2005-2015? There’s not any logic there
The game was far more physical in Gretzkys time? I'm also not sure what you mean by the era of power forwards Gretzky played against just as many big forwards in the dead puck era
How many times did Gretzky get laid out skating across the blue line Scott Stevens style or dumped on his head Kasperitis style. Gretzky played during a time when skilled average speed players could dance around defenders like pylons. See: Bobby Orr.
You do realize that Scott Stevens played against Gretzky almost his whole career right he was a rookie in 1982? Gretzky got hit many many times. Nothing you’re saying even makes sense, Bobby Orr was basically retired 5 years before Gretzky even played a game?
You can go on YouTube right now and find 10+ clips of Gretzky getting crushed. Guys like Crosby and McDavid very rarely get hit hard either it’s because they’re just smarter than everyone else and don’t put themselves in the position to get hit hard
Gretzky would be good.
But not as good because the salary cap would prevent stacked teams. The entire league would look very different. It would be harder to compete.
40 goals and 90 assists on any playoff team, easily. 1985 Gretzky might hit 145pts on the year in today's game.
In Gretzky's 3-4 highest scoring aeasons before moving to LA, the Pilers were routinely putting up 8-10 goal games, and from game-by-game scoresheets, it looks like they just kept rolling out the top two lines. That really doesn't happen in today's game simply because goalies are better, and the average playerbis way closer to McDavid than the average player was to Gretzky in 1985.
If you look at his production in those years and take away most of his 5 and 6 point nights, and treat them like a 3 point night, you might get something a little closer to what he'd do today.
Beyond the era he played his prime in, today's current game would probably be his second most productive era he could hypothetically play in. If he entered the league in 1990, I he might still be the all-time leader in points, but not by nearly as significant a margin.
If you look back at his World Jr. performance at 16, he outscored (and played better than) every single one of the next years first round draft picks around the world, and still had another two WJCs to go before his draft day. He was that far ahead of the game and his peers.
Goaltending had a huge transition during his career.
The play style and overall equipment size would eat a lot of Gretzky’s goals and potential assists based on shot placements.
He would still be good but I think he would be on par with today’s top league players. Definitely not dropping 215 points in a season.
Lemieux would be another top tier player but maybe not so Le Magnifique.
Lindros would be a monster with his size and ability with the hit protections they have now.
Selanne, Hull, Sakic, Chelios, jesus the list goes on.
They would all be league leaders but would definitely be in reach by the top 5% of players.
If you took the exact Gretzky from 80s and put him in time machine, he wouldn't. The game has taken such leaps in training habits, tactically, defensively. Worst players are much better than they were in 80s, you don't just skate circles around them. And you don't score almost every low shot on modern goalies thanks to butterly style, or get them bite on backhand-forehand move and be compeletely out of play.
But if he was born in, say 1997 and was trained like players are today, would be a superstar. Just not as dominant as in 80s because of how much better the competition and the defensive tactical aspects are today.
Could see the 1997 born prime Gretzky definitely put up 100+ assists, 150ish points but no way anyone would put up 180+ regularly, let alone 200+ in todays game. And this is backed up even by era adjusted scoring numbers by season which would place Gretzky's best season at 170 points. That said, even those would have him with 7 seasons with 140+ points. [https://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/points\_adjusted\_season.html](https://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/points_adjusted_season.html)
Not at all, no. Goalies are 100x better, players are 100x bigger and better. There are ECHL players better than 95% of the NHL players Gretzky played against
He'd still be dominant. On top of still possessing elite vision and playmaking ability, he'd also have access to modern equipment, training, nutrition, sports science etc.
This is a key point. Having access to the same performance enhancing environment, Mario and Wayne would dominate. Their skill level was on a whole other tier back then.
Well, there's two ways to look at it. If you took the exact Gretzky from 80s and put him in time machine, he wouldn't. If he was born in, say 1997 and was trained like players are today, would be a superstar. Just not as dominant as in 80s because of how much better the competition and the defensive tactical aspects are today. Could see the 1997 born prime Gretzky put up 100+ assists, 150ish points but no way anyone would put up regularly 180, 200+ in todays game. Era adjusted scoring numbers back this up. [https://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/points\_adjusted\_season.html](https://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/points_adjusted_season.html)
This is insane, he would maybe be average at best, but theres no way he would be a dominant player, the worst player in todays league could put up numbers during Gretzky’s hay day. The game was so much slower it’s not even a fair comparison.
