Wayne Gretzky, nicknamed "The Great One", is widely considered the greatest ice hockey player in history. He played 20 seasons in the NHL, from 1979 to 1999, for four teams. Gretzky holds NHL records for career goals, assists, and points, with more career assists than any other player has total points. He is the only NHL player to surpass 200 points in a single season, achieving this four times, and exceeded 100 points in 15 professional seasons. Upon retirement in 1999, he held 61 NHL records.
In 1944, Maurice "Rocket" Richard set the record for scoring 50 goals in 50 games.
In 1960, Wayne Gretzky's parents, Phyllis Leone (Hockin) and Walter Gretzky, married and lived in an apartment in Brantford.
On January 26, 1961, Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
In 1963, Wayne Gretzky's sister, Kim, was born.
In 1967, the Governor General's office started appointing individuals as Companions of the Order of Canada. According to a 2015 statement, between 1967 and 2015, 467 individuals were appointed.
In October 1971, John Iaboni wrote a profile of the young Wayne Gretzky in the Toronto Telegram due to his impressive performance with the Brantford Nadrofsky Steelers.
Beginning in 1972 with the Summit Series, the Soviets developed a more team style of play and had successfully used it against the best NHL teams.
The World Hockey Association was established in 1972 to compete with the NHL.
In 1974, Wayne Gretzky scored 26 points playing for Brantford in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
In February 1975, Wayne Gretzky was booed on "Brantford Day" at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, which was a tipping point for his family to consider moving him to Toronto for his hockey career.
In 1977, Wayne Gretzky was drafted by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League with the third pick.
On June 12, 1978, 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky signed a seven-year personal services contract worth US$1.75 million with Indianapolis Racers owner Nelson Skalbania.
In June 1978, Wayne Gretzky signed with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA).
By 1978, the World Hockey Association (WHA) was struggling with only seven surviving franchises.
In 1978, Wayne Gretzky, at age 16, made his first international appearance at the World Junior Championships in Montreal, Quebec. Despite initial skepticism, he led the tournament with 17 points, earning All-Star Team and Best Forward honors. His performance remains the highest score by a 16-year-old in the tournament, and Canada won the bronze medal.
On his 18th birthday, January 26, 1979, Wayne Gretzky signed a ten-year personal services contract with Edmonton Oilers owner Pocklington, worth CA$3 million.
In 1979, Gretzky entered the NHL, facing criticism for being too small and slow. Despite weighing only 160 pounds, he tied for first place in scoring and won the Hart Trophy for the league's most valuable player.
In 1979, Wayne Gretzky appeared in the WHA All-Star Game, playing on a line with his idol Gordie Howe and Howe's son, Mark. The WHA All-Stars won the three-game series against Dynamo Moscow.
In 1979, Wayne Gretzky began his 20-season career in the National Hockey League (NHL).
In 1979, an agreement was finalized for the WHA to fold after the season, with the Edmonton Oilers and three other teams joining the NHL as expansion franchises.
In 1980, Mike Bossy tied the record for scoring 50 goals in 50 games.
In 1980, tests revealed Gretzky had exceptional physical stamina and recovery abilities. An exercise physiologist testing the Edmonton Oilers was surprised by Gretzky's high score, suggesting the machine might have been broken. His stamina was reflected in his ability to score late in games.
In the summer of 1980, Gretzky batted .492 for the Junior Intercounty Baseball League's Brantford CKCP Braves, leading to a contract offer from the Toronto Blue Jays.
On December 30, 1981, Wayne Gretzky scored his 50th goal of the season in only 39 games, against the Philadelphia Flyers, surpassing the record of 50 goals in 50 games.
In 1981, Gretzky debuted with the Canadian national team at the Canada Cup. He led the tournament in scoring with 12 points, but Canada finished in second place, losing to the Soviet Union 8–1 in the final.
In 1981, Gretzky, weighing 165 pounds, broke the previous single-season scoring record, racking up 164 points.
In 1981, Wayne Gretzky began a streak where he led the NHL in goals scored.
In 1981, Wayne Gretzky won the Art Ross Trophy with a then-record 164 points. In the first game of the 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs, he had five assists, setting a single-game playoff record.
