The hockey stick used by Wayne Gretzky in the deciding game of the 1988 Stanley Cup Final to clinch the Edmonton Oilers' series victory has sold for $336,000, setting a new record for an NHL-used stick, Sotheby's announced Friday.
The 1988 Stanley Cup was Gretzky's fourth and final title and the Oilers' second consecutive. The stick, autographed and inscribed by Gretzky, was previously auctioned at Sotheby's in 2023 for an undisclosed price.
Twenty-two bidders submitted a total of 79 bids for Gretzky's final stick used with Edmonton. The sale announcement came just before the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers faced off in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
History of Wayne Gretzky's Most Expensive NHL Stick
The stick was photo matched by MeiGray and the signature was certified by James Spence Authentication. The inscription reads, “To Rick, Congratulations, Wayne Gretzky, May 26, 1988.”
Prior to this sale, another stick used by Gretzky in his final game held the record, having been sold by Sotheby's in 2022 for $140,000.
The most expensive hockey stick ever sold remains the “Rutherford Stick,” believed to have been made in the mid-19th century and reportedly sold for over $2 million in the early 2000s.
In recent years, more Gretzky memorabilia from the 1988 Stanley Cup Final has surfaced. In June 2022, Gretzky's final Oilers jersey sold for $1.452 million, setting a new record for the most expensive hockey jersey ever. His glove from his final game also sold for $204,162.
According to ESPN, Sotheby's confirmed that the stick originally belonged to Edmonton native Rick “The Stick” Elaschuk, who was with the Oilers from their inception as a World Hockey Association team and served as the visiting team's stickhandler.
The Oilers defeated the Boston Bruins in the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals, but Game 4 was unexpectedly interrupted by a power outage at the Boston Garden on May 24, 1988. The game went to waste and the series returned to Edmonton, where the Oilers won the championship two days later.
The win was the Oilers' fourth championship in five seasons and Gretzky's final with the team. Shortly thereafter, Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in what is widely considered one of the most significant trades in NHL history.
Gretzky had a strong season in the 1988 Stanley Cup Playoffs, putting up an impressive 43 points in just 19 games.
In the 1988 Finals, Gretzky had three goals and 10 assists for a total of 13 points, a series record that still stands. His 10 assists in a Stanley Cup Final also remain a record. A nine-time league MVP, Gretzky is the only NHL player to have his uniform number retired league-wide.
His 31 assists during the playoffs remained an NHL record for many years until Connor McDavid surpassed it in 2024.
McDavid and the Oilers are coming off a stunning 3-0 comeback win over the Florida Panthers and are looking to win the franchise's sixth Stanley Cup title.
After tying the series 3-3 on Friday, Edmonton will be looking to do the nearly impossible and win Game 7.
