Is Wayne Gretzky the Hockey GOAT: A Deep Dive

1. Unmatched Dedication and Preparation ★

Before a GOAT is born, there must be a level of dedication and work that goes well beyond their peers. At an early age, Gretzky would spend hours working on his craft on and off the ice.

From skating on the ice and completing an assortment of drills, he didn’t leave anything up to luck as a child. Walter Gretzky was a pillar in reinforcing the importance of working hard, and he was integral in maintaining the backyard rink.

This carried over into Gretzky’s years playing Junior hockey and well into the NHL. He was adamant about preparing for opponents by spending hours watching tape. Often, Gretzky knew where to be on the ice and anticipated the action due to his thorough preparation.

2. High Hockey IQ ★

“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be,” Wayne Gretzky once said.

Those words are never truer than when talking about Gretzky. He was able to do the talk and back it up with unrivaled success on the ice. The quote from Gretzky essentially sums up his executive on the ice perfectly.

In addition to watching tape, Gretzky’s natural instincts from a young age were superior to those of his peers. Not only did he know where the puck was going to be, but the nine-time Hart Trophy winner was aware of where he had to be.

Gretzky’s hockey smarts were off the charts, and no other player can compare to his IQ.

3. Vision and Playmaking ★

Gretzky’s vision and playmaking were unparalleled in the NHL during his career from 1978 to 1999. He was able to get others involved offensively like no one else could.

Elite passing was an art form that Gretzky mastered on the ice. Defenses having to worry about Gretzky’s scoring touch was the least of their problems. The biggest concern for opponents when playing the Oilers and Kings’ Gretzky teams was who he would feed the puck to for a prime goal-scoring chance.

Gretzky played with his eyes on the back of his head and knew where every teammate was on the ice at all times. He was also aware of where his opponents were positioned.

The “Great One” would be the all-time points leader in NHL history on his 1,963 assists! If Gretzky had never scored a goal in his career, he would still lead the NHL in points. In second, Ron Francis has 1,249 career assists, so it’s not even remotely close.

Is Gretzky the best hockey player ever? If you use this metric as a barometer, yes, without question.

4. Accurate Slapshot ★

Gretzky had a lot of tools in his arsenal to score the puck. He finished his career with 984 goals, with his last in 1998-99 as a member of the New York Rangers. He had a nifty backhand and a quick wrist shot to put the puck in the back of the net.

However, what separated him from the rest was his ability to pinpoint shots with a slapshot. Slapshots can be the most inaccurate shot in hockey, but not with Gretzky.

When he wound up for a slapper, the Brampton, ON, native managed to find a place for the puck when there appeared to be nothing there.

5. Unbreakable NHL Records ★

Gretzky holds a number of unbelievable NHL records — some of which are unbreakable. Alexander Ovechkin broke Gretzky’s goal record this past season, but No. 99 has several that are unlikely to ever be touched.

If Wayne Gretzky never scored a goal, he still would’ve recorded 11 straight 100-point seasons and won 4 scoring titles. pic.twitter.com/I4LtfVLfo7

— The Hockey Samurai 侍 (@hockey_samurai) April 29, 2023

• Career Points – Gretzky concluded his career with an unprecedented 2,857 points. Jagomir Jagr’s 1,921 points don’t come close to Gretzky’s unbelievable mark.

• Career Assists – It’s highly unlikely in today’s NHL game that any player is going to break Gretzky’s 1,963 assists.

• Most Assists in a Season – Along with the career lead in assists, Gretzky set the bar for assists in a single season. In 1985-86 with the Oilers, he logged an incredible 163 assists. For comparison, in 2024-25, Nikita Kucherov led the NHL in points with 121!

• Most Goals in a Season – Although Ovechkin broke Gretzky’s all-time goal record, don’t expect any player to surpass the former Oilers’ 92 goals.

• Three Consecutive 200-point Seasons – There are only four 200-point seasons in NHL history. All belong to Gretzky, and from 1983 to 1986, he did it three straight times.

1. Not the Fastest Skater ✖

Gretzky was not known as a fast skater during his time on the ice like Maurice Richard, Bobby Orr, or even teammate Paul Coffey. Pure speed wasn’t what made Gretzky such a dangerous player, but it is widely regarded as one of his weak points.

What Gretzky lacked in speed, he made up for with his ability as a playmaker. Nevertheless, some pundits might apply a big blemish on Gretzky’s resume due to his lack of lightning speed.

2. Weak with No Physical Presence ✖

Despite being a magician with the puck on his stick, Gretzky wasn’t the strongest player by any means. He didn’t test the best in strength tests and was never the most imposing figure on the ice. Note that Gretzky was only roughly 170 pounds, so he was never the biggest.

Gretzky didn’t have the power to push around opponents or stick up for himself in scrums in the corner. He often depended on others to do his dirty business and protect him. This is unlike Gordie Howe or Orr, who weren’t scared to use their weight to win puck battles.

3. Avoided Blocking Shots ✖

Gretzky has some unbelievable records and stats during his NHL career. Here’s one crazy figure: Gretzky never blocked a shot. Not only did he avoid block shots, but Gretzky claims he finished his career without putting his body on the line to stop a shot.

Staying healthy was of utmost importance for Gretzky and his team. In other words, stepping in front of a slap shot wasn’t his priority. It was probably for the best that the top playmaker of all time wasn’t risking taking a shot that could cause an injury.

4. Never Won the Cup Outside of Edmonton ✖

Gretzky won the Stanley Cup four times during his career: 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1988. All four titles came during his tenure with the Oilers. After nine seasons in Edmonton, Gretzky departed Alberta for California to play with the Los Angeles Kings for eight years.

