Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacks
Lemieux scored 85 goals and 199 points in 76 games, at that time the league was averaging 1/2 goal less per game than when Gretzky had his best season of 212 points (he had 215 points but only 52 goals that year). Lemieux was involved in 57% of the goals that the Penguins scored that year which I believe is still a modern day record. Lemieux had Rob Brown on his wing, Brown scored 115 points that one year which is more than 25% of his career totals. Brown was a borderline NHLer without Lemieux and a 49 goal scorer with Mario bouncing pucks off of him. Given Gretzky's health, teammates and era I'm confident that Lemieux would have at least equaled his point totals.
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I find it interesting that Paul Coffey happened to be skating around in Edmonton and Pittsburgh when the two greatest players of the era were hanging around the 200 point mark.
Gretzky never hit 180 points again after Coffey left town. Gretzky went from 164->215 when Coffey broke out in his second season.
Lemieux went 107->168->199 in Coffey's first three seasons.
Coffey left to Detroit and Fedorov hit 100 points two out of the three seasons Coffey was there. The other season was the first lockout year. Fedorov never came close to the same production again.
Maybe its coincidence, or maybe Paul Coffey was the ultimate octane booster for offensive fowards. Maybe a bit of both.