Wayne Gretzky New York Rangers 1996 Signed Contract

The contract has a memo attesting to its authenticity from Barbara Cahill, who signed the contract as a witness.

This contract brought Gretzky to New York City, his final NHL destination. In addition to his signature it also features his initials and details such as a no-trade clause, performance and appearance bonuses, and deferrals of pay that show payment towards Gretzky to this day. During the term of this contract, Gretzky went to his last Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1997, where the Rangers made it to the Conference Finals. He also scored 48 goals, tallied 139 assists, was named an All-Star twice, and was named to the All-Star 2nd Team twice.

This lot is accompanied by a letter from James Spence Authentication in regard to the signature.

Going Deeper | Wayne Gretzky

In the annals of hockey history, few names command the same reverence and admiration as that of Wayne Gretzky. Universally regarded as perhaps the greatest to ever grace the ice, Gretzky's influence on the sport is immeasurable. Gretzky set over 61 individual NHL records and won 9 Hart Memorial Trophies and 4 Stanley Cup championships. The NHL’s all-time point leader, Wayne Gretzky is the only player in NHL history to have his number retired league-wide. 

Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Gretzky, an undersized player, brought speed and finesse to a highly physical game. Often compared to a geographer or a chess player for his ability to think multiple plays ahead of opponents, Gretzky’s knack for being ‘in the right place at the right time’ made him a defensive nightmare. After joining the NHL and Edmonton Oilers in 1979, Gretzky quickly asserted himself as a top talent, leading the league in goals for five seasons and assists every season in the 1980s. Gretzky led the Oilers to a dynasty in the mid-1980s, winning all four of his Stanley Cups in a five year span between 1984 and 1988. Gretzky went on to play for the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and the New York Rangers before retiring in 1999. When he did, he retired as the NHL’s all-time leader in points, goals, and assists and an 18-time all-star. In 2017, Gretzky was named to the NHL 100.