He also had stops in St. Louis and New York with the Rangers before retiring in 1999. Those nine years in Edmonton were the best of his career, and the only place he’d win the Stanley Cup. Also, those Oilers’ dynasty squads were undoubtedly the best he played on, along with a tremendous supporting cast.

Gretzky was paired with Hall of Famer Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, and Coffee. Goaltender Grant Fuhr was also one of the best in the NHL at the time. Make no mistake, Gretzky was an unreal talent, though his teammates in Edmonton need plenty of credit, too.

5. Inflated Stats During the 1980s Era ✖

The 1980s were not regarded as an era that highlighted much defense. Goaltending numbers were down significantly, as defensive game planning was an afterthought.

From 1980 to 1986, the average goals-against average for an NHL goalie was 3.77 or higher. To give that statistic some perspective, the average GAA for an NHL goalie has been 2.77 or lower in 19 of the past 20 seasons. That’s the difference of an entire goal per game per team!

Gretzky fattened up his career totals during that time when games featured two-plus goals more than they do now. He collected at least 160 points in six straight years (it would have been eight if he’d not missed 18 games due to injury in 1987-88) and cracked the 200-point plateau four times in five years.

Once goals started getting a lot harder to come by, however, Gretzky’s statistical dominance dropped severely as well. He reached 100 points just once in his final four seasons in the NHL, and he won the league scoring championship just twice in his final 12 campaigns.

If you were to adjust each player’s points per game average to the era in which they played, Gretzky is no longer the highest-scoring player in history. That honor belongs to Mario Lemieux (1.66 points per game adjusted), with Gretzky coming in second at 1.61. Sidney Crosby isn’t far behind him at #3 at 1.50 points per game adjusted, and Bobby Orr – a defenseman – is fifth on the list at 1.33.

Bobby Orr

The best NHL defenseman of all time may actually be the best hockey player ever. If you were to ask Don Cherry, he would, without hesitation, name Orr the best NHL player.

Cherry coached Orr for two seasons from 1974 to 1976 with the Boston Bruins. He knew a great hockey player when he saw one, and Orr was a beauty. Perhaps the most well-rounded player to hit the ice, Orr could do everything asked of him.

As a defenseman, Orr’s primary responsibility was to prevent goals in the defensive zone. While Orr was fantastic in that regard, he was capable of being a playmaker, goal scorer, and had the physical wherewithal to protect himself.

Orr’s single-season +/- rating of +124 in 1970-71 may never be broken. Larry Robinson’s +120 in 1976-77 came close, and Gretzky’s best mark was only a +100 in 1984-95.

Additionally, Orr has the record with eight Norris Trophy awards and the highest points per game for a defenseman with 1.80. The Bruin is also the only defenseman to win the Art Ross Trophy twice.

There is definitely a strong case to make for Orr as the GOAT of hockey!

Mario Lemieux

No best-of list would be complete without including Pittsburgh Penguins legend Mario Lemieux. As noted above, adjusted for the points per game average for the era, Lemieux ranks first with 1.66.

Happy 22-year anniversary to Mario Lemieux scoring off the faceoff. 🥳

🗓️: December 23, 2002 pic.twitter.com/EaoDrwcF0Y

— NHL (@NHL) December 23, 2024

He played against some tough competition in the 1990s and early 2000s, but Lemieux managed to stand tall above the rest. If his career had not been cut short due to injuries and health issues, which included fighting Hodgkin’s lymphoma, he would have had the chance to break several records.

In any case, Lemieux concluded his career in 2006 with an impressive 690 goals and 1,033 assists in 915 games played. He also posted a +114 +/- to cap off a Hall of Fame career. It’s important to note that Lemieux averaged 0.75 goals per game, which is better than Gretzky’s 0.6.

If Lemieux had the supporting cast that Gretzky had throughout his career, we would likely be talking about even more impressive numbers for “Super Mario”!

Gordie Howe

Mr. Hockey will be forever regarded as one of the toughest hockey players to ever lace up the skates. Built like a brickhouse, Gordie Howe took a lot of punishment during his career, but it didn’t deter him.

He was perfectly happy with laying out an opponent cold and then scoring the game-winning goal. Howe finished his career with 801 goals, which was the NHL record for 26 years until Gretzky surpassed the Red Wings’ right winger.

Howe also contributed with 1,049 assists and a total of 1,850 points in an incredible 1767 games from 1947 to 1980! One of Howe’s best assets, though, was what didn’t show up on the stat sheet.

As one of the most physical specimens the NHL has ever seen, he created so many goals that can’t be quantified. And Howe’s insane longevity gives him some credence to being the best hockey player ever.

Sidney Crosby

The only active player on our list of GOAT NHL players is 38-year-old Sidney Crosby. Crosby is still playing at a high level and will participate in his third Olympic Games in Italy this upcoming winter.

The dynamic playmaker continues to be one of the most impactful players in the NHL since entering the league in 2005. Lemieux’s former teammate and roommate has compiled 625 goals and 1,062 assists with a +197 +/- in 1,352 career games.

The only way to react when you score the winning gold in an Olympic final. 🥇

Sidney Crosby's golden goal at #Vancouver2010 is definitely one of the most iconic #IceHockey moments we've seen!#Olympics | @IIHFHockey | @TeamCanada pic.twitter.com/z0bSqkuFHM

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) September 21, 2025

Crosby is a fantastic forechecker and backchecker on the ice. Like Gretzky, he knows what is going on at all times. He gets to spots before anyone else but also has the physical ability to fend off opponents. No. 87’s exceptional puck handling is paired with superior vision and awareness.

Perhaps, best of all, however, is Crosby’s leadership. The three-time Stanley Cup winner and two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner is a winner on the ice, in the locker room, and off the ice for the Penguins and Team Canada.