Wayne Gretzky is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. He was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
Gretzky began playing hockey at a very young age and showed exceptional talent and skill from the start. He joined his first professional team, the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA), at the age of 17. However, he quickly moved to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL), where he played from 1979 to 1988 and won four Stanley Cup championships.
Gretzky then went on to play for the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers before retiring in 1999. Over the course of his career, he set numerous NHL records, including the most career goals, assists, and points. He won the Hart Trophy (NHL's most valuable player award) nine times and was also the NHL's leading scorer for 10 seasons.
After retiring from playing, Gretzky became a coach and later an executive. He coached the Phoenix Coyotes and was also a part-owner of the team. He also served as the executive director of the Canadian men's hockey team that won a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Gretzky's impact on hockey and sports in general cannot be overstated. He inspired countless young players and fans with his skill, determination, and sportsmanship, and helped to popularize hockey in the United States. He remains a beloved and respected figure in the hockey world and beyond.
Wayne Gretzky holds numerous records in the National Hockey League (NHL). Here are some of his most notable records:
- Most career goals: 894
- Most career assists: 1,963
- Most career points: 2,857
- Most career hat tricks: 50
- Most career shorthanded goals by a rookie: 7
- Most career game-winning goals: 121
Most points in a single season: 215 (1985-86)
- Most goals in a single season by a rookie: 51 (1979-80)
- Most assists in a single season: 163 (1985-86)
- Most points in a single playoff season: 47 (1985)
- Most career playoff points: 382
- Most career playoff assists: 260
- Fastest player to reach 50 goals in a season: 39 games (1981-82)
- Fastest player to reach 1,000 career points: 424 games
- Fastest player to reach 2,000 career points: 1,346 games
Gretzky's records are considered some of the most unbreakable in all of sports, and his impact on the game of hockey cannot be overstated.
