Sanderson
Registered User
Per game basis hinges a lot on the number of games you play and how early you retire. Mike Bossy's goals per game average would have been a whole lot lower if he had a long and healthy career. At the same time, his career totals would have been a whole lot higher as well. The same can be said for Mario Lemieux. Wayne Gretzky, and players like Mark Messier and Ron Francis, are on the other end of the spectrum, accumulating larger totals at the cost of reduced averages (as crazy as that sounds in regard to Gretzky).On a per game basis, Lemieux's a significantly better goalscorer.
Mario Lemieux passed Wayne Gretzky in points per game at some point because he had retired while Gretzky continued to play way past his prime. Then Lemieux returned, and Gretzky passed him again while being in retirement, as late-stage Lemieux couldn't keep up the necessary pace to stay ahead. And that was while he was putting up 76 points in 43 games during his comeback season. Averages without context are useless, as is comparing the final averages for someone with a short and injury-troubled career with those of someone with a long and healthy one. All you can really do, is compare those players based on similar time-frames and games played to even out the playing-field.
Which doesn't change that Mario Lemieux might be the most talented hockey player ever. Just short of being the best one though.