List of career achievements by Wayne Gretzky
This is a list of career achievements by Wayne Gretzky in the National Hockey League. Upon his retirement on 18 April 1999, Gretzky held or shared 61 NHL records. These records include 40 regular season, 15 playoff and 6 All-Star records.
Gretzky set records in both regular season and post-season play, holding the record for most career regular season goals, assists, points and hat-tricks. The next closest player in total points for the regular season is Jaromir Jagr at 1,921, thus Gretzky had more career assists than any other player has total points. Gretzky scored his first 1,000 points faster than any other player in NHL history, and scored a second 1,000 points faster than any player other than himself. Gretzky's point total including regular season and playoffs stands at an imposing 3,239.
His 47 playoff points in 1985 and 31 assists in 1988 are still records for a single post-season round, and he holds the record for career playoff goals, assists, points, hat-tricks and game-winning goals.
Below is a complete list of official records Gretzky held or shared at the time of his retirement:
Regular season records (40)
- Most goals: 894 in 1,487 games
- Most goals, including playoffs: 1,016 in 1,487 regular season games including 122 playoff goals
- Most goals, one season: 92 in 1981–82, 80-game schedule
- Most goals, one season, including playoffs: 100 in 1983–84, 87 goals in 74 regular season games and 13 goals in 19 playoff games
- Most goals, 50 games from start of season: 61 in 1981–82 and 1983–84, 80-game schedule
- Most goals, one period: 4 18 February 1981
- Most assists: 1,963
- Most assists, including playoffs: 2,223
- Most assists, one season: 163 in 1985–86, 80-game schedule
- Most assists, one season, including playoffs: 174 in 1985–86, 163 assists in 80 regular season games and 11 assists in 10 playoff games
- Most assists, one game: 7 on three occasions—16 February 1980; 11 December 1985; 15 February 1986
- Most assists, one road game: 7 11 December 1985
- Most points: 2,857 in 1,487 games
- Most points, including playoffs: 3,239 in 1,487 regular season and 208 playoff games.
- Most points, one season: 215 in 1985–86, 80-game schedule
- Most points, one season, including playoffs: 255 in 1984–85; 208 points in 80 regular season games and 47 points in 18 playoff games
- Most overtime assists, career: 15
- Most goals by a centre, career: 894
- Most goals by a centre, one season: 92 in 1981–82, 80-game schedule
- Most assists by a centre, career: 1,963
- Most assists by a centre, one season: 163 in 1985–86, 80-game schedule
- Most points by a centre, career: 2,857
- Most points by a centre, one season: 215 in 1985–86, 80-game schedule
- Most assists in one game by a player in his first season: 7 on 15 February 1980
- Highest goals-per-game average, one season: 1.18 in 1983–84, 87 goals in 74 games
- Highest assists-per-game average, career : 1.321 -- 1,963 assists in 1,487 games
- Highest assists-per-game average, one season: 2.04 in 1985–86, 163 assists in 80 games
- Highest points-per-game average, one season : 2.77 in 1983–84, 205 points in 74 games
- Most 40-or-more goal seasons: 12 in 20 seasons
- Most consecutive 40-or-more goal seasons: 12 from 1979–80 to 1990–91
- Most 50-or-more goal seasons: 9
- Most 60-or-more goal seasons: 5
- Most consecutive 60-or-more goals seasons: 4 from 1981–82 to 1984–85
- Most 100-or-more point seasons: 15
- Most consecutive 100-or-more point seasons: 13 from 1979–80 to 1991–92
- Most three-or-more goal games, career: 50 -- 37 three-goal games; nine four-goal games; four five-goal games
- Most three goal games, one season: 10 in 1981–82 and 1983–84
- Longest consecutive assist scoring streak: 23 games in 1990–91, 48 assists
- Longest consecutive point-scoring streak: 51 Games in 1983–84
- Longest consecutive point-scoring streak from start of season: 51 in 1983–84; 61 goals, 92 assists for 153 points
Playoff records (15)
- Most playoff goals, career: 122
- Most playoff assists, career: 260
- Most assists, one playoff year: 31 in 1988
- Most assists in one series: 14 in 1985 Conference Finals
- Most assists in final series: 10 in 1988
- Most assists, one playoff game: 6 on 9 April 1987
- Most assists, one playoff period: 3 -- Three assists by one player in one period of a playoff game has been recorded on 70 occasions, five of them by Gretzky
- Most points, career: 382 -- 122 goals and 260 assists
- Most points, one playoff year: 47 in 1985
- Most points in final series: 13 in 1988 three goals and 10 assists
- Most points, one playoff period: 4
- Most short-handed goals, one playoff year: 3 1983
- Most short-handed goals, one playoff game: 2 6 April 1983
- Most game-winning goals in playoffs, career: 24
- Most three-or-more goals games : 10
All-Star records (6)
- Most All-Star game goals, career: 13
- Most All-Star game goals, one game: 4 1983 Campbell Conference
- Most All-Star game goals, one period: 4 1983 Campbell Conference, third period
- Most All-Star game assists, career: 12
- Most All-Star game points, career: 25
- Most All-Star game points, one period: 4 1983 Campbell Conference, third period
Records update
Broken Records
- Gretzky’s record of 15 regular season overtime assists has now been passed by three players. They are Nicklas Lidstrom, Adam Oates, and Mark Messier.
