How Good Was PRIME Wayne Gretzky Actually?

[@seaking2290]

In his prime, most hockey pools had a “no Gretzky” rule because it was the only way to keep things fair. Otherwise, whoever had Gretzky would win the pool. One variation of this was that some pools would split Gretzky into two parts: one person could have his goals, another his assists. Even then, his assist totals were so crazy it could throw the pool off.

[@quebecforce111]

@seaking2290 in our pool at the time we separe the goals and assist of Gretzky and the same with Mario Lemieux

[@iBMcFly]

“No Gretzky rule”- kurri and lemieux then lol

[@quebecforce111]

@@iBMcFly Lemieux was the second best NHL player of all time. With no injuries, no cancer and surround by better players he can maybe be the best of all time. When Mario arrive to Pittsburgh for is first 5 or 6 years he was the only good player there.

[@bigstupidgrin]

So he's the Shaq of hockey?

[@iBMcFly]

@@bigstupidgrin yeah if Shaq held all the important NBA records.

[@goalscorerlajon]

I actually had a very cool encounter with Wayne Gretzky. It was on November 21, 1998. It was the last time he played against the San Jose Sharks in San Jose. After the game, I went to the glass and asked him for an autograph. He said he couldn't sign because he had an interview. As I walked away, I heard banging on the glass. He called me over, handed me his stick AND THEN TOOK HIS JERSEY OFF AND GAVE IT TO ME. Wayne is still a classy guy. 😢

[@jimwerther]

Wow

[@c-kno6]

That shits gotta be worth thousands

[@jimwerther]

@@c-kno6 It's sentimental for one person only

[@c-kno6]

@@jimwerther lol I wasn't telling him to go to pawn stars or anything just saying

[@jimwerther]

@@c-kno6 👍

[@t.b.player7102]

What's missing is his personal life. Athletes are often caught up in drugs, arrests, infidelity, etc. The Great One was just ad dedicated to his wife, family, and overall reputation off the ice. That, people, is commendable.

[@slowery43]

maybe look into his daughters life coices, Wayne is/was awesome his daughter more than made up for his goodness

[@cygnusccott9683]

Trottier, Bossy, Messier, Coffey, Hawerchuck, Dionne, Yzerman, Sakic, Ovechkin, Crosby, Roy, Hasek.These are a few of the greats over the last forty years, none of whom I can recall getting caught up in drugs, arrests, infidelity, etc. I understand the spirit of your point, but it seems more narrative-based to me than factual. Maybe you're referring to other sports? Brodeur had an affair with his sister-in-law, and eventually married her. Kevin Stevens became a crack addict. Bob Probert got arrested for cocaine, but he wasn't exactly a great player, just a great fighter. Dany Heatley killed his friend and teammate while driving drunk. There have been a few, but it's def not the norm.

[@t.b.player7102]

@cygnusccott9683 Yeah, hockey players do have less issues like that than other sports. But when they do have issues, they really ho all out 😄. Marty with his thing, Bobby Probert with the coke, etc. But yeah, you didn't see many hockey players taking knees with American or Canadian anthems. More hockey players stood against "Pride" night than others.

[@nelsonfox3]

@@slowery43what did his daughter do? I tried looking it up but I couldn’t find anything heinous. You’re making it sound like she murdered someone lol!

[@bbbbbzzzzzzzzzz5431]

Who is the GOAT 🏅

[@JM-gj7de]

I saw this man play live once. My life is complete.

[@dwaynegamble244]

Yup same here Saw him on New year's eve in Vancouver think Oil won 9 to 1 or thereabouts And got to see Coffey skate Who is my favorite player to this day

[@migachanable]

Grew up in AB and saw him play multiple times for Oilers, Kings and once for Team Canada at Canada Cup 87.

[@Polytrout]

I'm NOT a Gretzky hater. In fact everything stated in this video is true. But as much as anyone speaks of his vision and anticipation, it still understates this aspect of his game. His point totals were in part due to a period of unprecedented goals being scored; the season preceding Gretzky joining the NHL, Bryan Trottier won the scoring title with 134 points - 47 goals 87 points. When Gretzky was setting records, other players were getting 150 points. I also believe that there are some players from his era who could play in today's NHL whereas, I don't believe he could match today's speed and skill. That being said, the GREAT ONE is probably along with Don Cherry, the greatest student of the game (people would be surprised at the similarities of these two great men). But the GREAT ONE is one of the classiest men associated with hockey (sorry Don you're one of the greatest Canadians of all-time, but Mr. Gretzky has got you beat there). I believe that Bobby Orr is the greatest player of the 20th century - BETTER than the GREAT ONE but Number 4 took much longer to adapt to life after playing the game than did 99. As many seemingly negative things I may say about Wayne Gretzky, to me he's still the GREAT ONE.

[@slowery43]

no one cares Princess, this isn't all about you

[@migachanable]

@@slowery43 haters gonna hate

[@danstaneckyj7854]

i used to visit his father once a year in brantford a wonderful man. he told wayne, go to where the puck is going, not where it is. great advice.

[@badmanskill1112]

My dad told me something similar. He told me to go where the girls are going, not where they are. So many men went to bars and wasted money to pick up women while I just waited in a dark alley. Thanks dad. 😂

[@flufychickens]

​@@badmanskill1112absolute legend

[@daviddavidson4496]

Does this rag smell like chloroform eh?

[@MrZeh617]

​@badmanskill1112😂 I know when a woman says no , she really means yes .

[@kurtwpg]

In his prime, he was a point a game player. Let me clarify that: a point a game MORE than anyone else.

[@goji059]

Well played

[@jessiegomez8209]

Gretzky averaged at least 1 point all 20 of his seasons.😊Crosby is 19 for 19 right now.

[@jessiegomez8209]

Gretzky went 20 for 20 on the 1 pt avg per year.

