Wayne Gretzky: I'm not the greatest hockey player ever | Dan Patrick Show | NBC Sports

1. Orr
2. Lemieux
3. Howe
4. Gretzky
5. Fedorov

There are no what ifs.
Bit lets assume Bobby Orr was healthy for 20 years on the 70s MTL Canadians and 80s Oilers retiring in 1987.
How many points and championships would he have?

Wayne Gretzky, you are too humble, no body is better than you...

Just like we don't want to hear a player say they are the greatest, we don't want to hear them say "I am not the greatest". Let others decide.

I recently saw a pic of Orr's knee when he 'passed' the Black Hawks physical. It was utterly mangled. His last few years with the Bruins was close to a miracle.

Nobody but Gretzky ever won the scoring titles in any given year by the margins he did. Averaging more than 1.5x points as the closest second in any year, and 2x as many points as anyone in the 80's. Won a scoring title with +74 compared to his own teammate Kurri.
That's what GOATs do.

Too modest. Gretz is the G.O.A.T. who was born in Canada, but gave it up to become an American
MAGAT.

I was a defenseman growing up, the last year I played, in about 20 games, I scored 4 goals, 1 in the 19 games I played defense and 3 in the one game where I was sent to play forward because they were short on players. Similarly, as a kid, the year I was 10, I scored 2 goals all year, I had zero goals, got brought up to play forward and scored 2 goals in 2 games, went back to defense and didn't score again all year. For this reason, I know how hard it is to score goals on defense without neglecting your defensive duties, this is why I say Orr is the greatest player ever.

He's easily the greatest hockey player ever and the greatest team sports athlete ever. And it's by a significant margin.

he put that 87 canada cup team on his back against th best team in the world. Playing the longest shifts and keeping them in every game. They were looong shifts!

I don’t think you’ll hear a lot of Canadians praising Gretzky for anything other than his hockey.

Only the Greatest hockey player says their not the greatest!

When anyone asks the goats if they're the best they always say they're not when they asked Jack Nicklaus if he's the greatest golfer he says he's not when they ask Michael Jordan if he's the greatest basketball player he says he's not when they ask Wayne Gretzky if he's the greatest hockey player he says he's not but when they ask LeBron James he says he is😮😂

Sorry Wayne, you are the GOAT!

G.O.A.T.

He's so humble. But he is to date the greatest player ever to play hockey

1. Gordie Howe.
2. Bobby Orr.
3. (tie) Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Connor McDavid

Maybe I needed to be alive back in the days of Gordie, but I've never seen a more complete hockey player than Peter Forsberg. And I grew up a Wings fan during the rivalry

He’s honest. 👍

Does your wife ever call you the great one? 😂

Wayne, gotta add Cam Neely to that list. You bossy and Kim the only ones to score 50 in 50. Who knows what he would have turned into without that horrific and dirty play that permanently damaged his knee.

Sidney Crosby is the GOAT. 3 Stanley Cups 6 Gold Medals Greatest all around as well. Gretzky always has been jealous of him and the hype Crosby had entering the league. That’s why Gretzky kept him off the 2006 Olympic team.

Only in one team sport do the athletes claim to be the greatest.

Jordan has not publicly claimed to be the GOAT. Stop w the slander, DP.
MJ always says you can’t compare eras.
LeBron is the only one to claim publicly to be the GOAT.

Joe Montana was and is the greatest QB of all time, no disrespect to Brady

bobby orr has more goal scoring ability with the combination of physicality than gordie howe and bobby orr is the greatest of all ....i would love to see gordie howe play defense and have a scoring titile

Great interview!

Traitor Gretzky abondoned Canada many years ago!! Congratulations Alex Ovechkin on becoming the "Greater One"!! 💫

Gretzky is the most prolific scorer but he is NOT the best hockey Player. BOBBY ORR is !!!!!!!!!

He had a gift as a hockey player and has a gift as an ambassador for hockey. His humility is genuine, what a life.

Love, Wayne! He's an NHL treasure!

Gretzky is a traitor to Canada.

The best players are skilled at avoiding getting lined up, there's many times someone could level you but if your a star player it's a kinda hands off type deal, but Wayne was a master at the little 50/50 biscuit battles, he had the knack for scoring better than any player ever, not the best skater, not the prettiest player, his instincts for scoring was the best, 215 points in 1 season, no one will ever come close, it's insane.

92 goals in one season and how many in the playoffs. You are the best ever wayne. I watched Reggie Leach score 87 with the flin flon bombers and scored a lot in the playoffs. You are the best Wayne Gretzky.

people want comfort.

The rules of the game are also a lot different then when Gretzky played. No red line and many other things that have been changed to promote offensive hockey and speed.

I grew up watching Wayne & saw countless interviews. I NEVER heard him say he was any good or take credit for his teams success. His humility is second to none & in my view an essential characteristic of a truly great athlete.

Good to see him again
Tnx! 👍

Bobby Orr is by far the GOAT.

Meanwhile, Howe played until he was in his 80s on his death bed.

Greatest player of all time. And one of the nicest sportsmen ever.

This is how you know you have the right guy.

If Edmonton had 2-3 real Power Forwards who were Alphas then Mcdavid and Leon COULD put up some really sick numbers if they focused on playing a full 60 minutes like Wayne did, Gretzky was just as hungry to score on you in the last minute of a game as he was in the first minute of a game so he ran up scores with bad intentions on every Team he faced.

If Gretz had never scored a goal, he’d still have the most points in NHL history. That’s unfathomable.

There was a defenseman Bobby Orr. Is the best hockey player ever. He led the league TWICE in scoring. A defenseman!!! And only got to play 10 years because of bad knees. Just think what he would have done if he played played 10 years. Mr. HOCKEY is 1 and Orr is 1A then Gretz

Cam Neely played the same way. Actually I think he's better than Mess.

I LOVE that Wayne can go on for 20, 30, 40 minutes about himself and barely mention anyone else. He is in the narcissist HOF.

Doesn't yet have the stats or cups but using the eye test - no one has ever had more talent than McDavid.

Wayne Gretzky, the great weasel.

Bobby Orr is the greatest of all time. His plus/minus per game is light years better than anyone else who ever played. Gordie Howe and Scotty Bowman also considered him the best.