Gretzky Scores First NHL Goal

There have been few hockey players to leave as big of an impression on the NHL as Wayne Gretzky.  In his 20 year NHL career, Gretzky established himself as hockey’s most talented player.  All great stories must begin somewhere and Gretzky’s began in 1979 with the Edmonton Oilers.

On this day, October 14th, in 1979, Wayne Gretzky scored his first NHL goal.  The goal came in Gretzky’s third game against the Vancouver Canucks.  Gretzky went on to score 50 more goals that season, which was the highest total for a rookie in NHL history.  Gretzky also won the NHL’s MVP award and was tied for the scoring lead at the end of the season with 137 points.

What came after the 1979 season was one of the greatest streaks of dominance in sports history.  Gretzky was awarded the MVP award for the next seven consecutive years and led the league in goals for the next seven as well.