Wayne Gretzky jersey breaks record at auction.

A National Hockey League jersey has just broken a record at auction and somewhat unsurprisingly it is a jersey that once belonged to the greatest player in the history of the sport.

The Action Network's Darren Rovell reported over the weekend that a jersey once worn by Gretzky during his time with the Edmonton Oilers had sold for a staggering $1.45 million at auction, shattering the record previously set when a Paul Henderson jersey from the 1972 Summit Series was sold for $1.3 million, a full $150,000 less than the Gretzky jersey.

This however is no ordinary Wayne Gretzky jersey and that is where it truly derives it's value to collectors. The jersey sold over the weekend is actually the last jersey Gretzky ever wore as a member of the Edmonton Oilers and it has been matched to the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals confirming its authenticity. That of course makes it a unique piece of memorabilia and it is for that reason that some collectors are willing to pay such outlandish prices for these items.

In the 1988 Stanley Cup Final, Gretzky and the Oilers faced off against the Boston Bruins in a series that was largely dominated by the Oilers, sweeping the Bruins in 4 games to win the Stanley Cup.

The series is notable for a few reasons, one of which was the actual cancelation of a Stanley Cup Final game when a power failure at the old Boston Garden led to the National Hockey League suspending the contest and playing it at a later date.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of this series though is The Great One himself. Gretzky would be named the Most valuable player after the conclusion of the series, capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy, and even scored the series winning goal to secure the Stanley Cup for the Oilers. 

Most notable of all though Gretzky, who up until that point was synonymous with the Edmonton Oilers, would participate in the last games he would ever play in the NHL in an Oilers uniform in this series.