Who was better?
Lemieux or Gretzky?
Comment below who and why.
Vote in the poll in the comments.


The other random players had nothing to do with this...just had to have 10 players in the ream.

Everyone, who was better?
I say Lemieux, what say you?

I don't think it's really a fair comparison.
Lemieux never got to play a whole career so the stats mean nothing. He was always injured. Hip, Back, Cancer.....
6 of his years were 40 some games or less.
He never played one fully healthy season.

WG on the other hand had 9 seasons of 80+ games.

Marion had 6 years where he played 70+ games.
WG had 18.

The point being, no one will ever really know how great Mario could have been. Because while officially he played 17 years. 5 of t hem were like 20 some games or less.
and another was like 40 some games. So he really played 11 seasons at best compared to the 18 real seasons WG got to play.

On top of it, one has to wonder of those 11 seasons how many did he really get after coming back off injury. The 5 years he got in return from cancer are a shadow of himself. Let alone how the back and hip injuries slowed him down.

If you had to choose one to be on a team, based on health alone anyone would have been foolish to choose him over WG.

Mario was probably the most naturally talented player I’ve ever seen and at his peak, he was the best. He had everything, he was big, strong, fast but also had tremendous agility, balance and elegance in the way he moved. Impossible for opponents to take him off the puck. Wayne wasn’t as physically gifted, but it seemed he was smarter and more efficient. He wasn’t as flashy constantly undressing opponents, his style was simpler. That’s why he put up more points and was more consistent. You are right about Mario not being the same after the health issues. I always think of Mario Lemieux as the Ronaldo Nazario of hockey because without injuries, he would’ve been the GOAT.

With the huge caveat if healthy, I think Lemieux would have more goals and be way closer in points. Remember as well Mario had barely anything around him for his early years while Edmonton just built super teams with Messier Gretzky and co.

Yes I agree Mario during the time he was healthy was like Jack Eichel, he didn’t have much help from throughout the lineup. If he was playing with a guy like Jagr on his wings during those years, no doubt in my mind he could’ve put up similar numbers to Wayne at least.

This isn't an AGM. Moving to the other thread.

What other thread. Where? I don’t get it.

no doubt he was a physically gifted player and had the size. But that same size is also why he had so many problems with his back and hips. We'll never know if he could have owned all the records. Some things just weren't ever meant to be.

On the top right of the screen there is a "forum" button. If you click you'll see that there are a ton of other more specific sections to discuss things that have nothing to do with making up an AGM team.

Example The Lemieux vs Gretzky debate deserves to be in the "General fantasy talk" thread.

BTW IMHO Lemieux was a better player but he just never got the chance to fully prove it. So Gretzky remains the best.

gretzky imo because he got his number retired for the entire league and lemiuex didnt

K thanks. Good work.

Gretzky played first in a Canadian market on a super team and won more cups then went and made hockey big in California.
If Lemieux played in Toronto or New York and had tons of great players around him for more of his career, by too mention had a couple healthy seasons, then we have 2 numbers retired league wide.

Gretzky is the "greater" player of the two. His individual records are like no other in any other sport, period. That being said, I think Lemieux was the better individual player. I think Mario is the best player of all time, but Gretzky is the greatest, if that makes sense.

I think this argument comes down to Performance / Success vs Talent / Raw skill. Both players have both sides in spades, but Gretzky obviously owns practically everyone in the performance columns, and I think there's a general agreement from everybody that Lemieux was probably the most talented player to ever play the game.

If we were just looking at Talent / Raw skill. I think there's a good dozen players who we could arguably put ahead of Gretzky. imo Pavel Bure should be in the same conversation as Lemieux in terms of talent. Too bad the success just wasn't there.