Although he grew up skating before the age of three and playing with kids four grades above him, there is not a single person who could have predicted the magnitude of the influence that Wayne Gretzky would have on the sport of hockey. After just his second season in the NHL, Gretzky had compiled back-to-back MVP awards and broke both the most assists (102) and most points (152) in a season records held by legends Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. With his swift skills on the ice and cool demeanor off the ice, Gretzky instantly found himself in the national spotlight such as his appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s iconic The Great Gretzky October 1981 issue highlighting “The Kid” as not only the best hockey player at the time but perhaps even the greatest athlete of his era. Despite all of his awards and accolades, Gretzky’s most proud contributions to the game are seen through the impact he had on his teammates and the Oilers organization as a whole, leading them to the top four scoring seasons in NHL history and most importantly, four Stanley Cup championships over a span of five years.

This Sports Illustrated cover print from Oct. 12, 1981, is autographed by Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky’s signature was witnessed by an Upper Deck representative as part of UDA’s 5-step authentication process. This item is not limited.