Remembering the Great One

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Bryan Rosenbaum

Although records are made to be broken, most of the Great One's 66 NHL records should stand for quite some time. Gretzky won nine Hart Memorial Trophies (MVP), nine scoring titles, four Stanley Cups, two playoff MVPs and three All-Star Game MVPs.

Gretzky scored more goals (894), had more assists (1,962) and more points (2,856) than any other player in NHL history, doing it all in 20 years. Even if his records are broken someday, memories of the Great One, like those of Michael Jordan, will live forever.

Here are the top five from his career:

No. 5 - 1987 Canada Cup finals

Playing in the best international competition before the Olympics allowed NHL players, Gretzky turned in his greatest performance in Game Two of the best-of-three finals series against the Soviet Union, dishing out five assists in Canada's 6-5 win in overtime. Canada went on to win the series, reminiscent of the classic 1972 Summit Series when Canada defeated the Russians on their home ice.

No. 4 - 50th goal in 39 games

The benchmark of all goal scorers is 50; Gretzky did that in 39 games with a five-goal performance in 1981. He went on to score a record 92 goals with 212 points. Four years later, Gretzky tallied 215 points, an NHL record.

No. 3 - 802nd goal

Gretzky passed Gordie Howe as the NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer March 23, 1994, against the Vancouver Canucks. Last month, Gretzky scored his 1,072nd goal to finish above Howe as the greatest professional goal-scorer, combining the goals scored in the NHL and the World Hockey Association.

No. 2 - 1,851st point

As a Los Angeles King, Gretzky returned to his old stomping grounds in Edmonton and scored the tying goal late in the third period October 15, 1989. The goal passed Howe and made Gretzky the NHL's all-time leading scorer. To cap the evening off, Gretzky scored the winner in overtime.

No. 1 - Winning the 1984 Stanley Cup

Sure, he won four of these in five years with the Oilers, but Gretzky said that lifting the Cup for the first time was the greatest moment of his life. The Oilers, built on young players, knocked off the four-time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders (yes, they were once good), and the hockey world loved the young Oilers for defeating their elders.

Thanks for all the memories, Wayne.