[@kurtwpg]

@@jessiegomez8209 He averaged at least 1.94 points per game for 11 straight seasons, the 10th of those being the only one under 2.00

[@Chewskit1]

@@jessiegomez8209who do you think is better Crosby or ovechkin

[@davebernard6461]

I'm from St.Albert , Alberta . I live in Australia now and don't follow hockey much anymore , but Wayne has a special place in my heart as we were so poor growing up in the 80's , he knew my Dad that sold him insurance and had gone broke . Wayne use to help us with food and would drop presents for Xmas. Life was hard , but he helped get us back on our feet . Thanks 99

[@michaelferguson3127]

I'm from akinsdale. Ha! In Thailand right now. Near LBs Pub.

[@kentmartin9289]

They listed his prime as from 1981 to 1989, which I think is pretty accurate. For a sense of how amazing his prime was, outside that prime range he had seasons of 164 and 163 points, which would be the 3rd and 4th highest totals of all time (Lemieux 199 and 168) if you don't count his prime totals.

[@TheHockeyVault]

These are very true facts. Must be nice to have your offseasons still better than 99% of players!

[@MAlexanderZagorski]

Gretzky was a chess master on ice hockey skates.🇨🇦🏒

[@QueenRamones-d9p]

hockey in them years had a lot of older men and he was young and fast.....how would he fair off today it he started 🤷🏼‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️

[@dpistone10]

I coached two of Wayne’s kids in youth hockey Ty and Paulina. One of the most amazing players I have ever know. One time at this youth game a scorekeeper didn’t show up. Guess who said I’ll keep score. Yes Wayne kept the scoring for both teams. One amazing man with total humility unsurpassed by anyone else I have ever known and I have coached my NHL players kids.

[@darrenmcgovern1969]

As a Canuck fan back in the day I was very nervous every single time the puck was on his stick.

[@TheHockeyVault]

Every fan was!

[@MrPeabody67]

​@@TheHockeyVaulthe had 239 points in 117 games vs the canucks. More than any other team he played against.

[@PowerPlayProfiles]

Great video! Gretzky is a superstar in Canada and means so much to us. Thank you for sharing his greatness and continuing on the legacy

[@TheHockeyVault]

You're welcome! Let me know if theres anyone else you want me to cover :)

[@projektkobra2247]

Im Canadian. I hate his guts. The only player I loathe more is Messier.

[@icelandicat68]

I saw him play a few times. He was so good you never took your eye off of him. He had a sixth sense. He could anticipate a play and make it happen. When he was in his office, you were probably doomed.

[@bateriayvr8988]

4 x 200 point seasons... nobody else has broken the 200 point barrier (the closest ever being Mario Lemieux, with 199); then there's the iconic 92 goal season- that season, he scored 50 goals in 39 games! Another stat that a couple of players have come close to (I believe it was Brett Hull and Teemu Selanne, both with 86)- still, nobody has ever scored 90 goals in a season. Uncanny! But my favourite part of the Great one's game that is so often overlooked-- and you had to have been watching games at the time, NOT just highlight videos years later- was the assist game; a lot of people like to say that Gretzky "slowed down" and stopped scoring goals etc. I beg to differ. If you watched those Kings games and see how many players he was setting up, he wasn't merely passing the puck to the open player for the "perfect pass'.... he was literally banking the puck off of their sticks into the net..! So in essence, he was scoring goals off of their sticks and giving them the goals. I guess he figured "I got called a puck hog for long enough, so these guys can score. As long as we win, I'm good- I still get points (assists)"..! Just un-freaking-believable and you had to have been alive and watching at the time to really get a feel for just the type of player he actually was. Truly the greatest scorer in every sense of the word and the fact that his number is retired league wide, is a testament to that.

[@danferguson2724]

As an Oiler he had 158 4point+ games.

[@g99se9]

The only complaint I have about this videos is context between his points and goals vs other players. SHOW me how much better he was, don't just say it.

[@danferguson2724]

@@g99se9 Read some of the other posts with stats. The ones that stood out are !) a player with 14 200pt seasons won't catch him. Or 17 50goal seasons falls short too. You can check seasonal nhl stats for season margins. example: 1983 - Gretz 205pts Next PCoffey 126

[@g99se9]

@@danferguson2724 I think he's the most dominant player on a team sport in history. I was commenting on the actual content of the video for people who don't realize this.

[@HankyPanky44]

Selanne got 76, not 86

[@lycurza]

Gretzky to Lemieux Canada Cup 1987...shivers...The 2 undeniable best players ever. It is worth noting the era allowed for such high scoring which is only being seen again now in 2024 - but still, compared to his colleagues, he still is a living legend.

[@swavekbu4959]

Gretzky and Lemieux on the same line, that's scary good.

[@berryscott3590]

Even on one leg, Bobby Orr was the best ever, at his peak, imo... Better than a goal a game better than opposition ... only D man ever to lead NHL scoring... Not once, TWICE...

[@thepunisher3236]

@@berryscott3590 I love Bobby but hes very overrated. He played at a time when players were sub par. Cheers

[@russellrosebrugh5830]

@@thepunisher3236 Sub par, haha The NHL had the worst goal tending in the Gretzky area. The league was full of PILONS. How many times did Edmonton run up the scores on week teams with again week goal tending. I guess you never watched Montreal , Philly, Buffalo, Rangers, Detroit, Toronto were all sub par. During Orrs era goal tending was ten x better. Over all Orr was the best

[@kel8923]

No question, there's not a player since that's even in the conversation.

[@christianmuller292]

Went to his first game in Edmonton where I lived at the Northlands Colloseum. Was only nine so with my dad and Peter Pocklington the then owner of the Oilers did a huge presentation. Could never have thought I was witnessing the greatest ever hockey player to ever set foot on the ice. The thing I remember most are two : - how awesome he was with the puck behind the net... - Gretzky getting smashed against the plexiglass and Semenko going towards the "culprit" and taking him down with just one punch. 45 year old memories but still as vivid as though they were the day before yesterday.

