Wayne Gretzky is regarded as one of, if not the greatest hockey player by many fans, sportswriters, and players that currently play in the NHL or National Hockey League. His greatness can be seen from his performance on the ice hockey rink, as he has held more than 50 NHL records, which includes 15 playoff records and 40 regular season records. Moreover, Wayne Gretzky is NHL’s leading goal scorer, point scorer, and assist producer, and even years after his retirement in 1999, those records are yet to be broken.

Because of his illustrious career in the NHL, Gretzky has been nicknamed “the Great One,” and his greatness in ice hockey can be difficult to replace or replicate. While Gretzky is very popular in countries where ice hockey is one of their major sports, there are still a lot of people that don’t know the Great One’s greatest and most underrated achievement. To know more about this legendary hockey player, take a look at how we chart the amazing career of Wayne Gretzky.

Early Life

Wayne Gretzky, whose full name is Wayne Douglas Gretzky, was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, on January 26, 1961. Wayne was the son of Walter Gretzky and Phyllis Leone, who were married in 1960 and lived in an apartment in Brantford before moving to a house in Varadi Avenue just seven months after Wayne was born. Wayne would soon be followed by his sister Kim and brothers Keith, Glen, and Bret.

Wayne and his siblings would regularly watch Hockey Night in Canada, a television show on CBC Television that showcases various NHL live broadcasts, on the farm of their grandparents. The regular watching of Hockey Night in Canada would inspire Wayne to play ice hockey. Even at the age of two, Wayne would start scoring goals against his grandmother Mary on the ice rink that would be set up in the farm’s yard during the winter season. [1]

Wayne’s father, Walter, would then teach him, his brothers, and friends how to play hockey properly on a rink that was made in the backyard of the Gretzkys’ home. The rink would be nicknamed the “Wally Coliseum,” and it is where Wayne would practice drills and eventually enhance his skills in the sport.

At a young age, Wayne showed potential, and he would even beat players that are much older than him. When he was six years old, Wayne would start playing hockey with 10-year-olds, and his very first coach, Dick Martin, would even say that Gretzky played the sport better than the 10-year-olds. During that time, he developed a habit of tucking the sweater or uniform into the right side of his pants because it was too big for him and was made for a 10-year-old or 11-year-old. Gretzky would retain this habit even when he was playing in the NHL. [2]

By the time Gretzky turned 14, his parents wanted him to move and play hockey in Toronto, Canada, where he would receive more training and exposure. However, the Gretzkys would first have to ask permission from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to let Wayne play in a different location, which was not allowed during that time. But, the Gretzkys were given permission, and Wayne would play for the Junior B team of the Toronto Nationals, a now-defunct team that was mostly composed of 20-year-olds. While playing for the Toronto Nationals, he won Rookie of the Year in the 1975-76 season of the Metro Junior B Hockey League with 60 points in 28 games, and in the following season, he had 73 points in 32 games.

Wayne Gretzky was then drafted third-overall to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds during the 1977 Ontario Major Junior Hockey League. Even though Gretzky had told the team that he wouldn’t move to the city of Sault Ste. Marie (because of the team’s heavy traveling schedule), the Greyhounds still drafted him. In order to make it more comfortable and convenient for Wayne to stay in the said city, his family had to make an arrangement with a local family that had an extra room for Wayne. It was in the Greyhounds where Gretzky first wore his iconic number 99 jersey. [3]

Overall Timeline of Gretzky’s Career

Indianapolis Racers (1978)

In 1978, several teams from the World Hockey Association (WHA), which was a fierce rival of the NHL during that time, were interested in acquiring Wayne Gretzky. The two most notable teams are the Birmingham Bulls and the Indianapolis Racers.

Ultimately, it was the Racers and their owner, Nelson Skalbania, who signed Gretzky to a seven-year contract that is worth 1.74 million USD. However, because the Racers were struggling financially, Gretzky only played eight games for the team before being moved to the Edmonton Oilers, another team in the WHA. The Indianapolis Racers became defunct in December 1978. [4]

Edmonton Oilers in the WHA (1978 to 1979)

While playing for the Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky was able to score 110 points, finishing third in the league in terms of scoring. In addition, Gretzky also won the Lou Kaplan Trophy, which was an award given to the WHA’s Rookie of the Year.

