Was Lemieux better than Gretzky?
Emma Payne
Published Jan 13, 2026
Despite playing in 572 fewer games than Gretzky, Lemieux holds the record for the highest career points-per-game average (2.005) and the highest career goals-per-game average (. 823). While the title of "greatest" player is debatable, the title of "most productive" player is not.
Would Lemieux have been better than Gretzky?
2 Players at the Top
Gretzky is widely regarded as the greatest player in NHL history and holds nearly every possible offensive record. Lemieux has the second-highest points-per-game rate in history and appeared in less than 1,000 games but remains one of the best to ever play.
Is Mario Lemieux the best hockey player ever?
Lemieux boasted a combination of physical skills unmatched in the history of hockey. His effortless stride, exceptional hands and extraordinary reach made him the best one-on-one player ever. Like a maestro, he artfully dictated the tempo of the world's fastest game.
Who is the greatest Pittsburgh Penguin of all-time?
Sidney Crosby
One of the greatest to ever play the game, both on and off the ice. A pillar of hockey. not just for the Penguins, but for the City of Pittsburgh since his arrival in 2005. It has been his play over the last 15+ years that has set Crosby apart from so many others.
Is Crosby better than Gretzky?
According to Hockey-Reference.com, Gretzky was on the ice for 70 power-play goals that season, which is 61 percent more than Crosby, who was on for 43 last season.
30 related questions foundWho is the greatest hockey player ever?
Wayne Gretzky shattered long-standing records, notably scoring an unprecedented 894 goals. He also earned four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers (1984–85, 1987–88) and was named the NHL's MVP nine (!) times (1980–87, 1989).
Is Ovechkin better than Gretzky?
If you're doing the math at home, Ovechkin currently sits 127 goals behind Gretzky. Right now, Gretzky has played in 241 more games than Ovechkin. Gretzky averaged 0.61 goals-per-game over the course of his career, while Ovechkin currently owns an average of 0.61 goals-per-game.
Who is better Lemieux or Crosby?
Lemieux currently sits first in regular season franchise points with 1,723 while Crosby sits behind him with 1,116. Crosby can realistically surpass Lemieux as the all-time leader, however, it won't happen in as many games.
How old is Sidney Crosby?
Sidney Crosby, (born August 7, 1987, Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada), Canadian ice hockey player who in 2007 became the youngest captain of a National Hockey League (NHL) team and who led the Pittsburgh Penguins to three Stanley Cup championships (2009, 2016, and 2017).
Is Mario Lemieux the goat?
The NHL's true GOAT is none other than “The Magnificent One” Mario Lemieux. The case starts here: Lemieux's 1.883 points per game has him second on the NHL's all-time list, just . 038 behind Gretzky in first and .
How good is Crosby?
Crosby was ranked #5 among all players in the league.
Is Mario Lemieux healthy?
Without contracting cancer, Lemieux doesn't miss two months of the '92-93 season, nor does he take the season off in 1994-95. A healthy Lemieux plays an average of 78 games per season over his career and plays 18 seasons.
Is McDavid better than Gretzky?
Hockey-Reference.com's adjusted points stat rates McDavid's 2020-21 campaign ahead of Gretzky's 1981-82 season, in which Gretzky scored 212 unadjusted points, the second-highest single-season points total in league history. McDavid is — how do you say — very good at hockey.
What made Gretzky so good?
He was grace under pressure, sneaky fast and dazzling on skates. He saw the entire ice the way a modern-day defenseman does. If Bobby Orr and Howe revolutionized the game, Gretzky took what became before him and molded the metaphorical clay into the perfect threat, perfect player and perfect athlete.
Who is the greatest hockey player in 2021?
Pro Hockey Talk Year In Review: Top NHL Players From 2021
- Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers. ...
- Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers. ...
- Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs. ...
- Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche. ...
- Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals. ...
- Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers. ...
- Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild.
Who is the best hockey player in the world 2021?
NHL's Top 50 players going into 2020-21 season
- 01 Connor McDavid, C. USA Today. 50 / 50.
- 02 Nathan MacKinnon, C. USA Today. 49 / 50. ...
- 03 Leon Draisaitl, C. USA Today. ...
- 04 Auston Matthews, C. USA Today. ...
- 05 Victor Hedman, D. USA Today. ...
- 06 Artemi Panarin, LW. USA Today. ...
- 07 Sidney Crosby, C. USA Today. ...
- 08 Andrei Vasilevskiy, G. USA Today. ...
Is Crosby a whiner?
And so is this, in a recent ESPN players poll Crosby was voted by a whopping 52 percent as the biggest "complainer" on the ice. Complainer and whiner are interchangeable, of course. The next closest players were Chris Pronger at eight percent and Sean Avery at seven percent. Now that says something.
Did Lemieux and Crosby ever play together?
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Monday was an historic night at HSBC Arena. The Pittsburgh Penguins had all three of their first-overall draft picks on the ice at the same time in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Sabres.
Can Ovechkin pass Gretzky?
If he plays every game moving forward — unlikely, to say the least — he would need 210 games (as of March 9) to catch Gretzky. That would be sometime during the 2024-25 season. Of course, if he continues scoring at a rapid pace, he could get there sooner.
Why is Gretzky better than Ovechkin?
Ovi is bigger, stronger, faster than Gretzky, and has a much harder shot. That, however, doesn't mean he should be regarded as the greatest player of all time. Because even if you erased every goal that Gretzky scored, he'd still have more total points than next closest player.
Who is better Sidney Crosby or Ovechkin?
Not only does Pittsburgh own 12 more wins against the Capitals, Crosby has been the better player by a significant margin. The Penguins superstar has 24 more points than Ovechkin in career head-to-head matchups, averaging 1.377 points per game in comparison to Ovi's 0.984.