Now before I get flamed, I have an interesting argument. My friends and I were having a nice Sunday night pint and pondered the possibility that if Gretzky played today would he be as dominant as say a Sidney Crosby. My buddies and I are all around 22-23, so we didn't really get a chance to watch Gretzky play. All we have is those old video highlights we can search.
Stats wise, Gretzky is king. In fact, untouchable... for the rest of time... But he played in a "weaker" NHL. Now before some 30+ year olds tear me apart saying "you millennials know nothing" hear me out. By weaker I mean, the players were simply not as fast, skilled, or big. The goaltending was not as good. I like to refer to those days as the NHL still in its growing days, its a young professional sport. Only now are we starting to see the level of play in the NHL hit what I would call top levels. I know thats bold to say that our time period is close to top levels but lets take an example. 50 years before this date the year was 1967. Now the level of hockey in the NHL was much different than it is today. Lets go 50 years in the future, that brings us to 2067. In that year we might see some smaller changes in the game but nevertheless I think the standard of play will be much closer between 2017-2067 than 1967-2017. Im basing that estimate off my argument to say the NHL is now reaching top levels. We are blessed in live in a time period to see optimal professional sporting levels from the players.
I do not want to take anything away from Gretzky. Nor do I from the likes of Sid. This argument can be brought forth not just of Gretzky but of Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, etc. These guys are legends. Pioneers of the growing game. Take note of me saying growing game. It's like there is an invisible law which states to never say anyone is better than Gretzky, Howe, Orr. And if you say that you're automatically a dumb millennial that knows nothing about hockey. To me, being a legend/pioneer of the game is not the same as the GOAT. I strongly believe Sidney Crosby is best skilled/overall player of all time. But it feels like its almost absurd to say he's better than those three because of that unwritten rule.
Quite the beer conversation eh! We then started this argument with literally every other sport. It seems like older generation players tend to be valued higher than our best players in this generation. But arguments and facts can say that our generation of sport is amongst the highest humans have seen.
Weird.