The Edmonton Oilers became first in the league in wins, and while they reached the Avco World Trophy finals in 1979, they would lose that tournament to the Winnipeg Jets in Six Games. The 1978-79 season was the only WHA season in Gretzky’s career, and the league would fold before the end of 1979. [5]

Edmonton Oilers in the NHL (1979 to 1988)

When the WHA folded in 1979, the Edmonton Oilers joined the National Hockey League or NHL. It was during Gretzky’s stint in the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers that had most of his amazing performances, including winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, the NHL’s MVP or Most Valuable award, eight times in a row starting from his rookie season in the league.

Although Gretzky became the youngest player to score 50 goals, he was not eligible to win the Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year) because of his previous stint with the WHA. In Gretzky’s second season, he was able to win his first Art Ross Trophy, which is the award given to the NHL player that led the league in points during the season. This would be Gretzky’s first of seven consecutive Art Ross Trophies.

In 1983, the Edmonton Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Finals, the most prestigious tournament in the NHL, for the first time. Unfortunately, they would be swept by the New York Islanders, who were the three-time defending champions. But, in the season, the Oilers would beat the Islanders to win the Stanley Cup, and this would be their first Stanley Cup trophy out of the five that they would win in just seven years (four with Wayne Gretzky on the team). [5]

The Trade (1988)

It was reported that two hours after the Edmonton Oilers won their fourth Stanley Cup in 1988, Gretzky’s father informed him that the Oilers were planning to trade him to another NHL team. Gretzky’s father, Walter, had already known about the plan months before, and he got the information from Nelson Skalbania, the former owner of the Indianapolis Racers.

According to the information, Wayne Gretzky was being offered to several teams, including the Los Angeles Kings, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Detroit Red Wings. The reason for offering Gretzky to other teams is because Peter Pocklington, the then-owner of the Edmonton Oilers, wanted to get money from the possible trade in order to fund his failing business ventures.

Gretzky didn’t want to leave Edmonton at first, but the owner of the Los Angeles Kings, Bruce McNall, offered him a great deal wherein he would be traded to the Kings with his teammates Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley. The infamous trade then took place on August 9, 1988, and Gretzky, along with McSorley and Krushelnyski, were traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for two players, the first-round draft picks of the Kings in 1989, and $15 million in cash. [6]

Los Angeles Kings (1988 to 1996)

After being traded to the Kings, he was immediately assigned as the alternate captain of the team. With Gretzky on the lineup, the Los Angeles Kings made their best start of the season after many years, and they also won four straight games that allowed them to qualify for the playoffs.

In the 1989 Smyth Division semifinals, the Los Angeles Kings faced the Edmonton Oilers, who won the previous season’s Stanley Cup Finals with Gretzky. In the said face-off, the Los Angeles Kings delivered one of the most shocking upsets in NHL history, as they were able to win the series 4-3 when they were down 3-1. But the Los Angeles Kings would lose to the eventual Stanley Cup winner, the Calgary Flames, in the next matchup.

In the first round of the playoffs in the 1990 playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings were able to beat the Calgary Flame 4-2, but they would lose 4-0 to the eventual champions of that season, the Edmonton Oilers, in the following round. Despite Gretzky’s former team beating him in the second round, the then-captain of the Oilers, Mark Messier, showed that there’s no bad blood between the Oilers and Gretzky by dedicating the team’s championship win to Gretzky.

For the following seasons, Wayne Gretzky would struggle in terms of physical health and performance, and in the 1992-93 season, he would be sidelined from the team due to a back injury. However, in a few games, Gretzky was able to showcase his best performances, and he even broke a career goal-scoring record during the 1993-94 season. However, because Gretzky and his team were struggling, they would often be a few games short of qualifying for the playoffs.

It was in 1994 when Gretzky’s relationship with the Los Angeles Kings soured, as the new owners that acquired the team in the same year had a strained relationship with their best player. Under the management of the new owners, the Los Angeles Kings struggled financially, although the Kings were already losing money prior to 1994. When the relationship between Gretzky and the new owners couldn’t be fixed any more in 1996, Gretzky requested a trade. [7]

St. Louis Blues (1996)

On February 27, 1996, Wayne Gretzky was officially traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for three players and two draft picks. After being traded to the Blues, he was immediately named the captain, and in his first season with the Blues, the team was one game away from the Conference Finals before getting eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in seven games.

