Hart Trophy Tournament (1969-00) Round 2: 1982 Wayne Gretzky vs 1984 Wayne Gretzky

[blundluntman]

MATCHUP #4 (Round 2): Wayne Gretzky (1982) vs Wayne Gretzky (1984)

Wayne Gretzky (1981-82):
80 GP 92 G 120 A 212 Points |1st in Scoring, 1st in Assists, 1st in Goals, Art Ross, 1st AST

Wayne Gretzky (1983-84):
74 Games Played 87 Goals 118 Assists 205 Points | 1st in Points, 1st in Assists, 1st in Goals, Art Ross, Pearson/Lindsay, 1st AST

Round 2 Matchups
70 Orr vs 71 Orr (Still Active) Thread
76 Clarke vs 94 Fedorov (Still Active) Thread
77 Lafleur vs 86 Gretzky Thread
82 Gretzky vs 84 Gretzky
87 Gretzky vs 88 Lemieux
91 Hull vs 93 Lemieux
95 Lindros vs 98 Hasek
96 Lemieux vs 99 Jagr

Round 1 Results

Click to read more...

 

[bobholly39]

1982.

More goals, more assists, more points....on a weaker team. Pretty self explanatory, and easy comparison.

Maybe 1984 ends up higher on all 3 with all 80 games played instead of 74, but as it is 1982 was simply slightly better.

Two terrific seasons - and if we were ranking every season in this tournament they both definitely finish top 5, and both have an argument for being top 2. But if you have to knock one out, I say 1982 should win.

 

[Voight]

Still crazy he had four 200 point seasons in five years. Nobody else has scored 200 in NHL history. Just pure dominance.

 

[Video Nasty]

1983-1984 was his peak.

Began the season on a 51 game point streak where he piled up 60 goals and 93 assists for 153 points. He led the scoring race by 68 points over Kurri. Bossy was the closest non-teammate and was behind by 70 points. Gretzky had been playing with a shoulder injury during the week leading up to the streak being snapped and then sat for the next 6 games.

Also worth noting that they lost the game where his streak was snapped and he was clearly less effective. The Oilers then went on to lose 5 of the the 6 games, including the final 5 in a row where they scored 9 total goals.

“While Gretzky suffered a muscle injury to his right shoulder a week ago that has hampered him, he doesn't offer it as an excuse. "I can still slap the puck because I don't have to move my shoulder, but if I have to pass it bothers me," says the 23-year-old center. "I thought about not playing, but I didn't want the streak to end with me in the stands."

It’s funny how no one ever talks about injuries when it came to his streak stopping, but it’s all we hear about when Lemieux’s 46 was snapped.

 

[bobholly39]

It’s funny how no one ever talks about injuries when it came to his streak stopping, but it’s all we hear about when Lemieux’s 46 was snapped.

Gretzky had close to a perfect career. So there's less to speculate about under better circumstances (ie less injuries). That's why it gets focused on less than with Lemieux or many others.

But there's no doubt in my mind that without any injury in 1984, it would have been his best statistical season. He'd have topped his goal + point record. But he simply didn't, and so it's easy to vote 1982 above here.

Also - I never hear about injury and Lemieux's streak of 46 games. It's more about prime/peak seasons cut short to injury that gets focused on a lot.

 

[Video Nasty]

Also - I never hear about injury and Lemieux's streak of 46 games. It's more about prime/peak seasons cut short to injury that gets focused on a lot.

I hear it when it comes up. People say Lemieux would own the point streak if not for injuries, without realizing that Gretzky’s ended where it did because of an injury.

 

[WalterLundy]

1983-84. Greatest season in the history of the sport. Would have had between 230-240 in 80 games if no injury occurs.
Had 153 in 51 and 171 in 57 in that season. So fortunate I got to see him live that year.

 

[TheStatican]

It’s funny how no one ever talks about injuries when it came to his streak stopping, but it’s all we hear about when Lemieux’s 46 was snapped.

I would say it's not discussed more because playing with a bum shoulder for a week isn't the same level of attrition as playing with a bad back/herniated back for an entire season.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I would say it's not discussed more because playing with a bum shoulder for a week isn't the same level of attrition as playing with a bad back/herniated back for an entire season.

Exactly

Full credit to Gretz for everything. But he had a tremendous amount of protection.

 

[Toby91ca]

1982.

More goals, more assists, more points....on a weaker team. Pretty self explanatory, and easy comparison.

Maybe 1984 ends up higher on all 3 with all 80 games played instead of 74, but as it is 1982 was simply slightly better.

Two terrific seasons - and if we were ranking every season in this tournament they both definitely finish top 5, and both have an argument for being top 2. But if you have to knock one out, I say 1982 should win.

I don't know, I suggest the opposite and suggest it's a pretty easy conclusion as well. I get what you are saying, but hard to argue against what he did in 1984 (perhaps missing games is a knock? that's the only thing I can think of). Better team? Maybe, but they were both stacked.

He won the scoring title in 1984 by 79pts (and he missed games). He won the scoring title in 1982, playing all games, by 65pts. His PPG in 1984 was 2.77 vs. #2 at 1.77 compared to 1982 of 2.65 vs. #2 at 1.84. Led +/- both years, but 1982 was +80 vs. #2 at +78....1984 was +78 vs. #2 at +68 (again, missed games so would have been wider).

I think 1984 was Wayne's best year in his career. He played enough games where you don't have to play the what if game, but I do think there is a small knock on that year because of missed games (though it's only 6).

 

[Toby91ca]

Gretzky had close to a perfect career. So there's less to speculate about under better circumstances (ie less injuries). That's why it gets focused on less than with Lemieux or many others.

Gretzky played the last 8 years of his career with a bad back.