How would guys like Gretzky and Lemieux fare in today's NHL?

[TeTe]

Knowing their talents and how they dominated their era.....Do you think they still score 70-80 goals and put up 150-200 points in a season?

Or do you think they are maybe at best 100 points scorers in this era?

 

[wlu.29]

not as much points, but still elite

 

[AOM]

Bobby Orr would be a boss...

 

[BisexualMMA]

Nobody will score as many points if the goalies they are facing go from looking like backcatchers to looking like the ED-209 with all their gear. Their points would drop, but they would still be arguably the two greatest talents that ever skated on ice.

I think what McDavid did this year (led the league with 100 points) is a good modern comparable for what Gretzky did in his first NHL season (second pro season) (led the league with 137). That's about the best points-to-points in similar situations with a similar achievement comparison I can think of.

 

[Revolver]

Transcendent players will always be great regardless of era.

 

[PRESIDENT TRUMP]

Thorough analysis

Transcendent players will always be great regardless of era.

that's a fair statement. While Gretzky is the most dominant athlete in pro sports he likely benefited and suffered from playing in that era. Dude was a stick figure. He played in a much younger era, and would still be tougher than 99% of pro athletes today (all the Clippers) but just wouldn't have the size to be competitive today. If the was given the training, conditioning, and juice spots today's athletes are privy to, he'd be just ok. Too bad his skills, dedication, and smarts weren't placed inside a great athlete.

 

[Jermei]

Both would be elite and dominate. The 92 goals and 215 points might never happen again unless goalie equipment standards go back to 1982 size.

 

[jk7707]

I've always viewed Lemieux as the most dominant player to ever play the game. He didn't have the longevity to compete with the great one in the stats department. But when he was on the ice he had the touch that Gretzky had and was big enough to shrug off most defenders, which Gretzky didnt have.

 

[Prokofievian]

They'd still be dominant, but what dominance is has changed since their time. Gretzky remains the smartest player to ever live. There are still plays he regularly made that pretty much no one even attempts now. Malkin is the closest thing we have to Mario, and when he's on he's unstoppable. Mario was better.