[@ninjacrumbs]

I used to work with this guy at a veal processing plant. Awesome dude, Brian, best mullet ever, and he told me over lunch one day that his dad`s backyard connected with Walter Gretzky`s backyard in Brantford. They - the dads - would always chat when out mowing the lawn, or having beers in the back, or whatever. Brian had met Wayne many times, but what he found most remarkable, when they were doing a BBQ and shooting shit, Wayne was waaaay more interested in what was going on in their lives, instead of talking about his own. Wayne`s humbleness humbled him. Like how fucking lucky are you to have the BEST hockey player EVER, drinks beers and chew hamburgers together, all-the-while the GOAT is taking a personal, natural interest in your life!?

[@ajpdeschenes]

You did one on Gretzky and one on McDavid. PLEASE do one on Mario Lemieux. The only other player who approached the 200 pts mark in a single season.

[@Hockey_Fren]

2nd best player of all time, and he wasn't far behind Gretzky in that regard.

[@appa609]

Lemieux and Crosby

[@M.R.1525]

I feel so blessed to have been able to watch him throughout his brilliant hockey life.

[@canadiantraveller281]

I have watched hockey, regularly since 1978. Nobody in my 45 years of viewing, all thru the different eras is even close to Wayne's vision and how much he got out of the talent he was given.

[@blainewatkinson4315]

You forgot about Bobby Oar

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

That's a good summation of what Wayne accomplished in the game. His physical gifts - his size, strength, speed - were obviously good-enough for him to get to and dominate the NHL - but he finished last in the fitness combine every year when the Oilers tested their team. It wasn't his bench-press or squads that got him into the league, know what I mean? I have always considered him something like a hockey version of the great Major League Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Greg Maddux. Maddux, a man of average height, weight and strength, parlayed his genetic gifts into a peerless career. How? By being smarter than other players. No one has ever seen the game the way Wayne did. And prior to him, no one thought the game the same way, either. Gretzky was never going to dominate the game in terms of raw strength and speed, like his idols Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull. He wasn't born that way. Instead, he invented a style of play which made maximum use of the gifts he did possess, and the result was simply amazing, astonishing in its excellence. You wouldn't pick him as the prototype of the perfect physical specimen of a hockey player, but you'd sure do well choosing him for the mental side of things. He was an absolute machine when it came to producing points. As impressive as his goals totals were, it is his assists which really stand out. Nearly 2000 assists in his career: 1963! Wow.... Few players can challenge that number even for total points in a career, and no one can compare in number of assists.

[@DrFunk-rk6yl]

The only thing i dont like is when they talk about his prime and show rangers and kings highlights.

[@willmeadmusic8590]

I was wondering if that was bothering anyone else

[@superbowlchamps52]

honestly i thought about it, its because when he was in edmonton the video is shit or non existent, he was truly appreciated when he went to the other teams where he was better documented through video.

[@DrFunk-rk6yl]

@@superbowlchamps52 a lot of the video quality would be lacking. He was god-like though when in Edmonton. I can't think of any player in any sport that was excluded from fantasy leagues because of their dominance.

[@Ben-o7v9s]

Gretzky is not only hockeys GOAT! But he is by far. The most unquestionable GOAT! Of all GOATS in any sport!

[@tbbuccy]

My first time seeing 'the Great One' was in Philadelphia, 1983, when the Flyers were still the Broad Street Bullies. Gretzky made a goal from behind the back line, No deflection and not off the goalie, truly unbelievable! Still have no idea how it went in. Saw him every time after that when the Oilers came to Philly. Amazing to watch how smooth and fast he was, not to mention the ability to see everything on the ice.

[@Harbringe]

Once saw Guy Lafleur , Larry Robinson and Bob Gainey all Hall of Famers chasing Gretzky in a corner trying to get the puck from him and they couldn't , it was unbelievable to see.

[@henrikhirsimaa]

Stanly cup ?

[@davebasch5995]

I saw, in person, Gretzky score goal number 802 to break the record!!

[@mikelliteras397]

Starting high school in ‘81, and being a big sports fan until kneeling started, I got to see Gretzky, Lemieux, Jagr, Bird, Magic, Jordan, Maddux, Ryan, Marino, Montana, Sanders, Barry & Deion, Rice, Moss and a bit of Bo. Didn’t suck, but looking back I didn’t realize how amazing a time that was.

[@peterradencich575]

Remember the commercial where every player from other sports would say "Bo knows... Basketball,Baseball, Football etc" until it got to Gretzky, and he just aid "No". Ah, that was an awesome time to be alive.

[@myou004]

Another stat that's mostly overlooked. The L.A. Kings in the 87/88 season had the 4th worst record in the league. For the 88/89 season (after acquiring Gretzky) they had the 3rd BEST record.

[@thebigpicture2032]

I watched all the games that first season. He was constantly making perfect passes to his teammates only to have them miss because they weren’t expecting it. The first couple months were crazy. He would make shot passes through traffic and his teammates were so surprised they couldn’t even react to tip it in an open net. Eventually they learned to always expect the puck.

[@dannycarlow8204]

They had the fourth best record in his first year with LA. While they did have the fourth worst record the season before he came, they were the fifth highest scoring team and then slotted into first in his first season in LA.

[@thebigpicture2032]

@@dannycarlow8204 It’s truly amazing how he elevated players around him. Look how Lemieux took off after playing in the 87 Canada Cup with him.

[@kurtwpg]

@@myou004 And that's with losing a 50 goal scorer in the trade.

[@davidhogenmiller248]

They changed the rules on coincidental minors just for him. He was so good at 4 on 4 that they kept 5 a side to make it fair. After he retired they switched the rule back. If he played today they couldn’t keep the 3 on 3 overtime. He’s the most dominant team sport player of all time.

[@jays1752]

In others sports, like basketball for instance, they unofficially changed the rules to BENEFIT the best player (looking right at you Micheal Jordon). In the NHL they essentially had to handicap this guy because he was making a farce out of their league.

[@AaronAubreyPhoto]

And it's crazy now to see how often EDM with McD are basically gifted calls to go 4 on 4.. So many times you'll see EDM take a penalty, and then a softy is called right at the beginning of the PP for the opposition to make it 4 on 4 for McD.

