He is in the NHL Hall of Fame, and is widely considered one of the greatest hockey players ever. Wayne Gretzky will eventually leave his fortune and many assets to all five of his children and his two grandchildren. [131] Expectations were high for the Canadian team, but the team lost to the Czech Republic in the semi-finals. Wayne Gretzky's daughter Paulina delivered her baby with . I'd get up in the morning, skate from 7:00 to 8:30, go to school, come home at 3:30, stay on the ice until my mom insisted I come in for dinner, eat in my skates, then go back out until 9:00.[155]. [65] He partially orchestrated the trade after reports surfaced that he was unhappy in Los Angeles. [277] Between 1981 and 1994, he won the Art Ross Trophy, presented to the NHL's season points leader, 10 times. Turner Sports has reached a multi-year agreement with Wayne Gretzky to be a studio . He left behind his five adult children and 13 grandchildren. He is widely known for being one of hockey's greatest players of all time and has broken more than 60 records in the NHL. In 1977, he was the third pick in the midget draft for the Ontario Major . [226] According to Gretzky, Jones does not recall his being on the show. [32][33] Skalbania opted to have Gretzky sign a personal-services contract rather than a standard player contract in part because by that point it was well known that a majority of NHL owners, if not yet the required to add new NHL franchises, were willing to absorb at least some WHA teams. [39] In game two, Gretzky and Mark Howe each scored a goal and Gordie Howe picked up an assist as the WHA won 42. 9. [17], In Gretzky's first appearance in Edmonton after the trade, a game nationally televised in Canada, he received a four-minute standing ovation. Let the puck do all the moving and you get yourself in the right place. Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif., October 10, 1989. . Despite being underdogs against the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in the Smythe Division semifinals, Gretzky led the Kings to a shocking upset of his old squad, spearheading the Kings' return from a 31 series deficit to win the series 43. [99] However, he performed well in the playoffs, notably when he scored a hat trick in gameseven of the Campbell Conference Finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs. It most recently sold for US$2.8 million. His last NHL game in Canada was on April 15, 1999, a 22tie with the Ottawa Senators and the Rangers' second-to-last game of the season. [47] In exchange for agreeing to keep Gretzky off the draft board, the NHL placed Edmonton at the bottom of the draft order. Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, the son of Phyllis Leone (Hockin) and Walter Gretzky. [35] The money was not enough to keep the Racers alive; they folded that December. [243] In 1992, Gretzky and McNall partnered in an investment to buy a rare Honus Wagner T206 cigarette card for US$451,000, later selling the card. In the first photo, the family were pictured in a living room. Gretzky informed McNall that his prerequisites for a deal to take place were that Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski join him as teammates in Los Angeles. May 26, 2021 at 6:25 p.m. "The Great One" is headed from the front office to a cable television studio. In his post-championship interview, Messier (who had replaced Gretzky as Edmonton's captain following the trade) paid tribute to his former teammate by dedicating the Oilers' Cup win to him. In 2000, the former forward was linked with a deal to become a part-owner, governor, and head of hockey operations for the Phoenix Coyotes. He reached one milestone in this last season, breaking the professional total (regular season and playoffs) goal-scoring record of 1,071, which had been held by Gordie Howe. Hall of Fame defenceman Bobby Orr said of Gretzky, "He passes better than anybody I've ever seen. [120], The final game of Gretzky's career was a 21overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 18, 1999, in Madison Square Garden. By age two, Wayne was trying to score goals against Mary using a souvenir stick. This arrangement came under increased scrutiny by the mid-1980s, especially following reports that Pocklington had used the contract as collateral to help secure a $31million loan with the Alberta government-owned Alberta Treasury Branches. Wayne Gretzky Family: Wife, Children, Siblings, Grandchildren, Parents. [187], Almost immediately after retirement, several NHL teams approached Gretzky about an ownership role. He distorts time, and not only by slowing it down. Given the pandemic and other life changes, I realize I will not be able to dedicate the time nor effort needed to support this world-class organization. [126] Canada nevertheless won in two games by scores of 41 and 42. [213], Thirteen years later, on December 31, 2016, Gretzky participated in the Winter Classic Alumni Game, which was held between teams of former Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues players two days before the 2017 Winter Classic. Born in Brantford, Ontario in 1961, Wayne Gretzky learned to skate on a rink his father Walter built in the family's backyard. [21] Gretzky said he would have voted Bobby Orr or Gordie Howe as the best of all time. He