Who is better, Gretzky or Kotkaniemi?
Wayne Gretzky leads with a GOAT score of 97.8 against 47.7 for Jesperi Kotkaniemi — a gap of 50.1 points on GOAT Rank's weighted model.
AthletesTeams
Gretzky vs Kotkaniemi
Shareable comparison — send this exact matchup to anyone.
GOAT verdictgoatrank.world
GretzkyWinner
97.8Gretzky wins: Dominance, Peak, Longevity, Honours, Statistics
Kotkaniemi
47.7Kotkaniemi wins: no category outright
Candidates
Locked to Ice HockeyShareable URL · /compare/gretzky-vs-ros-jesperi-kotkaniemi
Time range
Showing full careers. Pick a window to recalculate the selected period.
Category radar
Verdict
Weighted GOAT score
🇨🇦 Wayne Gretzky
97.8
Gretzky leads in 5 of 5 weighted categories.
1. Wayne Gretzky
2. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Category breakdown
Season form · Points per season
Career timeline · Points per season
Cumulative output season by season — the shape of each career against the other.
GOAT pace tracker
Through age 21 · Points per season
1. 🇨🇦 Wayne Gretzky513 points
3 seasons by age 21 · 171 per season
Setting the pace at age 21
No verified birth date for Kotkaniemi — shown in the pro-debut view instead.
Every career is cut at the season the athlete turned 21, so a rookie today is measured against exactly what a legend had banked by the same birthday.
| Metric | GretzkyRetired · New York Rangers | KotkaniemiActive · Carolina Hurricanes |
|---|---|---|
| Career points | 2,857 | — |
| Career goals | 894 | — |
| Stanley Cups | 4 | — |
| Hart Trophies | 9 | — |
| Art Ross Trophies | 10 | — |
| Points per game | 1.92 | — |
| NHL games | — | 518 |
| NHL goals | — | 78 |
| NHL assists | — | 125 |
| NHL points | — | 203 |
| NHL award: Stanley Cup | — | 1 |
| Number | — | 82 |
| Dominance w25% | 100 | 43.4 |
| Peak w20% | 100 | 60.8 |
| Longevity w20% | 92 | 50.6 |
| Honours w20% | 97 | 26 |
| Statistics w15% | 100 | 62.2 |
Fan vote — data vs the people
GOAT Rank · the data
Gretzky97.8
Kotkaniemi47.7
FAQ
Where does Kotkaniemi beat Gretzky?
Kotkaniemi does not lead any of the five categories; Gretzky is ahead or level on all of them.
How is the Gretzky vs Kotkaniemi score calculated?
Both are scored on peak, dominance, honours, statistics, longevity within their sport. Gretzky: 97.8, Kotkaniemi: 47.7.
What do you think?
0 commentsMake your case for Gretzky vs Kotkaniemi. The scoring is published in full — if you can point at the pillar or the weight you disagree with, we read it. Read the methodology paper.