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4:28 | March 5, 2021. Wayne Douglas Gretzky CC was born on January 26, 1961, in Ontario, Canada to Walter Gretzky and Phyllis Leone. [164] History repeated itself in June 2011, when Gretzky's 17-year-old son, Trevor, was drafted by the Chicago Cubs. 36. Walter Gretzky, the father of hockey great Wayne . A great athlete, he shared his genius with the world of Ice Hockey.The legend is frequently seen talking about his family. [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. lives with his family in . [80], "He was, I think, the first Canadian forward to play a true team game", said hockey writer and former NHL goaltender Ken Dryden. Then he'd come back and say, "Now, this is how the smart player does it." Gretzky became known for setting up behind his opponent's net, an area that was nicknamed "Gretzky's office". [233] Trevor is a former minor league baseball player. "[170], He received a good deal of cover from burly Oiler enforcers Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley. [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". 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. March 5, 2021 at 12:02 p.m. EST. Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif., October 10, 1989. . [5] Despite his unimpressive size and strength, Gretzky's intelligence, stamina, and reading of the game were unrivaled. The Gretzkys bought it back in 2018 for $14.9 million and turned the stunning home back into a beautiful celebrity home (as Dykstra had reportedly trashed the mansion) and now it's back on the market for the princely sum of $22.9 million. During Gretzky's coaching tenure, the Coyotes did not reach the postseason, and their best finish in the Western Conference standings was 12th. To stop them without it, that was interference. "That's a hundred percent right. Among their five . [38] Skalbania sold Gretzky, Mio and Driscoll to Oilers owner Peter Pocklington, a former business partner. [173][174] But Gretzky discouraged unfair hits in another way. Walter worked at Bell Telephone Canada and owned an apartment in Brantford, where the family lived. [109], Gretzky ended his professional playing career with the New York Rangers, where he played his final three seasons and helped the team reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 1997. The Oilers went on to win their fifth Cup (and first without Gretzky). [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. [125][126] He went on to lead the tournament in scoring with 17 points to earn All-Star Team and Best Forward honours. 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. [150], Gretzky learned much about hockey from his father on a backyard rink at his home. [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. [184] His hometown of Brantford, Ontario, renamed Park Road North to "Wayne Gretzky Parkway" as well as renaming the North Park Recreation Centre to The Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre. Gretzky played for 10 years with the Oilers, with Sather as coach. [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. 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. [116], The 199899 season was his last as a professional player. He made an immediate impact on the ice, scoring on his first shot on goal in the first regular season game. He also had a way of never shooting the puck with the same rhythm twice, making his shots harder to time and block. [189] The Coyotes were in the process of being sold and Ellman convinced Gretzky to come on board, averting a potential move to Portland, Oregon. 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 Gretzky Family (Instagram) Similarly, Trevor Douglas was born the third child and second son on 1992 September 14, 14. [43][44] Gretzky finished third in the league in scoring at 110points, behind Robbie Ftorek and Ral Cloutier. Posted . He was the son of Phyllis Hockin and Walter Gretzky. [14], Walter taught Wayne, Keith, Brent, Glen and their friends hockey on a rink he made in the back yard of the family home, nicknamed the "Wally Coliseum". . At the time of his retirement in 1999, he held 61 NHL records: 40 regular season records, 15 playoff records, and 6 All-Star records. The family regularly visited the farm of Wayne's grandparents, Tony and Mary, and watched Hockey Night in Canada together. [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. [259][260][261][262] Gretzky has other restaurants opened in 2016 at the Edmonton International Airport and named No. [129] In the deciding game three, Gretzky and Lemieux once again combined for the game-winner. The focus of the game prior to Gretzky's arrival, he said, especially among the Canadian teams, was on the player with the puckin getting the puck to a star player who would make the big play. [222] In December 2016, Gretzky appeared briefly in a cameo on a Christmas episode of The Simpsons as a winter character. . [284] The Wayne Gretzky Trophy is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the OHL's Western Conference. In 1977, he was the third pick in the midget draft for the Ontario Major . The Racers were losing $40,000 per game. [28] With the third pick, the Sault Ste. [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. Paulina?s future is secured, no question about it. 