was 82. [280] The Lady Byng Trophy, awarded for sportsmanship and performance, was presented to Gretzky five times between 1980 and 1999. He scored his all-time record of 92 goals with just 369 shots. [162] He weighed "about 170 pounds" for the better part of his career. He retired from international play holding the records for most goals (20), most assists (28), and most overall points (48) in best-on-best hockey. [238] During his ownership, the team's colours were changed to silver and black, presaging the change in team jersey colours when he played for the Los Angeles Kings. The couple married in 1960, and lived in an apartment in Brantford, where Walter worked for Bell Telephone Canada. In one of the snaps, the family were pictured in a living room. Seven months later, Gretzky joined Team Canada for the 1982 World Championships in Finland. The effect of calling offsetting penalties was felt immediately in the NHL, because during the early 1980s, when the Gretzky-era Oilers entered a four-on-four or three-on-three situation with an opponent, they frequently used the space on the ice to score one or more goals. Trevor is the most successful sibling . [110] The Rangers were defeated in the Conference Finals in five games by the Philadelphia Flyers, despite Gretzky leading the Rangers in the playoffs with 10goals and 10assists. Just a Regular Blue Jersey", "Hockey; Rangers Waste Gretzky's Gifts Again", "In Signing Messier, Canucks' Persistence Paid Off", "NHL & WHA Yearly Leaders and Records for Assists", "Cole: Bobby Orr was The One, not The Great One", "List of 16-year old World Junior Championship players", "Wayne Gretzky never thought he would make this team", "Hasek Stares Down Canada in Shootout, 21", "Finland Stuns Canada, 32, to Win Bronze Medal", "To figure Gretzky's greatness just tally up the numbers", "Duhatschek: In the City of Angels, NHL mends fences with The Great One", "Wayne Gretzky pays respects to Islanders great Mike Bossy, who passed away at 65 - Forever Blueshirts: A site for New York Rangers fanatics", "Edmonton Oilers have had some of the NHL's best enforcers", "Gloves Off: The 10 Top NHL Enforcers of All Time", "Walking in the footsteps of hockey inaction", "Gretzky officially welcomed into Hockey Hall of Fame", "Perfect setting: Gretzky's number retired before All-Star Game", "Gretzky jersey ceremony turns into L.A. lovefest", "Plus: N.H.L.Phoenix; Gretzky's Role To Be Limited", "Canucks spoil Great One's coaching debut", "Minnesota Wild 1, Phoenix Coyotes 2 Final", "Gretzky returns with five-year extension", "Gretzky moved to tears as Russia beats Canada 20", "Wayne Gretzky, in China, says NHL letting its stars play in Olympics is 'better for everyone', "Canada Roster 2010 Olympic Winter Games", "Anxious moments during cauldron malfunction", "People chase Gretzky through the streets of Vancouver", "Oilers will play Canadiens in outdoor game", "Fans, players bundle up for historic game", "Wayne Gretzky returns to Oilers in executive role", "Wayne Gretzky stepping away from role with Edmonton Oilers", "Bo-ners, Re-gretz and Mike-believe Two-line Head In Forms", "Gotta See It: Wayne Gretzky's very brief 'Simpsons' cameo", "Why won't Wayne Gretzky pick up his Order of Canada? He did not, however, compete in the final against the United States due to a back injury. [2], Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Gretzky honed his skills on a backyard rink and regularly played minor hockey at a level far above his peers. By the time I was ten, I had eight years on skates instead of four, and a few seasons' worth of ice time against ten-year-olds. He said that many of his advantages were a result of his father's brilliant coaching. Gobuty turned down the proposal and the players landed in Edmonton. "Gretzky reversed that. The family regularly visited the farm of Wayne's grandparents, Tony and Mary, and watched Hockey Night in Canada together. He is survived by their five children: Wayne, Keith, Glen, Brent and Kim, and several grandchildren. [180] In October 1999, Edmonton honoured Gretzky by renaming one of Edmonton's busiest freeways, Capilano Drivewhich passes by Northlands Coliseumto Wayne Gretzky Drive. The Racers were losing $40,000 per game. [80], "He was, I think, the first Canadian forward to play a true team game", said hockey writer and former NHL goaltender Ken Dryden. Football wasn't even Trevor's best sport either - that . [121] "The Star-Spangled Banner", as sung by John Amirante, was altered to include the words "in the land of Wayne Gretzky". Gretzky's trade to the Los Angeles Kings on August 9, 1988, had an immediate impact on the team's performance, ultimately leading them to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, and he is credited with popularizing hockey in California. Me: "To where the puck is going, not where it's been." [197] Gretzky resumed his head-coaching duties on December 28. [124] He recounted: My last game in New York was my greatest day in hockey Everything you enjoy about the sport of hockey as a kid, driving to practice with mom [Phyllis] and dad [Walter], driving to the game with mom and dad, looking in the stands and seeing your mom and dad and your friends, that all came together in that last game in New York. [106] Gretzky was immediately named the team's