In today's video I discuss why I think McDavid is a better hockey player than Wayne Gretzky. CHECKOUT MY MOST POPULAR VIDEO HERE: • Sidney Crosby CHANGED ...
I saw Gretzky play, I was old enough to remember this wonderful player at his prime but to be honest there is no comparison to do if we look about pure ability, McDavid is at another level. Using statistic by taking in comparison how Gretzky was superior to other players in same year is a mistake cause as any sports there is an evolution in training and tactics and this tends to create more parity between players, getting a way to be superior is harder. At the time of Gretzky many players were smokers, they were not fallowing training plan during summer, some were simple goons barely skating. Gretzky was probably having the best hockey IQ at his time and certainly took better advantage of that situation than any other players and because the game was much slower he was able to play way more minutes than any actual players.
Watched Wayne as a kid, Mario as a teen, Crosby/Ovi, and now McDavid. A couple of things to note. I think the main thing for the McDavid argument is the parity. Those Oilers teams were stacked, and there was no cap. I hate comparing players across generations for the reasons you mentioned. Equipment, training, nutrition, everything is better, and the game is more global. I'm in the camp that says you should really only compare to people playing in their era. Also, when Wayne was asked if he could play in the league several years ago, he admitted he was never the fastest, biggest, or strongest. (But I think he said he couldn't more recently.) His game was almost all hockey IQ, and he was magical to watch in that way. However, as a Chicago native, I do not say this lightly, but McDavid has that Michael Jordan type game, where you almost can't believe what you just saw. Speed off the charts. Wayne had that "must watch" thing too I guess, as he spread hockey to the West coast of the US, and grew hockey so much. Lastly, it's one thing to have the potential, but actually doing it is another. Wayne was able to play for a long time. Mario had his health battles. What will happen with McDavid, especially as he gets old and loses some speed? Will he do a Daryll Sittler, and pay the price in the crease to stay a high scorer? Will he remain healthy, and adapt his style? It's yet to be seen. When Tiger woods hit the scene, and started winning all the majors, people thought it was a lock that he would beat Jack Nicholas's record. Like 20 years later, he still hasn't done it... Loving the videos my man!!
totally agree. He is head and shoulders better than Gretzky ever was. Better than any other player that ever played. Even better than Orr. The only thing missing is the cup. If he wins a cup, that will seal the deal.
you have to compare the competition today to that which existed in the 80s. There were not many Europeans, no Czechoslovaks, Russians in the NHL in the 80s. More goals were scored in the 80s. There was no salary cap and some teams had an all-star team, like Edmonton. Gretzky had 42% ice time, McDavid has 30% in ice time.
The problem is that you put Gretzky into today's game as he was. He would be a different player than he was. He would be faster, stronger, have all the tricks of today that didn't exist at his time all while having the greatest on ice mind the game has ever known. Doing it your way is just as ridiculous as saying McDavid would blow everyone away if he played in the 80's because people think 1980 McDavid would be the exact same as 2024 McDavid. He wouldn't. The game would be much easier today for players like Wayne or Mario with all the rules that favour scoring instead of detracting from scoring like they had. How many points they would get is another story but the game would definitely be easier for them to navigate. We know what Wayne and Mario did with all that heavy crappy equipment, one can only imagine how they would do with today's technology. McDavid plays in an era that is the safest for a superstar to freewheel and do whatever they do without having to worry too much about any serious rough stuff because the NHL turned a great league into the pussy league it is today. That's why there are no great rivalries anymore like there used to be. The Battle of Alberta was a true war in Gretzky's day. Now it's just the Stern Disagreement of Alberta.
You can't just say McDavid is faster and has a better shot, therefor he is a better player. If that were true, then Brett Hull and Pavel Bure were better players than Gretzky too. Before Gretzky came into the league (I'm told, I'm not old enough to know pre-Gretzky NHL) when the offense gets the puck they would drive to the net and shoot. Gretzky changed that, and used his teammates better than anyone before or since. He would turn away from the net and do unexpected things. The highlight pack for McDavid you showed in this video reminded me of how pre-Gretzky hockey has been described to me. Get the puck and drive to the net. McDavid is awesome, I think he's better than anyone from the last 20 years. I still have Gretzky and Lemieux ahead of him (and Gretzky I have comfortably ahead of Lemieux). P.S. That missed shot on the open net that you showed at 2:06 while talking about how poor the play in the 80's was, was from 2007, when we were already being told that the game has evolved so much from Gretzky's prime days.