- Joe Sakic, Mark Messier, and Ray Bourque have passed Gretzky’s record for most All-Star game assists.
New Records
- Wayne Gretzky finished his career with a 1.921 points per game average. Mario Lemieux originally held the record when Gretzky retired with 2.005 points per game, but after Lemieux came back to the NHL from 2000 to 2005, his points per game average fell to 1.883, falling to second behind Gretzky.
Unofficial records
NHL scoring records
- Youngest player to score 50 goals in a season
- Most points by an NHL player in his first year: 137. Because of Gretzky's season played in the WHA, he was not considered a rookie in his first year, so the rookie record belongs to Teemu Selanne with 132
- Most assists by an NHL player in his first year: 86. The rookie record is held jointly by Peter Stastny and Joe Juneau with 70 assists. Note that the record book gives Gretzky the record for most assists and points in a game as a first year player, but not the season totals
- Most 200-or-more point seasons: 4. Gretzky owns the official record for most 100 point seasons. He is the only player to reach 200 points in a season
- Most consecutive 200 point seasons: 3
- Most 70-or-more goal seasons: 4. The NHL has a record for most 60 goal seasons, but not 70. Eight players have achieved 70 goals, and Brett Hull did so three times.
- Most consecutive 70 goal seasons: 4
- Most 80-or-more goal seasons: 2
- Most 90-or-more goal seasons: 1. Gretzky is the only player to achieve this
- Fastest 50 goals from start of season: 50 goals in 39 games. The mark of 50 goals in 50 games is a rare event, achieved by only five players. The quickest, 50 goals in 39 games, is often labelled as the most difficult one to break of all of Gretzky's records. The NHL has an official record for the most goals in first 50 games, but not the fastest 50 goals
- Fastest 100 points: 34 games in 1983–84
- Most seasons averaging at least 1 point per game: 19
- Most consecutive seasons averaging at least 1 point per game: 19
- Most seasons averaging at least 2 points per game: 10
- Most consecutive seasons averaging at least 2 points per game: 9
- Most game-winning goals in the playoffs: 24
- Most game-winning assists in one season: 23
- Most game-winning assists in regular season career: 234
- Most game-winning points in regular season career: 325
- Highest career game-winning points per game average: 0.2185
- Most 100-or-more assist seasons: 11
- Most consecutive 100-or-more assist seasons: 11
- Most seasons leading in even strength goals: 4
- Most career even strength goals: 617
- Most seasons leading in short-handed goals: 5
- Most seasons leading in assists: 16
- Most seasons leading in points: 11
- Most seasons leading in both goals and assists: 5 and Mario Lemieux.
- Most seasons leading the league in goals, assists and Plus/Minus: 4.
- Most seasons leading in goals created: 7
- Most seasons leading in assists per game: 12
- Most seasons leading in points per game: 11
- Most seasons leading in total goals on-ice for: 8
- Most short-handed regular season career goals: 73
- Most short-handed goals career : 85
- Most 10+ shorthanded goals in a season : 2
- Most shorthanded assists career : 76
- Most shorthanded assists career : 13
- Most shorthanded assists career : 89
- Most shorthanded points career : 149
- Most shorthanded points career : 24
- Most shorthanded points career : 173
- Most scoring championships : 10
- Largest margin of victory in the scoring race: 79
- Most seasons where he was his team's leading scorer: 19
- Highest Plus/Minus in a single playoff year: +28
- Highest Plus/Minus by a forward, single season: +100
- Highest Plus/Minus by a forward, career: +520
- Highest Plus/Minus by a Center in Playoff Career: +67
- Most MVP awards : 9
- Most trophies in career: 31
- Former mark as youngest player to score three or more goals in an All-Star Game was passed by Dany Heatley in 2003.
