Wayne Gretzky's Final NHL Game...25 Years Later

On the 25 year anniversary of Wayne Gretzky’s final NHL game, join Sportsnet as we look back on the coverage surrounding the final days in the storied career of the Great One.
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Wayne Gretzky's Final NHL Game 25 Years Later
#NHL #Hockey #WayneGretzky

[@JAWNDOEmusic]

Happy Birthday Dad and thanks to my Step Mom for not realizing this game was meaningless when she bought us the tix as a surprise only to find out it would be an UNFORGETTABLE memory!

[@fr0styy156]

So it wasn’t meaningless..

[@Outta-hz1ej]

I'm sure Gretzky hated all this rigamorole over himself. He was always very humble and a great ambassador of our sport.

[@deborahdonnithorne3404]

Well you’re half right, he is a good Ambassador!

[@memeaste7820]

The custom anthems for Wayne were definitely one of the more strangest things

[@PatDK]

I don’t think anyone thought the custom anthems were anything but cringe…. I remember watching the game and thinking about how lame it was and trying too hard is how it felt to me

[@ColinHurkett]

I feel sorry for Wayne needing to hear that. He probably wanted to stand and honor his country, but everyone there is forcing him to honor himself. A wrong move, no doubt.

[@coastaku1954]

Oh I thought it was cute

[@5ch3nk]

LOL. It's straight out of a SCTV sketch where John Candy plays a "kid" named Billy Stemhovilichski. Eugene Levy is singing the anthem and just starts going "..and it's Billy's first game. It's Billy's first game.."

[@steve8803]

@@ColinHurkett You are taking it way too deeply. It's just words. Grow up!

[@ohwowthatsgood]

I remember this like it was 25 years ago.

[@lessthanthreemetal]

They can cover this with a video every year and I'll always watch. One of the most interesting days in league history.

[@maverik094]

If Gretzky was playing today I think he would not have finished his career at 38, but then records did not matter as much as they do now. 3000 points would have been within his reach if he had decided to play another 3-4 seasons just like Messier.

[@OKmoomer]

More than likely, he would have been chasing Jaromir Jagr's record alongside the likes of McDavid but never come close to reaching 3,000 points. A lot of people forget that the main reason why people firmly believe no one will break his career points total is because of how much better defenses and goaltenders are these days, and because of how much the metagame has evolved since Gretzky's time. With that being said, I don't think we ever see anything close to Gretzky doing what he actually did if he had been born 25 years later. Not to mention that the greatest players of our generation will be remembered for less superficial reasons than some primary stats anyways.

[@maverik094]

@@OKmoomer I meant that he would have continued his career if he knew that 25 years later there would be a guy like Ovechkin who would probably score more goals than Wayne. Now milestones are something people talk about all the time. 100 assists, 70 goals, most assists as a winger, 100 points as a defender and so on. When Gretzky played, all he cared about was breaking Howe's record, but he didn't play to push the records so that they were unbreakable.

[@OKmoomer]

@@maverik094 I have my doubts about that. Wayne retired because, at least according to Wayne's own standards, Wayne sucked by then.

[@Outta-hz1ej]

I'm sure Wayne wanted to retire with class and purpose instead of sticking around the NHL one more season just to collect points. Wayne said it best himself, "Stats are for losers."

[@MrHowil99]

99 retiring in 1999. He retired because, for the first time, he was not a point per game player and only scored 9 goals for the season. His injuries and age caught up with him. He didn't want to retire with the image of being washed up.

[@iSmiley.]

There's never been a better bobble head than Gary Bettman.

[@j.thomas7128]

Barnum & BETTMAN Scrum Circus on Ice!

[@nordkapp1214]

Wow 1999.. world was almost good as it gets..

[@PortlandEast]

He went out as a loser

[@chrisbee9643]

The world was darn perfect in the 90s...

[@chrisbee9643]

@@PortlandEast you live and speak like one...

[@PortlandEast]

@@chrisbee9643 I have an autographed Gretzky sock

[@u.s.m.c.fewproudthemarines2987]

​@@chrisbee9643agree friend

[@JAWNDOEmusic]

I was There - it was WILD - we had tix before we knew he was retiring cuz it was a meaningless game on my Dads Bday and then i remember crying at the end while he did laps saluting us and then they gave him a fishing boat i think lol

[@lucistheband6540]

Happy to say that it was my very FIRST and very LAST game I ever saw Gretzky perform. Was there for that Ottawa game!!

[@user-uf3rh8kf9s]

I can't believe it's been over 25 years!🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@nayman2801]

I love how the one commentator corrected his partner's "probably the best hockey player on this ice surface in New York, today" to "the best player on ANY ice surface in ANY rink... at ANY time".

