A happy 50th birthday today to NHL great Wayne Gretzky, whose records live on. Gretzky finished his career with 2,857 points, and there are no active NHL players under 40 who are even halfway to Gretzky’s total. Gretzky also leads the way in career goals (894) and single-season goals (92), assists (163) and points (215). The numbers remain absolutely staggering. On Gretzky’s birthday, NHL.com took a look at “The Great One,” including this quote from Gretzky, taken from a recent appearance on SiriusXM radio.
“It feels like yesterday that I was tying up my skates sitting in a locker room at an All-Star Game next to Gordie Howe,” Gretzky said. “I was 17 and Gordie Howe was 50 at that time. I remember looking at him and thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, 50 years old?’ and here it is years later. My grandmother used to always say, ‘Time flies when you’re having fun and life is good.’ I feel fortunate that life has been pretty good to me and I had the privilege of playing in the NHL and the game seems to be getting better every year.”
Great player and great off the ice as well. Saw him playing for the Rangers at the Garden in NY last game of the season. Rangers against Montreal. Neither team was going to the playoffs. Gretzky skated every shift like it was the seventh game of the finals. He was the only player on either team who “showed up” that night. He skated his last shift just as hard as the first. What a player. What a man!
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kenny Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
@Crown Royal, it was really fun to watch cause none of the players would check him or even touch him, and they were talking to him through out the game…….. uggghhh i miss those days, i would always check the stats to see if he scored a goal or got an assist to add to his point total.
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Got to see Gretzky record his 200th career point live. That was a pretty special night. I got to see his last game as a King live too and just like Crown Royal said earlier he skated every shift hard. Happy Birthday Mr. Gretzky!
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Arron Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
@Arron, That should have been 2000th career point
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Would be nice if the kings say something tonight about him
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Anyone who thinks that anyone else was ever a better player is confused. I know, I know, “Mario could have…” But Mario didn’t. No one saw the game the way he did. I swear he could slow down time and predict the future. Oh, and he could make the puck move through solid matter at will. It’s the only explanation for the things he did.
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Michael_J Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
@Matt R, Maybe number 4…
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Matt R Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
@Michael_J, Assuming you’re referring to Orr, I don’t doubt that he was the greatest d-man of all time, and it’s a little like comparing apples and oranges, but the sheer volume of Gretzky’s numbers have to outweigh what Orr did in my mind. Orr changed the way people thought about defensemen. Gretzky changed the way people thought about hockey. If you went out and asked random people to name any hockey player, you’d probably get a vast majority saying Gretzky. That says something about the impact he had which is probably even more important that the skill or the stats.
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Happy Birthday to The Great One!
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How does one go about nominating Wayne Gretzky for the NHL commissioner job? Can we convince the board of governors to fire Bettman? Better yet I’m just going to assume he already is… Wayne needs to be back in the NHL lime light, coaching might not work but Commissioner Gretzky sure sounds good.
Happy Birthday Wayne!
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Greatest player to ever play the game hands down! Sure there are other greats, but he changed the game and his records speak for themselves. If it wasnt for him, I would not be a fan or ever have had the utmost pleasure in knowing and playing the greatest game on earth- hockey. Thank you Wayne!
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I was at the pond for the ducks/kings game where he recorded goal #801 (the record tying goal). They stopped the game and gave him a rolls royce. Which is funny because in his autobiography he talks repeatedly about how he was always winning rolls, and how much he hated them and always gave them away.
There were reporters everywhere and they had mobile printing trucks. Gretzky was such a prolific scorer still at that point, that people EXPECTED him to have multi-point nights regularly. To that end, the newspapers were there, with the stories and headlines pre-printed, just needing to be run through the printer with a photograph, for any realistic number of goals he might score that night. Somebody managed to lift a bunch of the “801!” newspapers right after they were printed, along with some “802!” papers that they had in case he broke it the same night. Of course, he didn’t, he did it two nights later at the forum. But both the 801, and the premature 802 papers were littered all over the pond within minutes of the goal.
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Kiosku2 Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
@Bill M., Sorry man, Gretz scored goal 801 in San Jose.
Yes, I was there and I remember it well. A bunch of friends and I went up north to the game because we all knew it was coming. We had tickets to the Vancouver game at the Forum (next game, at home where he did get 802) and we hoped he wouldn’t get a hat trick in San Jose that night (after already scoring two goals and equaling the record) because we wanted to see him do it at home. Of course he did get to see the goal 802) scored at the Vancouver game a night or few nights later and the rest is history.
I still have the ticket stubs and programs from both games.
I’m not sure what Ducks game you’re referring to…
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Bill M. Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
@Kiosku2, hmmm, now I’m confused. It was so long ago. I know I saw him he break something major at the pond, the year after the 93′ cup run. And I think the only thing left at that point was howe’s goals record. I’m going to have to look into this. I could have sworn it was 801.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 3:50 pm
@Bill M., Wow. looking at the history, you are definitely correct. Boy that was so long ago, and I was relatively young. I don’t remember what I saw now. I know it was relating to that record. Maybe it wasn’t at the pond. I didn’t think it was 802. I think I would remember that more clearly…but maybe it was. I know I left the arena that night with a newspaper that was right off the press after it happened. I still have that paper locked away somewhere. might have to dig it out.
