After a one-year flirtation with the World Hockey Association (WHA), Wayne Gretzky landed with the Edmonton Oilers in 1979 where he quickly began establishing scoring records at a dizzying pace and led his team to four Stanley Cup championships. Starting with his second year with Edmonton, he would put up scoring totals of 164, 212, 196, 205, 208, 215 and 183, a seven year span unmatched and largely unimagined. Presented here is one of a group of nine Gretzky game pucks, dating from the transcendent early years of Gretzky’s career, acquired by John Hamilton directly from Glen Sather, President and GM of the Edmonton Oilers. Each puck was utilized to achieve a different milestone or record in Gretzky’s then young career.
Wayne Gretzky nailed down the 500th assist of his storied career in this Dec. 17, 1983 game against the Quebec Nordiques, a milestone reached in barely more than four seasons. To put context to the achievement, it might suffice to note that the top eight single-season assist records all belong to "The Great One." By the time it was all done in 1999, he held 40 regular-season records, 15 playoff records, and six All-Star records, had captured nine Hart Trophies, 10 Art Ross Trophies and two Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP.
This puck is a fitting artifact to commemorate that unique accomplishment, showing game use from that historic milestone. The puck has been wrapped with trainer's tape that was affixed following the contest to include notations of game, time, place, etc. The artifact is in superb condition and without issue; the hand-written notations by the trainer are still clearly legible. Includes a 3-by- 1/2-inch plastic nameplate with gold finish engraved with the date, score and description.
Comes with a copy of a Letter of Authenticity signed by Glen Sather, President and GM of the Edmonton Oilers, along with a Letter of Provenance from the Newport Sports Museum Collection.