Early Life
Gretzky honed his skills on a backyard rink built by his father, Walter, and joined the Edmonton Oilers in 1979 after a season in the World Hockey Association.
Career
He won four Stanley Cups with the Oilers (1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988), nine Hart Trophies as league MVP and ten scoring titles. In 1988 he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in a deal that shocked Canada, and he later played for the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers, retiring in 1999 with 894 goals and 2,857 points.
Legacy
The NHL retired his number 99 league-wide, a unique honor. Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999, with the usual waiting period waived.
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24