Unfortunately, right from the start, Gretzky’s relationship with the team, especially his coach, Mike Keenan, was strained. Mike Keenan was adamant about not changing his coaching style for Gretzky, who voiced his concern about the way the team plays. When Gretzky became a free agent in the following season, everyone in the media already predicted that he was going to leave the Blues. [8]

New York Rangers (1996 to 1999)

Wayne Gretzky’s last three seasons in the NFL were spent with the New York Rangers, where he signed a two-year $8 million contract. [9] In the 1996-97 season, the Rangers were able to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, but they were defeated by the Philadelphia Flyers in five games. The Rangers’ playoff run in the 1996-97 season would be Gretzky’s last playoff appearance. In the following season, Gretzky led the league in assists with 67 assists, and this was the player’s 16th time to lead the NFL in the said statistic.

Gretzky’s last season in the NFL was the 1998-99 season, where he would break the total goal-scoring record of 1,071 points, and these include the points he scored in the regular season and the playoffs. After returning to New York after playing a game in Canada against the Ottawa Senators on April 15, 1999, Gretzky announced his retirement. Gretzky’s last game in the league was against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 18, 1999, wherein the Rangers lost in overtime.

WHA and NHL Career Statistics

Regular Season Statistics

Playoffs Statistics

The Greatest Moments in Wayne Gretzky’s Career

Being considered one of the greatest players in the NHL would require having the greatest moments in league history, and Wayne Gretzky has plenty of them. Out of all the accomplishments that Gretzky has achieved in the world of ice hockey, there are some that are more memorable than others. Here is a list of some of the greatest moments in Wayne Gretzky’s career.

All-Time Leader for Playoff Points

When it comes to the playoffs, people shouldn’t doubt Wayne Gretzky, as he would always perform to the best of his capabilities in order for his team to win. Because Gretzky is such an outstanding scorer in the ice hockey rink for most of his career, he was able to achieve the feat of being the NHL’s all-time leader for playoff points. [11] This feat is amazing since only a few players throughout the years have been to the playoffs, and no active player today is close to beating the said record.

Wayne Gretzky was able to score 382 points, and most of those points were scored when he was in the Edmonton Oilers. The second in the rankings is Mark Messier, Gretzky’s former teammate in the Oilers, who scored 295 points. What’s interesting is that Mark Messier appeared in 236 playoff games, while Gretzky only appeared in 208 games, so Gretzky was able to get 87 more points while playing in fewer playoff games. [12]

All-Time Leader for Regular Season and Playoff Points

Besides the playoffs, Wayne Gretzky is also the all-time leader in the NHL for total points, which combines the points he has accumulated in the regular season and the playoffs. At just the age of 28, Wayne Gretzky was able to climb to the rankings as the league’s all-time leading scorer.

Before he was number one on the list, the one that held the number one spot was Gordie Howe, a Canadian ice hockey player and 23-time All-Star who was the all-time leader with 1850 points. Wayne Gretzky then beat Gordie Howe’s record on October 15, 1989, during the Los Angeles Kings game against the Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky’s former team. After Gretzky retired, his total points for the regular season and playoffs were 2,857 points. [13]

50 Goals in 39 Games

One of the most amazing feats that Wayne Gretzky has done during his prime was to score 50 goals in just 39 games. To know how incredible it is, the previous record holders for scoring 50 goals for the fewest number of games are Mike Bossy and Maurice “Rocket” Richard, who each scored 50 goals in 50 games. So, Gretzky scored 50 goals in 11 fewer games, and this record may remain untouchable today and in the near future.

Scoring More Than 200 Points in a Single Season

As of 2022, the only player in the NHL that was able to score more than 200 points in a single season is Wayne Gretzky, who collected 215 points in 80 games during the 1985-86 season. It was in that season that the Edmonton Oilers looked unstoppable, but unfortunately, their hopes of winning their third Stanley Cup were crushed when they lost to the Calgary Flames in seven games during the second round.

