Mike Gartner

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Lore & Background

Gartner began his career with the WHA in its final year in 1978, where he recorded 27 goals in his only season in the league as a nineteen-year old player. In 1979, he was drafted as the fourth overall pick in the draft by the Capitals. With his blazing speed and shot, Gartner became a dependable player for the then-fledging franchise, recording the first of a record fifteen consecutive 30-goal seasons in 1979; he peaked in goals with 50 in the season. Gartner was traded to Minnesota in the middle of the season; when he departed Washington, he led the franchise in goals and assists. Gartner was traded to New York in the midst of the season and became the sixteenth player to reach 500 goals in 1991. Late in the season, he was traded to Toronto, where he reached the Conference Finals for the only time that year. He concluded his career in Phoenix that saw reach 700 goals, the fifth player to do so. Internationally, Gartner won the Canada Cup twice with Team Canada. While Gartner never won a major award or reached the Stanley Cup Final as a player, he recorded over 700 goals and 600 assists in over 1,400 games, a mark achieved by only five players at the time he retired. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game seven times. Gartner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 in his first year of eligibility and had his number retired by the Capitals in 2008. He became a member of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee in 2009, rising to chair of the committee in 2022. In 2017, Gartner was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in the league's 100-year history. After his 15-year tenure on the committee concluded in 2024, he was named to serve as the new chairman of the board of the Hall in July 2025.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Gartner's career is one of milestones achieved across multiple franchises. After departing Washington as the all-time leader in goals and assists, he was traded to Minnesota on March 7, 1989, for Dino Ciccarelli and Bob Rouse. He moved again just a year later to the New York Rangers, where history was made on October 14, 1991, when he became the sixteenth player in NHL history to reach 500 goals. That same season, he earned All-Star Game MVP honors after scoring four goals. His journey concluded with a trade to Toronto on March 21, 1994, where he scored the final goal at Chicago Stadium in a 1–0 victory over the Blackhawks. He finished that year with his fifteenth consecutive 30-goal season and reached the Conference Finals before concluding his career in Phoenix as only the fifth player to score 700 goals.

Reader's Guide

Gartner was born in Ottawa, Ontario. The family moved to Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto when Gartner was young and moved to Barrie when he was 13 years old. His father Alf, a former amateur goalie, insisted that his son work on power skating training for three summers, which he did before he turned 10 at the Dixie Arena. He played hockey in Mississauga and midget hockey in Barrie, which saw him win a Canadian National Wrigley Midget Championship. As a youth, Gartner played in the 1972 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Toronto. He participated in an exhibition tour in Moscow at the age of 15. He rose to Tier II and then the Niagara Falls Flyers of the OHA. He won the Emms Family Award for his play as a rookie in the 1976–77 OMJHL season. He recorded 74 combined goals in two seasons and was selected to the 1978 World Junior Championships, finishing third place. Desiring the chance to play in the pro leagues, he decided to sign a contract with the World Hockey Association at the age of 18. Gartner was born with amblyopia in his right eye, which he played with for his entire hockey career. As stated by Gartner in 2020: 'My left eye is my dominant eye, I have 20-20 vision in my left eye and 20/200 vision in my right eye. If I cover my left eye and look out of my right eye, I couldn’t even drive my car. It didn’t really come into play until I turned pro, at which point I had to take an eye test. The doctor said, ‘cover one eye, and then cover the other’ – and I said, ‘I can’t see out of that eye.’ For years, the doctors just kinda looked the other way – I would take the black thing they use to cover your eye and move it a little so I could read the eye charts. They didn’t care if I could see out of both eyes, as long as I could pass the eye test – and score goals.' Feeling that he was ready for the pro leagues but without the option to play in the National Hockey League until he was 20, Gartner signed a multi-year contract with the Cincinnati Stingers of the World Hockey Association in 1978. In the 1978–79 WHA season, he played on a line with Mark Messier and finished second to Wayne Gretzky for Rookie of the Year honors while having 27 goals. He was named to the 1979 WHA All-Star Games in January that saw him record two points in the second and third games played against Moscow Dynamo. Gartner was drafted in the fi

Did You Know?

• Gartner was born with amblyopia in his right eye and had 20/200 vision in that eye, but played his entire career without corrective surgery.
• He recorded 27 goals in his only WHA season with the Cincinnati Stingers in 1978–79.
• Gartner was the first player in NHL history to score his 500th goal, 500th assist, 1000th point, and play in his 1000th game all in the same season (1991–92).
• He was named to the NHL All-Star Game seven times and won the All-Star Game MVP award in 1993.
• Gartner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 in his first year of eligibility.

Early Life and Visual Challenge

Gartner was born in Ottawa, Ontario, before moving to Mississauga and then Barrie at age 13. His father, Alf, a former amateur goalie, insisted on rigorous power skating training for three summers before Michael turned ten at the Dixie Arena. He won a Canadian National Wrigley Midget Championship in Barrie and played in the 1972 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a Toronto minor team. As a youth, he participated in an exhibition tour in Moscow at age 15. Despite his success, Gartner faced a significant physical hurdle: amblyopia in his right eye. In 2020, he revealed that while his left eye had 20/20 vision, his right was limited to 20/200, noting, "If I cover my left eye and look out of my right eye, I couldn't even drive my car." He famously concealed this during medical exams by shifting the occluder until a professional evaluation forced him to address it.

Washington Capitals Dominance

Selected fourth overall in the 1979 NHL entry draft, Gartner became one of four Hall of Famers chosen in that first round. He recorded an assist in his NHL debut on October 11, 1979, versus the Buffalo Sabres and wore number eleven. In his rookie season (1979–80), he led the team with 36 goals while winning internal Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. His most defining statistical achievement was a record fifteen consecutive 30-goal seasons. This streak began in 1979 and included a career peak in 1984–85, where he recorded 50 goals and 52 assists, becoming only the second Capitals player to reach both marks in one season. He also set franchise records for consecutive games with points (seventeen) and longest goal-scoring streak (nine games in 1986–87). When traded in March 1989, he departed as Washington's all-time leader in goals, assists, and points.

NHL Journey and Milestones

After leaving Washington, Gartner played for the Minnesota North Stars before being traded to the New York Rangers on March 6, 1990. With the Rangers, he became the sixteenth player to reach 500 goals on October 14, 1991, and later the first Ranger to score at least 40 goals in three consecutive seasons. In 1991–92, he achieved a unique feat by scoring his 500th goal, 500th assist, and 1,000th point while playing his 1,000th game all in the same season. He was traded to Toronto on March 21, 1994, where he completed his fifteenth consecutive 30-goal season. His career concluded with the Phoenix Coyotes, making him only the fifth player to reach 700 goals. Over 1,400 games, he recorded over 600 assists and was named to seven NHL All-Star Games.

Legacy and Hall of Fame Leadership

Gartner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 in his first year of eligibility. The Washington Capitals retired his number eleven jersey in 2008. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in the league's history. His post-playing career saw him serve on the Hall of Fame Selection Committee starting in 2009, eventually rising to chair the committee in 2022. After a fifteen-year tenure on the committee concluded in 2024, he was appointed as the new chairman of the board of the Hall of Fame in July 2025. Although he never won a major award or reached the Stanley Cup Final, his record-setting consistency and longevity secured his place among hockey's elite.