how does that even make sense? Lemieux had a higher PPG than Gretzky, and played through how many injuries?
When did Lemieux have a higher PPG than Gretzky? Gretzky had a higher PPG at every comparable stage of their respective careers, and he finished with a higher PPG.
Gretzky was on the stacked oilers and had multiple body guards.
Gretzky's Oilers weren't stacked his first few years with the team. He was regularly leading the team in scoring by percentages just a shade off how much Lemieux led his awful Penguins teams. And it's not like Lemieux's Penguins weren't absolutely stacked with offensive talent from 1991-1993.
Also, both players put up the best seasons of the career with Paul Coffey feeding them in the puck in transition.
As for bodyguards, Gretzky was better protected, yes but it's not like Kevin Stevens and Rick Tocchet were shrinking violets.
I'm not saying Gretzky wouldn't win multiple Art Rosses, but if him and Mario joined the league as 18 year olds at the same time, Mario would win more scoring titles... if they both had healthy careers, and both were both on comparable teams in terms of offence. If Mario had Jagr and Francis in the 1988 season... smashing 200 would have happened, and he might have beat 215.
Lots of speculation here. You're basically saying if Mario had Jagr (a better linemate than Gretzky ever had!), he might beat Gretzky's record. Remember, both men had Paul Coffey in their best seasons.
Lemieux was definitely better than Gretzky when healthy. Gretzky had more assists, but I think he also had better teammates in the 80's than Mario did.
Why only compare the teams in the 80s? Lemieux's Penguins were almost as stacked as the Oilers for a few seasons in the early 90s.
Mario's 1992/1993 is really comparable to anything Gretzky did. 160 points in 60 games is insane... if he played a full 84 games, I see no reason why he would not have smashed 215 out of the record books.
If by "smashed," you mean "barely broken," I do agree he had a chance.
69 goals in 60 games... 91 assists... Gretzky won the Art Ross the next season with 38 goals, and 130 points in 81 games. Mario's monster seasons 87/88, 88/89, 92/93 95/96, all compare with Gretzky's best seasons. and only in 95/96 did he have a supporting line up, that can be compared to Wayne's Oilers.
More about the "stacked" Oilers. In 1981-82, Gretzky had 92 goals, 120 assists, for 212 points. Glen Anderson was 2nd on the team with 105 points, less than half as many points as Gretzky had and fewer points than Gretzky had assists. Paul Coffey was 3rd on the team with 89 points, fewer points than Gretzky even had goals. Some "great supporting cast."
Lemieux's early 90s Penguins were far more stacked than that, though I don't see why it matters. Gretzky and Lemieux are two players who put up their points no matter who their linemates were.
So basically, assuming that modern health tech, could have helped Lemieux play more than 1,200 had he been born 20 years later... I think he would have dominated the league, and been a firm #1 player, with Gretzky at # 2.
bring Bobby Orr into the discussion, and who the **** knows
The only argument for this is that Lemieux would be a better fit for the modern game, which is definitely something you can argue, though I disagree with it.