How old was Wayne Gretzky when he first skated on ice?

Wayne Gretzky first skated on ice when he was 2 years and 10 months old. The milestone took place at his grandparents’ farm, before his father’s famous backyard rink became the center of his hockey childhood.

That early start is part of the larger Gretzky origin story. Wayne’s father, Walter, regularly took him and his siblings to the farm, while the family home in Brantford eventually gained a winter rink known as the “Wally Coliseum.” The backyard ice gave Wayne an unusually large amount of practice time.

The age is sometimes rounded in popular accounts to “two years old” or “about three,” which explains why other versions of the story may sound different. The more precise biographical figure is 2 years, 10 months.

Gretzky’s talent soon became impossible to miss. At age six, he played on a team otherwise made up of 10-year-olds, and by age 10 he had produced extraordinary minor-hockey numbers. His early skating was the foundation, but constant practice and unusual hockey instincts made the difference.