Wayne Gretzky First Goal WHA Racers vs. Edmonton myhockeytv

[RVVDont]

Just think if Indianapolis liked hockey way more... what could have been.

[carter2]

Interesting that it was against the Oilers

[ralphyization]

Glad he played junior here! I feel like there's a little piece of Sault Ste. Marie involved somehow. he he...

[9999pharlap]

Went to Gretzkys first game with the Edmonton Oilers (was 6 years old at the time). Had to leave Edmonton in 1980 just before the Oilers won the Stanley Cup but I still cherish the shirt he signed for me back in 1979 and a few other signatures I got on a magazine a night they were playing against the New England Whalers (brings back souvenirs to some I hope...:-)..... Great times I'll never forget.

[Younglink225tpb]

the announcer was nostradamus

[Taew2009]

I used to watch him play when I lived in Indianapolis as a kid. I'm pretty sure he score his second goal 4 seconds after that goal.

[harry2269]

Mike Fornes who is the commentator calling this goal was actually my college speech class teacher last year!! he is an awesome guy and a good teacher, as well as a great commentator!

[flymonkeys3]

@harry2269 Dude, where is that at? What college? I have always wondered what happened to him. I loved him alongside of Al Koken calling the Washington Caps games on HTS. Please let me know. Thanks.

[harry2269]

@flymonkeys3 Mike Fornes teaches at North Central Michigan College in Petosky Michigan, which is located in the northern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. He teaches communications courses specializing in public speaking. (which is obviously a strength of his). He is also the front-man in a Gordon Lightfoot tribute band for charity fund raising, as well as being a contribution writer for the local newspaper. On top of all that, he is a tour guide and writer for some Mackinaw Historical parks

[WestgateOne]

@harry2269 Mike Fornes also called Dale Hunter's Game 7 comeback OT goal against the Flyers.

[kavimander]

'What an ugly shot...who is this kid?" but the total opposite

[saib108]

"i have a feeling that's the first of few that we'll be seeing from wayne gretzy!"

... truer word has never been spoken, mr. commentator.

[clayton998]

@indyfan22k a little nhl competition for the all-star-game!!

[dccoulthard]

Just odd to see Gretzky's first goal AGAINST Edmonton!

[jmg4314]

if my memory serves me right I think he became a pretty good goal scorer and hockey player

[pokefan2009]

i was old enought to see and remember wayne gretzky's first goal and i was there to see him retire it is sad that the best hockey player retired but now he is in california i think he lives 1 block away from my house that means im canadian and seeing his 894 goals and his about 2800 points he will live on in hockey history and in most of our memories

[endlessmountain]

There is one for ya trivia buffs out there

Gretzky scored his first pro goal against the Oilers.. not many would think that as many would think he started with the Oil

[bigIslesfan]

Wow I didn't know he scored his first goal against Dave Dryden. Dave went on become a teacher He thought me in the fourth grade At White Oaks Public school in 86. At the same time he was also working part time as a goaltending consultant for the Red Wings. he a really great guy he know works In the Head offiices with Colin Campbell Hes in charge of enforcing the goalie Equipment rules.

[perryfan10]

@bigIslesfan Dave Dryden is the head of Sleeping Children Around the World, a charity his Dad started. They recently handed out the millionth bed kit. A bed kit is $35 and they send you a picture of the child.

[2dlamb]

"i have a feeling thats the first of quite a few that we'll be seeing from wayne gretzky"

[MrBarelylethal]

"When I came in pro at 17 in the WHA, players encouraged me to take my helmet off," Gretzky said. "I probably would have, but my dad didn't let me. Eventually, I don't know how long down the road here, you're going to see very few guys not playing with visors -- if any."

[gostillerz]

"But then I switched from a CCM helmet to the much safer Jofa VM".

[MrBarelylethal]

Safer! the ccm was hard plastic, the jofa was just soft plastic and a thin layer at that, oh well if gretzky changed because he thought it was safer that's fine, it definitely fit him better so ya it probably was [for him]

[Uvissiet]

Yeah well...let's see him do it again!

[perryfan10]

Wayne Gretzky holds the record for most goals in a season which is 92 goals. Here's a really tough one for you. Who held the record for most goals in professional hockey before Gretzky broke it? Hint: He never played in the NHL and he scored 87 goals in one season.

[shanehaddix]

Um.... Rocket Richard? Probably not cause he played in the NHL...

[perryfan10]

Dave Staffen scored 87 goals in one season playing in the AHL but never played in the NHL. When Dave was asked what he thought of Wayne Gretzky breaking his record he told the press there was a big difference between the AHL and NHL.

[rgmillikan]

I wish Gretzky had stayed in Indy, they might have an NHL team now!

[alexf5]

That's an amazing piece of history right there - THANKS for posting!

[mdpk1]

like the Zapruder Film of Hockey.... only ... good.

[robcas123]

inspite of having Wayne Gretzky on the team, the racers would go out of buisness after 25 games.

[sl2ab09]

But they didn't go out of business because of lack of support... the team was voluntarily folded by their owner because he was buying Edmonton!

[moe6900]

dude crosbys first goal was way the fuck better

[deejaykgb]

lil sidney sucks... gretz was light years ahead of everyone in his era... sid is behind a couple russians skill-wise for his era.

[Biggerthanyou89]

Was the goalie Glen Hanlon?

