I've just learned to guess what's going to happen next. [133][134] Team Canada then lost the bronze medal game 32 to Finland to finish without a medal. Wayne Gretzky Wikipedia. The Gretzky family showed some love for Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard at the 2016 BNP Paribas Open. [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. [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. I didn't desert my country. [51][52] Although Gretzky played 79games to Dionne's 80, Dionne was awarded the Art Ross Trophy because he had scored more goals (53 to 51). He knew he wasn't big enough, strong enough, or even fast enough to do what he wanted to do if others focused on him. [101] After the financially troubled McNall was forced to sell the Kings in 1994, Gretzky's relationship with the Kings' new owners grew strained. [28] With the third pick, the Sault Ste. [286], In May 2021, one of his 1979 O-Pee-Chee hockey cards sold for $3.75million in a private sale.[287]. [146], Veteran Canadian journalist Peter Gzowski wrote that Gretzky seemed to be able to slow down time. 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. [112] After the 199697 season, Mark Messier signed a free agent contract with the Vancouver Canucks, ending the brief reunion of Messier and Gretzky after just one season. [118] Following the contest, in a departure from the usual three stars announcement, Gretzky was awarded all three stars. Wayne Gretzky is a famous former professional ice hockey player. [6], Gretzky was the top scorer in the 1978 World Junior Championships. [284] The Wayne Gretzky Trophy is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the OHL's Western Conference. [65] "The Trade", as it came to be known,[89] upset Canadians to the extent that New Democratic Party House Leader Nelson Riis demanded the government block it,[90] and Pocklington was burned in effigy outside Northlands Coliseum. Over 20 seasons in the NHL, he held 61 records, including six all-star records. The Gretzkys had to legally challenge the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to win Wayne the right to play in a different area, which was disallowed at the time. [185] On May 10, 2010, he was awarded The Ambassador Award of Excellence by the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission. For the first season that Gretzky played in Los Angeles, the Kings had their training camp at the Olympiques' arena. 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. In 1990, the Associated Press named Gretzky Male Athlete of the Decade. Bassett saw Gretzky as the most promising young prospect. Gretzky led the tournament for the fourth and final time with 12 points in seven games. 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. [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. In this article, we'll take a look at 18 photos the Gretzky family doesn't want us to see. Gretzky began skating at age two and a half and was first taught hockey by his father. In 2004, Gretzky was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Nine out of ten people think it's instinct, and it isn't. 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. [144] He had a fast and accurate shot. "Janet makes me go to hot yoga," Gretzky reveals. 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. [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. [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. [34], Gretzky scored his first professional goal against Dave Dryden of the Edmonton Oilers[35] in his fifth game, and his second goal four seconds later. Despite frigid temperatures, the crowd numbered 57,167, with an additional several million watching the game on television. [267] His most recent work, 99: Stories of the Game (2016), with Kirstie McLellan Day, was an in-depth look at the history of hockey. 36. [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. Walter Gretzky had been an outstanding Junior B hockey player. An extremely rare 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie has sold for $3.75 million in a private transaction, . The 23,000-square foot facility nestled amongst the grapevines is the first combined winery and distillery in Ontario, inviting guests to join in a celebration of Canadian wine, Canadian whisky, and Canadian culture. 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. Paulina Gretzky is starring in OVO's latest campaign alongside her father, Wayne Gretzky, and the rest of their family.. On Thursday, OVO, the Canadian fashion label established by hip-hop . The Edmonton alumni won the Megastars game 20,[215] while Montreal went on to win the regular season game held later that day, 43. Dan Robson. [268] It was the best-selling Canadian book of 2016. He scored 37points in 31games for the team in the regular season and the playoffs,[64] and the Blues came within one game of the Conference Finals. 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. Gobuty turned down the proposal and the players landed in Edmonton. "[164] His stamina is also indicated by the fact that Gretzky often scored late in the game. 