The Oilers, like the other three teams, were to be allowed to protect two goaltenders and two skaters from being reclaimed by the established NHL teams in the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft. They all wanted to play like Gretzky. Like his hero, Gordie Howe, Gretzky possessed "an exceptional capacity to renew his energy resources quickly." [264][265], Gretzky has written several books, including Gretzky: An Autobiography (1990), with Rick Reilly,[266] and 99: My Life in Pictures (1999), with John Davidson and Dan Diamond. At age ten, after scoring 196 goals in his hockey league, he scored 158 goals in lacrosse. [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. Wayne Gretzky and the hockey world will 'never forget' Ace Bailey, Mark Bavis and 9/11. Introduction. 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. The Family That Sweats Together. The Wayne Gretzky International Award is presented by the United States Hockey Hall of Fame to honour international individuals who have made major contributions to the growth and advancement of hockey in the United States. [194] Gretzky made his coaching debut on October 5,[195] and won his first game, on October 8 against the Minnesota Wild. [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. Peter Gzowski says that the best of the best athletes in all sports understand the game so well, and in such detail, that they can instantly recognize and capitalize upon emerging patterns of play. Practicing for hours on end, it was here that a young Gretzky developed the skating, shooting and stickhandling techniques that appeared instinctive to so many over the course of his career. That's my whole strategy: Find Open Ice. [14] The farm was where Wayne skated on ice for the first time, aged two years, 10 months. By age 6 he was playing as an all-star in novice hockey . So I had a long head start on everyone else. Gretzky's final head coaching record was 14316124. "[91] After the 198889 season, a life-sized bronze statue of Gretzky was erected outside Northlands Coliseum, holding the Stanley Cup over his head. [144] Because he was so light compared to other players, goalies were often surprised by how hard Gretzky's shot was. Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, the son of Phyllis Leone (Hockin) and Walter Gretzky. [135] The Olympics marked Gretzky's eighth and final international appearance, finishing with four assists in six games. [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. I've just learned to guess what's going to happen next. Jones took to Instagram writing: "Love you, Wayne, and a perfect night with most of the family by our sides. [126] His 17 points remain the most scored by a 16-year-old in the World Junior Championships. [22] In the 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, Gretzky scored 26 points playing for Brantford. His mother was of English, and some Cornish and Irish, descent. [126] Canada nevertheless won in two games by scores of 41 and 42. 11. Gretzky has made several TV appearances, including as a Dance Fever celebrity judge, and acted in a dramatic role alongside Victor Newman in The Young and the Restless in 1981. [48][49], Gretzky's success in the WHA carried over into the NHL, despite some critics suggesting he would struggle in what was considered the bigger, tougher and more talented league. Wayne Gretzky will eventually leave his fortune and many assets to all five of his children and his two grandchildren. The 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card that recently sold for $3.75 million is the same version of the card that sold for $1.29 million this past December. "[167] Gretzky adroitly applied this technique as a professional player, avoiding checks with such skill that a rumour circulated that there was an unwritten rule not to hit him. [186] Gretzky was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017. After winning the first game of the series by a score of 41, the team lost the next three games in overtime, and then fell 41 in the deciding fifth game, where Gretzky failed to get a shot on net. [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. [66], The Edmonton Oilers finished first overall in their last WHA regular season. The Kings refused, instead offering Jimmy Carson. [18] According to Martin, "Wayne was so good that you could have a boy of your own who was a tremendous hockey player, and he'd get overlooked because of what the Gretzky kid was doing. Former NHL star Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet have listed their Colonial-style mansion for $22.9 million. Gretzky was its captain from 1983 to 1988. He was unsuccessful both times. It marked the first time Gretzky did not finish as the tournament's leading scorer with seven points in eight games for fourth overall. [6], Gretzky was the top scorer in the 1978 World Junior Championships. [202] The Coyotes' performance declined in 200607, as the team ended the season 15th in their conference. [231] Ty played hockey at Shattuck-Saint Mary's,[232] but quit the sport, and attended Arizona State University. The 13,000-square-foot property located in Thousand Oaks includes six bedrooms and . [54] The Calder was instead awarded to Boston Bruins defenceman Ray Bourque. [142], He passed and shot with prodigious skill. Figures in boldface italics are NHL records. [56] He won his second straight Hart Trophy. [240], In 1991, McNall purchased the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) with