In Wayne's first two years, the league's 12th and 6th highest scoring seasons of the modern era, he played 159 games and had 301 points. In those same two years, Messier, Kurri, Coffey, Anderson and Lowe (the five hall of famers) played 497 games and had 314 points combined. In Mario's first two years, the 4th and 2nd highest scoring seasons of the modern era, he played 152 games and had 241 points. In those same two years, Warren Young, Mike Bullard, Doug Shedden, Wayne Babych and Terry Ruskowski played a combined 509 games for the Pens and had 468 points between them. We can even throw in Blair McDonald's 137 points in 131 games as Edmonton's 2nd highest scorer over Wayne's first two years to give those six Oilers not named Wayne 451 points in 628 games. These six Oilers were still outscored by 17 points by the five Penguins who played 121 fewer games. Mario should have outscored Wayne over their first two seasons but he couldn't for some unknown reason. Mario even had 159 more powerplays than Wayne had when you compare their first two seasons. I have no idea why people think that Wayne started with such a better team than Mario when that simply isn't the case.

The funny thing about what you say about fighting is that Wayne actually has a Gordie Howe hat trick, but Mario doesn't.

@@dannycarlow8204 Well, I'd never compare Bullard, Shedden, Babych or anyone else on the team to a Messier, Coffey, Kuri or a Lowe.

@@dannycarlow8204 Mario fought a few times at first, then he fought the wrong guy. He was smacked hard, and I don't recall him fighting ever again after it.

@@tomgardner2638 I'm not comparing them as players over a career, just their production over a two year span to show that while yes those Oilers had great careers, they weren't exactly shooting the lights out in their first few years. Also to show that Mario had players that were producing better than the Oiler hall of famers in their first few years. Look at Coffey, he had a .785 points per game average in his first two years with Wayne but it was 1.487 in his first two years with Mario. Wayne played with hall of famers in Edmonton but they weren't "those guys" immediately, it took time. Mario never cultivated a team like Wayne, he was just given players who were already bonafide all stars and hall of famers when they realized that Mario needed help to win. The Oilers never made a trade to acquire one of their core players, they were all drafted. Wayne just worked with what the team drafted. In the nine years that Wayne played in Edmonton, Mess, Kurri, Anderson and Coffey combined for fifteen 100+ point seasons while Wayne had nine. After Wayne left, he had six more 100+ point seasons while the other four players combined for only five 100+ seasons to end their careers. (Two were Coffey with Mario)