The "Wayne Gretzky of Wayne Gretzky Collectors" Shawn Chaulk has consigned the jersey the "Great One" was wearing when he broke the single-season scoring record.
 Gretzky's record looked uncertain, until he scored three goals in the dying minutes of the game |
Chaulk's collection had bidders in a frenzy last year, when he put a selection of Gretzky memorabilia up for sale with Classic Auctions, selling his 500th goal jersey at an impressive $297,995.
With the same auction selling the present jersey, it is expected to make in excess of $250,000 on May 20.
It was almost certain that Gretzky would beat Phil Esposito's scoring record of 76 when he stepped out onto the ice on February 24, 1982 against Buffalo. However, the certainty wavered as he was kept from scoring until the last half of the third period.
Never one to disappoint, the Great One managed to bag three goals in the final seven minutes of the game. He raised the record to 92 goals by the end of the season.
"It is certainly a museum-worthy piece. This is one of the most photo-matched jerseys ever found in the hobby and certainly one of the most important hockey jerseys ever offered," Classic Auctions' president Marc Juteau told Paul Fraser Collectibles.
"This jersey is the one the Great One was wearing when he scored his 77th goal to break Phil Esposito's single-season record and it is likely that Wayne wore this jersey for most of the 1981-82 season, including on March 28 in Los Angeles when he scored his record-setting 92nd goal against the Kings."
Photo-matched from an old newspaper, the jersey bears all the scars of its game use with dirt, marks and burns all serving as evidence to its history.
Also featuring from Chaulk's collection is the puck from the game, as well as Gretzky's 81-82 season gloves, which were worn as he scored his 200th goal. Following will be the stick that brought Gretzky his 212th point, his second-highest total.
Hockey jerseys are big business in the collecting world, and with the sports memorabilia market booming at the moment, the auction is sure to see strong results. See our top five hockey jerseys list for the finest five to have sold at auction.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has an excellent selection of hockey memorabilia for sale.