Gretzky and John Candy as minority owners. Walter Gretzky was the son of immigrants a Polish mother and Russian father who started a vegetable farm in 1932 in Canning, Ontario, just outside Brantford, on the Nith River, where Wayne . Wayne Gretzky . [279] In addition, he earned the Lester B. Pearson Award (now Ted Lindsay Award) on five occasions; the award is given to the NHL's "most outstanding player", as determined by National Hockey League Players' Association members. [190][191] Gretzky convinced his long-time agent Michael Barnett to join the team as its General Manager. [79], Gretzky had a major influence on the style of play of the Edmonton Oilers and in the NHL as a whole, helping to inspire a more team-based strategy. [91] The arena was sold out, and the attendance of 17,503 was the Oilers' biggest crowd ever to that date. Ultimately, it was Racers owner Nelson Skalbania who, on June 12, 1978, signed 17-year-old Gretzky to a seven-year personal services contract worth US$1.75million. [126] However, Gretzky was passed over for the captaincy, along with several other Canadian veterans including Steve Yzerman and Ray Bourque in favour of the younger Eric Lindros. Football wasn't even Trevor's best sport either - that . [51] In the first game of the 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs, against the Montreal Canadiens, Gretzky had five assists, a single game playoff record. [24] His play attracted considerable negative attention from other players' parents, including those of his teammates, and he was often booed. [254][255] Gretzky also made an appearance on the music video for Nickelback's "Rockstar". That includes Wayne Gretzky's oldest daughter, Paulina Gretzky, who has been a singer, model, and actor, and is also known for her long-time relationship with golfer Dustin Johnson. After Wayne's birth, the family moved to a house in Varadi Avenue in Brantford. ", "Editorial: Gretzky endorsement of Harper a new political reality", "Emile Francis to receive Wayne Gretzky award", "Erie, McDavid Lose OHL Final As Junior Hockey Says Goodbye To An All-Time Great", "Young stars shine during Minor Hockey Week", "Wayne Gretzky rookie card sells for $3.75 million, shatters record for hockey card", Wayne Gretzky, winner of the Lionel Conacher Award and the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award: Virtual Museum of Canada Exhibit, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wayne_Gretzky&oldid=1141939613, That he's regarded as the best player in the history of the NHL, see, That he's regarded as the greatest by many sportswriters, see, For the records he held at retirement, see, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 17:34. [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. Wayne Gretzky is regarded as the greatest professional ice hockey player of all time by sportswriters, players, the NHL itself, and the Canadian ice hockey magazine The Hockey News. 99. A video tribute toward the end of the service included pictures from the early days on the backyard rink, Wayne's triumphs, Walter on the ice teaching kids, the Gretzky memorabilia in the family . By the time Gretzky turned six, he was playing hockey alongside the teenagers in his locale. [129] Playing on a line with Pittsburgh Penguins' superstar Mario Lemieux, he recorded a tournament-best 21 points in nine games. Wayne Gretzky and Janet Jones has been married since 1988, and their union has produced three sons - Ty Gretzky, Trevor Gretzky, and Tristan Gretzky - and two daughter named Paulina Gretzky, and Emma Gretzky. Over 20 seasons in the NHL, he held 61 records, including six all-star records. [226] According to Gretzky, Jones does not recall his being on the show. [105] At the time of the trade, the Blues and New York Rangers emerged as front-runners, but the Blues met his salary demands. As a result, he developed a deep understanding of its shifting patterns and dynamics. [211], Although Gretzky had previously stated he would not participate in any "old-timers exhibition games",[212] on November 22, 2003, he took to the ice to help celebrate the Edmonton Oilers' 25th anniversary as an NHL team. [189] The sale was not completed until the following year, on February 15, 2001, after two missed deadlines while securing financing and partners before Ellman and Gretzky could take over. [244] The pair also owned Thoroughbred race horses; one of them, Saumarez, won France's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1990. He left in 2021 to become an analyst on Turner Sports' NHL coverage. [248] He has endorsed and launched a wide variety of products, from pillow cases to insurance. Every time he took the ice, there was some spontaneous decision he would make. [10] In September 2009, following the Phoenix Coyotes' bankruptcy, Gretzky resigned as head coach and relinquished his ownership share. "[157], When he entered the league in 1979, critics opined that Gretzky was "too small, too wiry, and too slow to be a force in the [NHL]. [229] Broadcast live throughout Canada from Edmonton's St. Joseph's Basilica, members of the Fire Department acted as ceremonial guards. The Gretzky family showed some love for Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard at the 2016 BNP Paribas Open. As of March 2023, Wayne Gretzky's net worth is estimated to be roughly $250 Million. [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. [16] On the backyard rink, nicknamed the "Wally Coliseum", winter was total hockey immersion with