Will Gretzky's numbers ever be broken?

[Hockey_Ninja]

894 goals, 1963 assist, 2857 points.

92 goals in a season
163 assists in a season
215 points in a season ( he had 4 200 point seasons)
50 goals in 39 games
47 points in a single playoff run
31 assist in a single playoff run
and a bunch of other crazy records he holds.

Gretzky was clearly a freak of nature and dominated the game like no one could. Will we ever see another genetic freak come in and break these records or has the game advanced to much for it to happen?

[habernac]

As long as the goalies look like Mr Stay Puft with garbage can lids for gloves, no.

[Enoch Root]

ever is a long time

[the_only_turek_fan]

No.

[bubbsy]

nope. Shot blocking, goalie equipment, and more defensive strategies, i don't think we'll ever see the kind of offensive numbers in the game again.

[Red Ice Player]

The career goals record maybe. Career assists and points, no chance in hell. Even if Wayne Gretzky himself were to start over, age 18, this year, no chance in hell. The average skill level in today's NHL is just too good for that.

[Erick Estrada]

Nope. Goaltenders are way too good as are defenseman, shot blocking and systems in general over the 80's. It's a completely different game now. 100 point seasons now aren't even automatic for Crosby.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Depends on how early Boston College's season is over.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

The game would have to change a great deal for that to happen. Everything culminated at the right time for Gretzky, he was obviously an exceptional talent, playing at a time in which there was the one of the weakest talent pools in the leagues history, especially when you factor in expansion and the relatively few Europeans playing in the NHL. The goaltending was for the most part pretty awful and the equipment for goaltenders was pretty poor itself. Defensive play wasn't tops on many teams radars as well.

The only way I could see anything changing is if the nets were made bigger.

[getbak]

Not unless the game changes significantly and scoring goes through the roof. As the game is played today, those big records are safe.



As a side note:

I'm surprised that Gretzky only had 91 GWGs in his career. Iginla is the Flames' franchise leader with 83. Add in his one GWG with Pittsburgh and 6 (wow) with Boston, and Iggy is only one GWG behind Gretzky in their careers.


Also...Ron Francis, over a PPG player and almost 1,800 career points, but still a career -10.

[mikephoen]

No chance, unless the game changes drastically. Like only 4 skaters per side or significantly bigger nets drastically.

[Coach]

Yeah definitely not. Almost 1000 more points than the next closest guy. That's ridiculous.

[mikephoen]

Originally Posted by getbak

Not unless the game changes significantly and scoring goes through the roof. As the game is played today, those big records are safe.



As a side note:

I'm surprised that Gretzky only had 91 GWGs in his career. Iginla is the Flames' franchise leader with 83. Add in his one GWG with Pittsburgh and 6 (wow) with Boston, and Iggy is only one GWG behind Gretzky in their careers.


Also...Ron Francis, over a PPG player and almost 1,800 career points, but still a career -10.

Also Sakic only a +30 for the career is surprising to me.

[username]

I remember in Rock em Sock em 3 (yes I'm that old) Don Cherry talking about the only stat that will never be broken and it's hard to argue this:

Bobby Orr finished the 70/71 season a +124

That is incredible, +40 will win it these days.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Yeah definitely not. Almost 1000 more points than the next closest guy. That's ridiculous.

I find it more ridiculous that he's the all time leading scorer on assists alone. Gretzky might just be the greatest athlete ever.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

Also Sakic only a +30 for the career is surprising to me.

Why? Those Nordique teams were AWFUL

[albertGQ]

The record I think is hardest to break is his 163 assists in a single season. Besides Wayne himself, only Mario had more points in a season. Least talked about Gretzy record IMO

[Table 5]

If there can be one Gretzky, there can be a thousand Gretzkys. It's just a matter of time.

If the NHL goes on for another 40-50 years...chances aren't good that his most accomplished records will be broken. If it goes on another 1000, then at some point the combination of player and conditions will come together again, perhaps multiple times.

[Nandric]

There might be a small chance of breaking the 31assists in a playoff run, though I feel the optimal situation of multiple 7 game series would have to happen.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

I find it more ridiculous that he's the all time leading scorer on assists alone. Gretzky might just be the greatest athlete ever.

Yeah I would say he is the single most dominant athlete at his chosen sport amongst all the other "all-time athletes' from various sports (Jordan, Woods, Pele, etc...).