Nonetheless, in terms of individual performance, there is no denying that Gretzky did his best during the regular season and playoffs. A player who came close to being with Gretzky in The Rushmore of 200-point performances was Mario Lemieux, who collected 199 points in the 1988-89 season while playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins. [11]

Achieving the 200-Points-in-One-Season Goal Three More Times

Another incredible achievement of Wayne Gretzky is being able to achieve the 200-points-in-one-season goal three more times. These goals were achieved during the 1981-82, 1984-85, and 1983-84 seasons, where Gretzky scored 212, 208, and 205 points, respectively. Interestingly, those seasons are just close or near to his 215-point single-season record in the 1985-86 season, and these seasons are considered by many NHL fans to be Gretzky’s prime. [14]

Scoring Points in 51 Consecutive Games

One of the untouchable records set by Wayne Gretzky was during the 1983-84 season, wherein he scored points in 51 consecutive games. Even if he scored only one point in each game, the record would still stand, but what’s impressive is that he actually scored three points per game and 92 points in total. It was also in that season that he scored 205 points and helped the Edmonton Oilers get their very first Stanley Cup trophy. [15]

Wayne Gretzky’s Post-Retirement

Hockey Hall of Fame and Jersey Retirement

In November 1999, just a few months after his retirement from the NHL, Wayne Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Gretzky became one of the ten people that bypassed the three-year waiting period for retired players to become eligible for the Hall of Fame. The Hockey Hall of Fame also announced that Gretzky would be the last retired player to be able to bypass the waiting period. [16]

During the 2000 NHL All-Star Game, Wayne Gretzky’s iconic number 99 jersey was not only retired by the Edmonton Oilers and the other teams he has played in but by all teams in the NHL. This league-wide jersey retirement was inspired by the retirement ceremony of Jackie Robinson’s number 42 jersey in the MLB (Major League Baseball). Jackie Robinson was the MLB’s first African American player in the modern era and served as an inspiration for many African American baseball players.

Head Coach for the Phoenix Coyotes

In May 2000, Gretzky bought a 10% stake in the Phoenix Coyotes, a team in the NHL. The purchase was made in partnership with Steve Ellman, the majority owner of the Coyotes. For about four years, Gretzky remained only as a minority owner of the Phoenix Coyotes until 2005, when it was rumored that he was going to be the head coach of the team. The official announcement of Gretzky’s position as the Coyote’s head coach was made on August 8, 2005.

Gretzky’s stint as the head coach of the Coyotes was nothing spectacular, and his overall record was 143 wins, 161 losses, and 24 draws. Moreover, the Phoenix Coyotes also did not reach the playoffs during Gretzky’s stint as head coach. On September 24, 2009, Gretzky stepped down as both the head coach and head of hockey operations for the Coyotes. [17]

Vice-Chairman of the Oilers Entertainment Group

Gretzky returned to the Edmonton Oilers in October 2016, but instead of being a player, he was appointed as the vice-chairman and partner of the Oilers and its parent company, Oilers Entertainment Group. [18] As the vice-chairman, Gretzky worked with owner Daryl Katz and the CEO of the Oilers Entertainment Group, Bob Nicholson, to discuss and plan out the business aspect of the company.

However, Gretzky stepped down as the vice-chairman and partner of the Oilers Entertainment Group on May 25, 2021, and the reason he stepped down was that he wanted to spend more time with his family. Gretzky then took on a less stressful and time-consuming job as a studio analyst for “NHL on TNT,” a presentation or segment on the TNT cable television channel that talks about various news and updates about the NHL.

Business Ventures

Besides the Phoenix Coyotes, Wayne Gretzky has also become a partner or owner of two other teams, namely the Hull Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League of CFL. Gretzky bought the Olympiques in 1985, and during his ownership, the colors used by the team were changed from orange, blue, and yellow to silver and black. Gretzky would then sell the team in 1992. [19]

The Toronto Argonauts considered Wayne Gretzky as a minority owner when he purchased a stake for the team in 1991 alongside business partner John Candy, a Canadian actor and comedian. During the first year of Gretzky’s purchase of the stake, the Argonauts won the Grey Cup trophy, which is the most important trophy in the CFL. However, the team struggled in the following seasons, and Gretzky and Candy eventually sold their stake in the team in 1994.

