BREAKING NEWS: How the 1988 Edmonton Oilers and Wayne Gretzky Started the Stanley Cup Team Photo Tradition
Edmonton, Alberta — July 23, 2025
The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in North America, and over the decades, it has become enshrined with traditions that are nearly as sacred as the game itself. From lifting it over one’s head to parading it through hometowns and sipping champagne from its gleaming silver bowl, the rituals surrounding the Stanley Cup are beloved parts of hockey history.
But one iconic tradition — the team photo taken on the ice with the Cup after the championship victory — can be traced back to a pivotal moment in 1988, thanks to none other than hockey’s greatest player: Wayne Gretzky.
The Birth of a Tradition
It was May 26, 1988, and the Edmonton Oilers had just completed a four-game sweep of the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final. Game 4, held at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, was marred by an unusual twist: a power outage at Boston Garden had forced Game 4 to be replayed in Edmonton. The Oilers would go on to win that rescheduled game handily, earning their fourth Stanley Cup in five seasons and affirming their place as a dynasty.
What happened next would change how NHL championships were celebrated forever.
As the team celebrated on the ice, hugging one another, hoisting the Cup individually, and soaking in the joy of victory, Wayne Gretzky paused amid the chaos. According to former teammates, Gretzky called out to the group to gather at center ice. He wanted everyone — players, coaches, trainers, and staff — to pose for a group photograph with the Stanley Cup.
“It was spontaneous but meaningful,” said Oilers great Mark Messier, who was there for the moment. “Wayne just said, ‘Hey, let’s get everyone in here. Let’s capture this.’ It was about recognizing that the win wasn’t just about the stars — it was about the entire team.”
A Lasting Image
The image that was captured that night became one of the most iconic photos in NHL history: a sea of blue and orange jerseys surrounding hockey’s holy grail, with smiles stretched wide and pure joy radiating from every face.
The 1988 photo not only commemorated a championship but symbolized unity, teamwork, and the shared pursuit of greatness.
“It just felt right,” Gretzky later said in a 1999 interview. “We’d worked so hard all year — through injuries, through adversity — and this moment belonged to all of us. I wanted us to remember it together, not just as individual players, but as a family.”
Unbeknownst to him at the time, that simple suggestion would go on to become an annual tradition that has endured for more than three decades.
Changing the Culture of Celebration
Before 1988, championship celebrations were far less coordinated. Players would often celebrate in a loose huddle, each taking turns with the Cup in a chaotic post-game scene. Photos from previous Stanley Cup wins featured fragments — snapshots of star players with the Cup, candid locker room celebrations, and media scrums.
But none had captured the full team in an organized, centered photo on the ice.
The image of the 1988 Oilers — a group frozen in time with hockey’s ultimate prize — set a new precedent. Starting in 1989, the Calgary Flames followed suit after winning the Cup, organizing their team for a similar photo. Since then, every Stanley Cup-winning team has made the on-ice team photo a central part of their post-game ritual.
“It became a must-do. The Cup is there, the emotions are raw, and that picture is forever,” said former NHL photographer Bruce Bennett. “And it all started with Gretzky and the Oilers.”
More Than Just a Photo
The tradition has taken on deeper meaning in the years since. These photos have been displayed in team halls of fame, offices, and locker rooms, serving as a reminder of what it takes to win and what victory looks like when shared.
Players often cite the team photo as the culmination of their dreams — a moment where they can look around and truly soak in the success they’ve worked their whole lives for.
“That picture? That’s what we all play for,” said former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. “You don’t just want to lift the Cup. You want to be in that photo, surrounded by brothers who fought with you every day.”
A Moment of Unity Born from Greatness
That the tradition was started by Wayne Gretzky, widely regarded as the greatest hockey player of all time, only adds to its legendary status. Gretzky wasn’t just a statistical marvel — he was a cultural force, a unifying figure who understood the soul of the sport.
His call for the team photo in 1988 was more than just a suggestion. It was a gesture of humility, leadership, and respect for the people who made success possible — from linemates to equipment managers.
Looking Ahead
Today, as fans and analysts reflect on the moments that define the NHL’s rich history, the legacy of the 1988 Edmonton Oilers and their team photo continues to resonate. Every year, as a new champion is crowned, players make their way to center ice, gather around the Stanley Cup, and freeze a moment of triumph forever — just like Gretzky and his teammates did all those years ago.
“It’s funny,” Gretzky remarked years later, “you never think a photo is going to become a tradition. But I’m glad it did. Because that photo wasn’t just about winning — it was about remembering, together.”
And so, a dynasty’s final portrait became a tradition, now woven into the very fabric of hockey history.