This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2016
Presented is a 1988-90 Los Angeles King white road jersey worn by the Great One himself — Wayne Gretzky. In our opinion this item appears to show characteristics of extraordinary game use, including tons of loose threads plus dirt and stains. The jersey has a Maska Ultrafil manufacturer’s tag and the fight strap is still intact, with the familiar “99” on the sleeves and back, along with “GRETZKY” in silver lettering. The jersey's fight strap is still intact and shows evident use. Later in Gretzky's career he would remove the fight straps. The provenance for this jersey is impeccable. It was a gift from the Great Gretzky to legendary hockey photographer Denis Brodeur. Gretzky has signed and inscribed the jersey “Dennis” (as opposed to the unique actual spelling of Brodeur’s name) in black sharpie on the back: “To Dennis, Your Friend, Wayne Gretzky 1989, Keep up the Great Photos.” Brodeur, the father of New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, is acknowledged as one of hockey’s finest photographers and was the official photographer for the Montreal Canadiens for many years. He passed away in 2013. (The 1988–89 season was the first for Gretzky in a Kings uniform following a shocking trade with the Edmonton Oilers in the off-season.) His arrival in LA resulted in a marked increase in attendance and fan interest in a city not previously known for following hockey helped put non-traditional U.S. hockey markets on the NHL map. A unique jersey rich in hockey history!
***The jersey was manufactured to accommodate a removable "C" captains patch or "A" alternate/assistant captains patch. During the 1988-89 season Dave Taylor was the main captain who rotated with Wayne Gretzky. During the 1989-90 Season Wayne Gretzky, Larry Robinson and Dave Taylor rotated between captain and alternate/assistant captain during games. Teams often designate alternate captains, also commonly called "assistant captains". Alternate captains wear the letter "A" on their jerseys in the same manner that team captains wear the "C". The letter "C" or "A" is attached to the jersey of the team's captain and alternate captains (the removable insignia exist so the "C" or "A" designation can be easily changed). A very similar jersey with considerably less evidence of use sold recently with the "A" patch affixed at Heritage Auctions for $31,070.
The 1988–89 season was the first for the great Wayne Gretzky in a Kings uniform. He had come over in a shocking trade with the Edmonton Oilers in the off-season (see below). Paced by Gretzky, Los Angeles led the league in goal scoring, with a total of 376 goals scored. In the playoffs, the Kings upset the Oilers, Gretzky's former team, in seven games in the Smythe Division Semi-finals before being swept in the Smythe Division Finals by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Calgary Flames in four straight games.
This was also the first season that the Kings wore their silver and black uniforms, which they would wear until the 1998–99 season. In the off season, they had changed their team colors to silver and black from gold and purple, which were more associated with their co-tenants at the Great Western Forum, the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. They had also unveiled a new logo that reflected the new team colors.
The 1989-90 Los Angeles Kings season saw the Kings compile a record of 34-39-7 for 75 points, good enough for fourth place in the Smythe Division. They defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Calgary Flames in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in the second round. For the Kings, this was the second consecutive year that they eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champions in the first round of the playoffs, only to be swept in the following round by the eventual Cup champions. In both years, they involved both teams from the province of Alberta. This season saw Kings captain Wayne Gretzky become the all-time leading scorer in NHL history.
This beautiful sports relic was worn by the greatest hockey player of all time. The jersey has impeccable historic provenance and displays incredible multiple game use. This would be an incredible addition to any game used collection.