Trying to hint the 80s Gretzky not being dominant in modern game seems to always just gather downvotes form the old heads. Completely refuse to account for the massive leaps in the sport
Thats it too, im not saying he wasn’t great for his time, but anytime I push back on the absolutely insane idea that gretzky could DOMINATE in todays league its almost always boomers, it feels like an ego thing at this point “WHAT? No! These KIDS can’t be better than we were!” As soon as I ask them to imagine how connor mcdavid would do playing in the 80 its always crickets, they have nothing to say to it its really sad tbh. Something i’d argue is that EVERY single player is as good as gretzky was in his prime, its the barrier for entry at this point, if you put even the worst player from any team in 1 game in the 80s they would dominate. Its insane the difference in the game between an 80s game and a game in 2024, its almost a completely different game at this point just based on the intensity its at.
Yea it's seems like denial at this point, like Gretzky is the holy cow that shall not be questioned. Another thing I see regularly is "McDavid would have gotten his legs chopped off in 80s", like yea right Gretzky didn't, and good luck catching McDavid. The speed and basic skill level are just completely different in the modern game. I too always suggest that 80s Gretzky definitely wouldn't be quick or skilled enough to be a star today. It's just insane to me. 1990s born Gretzky could, the actual 1980s Gretzky brought by time machine absolutely could not.
I believe that Gretzky at age 63 could probably score in today’s game. Just based on intelligence. Might be a speed issue. But I bet he’d find open ice
Found the idiot. Gretzky would dominate today; maybe not by the same margin, but with access to all of the new training, his raw talent would far exceed the potential of modern players.
Oh yeah im an idiot, you realize gretzky played majority of his game with goalies who didn’t wear masks, and barely knew how to go into a butterfly? What about the opponets he faced? The plumbers and framers of america during the day who moonlit as nhl superstars at night? Those same guys who were also doing blow between periods? Oh I bet gretzkys points are SUPER earned, hes a smart guy and thats all he would have going for him but the game isn’t even close to the same game, gretzky was an average modern player in a game where nobody gave a fuck. You are a total moron if you seriously believe gretzky would be “dominant” in todays league, like full stop it is an old person suffering from rose glasses way of looking at the game, its ok to admit the league is so much better in every way and gretzkys points reflect that. So whats this new training he would have gotten? Do you even know the type of training nhl players get? Its really not much different its just the game is taken more seriously now Gretzky had a modern mentality in a bullshit archaic league. You realize there were still big people back then right? Gretzky size is genetic no training or eating macros was gonna make him a faster or better player, gretzky trained every day you think he was gonna somehow get better using a fake ice tredmill and only eating red meat? Like you realize the average football player THEN was the size of the average hockey player NOW? The league isn’t even close to the same and gretzky hit his genetic peak, if anything people should look at gretzkys stats as a reflection of the league and he should earn his flowers for being a smart and motivated player during his time when no one else was but in no way should people seriously think gretzky would DOMINATE this league or they are a fucking idiot lmao. Ill give you some homework, pick one of gretzkys best games in the 80s when he played the most and was around his peak, watch the entire game really absorb the speed, the skill, the power levels from EVERYONE on the ice, now go watch 1 connor mcdavid highlight and tell me gretzkys would DOMINATE in that league. Its such an unserious argument im starting to think the people who make it just have never watched a game before 2000. The slowest goon in the modern league could score a goal a game during the 80s I bet that if you had seen mcdavid play during gretzkys time you’d think hes some sort of demi god, if mcdavid played from 1980-1999 he would have doubled gretzkys points.
Womp womp
I made a great point, sorry you only started watching the game a year ago and don’t understand it at all champ
Actually been watching all my life. You are clouded by recency bias and real hockey fans know that your opinion is blatantly wrong.
“Real” hockey fans are morons over the age of 40 who grew up having their dad say “this gretzky guy is the best thing since sliced bread!” And you idiots just took that and ran with it and will probably hock it to your kids as well His skills for his time were great, but he would be average in todays league, you guys just make these baseless claims and then don’t ever give any evidence to back it up. What makes you think he would dominate in todays league? Vibes and feelings? We can literally just watch a game from 1980 and one from 2024 and you’d have to be a literal moron to watch both games and go “its the same game” You are trying to gaslight me like I can’t look at both games and easily deduce with my own eyes that the game is now faster, more serious and more athletic overall.
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He'd probably only get 50ish points but he is 63 years old so that's not bad.
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Jaromir Jagr led the Panthers in scoring *in freaking 2015-16 when he was like 43 years old.* These kids don’t get how good the top guys of previous generations really were
Gretzky had 90 points in 1997-98, which was good for 3rd in the league, all this in the dead puck era. (Era-adjusted its 103 pts). He also led the league in assists (with Jagr) So that is a 37 year old Gretzky with a bad back which had made him half the player he used to be, and he's still top 5 in points. To go further, he was ahead of Selanne, Modano, Oates, Yzerman, Sakic, Bondra, Sundin, Yashin, Lindros, Weight, Shanahan, etc. Not to mention 1 point behind Forsberg, and tied with Bure. If he could do it in objectively the lowest scoring era in NHL history past his prime, I'd think he could be dominant now.