On February 24, 1982, Wayne Gretzky broke Phil Esposito's record for most goals in a season, scoring three goals against the Buffalo Sabres and ending the season with 92 goals.
In 1982, the Edmonton Oilers averaged 423 goals a season, which was an unprecedented amount.
In 1982-83 Wayne Gretzky broke his assist record with 125.
In 1983, the Edmonton Oilers, with Wayne Gretzky as captain, reached the Stanley Cup Finals, but they were swept by the New York Islanders, who were the three-time defending champions at the time.
In 1984, the Edmonton Oilers team, later voted the greatest NHL team ever, was the one most directly impacted by the June 1985 rule change.
In 1984-85 Wayne Gretzky broke his assist record with 135.
In June 1985, the NHL Board of Governors introduced offsetting penalties, a rule change that became known as "the Gretzky rule."
In 1985, the Edmonton Oilers averaged 423 goals a season, which was an unprecedented amount.
In 1985-86 Wayne Gretzky broke his assist record with 163.
In 1986, Wayne Gretzky led the NHL in goals scored.
In 1986-87 Wayne Gretzky had 121 assists.
In 1987, Gretzky considered the Canada Cup the best hockey he had played in his life. He recorded a tournament-best 21 points in nine games, playing alongside Mario Lemieux. They combined for the game-winner in the deciding game against the Soviets, securing the tournament win for Canada.
In 1987, Wayne Gretzky and Peter Pocklington agreed to replace Gretzky's personal services contract with a standard NHL contract.
On August 9, 1988, Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, having an immediate impact on the team's performance and popularizing hockey in California.
In 1988, Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, along with Marty McSorley, who continued to play the role of protecting Gretzky from unfair hits.
In 1988, Wayne Gretzky made his first appearance in Edmonton after being traded, receiving a four-minute standing ovation.
In 1988, Wayne Gretzky's tenure as the captain of the Edmonton Oilers came to an end.
In 1988, shortly after winning the Stanley Cup, Wayne Gretzky learned that the Edmonton Oilers were planning to trade him to another team due to financial issues.
In 1989, as part of the trade deal, the Kings' first-round draft pick was later traded to the New Jersey Devils, who used it to select Jason Miller.
In 1990, Wayne Gretzky was named Male Athlete of the Decade by the Associated Press.
In 1990-91 Wayne Gretzky had 122 assists.
In 1991, Gretzky led the Canada Cup tournament for the fourth and final time with 12 points in seven games. However, he did not compete in the final against the United States due to a back injury, though Canada won the tournament.
In 1991, as part of the trade deal, the Kings' first-round draft pick was used to select Martin Ručinský.
In 1992, Wayne Gretzky's 65-point output ended his record 13-year streak of recording at least 100 points each season.
In 1992, the NHL reversed the offsetting penalties rule, also known as "the Gretzky rule".
On January 6, 1993, Wayne Gretzky returned from a back injury, marking his 1,000th NHL game.
In 1993, Wayne Gretzky led the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals.
In 1993, as part of the trade deal, the Kings' first-round draft pick was used to select Nick Stajduhar.
In 1994, Bruce McNall was forced to sell the Los Angeles Kings due to financial troubles, straining Wayne Gretzky's relationship with the team's new owners.
On February 27, 1996, Wayne Gretzky was traded to the St. Louis Blues.
In 1996, the Canada Cup was revived and renamed the World Cup. This marked the first time Gretzky did not finish as the tournament's leading scorer; he placed fourth overall with seven points in eight games.
In early 1996, Wayne Gretzky requested a trade from the Los Angeles Kings due to the team's fiscal instability.
On November 29, 1997, Gretzky was named to the Canadian team for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, marking the first time NHL players were eligible to participate.
In 1997, The Hockey News committee of experts voted Wayne Gretzky as the greatest player in NHL history.
In 1997, Wayne Gretzky helped the New York Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
During the 1997-98 season, Wayne Gretzky, along with Jaromir Jagr, topped the NHL in assists with 67.
During the 1998 Olympics in Japan, Gretzky's improvisational skills and hockey sense made him a team leader, despite being passed over for the captaincy.
