Who Was the Best NHL Player of All Time?
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Who was the best NHL player of all time? Many would say it was Wayne Gretzky, and it’s hard to argue with that. Gretzky holds almost every significant offensive record in the NHL, and he did it all while playing for some pretty bad teams.
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky is considered by many to be the best NHL player of all time. He was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Gretzky began playing hockey at a very young age and quickly developed into a superstar. He played for four different teams during his 20-year NHL career and is the league’s all-time leading scorer. Gretzky also holds several other NHL records, including most goals in a season and most assists in a career.
His accomplishments
Wayne Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He became interested in hockey at age 2 and began playing organized hockey at age 6. When he was 10 years old, he scored 378 goals in 85 games with his local team.
In 1978, Gretzky was drafted by the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA), but before he could play a game for them, the Racers ceased operations. He was then signed by the Edmonton Oilers, who joined the NHL the following year. Gretzky quickly became one of the best players in the league, leading the Oilers to four Stanley Cup victories between 1984 and 1988.
In 1988, Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. He helped popularize hockey in California and led the Kings to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1993. After eight seasons with the Kings, he finished his career with brief stints with the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers before retiring in 1999. During his 20-year career, Gretzky set 61 NHL records; many of those records still stand today. He remains the leading scorer in NHL history with 2,857 points (894 goals and 1,963 assists).
His impact on the game
Wayne Gretzky is widely considered the greatest player in NHL history and had a profound impact on the game of hockey. He holds or shares 61 NHL records, including most goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857). He led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships and was named the Most Valuable Player a record nine times. In 1999, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux is widely considered to be the best NHL player of all time. He was a dominant force on the ice, and his skill was unmatched. Lemieux was a six-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the NHL’s all-time leading scorer. He was a true pioneer of the game, and his accomplishments will never be forgotten.
His accomplishments
By the end of his career, Lemieux had amassed 1,723 points, the sixth-highest total in NHL history, despite having played in only 915 games (an average of 1.89 points per game, the highest in league history). He won six Art Ross Trophies as the league’s leading scorer and was named to 10 NHL First All-Star Teams. He played in 13 NHL All-Star Games and was named the game’s most valuable player three times. He is the most decorated player in Pittsburgh Penguins history and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
Lemieux led Pittsburgh to two Stanley Cup championships. He first accomplished this feat with a controversial overtime goal that eliminated the New Jersey Devils from the playoffs, then again in 1991–92 by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks. He also captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. In 2017, he was named one of 100 Greatest NHL Players and was inducted into both the Hockey Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
His impact on the game
Mario Lemieux is widely considered to be the best NHL player of all time. He was an incredible offensive force, leading the league in scoring six times. He also led the Pittsburgh Penguins to two Stanley Cup titles.
Lemieux’s impact on the game went well beyond his on-ice accomplishments. He was also a shrewd businessman and helped to keep the Pittsburgh Penguins afloat financially. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.
Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr is widely considered to be the best NHL player of all time. He was an incredible defenseman and changed the way the game was played. He was the first player to score more than 100 points in a season as a defenseman and is the only defenseman to ever win the Art Ross Trophy.
His accomplishments
Most people would agree that Bobby Orr is the greatest NHL player of all time. He changed the way the game was played with his skill and grace on the ice. In his career, he won two Stanley Cups, eight Norris Trophies, three Hart Trophies, and is the only defenceman to ever win the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer.
His impact on the game
Bobby Orr is widely considered to be the best NHL player of all time. He played for the Boston Bruins from 1966 to 1976 and helped them win two Stanley Cups. Orr revolutionized the game of hockey by being the first defenseman to score more than 100 points in a season. He was named the NHL’s Most Valuable Player three times and won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 1967. Orr retired in 1978 at the age of 30 due to injuries.
Other contenders
Wayne Gretzky is often considered the best NHL player of all time. However, there are other players who have made significant contributions to the game and have been extremely successful. Let’s take a look at some of the other contenders for the title of best NHL player of all time.
Why they didn’t make the top three
1. Wayne Gretzky
2. Mario Lemieux
3. Bobby Orr
4. Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe is often considered one of the NHL’s greatest players, but he didn’t make the top three on our list. Howe was an incredible scorer, tallied over 1,000 points in his career, and was one of the game’s first true power forwards. However, Howe’s career spanned a whopping 32 seasons (the most of any player in our top 10), and his production inevitably declined as he got older. Additionally, Howe played in an era when scoring was significantly higher than it is today, so his raw point totals aren’t as impressive when compared to present-day players.
The verdict
There is no NHL player who is universally considered the best of all time. However, many experts and fans believe that Wayne Gretzky is the greatest player in NHL history. Gretzky holds numerous NHL records, including the most goals, assists, and points in a career. He also led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships in the 1980s.