[@VivaLaDnDLogs]

Wayne Gretzky is one of those legends you can't fully comprehend until you've seen them in action. That said, the wiki page dedicated to his records paints a pretty vivid picture of how mythical his career was.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

I don't ever recall Wayne getting injured when he was with the Oiler's, he had protector's and many opponent's said he was hard to hit. He was amazing to watch in his prime it was truly insane, never seen anyone so far above the other player's and he always led the scoring race, it was like there was the rest of the league and then Gretzky . a once in a life time talent.

[@blowstuffup1]

he missed 16 games in his final season with the Oilers, still broke 100 assists in the season and was only behind Lemieux for Art Ross.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

@@blowstuffup1 I missed that . He was a better athlete than he is given credit for. If you search KZbin there is video of him in a 60 meter sprint race 1982 against other top athlete's from different sports he beat them all easily.

[@douglasstemke2444]

Funny story. My family moved from Pittsburgh to Edmonton in the early 70s. The WHA was just getting started a few years later and there was an exhibition game between Edmonton and Pittsburg when Edmonton was a the new WHA team. I was there to see Pittsburgh (as a fan of the Penguins) when Gretzky skated up to me and talked to me where I was next to the team's box. I could care less though because I thought of NHL as 'real' hockey (the WHA as an amateur league), Pittsburgh was my team, and had no idea who Gretzky was at the time (remember, I was a kid). That is one moment in time I wish I could take back!

[@slowery43]

not even a little "funny" not even a little interesting at all

[@EchoesDaBear]

Great video...of The Great One! My hometown (Kitchener) is near Brantford...I'm a child of the 80's (born '78) - so you'd better believe Gretzky was a household name! We all wanted to be/play like him! To all those detractors that called him a selfish player, then HOW do you explain, if he was so selfish and a puck hog, that if he never scored a goal in his career, he'd still have more points than the next highest player had total!! (Jaromir Jagr), and by a hefty 42 points ahead! He was the ultimate opportunist - if any teammate had a better chance at scoring, you better believe it would make it to their stick! THAT was his hockey sense & read of the game! His vision was certainly unparalleled! He was truly The Great One!

[@toedrag-release]

Hes not just the goat of hockey but the GOAT of ALL team sports.

[@RaineriHakkarainen]

Not true! Orr and Lemieux were better than Gretzky! In 1980s Gretzky's time 8 goals per game! So easy to score! Goalies were bad and small! Ovechkin ERA only 6 goals per game! So difficult to score! In 1980s Gretzky's time 90% of the NHL players were from Canada! Now under 60% NHL players from Canada! Much tougher league now! The Soccer Game 250 million players! Gretzky's Canada only 650000 players! That means The Soccer All Stars would beat Gretzky easily 100 game series 93-7!!

[@toedrag-release]

@@RaineriHakkarainen Gretzky has the record for Assists Goals (likely will be passed soon with ovi) points His records have stood the test of time for nearly 4 decades....I don't believe any other sport has 1 player that has all those records and have stood for 4 decades nobody was as dominant. You can argue it was easier to score but defence was also a lot tougher there was the 2 line pass rule which made it much more difficult to actually cross into the offensive zone. If it was so easy we would see alot of players in that generation also put up similar numbers...we don't, nobody is even close.

[@raymondbarriethomas269]

Having being an Edmontonion and a bartender all through the Oilers dynasty and watching this video the first thing that came to my mind is his establishing his "Office", behind the opponent's net! Just one of many great memories.

[@ajmuzz22]

No question. Best ever.. No debate..

[@TheHockeyVault]

Goat baby

[@BrianPeloso-ln4ry]

He and I are weeks apart in age so I was massively jealous and yet realistic in recognizing him as something special. His highlights were something to see...EVERY DAY! Just like Jordan...come to think of it I have been blessed to have witnessed it.🙏🇨🇦👍

[@Slicey007]

My father now 84 watched hockey religiously - even when company was over- he would sneak away and flip on a game- didn't matter the team. Naturally, names like Neely, Messier, Coffee, Bourque and of course Gretzky were all you heard coming from the TV. It was a golden era - a better vanished time I miss so very much and was happy to be alive to see those games live and have my old man and his love of hockey to thank.

[@hypnotizedmind4174]

Loving how your old man sneaked away to turn on a hockey game 😂 great times

[@bobbertee5945]

Gretzky would have been great in today's NHL, I feel fortunate to have watched him play, being a Ranger fan and him playing mostly on the west coast, we didn't see him often so u couldn't get an appreciation for how good he was. When he came to the Rangers it was a big eye opener, his vision and passing skill was other worldly, I remember his ability to avoid big hits was another highlight, back in the 90's the league had many great players and even an older Gretzky stood out, he could have easily played another 3-5 yrs when he finally hung them up....

[@F4llenGrizz]

Great video, I'm liking this series. Would love to see Lemieux and others!

[@TheHockeyVault]

Thanks man, I will add that to the list

[@ajpdeschenes]

@@TheHockeyVault Yes, we want Lemieux!

[@Damic_Damic]

My favorite fun fact is that Wayne and Brent Gretzky are the point leader brothers in the NHL. Brent contributes only 4 points to that.

[@russellburgess684]

The Henry and Tommy Aaron of hockey

[@jfgrenier972]

are you sure? He beats all the 6 Sutter brothers combined?

[@DavidTupper-li5ju]

Working 3-11 shift in the 1980's i would come home turn on the tv & find replays on the usa network of hockey games - almost always edmonton oilers - most exciting & entertaining team ever in my book - rarely watch the nba & mlb anymore as the nhl is now my favorite - thanks to glenn anderson , mark messier , marty mcsorley , wayne gretzky , jari kurri etc, etc, for showing me the light

[@TriciaCringle]

I was 15 in 1979 and we were waiting to watch him as you hear about these gifted kids He was hockey He was the Greatest player I have ever watched

[@vaughnnelson4608]

0:11 Went to see the legendary Wayne with my mother. We had end zone seats and he scored the only two goals at the other end. But did see him rush the net on one play and his skating speed was amazing. On ice he has the eyes of an eagle, laser focused on the goalie and net. It was my mother's first ever NHL game. What an amazing night just to see the Great One. He did not disappoint.