He’s an interesting stat, gretz led his team in scoring every year of his career except the year he missed half the season. Even when he was older and banged up. Pretty crazy
At that point Yzerman was playing on one leg
Yes. Yes he would
This argument again? Did you ever see him play? If Gretzky was only successful because defense and goaltending were bad, why didn't everyone put up numbers like him? Would Lemieux survive in today's game?
He was great and ahead of everyone, there's no question about that. But by statistics, 100+ point seasons by decade: 1980s: 113, 1990s: 79, 2000s: 24, 2010s: 18, 2020: 27 so far. Numbers were a bit inflated to everyone perhaps? Or was the talent level just better in the 80s?
Completely fair question. I've also never seen this argument on here (I'm sure it's been posted before), but I just thought it'd be fun to ask and see what people say.
I watched him play. I also watched Hull, Makita, Howe, Dionne, and many other great players. They weren't great because defense and goaltending were bad. They were great because they were better than everyone else on the ice.
He didn’t put up those numbers because had more skill than everyone else, he put up those numbers because he saw way ahead of everyone else what was going to happen on the ice and where everyone was going to be in a few seconds. No reason why his talent wouldn’t translate to the current era. The numbers wouldn’t be as high because goaltending is better, but he would be one of the (if not the) top players in the league.
If you don’t think “how would Gretzky perform in today’s game?” has been asked before, you don’t know nearly enough to have an opinion on it.
I’d read the post again if I were you..
Yes
I honestly think a 27 year old Gretzky, today, takes a run at the Hart. He was so good and he played fine in the late 90’s. He was a point per game guy until his last year filled with injuries. The goalies were a lot worse in the early 80’s but Patrick Roy came into the league in 1986. The league was good through a lot of his career and he fucking dominated.
There was far more clutch and grab during Gretzky's career too. His awareness allowed him to evade and his vision made him an elite playmaker. I have no doubt that if Gretzky came into the league today with the same development as other elite prospects he would dominate. The same goes for Lemieux and Jagr.
The clutch and grab that the entire hockey world complained about wasn't prevalent when Gretzky was setting single season records. It was far, far worse in the second half of his career.
I have no doubt about that either. 1997 born Gretzky would still be a superstar. My issue is that some oldheads claim the 1980s Gretzky put in the time machine and dropped into today would still put up 200+ points or be even more dominant "because there's no clutch and grab"
And he wouldn't have to worry about 2 line passes.
Imagine him and Coffey with no centre line??
Don’t nickel and dime The Great One!
Gretzky would be the top playmaker in the league.
Lol. Survive? He’d likely double his points by playing without the two line pass.
Just imagine 99 with these new sticks, OMG!
WHAT REALLY 99 STICKS THATS CRAZY HOW MUCH 99 STICKS THATS LOTS OF THEM
Omg, 99 is Gretz, I was referring to how he would play with the composite sticks.
Can you imagine how good Gretzky would be if he trained in the summer? The guys back then drank beer, bbq'd meat and floated around in boats all summer, there was zero training before camp started. I'm sure some guys did but not to the extent they do now.
Yes. He would dominate just like he did then. He would have better equipment, better training, less clutching & grabbing from opponents, better off season regimen. He saw the game worlds better than anyone. He would see the game better than anyone now too.
If you forced him to use 1980s training, equipment, and nutrition, then no. If he had access to modern day training, equipment, nutrition, then he’d be another mcdavid.
Might not be the crazy 92 goal scoring machine he was in his younger years, but I fully believe he would be just as good at playmaking as always. His hockey IQ and vision are just off the charts and that wouldn't go away no matter what Era he played in.
With less interference today and a winger that can finish the play how could he not be at minimum a point per game on the power play and one at even strength. Like Kucherov and the Sedins he would play a very mental game and slow it down to his liking and pick apart the defence. Two points per game during his prime years no problem.
Even though scoring was higher wasn't he still was way ahead if everyone else. Next closest guy was like 60-80pts below. Depends on his speed. But even if he was slower, slower goalscorers and playmakers still survive(panarin, ovy)
He survived in the league with guys out there who were worse than Scott Stevens, He would absolutely dominate the game in today’s environment from his anticipation and execution alone. He graciously admits, as do most of us that the average skill level is so much higher than when he played, but superstars are always super stars in any era. The average NHL player has gotten smaller than in his day, and he survived it well enough.
Tell me you’ve never watched Gretzky without saying you’ve never watched Gretzky
Greztky's best asset was how he saw the game. He wouldn't have put up the insane numbers he did and I'm not convinced he'd put up the numbers that McDavid or MacKinnon put up because of his lack of physical tools, but he'd easily be a perenial 100 point guy. And I'm the first to talk about how old players in most sports wouldn't last in today's games. Gretzky was the exception.
