Which NHL player has the most career assists?

Wayne Gretzky has the most career assists in NHL history. He recorded 1,963 regular-season assists during his career, far more than any other player.

Gretzky played for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers from 1979 to 1999. His passing vision and ability to anticipate plays helped him create scoring chances at an extraordinary rate.

His assist total is especially remarkable because it exceeds the career goal totals of every NHL player except Alex Ovechkin as of the current record lists. Gretzky also owns the record for most career points, with 2,857.

Statistics can sometimes cause confusion because regular-season and playoff totals are tracked separately. Including playoff games, Gretzky finished with 2,223 career assists, adding 260 assists to his regular-season record.