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To be deemed a great player in any sport - you must not only dominate but also pioneer how the game is played and Gretzky did just that. That said, throughout his carreer the game was undergoing major evolution as well where emphasis on defense is more important than offense. Some say that this has made the game boring to watch - regardless the game has changed and I don't think someone as talented as Gretzky who comes along in the future (a-la Sydney Crosby) will have the same opportunities to pioneer like Gretzky did. How many 'greats' of the game are known for the defensive skill - it is something that is more subjective and records like the ones Gretzky owns are not kept for.
My point is that Gretzky was a great player over a particular time period of the game. Any great player needs to be measure not to all players who every played but the era that they played also needs to be accounted for. It is highly unlikely that if Sydney Crosby blossoms into the superstar everyone thinks he is going to be - he still will not be able to touch Gretzky's records.
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