[@classic.cameras]

Just yesterday did I find my original Edmonton Sun newspaper from when Gretz retired. Crazy timing.

[@ti9528]

Fantastic video!

[@otmgi3865]

I was born in October of the year he retired... I've never seen this. I'm crying.

[@chrisbelos2834]

Thank you Wayne. CBC tried so hard to make this more sad than what it really was. their tone was off all night. the crowd was more aware. it was a celebration. 25 years and most of his records are intact.

[@JaredtheRabbit]

I love how both national anthems had altered lyrics for the occasion.

[@jygb7092]

Oh dang I hadn’t heard. RIP to the Great one

[@gib67]

Most dominate athlete in any sport!!

[@starina.ziczag]

Потрясающий игрок, великий хоккеист. Раньше был другой хоккей, НО со своей искрой 🏒 🥅

[@GeminiGiant]

He still looked so young when he retired

[@TrevorSchulz666]

I remember watching this as a child. Hate the oilers hate the rangers love the great one. The goat fore sure

[@24theMoney]

Mario is sitting in the stands? No luxury boxes available in MSG?

[@u.s.m.c.fewproudthemarines2987]

Not yet

[@thebigpicture2032]

You can see he is itching to play.

[@chrismarshall6647]

A great Canadian.

[@rawdog42]

If you took away every goal Gretzky ever scored (891) , he would STILL be the NHLs all-time points leader.

[@nordkapp1214]

Kyper looks sharp

[@sleevelessace]

ive never seen them single the canadian anthem when a none canadian team was playing , that was for 1 man the legend

[@brandojames2324]

Those ol nike skates! I still got mine. He could have done something with that sponsor. No?

[@harryoldman2171]

Greatest

[@jacobdecker9952]

Glad for him to have played for the Rangers

[@konstantindonskoy462]

have you seen N99???

[@aweinbrom]

I just can’t believe that Kravchuk has that stick

[@Mykhaiel]

Sadly the second best hockey player scored a winning goal against Gretzky in this match.

[@konstantindonskoy462]

wayne the great anyway

[@giantsfan185]

The thumbnail made me think he passed away

[@davidovics92]

it's almost hilarious how baggy his jersey was

[@seanragsdale5636]

Of course it would be Jagr to end his career lol

[@user-zq5md4po7b]

Фу ты, я уж чего-то подумал другое.

[@pc88k]

So glad Jim Hughson is no longer calling games.

[@robertgloeden5798]

Just Think anyone under 25 probably doesn't know who he is

[@OlafGodredsson]

Wang

[@jurgenvietinghoff853]

Gretzky last year sucked

[@InMotionForAMillion]

Yes, that's precisely why he retired...

[@jurgenvietinghoff853]

True that

[@rlfmichigan]

Best offensive player but not the GOAT. Gordie Howe = scoring, assists, defense and beat the sh*t out of you in a fight. I'm sure I'll get plenty of downward pointing thumbs but you have to look at the whole skillset, not just # of goals.

[@jackolantern22]

Altering the anthem lyrics was peak cringe.

[@I_amTurok]

Overrated,cant wait for the real goat to take his record next season. No more average gretzky highlights and real talent great 8 highlights

[@tracybtchinstructor4197]

If it wasn't for Gretzky there would be No great 8. Ovi himself said that "he doubted that he would ever reach Gretzky's record". I have been watching the "Great 8" and can't wait till he breaks the record. Gretzky is from my home town so I am kinda sick of his hype. Go OVI

[@I_amTurok]

@tracybtchinstructor4197 it's the turn around of rules,gameplay equipment that make ovi much better! Can't wait hopefully he makes a deep run this year too

[@isthatujeebus]

You're a fan of a guy that's scored around a quarter of his goals off one-timers from the left dot on the PP and GRETZKY is overrated?! 🤡🤡😩

[@chrisbee9643]

Gordie has hung up his boots a long time ago, bro.

[@I_amTurok]

@@isthatujeebus dude Gretzky played against bums and no goalies. No credit deserved when you play in a beer league. We both know Gretzky in prime in today's nhl would be 1/4 of what he did back then.

[@canadasugardaddysugardaddy1797]

Gretzky said if he knew Jagr was going to play for the Rangers two years later, he would have hung around. Imagine the magic Jagr and Gretzky would do together

[@tonyhoable]

If Ovechkin passes him there better be a asterisk by that record. They made the rules so its way easier to get goals. The NHL is just another one of the big sports leagues to ruin their game just for more scoring and more money.

[@Afact-kt8qb]

yup and we are still always talking about this guy....MOVE ON

[@canadasugardaddysugardaddy1797]

Best player on any ice at any time? Uh no, Jagr was a beast that year.