Leon Draisaitl disrespects Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky with his latest comments

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Daniel Lucente
November 14, 2024 (5:40 PM)

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Leon Draisaitl was recently interviewed where he was asked a particular question that many felt was a huge disrespect to Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky.

Leon Draisaitl had a thing or two to say today as the Edmonton Oilers superstar named his teammate and friend, Connor McDavid, as his choice for the NHL's Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T).

With reporters asking him questions about hockey's ultimate player, Draisaitl didn't have to take much time to throw McDavid's name into the mix.

"Connor McDavid is the greatest player to ever play in my books. He single-handedly turned our franchise around, pretty much. I just love sharing the ice with him and he's a really, really special person."

- Leon Draisaitl

As understandable as it is to take Draisaitl's perspective, he and McDavid are more than teammates, they are close friends, the assertion that he is G.O.A.T. strikes as more about a gesture of loyalty than an objective assessment.

If we were in Draisaitl's shoes, playing alongside McDavid and seeing his impact daily, we'd probably say the same thing.

But being the best in NHL history is a monumental title, and it's one that, quite frankly, already belongs to another.

But when it comes to the discussion of who is hockey's G.O.A.T., the answer truly is black-and-white: Wayne Gretzky.

Nicknamed "The Great One," the records and accolades that Gretzky possesses are outlandish, with more than a dozen individual records that may never be broken.

Few other players were ever even close to his level of dominance. Yes, Bobby Orr's revolutionary style, Gordie Howe's resilience, and Mario Lemieux's scoring prowess all hold a place in the conversation, but Gretzky stands in a league of his own. We can debate it, but as hockey fans, we really know who the king is.

McDavid is the real deal, and his potential in the future of the sport is surely to be legendary. When it comes to naming the true G.O.A.T. of the NHL, Wayne Gretzky is the name that leads the pack, and it's not even close.