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. . [198] The Coyotes' record at the end of the 200506 season was 38395, a 16-win improvement over 200304; they were 36365 in games Gretzky coached. [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. [76][77] Gretzky held a press conference one day after being awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy, criticizing the NHL for punishing teams and players who previously benefited. "Gretzky" redirects here. [271] Earlier in 2015, Gretzky endorsed Patrick Brown during his successful campaign for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Me: "Peel." [199], In 2006, Moyes became majority owner of the team. "Our family is thrilled to become the new guardians of this world-class hobby treasure." "[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. No Canadian kid wanted to play like Makarov or Larionov. The Great One wasn't going to leave hockey behind forever, though. 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]. [122] Gretzky ended his career with a final point, assisting on the lone New York goal scored by Brian Leetch. [151] He cultivated a love of hockey in his sons and provided them with a backyard rink and drills to enhance their skills. Trevor is the most successful sibling . By the end of the regular season, the signings of Gretzky and other young stars in addition to other factors had compelled enough of the hardline NHL owners to change their positions, and an agreement (technically recognized as the 1979 expansion by the NHL) was finalized. Mark Messier, who attended the game along with other representatives of the Edmonton Oilers' dynasty, was the last.[123]. Me: "Away from the guy, not towards him. "He was improvising all the time. [6], Gretzky was the top scorer in the 1978 World Junior Championships. 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. Paulina Gretzky, Wayne's Daughter, announced on Instagram that her and PGA Tour golfer Dustin Johnson are expecting their second child. . Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, the son of Phyllis Leone (Hockin) and Walter Gretzky. [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. "You never knew what he was going to do", said hockey Hall of Famer Igor Larionov. The NHL did not allow the signing of players under age 20, but the WHA had no rules regarding such signings. [5] His first coach, Dick Martin, remarked that he handled the puck better than the 10-year-olds. [221] A fictional crime-fighting version of him served as one of the main characters in the cartoon ProStars in 1991. The WHA had long sought to arrange some sort of merger with the NHL, but were constantly rebuffed by a group of hardline owners in the older league. 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. 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. ", "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. [7] Gretzky played briefly for the St. Louis Blues before finishing his career with the New York Rangers. [197] Gretzky resumed his head-coaching duties on December 28. [87] When Pocklington told Oilers general manager and head coach Sather about his plans to trade Gretzky to Los Angeles, Sather tried to stop the deal, but when he found out that Gretzky had been involved in the negotiations, he changed his attitude and requested Luc Robitaille in exchange. The Oilers reached the Avco World Trophy finals (the only WHA championship series appearance for the franchise), where they lost to the Winnipeg Jets in six games. "If a guy ran him, Wayne would embarrass that guy", said former Oiler Lee Fogolin. Gretzky was its captain from 1983 to 1988. In October 2016, he returned to the Oilers as a minority partner and vice-chairman of their parent company, Oilers Entertainment Group. [209] During the Games' opening ceremony, Gretzky, basketball player Steve Nash, skier Nancy Greene, and speed skater Catriona Le May Doan jointly lit the Olympic cauldron inside the ceremony venue of BC Place. Wayne will be forever regarded as the greatest of all-time at his craft. Gretzky explains his style of play further: People think that to be a good player you have to pick the puck up, deke around ninety-three guys and take this ungodly slap shot. instagram.com. [226] They met regularly after that, but did not become a couple until 1987 when they ran into each other at a Los Angeles Lakers game that Gretzky and Alan Thicke were attending. [51] In the first game of the 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs, against the Montreal Canadiens, Gretzky had five assists, a single game playoff record. [93] The Kings got off to their best start ever, winning four straight en route to qualifying for the playoffs. 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. His mother was of English, and some Cornish and Irish, descent. The Heritage Classic, held at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, was the first regular season NHL game to be played outdoors. Marie, a northern Ontario city that inflicts a heavy travelling schedule on its junior team. [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. [31] Several WHA teams courted Gretzky, notably the Bulls and the Indianapolis Racers. [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). [256], In 2017 as part-owner with Andrew Peller Ltd., Gretzky opened a winery and distillery bearing the name of Wayne Gretzky Estates in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and with products labelled by the trademark, No. [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. With a private gym in their home, it's easy for the fitness-focused couple to stay active.