Walter as mentor-teacher as well as teammate. [13] Wayne was joined by a sister, Kim (born 1963), and brothers Keith, Glen and Brent. [259][260][261][262] Gretzky has other restaurants opened in 2016 at the Edmonton International Airport and named No. Janet Jones With Her Husband Wayne Gretzky (Source: Chatelaine) The couple is blessed with five adorable children Paulina, Ty Robert, Trevor Douglas, Tristan Wayne, and Emma Marie. For other people with the same name and other uses, see, Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 17:34, Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, List of career achievements by Wayne Gretzky, National Hockey League Players' Association, "Wayne Gretzky finally explains meaning behind 'The Great One' nickname", "University of Alberta: Honorary Degree Recipients (20002007)", "NHL Records Held or Shared by Wayne Gretzky", "Wayne Gretzky: 100 Greatest NHL Players", "Gretzky trade remembered for 'seismic impact', "Top Ten Greatest Canadians Wayne Gretzky", "Tournoi pee-wee de Qubec: plusieurs lgendes ont jou Qubec", "Gretzky, only 16, carries a 'Gold-Orr' label", "Mutual Admiration: Howe Backs Gretzky's Attack on His Scoring Record", "99 Reasons Why Wayne Gretzky is 'The Great One', "Gretzky, scoring three goals, sets season record at 79", "A look at Canadian Press Newsmakers of the Year", "Kings Pay King's Ransom for Hockey Great Gretzky", "Governor General announces 60 new appointments to the Order of Canada", "NHL & WHA Yearly Leaders and Records for Goals", "Can't get next to you, babe: Tony La Russa was part of the", "The 10 best player-inspired NHL rules changes", "Revolutionary Moments in Sports: The Gretzky Rule", "20 Years Ago: Gretzky Deal Shocked the Hockey World", "25-for-25: Gretzky records that will live on", "Gretzky Helped Put Hockey On Map In U.S.", "Rangers' Surprising Run Comes to a Finish", "No C and No A for Gretzky. [5][11] The couple married in 1960, and lived in an apartment in Brantford, where Walter worked for Bell Telephone Canada. 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. [175], Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 22, 1999, becoming the tenth player to bypass the three-year waiting period. 31. The Oshawa Generals picked Tom McCarthy first, and the Niagara Falls Flyers picked Steve Peters second overall. Most Goals in a Season (92) In the 1981-82 season, Gretzky broke Phil Esposito's record for goals in a season by amassing 92 over 80 games. [127] Canada finished with the bronze medal. On toy store shelves, the Wayne Gretzky doll was a part of the inventory, and in 1983, the government of Canada even issued an official Wayne Gretzky dollar coin. 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. The same success was not immediate when they joined the NHL, but within four seasons, the Oilers were competing for the Stanley Cup. By 1995, he was among the five highest-paid athlete endorsers in North America, with deals from The Coca-Cola Company, Domino's Pizza, Sharp Corporation, and Upper Deck Company among others. Sep 10, 2021. Gretzky began skating at age two and a half and was first taught hockey by his father. [39][41] In game one, the line scored seven points, and the WHA All-Stars won by a score of 42. The Edmonton alumni won the Megastars game 20,[215] while Montreal went on to win the regular season game held later that day, 43. Here are just 14 things the family hopes remains on the DL so as not to tarnish the Gretzky family name. [160] In his second year in the league, weighing just 165 pounds, he broke the previous single-season scoring record, racking up 164 points. [151] He cultivated a love of hockey in his sons and provided them with a backyard rink and drills to enhance their skills. [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. Gretzky represented the Blues in the game, which his team won 87. [224][225], While serving as a judge on Dance Fever, Gretzky met actress Janet Jones. lives with his family in . He was 82. His mom, Phyllis Gretzky, was born October 14, 1941 and passed away on December 19, 2005. My Dad was very smart."[152]. Then an older player in the sunset of his career, he had been passed over for the captaincy of the team. Wayne Gretzky speaks during a promotional event for the Beijing Kunlun Red Star in his role as global ambassador for the team on Sept. 13, 2018. . [129] In the deciding game three, Gretzky and Lemieux once again combined for the game-winner. The Gretzky home at 42 Viradi Ave., in Brantford, has become something of a national shrine . [178] He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2000. [37] Mio paid the $4,000 bill for the flight with his credit card. "[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. Dan Robson. He originally wanted to wear number9for his hockey hero Gordie Howebut it was already being worn by teammate Brian Gualazzi. "Gretzky uses this room to insert an extra beat into his actions. [277] Between 1981 and 1994, he won the Art Ross Trophy, presented to the NHL's season points leader, 10 times. The Trade, as it is known in all sports circles, was the deal that sent Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles just after the Oilers won another Stanley Cup. [165] Gretzky also excelled at box lacrosse, which he played during the summer. [70] He was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada in 2009 "for his continued contributions to the world of hockey, notably as one of the best players of all time, as well as for his social engagement as a philanthropist, volunteer and role model for countless young people". [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". 