When you think of hockey legends, Wayne Gretzky’s name comes to mind instantly. The “Great One” dominated the ice for decades,  including 2,857 career points and 894 goals. But in a twist that has fans buzzing, young Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar is about to make in just 56 games what Gretzky made over his entire career. Yeah, you read that right! A handful of games could see Nazar’s paycheck rival a lifetime of Gretzky money. And fans are losing their minds over it.

It all started when the popular X account @spittinchiclets posted, “Frank Nazar has signed for more money in 56 NHL games than Wayne Gretzky made in his entire career.” Shocking? Kind of, but it’s true if you break it down per game. Nazar, only 21 years old, just signed a seven-year contract extension worth $46.13 million on August 21, 2025. That works out to an average annual value (AAV) of $6.59 million, meaning he earns that much every season, regardless of how the NHL structures salaries.

So, the deal starts in 2026-27 and runs through 2032-33, so he’s basically set in Chicago for the long haul. If he plays all 82 games a season, he’s pulling in around $80,000 per game, way more than what Gretzky made per game back in the day. Now, don’t get it twisted—Wayne Gretzky is still a legend, no debate about that. His career spanned the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers, and he earned an estimated $46 million in salary. Add endorsements and other ventures, and his total comes to around $76 million. Sure, salaries were smaller back then, but Gretzky’s impact went far beyond money.

So yes, Nazar makes more per game. But money isn’t everything. The league’s changed, salaries have skyrocketed, and per-game pay doesn’t equal legacy. Nazar is the face of hockey’s modern era: young, talented, and cashing in fast. Gretzky? He’ll always be “The Great One.” But being the legend compared to this young star isn’t sitting well with fans, who are clearly getting mad over it.

Comparing Nazar to Wayne Gretzky? The internet ain’t having it

One fan added, “Over his career Gretzky took home about 0.25% of total league revenue. In today’s terms, factoring in growth of the league – that’s roughly $17M/ year. Bigger share than any player makes today.” Another added, “46mil in the 80s-90s is pretty fucking impressive.” And they are not fretting falsely. The revenue in the NHL during the era of Gretzky was very small as compared to the current time.

Early in the 1990s, the league estimated a total of $400 million to $732 million annually, with some of the successful teams garnering between $60 and $70 million and smaller market teams earning between $30 and $40 million. Gretzky’s $46 million salary over 20 seasons represented roughly 0.25% of the total league revenue. Fast forward to today, the NHL’s annual revenue has skyrocketed to nearly $6.2 billion, meaning that 0.25% of the league today would equate to about $15.75 million per year.

Another fan added, “NHL TV deal in 1979 (Gretzky’s rookie year) $3.5 Million. Average ticket price $8.00. Approximate league revenue $90M. League revenue in 2025….$6.2 Billion. That probably explains it.” And yes, it’s true. Contributing to this increase are media rights contracts, including the seven-year pact with ESPN and Disney in 2021; sponsorship of $1.53 billion in the 2024-25 season (an increase of 9 percent over the prior year), and an exploding team value, with the Toronto Maple Leafs valued at about $2.1 billion.

One more fan commented, “Wayne.. paved the way.” Wayne Gretzky opened the door. He was the winner of nine Hart Trophies and four Stanley Cups and registered 894 goals, 1,963 assists, and 2,857 total points, finishing with the record of most points in a single season of 215 and the most points in a career of 2,857. But Gretzky’s influence extended far beyond numbers: his eyes, anticipation, and hockey IQ shifted the way the game is played and that’s why it made a few fans say, “Ridiculous post.” One more added, “This post is next level stupid… legend being compared to him???”

When Wayne Gretzky left Edmonton for the L.A. Kings, it wasn’t just a trade of teams; it was the act of putting hockey knowledge in non-traditional U.S. areas where fans became more enthusiastic and TV viewers tuned in more often. That shift enabled the NHL to be the billion-dollar league it is today, and it allowed contemporary performers such as Frank Nazar to display, And yes, Nazar is already looking good with 12 goals and 14 assists in 53 games in the 2024-25 season, as well as the gold at the World Championship (2025) and World Junior Championship (2024). Of course, it is way too soon to compare him to Gretzky. His records, influence, and decades of dominance are on a completely different level, and only time will tell if he can reach anything close.