Puck Prose
Fansided

NHL power rankings: Top 3 greatest centers of all-time

By Colton Pankiw

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 27: (L-R) Former NHL players Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux speak onstage during the NHL 100 Media Availability as part of the 2017 NHL All-Star Weekend at the JW Marriott on January 27, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 27: (L-R) Former NHL players Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux speak onstage during the NHL 100 Media Availability as part of the 2017 NHL All-Star Weekend at the JW Marriott on January 27, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
nhl power rankings, edmonton oilers, wayne gretzky
Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) /

1. Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky, known as “The Great One”, is widely regarded as the best hockey player to ever play. All of his numbers and records are astounding, perhaps none more than the fact he is the only player to ever have over 200 points in a season. What makes that stat so crazy is that he accomplished that feat four different times, including a career high 215 points during the 1985-86 season.

Gretzky wasn’t known as a goal scorer. In fact, if you were to take away all of his career goals, he would still lead the league all time in points. However, despite not being known as a goal scorer, his 92 goals during the 1981-82 season remain a league best, as do his career 894 goals. He also ranks second for goals in a season, thanks to his 87 during the 1983-84 season.

Gretzky is the most decorated NHL player of all time, having won 10 Art Ross Trophies, nine Hart Trophies, five Lady Byng’s, and five Lester B. Pearson’s. He played on teams that were highly successful as well, which resulted in four Stanley Cup Championships (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988) which all came while he was a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

Of course, Gretzky himself played a massive role in those championships, and was rewarded with the Conn Smythe on two separate occasions.

Next. Every Team's Greatest Player Of All-Time. dark

It seems extremely unlikely that anyone will ever beat the majority of Gretzky’s scoring records, let alone come anywhere near them. Sure, scoring goals in his era was easier than it is now, but he was more dominant than anyone the league has ever seen. There is a reason they call him the Great One, and he will likely always be regarded as the best player of all time.

Home/All-Time Lists