[basalt]

Take away all 894 goals that Gretzky scored...and he’d still be the N.H.L all time leading scorer. Yikes. He transcended the game...greatest player of any team sport ever.

[Alberta's Child]

The scary thing about Gretzky was the was never much of a "natural" goal scorer. He didn't have Jari Kurri's speed or deadly shot, Mario Lemieux's unbelievable hands, or the physical presence around the net of someone like Cam Neely or Mark Messier. But he had an uncanny ability to put himself in the perfect position to score goals, and had better "ice vision" than anyone I've ever seen.

Let's also give credit where credit is due, though. He played on some ridiculously talented teams that you'll probably never see again in the age of the NHL salary cap. I watched a replay of one of their Stanley Cup clinching games against Boston back in the 1980s, and their first power play unit was ridiculous. Messier moved over to left wing alongside Gretzky, Kurri dropped back to play the right point next to Paul Coffey, and Glenn Anderson played right wing in Kurri's place next to Gretzky. With Grant Fuhr in net you had SIX future Hall of Famers on the ice.

[InvisibleChurch]

He played as a 17 year old here in Indianapolis for the Racers. What might have been.

[Lancey Howard]

He transcended the game...greatest player of any team sport ever.

Hands down. Okay, there are arguments for Babe Ruth and Wilt Chamberlain, but nobody else. I still go with Gretzky.