captain. Gretzky played for 10 years with the Oilers, with Sather as coach. By the end of the 1990s, Wayne Gretzky had hung up his skates. Paulina and golfer Dustin Johnson announced their engagement on August 18, 2013. [119] Upon returning to New York, Gretzky announced he would retire after the Rangers' last game of the season. The same success was not immediate when they joined the NHL, but within four seasons, the Oilers were competing for the Stanley Cup. [16] On the backyard rink, nicknamed the "Wally Coliseum", winter was total hockey immersion with Walter as mentor-teacher as well as teammate. [190][191] Gretzky convinced his long-time agent Michael Barnett to join the team as its General Manager. [121] At the time of his retirement, Gretzky was the second-to-last WHA player still active in professional hockey. [200] There was uncertainty about Gretzky's role[201] until it was announced on May 31, 2006, that he had agreed to a five-year contract to remain head coach. Walter worked at Bell Telephone Canada and owned an apartment in Brantford, where the family lived. [16] Additionally, Walter gave the advice to "skate where the puck's going, not where it's been". [67] The Oilers were a young, strong team featuring, in addition to Gretzky, future Hall of Famers including forwards Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson and Jari Kurri; defenceman Paul Coffey; and goaltender Grant Fuhr. Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario. 10 Canadians Who Became Americans", "Paulina Gretzky Engaged To PGA Star Dustin Johnson", "The Front Row With Bruce Bourquin: June 13, 2014", "Al Gretzky enters London West by-election race", "London West breaks Liberal stronghold as NDP win projected", "Walter Gretzky, father of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, dies at 82", "Rocket Men: The far-out (but true) story of the '91 Argos", "Toronto Argonauts sold for $4.7 million", "Gretzky, Candy to get names etched on Grey Cup", "Honus Wagner card sells for record $2.8M", "Gretzky A Great One Among Thoroughbred Owners, Too", "Gretzky will work closer with Hespeler Hockey", "Gretzky Ranks Among Elite In Arena of Endorsements", "Hockey Great Wayne Gretzky and First Team Sports Partner in Hockey Equipment Company", "Wayne Gretzky Takes the Ice With 989 Sports for Signature Hockey Franchise", "Wayne Gretzky's Toronto Celebrates 25 Years of Greatness", "Meet the Hockey Canada Foundation Board of Directors", "55 shades of Great: Random facts about Wayne Gretzky on his 55th birthday", "Last call at Wayne Gretzky's sports bar in Toronto after 27 years", "Wayne Gretzky to open restaurant at Edmonton International Airport", "Nick Lees: Don Metz in spotlight as Wayne Gretzky opens new restaurant in Rogers Place", "Release: Studio 99 opens in Rogers Place October 18", "Gretzky: An Autobiography By Wayne Gretzky with Rick Reilly (HarperCollins: $19.95; 258 pp. [85] Walter Gretzky had known for months after having been tipped off by Skalbania, but kept the news from Wayne so as not to upset him. [181] Also in Edmonton, the local transit authority assigned a rush-hour bus route numbered No. Walter Gretzky is survived by his five children Wayne, Kim, Keith, Glen and Brent as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. [5][11] The couple married in 1960, and lived in an apartment in Brantford, where Walter worked for Bell Telephone Canada. Wayne has five children with his wife of over 30 years, actor Janet Jones: 32-year-old Paulina, 30-year-old Ty, 28-year-old Trevor, 20-year-old Tristan, and 18-year . I hope Canadians understand that. "[271] As a non-resident, Gretzky came under some criticism for this endorsement. Both McNall and Pocklington quickly agreed. 31. [5] Despite his unimpressive size and strength, Gretzky's intelligence, stamina, and reading of the game were unrivaled. Gretzky told journalist Scott Morrison that the final game of his career was his greatest day. [3] Gretzky is the leading goal scorer, assist producer and point scorer in NHL history,[4] and has more assists in his career than any other player scored total points. Phyllis Gretzky died of lung cancer on December 19. The men including Wayne, two of his sons Trevor and Ty, and his grandchildren Tatum and River, who belong to Paulina stood . [144] Because he was so light compared to other players, goalies were often surprised by how hard Gretzky's shot was. Goalies called his shots "sneaky fast." 99. Gretzky's wedding to the then-Janet Jones was . [175] He stressed the need to play and practice hockey for the love of the game,[176] and felt that skill was more important to develop than talent and that Canada had the potential to be world leaders in skill development. Wayne Gretzky Family. [39][41] In game one, the line scored seven points, and the WHA All-Stars won by a score of 42. [203] American fans online began calling Gretzky a "crybaby"; defenders said he was merely borrowing a page from former coach Glen Sather to take the pressure off his players. Bidders for the club had indicated that Gretzky would no longer be associated with the team after it emerged from bankruptcy, and on September 24, 2009, Gretzky stepped down as head coach and head of hockey operations of the Coyotes. "[218] It was subsequently reported by various outlets