Wayne Gretzky
| Wayne Gretzky CC |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1999 | |||
Wayne Gretzky, 2006
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| Born |
January 26, 1961 Brantford, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
WHA Indianapolis Racers Edmonton Oilers NHL Edmonton Oilers Los Angeles Kings St. Louis Blues New York Rangers |
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| National team |
 Canada
|
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| Playing career | 1978–1999 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Canada
|
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Cup | ||
 |
1996 Canada | |
| Canada Cup | ||
 |
1991 Canada | |
|
1987 Canada | |
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1984 Canada | |
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1981 Canada | |
| World Championships | ||
 |
1982 Finland | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
|
1978 Canada | |
Wayne Douglas Gretzky CC (/ˈɡrɛtski/; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "The Great One", he has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters, players, and the NHL itself. He is the leading scorer in NHL history, with more goals and assists than any other player. He scored more assists than any other player scored total points, and is the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season – a feat he accomplished four times. In addition, he tallied over 100 points in 16 professional seasons, 14 of them consecutive. At the time of his retirement in 1999, he held 61 NHL records: 40 regular-season records, 15 playoff records, and six All-Star records. As of 2014, he still holds 60 NHL records.
Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, Gretzky honed his skills at a backyard rink and regularly played minor hockey at a level far above his peers. Despite his unimpressive stature, strength and speed, Gretzky's intelligence and reading of the game were unrivaled. He was adept at dodging checks from opposing players, and consistently anticipated where the puck was going to be and executed the right move at the right time. Gretzky became known for setting up behind his opponent's net, an area that was nicknamed "Gretzky's office".
In 1978, Gretzky signed with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA), where he briefly played before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers. When the WHA folded, the Oilers joined the NHL, where he established many scoring records and led his team to four Stanley Cup championships. His trade to the Los Angeles Kings on August 9, 1988, had an immediate impact on the team's performance, eventually leading them to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, and he is credited with popularizing hockey in California. Gretzky played briefly for the St. Louis Blues before finishing his career with the New York Rangers. Gretzky captured nine Hart Trophies as the most valuable player, ten Art Ross Trophies for most points in a season, two Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP, and five Lester B. Pearson Awards (now called the Ted Lindsay Award) for most outstanding player as judged by other players. He won the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and performance five times, and often spoke out against fighting in hockey.
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