Without a doubt, we are fascinated with “Outliers” – those who stand so much taller than the rest that we can’t help but take notice.  Every now and then, someone comes along who undeniably transcends.

Wayne Gretzky was one such outlier in the hockey arena. A look at the career assists and goals of the top 100 players in NHL history tells the story clearly like any good data viz should:

As hockey players go, Gretzky was blessed with the never-before-seen combination of talent, teammates and time. He could do things with the puck that boggled the mind, his supporting cast protected him and knew how to score, and he stayed healthy for 21 awe-inspiring seasons.

Was there ever any other team sport athlete who stood so far apart from the rest?