In 1998, after numerous attempts, the Los Angeles Kings finally qualified for the playoffs.
In 1998, at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, Gretzky played his eighth and final international appearance. He finished with four assists in six games, but Team Canada lost in the semi-finals and bronze medal game, finishing without a medal. Gretzky retired from international play holding records for most goals, assists, and points in best-on-best hockey.
The 1998-99 season was Wayne Gretzky's last as a professional player.
On April 15, 1999, Wayne Gretzky played his last NHL game in Canada, a 2-2 tie with the Ottawa Senators, and was awarded all three stars in a departure from the usual announcement.
On April 18, 1999, Wayne Gretzky played the final game of his NHL career, a 2-1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden, where he recorded his final point with an assist.
In August 1999, Gretzky was named honorary chairman of the Open Ice Summit, focusing on improving Canadian ice hockey. He emphasized the importance of playing for the love of the game and skill development.
In October 1999, Edmonton honored Gretzky by renaming Capilano Drive, a freeway passing by Northlands Coliseum, to Wayne Gretzky Drive.
On November 22, 1999, Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, bypassing the three-year waiting period. He was the tenth and last player to do so, as the Hall of Fame discontinued the practice thereafter.
In 1999, Wayne Gretzky retired from the NHL after playing 20 seasons.
In 1999, after his retirement, Wayne Gretzky was immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, with the waiting period waived.
In May 2000, Gretzky agreed to buy a 10% stake in the Phoenix Coyotes, partnering with Steve Ellman, and taking on roles as alternate governor, managing partner, and head of hockey operations to prevent a potential move to Portland, Oregon.
In 2000, Gretzky was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame. At the 2000 NHL All-Star Game, Gretzky's jersey number 99 was retired league-wide, inspired by Major League Baseball's retirement of Jackie Robinson's number 42.
In 2000, Wayne Gretzky became part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes.
In 2000, Wayne Gretzky was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Hall of Fame.
On February 15, 2001, after missed deadlines, the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes was completed with Ellman and Gretzky taking over, adding Jerry Moyes to the partnership. Gretzky also convinced Michael Barnett to become the team's General Manager.
During the 2002 Winter Olympics, Wayne Gretzky served as executive director for the Canadian national men's hockey team, which won a gold medal.
In 2002, Gretzky was the executive director of the Canadian men's hockey team at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. On February 18, he lashed out at the media due to frustration with negative comments about the team. The Canadian team ultimately won the gold medal.
In 2002, the Kings held a jersey retirement ceremony and erected a life-sized statue of Gretzky outside the Staples Center. Also, Gretzky received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto.
In 2004, Gretzky was inducted into Brantford's "Walk of Fame."
In 2004, Wayne Gretzky was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
On August 8, 2005, Gretzky agreed to become the head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.
On May 31, 2006, Gretzky agreed to a five-year contract to remain head coach of the Coyotes.
In 2006, the New York Rangers returned to the playoffs, after Wayne Gretzky had already retired.
On May 5, 2009, the Coyotes' holding company, Dewey Ranch Hockey LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, leading to an ownership dispute.
In September 2009, following the Phoenix Coyotes' bankruptcy, Wayne Gretzky resigned as head coach and relinquished his ownership share.
On September 24, 2009, Gretzky stepped down as head coach and head of hockey operations of the Coyotes due to an uncertain contractual status amid bankruptcy hearings. His final head coaching record was 143–161–24.
On May 10, 2010, Gretzky was awarded The Ambassador Award of Excellence by the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission.
In 2015, a spokesperson for the Governor General's office confirmed attempts to arrange Wayne Gretzky's investiture as a Companion of the Order of Canada. The spokesperson also noted that, between 1967 and 2015, 467 individuals had been appointed as Companions, with five, including Gretzky, not yet invested.
In October 2016, Wayne Gretzky returned to the Oilers as a minority partner and vice-chairman of their parent company, Oilers Entertainment Group.
In 2017, Gretzky was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players.
In 2021, Wayne Gretzky left the Oilers Entertainment Group to become an analyst on Turner Sports' NHL coverage.
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