Los Angeles, CA (My Sportsbook) - The Los Angeles Kings retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 jersey in a special ceremony before the team's 2002-03 regular season opener Wednesday night at the Staples Center.

LA went on to a 4-1 victory against the Phoenix Coyotes, the team "the Great One" currently serves as managing partner.

Gretzky, 41, the greatest scorer in the history of the National Hockey League with 2,857 points, played eight seasons in Los Angeles. During that time, he won the NHL's scoring title (Art Ross Trophy) on three occasions (1989-90, 90-91, 93-94), was named the league's Most Valuable Player (Hart Memorial Trophy) once (1988-89) and led the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993.

To honor Gretzky, the Kings wore their old home jerseys from the "silver-and- black era" which began in 1988, the same year the Kings acquired Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers.

Fourth on the Kings' all-time scoring list, Gretzky tallied 918 points in only 539 games as a King. He is also the Kings' all-time leading scorer in the playoffs with 94 points in 80 post-season contests.

The holder of 61 NHL records, "The Great One" dominated the NHL, helping the Edmonton Oilers capture four Stanley Cup Championships (1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988). He also won 10 league scoring titles (1981-87, 1990-91 and 1994), nine Hart Trophies (1980-87 and 1989) and two Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP (1985 and 1988). Gretzky also earned five Lady Byng Trophies as the NHL's most gentlemanly player (1980, 1991-92, 1994 and 1999).

Gretzky currently stands as the NHL's all-time leading goal, assist and point producer for both regular season and playoffs. He retired as a player on April 16, 1999 after 20 seasons with the Oilers, Kings, Blues and New York Rangers.

Following his final game, the NHL bestowed on Gretzky the unique distinction of being the only player in the history of the league to have his jersey number retired by all member clubs. "Number 99" was formally retired at the 2000 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto. On November 22, 1999, Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, becoming the 10th and final player in history to have the mandatory three-year waiting period for enshrinement waived by the Hall of Fame's board of directors.