Mike Gartner retired with the 5th most Goals of All Time. Yet he was never a star player and is derided in some corners of the internet as a “compiler”, i.e. a guy who was just very good and very healthy.
Does Mike Gartner actually belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Listen to us discuss his case here:
Mike Gartner’s Career:
- NHL:
- 1979-98; 19 seasons, 18 quality
- Totals:
- 708G (7th All Time, 5th at his retirement)
- 627A for
- 1335P (18th All Time at his retirement)
- +68 in
- 1432 Games (5th All Time at his retirement);
- 121.8 PS;
- Gartner was 16th All Time in Offensive Point Shares at this retirement
- Per Game:
- 22nd All Time in GPG
- Draft: Drafted 4th overall in 1979, Gartner is
- 1st in Goals
- 5th in Assists
- 3rd in Points
- 15th in Plus/Minus
- 3rd in Point Shares
- 3rd in Games
- Era: Of the 10 players to play in at least 1230 Games between 1979 and 1998, Gartner is
- 2nd in Goals and GPG
- 9th (2nd in last) in Assists and APG
- 7th in Points and PPG
- 9th (2nd last) in Plus/Minus
- 5th in Offensive Point Shares
- 6th in Defensive Point Shares (2nd Forward)
- 6th in Point Shares
- 1st in Games Played
- 82-game average: 40G, 36A for 76P, +4
- 3-year peak (1982-85): 80-game average of 44G, 46A for 90P, +12
- No possession stats
- Playoffs:
- 43G, 50A for 93P, -10 in 122 Games
- Adjusted:
- Hockey-Reference:
- 609G (19th All Time, 7th at his retirement)
- 533A for
- 1142P
- Per Game: Gartner’s not in the Top 25. However, if the qualifier is set to 1230 Games, Gartner is
- 17th All Time in Adjusted GPG
- Era: Of the 183 players to play in at 82 playoff games between 1979 and 1998, Gartner is
- 26th in Goals
- 33rd in GPG
- 49th in Assists
- 61st in APG
- 44th in Points
- 45th in PPG
- 149th in Plus/Minus
- VsX:
- 627G (23rd All Time)
- 594A
- 821P
- Per Game: Gartner is not in the Top 25. However, if the qualifier is set to 1230 Games, Gartner is
- 16th All Time in VsX Adjusted GPG
- Hockey-Reference:
- Trades:
- Traded at 29 with Larry Murphy (28) for Dino Ciccarrelli (29) and Bob Rouse (25)
- Traded at 30 for Ulf Dahlen (23) and a 1990 4th Rounder (nobody)
- Traded at 33 for Glenn Anderson (33), Scott Malone (33) and a 1994 4th Rounder (nobody)
- Traded at 35 for a 1996 4th Rounder (nobody)
- WHA: 1978-79; 1 season
- 27G, 25A, for 52P, -18 in 78 Games
Mike Gartner’s Accomplishments:
- Top Player:
- Top 10 in Offensive Point Shares once (‘85)
- Goals:
- Leader-boards:
- Top 5 in Goals once
- Top 10 five times
- GPG leader-boards:
- Top 10 in GPG twice
- Single-season totals:
- 50 goals once
- 45 goals six times (1 of only 11 players ever)
- 40 goals nine times (1 of only 6 players ever)
- 35 goals fourteen times (only player ever)
- 30 goals seventeen times (only player ever)
- Leader-boards:
- Assists:
- 50 assists once
- 40 assists seven times
- Points:
- Leader-boards:
- Top 10 in Points once
- Single-season totals:
- 100 points twice
- 90 points twice
- 80 points seven times
- 70 points ten times
- 60 points sixteen times (1 of only 8 players ever)
- 50 points seventeen times (1 of only 18 players ever)
- Leader-boards:
- All Star:
- 7 All Star Game appearances
- VsX Peak:
- Best 7 Seasons:
- Goals: 56th All Time
- Assists: Doesn’t qualify
- Points: 201st All Time
- Best 10 Seasons:
- Goals: 42nd All Time
- Assists: Doesn’t qualify
- Points: 168th All Time
- Best 7 Seasons:
Mike Gartner’s Great Teams:
- NHL:
- Top 3 Forward (by points) on one Final Four (‘94 Leafs)
- World/Canada Cup:
- Top 6? Forward (by points) on two Champions (‘84, ‘87 Canada)
- World Championships:
- Top 6? Forward (by points) on two Bronzes (‘82, ‘83 Canada)
- World Juniors:
- Top 6? Forward (by points) on one Bronze (‘78 Canada)