He’s an icon, a legend, and today Wayne Gretzky is 50 years-old.
He’s a once-in-a-lifetime player that we’ll never see the likes of again. Gretzky’s prolific offense and captivating career from his days with the Edmonton Oilers winning four Stanley Cups, to his shocking trade to the Los Angeles Kings, and culminating with a career that finished on Broadway with the New York Rangers is one that made hockey fans out of millions across the world.
Gretzky’s importance to the NHL cannot be stated without talking about the scoring records and the accolades he’s had throughout his career. With The Great One turning 50 though, it brings up a number that’s been huge throughout his career. Never mind how Gretzky turning 50 might make us feel about ourselves and where we are in our lives, I’m sure Wayne still doesn’t get used to hearing from people that he’s the reason they became hockey players or fans.
While he’s not directly involved in the game now, he’s still arguably the biggest name and face in the sport and all throughout his career the number 50 has played both an obvious and understated role. How so? We’ve got a few ways to pay homage to the Great One via the number 50.
Number of seasons which Gretzky scored 50 or more goals: Nine.
Gretzky had a run of eight seasons in a row from 1979-1980 to 1986-1987 in which he scored 50 or more goals. In his first season with the Los Angeles Kings he score 54 goals thrilling fans in L.A. with a tremendous run in the playoffs. In five of those seasons, Gretzky led the NHL in goals scored.
Number seasons Gretzky scored 50 goals in less than 50 games: Three.
Wayne Gretzky set a record that will likely never be broken again in 1981-1982, just a season after Mike Bossy of the Islanders scored 50 in 50 games. That season, Gretzky scored 50 goals in just 39 games serving notice that the NHL was about to be turned on its ear. That season, Gretzky finished with an NHL record 92 goals.
In 83-84 and 84-85 Gretzky did 50 in less than 50 again. In 83-84, he pulled the feat off in 42 games while the following season he did it in 49 games. After setting the bar at such a ridiculous level in 81-82 it seemed almost like a let down when he pulled off the feat in back-to-back seasons, but only one other player ever pulled off 50 in 50 in back-to-back seasons after that (Brett Hull in 1990-1991 and 1991-1992).
Number of career games scoring three or more goals: 50
Hat tricks are all the rage now, but Gretzky turned it into a fine art and a source of expectation. Going above and beyond that turned some games into a bonus treat. 37 times in his career he had a hat trick. He also had nine career four-goal games and four career five-goal games.
Number of professional seasons in which Gretzky didn’t score 50 or more points: One.
1994-1995 was the lockout season in which the NHL had a shortened 48-game season. Gretzky had 11 goals and 37 assists that year good for 48 points. In even a shortened year, Gretzky still averaged a point per game.
Number of seasons Wayne Gretzky had 50 or more penalty minutes: Two.
Wayne Gretzky was never a goon or an enforcer by any means as he had a long list of players willing to take up for him. Whether it was Dave Semenko or Marty McSorely, Gretzky had someone watching his back at all times. The fact that Gretzky managed to steer clear of the rough and tumble days of the NHL in the 80s is pretty incredible on its own. Then again, Gretzky was also a five-time Lady Byng Award winner as the league’s most gentlemanly player.