Wayne Gretzky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach. He played 20 seasons in the NHL from 1979 to 1999, representing four teams and retiring at 38. Nicknamed "the Great One," he is widely regarded as the greatest ice hockey player in history, according to numerous sportswriters and experts. Gretzky holds records as the leading goal scorer, assist provider, and point scorer in NHL history, and he achieved over 200 points in a single season four times.
Wayne debuted in the NHL in 1979 with the Edmonton Oilers. Wayne played with the Oilers from 1979-1988. Later, he joined the Los Angeles Kings from 1988 to 1996 and with the New York Rangers from 1988 to 1999. Wayne also played with the St. Louis Blues for one year. He played for the Indianapolis Racers, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers during his illustrious career.
Wayne Gretzky’s Records
Wayne Gretzky is considered the greatest player in the NHL. His journey is filled with various accomplishments and records that are not easy to break. He secured the Art Ross Trophy nine times for the first ten years of his career in the NHL.
In the 1981-1982 season, he hit 92 goals and this incredible record remains untouched as of 2024.
Gretzky holds the record for most assists in the history of the NHL in 1963. As of 2024, he also holds the record for most goals scored with 894 goals. His performance earned him nine Hart Trophies for the Most Valuable Player in the league.
Additionally, he collected 100 points in 15 professional seasons and consecutively for 14 seasons. Wayne held 61 NHL records, including 40 in regular season, 15 in playoffs, and 6 All-Star, at the time of his retirement in 1999. As of 2024, Wayne Gretzky still holds or shares 51 records.
Wayne retired in 1999 and was placed into the Hockey Hall of Fame as an honor for his contribution to the history of ice hockey. The NHL retired his jersey number 99 league-wide.
| Accomplishment | Details |
| Art Ross Trophies | 9 times |
| Points per season | 1.92 points per game over his career |
| Most goals in a season | 92 goals in the 1981-1982 season (still a record as of 2024) |
| Most assists in a season | 163 assists in the 1985-1986 season |
| All-time assists leader | 1,963 assists (most in NHL history) |
| Hart Trophies (Most Valuable Player) | 9 times |
| Total MVP Awards | 9 times |
| NHL records at retirement | 61 total: 40 regular season, 15 playoff, 6 All-Star |
| Record held as of 2024 | Holds/shares 51 records |
Wayne Gretzky’s milestone records
Wayne Gretzky holds milestone records for goals, points, and assists. He reached this milestone score at a very young age. He recorded his 100th goal at the age of 20. He then continued achieving new records as the fastest and youngest player, collecting 2,000 career points at the age of 29. His fastest records are earning 300 assists and 500 points at 21 years. Indeed, Wayne's remarkable milestone records have been marked with the golden pen in the books of the NHL.
| Accomplishment | Details |
| 100th goal | Achieved at age 20 |
| 300 assists | Achieved at age 21 (fastest/youngest) |
| 500 goals | Achieved at age 21 (fastest/youngest) |
| 2000 career points | Achieved at age 29 |
Wayne Gretzky's Broken Records
Wayne held 61 NHL records before his retirement in 1999. As of 2024, many other prominent players in the NHL have broken many of Wayne's records. Patrick Kane beat his record of 15 regular season assists, holding the record of 26 assists as of 2024. In the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, Leon Draisaitl beat the record set by Wayne with 14 assists with 15 in the second round. Alex Ovechkin surpassed Wayne's record by scoring 40-plus goals in his 13th season.
In 1987, Wayne Gretzky set the record for most assists in a single postseason with 31 assists. Recently, Connor McDavid, captain of the Edmonton Oilers, broke this long-standing record during Game 4 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. McDavid achieved his 32nd assist of the postseason on a goal by Dylan Holloway, contributing to the Oilers' 8-1 victory, and bringing his playoff points total to 38, just nine shy of Gretzky's record of 48 points from the 1984-85 season.
Read more: How many Stanley Cups did Gretzky win?
FAQs on Wayne Gretzky
A. Wayne has set the record by achieving 93 goals, 163 assists, and 215 points in 51 games played.
A. Wayne was the fastest and youngest player who collected 2,000 career points at the age of 29. His other fastest records include achieving 300 assists and 500 points at 21 years.
A. Wayne recorded 0 points in 266 games played.
A. Wayne achieved an 800-point record in 352 games.
A. Gretzky led the Oilers to four Stanley Cup victories.