that Gretzky had signed with new U.S. NHL rightsholder Turner Sports to become an analyst. [182], In 2002, the Kings held a jersey retirement ceremony and erected a life-sized statue of Gretzky outside the Staples Center; the ceremony was delayed until then so that Bruce McNall, who had recently finished a prison sentence, could attend. He notched 14 points in 10 games, including a two-goal, two-assist effort in Canada's final game against Sweden to earn the bronze. [193] Ultimately, Gretzky agreed to become head coach on August 8, 2005. [29] It was with the Greyhounds that Gretzky first wore the number99 on his jersey. Wayne Gretzky: Family and Education. [213] It was preceded by the Mega Stars game, which featured Gretzky and many of his Oiler Dynasty teammates against a group of retired Montreal Canadiens players (whose likes included Claude Lemieux, Guy Lafleur and others). 18. "That's a hundred percent right. Walter's drills were his own invention, and were ahead of their time in Canada. Although the announced price was $850,000, Pocklington actually paid $700,000. [150], Gretzky learned much about hockey from his father on a backyard rink at his home. [240], In 1991, McNall purchased the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) with Gretzky and John Candy as minority owners. Gretzky would later remark that the Soviet National Team's practice drills, which impressed Canada in 1972, had nothing new to offer him: "I'd been doing these drills since I was three. [91] Large cheers erupted for his first shift, his first touch of the puck, his two assists, and Mark Messier's body check of Gretzky into the boards. (Nathan Denette/AP) Article. [259][260][261][262] Gretzky has other restaurants opened in 2016 at the Edmonton International Airport and named No. In 1980, when an exercise physiologist tested the recuperative abilities of all of the Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky scored so high that the tester said he "thought the machine had broken. I don't care if you're Carl Lewis, you can't outskate that little black thing. While they were using all this energy trying to rattle his teeth, he was just skating away, circling, analyzing things."[140]. He also had a way of never shooting the puck with the same rhythm twice, making his shots harder to time and block. By 1978, the World Hockey Association, which had been in competition with the established NHL since 1972, was clearly struggling. [24], When Gretzky was 14, his family arranged for him to move to and play hockey in Toronto, partly to further his career, and partly to remove him from the uncomfortable pressure he faced in his hometown. lives with his family in . The Family That Sweats Together. [96] For the second year in a row, the Kings eliminated the defending champions in the first round when they defeated the Flames in six games, but also for the second year in a row their season ended in a second round sweep, this time at the hands of Gretzky's former team. Wayne Gretzky and the hockey world will 'never forget' Ace Bailey, Mark Bavis and 9/11. [6], Gretzky was the top scorer in the 1978 World Junior Championships. Like a magician, he had to direct attention elsewhere, to his four teammates on the ice with him, to create the momentary distraction in order to move unnoticed into the open ice where size and strength didn't matter. Gretzky became the youngest player to score 50goals, but was not eligible for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given to the top NHL rookie, because of his previous year of WHA experience. [108] Gretzky rejected a three-year deal worth $15million with the Blues, and on July 21, signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent, rejoining longtime Oilers teammate Mark Messier for a two-year, $8million (plus incentives) contract. [59] He ended the 198182 season with records of 92goals, 120assists, and 212points in 80games, becoming the only player in NHL history to break the two hundred-point mark. [144], He also had strong general athletic skills. [223], Gretzky is a dual citizen of both Canada and the United States, having become a naturalized citizen of the latter. [126] Gretzky did not win his first international competition until the 1984 Canada Cup, when Canada defeated Sweden in a best-of-three finals. 0:35. [27], Despite his offensive statisticsscoring 132 points in 60 games in Junior B[27]two teams bypassed him in the 1977 Ontario Major Junior Hockey League draft of 16-year-olds. Dryden wrote in his book The Game, "In the past, defenders and teams had learned to devise strategies to stop opponents with the puck. He won a record nine Hart Trophies as the most valuable player in the NHL. In his autobiography, Gretzky describes how at practices his father would drill him on the fundamentals of smart hockey: Him: "Where's the last place a guy looks before he passes it?" Gretzky captured nine Hart Trophies as the most valuable player, 10 Art Ross Trophies for most points in a season, two Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP and five Lester B. Pearson Awards (now called the Ted Lindsay Award) for most outstanding player as judged by his peers. He is the only NHL player to total over 200points in one season, a feat he accomplished four times. [183] Also in 2002, Gretzky received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. [165] Gretzky also excelled at box lacrosse, which he played during the summer. "Gretzky" redirects here. Five years later, the tournament was revived and renamed the World Cup in 1996. [17], The team Gretzky played on at age six was otherwise composed of 10-year-olds. [286], In May 2021, one of his 1979 O-Pee-Chee hockey cards sold for $3.75million in a private sale.