Yes, Craig Berube played against Wayne Gretzky.
And no, the Maple Leafs coach wouldn’t go so far as to compare Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid to Gretzky.
Or, probably, anyone else in the National Hockey League.
Depending on who is doing the arguing, Gretzky is regarded as the best player in the history of the game.
“I’m not comparing players,” Berube said. “Wayne Gretzky is Wayne Gretzky. There’s only one Wayne Gretzky.
“Wayne, what he did for the game, it’s incredible the numbers he put up, just everything he did. He’s Wayne Gretzky. That’s the best way I can put it. And there’s no other Wayne Gretzky.”
As Alex Ovechkin chases Gretzky’s National Hockey League record for most goals — the Washington Capitals great had 863 before the Caps played in Colorado against the Avalanche on Friday night, and Gretzky finished with 864 — the record amount of NHL points Gretzky amassed comes into greater appreciation. Gretzky finished with 2,857 points.
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Among active players, Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby had the most with 1,613 prior to playing against Columbus versus the Blue Jackets on Friday.
Not quite a year ago, Leafs centre John Tavares hit 1,000 points in his NHL career, the milestone coming in his 1,054th game on Dec. 13 against his former team, the New York Islanders.
Tavares allowed a little smile when speaking of McDavid’s quick charge to 1,000 points, reached on Thursday against the Nashville Predators.
In doing it in 659 games, McDavid required 395 fewer games than Tavares to find the mark.
“His journey was a lot shorter than mine,” Tavares said. “It’s a significant milestone. He’ll recognize that. It was really special for me. I’m sure it’s similar for him.”
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