This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/2/2022
Fans attending the October 10th season opener of the Chicago Black Hawks' 1979 campaign were treated to a pleasing 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, but the debut of one of Edmonton's rookies would end up haunting the team, and the rest of the NHL, for years to come. A 19-year-old center named Wayne Gretzky, who dominated the WHA for 46 goals and 64 assists the prior year, was making his NHL debut for the Edmonton Oilers. Gretzky recorded his first official assist and would lead the league with 86 set-ups that year, starting a string of 13 consecutive seasons as the league's top assist man. As proficient as Gretzky was in setting up teammates, he was equally skilled in finding the back of the net on his own with five NHL goal-scoring titles including a league record 92 lamp-lighters in 1981 and nine 50+ goal seasons, eight of them consecutively. By adding 51 goals in his NHL rookie season, Gretzky finished tied with Marcel Dionne for most points scored. Gretzky would finish ahead of the pack for the next seven seasons and 11 times over his 20-year NHL career. The featured ticket stub is from that historical game and is graded PSA 3 VG but presents well in excess of the technical grade. For the price of $11.00, the original ticket holder had a prime seat to see "The Great One" begin his unprecedented career. It may have just been a typical hockey home opener at the time, but it was a game that completely changed the trajectory of the NHL and one of the most significant ticket stubs dedicated to the rink.