Gretzky, Wayne, 1961–, Canadian ice hockey player, b. Brantford, Ont. He played with the Edmonton Oilers (1978–88), Los Angeles Kings (1988–96), St. Louis Blues (1996), and New York Rangers (1997–99). Gretzky is considered the most influential player in professional hockey history; when he retired, he held or shared 61 National Hockey League (NHL) records. In 1981–82, the "Great One" set single-season NHL marks for goals (92), assists (120), and points (212), becoming the first player to achieve more than 200 points, and in 1985–86 he set new single-season assists (163) and points (215) records. He retired in 1999 with the lifetime goal (894), assist (1,963), and point (2,857) records, and was NHL scoring champion ten times and most valuable player nine times. In 2001, Gretzky became the managing partner of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes; he also became the team's coach in 2005.

Gretzky, Wayne (Douglas)

(born Jan. 26, 1961, Brantford, Ont., Can.) Canadian ice-hockey player, considered the greatest in the history of the game. As centre and captain for the Edmonton Oilers (1979–88), he led his team to four Stanley Cup victories, becoming the first player to average more than two points a game. He was traded successively to the Los Angeles Kings (1988), the St. Louis Blues (1996), and the New York Rangers (1996). When he ended his career in 1999, he held 61 National Hockey League (NHL) records. He holds the all-time NHL records for goals (894), assists (1,963), and points (2,857), as well as corresponding seasonal records (92 goals, 163 assists, 215 points). He is the only player to have led the league in scoring for seven consecutive years (1980–87) and the only one named most valuable player for eight consecutive seasons (1979–87).