[@Honkiavelli]

I had the privilege of meeting Gretzky at LAX in 1997, and the man was a total gentleman. He made time for the horde of people wanting to meet him as he made his way to his flight. He, and Mario Lemieux, are the best players of my generation.

[@dannycarlow8204]

Wayne hit me with the dressing room door in Winnipeg in 88 or 89. He was awesome and signed for everyone. Jay Miller was kind of a prick though trying to get people away from Wayne. He did that on a few occasions to us.

[@muchidromedary.7368]

Mcdavid is the best there is now, he’s been in the league for 9 years and has 982 pts, if you give him another 9 years at his current production, he’d still 1000 pts short of Gretzky. It’s almost laughable how good he was.

[@craigostopovich4860]

McDavid didn't win any Stanley cup...😂

[@dvon1097]

I'd argue hes not just the best hockey player ever, hes the greatest athlete ever

[@Mik-xq2co]

In the history of team sports, three players have shown such utter dominance versus their peers that they belong on the Mt Olympus sports immortals. Babe Ruth Wilt Chamberlain Wayne Gretzky The stats these three put up vs their peers is just unworldly. They were head and shoulders better than their peers of their day!

[@slowery43]

Bo Jackson Magic Johnson

[@JayCail]

Absolutely correct. But be careful as you'll get the Jordan fanboys mad at you.

[@dannycarlow8204]

Well, Babe was better than his white peers. We don't know how he stacked up to everybody.

[@Mik-xq2co]

@@dannycarlow8204 I can only compare to who he played against in his day, and he was head and shoulders above all of his peers. Gosh Gibson would be his only equal in his era, but he too only played against his black peers. However, Josh came roughly 12+ years after Babe came into the league, so that also is not a straight up comparison.

[@hookseybaby]

@@dannycarlow8204 Babe Ruth was also 1/4 african american

[@Cantnobodykufwitme]

Gretzky was so good in his prime, I found out the LA King years when I was a young kid were not his prime and couldn’t understand how that was possible

[@Cantnobodykufwitme]

Gretzky in his prime was so good, he was in a cartoon with Bo Jackson and Micheal Jordan…iykyk

[@2quikforya]

he was good for the time but modern day players could destroy him

[@JimBattaglini]

My favorite moment and I believe his best skill was his skating. I don't remember the particular game or who the Oilers were playing, but I remember they were shorthanded by 2. Gretz went out on shift, intercepted a pass and proceeded to evade the opposing team and kill both penalties single-handed! He just kept stickhandling the puck, and weaving back, back, back and then forward - often between the attacker's legs, evading him all the way back to center ice, then starting all over again. He never used the same pattern twice and always evaded the attackers - they could never catch him or even lay a glove on him! He had an awareness of his surroundings that nobody could match, then, before, or since.

[@stephanelachapelle5742]

His skating??? 😂😂

[@chexlemeneux8790]

Never had the pleasure to meet Wayne but I did get to meet Walter at Gretzky's in Toronto. Shame that place is gone now.

[@James-nv1wf]

Walter signed a poster I made at Gretzky's, the poster had Wayne on it, it was for a competition when Scotia Bank Arena just opened in 99 to win tickets to see a playoff game, the Leafs vs Philly in Philly, it was a great game!

[@Odin029]

Gretzky was so good that he has more career assists than any other player has total career points.

[@JacobParkYusuk]

He was so good that people don't believe how good he was when you try to objectively tell them how good he was...

[@RockerFinland]

Kurri's exceptional skill and chemistry with Gretzky played a significant role in Gretzky's extraordinary hockey performances. Gretzky won all of his Stanley cups (4) when he played with Kurri

[@henrikhirsimaa]

Se on just niin !

[@henrikhirsimaa]

Exactly.

[@jays1752]

Kurri was a very good player. Look at his totals without Gretzky, though. And then look at Gretzky's without Kurri. Not comparable.

[@raybo780]

lol naw.

[@fredbmurphy]

Jagr referred to Gretzky as a Ferrari built 30 years ahead of his time. Gretzky and Lemieux were the 2 that he truly respected.

[@blowstuffup1]

Speaking of Jagr, I sincerely believe he was far better than his final ppg of 1.11. Almost his entire prime was playing in the worst era ever(the dead puck, stupid amount of clutch and grab and the trap. I would honestly put him in the top 5 behind Gretzky, Orr, Lemieux, Howe. I know this might piss off Crosby and McDavid fans, but it's just my opinion.

[@szahmad2416]

@@blowstuffup1 no shame in that. I'm a Gretzky fan in the 66 vs 99 rivalry...and I've just recently looked at all of Mario Lemieux's career, and concluded that Mario at his best and injury and ailment free may have been the better player, just as Gretzky himself has claimed.

[@BufordTGleason]

He broke records like Babe Ruth and Wilt Chamberlain. 100 points was of a great season before this guy came along and doubled that. The distance that he created between next best player in the league was extraordinary

[@bobsyoruncle4583]

I was fortunate to have watched Gretzky play from when he first joined the OIlers in the last year of the WHA, and watched that team rise to domination in the NHL. Tickets in those days were so cheap I went to many games over the years at Winnipeg arena while working low paying jobs. What I recall most about him was how he saw the game as if he were high on the arena catwalk looking down on the entire ice surface - he seemed to know where everyone was, where they were going, and made passes and maneuvers that seemed almost impossible - time and again he would make a deek or a pass that literately made the entire crowd gasp, and when he got the puck near the net the goalie had little chance to survive.

[@SteveJones-g9n]

it was gien to him, players knew not to hit him...a total joke. just watch the reruns now...slow motion joke

[@JUVI9596]

I grew up in Winnipeg too. I remember you could go to 7-eleven and get a $7 Jets ticket on game days if you bought a slurpee or Big Gulp

[@Ace96x10]

Well said Bob.

