Wayne Gretzky Events

1961 Jan 26 Wayne Gretzky is Born
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC (born January 26, 1961 in Brantford, Ontario) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is formerly a part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes of the Nat...
1978 May Wayne Gretzky Signs with Indianapolis Racers of the WHA
In 1978, the World Hockey Association (WHA) league was in competition with the established NHL. The NHL did not allow the signing of players under the age of 20, but the WHA had no rules ...
1978 Nov Indianapolis Racers Trade Wayne Gretzky to Edmonton Oilers
Gretzky only played eight games for Indianapolis. The Racers were losing $40,000 per game. Skalbania told Gretzky he would be moved, offering him a choice between Edmonton and Winnipeg. O...
1979 Oct 10 Wayne Gretzky Scores First Point of his Career in NHL Debut
After the World Hockey Association folded in 1979, the Edmonton Oilers and three other teams joined the NHL. Gretzky's success in the WHA carried over into the NHL, despite some critics s...
1980 Wayne Gretzky Wins Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP) in First NHL Season
In his first NHL season, 1979–80, Gretzky proved his critics wrong. He was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's Most Valuable Player (the first of eight in a row) and tied for...
1981
to 1982
Wayne Gretzky Becomes First NHL Player to Break the 200-Point Mark
During the 1981–82 season, he surpassed a record that had stood for 35 years: 50 goals in 50 games. Set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard during the 1944–45 NHL season and tied by Mike Bossy du...
1982 Wayne Gretzky Becomes First Canadian to be Named AP Male Athlete of the Year
In 1982, Gretzky became the first hockey player and first Canadian to be named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. He was also named Sports Illustrated Magazine's 1982 "Sportsman o...
1983 Feb 8 Wayne Gretzky Sets All-Star Game Record with Four Goals in One Period
The 35th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on February 8, 1983, at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, home to the New York Islanders. In the game, E...
1983 May 17 New York Islanders win Stanley Cup
The 1983 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Edmonton Oilers in their first-ever Final series appearance and the defending champion New York Islanders, in their...
1984 May 19 Edmonton Oilers win Stanley Cup
The 1984 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the Edmonton Oilers and the then-defending champion New York Islanders. Edmonton was making their second-ever Final appearance and for New York...
1985 May 30 Edmonton Oilers win Stanley Cup
The 1985 Stanley Cup Finals was played between the defending champion Edmonton Oilers in their third-straight Finals appearance and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers would win the best-...
1987 May 31 Edmonton Oilers win Stanley Cup
The 1987 Stanley Cup Final was played between the Edmonton Oilers and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers would win the series 4–3, for their third Stanley Cup victory. For the third s...
1988 May 26 Edmonton Oilers won Stanley Cup
The 1988 Stanley Cup Finals was between the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins. The Oilers would win the series 4–0 in five games. Game four was abandoned due to technical problems at the ...
1988 Jul 17 Wayne Gretzky Marries Janet Jones
It was when Gretzky was celebrity judge on Dance Fever that he met his future wife, American actress Janet Jones. According to Wayne, Janet does not recall him being on the show. They met...
1988 Aug 9 Wayne Gretzky is Traded to the Los Angeles Kings
Two hours after the Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1988, Wayne learned from his father that the Oilers were planning to deal him to another team. Walter had known for months, but kept it f...
1993 Jun 9 Montreal Canadiens win Stanley Cup
The 1993 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Los Angeles Kings and the Montreal Canadiens to decide the NHL championship.It was the Kings' first appearance in t...
1996 Feb 27 Wayne Gretzky is Traded to the St. Louis Blues
On February 27, 1996, Gretzky joined the St. Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and two draft picks. He partially orchestrated the trade after reports ...
1996 Jul 21 Wayne Gretzky Signs with the New York Rangers
Gretzky rejected a three-year deal worth $15 million with the Blues, and on July 22, he signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent, rejoining longtime Oilers teammate Mark Messier f...
1999 Apr 15 Wayne Gretzky Plays His Last on Canadian Ice
As the season wound down, there was media speculation that Gretzky would retire, but he refused to announce his retirement. His last NHL game in Canada was on April 15, 1999, a 2–2 tie wi...
1999 Apr 18 Wayne Gretzky Plays His Final Game
The final game of Gretzky's career was a 2–1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 18, 1999 in Madison Square Garden. The national anthems in that game were adjusted to accomm...
1999 Nov 22 Wayne Gretzky is Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 22, 1999, becoming the tenth player to bypass the three-year waiting period. The Hall of Fame then announced that he would be...
2000 Feb 6 Wayne Gretzky's #99 is Retired League-Wide
The week also was a good sendoff for Wayne Gretzky, who had retired the previous season. His #99 was raised to the rafters, despite him never playing for the hometown Toronto Maple Leafs,...
2005 Aug 8 Wayne Gretzky Becomes the Phoenix Coyotes Head Coach
Almost immediately after retirement, several NHL teams approached him about an ownership role. In May 2000, he agreed to buy a 10% stake in the Phoenix Coyotes in a partnership with major...
2009 Sep 24 Wayne Gretzky Steps Down as Phoenix Coyotes Head Coach
On 5 May 2009, the Coyotes' holding company, Dewey Ranch Hockey LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Moyes agreeing in principle to sell to Research in Motion's Jim Balsillie for $212.5 ...