Who Is The Greatest NHL Player Of All Time?
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The NHL is one of the most popular professional ice hockey leagues in the world, and it has produced some of the greatest players to ever hit the ice. So, who is the greatest NHL player of all time?
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky, “The Great One”, is widely considered the best NHL player of all time. He is the leading scorer in both regular season and playoffs. Gretzky has won the most championships, awards, and held almost every NHL scoring record.
His stats
Wayne Gretzky is widely regarded as the greatest player in NHL history. During his 20-year career, he set numerous league scoring records and helped the Edmonton Oilers win four Stanley Cups.
Gretzky began his pro career with the World Hockey Association’s Indianapolis Racers in 1978, but was traded to the Edmonton Oilers before he could play a game. He quickly became one of the league’s top scorers, leading the WHA in points in each of his three seasons.
When the WHA folded in 1979, Gretzky was absorbed into the NHL along with the rest of the Oilers. He continued to dominate, breaking NHL records for goals (92) and points (212) in a season. He also led Edmonton to its first Stanley Cup victory in 1984.
Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, where he helped turn the team into a contender. The Kings reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993, but lost to Montreal. Gretzky retired from playing in 1999 after a brief stint with the New York Rangers.
During his 20-year career, Gretzky amassed an astounding 2,857 points, including 1,016 goals and 1,841 assists. He still holds more than 60 NHL records, many of which may never be broken.
His impact on the game
Wayne Gretzky is widely regarded as the greatest player in NHL history and one of the best athletes ever. He played 20 seasons in the NHL for four different teams, becoming the only player to score more than 200 points in a season. He won four Stanley Cups, nine MVP Awards, and 10 scoring titles. He is the NHL’s all-time leader in goals (894), assists (1,963), and points (2,857).
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux is considered by many to be the greatest NHL player of all time. He was a dominant player in the league and he led the Pittsburgh Penguins to multiple Stanley Cup championships. Lemieux was a big reason why the Penguins were able to turn their franchise around and he is still revered in Pittsburgh today.
His stats
Lemieux’s 1,723 career points are the seventh-most in NHL history, and his 1,033 assists are the 10th-most all time. His career 0.754 goals-per game average is the best in NHL history among players with more than 250 goals, and his 1.881 points per game average is the second highest in league history behind only Wayne Gretzky. He also holds the record for most goals in an NHL game by scoring five times against the New Jersey Devils on December 31, 1988.
His impact on the game
Mario Lemieux is widely regarded as one of the greatest NHL players of all time. He played for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1984 to 2006, and is the team’s owner and chairman. Lemieux was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on October 5, 1965. He began playing hockey at a young age and was drafted by the Penguins first overall in the 1984 NHL Draft.
Lemieux is a six-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is the only player in NHL history to score more than 200 points in a season on five separate occasions. Lemieux is also the only player to average more than two points per game over the course of his career. In 2017, he was named one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” by The Hockey News.
Lemieux’s impact on the game of hockey cannot be overstated. He revolutionized offensive play and changed the way goaltenders were used. His physical abilities were so great that many believe he could have become an even better player had he not been plagued by injuries throughout his career. Lemieux is without question one of the most talented players to ever step on the ice, and his legacy will continue to live on for generations to come.
Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr is considered by many to be the greatest NHL player of all time. He was an All-Star in all of his 12 seasons, winning two Stanley Cups, three Hart Trophies, and two Conn Smythe Trophies. He still holds the record for most points by a defenseman in a season, and is the only defenseman to score more than 100 points in a season.
His stats
Bobby Orr is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 12 seasons, from 1966 to 1978. Orr is the only defenseman to have won the league scoring title with two Art Ross Trophies. He holds the record for most points and assists in a season by a defenseman. Orr was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979, at age 31, making him the youngest player ever inducted. Orr also won two Stanley Cups with the Boston Bruins, in 1970 and 1972.
His impact on the game
His total of 46 goals in 1970-71 is still the NHL record for most goals by a defenseman in a season, and his 139 points that year is second only to Denis Potvin’s 148 in 1974-75 among defensemen. Orr also holds the record for most assists in a season by a defenseman, with 89 in 1974-75. He is the only defenseman who has ever led the NHL in scoring and he did it twice, in 1969-70 and 1974-75. With Orr leading the way, the Bruins won the Stanley Cup three times between 1970 and 1972.
