The last jersey Wayne Gretzky wore as an Edmonton Oiler sold at auction on Sunday night for $1.452 million. The sale, which was through Grey Flannel Auctions, set a record as the most valuable hockey jersey ever, topping the $1.3 million paid for Paul Henderson’s Team Canada jersey from the 1972 Summit Series.
Worn on May 26, 1988, the day the Oilers completed their four-game sweep of the Boston Bruins to win their fourth Stanley Cup, it marked the last time Gretzky would suit up for the franchise. Seventy-five days later, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.
That fourth game is remembered for having started two days earlier but was suspended due to a power failure inside Boston Garden with game tied 3-3 only minutes into the second period. The NHL decided to shift the series back to Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton and restart Game 4, which the Oilers would win 6-3 to claim their fourth title in five seasons. Gretzky would claim the Conn Smythe Trophy after a 12-goal, 43-point playoff campaign.
According to Grey Flannel, the jersey features champagne stains from the post-game celebrations, as well as stick and puck marks from on-ice play.
Gloves that Gretzky wore in that same game sold for $204,162, while an undershirt, laundry bag, celebration cap, socks and shorts of his from that night went for $4,570.
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.