[@dwaynegamble244]

​@@SteveJones-g9nomg There is still one of you around That hates him for how great he was That's so insecure 😢😢😢

[@SteveJones-g9n]

Nope. Just watch the highlight reels, total joke. No one was allowed to touch Wayne, he had all day to set up plays and wind up in the slot for a slapshot, it's laughable.@@dwaynegamble244

[@19snips]

He has more career assists than the 2nd place all time player has points. Think about that. If a player played 14 seasons and got 200 points each season, he would still be 57 points short. 17 seasons of 50 goals and you are still not catching him, Ovi is close but not there yet. I've never seen anything like it in any sport, ever.

[@shvelgud]

What's the difference between points scored across a season, and goals scored? Is it 3 points for a win, and a goal is just 1 goal scored? Or is the points scored directly tied to how many goals they have scored?

[@jfgrenier972]

@@shvelgud huh? Points = Goals + Assists

[@shvelgud]

@@jfgrenier972 ah thank you, I only follower European soccer I'm from the UK so we have no concept of any hockey rules or statistics the hockey league over here is quite primitive compared to the NHL

[@michaelfisher3468]

Do you do any research at all? He scored 92 goals in his 3rd season. Half the time you pronounce the players names wrong. Do you homework dude

[@chaost4544]

Averaging 196 points per season for 9 years is absurd. That stat is Cy Young level in its impossibility for modern NHLers to achieve.

[@CousinPaddy]

Greatest statistical sports star of all time.

[@jackrobinson8945]

We were there for Wayne's first game as an Oiler in the WHA and for all the cup years, great memories!

[@rolieg81]

4 200+ point seasons is greatest nhl record ever!

[@PowerPlayProfiles]

Facts. While I'm not saying Gretzky isn't the GOAT, what are your thoughts on the comparisons to players today? Obviously, it's substantially harder to get these kinds of records as the game has changed, so would Ovechkin getting close to breaking Gretzky's scoring record be considered a harder feat than what Gretzky did, given the evolution of the sport and the differences in the eras they played in?

[@rolieg81]

So much harder to put up those numbers these days. 3rd and 4th line guys have become so much better on average not being just checkers/fighters, everyone can shoot and skate!

[@PowerPlayProfiles]

@@rolieg81 Its hard to compare greatness across different eras but imagine a prime Ovechkin, Crosby or McDavid in the 1980s-90s. Man that would be scary

[@TheHockeyVault]

Ya you can't really compare different eras, although it can be tempting. Too many changes made across the years and the game is way different today

[@nocrtname]

led the league in assists 16 times. That transcends eras.

[@jameswbennett78]

I grew up in Edmonton. As a kid I knew (felt) something was different with him than the other monsters of sport at the time. Montana, Jordan, etc. Northlands Colosseum felt unique, and I still believe it all these years later, when his skates hit the ice. It was a surreal, almost scary feeling and volume of noise. It was loud, but not what you'd think all these years later. It was more of a cheer combined with absolute laser focus of everyone in the stands staring intently at someone who they knew was special to be seeing in person. I remember conversations abruptly stopping. Like "Sshhhh! He's here." I'm sure Catholics feel a similar way when they see the Pope in person.

[@youthinkyouknowme5551]

I live in Chicago and am a Hawks fan and i remember Denis Savard once said how Northlands Colosseum had the best ice in the NHL bar none

[@petert834]

The interesting thing to me about Gretzky is that unlike many other dominant scorers, he often looked pretty inconspicuous on the ice aside from when he set up behind the other team's net. No Hull-like slapshot. No Ovechkin-like deadly one-timers. No McDavid-like speed. No Mario-like combo of size with puckhandling skill deking defenders out of their shorts. None of these really obvious things. He just always seemed to be where the puck went to, somehow his shots seemed to go exactly where the goalie wasn't, and somehow he was able to always find the open teammate to get a them a good scoring chance. It was ridiculous. When the game was over you would just be asking yourself "How the heck did he get 5 points that game?" because he didn't dominate the play or do much flashy at all.

[@szahmad2416]

That must have been during the Kings era. During the Oilers era, he was all of those players with all of those talents rolled into one.

[@SAUBLEBEACHONTARIO]

He is truly the greatest of all time

[@Kinger1625]

I loved his dedication to his teammates, especially Grant Fuhr! Said he was the worlds best goalie(Fuhr is my all time favourite goalie), and even at the last alumni game he told Fuhr who has knee replacements and cannot play , that if he didn’t go..none of them would! Of course, Grant showed up…just like when needing to keep the other team from scoring that last goal. Such a great player #99 Wayne Gretzky was! Most of those records would stand. The two line pass was removed in 2005, but had it been done in 1980…his totals would /or could be much bigger imho. Thank, enjoyed this, and liked and subbed! ❤

[@stephane.valade]

I have several good souvenir of Wayne Gretzky. One that I cannot forget is when he played with Mario Lemieux during the 1987 Canada Cup. Together they were unstoppable.

[@RaineriHakkarainen]

They beat Soviets 5-6 6-5 6-5 only! Canada have 650000 hockey players! Russia have only 80000 hockey players! Soccer have 250 million players vs Canada 650000 players that means The Soccer All Stars would beat Orr Gretzky Lemieux easily 100 game Series 93-7!

[@joepzenz]

This was a great video. I am new to the sport of hockey so it is great to learn about past legends.

[@richardkrilljr.8711]

215 points is just ridiculous. Gretzky was just so much better than everyone else. What a joy to watch. The NHL has seen some great players since but nobody has even come close to 99.

[@robertdanemcleod7240]

Watched the first 2 minutes, and the facts began to wander. Had to go to another site. It was his 3rd year when he had 92 goals. Incredibly most of the NHL video clips of him are with the Kings and Rangers. The Conn Smith Trophy? Are you kidding me? It's the Conn Smythe, Not Smith. I'm starting to hate these You-Tube sites that have absolutely no clue what they are talking about. Just in it for the likes I guess. They should keep to cat videos.