I like your feedback man. I’m just saying that pretty much all of mcdavid’s attributes and skills are better than gretzky’s. I mean gretzky said himself on live tv that mcdavid is better than he ever was. Probably something I should have included in the video. Also yes, I know that clip is from 2007, however clips from any further back than that are nearly impossible to find. So i just picked a older clip. That was my reasoning there. I appreciate the feedback tho man for real.
The question is who was the better talented athlete able to use the current time's available tech and resources to the best ability. McDavid is easily the most dominant player of his generation, an obvious hall of famer even if he stopped today, and one of the best hockey players to ever live. Gretzky on the other hand isn't compared to other hockey players, he's compared to the most dominant athletes in the history of ANY sport. This is obviously hypothetical but it just seems to me you're comparing a king to a God. Watching what 99 did with wood sticks and the skates in the 80s makes it difficult to accept that he wouldn't be even better given the tech available now. McDavid is such a powerhouse skater I think he'd break his ankles going from modern skates to those old boots because his skill outpowers the footwear but Gretzky was used to those and built his skating around it. It's impossible to compare but I tend to look at how dominant the players were and while Connor has a jump on everyone else, Gretzky wasn't even on the same planet as the other guys out there even aside from points. As pure athletic performance without any generational factor being accunted for yes McDavid is better. That being said so are most AHL or college guys and that point
There is something that too many people overlook. They mention the sticks and skates. But I rarely see anyone ever mention the goalie style and equipment when gretzky played compared to now. It's literally night and day. For maybe half of Gretzky's career, the goalie style was stand up and the equipment was tiny. Yes Gretzky was the best of his time, but the game isn't even close to the same anymore. If Gretzky was in his prime today, he wouldnt even come close to what he did in his day.
sorry not even close .. gretzkty was a cheat code ..like arcade .. I tried to duplicate his numbers cheating on EA sports and it was stupid ..i gave up around season 18 .. his numbers are ridiculous
I saw Gretzky play, I was old enough to remember this wonderful player at his prime but to be honest there is no comparison to do if we look about pure ability, McDavid is at another level. Using statistic by taking in comparison how Gretzky was superior to other players in same year is a mistake cause as any sports there is an evolution in training and tactics and this tends to create more parity between players, getting a way to be superior is harder. At the time of Gretzky many players were smokers, they were not fallowing training plan during summer, some were simple goons barely skating. Gretzky was probably having the best hockey IQ at his time and certainly took better advantage of that situation than any other players and because the game was much slower he was able to play way more minutes than any actual players.
Watched Wayne as a kid, Mario as a teen, Crosby/Ovi, and now McDavid. A couple of things to note. I think the main thing for the McDavid argument is the parity. Those Oilers teams were stacked, and there was no cap. I hate comparing players across generations for the reasons you mentioned. Equipment, training, nutrition, everything is better, and the game is more global. I'm in the camp that says you should really only compare to people playing in their era.
Also, when Wayne was asked if he could play in the league several years ago, he admitted he was never the fastest, biggest, or strongest. (But I think he said he couldn't more recently.) His game was almost all hockey IQ, and he was magical to watch in that way. However, as a Chicago native, I do not say this lightly, but McDavid has that Michael Jordan type game, where you almost can't believe what you just saw. Speed off the charts. Wayne had that "must watch" thing too I guess, as he spread hockey to the West coast of the US, and grew hockey so much.
Lastly, it's one thing to have the potential, but actually doing it is another. Wayne was able to play for a long time. Mario had his health battles. What will happen with McDavid, especially as he gets old and loses some speed? Will he do a Daryll Sittler, and pay the price in the crease to stay a high scorer? Will he remain healthy, and adapt his style? It's yet to be seen. When Tiger woods hit the scene, and started winning all the majors, people thought it was a lock that he would beat Jack Nicholas's record. Like 20 years later, he still hasn't done it...
Loving the videos my man!!
