Wayne Gretzky Named NHL's Official Ambassador for Centennial Celebration

NHL all-time leading scorer Wayne Gretzky will serve as the league's official ambassador as it celebrates 100 years with a Centennial Celebration beginning Jan. 1, 2017. 

Dan Rosen of the NHL's official website reported the news Tuesday. The announcement included a statement from commissioner Gary Bettman about the milestone celebration:

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A century of great players, great plays and great moments deserves a year-long celebration, and we invite everyone to join our party in 2017. We are delighted that Wayne Gretzky -- whose spectacular contributions on the ice matched his immeasurable graciousness and popularity off the ice -- will serve as our Centennial's official ambassador as we honor all the drama, suspense, excitement and memories that have thrilled the best fans in sports for generations.

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The NHL also passed along comments from Gretzky and some highlights from his remarkable career:

Gretzky, 55, will help kick off the year-long festivities New Year's Day at the NHL Centennial Classic outdoor game featuring the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs at BMO Field in Toronto.

The league's announcement noted other plans for the celebration include unveiling a list of the top 100 players in league history during All-Star Weekend starting Jan. 27 and a Centennial Truck Tour that's set to visit NHL markets and other hockey communities to spotlight the sport's history.

Gretzky is the perfect choice to spearhead the effort. His 2,857 points are 970 more than the next closest player on the all-time scoring list, Mark Messier. The former Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers star also holds a multitude of other individual records, including career hat tricks and playoff points.

The Great One was the best player in the NHL for an extended period of time. His vote for which player currently holds that title went to a fellow center from the reigning champion Pittsburgh Penguins, per Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports: "Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world."

While that's true right now, Crosby figures to receive some stiff competition for his place on the mountaintop in the coming years. The NHL has welcomed some high-end talent over the past couple of drafts, led by Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews.

It's an infusion of talent desperately needed for a league that's slipped behind the NFL, NBA and MLB in the American sports landscape, though it remains king in Canada.

None of those budding stars figure to match Gretzky's records in a low-scoring era, but they will lead the way as the NHL moves into its second century of existence.