[@jsquared1013]

Mark MessieR 😬

[@danpro4519]

It's always interesting to think how Gretzky would perform in today's NHL if he were born in, say, 1998. Assuming he had modern training/conditioning, how would would he score head-to-head against McDavid? I think McDavid would have him beat in pure speed/skill, but was Wayne's talented vision and sense something that would still give him the edge in today's game? My sense is that Gretzky's skill was far beyond what he had on paper, and even today he'd be probably be tops in the league.

[@thinkforyourself5672]

I've always wondered that. How would the star player's from the 90's perform now? Watching highlights they're slower, don't shoot as hard, don't skate as well and the Goalies were less skilled. Would the greats still be great? Or would some of those skills needed today not translate? Too slow? Not a good enough skater? Super interesting to think about

[@SteveN-qo5uv]

I think all the great skilled players of the 80s and 90s would be monsters in today’s game having had the same development as the players of the last 10-15 years. I think Gretzky would dominate in todays more skilled game. Think about it: Less physical, no goons, less hitting, smaller players than his era, no 2-line pass rule and no holding. He’d have 100 pts a season just in assists. Bossy, Dionne, Yzerman, Lemieux, Jagr, Sakic, Forsberg etc would be elite players in todays game coming up the same way players do now.

[@christophereverett2353]

If Mcjesus had to play back then he would be out concussed. All Those tropes you said those folks grew up with. The sissy one hand slash didn't exist. The hooking you could literally ski behind someone with your stick. Then hitting somebody with a shoulder or forearm to the jaw was legal beagle baby. Not to mention the rule changes that allow this generation to score more. remember the two line pass went away, the neutral zone shrank, and goalies can't play the puck outside a trapazoid that didn't exist then. Just to clarify they made the O zone bigger and shrank the neutral zone to make it harder to trap. All this to say if those players had the new training and equipment of today with the shit they dealt with back then...... they would be deadly today!

[@bmac5989]

He would do even better now than then, More open ice. More space behind the net. The "trap" era would have reduced his tallies.

[@danpro4519]

@@bmac5989 I think you guys are overlooking how much better goalies are today. I think your average player and coaching systems are better too.

[@chargerdave2046]

I met him at a charity baseball game in Edmonton as a kid, I did get an autograph... But long gone. I do have Messier's a couple times, He would talk to me in the parking lot of the Coliseum, when the had the black Porsche 911, I even gave him a drawing of his car that I drew, he put it on the seat. I wonder if he kept it? It was really good

[@rockerrock328]

Wayne Gretzky is the most dominant athlete of all time. No one in any sport will ever accomplish what he did. His records will never come close to being broken.

[@jfgrenier972]

One could argue for Babe Ruth. He also posted ridiculous numbers compared to his peers. Like the year he first hit 50 homeruns (54 in 1920) and the 2nd best didnt even have 20. His 54 were better than 2nd, 3rd and 4th players COMBINED. The difference though, most of Ruth's records have been or could be broken. Gretzky's? Impossible to beat in many cases.

[@gandze99]

The narration for this video sounds like AI with a 5-year-old’s intelligence

[@ISISareDemocrats]

Probably is a 5 year old making the video with his dads AI software

[@philipschwartz5465]

Yeah, thanks for this. I was thinking: put those goal and point stats in context, man! I got to 6 mins and had to turn it off!

[@dmc009]

9:42 absolutely not. Never ever gonna happen. Jordan may be the goat of hoops and brady may be the goat on the grid iron... .. wayne is the goat of team sports.... ... period.

[@dannycarlow8204]

He was only captain of the Rangers when Leetch was injured. He wasn't their actual captain.

[@scottc4716]

There are few players who know and understand the game of hockey as well as Wayne Greztky. Wayne played with a great team during the 1980s in Edmonton. The team was amazing and they proved it when they won the cup without him in 1990.

[@AaronAubreyPhoto]

Still the absolute craziest Gretzky stat.. is that if he never scored a single goal, he'd still hold the record for points based solely on his assists..

[@HydraMods]

I'm not trying to reach here, but I swear I see some Bedard in certain angles and mannerisms from Wayne in this video

[@The_Zilli]

Even compared to Jordan, Lebron and any other superstar from other leagues, Gretzkys accomplishments compared to the rest of his peers shows that there is no equal. And never will be.

[@chrisfehr3164]

I was lucky enough to watch a lot of the oilers dynasty games at the coliseum as a kid. Didn’t know what I was actually watching at the time!

[@Levelheaded_Music]

He was a great player who was protected every game, and I don't mean just by an enforcer.(McSorley) It was generally known throughout the nhl through his career that he was untouchable, as in not be touched. I played darts with a friend of Steve Larmer and he told him the same. He WAS hockey and was given more space and time than any other player. That is the only reason his stats are "next level". Yes he was a great player. That's not the debate. If any top player now was inserted back in the 80s with that protection and same teammates, they'd have at least 50% more points than Gretzky had. He was in the right place at the time with the right skills. Gretzky's records should all have asterisks beside them. Many better players have played the game.

[@dannycarlow8204]

Yet none of them could come close to what he did. Go figure. At least you got your opinion out there though. If players from today were inserted into Wayne's time, they would be nothing like they are today. Why would you think that? Players of today are not used to that kind of rough game as in the 80's. We have no idea how they would handle it. Asterisks for what exactly? That makes no sense. If Kurri held all the records, does he get asterisks, or is it just Gretzky?

[@Levelheaded_Music]

@@dannycarlow8204 Other "star" forwards had to contend with more physicality day in and day out. What I stated is 100% factual. It's my opinion based on objective reality. Good player that was made greater than he actually was.

[@dannycarlow8204]

@@Levelheaded_Music Wayne had to find a way to play against older and bigger guys from an early age. Physical play wasn't available to him while growing up. He found a way to play to give himself space from the bigger guys. That's what a smart player does. Was Bossy not good because he stayed away from the physical play? Why do people think that a player has to be physical to be great? What about today's stars that are obviously made greater than they are by your logic by the lack of physicality in the game today? Players today are most definitely more protected by the league than Wayne or Mario ever were. I guess there are no great players anymore because your opinion says so. I don't think that, but for some reason you seem to. That's based on the reality of what you said.

