Leon Draisaitl publicly disrespects NHL and Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky in recent interview

Leon Draisaitl was recently asked who the greatest player of all time in the NHL is, and his answer was nothing short of disrespectful to former Oiler Wayne Gretzky.

Today, Edmonton Oilers phenom Leon Draisaitl wasted no time in throwing his support behind a teammate when asked who he thinks is the greatest player in NHL history.

Without missing a beat, Leon cited McDavid as that one person out of all the other superstars in the game for how much admiration he has for his friend and captain.

It's not hard to see why Draisaitl would feel this way. Being McDavid's teammate and close friend probably makes his argument for the center that much stronger.

Truth be told, having seen his close friend's talent firsthand, Draisaitl genuinely seems to be stating an opinion.

Skill, speed, accomplishments, be it as may, naming McDavid the "GOAT" of the NHL is very, very premature, and some would even say misplaced.

When it comes to the question of the NHL's Greatest of All Time, one name stands at or near the top of every list: Wayne Gretzky.

Nicknamed "The Great One," Gretzky's legacy is universally regarded as being attached to a litany of records that remain, quite frankly, nearly unblemished several decades later.

Of the dozen-plus all-time NHL records he held, Gretzky held the record for most career goals, assists, and points, records that define both his era and the sport wholesale.

The only record Gretzky holds even remotely close to being broken right now is the NHL's all-time goal record, which Alex Ovechkin is currently chasing.

While other legends, including Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe, and Mario Lemieux, should be mentioned for their game-changing impact on hockey, Gretzky's influence and statistics place him on a level yet to be equaled by any player thus far.

For hockey fans worldwide, Gretzky represents an ideal that few will ever approach. McDavid has quite the career already, and he may continue to change the nature of the game; however, he has much more to do before he's even in the conversation.

While that is very commendable of Draisaitl toward McDavid, the real GOAT is Wayne Gretzky, and it would take a lot to beat him out.

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