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. He was the son of Phyllis Hockin and Walter Gretzky. [196] He took an indefinite leave of absence on December 17 to be with his ill mother. I got it from my Dad. [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. Wayne Gretzky will eventually leave his fortune and many assets to all five of his children and his two grandchildren. Advertisement. "[81], Between 1982 and 1985, the Edmonton Oilers averaged 423 goals a season, when no previous team had scored 400, and Gretzky on his own had averaged 207 points, when no player before had scored more than 152 in one year. [162] He weighed "about 170 pounds" for the better part of his career. Wayne Gretzky. Wayne Douglas Gretzky CC (/rtski/ GRET-skee; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. [126][128], Gretzky debuted with the Team Canada's men's team at the 1981 Canada Cup. [35] The money was not enough to keep the Racers alive; they folded that December. [55], In his second season, Gretzky won the Art Ross (the first of seven consecutive) with a then-record 164points, breaking both Bobby Orr's record for assists in a season (102) and Phil Esposito's record for points in a season (152). His mom, Phyllis Gretzky, was born October 14, 1941 and passed away on December 19, 2005. 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. [51] In the first game of the 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs, against the Montreal Canadiens, Gretzky had five assists, a single game playoff record. Trevor signed with the Cubs the next month. Analyzing Gretzky's hockey skills, he says, "What we take to be creative genius is in fact a reaction to a situation that he has stored in his brain as deeply and firmly as his own phone number." WAYNE GRETZKY AND JANET JONES' CHILDREN. Brantford further inducted Gretzky into its "Walk of Fame" in 2004. "Absolutely", Gretzky said. [241][242] Only McNall's name was engraved on the Grey Cup as team owner, but in November 2007, the CFL corrected the oversight, adding Gretzky's and Candy's names. Then he'd shoot a puck along the boards and into the corner and then go chasing after it. [173][174] But Gretzky discouraged unfair hits in another way. To stop them without it, that was interference. He was 82. [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. 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 . [240], In 1991, McNall purchased the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) with Gretzky and John Candy as minority owners. Perched on the crest of a hill with breathtaking 360-degree views of the Santa Monica Mountains and Lake . "[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. Wayne is married to American actress Janet Jones. [16] Wayne was a classic prodigy whose extraordinary skills made him the target of jealous parents. The Kings now boasted of numerous sellouts. The rule change became known as "the Gretzky rule. [169] Defencemen found Gretzky a most elusive target. As a result, he developed a deep understanding of its shifting patterns and dynamics. For only the second time in his NHL career, Gretzky finished second in scoring, but narrowly edged the Pittsburgh Penguins' Mario Lemieux (who scored 199points) for the Hart Trophy as MVP.[94]. [75], In June 1985, as part of a package of five rule changes to be implemented for the 198586 season, the NHL Board of Governors decided to introduce offsetting penalties, where neither team lost a man when coincidental penalties were called. She and Johnson posed beside her father Wayne and mom Janet, while their two boys sat beneath them in the cutest . [192], In 2005, rumours began circulating that Gretzky was about to name himself head coach of the Coyotes, but were denied by Gretzky and the team. [271] Earlier in 2015, Gretzky endorsed Patrick Brown during his successful campaign for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. [10] In September 2009, following the Phoenix Coyotes' bankruptcy, Gretzky resigned as head coach and relinquished his ownership share. Let the puck do all the moving and you get yourself in the right place. [247] Forbes estimates that Gretzky made US$93.8million from 1990 to 1998. Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif., October 10, 1989. . Gretzky's final head coaching record was 14316124. It was the 16th time in 19 seasons that Gretzky earned at least a share of the league lead in the statistic. Where Gretzky differed from others in his development was in the extraordinary commitment of time on the ice. 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 . Former Edmonton Oilers forward Wayne Gretzky greets fans during the closing ceremonies on April 6, 2016, at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Getty Images) Wayne Gretzky. The Wayne Gretzky family is very close.. Wayne Gretzky was born January 26, 1961.. His dad, Walter Gretzky, was born October 8, 1938. [221] A fictional crime-fighting version of him served as one of the main characters in the cartoon ProStars in 1991. Gretzky's first season in Los Angeles saw a marked increase in attendance and fan interest in a city not previously known for following hockey. [202] The Coyotes' performance declined in 200607, as the team ended the season 15th in their conference. [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. [92], The Kings named Gretzky their alternate captain. Under the agreement, the WHA agreed to fold after the 1979 season with the Oilers and three other teams (the Hartford (New England) Whalers, the Quebec Nordiques and the Winnipeg Jets) joining the older league as expansion franchises. [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. 0:35. [233] Trevor is a former minor league baseball player. The jumpshot is cake. Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, the son of Phyllis Leone (Hockin) and Walter Gretzky. I moved because I was traded and that's where my job is. [203] His temper boiled over after Canada's 33draw versus the Czech Republic, as he launched a tirade against the perceived negative reputation of Team Canada amongst other national squads, and called rumours of dissent in the dressing room the result of "American propaganda". ", "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. At coach Muzz MacPherson's suggestion, Gretzky settled on 99.[30]. 11. After Wayne's birth, the family moved to a house in Varadi Avenue in Brantford. Nobody would ever say a doctor had learned his profession by instinct; yet in my own way I've put in almost as much time studying hockey as a medical student puts in studying medicine. By the end of the 1990s, Wayne Gretzky had hung up his skates. 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. The Canadians had trouble with the big ice. 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. 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. [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. [205], Gretzky again acted as executive director of Canada's men's hockey team at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, though not with the success of 2002; the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals and failed to win a medal. The NHL retired his jersey number 99 league-wide, making him the only hockey player and one of only three players in professional sports history to receive such an honor, along with Jackie Robinson, whose uniform number 42 was retired by Major League Baseball in 1997, and Bill Russell, whose uniform number 6 was retired by the National Basketball Association in 2022. [104], On February 27, 1996, Gretzky joined the St. Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson and two draft picks (Peter Hogan and Matt Zultek). 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. He is one of the best ice hockey players of all time. 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. In his active years, he played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1979 to 1999 for 4 teams. [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. He used to stand on the blue line and say to me, "Watch, this is how everybody else does it." 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. [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. I hope Canadians understand that. [132] The game went to a shootout with a 11 tie after overtime, but Gretzky was controversially not selected by coach Marc Crawford as one of the five shooters, all of whom failed to score. He was nervous Edmonton would greet him with boos, but they were eagerly waiting for him. 96. . The experts voted Gretzky number one. [280] The Lady Byng Trophy, awarded for sportsmanship and performance, was presented to Gretzky five times between 1980 and 1999. [181] Also in Edmonton, the local transit authority assigned a rush-hour bus route numbered No. The family moved into a house on Varadi Avenue in Brantford seven months after Wayne was born, chosen partly because its yard was flat . Born in Brantford, Ontario in 1961, Wayne Gretzky learned to skate on a rink his father Walter built in the family's backyard. [259][260][261][262] Gretzky has other restaurants opened in 2016 at the Edmonton International Airport and named No. "[173], Gretzky was named honorary chairman of the Open Ice Summit, held in August 1999 to discuss ways to improve Canadian ice hockey. [224][225], While serving as a judge on Dance Fever, Gretzky met actress Janet Jones. Gretzky was its captain from 1983 to 1988. Phyliss, his wife of 45 years, died of lung . [227] Gretzky proposed in January 1988,[228] and they were married on July 16, 1988, in a lavish ceremony the Canadian press dubbed "The Royal Wedding". May 26, 2021 at 6:25 p.m. "The Great One" is headed from the front office to a cable television studio. . Walter Gretzky is survived by his five children Wayne, Kim, Keith, Glen and Brent as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. [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. "[158] His weight was 160 pounds (73kg), compared to the NHL average of 189 pounds (86kg) at that time. Wayne Gretzky @WayneGretzky . [60] That year, Gretzky became the first hockey player and first Canadian to be named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. 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. It's anticipation. Emma was raised in Los Angeles by her father and mother, American actress Janet Jones, and her three brothers Ty . [36] However, he played only eight games for Indianapolis. [119] Upon returning to New York, Gretzky announced he would retire after the Rangers' last game of the season. The following year, as a 1516-year-old, he had 72points in 32games with the same team, renamed the Seneca Nationals. [125][126] He went on to lead the tournament in scoring with 17 points to earn All-Star Team and Best Forward honours. Walter Gretzky, died on Thursday at the age of 82. "[19] The sweaters for 10-year-olds were far too large for Gretzky, who coped by tucking the sweater into his pants on the right side. They had trouble with the European patterns and the lateral play and the endless, inventive cycling. The Family That Sweats Together. But I'm Canadian to the core. Gretzky continued doing this throughout his NHL career. Gzowski presented this theory to Gretzky, and he fully agreed.