[@Levelheaded_Music]

@dannycarlow8204 Ya keep rationalizing. He's not even close to the greatest player.

[@dannycarlow8204]

@@Levelheaded_Music Well, all the stats and all the facts say he is. So does every greatest player list and record book, so keep coping. I'm sure you'll convince someone some day with your friend of Steve Larmer story.

[@glenncurley680]

Saw him in Detroit. As with many young hockey players, he was my Son's favorite!

[@lazyammo8206]

Homie was so legendary not even Netflix could get him a documentary

[@thedungeon1578]

Gretzky's assist records are unthinkable almost. 163 assists in a season is more than anyone has ever scored points except Lemieux. He led the league in assists 16 times in 20 years, and the ones he didn't were usually because of injury. More career assists than anyone else has points. No one will ever come close to most of these marks. I love that this video really spoke about his ability to raise his teammates, because to me that was his greatest attribute.

[@Hockey_Fren]

I was born in 1980, so I was just a little kid when Gretzky was lighting it up with the Oilers, but man do I ever feel blessed to have been able to watch him AND McDavid in the same lifetime. Gretzky is the GOAT, and has records that will never be broken, but we are witnessing history all over again with Connor McDavid. I don't think Dynasty's really exist anymore in the salary cap era, but I sure hope I get to see one more cup get hoisted in Edmonton.

[@512.Outdoors]

Brand new hockey fan here - from Texas and rooting for the stars starting 3 years ago. It seems like this guy was a mix of Barry bonds and Nolan Ryan….in one player. He may be the goat of goats. Wild

[@missjets98]

Oilers joined the NHL in the 79-80 season, making Wayne 18 when he played his first NHL game. Basic.

[@dannycarlow8204]

He also has the highest points per game among all players before 19 years of age. 69 points in 45 games 1.533 ppg

[@TheHoodSaiyan]

This man is a inspiration Wayne Gretzky is a living legend

[@westonraske8152]

The video clips seemed mostly random and hardly ever matching the narration. Couldn’t even finish watching it and I’m a huge Gretzky fan.

[@philipschwartz5465]

I had a chance meeting with Wayne on a flight to Toronto 15 years ago. He was intensely interested in my scholarly work and forthcoming book examining the Bolshevik role in the Russian Civil War. I was really impressed with, first, his curiosity and probing questions- and frankly quite surprised by his depth of knowledge when it came to the ideological foundations of the Bolshevik movement, including Marxist theory, Leninism, and the writings of key figures like Vladimir Lenin. I knew of his genius of finding and capitalizing on open ice but his intelligence on this narrow but important slice of history really floored me. Great guy!

[@ml.2770]

99 is the only number nobody should wear in hockey anywhere in the world at any level. Unless of course you are Wayne Gretzky.

[@richiemarshall2755]

True gentleman humble talented down to earth Canadian

[@chief3619]

Let’s get real here: it was the Jofa helmet and gloves. They are OP and anyone who wears them is immediately granted God-tier skills and abilities which is why the league eventually had to ban them.

[@jfgrenier972]

lol

[@nikolaivista920]

The Hockey Vault needs to do a video on PRIME Bobby Orr!!! To me, Orr is the absolute GOAT of hockey! Dominated on defense, dominated on assists and dominated on goals all in the same season!! While players dove at his knee for the only way to slow him down! Orr did it all! He even fought like a champ and was never afraid to throw punches with the best of them!

[@TheHockeyVault]

Should be up tomorrow or day after ;)

[@jays1752]

what the hell does fighting have to do with hockey? idiotic part of the NHL ive never understood.

[@nikolaivista920]

@@jays1752 Oh sweetie, you are butt-hurt because Orr was better than Gretzky! Don't get mad at me. Get mad at Orr!! And yes, fighting has a lot to do with NHL hockey. Always has and it always will. If you have a dislike with NHL fighting in the rink, then change the channel and watch something else like the WNBA (which is much more suitable for you!).

[@annobalan6878]

It was funny to hear my dad talk about Gretzky, he had season tickets to blackhawks games from 84-94 and it was crazy to me how much he used to hate him back then. Oilers always ended up meeting the hawks and next thing ya know they’re Eliminated by the Oilers. Afterwards he definitely grew an admiration and respect for Gretzky, he found himself lucky he got to see the great one play as much as he did.

[@frankjuarez1367]

Everybody hates the guy who is beating your team. But you love him the minute he gets traded to YOUR team. Never personal.

[@jeffreyfurtado3681]

Gretzky turned pro at 17 for the now dufunct league the world hockey association WHA. The oilers were one of 6 teams drafted in the NHL. At 17 Wayne had 46 goals and 64 assists for 110 points. This league was similar to what happened with the ABA in basketball 🏀 when many teams went to the NBA.

[@NhlHeroOfficial]

In his prime, most hockey pools had a "no Gretzky" rule to keep things fair. Without it, the person who had Gretzky would always win. Some pools got creative and split his stats-one person would get his goals, another his assists. But even then, Gretzky’s insane assist totals could still throw the whole pool out of balance.

[@aqn1976]

I love TWO THINGS above the rest about #99 and that is the BLACK SKATE BLADES & the patented circle move at the top of the circle that ALWAYS creates space for him !!!

[@bradcanning875]

You had to have watched him play and show the class he did to really understand how special he was. Peter Puck saw how he could change and expand hockey before anyone.

[@MVuke84]

Gretzky never wanted to be the team captain. It took his teammates to convince him that it was needed for him to do it. That alone says so much.

[@szahmad2416]

Yeah, agreed. The man embodied leadership so much that an ailing misfit Mario Lemieux says he learned what leadership looked like when he played with Gretzky in that famous Canada Cup. Based on that series, Mario completely changed into the guy who captained his Penguins team to two Stanley Cups, two as player and three as owner.