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. "[170], He received a good deal of cover from burly Oiler enforcers Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley. Gretzky's professional relationship with Keenan was thus never particularly warm, and the coach's public rebukes effectively ended any realistic prospect of Gretzky remaining in St. Louis once he became a free agent. He made his 2 million dollar fortune with Professional Ice Hockey Player (Retired). [197] Gretzky resumed his head-coaching duties on December 28. [147] "There is an unhurried grace to everything Gretzky does on the ice. [183] Also in 2002, Gretzky received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. "Our family is thrilled to become the new guardians of this world-class hobby treasure." The family had five children, and they all played hockey as toddlers. [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. [126] Gretzky did not win his first international competition until the 1984 Canada Cup, when Canada defeated Sweden in a best-of-three finals. He distorts time, and not only by slowing it down. The athlete gene is certainly present in the Gretzky family. . The Legend of 99. "The Soviets and Gretzky changed the NHL game", says Dryden. [126], Leading up to the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, it was announced that NHL players would be eligible to play for the first time. As the Bailey family built their lasting tribute to Ace, the Bavis . After his retirement in 1999, Gretzky was immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, making him the most recent player to have the waiting period waived. That's all hockey is: open ice. Having debuted his ice hockey career at a very tender age, Wayne Gretzky played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League for four teams from 1979 to 1999. "[173], Gretzky was named honorary chairman of the Open Ice Summit, held in August 1999 to discuss ways to improve Canadian ice hockey. [65] He partially orchestrated the trade after reports surfaced that he was unhappy in Los Angeles. [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. 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. "Wayne Gretzky was one of the most accurate scorers in NHL history", said one biography. With the score tied 55 and 1:26 minutes to go in regulation, Lemieux one-timed a pass from Gretzky on a 3-on-1 with defenceman Larry Murphy. An extremely rare 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie has sold for $3.75 million in a private transaction, . Nevertheless, to avoid any potential for litigation over the validity of Gretzky's personal services contract the Oilers were allowed to keep the young star on their roster as one of their priority selections. However, Gretzky denied that he had any exotic innate abilities. The men including Wayne, two of his sons Trevor and Ty, and his grandchildren Tatum and River, who belong to Paulina stood . The Racers were losing $40,000 per game. [69], Gretzky was named an officer of the Order of Canada on June 25, 1984, for outstanding contribution to the sport of hockey. [45] Gretzky captured the Lou Kaplan Trophy as rookie of the year,[35] and helped the Oilers to first place in the league.[46]. Growing up, he was a competitive runner and also batted .492 for the Junior Intercounty Baseball League's Brantford CKCP Braves in the summer of 1980. [20], By age 10, Gretzky had scored an astonishing 378goals and 139assists in just oneseason with the Brantford Nadrofsky Steelers. Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, the son of Phyllis Leone (Hockin) and Walter Gretzky. In 1983, they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to be swept by the three-time defending champion New York Islanders. [216], In October 2016, Gretzky returned to the Oilers as a partner and vice-chairman of the team's parent company, Oilers Entertainment Group, to work closely with owner Daryl Katz and Oilers Entertainment Group CEO Bob Nicholson on the business side of the Oilers' operation.[217]. . [166], According to Gretzky, lacrosse was where he learned to protect himself from hard checks: "In those days you could be hit from behind in lacrosse, as well as cross-checked, so you had to learn how to roll body checks for self-protection. [113] The 1997 playoff run was Gretzky's last as a player, and Rangers did not return to the playoffs until 2006, well after Gretzky retired. [12] The family moved into a house on Varadi Avenue in Brantford seven months after Wayne was born, chosen partly because its yard was flat enough to make an ice rink in winter. 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. Walter Gretzky, the father of hockey great Wayne . "[218] It was subsequently reported by various outlets that Gretzky had signed with new U.S. NHL rightsholder Turner Sports to become an analyst. 0:35. 99 Gretzky's Wine & Whisky,[263] and in 2018 called Studio 99 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Winding up for the slapshot, he will stop for an almost imperceptible moment at the top of his arc, like a golfer with a rhythmic swing." "He was improvising all the time. [58] Later that season, Gretzky broke Esposito's record for most goals in a season (76) on February 24, 1982, scoring three to help defeat the Buffalo Sabres 63.
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