Wayne Gretzky becomes the first NHL player to recordย a 200-point season
March 25, 1982 - Stampede Corral, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
With a first-period assist to Pat Hughes to get his Edmonton Oilers on the board in this all-Alberta matchup, Wayne Gretzky re-wrote the record books.
While he would write his name onto the score log - twice - in the Oilers' 7-2 win over the Calgary Flames, it was this opening assist that saw Gretzky become the first player to record a 200-point season in NHL history.
However, few were surprised to have witnessed Gretzky's star shine so bright so early in his career.
After making his pro-hockey debut for the Indianapolis Racers as a teenager, Gretzky eventually returned across the border before the end of the 1970s, joining the Oilers in a convoluted deal involving private jets and games of backgammon.
Although not considered a rookie during his first year in Edmonton, Gretzky would rack up the record for scoring the most points of any player in their first NHL season, finishing with 137 in 1979-80.
This run of form would continue, with Gretzky becoming the fastest and youngest player to score 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 and 800 NHL goals.
His ability to feed his teammates would also remain clockwork, becoming the fastest and youngest player to accrue 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200 and 1300 NHL points.
By the time Gretzky would hang his skates and stroll effortlessly into the Hall of Fame, he would do so with 61 NHL records to his name, including, as you may have guessed, the most points in league history.
Still, Gretzky's dominance is best illustrated by the fact that even if he never recorded an NHL goal, and his points tally was comprised entirely of assists, the superstar would still sit atop the pops, leading Jaromir Jagr with 1,963 points to 1,921.
They don't call him 'The Great One' for nothing, you know.
