Gretzky leads the way with 1,479 points (495 goals, 984 assists) in 896 games, while Jagr comes in second with 1,018 points (414 goals, 604 assists) in 858 games. Gretzky was on the ice for 70 power-play goals that season, which is 61 percent more than Crosby, who was on for 43 last season, according to Hockey-Reference.com. However, Crosby led the NHL with 112 points (44 goals, 68 assists) in 62 games after Jan. 1.
Crosby is also first in game-winning goals with 93 and second in overall goals with 516. He's also second in assists with 788. The Penguins' captain has been recognized many times for his outstanding play. In 2010-11, he was named the NHL's First Star of the Month for January. The league selects the MVP each month at a time when there is a lack of consensus as to who is having the best season.
In addition, Crosby has been nominated for the Lady Byng Trophy every year since its inception in 2009-10. This award is given to the player who exhibits the most sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct toward his opponent during the course of a game. The winner is selected by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.
Crosby is always willing to help out his teammates, whether it's by taking a faceoff or playing defense, so he doesn't mind putting himself in harm's way.
2,857 Wayne Gretzky owns the NHL record for career points with 2,857, 970 more than former colleague Mark Messier, who is second. That implies that even if Gretzky never scored a single one of his 894 goals (another NHL record), he would still be the league's all-time leading scorer with 1,963 assists.
Gretzky turned 40 in February and is now entering his 19th season in the NHL. He has already made more appearances in the league than any other player in history - not including time spent on injured reserve - and is expected to continue playing at an extremely high level for several more years. If he retired today, he would still be the most popular player in the history of the league.
Gretzky was born in New York City on January 9, 1951. He grew up in Brantford, Ontario, where he played minor hockey before moving on to major junior status with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. In 1969-70, he set a new scoring record with 152 points (44 goals, 108 assists) in only 42 games while earning MVP honors. That same year, the St. Louis Blues drafted him first overall. The following season, he helped lead the team to its first ever Stanley Cup victory.
In 1972-73, Gretzky joined the Los Angeles Kings as they began their long history of success.
Gretzky is the NHL's all-time top scorer, with more goals and assists than any other player. He had more assists than any other player in total points scored, and he is the first NHL player to have more than 200 points in a single season four times. He also won the Art Ross Trophy as the league's highest scoring right wing each year from 1978-79 to 1991-92, and was nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player three times.
On the international stage, Gretzky was one of the greatest players ever, winning five gold medals with Canada at different events. He remains the only hockey player to win the award unanimously by his peers; no other player has even been nominated since then. At home in Edmonton, Gretzky is regarded as one of the best hockey players of all time and the face of the franchise. He has been awarded the King Clancy Award for excellence in leadership and mentoring over 40 times.
Gretzky was born on January 4th, 1951 in Brantford, Ontario. He grew up in nearby Thornhill, and became one of the biggest stars in hockey after joining the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. He ended his career with the New York Rangers in 1999, and returned to his former team for two final seasons. Gretzky played 1,964 games over 21 seasons, recording 894 goals and 1,030 assists for 2,924 points.
Wayne Gretzky also holds the record for "Most Career Points" with 2,857 in 1,487 total games played. Mark Messier has the closest record to Gretzky in that area, with 1,887 points. The most recent conversion puts their career mark within one point of each other.
Gretzky and Messier have both been voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. If they were to be voted on today, it's possible that either or both would be elected into the Hall of Fame for a second time.
The closest player to Gretzky in terms of points per game is Jarome Iginla with 1.94. If you adjust Iginla's totals for when he played in Calgary and Boston, his average drops to 1.81 points per game. Rick Middleton is second at 1.80 points per game.
In terms of overall points, Jaromir Jagr is the closest player to Gretzky. The current conversion puts their career mark within one point of each other.
Jagr and Gretzky both played for the Soviet Union during their careers, making them rivals as well as friends. They both won all possible trophies available during the Cold War era, including three consecutive gold medals at the Winter Olympics.
Gretzky's milestone of scoring 50 goals in 39 games during the 1981–82 season is equaled by Orr's achievement of being the first defenseman to collect 100 points on March 15, 1970, with the Boston Bruins. Gretzky's 50th goal came in the Edmonton Oilers' 39th game of the season on December. 31, 1981; Orr scored his 100th point two months earlier on February 10, 1982.
Gretzky has more career goals (836) than Orr (793). However, Bob Gainey (1997–2002), who played for both the Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers, is a strong candidate to be named the best defensive player ever. He won three consecutive Norris Trophies as the league's top defender from 1997 to 2000. His career plus-minus rating of +129 indicates that he was responsible for at least 129 points while he was on the ice. He led the NHL in that category each year from 1997 to 2000. In addition, Gainey won the Art Ross Trophy as the league's highest scorer with 127 points in 1998–99 and 1999–2000.
Orr was born in New York City on January 4, 1946. He was one of five children of Edward "Ed" Orr and Eileen Molloy Orr. His family moved to South Buffalo when he was eight years old so that he could play football for Bishop Timon High School.
Mike Bossy was one of the NHL's most prolific Stanley Cup Playoff scorers. Bossy finished his career with 85 goals and 75 assists in 129 postseason games, a 1.24 point-per-game average at the game's highest level. With 894 goals, 1,963 assists, and 2,857 points, Wayne Gretzky is the NHL's all-time leading scorer. However, because the NHL didn't have any other major players besides Gretzky until after Bossy retired, it's hard to compare their numbers directly against each other.
Bossy had a much more successful career than Gretzky did at the same stage of their careers. While Gretzky played in only 93 playoff games over eight seasons, Bossy led the New York Islanders to the playoffs every year he was on their roster, except for one (1993-1994), when he missed most of the season due to injury. The Islanders made the playoffs six times during that period.
Also worth mentioning is that while Gretzky spent most of his time with the Edmonton Oilers in the early 1990s, playing less than 50 games four years out of five, Bossy played in at least 70 games every single year of his career except for the 1993-1994 season when he suffered a knee injury that required surgery and missed the entire season.
So, considering all of this, it can be said that although they were on different teams at different stages of their careers, Mike Bossy was probably the best player ever to play the game.
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