Today in History: Wayne Gretzky breaks NHL points record
BOSTON, MA - 1979: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers waits to take ice in game against the Boston Bruins at Boston Garden . (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
Canadian professional hockey player Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers in action on the ice for an away game during his rookie season, 1979-80. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, CT - APRIL, 1979: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates a goal during a WHA game against the New England Whalers in April, 1979 at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NY - 1983: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers skates with the puck during an NHL game against the New York Islanders circa 1983 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
Canadian professional hockey player Wayne Gretzky, forward of the Edmonton Oilers, celebrates on the ice, 1980s. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - MAY, 1984: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers skates on the ice during the 1984 Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Islanders in May, 1984 at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - MAY 19: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers holds the Stanley Cup over his head after the Oilers defeated the New York Islanders in Game 5 of the 1984 NHL Stanley Cup Finals on May 19, 1984 at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Focus On Sport/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 9: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers poses for a portrait on January 9, 1985 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
Canadian professional hockey player Wayne Gretzky, forward of the Edmonton Oilers, skates on the ice during a road game against the Hartford Whalers, Hartford Civic Arena, Hartford, Connecticut, 1985 or 1986. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - MAY 31: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers holds the Stanley Cup after Game 7 of the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers on May 31, 1987 at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - MAY 26: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Edmonton Oilers drinks from the Stanley Cup Trophy as his wife Janet Jones looks on after the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 5 of the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals on May 26, 1988 at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky sits behind a bank of microphones at a press conference at the Edmonton's Petroleum Club where it was announced that he had been traded by the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, August 9, 1988. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - OCTOBER 15: Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Los Angeles Kings hold pucks with the number of career points after Gretzky broke Howe's career points record during the game against the Edmonton Oilers on October 15, 1989 at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 21: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Campbell Conference and the Los Angeles Kings skates on the ice during the 1990 41st NHL All-Star Game against the Wales Conference on January 21, 1990 at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Wales Conference defeated the Campbell Conference 12-7. (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)
MONTREAL 1990's: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Los Angeles Kings sits on the bench during the game against the Montreal Canadiens in the 1990's at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - CIRCA 1993: Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings in action against the San Jose Sharks at the San Jose Arena during the 1993 - 1994 season in San Jose, California.Gretzky played for the Kings from 1988-96. (Photo by Rocky Widner/Getty Images)
29 Feb 1996: Wayne Gretzky of the St. Louis Blues licks his lips during the first period against the Vancouver Canucks at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was Gretzky's first game since joining the Blues in a trade from th
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Hockey player Wayne Gretzky speaks at a press conference 21 July at Madison Square Garden in New York as the New York Rangers announced his signing. Gretzky is the all-time leading scorer in the National Hockey League. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. AFP PHOTO Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 07: New York Rangers' Wayne Gretzky on ice for his Garden debut in game against the Florida Panthers., (Photo by Keith Torrie/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
1998 Season: Wayne Gretzky celebrates his 1,000th NHL goal (regular season and playoffs) with Bruce Driver. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 29: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the New York Rangers poses with the game winning goal against the New York Islanders on March 29, 1999, also broke the all-time record for combined professional goals including WHL, NHL, playoffs and regular season with his 1,072nd career goal at the Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
Up Next
See Gallery
Discover More Like This
HIDE CAPTION
SHOW CAPTION
of
SEE ALL
BACK TO SLIDE
Throughout the NHL's rich history, only one player has separated himself from the pack to emerge as the bar-none greatest player ever. Of course, we're speaking of The Great One: Wayne Gretzky.
On this day in 1989, as a member of the Los Angeles Kings playing against his former Edmonton Oilers, Gretzy broke Gordie Howe's points record of 1,850. Gretzky was just 28 when he broke the record and went on to play nine more seasons in the NHL.
Try to wrap your mind around this stat, bearing in mind that Howe's record stood at 1,850: Gretzky went on to score over 1,000 more points after breaking the record. By the time he hung up the skates for the final time, he amassed 2,857 total points. The second-most in NHL history? Mark Messier, who is almost 1,000 points shy of Gretzky at 1,887.
If you took away all of Gretzky's 894 career goals, his 1,963 assists alone would still be enough for the all-time points title.
Much like WIlt Chamberlain's records in the NBA, Gretzky's goal and assist records are simply mind-boggling -- but even more impressive than Chamberlain's, given that the 7-footer was hooping in a time where players simply couldn't combat his height and athleticism.
Click through the gallery above to see the best shots of Gretzky over the course of his playing career, and watch the video below to see the legend's thoughts on his grandson's hockey future.
