Lafleur and Howe played in a different time when it was easier to be an upper echelon player.

Messier.. hard to debate his greatness but he had a far greater support group than Crosby ever has, he had players around him winning the Art Ross and players like Grant Fuhr won 5 stanley cups with the oilers and are all-star hall of famers who are just after thoughts for those teams.

Crosby is now a better Penguin and overall player than Lemieux etc and I'd think even Lemieux himself would admit that.

Crosby's overall lore is much greater than most of those players as well with his international cred, the Golden goal alone will forever have him on a hockey pedestal

I think Lemieux would of been better then Gretzky but his issue was getting cancer and having all of those back problems. No question with all the things he's done so far he is one of the best players of all time especially dealing with all the concussion issues he's had on top of that.