"It was kind of awful": When Wayne Gretzky opened up about his trip to final game alongside his father

Wayne Gretzky’s last NHL game was not only the end of an illustrious career, but about a personal moment he shared with his father, Walter. He played his final game at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 1999. Fans, teammates and the league treated it as the closing chapter for the “Great One.”

However, for Gretzky, he felt the day’s meaning with a simple car ride.

He chose to be driven by his father just like when he was a kid. Speaking to NHL.com on the 25th anniversary of his final game, Gretzky shared the reason why Walter drove him to MSG.

“For my final game, I decided that since my dad drove me to the first game I ever went to, it would be great to drive my dad to my last game,” Gretzky said.

The drive was also memorable as Gretzky recalled how his dad kept pushing him to think about one more season.

“The ride was good, but it was kind of awful in the same sense because every three minutes, he kept hitting my leg and telling me that I could play one more year. I said, ‘No, dad, I’m done,’” Gretzky said.

Gretzky has often said that his last day as a player was one of the best he ever had in hockey. The fans gave him a rousing ovation, he was honored on the ice and he finished his career in one of the most famous arenas. But above it all, what stood out to him was that car ride with his father.

Wayne Gretzky reflects on lessons from his father Walter

Walter Gretzky had a strong influence on Wayne Gretzky’s life and career. He always stood by his son and made decisions he felt were best for him.

When the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association tried to stop Wayne from moving to Toronto in 1974, Walter spoke about his rights as a parent.

“No, they can't tell me where to send my own boy,” Walter said. “It is our decision. He is our family playing. If he will be happy elsewhere, we decide between the family, that's what we're gonna do, that's our decision.”

Walter gave Wayne lessons about family and responsibility that shaped his personal life. Wayne built his family with Janet Jones and their five children, and as he grew older, he took the values Walter taught him to heart.

Walter died in 2021, but he continues to play a role in Wayne’s life.