- Most official NHL records: 61 on retirement, 60 at present
Major league scoring records
- Most NHL and WHA regular season assists: 2,027 – Gretzky's 1384th career assist occurred on November 2, 1990, in Washington's 4-3 win over the Kings, breaking the record held by Gordie Howe.
- Most NHL and WHA regular season points: 2,967 – Gretzky broke the record held by Gordie Howe on March 9, 1992, with an assist on a first period goal by Tony Granato to make the game score Los Angeles 2, Toronto 0. It was his 2359th career point on 1567 assists and 792 goals.
- Most NHL and WHA goals, regular season and playoff : 1,072, with Gretzky's final goal on March 29, 1999, being the game-winner with 2:07 remaining in the Rangers' 3–1 win over the New York Islanders
- Most NHL and WHA regular season and playoff assists: 2,297
- Most NHL and WHA regular season and playoff points: 3,369
Milestone records
- Only Player To Reach 2000 Career Points
- Only Player To Reach 3000 Career Points, Regular Season and Playoffs combined
- Only Player To Reach 1000 Career Goals, Regular Season and Playoffs combined
- Only Player To Reach 2000 Career Assists, Regular Season and Playoffs combined
Goals
- Youngest 100 Goals
- Fastest & Youngest 200 Goals - Modern Record, Cy Denneny scored 200 goals in 181 games,
- Fastest & Youngest 300 Goals,
- Fastest & Youngest 400 Goals,
- Fastest & Youngest 500 Goals,
- Fastest & Youngest 600 Goals,
- Fastest & Youngest 700 Goals,
- Fastest & Youngest 800 Goals,
Assists
- Fastest 100 Assists
- Fastest & Youngest 200 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 300 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 400 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 500 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 600 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 700 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 800 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 900 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1000 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1100 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1200 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1300 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1400 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1500 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1600 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1700 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1800 Assists,
- Fastest & Youngest 1900 Assists,
Points
- Fastest 100 Points - Modern Record, Joe Malone and Newsy Lalonde share the record by scoring 100 points in 51 games.
- Fastest 200 Points
- Fastest & Youngest 300 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 400 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 500 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 600 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 700 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 800 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 900 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1000 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1100 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1200 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1300 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1400 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1500 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1600 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1700 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1800 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 1900 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2000 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2050 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2100 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2200 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2300 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2400 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2500 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2600 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2700 Points,
- Fastest & Youngest 2800 Points,
Career statistics
Awards
He won nine Hart Trophies, the NHL's most valuable player award, and eight of these were awarded in consecutive years from 1980–87. Gretzky holds the record for most MVP awards of any player in North American professional sports.- Lou Kaplan Trophy — 1979
- Hart Memorial Trophy — 1980–87, 1989
- Art Ross Trophy — 1981–87, 1990, 1991, 1994
- Charlie Conacher Humanitarian Award — 1980
- Conn Smythe Trophy — 1985, 1988
- Lester B. Pearson Award — 1982–85, 1987
- Lady Byng Memorial Trophy — 1980, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999
- NHL Plus-Minus Award — 1984, 1985, 1987
- Stanley Cup — 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988
- Canada Cup — 1984, 1987, 1991
- Chrysler-Dodge/NHL Performer of the Year — 1985, 1986, 1987
- Dodge/NHL Performance of the Year Trophy — 1989
- Lester Patrick Trophy — 1994
- Lou Marsh Trophy — 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989
- Lionel Conacher Award — 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1999
- NHL All-Star Game MVP — 1983, 1989, 1999
- NHL MVP — Rendez-vous '87
- Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year — 1982
- Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year — 1982
- New York Rangers MVP — 1997-98
- Olympic Gold - Hockey — 2002
- World Cup of Hockey Champion — 2004
Honours
- 8-Time All-NHL First Team
- 7-Time All-NHL Second Team
- All-WHA Second Team — 1979
- In 1998, he was ranked number 1 on The Hockey News list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players
- Hockey Hall of Fame 1999 Inductee
- Officer of the Order of Canada
- First international recipient of the Horatio Alger Award
- Received star on Canada's Walk of Fame
- AP-Athlete Of The Decade, 1980s
- Ranked #1 Canadian Athlete of the Century
- Sports Illustrated's Hockey Player of the Century
- Ranked #5 in both ESPN SportsCentury's and the Associated Press's Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century and Jim Thorpe
- In 2007, he was ranked number 1 in The Hockey News book The Top 60 Since 1967
- In 2010, he was elected as an inaugural inductee into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in the "Legends of the Game" category.
- IIHF Centennial All-Star Team
- Jersey number 99 retired league-wide by NHL
- IIHF All-Time Canada Team