[RRaquello]

The announcer sez the goalie is Dryden. That's Dave Dryden, Ken's brother, who played some with Buffalo in the NHL, and with the Oilers in the WHA.

[Biggerthanyou89]

Oh Now i remember. He Did his first NHL Goal against Hanlon.

[perryfan10]

Dave Dryden was Most Valuable Player for Edmonton denying Gretzky that honor for the first time in his career. Dave now heads up Sleeping Children Around the World. A charity his dad started to buy bed kits for poor children.

[chrisuncleahmad]

1 down, 1,071 to go.

[krogdog]

Didn't he score another one like 6 sec later?

[catalinadee]

the announcer was right. that was the first of one or two gretzky goals. i wonder ho many assists he had when he scored this.

[Brunan68]

Why was the WHA a stupid league? The league had way fewer teams then, players had to be that much better to get a shot at the show. The WHA was a great league, filled with players that made it to the show, it definately did not suck. Comments like that by people as ill-informed as you should be banned. You come across as an ass who has no merit in any arguement you present.

[schmoop14]

Actually, if you combine the number of WHA and NHL teams (32 at one point); consider that both ignored U.S. talent; and only the WHA seriously mined Europe, pro hockey was never more watered down than 72-79. Don't get me wrong -- I'm a big WHA fan. I grew up in Indianapolis as a Racers fan with Calgary Cowboys, Winnipeg Jets and Houston Aeros pennants on my wall. Like the ABA, it had more wide open play and several cool elements later adopted by the more established league.

[RRaquello]

The WHA gave an American player like Robbie Ftorek the chance the NHL never gave him and he became a star, and later on, when he got back to the NHL w. Quebec, he showed he was no WHA fluke, but the real goods. I remember thinking at the time that the WHA did give good opportunities to American players (Tim Sheehy, Mike Curran, Nick Fotiu and the famous Carlson brothers among them.)

[bapjap]

the WHA suked anyways

[starwarsrebel2006]

Lol, so you think that's why he scored? Next you'll tell me the NHL sucks, which is why he's the all time scoring leader.

[bapjap]

no, im saying that the WHA was a stupid league. Gretzky was phenomonal dont get me wrong, but the WHA was a dumb-ass league

[schmoop14]

You don't know your hockey history, pal. They ran their business too haphazardly, but, like the ABA, the WHA had a lot of very good and great players, usually put on a good show and were a positive influence on the game in numerous ways even after its demise.

[Brunan68]

I would never assume to know any more or any less than any other canadian kid raised on hockey, consumed by the sport, and digesting every aspect of the game, not just the current crop of talent in the league. I disagree that they ignored US talent. There were quite a few americans in the game during those years, but now, as then, the game is dominated by canadian talent. There are alot of skilled europeans in the league now, but it is still Canada's game.

[schmoop14]

I, too, grew up with the game, then spent most of my adult life covering the game for a living. In 1976-77, there were 37 U.S.-born NHL players and 20 in the WHA. U.S. players of the 1980s told me and others often that what changed after the 1980 Olympics was that not only did NHL teams start to believe U.S. kids in general might have the puck skills and skating to compete in the NHL, but Canadian junior programs did, too, thus giving U.S. kids another route to the NHL.

[schmoop14]

Also, more than one coach or scout from the era has said when they saw the 1980 team dominate the Czechs in the third period and skate with the Soviets all while playing an open-ice style based on puck possession, they realized they had been missing something south of the border. (BTW, half those WHA players were on the Whalers, including Larry Pleau).

[Brunan68]

You obviously know many of the little known facts behind the scenes that the average fan of the game wouldn't know. I didn't know how many americans were in the league during this time, only that the US was represented in the league. Thanks for the info and the obviously well researched documentation to back your opinion up. I honestly thought there were more americans in the league then, and that it was in better shape than I thought.

[trevorlinden94]

never new he scored his first wha/pro goal against the team that he made famous

[albertaoilers]

Al Hamilton #3 on Defence his banner hangs next to Gretzky's

[josatinho]

gretzky and fetisov are my idols..third idol is larionov

[SmokeDogg11]

That kid'll never make it. He's way too small.

[Uvissiet]

Yeah, he's too small. He can't forecheck or dig one out of the corner. I'm sure he hung em up soon after this. :)

[vdven]

whatever happened to that Gretzky kid?

[Randy1337]

he retired after that goal :D

[Uvissiet]

Then he gave it a last go. He thought he had one more in him.

[turdferguson2]

this is actually a pretty freakin profound video. this is the first goal to start out the most glorious career ever seen in hockey, or any sport really.

[Rosvolainen]

In hockey? Yes. In any sport? Very argueable.

[APBT777]

so argue it then.

[oehieze]

oh yeah, no way that litle white gloved showoff was going to amount to much :)

[frrrrrunkis]

"The first of quite a few from Wayne Gretzky", the announcer said. That's got to be one of the biggest understatements I've ever heard! lol

[EazYoLE]

are you stupid?? Hes Says that he are going 2 score Lots of goals

[frrrrrunkis]

Quite a few doesn't necessarily mean 894 and destroying Gordie Howe's old record in his 15th NHL season. For instance, Joey Mullen scored quite a few goals, but nowhere near Gretzky's total. Maybe you need a little more practice with your English, asshole.

[champkindsports1]

The goal that started it all!

[Camel22221]

Funny thing is he scored it against the Edmonton Oilers.

[taterhill2118]

great stuff