“Wayne Gretzky was probably the best offensive player I saw, but Gordie Howe was the greatest all-around player. Gretzky had two or three protectors around him, but Gordie took care of his own people. If you got near Howe, there was a good chance you would get an elbow in the face. I’ve always said that I would play five Gordie Howes on my team against five Wayne Gretzkys any day. The Gretzkys would all be laying around the ice, and the Howes would still be going.”
This seems like a fun thing to argue. I like the “probably the best offensive player” line.