In 2017, Wayne Gretzky opened a winery and distillery called Wayne Gretzky Estates, which is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. The opening of the winery was made possible by Andrew Peller Ltd., another wine company where Gretzky is a part-owner. Besides the winery and distillery, Gretzky also owned a few restaurants in Canada, namely the “Wayne Gretzky’s” restaurant in downtown Toronto (which closed down in 2020), the No.99 Gretzky’s Wine & Whisky at the Edmonton International Airport, and the Studio 99 restaurant in Edmonton, Alberta. [20]

Interesting Facts about Wayne Gretzky

1. Before choosing his iconic number 99 as his jersey number, Wayne Gretzky originally wanted to wear the number 9 when he was a player for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. However, because the number was already taken by another teammate, Gretzky settled on the number 99.
2. The number 9 jersey that Gretzky wanted to wear was supposed to be in honor of Gordie Howe, his idol and inspiration in the ice hockey scene. Interestingly, it was Gretzky that first broke Gordie Howe’s record for the most points in the regular season and playoffs combined.
3. Wayne Gretzky would still be the NHL’s all-time leading scorer even if he never scored a goal in his career, as he would still have 1,963 assists. [21]
4. There are about nine instances where Wayne Gretzky has scored more than 150 points in a single season.
5. In the mid-2000s, the NHL changed several rules in order to make it much easier for players to score, which would then make the sport more exciting to watch. However, despite the rule change, there is still no player that has broken Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most points in a single season.
6. It has been debated that if Gretzky is playing in today’s version of ice hockey, where scoring is easier, it is possible that he would be able to score more than 300 points in one season.
7. At the age of 21, Wayne Gretzky scored 92 goals during the 1981-82 season, which is the record for most goals in one season. The second on the list is actually Gretzky, too, as he scored 87 goals in the 1983-84 season.
8. The only player that came close to beating Gretzky in the number one spot for most goals in a season is Brett Hull, a player for the St. Louis Blues who collected 86 goals in the 1990-91 season.
9. Besides points and goals, Gretzky also holds the record for all-time assists with 1,963 total assists.
10. Wayne Gretzky also has a record for most career playoff goals with 122 and assists with 260.
11. Gretzky has the third-most All-Star appearances with 18. The player with the most appearances is Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings with 23, although it is Gretzky that has the most points in the All-Star games with 25.
12. Gretzky is tied with Brett Hull for having the most career playoff game-winning goals. Each of them has 24 goals that are considered game-winners. [21]
13. Gretzky has written a few books over the years, and most of them are about his life and career in the NFL. The first book Gretzky wrote was “Gretzky: An Autobiography,” which was written in partnership with Rick Reilly, a prolific sportswriter that worked for Sports Illustrated and ESPN. The said book was published in 1990.
14. In the year of his retirement, Gretzky wrote another book titled “99: My Life in Pictures.”
15. Wayne Gretzky is the only player in NHL history (as of 2022) to serve as the captain for four different teams. [22]
16. Gretzky is also the only player to win the Hart Trophy in eight consecutive seasons. The Hart Trophy is given to the season’s most valuable player.
17. An O-Pee-Chee hockey card that has Wayne Gretzky’s photo and the name was sold in May 2021 for $3.75 million during a private sale. O-Pee-Chee was a Canadian brand of confectionery that was founded in 1911 and sold bubble gum and trading cards. The brand became defunct in 1996.
18. One of Edmonton’s busiest freeways, Capilano Drive, was renamed Wayne Gretzky Drive in October 1999 in honor of the legendary ice hockey player.
19. It was in 2022 when Wayne Gretzky received his own star in Canada’s Walk of Fame, which is located in Toronto.
20. Wayne Gretzky held 61 NHL records when he retired. As of 2022, Gretzky still holds 58 of those NHL records, but there is one record that he gained years after he retired, and this record is the highest points-per-game average, which is 1.921 points per game.

