The Wayne Gretzky International Award is a lifetime achievement award given by the
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the history of ice hockey in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and ...
. It was established in 1999, to honor international individuals who have made major contributions to the growth and advancement of
ice hockey in the United States
Ice hockey, rarely referred to in the U.S. simply as "hockey", is a popular sport in the United States. Hockey in the U.S. began in 1894 when the first artificial ice rink was built in Baltimore, Maryland. Now hockey is most popular in regions of ...
.
The award is special recognition for contributions by those not inducted into the Hall of Fame.
It was first presented to its namesake
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; 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 ...
, and has been subsequently awarded at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Recipients
References
1999 establishments in the United States
American ice hockey trophies and awards
Awards established in 1999
Ice hockey in the United States
Wayne Gretzky
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