Wayne Gretzky finally reveals real reason behind NHL retirement!

It was a sad day in NHL history on April 18, 1999 when hockey legend Wayne Gretzky retired from the NHL after 20 seasons. While some good things came of the Great One hanging up the skates, most notably him getting into the NHL Hall of Fame in November without having to go through the usual three-year waiting period, fans from new generations have not had the chance to see Gretzky in action, at the peak of his career.

Gretzky spent the final three seasons of his career with the Rangers, when he signed with the team as a free agent on July 21, 1996. He came out the first year blazing and his 97 points were tied for the fourth-most in the NHL, and his 72 assists were tied for the most in the league.

The following season, Gretzky tied for third in the NHL in points and once again tied for the league lead in assists with 67.
Then came the 1998-99 season and mid-way through, No. 99 felt that his career was coming to an end. He admitted the real reason behind his decision to retire came to his goal total, nine tallies in 70 contests, and how he compared it to his previous years in the league. Gretzky had only informed his wife about his retirement plans, and would tease his kids that “nine goals used to be a good weekend.”

There is the real reason behind the Great One hanging up the skates:

Before his last contest, Gretzky formally announced his retirement at a press conference at MSG and said that his final game would be Sunday, April 18, at The Garden.

In that ultimate game, Gretzky added one more assist and point to his legendary total : Gretzky’s 1,963rd career NHL assist and 2,857th career NHL point, both league records that will remain unbroken for a long time (and possibly forever).