What a breakdown!! I appreciate your feedback that’s awesome man.
totally agree. He is head and shoulders better than Gretzky ever was. Better than any other player that ever played. Even better than Orr. The only thing missing is the cup. If he wins a cup, that will seal the deal.
wonderful video. I think you are spot on!
you have to compare the competition today to that which existed in the 80s. There were not many Europeans, no Czechoslovaks, Russians in the NHL in the 80s. More goals were scored in the 80s. There was no salary cap and some teams had an all-star team, like Edmonton. Gretzky had 42% ice time, McDavid has 30% in ice time.
The problem is that you put Gretzky into today's game as he was. He would be a different player than he was. He would be faster, stronger, have all the tricks of today that didn't exist at his time all while having the greatest on ice mind the game has ever known. Doing it your way is just as ridiculous as saying McDavid would blow everyone away if he played in the 80's because people think 1980 McDavid would be the exact same as 2024 McDavid. He wouldn't. The game would be much easier today for players like Wayne or Mario with all the rules that favour scoring instead of detracting from scoring like they had. How many points they would get is another story but the game would definitely be easier for them to navigate. We know what Wayne and Mario did with all that heavy crappy equipment, one can only imagine how they would do with today's technology. McDavid plays in an era that is the safest for a superstar to freewheel and do whatever they do without having to worry too much about any serious rough stuff because the NHL turned a great league into the pussy league it is today. That's why there are no great rivalries anymore like there used to be. The Battle of Alberta was a true war in Gretzky's day. Now it's just the Stern Disagreement of Alberta.
You can't just say McDavid is faster and has a better shot, therefor he is a better player. If that were true, then Brett Hull and Pavel Bure were better players than Gretzky too. Before Gretzky came into the league (I'm told, I'm not old enough to know pre-Gretzky NHL) when the offense gets the puck they would drive to the net and shoot. Gretzky changed that, and used his teammates better than anyone before or since. He would turn away from the net and do unexpected things. The highlight pack for McDavid you showed in this video reminded me of how pre-Gretzky hockey has been described to me. Get the puck and drive to the net.
McDavid is awesome, I think he's better than anyone from the last 20 years. I still have Gretzky and Lemieux ahead of him (and Gretzky I have comfortably ahead of Lemieux).
P.S. That missed shot on the open net that you showed at 2:06 while talking about how poor the play in the 80's was, was from 2007, when we were already being told that the game has evolved so much from Gretzky's prime days.
I like your feedback man. I’m just saying that pretty much all of mcdavid’s attributes and skills are better than gretzky’s. I mean gretzky said himself on live tv that mcdavid is better than he ever was.
Probably something I should have included in the video.
Also yes, I know that clip is from 2007, however clips from any further back than that are nearly impossible to find. So i just picked a older clip. That was my reasoning there.
I appreciate the feedback tho man for real.
The question is who was the better talented athlete able to use the current time's available tech and resources to the best ability. McDavid is easily the most dominant player of his generation, an obvious hall of famer even if he stopped today, and one of the best hockey players to ever live. Gretzky on the other hand isn't compared to other hockey players, he's compared to the most dominant athletes in the history of ANY sport. This is obviously hypothetical but it just seems to me you're comparing a king to a God.
Watching what 99 did with wood sticks and the skates in the 80s makes it difficult to accept that he wouldn't be even better given the tech available now. McDavid is such a powerhouse skater I think he'd break his ankles going from modern skates to those old boots because his skill outpowers the footwear but Gretzky was used to those and built his skating around it.
It's impossible to compare but I tend to look at how dominant the players were and while Connor has a jump on everyone else, Gretzky wasn't even on the same planet as the other guys out there even aside from points.
As pure athletic performance without any generational factor being accunted for yes McDavid is better. That being said so are most AHL or college guys and that point
There is something that too many people overlook. They mention the sticks and skates. But I rarely see anyone ever mention the goalie style and equipment when gretzky played compared to now.
It's literally night and day. For maybe half of Gretzky's career, the goalie style was stand up and the equipment was tiny.
Yes Gretzky was the best of his time, but the game isn't even close to the same anymore.
If Gretzky was in his prime today, he wouldnt even come close to what he did in his day.
Connor speed is next level
sorry not even close .. gretzkty was a cheat code ..like arcade .. I tried to duplicate his numbers cheating on EA sports and it was stupid ..i gave up around season 18 .. his numbers are ridiculous
could have made this way shorter instead of rewording it and saying the same thing! F Gretzky
😅 P R O M O S M
bro is huffing cope
Gretzky was the greatest and it's not even close. Sheesh