Gretzky has held many notable management positions with Hockey Canada, including serving as a Senior Advisor for the men's hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, winning a gold medal. He also held senior management positions with Team Canada at the Olympic Games, including serving as Canada's Executive Director at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino and winning a gold medal as Canada's Executive Director at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. He also received the Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee for outstanding contributions to the game of hockey in 2002. Gretzky captured gold at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey as Canada's Executive Director and served as Canada's Executive Director at the 2001 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Germany.

The Brantford, Ontario native enjoyed a 20-year Hall of Fame career and at the time of his retirement, he held or shared 61 NHL records. Gretzky is the NHL's all-time leader in goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857), as well as the all-time leader in playoff goals (122), playoff assists (260) and playoff points (382) and is the only player to record 200 or more points in an NHL season, reaching the mark four times (1981-82, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86). Gretzky played nine seasons for the Edmonton Oilers (1979-88), winning four Stanley Cups (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988), as well as suiting up for the Los Angeles Kings (1988-96), St. Louis Blues (1996) and New York Rangers (1996-99).

Gretzky is the most decorated player in NHL history which includes: winning the Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player a record nine times (1980-87, 1989), the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer 10 times (1981-87, 1990-91, 1994), the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP twice (1985, 1988), the Lady Byng Trophy as the NHL's most gentlemanly player five times (1980, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999), the Lester B. Pearson Award as the NHL's most valuable player, as voted on by the players, five times (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987) and MVP of the NHL All-Star Game three times (1983, 1989, 1999). He was named to the NHL First All-Star Team eight times (1981-87, 1991) and is the only player in NHL history to have his number retired league-wide, after retiring from the NHL as a player on April 15, 1999.

In the fall of 1999, he became the 10th player to have the mandatory three-year waiting period waved for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Gretzky was also inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2000.

Following his retirement as a player, Gretzky served as Head Coach and Managing Partner of the Phoenix Coyotes from June 2000 through September 2009.

In 2016-17, Gretzky was named as one of the NHL's top 100 players of all-time and also served as the official ambassador for the league's centennial celebrations.

Internationally, Gretzky represented Canada as a player on eight occasions and was the leading scorer in six of his eight international appearances. His final international appearance for Canada as a player was at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano. He played for Canada in four Canada Cups (1981, 1984, 1987, 1991), one World Cup (1996), one World Championship (1982) and one World Junior Championship (1978).

Gretzky captained Canada at the 1987 and 1991 Canada Cup, as well as the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He was named to the All-Star team and tournament MVP at the 1987 Canada Cup, posting 21 points (3G, 18A) in nine games, and winning the tournament. He won the 1984 Canada Cup with Canada, and was named to the All-Star Team.

Gretzky won a bronze medal with Canada at the 1982 IIHF World Hockey Championship and was named to the tournament All-Star Team. In his first international appearance for Canada, he won a bronze medal with Canada at the 1978 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and was named the tournament's Top Forward and named to the tournament All-Star Team; he was the first 16-year-old to represent Canada at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

Wayne and his wife Janet have five children, daughters Paulina and Emma and sons Ty, Trevor and Tristan. He is a grandfather of two, Tatum and River, born to his daughter Paulina and her fiancé, golfer Dustin Johnson.

Gretzky is in business with his son Ty, who founded Gretzky Hockey Schools in 2014, and recently expanded his wine business, Wayne Gretzky Estates, to produce his own house brand of whisky, called Wayne Gretzky Red Cask Whisky.

He created the Wayne Gretzky Foundation, which is dedicated to helping disadvantaged youngsters throughout North America to participate in hockey. In collaboration with the Hockey Canada Foundation, the Wayne Gretzky Foundation funds the Future Team Canada Program which rewards and recognizes 13 minor hockey teams across the country for displaying positive values. He also serves as Honorary Chairman of Ronald McDonald Children's Charities in Canada.

Gretzky was presented with the Order of Canada in January 1998 and was one of the five inaugural honourees into the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2012.