Wayne Gretzky retired in 1999, calling a curtain on one of the greatest careers in sports history. However, according to the NHL legend himself, declining health was not the primary factor behind his decision to walk away from the game.

Speaking on the Calm Down podcast with Erin and Charissa, Gretzky said he had decided to retire several months before his announcement. He kept the decision a secret, and only one person knew about it at the time. It was his wife, Janet Gretzky. 

“For me, when I decided to retire, I decided to retire around January of that year, and the only person I knew was Janet, and I didn't want to do a tour, and I didn't want all that,” Gretzky said.

Wayne Gretzky said he still loved hockey when he decided to retire. 

“I talked to her about it, and I said, you know, if I could just play in practice and show up September 15th for training camp, I'd play again,” Gretzky admitted.

His comments provided a rare look at his mindset at the time. Even with all of his success, Gretzky said the hardest part was no longer playing the games.

“But I knew June, July, and August were going to be a grind," he said. "And I mentally wasn't ready to do that. I was at a point in my career where I said, ‘You know, I'm not willing to sacrifice my body and my mind to get ready for another hockey season. And so that's why I walked away.’”

His comments showed that his retirement was not mainly about physical problems. Instead, he felt it was difficult to make the mental commitment needed to compete at the highest level.

Wayne Gretzky Had Nothing Left to Prove

Wayne Gretzky spent more than 20 years playing under huge expectations. By the time he retired, he had played 1,487 NHL games, scored 894 goals, recorded 2,857 points, and won four Stanley Cups.

Gretzky’s comments were important because it comes from a player who achieved almost everything possible in hockey. The hockey legend won 10 Art Ross Trophies and two Conn Smythe Trophies.

He also set many NHL records that still stand today. Because of his incredible career, fans gave him the nickname “The Great One.”

Gretzky retired at the age of 38 after his performance dropped. He spent the final three years of his career with the New York Rangers, having joined as a free agent in 1996.

While he started strong with 97 points in his first season and had decent numbers in his second, the 1998-99 campaign had him in doubt. In his final season, he scored only 9 goals in 70 games.

Noting the decline in his statistics, Gretzky made the hard decision to call it quits. He announced his retirement during a press conference at Madison Square Garden, with April 18 marking his last professional appearance.

This brought an end to an amazing NHL career.

What are your thoughts on Gretzky’s statement? 

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Sijo Paul