<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> Wayne Douglas Gretzky CC (/ ˈɡrɛtski /; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach . He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999 . Nicknamed "The Great One", he has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters, players, and the league itself . Gretzky is the leading scorer in NHL history, with more goals and assists than any other player . He garnered more assists than any other player scored total points, and is the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season--a feat he accomplished four times . In addition, Gretzky tallied over 100 points in 16 professional seasons, 14 of them consecutive . At the time of his retirement in 1999 and persisting through 2017, he holds 61 NHL records: 40 regular - season records, 15 playoff records, and six All - Star records . </P> <P> Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, Gretzky honed his skills at a backyard rink and regularly played minor hockey at a level far above his peers . Despite his unimpressive stature, strength and speed, Gretzky's intelligence and reading of the game were unrivaled . He was adept at dodging checks from opposing players, and consistently anticipated where the puck was going to be and executed the right move at the right time . Gretzky became known for setting up behind his opponent's net, an area that was nicknamed "Gretzky's office". </P>

Where does wayne gretzky rank among nhl players
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