Say no more. I can post the league averages for all of the years but here are the numbers.
Historical playoff league averages:
EVG: 2.03, PPG: 0.74, SHG: 0.10
Wayne Gretzky playoffs adjusted
79-80: 3 GP: 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS
80-81: 9 GP: 5 G, 10 A, 15 PTS
81-82: 5 GP: 5 G, 6 A, 11 PTS
82-83: 16 GP: 9 G, 19 A, 28 PTS
83-84: 19 GP: 12 G, 21 A, 33 PTS
84-85: 18 GP: 13 G, 22 A, 35 PTS
85-86: 10 GP: 7 G, 11 A, 18 PTS
86-87: 21 GP: 5 G, 27 A, 32 PTS
87-88: 19 GP: 9 G, 22 A, 31 PTS
Oilers playoff totals:
120 GP: 67 G, 139 A, 206 PTS (1.72)
Connor McDavid playoffs adjusted
16-17: 13 GP: 6 G, 5 A, 11 PTS
19-20: 4 GP: 5 G, 4 A, 9 PTS
20-21: 4 GP: 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS
21-22: 16 GP: 9 G, 21 A, 30 PTS
22-23: 12 GP: 8 G, 11 A, 19 PTS
23-24: 22 GP: 6 G, 34 A, 40 PTS
Totals:
71 GP: 35 G, 78 A, 113 PTS (1.59)
Mario Lemieux playoffs adjusted
88-89: 11 GP: 9 G, 6 A, 15 PTS
90-91: 23 GP: 13 G, 24 A, 37 PTS
91-92: 15 GP: 13 G, 16 A, 29 PTS
92-93: 11 GP: 6 G, 8 A, 14 PTS
93-94: 6 GP: 4 G, 3 A, 7 PTS
95-96: 18 GP: 11 G, 14 A, 25 PTS
96-97: 5 GP: 4 G, 3 A, 7 PTS
00-01: 18 GP: 7 G, 12, 19 PTS
Totals:
107 GP: 67 G, 86 A, 153 PTS (1.43)
To match McDavid’s first 9 years (71 GP and 113 P for 1.59 ppg) Gretzky is at 206 in 120 (1.72) and Lemieux 95 in 60 (1.58)
McDavid has the edge on Lemieux for two best runs combined and for adjusted playoff ppg. For regular season adjusted ppg through the first 9 years it is 1.64 for Lemieux and 1.61 for McDavid. This really helps McDavid’s future case for second best player ever given his overall career trajectory. Longevity very well could be what breaks this essentially relative equivalence between the two.