Wayne Gretzky recorded 1,963 regular-season assists during his NHL career.
Gretzky played 20 NHL seasons from 1979 to 1999, primarily with the Edmonton Oilers. His passing totals were so extraordinary that his career points record is often described as two records combined: 894 goals and 1,963 assists.
He led the NHL in assists 16 times, including 13 consecutive seasons from 1979–80 through 1991–92. His 1,963 assists are more than the total points accumulated by many Hall of Fame players.
The figure applies to regular-season games only. Gretzky also produced 260 playoff assists, so combining regular-season and playoff statistics creates a different total and is a frequent source of confusion.