[287]. [257][258] From 1993 to 2020, Gretzky and a business partner operated the Wayne Gretzky's restaurant near the Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto. Wayne is married to American actress Janet Jones. [124], Gretzky made his first international appearance as a member of the Canadian national junior team at the 1978 World Junior Championships in Montreal, Quebec. When asked how he managed, at age ten, to score 378 goals in a single season, Gretzky explained, See, kids usually don't start playing hockey until they're six or seven. Some say I have a "sixth sense" Baloney. However, Gretzky denied that he had any exotic innate abilities. The Great One wasn't going to leave hockey behind forever, though. [102] During the 199495 NHL lock-out, Gretzky and some friends (including Mark Messier, Marty McSorley, Brett Hull and Steve Yzerman) formed the Ninety Nine All Stars Tour and played eight exhibition games in various countries. [247] Forbes estimates that Gretzky made US$93.8million from 1990 to 1998. [154] In his autobiography, he wrote: All I wanted to do in the winters was be on the ice. [142], He passed and shot with prodigious skill. In 1990, the Associated Press named Gretzky Male Athlete of the Decade. [66], The Edmonton Oilers finished first overall in their last WHA regular season. so golf is kind of part of the family. Together, they have two children, Tatum and River Johnson. Wayne's brothers Brent and Keith both had short-lived professional careers in hockey and his son, Trevor, was an impressive high school football quarterback who played on the same team as the sons of Will Smith and Joe Montana. They all wanted to play like Gretzky. By the time Gretzky turned six, he was playing hockey alongside the teenagers in his locale. Then an older player in the sunset of his career, he had been passed over for the captaincy of the team. Dan Robson. [9] Gretzky became executive director for the Canadian national men's hockey team during the 2002 Winter Olympics, in which the team won a gold medal. [282][283] The Wayne Gretzky 99 Award is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. "Absolutely", Gretzky said. He was adept at dodging checks from opposing players, and consistently anticipated where the puck was going to be and executed the right move at the right time. [107], However, the chemistry everyone expected with winger Brett Hull never developed. "They're loving us not doing well", he said, referring to American hockey fans. (the family evidently spoke Ukrainian). [168] This was how Gretzky avoided serious injuries despite being undersized and entering the NHL during its "rough and tumble time"; Gretzky noted that his contemporary Mike Bossy took a beating to score goals, which consequently led him to retire because his back took a beating. [71] Five times between 198182 and 198687, Gretzky led the NHL in goals scored. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. [173][174] But Gretzky discouraged unfair hits in another way. [241] The club won the Grey Cup championship in the first year of the partnership, but struggled in the two following seasons, and the partnership sold the team before the 1994 season. Gretzky's final head coaching record was 14316124. [50], In his first NHL season, 197980, Gretzky was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player (the first of eight in a row) and tied for the scoring lead with Marcel Dionne with 137points. As you . Gretzky began skating at age two and a half and was first taught hockey by his father. With the WHA's long-term survival obviously in doubt, Birmingham Bulls owner John F. Bassett believed the only way to gain meaningful leverage over the NHL was to sign as many young and promising superstars as possible. [150], Despite his lack of strength, Gretzky had remarkable physical stamina. On 26-1-1961 Wayne Gretzky was born in Brantford, Ontario. [21] His play attracted media attention beyond his hometown of Brantford, including a profile by John Iaboni in the Toronto Telegram in October 1971. [84], Two hours after the Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1988, Gretzky learned from his father that the Oilers were planning to deal him to another team. "[270], During the 2015 Canadian federal election campaign, Gretzky endorsed the Conservative Party and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and was featured at a campaign rally praising Harper by calling him "wonderful to the country. He is one of the best ice hockey players of all time. She and Johnson posed beside her father Wayne and mom Janet, while their two boys sat beneath them in the cutest . Walter Gretzky had been an outstanding Junior B hockey player. Published Aug 7, 2019. [272][273][274][275][276] In 2014, Gretzky praised Harper at a United for Ukraine Gala event in Toronto calling him "one of the greatest prime ministers ever".