Now that I think about it, the rolls presentation and everything, I think that might have been a separate game, a week or so later, where they had a long intermission and had a ceremony to celebrate the record.
Bill M. Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
@Bill M., Ok. I dug out the paper and confirmed it. I saw him break the record at the forum, and I still have some of the memorabilia from the night, including an “802!” newspaper. Boy. That’s one box of stuff I don’t want to lose…
The Rolls presentation, is, I guess a separate game. There was a whole ceremony during the intermission for him. I think I was remembering that being at the pond because I remembered the ceremony when they were playing the ducks, but according to the schedule, that game was played 7 days later, at the forum. Amazing how memories get all jumbled up over the course of 15 years…
kiosku2 Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
@Bill M., Not trying to be a know it all but it was such a great memory!
I was completely geeked out for the record and ended up doing a lot of research at the beginning of the year, trying to read up as much as possible on those who were predicting what game he might do it in. I saw the Sharks game and decided it would be fun to go see the game even if Gretz didnt tie or break the record during that game. As it got closer, I started to believe. I had Kings season seats that year so I knew I was covered if he did it at home. I was really lucky and it ended up being a great pair of games where he tied it and broke it…
Man, I miss those days and I miss 99 as well…
PlayoffBound Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 3:32 pm
@Kiosku2, ROFL
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Lets honor #99′s latest accomplishment (making it to 50) with a win tonight.
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pr0cess Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
@DesertKing, Yes great theme for tonight, Lets get 50 for 99
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Congrats to Wayne and SoCal hockey.
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I can’t think of another player that dominated any sport like he did. Other great players came before him but no one saw the ice or changed his sport like the Great One! Most of his records will stand forever.
Average size
Average skater
Average shot
No drugs
No scandals
Just as great off the ice as on it
Played every minute of every game harder than anyone I’ve ever seen.
Even in this era of hockey with the trap and huge defensemen…..Gretzky in his prime would still lead the league in scoring going away…and it wouldn’t even be close.
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Can’t we get this man to be Commissioner??!
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Happy Birthday to Wayne! Too bad the Kings owner at the time didnt really care as much about winning a Stanley Cup as he cared about making money. Gretzky could have brought a few Cups to LA if they would have just given him some better players. Patrick Roy v. Kelly Hrudey in the finals….I would have put my money on Roy’s team every time.
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I had a chance to skate with Gretzky and Brett Hull, in Torrance, when a friend of mine was doing a photo shoot with them for Bauer. Took a few passes from Wayne, and got some shooting tips from Hull. Definitely a highlight for me, growing up. Two of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet
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JacquesQ Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
@AZ King, That is awesome. I would have taken that stick home and framed it!
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Happy Birhda Wayne! Thank you very much for all that you did for the Los Angeles Kings and hockey in Southern California!
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
@THEROCKNROLL80S, Birthday and Birhad.
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Happy Birthday Wayne!
You’re no Juraj Mikus, but you’re pretty damn good…
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Happy Birthday Wayne!
I respect that whole “Oiler Thing” but you always look like a King to me !
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Happy Birthday to not only probably the greatest hockey player, but to a person who showed class and respect. As a fan, I can’t think of anyone with such sincerity for an athlete of that high-class caliber.
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This guys records are ridicioulus ! Although I ended up souring on Mcnall for letting the Ducks exist in Anaheim and screwing banks out of 236 million, bringing Gretzky to L.A changed the NHL forever. Because of Gretz being in L.A, their are now teams in San Jose, Phoenix, Anaheim, Dallas, Nashville, Sunrise, and Tampa..without Gretz coming here that would have never happened..Thanx Wayne for everything and happy birthday !
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Happy Birthday Mr. Gretzky. Thanks for introducing me to hockey and the Kings.
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In my opinion he is the greatest pro athelet in history and he has the stats to back it up.
No one player has done more for his sport. No one player has more records. No one player has a cleaner track record with the media and off ice monkey business.
He is just the best in history and no one could tell me otherwise with facts in their hands.
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puck73 Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
@KC23, No argument from me.
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Truly a Great hockey player and seemingly a Great man, to boot. Happy Birthday Wayne!!!
92 in one year, it’ll never be touched! Glad we got to enjoy you!
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Happy 50th, Gretz; greatest ever.
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Wayne,
I hope you find time to read these comments. It’s a small jesture but it still says Kingsfans love you.
Happy Birthday to you, and best wishes to your family.
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Happy B-day Wayne. reason why im a kings fan.
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Lets put him on LW. Bet he could still bag a few!
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One of my friends posted this on FB “If Wayne wanted, he could’ve made 50 in 39 years.”
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Rich were you covering the Kings when Gretzky was still playing for them? If so, any memories? If not, have you met him before?
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