References

[1] Herman, G. (2015). Excerpt From “Who is Wayne Gretzky?” Penguin Random House. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/316398/who-is-wayne-gretzky-by-gail-herman-illustrated-by-ted-hammond/9780448483214/excerpt

[2] Lillhannus, A. (2021, May 7). Wayne Gretzky tells story about why he played with half off his shirt tucked in for his whole career. The Hockey Beast. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.thehockeybeast.com/nhl/wayne-gretzky-tells-story-about-why-he-played-with-half-off-his-shirt-tucked-in-for-his-whole-career/

[3] The Associated Press. (1999, April 17). Why Gretzky Wore No. 99. AP News. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://apnews.com/article/5bf0d21954af9b2f936297ccfef4bd27

[4] Kravitz, B. (2022, August 22). Before Wayne Gretzky was ‘The Great One,’ he made people in Indianapolis ask, ‘who’s that?’ The Athletic. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://theathletic.com/3474920/2022/08/22/wayne-gretzky-indianapolis-racers/

[5] Augustyn, A. Edmonton Oilers – Canadian hockey team. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Edmonton-Oilers

[6] Tuohy, B. (2009, August 10). 21 Years Later: Revisiting Wayne Gretzky’s Trade to the LA Kings. Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://bleacherreport.com/articles/233283-twenty-one-years-later-who-caused-the-wayne-gretzky-trade-to-the-kings

[7] McLellan, Q. (2022, September 19). Revisiting Wayne Gretzky’s Time With the LA Kings. The Hockey Writers. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://thehockeywriters.com/wayne-gretzky-la-kings-tenure/

[8] Hollingdrake, B. (2022, April 7). One for the Ages: Wayne Gretzky’s 1995-96 NHL Season. Morning Skate. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://morningskate.io/wayne-gretzky-1995-96-nhl-blues/

[9] Paulus, S. (2021, July 21). On July 21 in Rangers history: The Great One finally arrives. Blue Line Station. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://bluelinestation.com/2021/07/21/july-21-new-york-rangers-history-wayne-gretzky-finally-arrives-nyc/

[10] Hockey Reference. Wayne Gretzky. Hockey Reference. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/g/gretzwa01.html

[11] Dittrick, R. (2011, January 26). Wayne Gretzky’s 10 Greatest Moments. NHL Oilers News. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/wayne-gretzkys-10-greatest-moments/c-550560

[12] QuantHockey. NHL Playoffs All-Time Games Played Leaders. QuantHockey. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/records/nhl-players-all-time-playoff-games-played-leaders.html

[13] QuantHockey. NHL All-Time Points Leaders. QuantHockey. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/records/nhl-players-all-time-points-leaders.html

[14] QuantHockey. Most Points in One NHL Season. QuantHockey. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/records/most-points-in-one-season-by-nhl-players.html

[15] Prewitt, A. (2019, January 29). Looking Back at Wayne Gretzky’s (Probably) Unbreakable 51-Game Point Streak. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.si.com/nhl/2019/01/29/wayne-gretzky-point-streak-51-games-edmonton-oilers-anniversary

[16] Kreiser, J. (2020, June 23). June 23: Gretzky named to Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 1999. National Hockey League. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.nhl.com/news/this-date-in-nhl-history-june-23/c-280997942

[17] Abaroa, T. (2011, April 22). Phoenix Coyotes: How Wayne Gretzky, “The Great One,” Brought Down the Franchise. Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://bleacherreport.com/articles/673961-phoenix-coyotes-how-the-great-one-brought-down-the-franchise

[18] Conway, T. (2016, October 13). Wayne Gretzky Named VP of Oilers Entertainment Group: Latest Details, Reaction. Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2669220-wayne-gretzky-named-vp-of-oilers-entertainment-group-latest-details-reaction

[19] The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2009, November 1). Wayne Gretzky. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/wayne-gretzky

[20] Thapa, H. (2022, June 8). Wayne Gretzky Net Worth: Lifestyle, Business & Records. PlayersBio. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://playersbio.com/wayne-gretzky-net-worth/

[21] Goss, N. (2013, August 10). 10 Incredible Facts About Wayne Gretzky. Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1732773-10-incredible-facts-about-wayne-gretzky

[22] The Fact File Editorial Staff. 60 Interesting Facts About Wayne Gretzky. The Fact File. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://thefactfile.org/wayne-gretzky-facts/