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While it’s nowhere near a record, today certainly marks another milestone in the life of The Great One, Wayne Gretzky.

The man who once scored 50 goals in 39 games is now 50 himself, years removed from his last twirl around an NHL rink yet still beloved by millions of hockey fans around Canada and the rest of the world. A quick Google search of his name this morning reveals hundreds of articles written in honor of the #99’s big 5-0. A glance on Twitter shows page upon page of reaction to the fact that it’s Gretzky’s birthday (both good and bad, but mostly good).

Whether or not you enjoy the fact that the man’s birthday is getting so much coverage, there’s no denying this point: Wayne Gretzky still means a lot to a lot of people.

It’s been just over 4,300 days since Gretzky took an emotional skate around Madison Square Garden after notching his 2857th career point in a 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins – the end of a long, productive and historic era in the NHL. To me, the fact that so many people care about his 50th birthday is a true reflection of the mark he left on the game and the people who watched him play it over all those years… (more…)