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Wayne Douglas Gretzky (born January 26, 1961) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, he is known as "The Great One," and considered by many to be the best player of all time. 1 Early Years
Taught by his father, Walter, Gretzky was a classic prodigy. At 6, he was skating with 10 year-olds. At 10, he scored 378 goals in 85 games, and the first story on him was published in the Toronto Telegram (now the Toronto Sun). At 14, playing against 20 year-olds, he left Brantford to further his career and escape the jealousy his on-ice achievements often created. His parents appointed a couple they had never met to be the boy's legal guardians. He also signed with his first agent.
He played one year in the Ontario Hockey League at the age of 16, with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. There he began wearing 99 on his jersey, since his idol Gordie Howe's number 9 was being worn by a teammate. The next year, he signed with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association. Eight games into the season, his contract was bought by Peter Pocklington, owner of the Edmonton Oilers; the Racers folded 5 weeks later.
2 NHL Career
After the 1978- 79 season, four WHA teams, including the Oilers, joined the National Hockey LeagueNHL can also denote Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma The National Hockey League (French: Ligue Nationale de Hockey is a professional sports organization composed of ice hockey teams in Canada and the United States. History The National Hockey League, as it exists t. In his first NHL season, 1979- 801980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. Events January-February January 1- April 1 National steel strike in United Kingdom January 1 Changes to the Swedish Act of Succession creates Victoria of Sweden, Crown Princess over her younger brother January 5 He, Gretzky was awarded the Hart Memorial TrophyThe Hart Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the most valuable ice hockey player in the National Hockey League during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Presentation of the trophy o as the League's Most Valuable Player (the first of eight in a row) and tied for the scoring lead with Marcel DionneMarcel "Little Beaver" Dionne (born August 3 1951, in Drummondville, Quebec) was a professional ice hockey center in the NHL, and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Dionne played his first four seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, and was then traded with 137 points. (Dionne earned the Art Ross Memorial TrophyThe Art Ross Memorial Trophy is given to the National Hockey League player with the highest combined total of goals and assists during the regular season. It was first awarded following the 1947-48 season. Should two or more players be tied, the player wi as the League's leading scorer because he had more goals.) Gretzky was not eligible for the Calder Memorial TrophyThe Calder Memorial Trophy is a National Hockey League trophy, presented annually to the best rookie of the year as voted upon by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season. It is named after Frank Calder, the president, given to the top NHL rookie, because of his previous year of professional experience.
In his second season, Gretzky won the Art Ross (the first of seven consecutive years) with a single-season record 164 points, and won his second straight Hart Trophy. The Oilers were a young, strong team featuring forwards Mark MessierMark Douglas John Messier (born January 18, 1961, in Edmonton, Alberta) was an Ice Hockey center in the National Hockey League, who spent a quarter of a century in the professional ranks (1979-2004) with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouve, Glenn Anderson and Jari KurriJari Kurri (born May 18 1960, in Helsinki, Finland) was a professional Ice Hockey Right Winger in the NHL. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Kurri played his first nine and a half seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, and was then traded to the Los A, defenseman Paul Coffey, goalie Grant Fuhr, and Gretzky as its captain. In 1983, they made it to the Stanley Cup finals, only to be swept by the three-time defending champion New York Islanders. The following season, the Oilers met the Islanders in the Finals again, this time winning the first of four Stanley Cups over the next five years.
