Quote:
Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen
You know what, maybe it wasn't as easy to score in the 80's as people think. Maybe Gretzky just made it look that way.
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It was easier (goals per game metrics show that) - but he still killed his peers. These are the years he won the Art Ross
80/81: Won scoring title by 29 pts
81/82: Won scoring title by 65 pts (Goals by 28)
82/83: Won scoring title by 72 points
83/84: Won scoring title by 79 points (Goals by 31)
84/85: Won scoring title by 73 points
85/86: Won scoring title by 74 points (Mario was 2nd in his 2nd season)
86/87: Won scoring title by 75 points
89/90: Won scoring title by 13 points
90/91: Won scoring title by 32 points
93/94: Won scoring title by 10 points
From 81 to about 87 he was beating the next leading scorer by more points than 95% of NHLers today even get in a season.
It was easier to score in the 80s but I still think that it unfairly get's used to discount Gretzky's accomplishments. The guy was still head and shoulders above his closest peers.
In Crosby's two Art Ross seasons he beat out the competition by 7 and 17 points. Last year McDavid beat the competition by 11 points. IMO the only forward who has even been even close is Mario, he had some seasons where he was winning by 40+ points.