What Teams did Gretzky play for? (Stats and Achievements)
Wayne Gretzky is one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Usually, most hockey players stick to a single team throughout their career, but Wayne Gretzky has played with multiple teams. He is among the few hockey players who have played with so many significant teams in the NHL.
Gretzky had one of the most elaborate careers in the NHL. He is not only remembered for his achievements, but the NHL also tributes him for his lengthy career period. In fact, it would be viable to say that Wayne Gretzky is considered one of the highest achievers in hockey. Wayne Gretzky played 4 teams in NHL for the following teams from 1978 to 1999.
- Edmonton Oilers (1978 to 1988)
- Los Angeles Kings (1988 to 1996)
- St. Louis Blues (1996)
- New York Rangers (1996 to 1999)
During his tenure on these teams, Wayne Gretzky received several notable accolades. The performance of Gretzky in each team is discussed individually below.
1. Edmonton Oilers (1978 to 1988)
Gretzky started his NHL career with Edmonton Oilers and played for the longest in this team. Gretzky hadn’t approached the Oilers to join the team, but he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers by Indianapolis Racers.
The Edmonton Oilers gained two players courtesy of WHA, and one of them proved to be the most successful player for the team, i.e., Wayne Gretzky. He bagged 4 Stanley awards and multiple personal trophies during his tenure with Edmonton Oilers.
Gretzky was one of the few players who had set exceptional standards for NHL tournaments. He was known for his offensive playing style, which ultimately became a trend in the NHL during the 80s. He also broke multiple records made by previous players and became a household name in the NHL within no time.
Regular Season Stats from Edmonton:
| Games | 596 |
| Points | 1669 |
| Goals | 583 |
| Assists | 1086 |
Those who ask what team did Gretzky play for the longest should know that Wayne Gretzky had the longest career tenure in the Edmond Oilers.
Gretzky and Edmonton Oilers both proved to be extremely lucky for each other because, during their association, both enjoyed immense heights of success. The following are a few accolades that Wayne Gretzky bagged during his tenure with the Edmonton Oilers.
- Four Stanley Cups
- Two Conn Smythe Trophies
- Seven Art Ross Trophies
- Eight Hart Trophies
- All-time Assist Record
- Highest Points Record in a Season: 215
- Most Goals Record in a Season: 92
- Highest Assist Record in a Season: 163
Related Post: Who Were The Original Six Hockey Teams In The NHL?
2. Los Angeles Kings (1988 to 1996)
Wayne Gretzky’s career was more than satisfied with the Edmonton Oilers, but in 1988, something unexpected happened; Gretzky got traded again. Gretzky’s dad Walter Gretzky was directly involved in this matter and didn’t even inform Wayne about this trading till he bagged the fourth Stanley Cup for the Oilers in 1988.
After his last win for the Oilers, rumors circulated regarding Wayne’s trading to the Los Angeles Kings. Soon these rumors proved to be true. After constant denial of getting traded, Wayne Gretzky finally agreed to it through continuous persuasion from Bruce McNall.
Gretzky also enjoyed success during his tenure in Los Angeles Kings, but it wasn’t as immense as the Oilers. Gretzky was known for his impressive winning of Stanley Cups in the Oilers. Everyone thought he would bring the same luck to the LAK, but the case didn’t go the same this time.
Los Angeles Kings Regular Season Stats:
| Games | 539 |
| Points | 918 |
| Goals | 246 |
| Assists | 672 |
Though Gretzky led Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup finals, he couldn’t win the finals and lost the cup to Montreal in 1993. The following are a few achievements of Gretzky during his tenure with Los Angeles Kings.
- Three Art Ross Trophies
- One Hart Trophy
- All-time Point Record of the Season
- All-time Goal Record of the Season
Related Post: How many Stanley cups did Wayne Gretzky win?
3. St. Louis Blues (1996)
Gretzky might have been one of the most traded players in hockey history because, in 1996, St. Louis Blues again traded three of its players, i.e., Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and Patrice Tardif, just for gaining Wayne Gretzky on the team.
Trading three players for one didn’t seem to be an unjustified deal as Greyzky’s name was more profound and valuable in the hockey industry than the collective market value of the other three players. Wayne Gretzky joined the St. Louis Blues because the Los Angeles Kings were taking a break to reboot their team, and he wasn’t willing to take a break.
During his stay on St. Louis Blues team, he played 13 playoff games and 18 regular games. In the playoffs, he led the team but got defeated by Detriot in the second round. After that, Wayne Gretzky decided to quit the team.
Regular season stats:
| Games | 18 |
| Points | 21 |
| Goals | 8 |
| Assists | 13 |
St. Loius Blues tried to pursue him to remain in the team by offering a whopping $15 million contract for three years, but Gretzky remained persistent on his decision. Gretzky could not bag any accolades during his small tenure with St. Louis Blues.
Related Post: How Long Do Hockey Players Stay On The Ice?
4. New York Rangers (1996-1999)
New York Rangers came to be Wayne Gretzky’s last team in his NHL career. It was his second-shortest period with an NHL team but was much better than the St. Louis Blues. Those asking what teams did Gretzky play for should know that Wayne joined the New York Rangers team merely in the allure of uniting with his closest friend Mark Meisser.
Gretzky led the New York Rangers team to the Eastern Conference finals but unfortunately lost the cup to Philaphedia. At that time, Gretzky was around 35, and his career suddenly began to go downhill. Though Gretzkay’s game was still pretty decent, the New York Rangers could never qualify for another playoff again.
People researching Wayne Gretzky often ask what team did Gretzky retire with. Then the answer to this question is that Gretzky retired with the New York Rangers.
In 1999, Gretzky’s $10 million three-year contract ended with the New York Rangers. They tried to pursue him to extend the contract, but instead, Gretzky decided to retire at the end of the 20th century.
Unfortunately, during his stay with the New York Rangers, he could not make any achievements. But experts blame it on the mediocrity and incompetency of the team and classify Wayne Gretzky as a legendary hockey player.
New York Rangers Regular Season Stats
| Games | 332 |
| Points | 372 |
| Goals | 88 |
| Assists | 284 |
Conclusion: What Teams did Gretzky play for?
Now that you know what teams did Gretzky play for, you may analyze that he was undoubtedly a sports star during his time. Besides the four teams he played for, multiple other teams wanted to sign him. But he was very selective of the teams he played for.
If it wasn’t for Wayne Gretzky’s dad, he might have played a longer tenure with the Edmonton Oilers. Indeed, Wayne’s career’s best days belong to Edmonton, and his achievements on that team were the prime reason for his multiple fans from all over the world.
Still, whenever notable hockey players are mentioned, Wayne Gretzky’s name is always considered in the list. With his offshore offensive playing style, he had set a new playing temperament for young players.
