“Disappointed My Parents”: Hockey Legend Wayne Gretzky Suffered a Bitter-Sweet Moment After Breaking an Impeccable NHL Record in 1981

On December 30, 1981, NHL legend Wayne Gretzky stunned the hockey world when he led his team to a smashing victory over Philadelphia Flyers. Creating records, that day, Wayne scored five goals against a tough team like the Flyers. It was something that he did not even think of in his “wildest imagination.”

On that day, Wayne did not just prove his dominance in hockey but also reached an unbelievable total of 50 goals in 39 games. However, that record holds a bitter-sweet memory for Wayne. Speaking about it, Wayne opened up.

Wayne walked down the memory lane

Much like his fans, Wayne’s family, especially his parents, eagerly awaited his games. Though beating the tough team like the Flyers single-handily that day Wayne created records, he revealed his parents weren’t that thrilled. Reasons? Wayne, in a 1981 interview, said, “I probably disappointed my parents. They were planning to fly (from Brantford, Ont.) to Vancouver for tomorrow’s game against the Canucks in the hopes of seeing me break the record.”

However, Wayne was also quick to add the best place to witness a record being broken is at home. Though his parents missed out on seeing him break the records, they were undeniably proud of his achievements. For Wayne, the winning streak did not end that day.

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Eventually, he went on to score nine goals over the course of the next two games, earning himself an NHL record that remains unbroken to date. Against the Flyers game, Wayne scored an empty net goal with just three seconds left in the game. His shot allowed the Edmonton sharpshooter to erase the standard of 50 goals in 50 games shared by former New York Islanders ace Mike Bossy and Montreal great Maurice Richard.

The undefeated legacy of Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky, more fondly referred to as the ‘Great One,’ is the undisputed GOAT of ice hockey. Having played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League for four different teams between 1979 to 1999, his legacy in the ice rim remains unmatched.

The former professional and the head coach is a leading goal scorer, assist producer, and point scorer in NHL history. He held 61 NHL records when he retired in 1999, including 6 All-Star records, 15 playoff records, and 40 regular season records. Furthermore, he is the only NHL player to score more than 200 points in a single season four times.

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