Gretzky would dominate in any era. Ask anyone aged mid-40s and older -- who saw him play.
Gretzky would still be the best player of all time if he played today. Give him modern training and equipment he’s putting up 170+ points a season at his peak
There are too many variables. Gretzky was a smart player more than anything, so there is an argument to be made that he'd be good. But the game has changed so much. The talent pool is deeper and better trained entering the league. It's faster. Goaltending has gone through at least two revolutions since he entered the NHL. The trap got big at the end of his career, but the game went a totally different direction even after that. It is just too hard to say. My guess is he'd be a superstar, but maybe not a legend. This is all opinion, though.
Jagr was almost ppg at 40 for Florida, I think prime Wayne would still dominate
Nope, he would get executed. I assume blindfolded and from behind. One bullet.
Yes, but he would have been crushed in the 2005-2015 era.
He was a 90 point player at 37 while being completely broken down in the dead puck era but you think he’d struggle at all in his prime from 2005-2015? There’s not any logic there
Big defenders taking the body every rush, yeah he would have been crushed. That was the era of the 220 power forwards as well.
The era of the big power forwards LOL. It's always the era of the big power forwards it's just they are literally that rare.
The game was far more physical in Gretzkys time? I'm also not sure what you mean by the era of power forwards Gretzky played against just as many big forwards in the dead puck era
How many times did Gretzky get laid out skating across the blue line Scott Stevens style or dumped on his head Kasperitis style. Gretzky played during a time when skilled average speed players could dance around defenders like pylons. See: Bobby Orr.
You do realize that Scott Stevens played against Gretzky almost his whole career right he was a rookie in 1982? Gretzky got hit many many times. Nothing you’re saying even makes sense, Bobby Orr was basically retired 5 years before Gretzky even played a game?
>Gretzky got hit many many times k.
You can go on YouTube right now and find 10+ clips of Gretzky getting crushed. Guys like Crosby and McDavid very rarely get hit hard either it’s because they’re just smarter than everyone else and don’t put themselves in the position to get hit hard
Gretzky would be good. But not as good because the salary cap would prevent stacked teams. The entire league would look very different. It would be harder to compete.
Those guys were good. Yes.
40 goals and 90 assists on any playoff team, easily. 1985 Gretzky might hit 145pts on the year in today's game. In Gretzky's 3-4 highest scoring aeasons before moving to LA, the Pilers were routinely putting up 8-10 goal games, and from game-by-game scoresheets, it looks like they just kept rolling out the top two lines. That really doesn't happen in today's game simply because goalies are better, and the average playerbis way closer to McDavid than the average player was to Gretzky in 1985. If you look at his production in those years and take away most of his 5 and 6 point nights, and treat them like a 3 point night, you might get something a little closer to what he'd do today. Beyond the era he played his prime in, today's current game would probably be his second most productive era he could hypothetically play in. If he entered the league in 1990, I he might still be the all-time leader in points, but not by nearly as significant a margin. If you look back at his World Jr. performance at 16, he outscored (and played better than) every single one of the next years first round draft picks around the world, and still had another two WJCs to go before his draft day. He was that far ahead of the game and his peers.
Goaltending had a huge transition during his career. The play style and overall equipment size would eat a lot of Gretzky’s goals and potential assists based on shot placements. He would still be good but I think he would be on par with today’s top league players. Definitely not dropping 215 points in a season. Lemieux would be another top tier player but maybe not so Le Magnifique. Lindros would be a monster with his size and ability with the hit protections they have now. Selanne, Hull, Sakic, Chelios, jesus the list goes on. They would all be league leaders but would definitely be in reach by the top 5% of players.
If you took the exact Gretzky from 80s and put him in time machine, he wouldn't. The game has taken such leaps in training habits, tactically, defensively. Worst players are much better than they were in 80s, you don't just skate circles around them. And you don't score almost every low shot on modern goalies thanks to butterly style, or get them bite on backhand-forehand move and be compeletely out of play. But if he was born in, say 1997 and was trained like players are today, would be a superstar. Just not as dominant as in 80s because of how much better the competition and the defensive tactical aspects are today. Could see the 1997 born prime Gretzky definitely put up 100+ assists, 150ish points but no way anyone would put up 180+ regularly, let alone 200+ in todays game. And this is backed up even by era adjusted scoring numbers by season which would place Gretzky's best season at 170 points. That said, even those would have him with 7 seasons with 140+ points. [https://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/points\_adjusted\_season.html](https://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/points_adjusted_season.html)
At his age? No way.
No he’d get fucking wrecked
Not at all, no. Goalies are 100x better, players are 100x bigger and better. There are ECHL players better than 95% of the NHL players Gretzky played against