1979-80 O-Pee-Chee 18 Wayne Gretzky Hockey Card (Front)
1979-80 O-Pee-Chee 18 Wayne Gretzky Hockey Card (Back)
1979-80 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
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Card Notes
Wayne is considered the best prospect to turn professional since Guy Lafleur. Wayne debuted in WHA at age 17.
En Français
On considère que Wayne est le meilleur espoir professionnel depuis Guy Lafleur. Wayne débuta dans l’Association Mondiale à l’âge de 17 ans.
Details
Interestingly, the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card is an ERROR card. The game total from the 1978-79 season on the back of the card should be 80 and not 60. These stats are from the WHA. Wayne started the season with the Indianapolis Racers but after eight games found himself with the Edmonton Oilers where he played another 72.
The best prospect since Guy Lafleur came out on top of the comparison in his rookie NHL season. Wayne scored 51 goals for the Oilers, one more than Guy’s 50. Gretzky placed tied for fifth in the category with Mike Bossy. For assists, The Great One led the NHL with 86 while The Flower finished third with 75. In the race for the Art Ross Trophy, Gretzky tied Marcel Dionne at the top with 137 points while Lafleur finished third with 125.
Of course, what came in the years after was, in 1980, beyond anyone’s imagination. Wayne would set many records that may never be broken. He scored 92 goals in 1981-82 and had 163 assists and 215 points in 1985-86. He is the only player to top 200 points in a season and did it four times.
Between 1979-80 and 1988-89, Wayne Gretzky appeared in 1,487 regular season and 208 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999.