[16] Wayne was a classic prodigy whose extraordinary skills made him the target of jealous parents. [14] The farm was where Wayne skated on ice for the first time, aged two years, 10 months. [13] Wayne was joined by a sister, Kim (born 1963), and brothers Keith, Glen and Brent. "I get a feeling about where a teammate is going to be", he said. She was nonchalantly greeted by an already warmed-up Bouchard, who already practiced for about 45 minutes-working on net approaches and volleys. [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. [136], Gretzky's size and strength were unimpressivein fact, far below average for the NHLbut he is widely considered the smartest player in the history of the game. [57], During the 198182 season, Gretzky surpassed a record that had stood for 35years: 50 goals in 50 games, first set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard during the 194445 NHL season and tied by Mike Bossy during the 198081 NHL season. "[153], Gretzky also credits his coach at the Edmonton Oilers, Glen ("Slats") Sather, as an important influence in his development as a hockey player. [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. [197] Gretzky resumed his head-coaching duties on December 28. Me: "The guy he's passing to." 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. Over 20 seasons in the NHL, he held 61 records, including six all-star records. [5] Despite his unimpressive size and strength, Gretzky's intelligence, stamina, and reading of the game were unrivaled. [32] While in the air, Skalbania worked on the deal. "[82], At the same time, Gretzky recognized the contributions of their coach in the success of the Oilers: "Under the guidance of Glen Sather, our Oiler teams became adept at generating speed, developing finesse, and learning a transition game with strong European influences."[83]. Like his hero, Gordie Howe, Gretzky possessed "an exceptional capacity to renew his energy resources quickly." It's not God-given, it's Wally-given. 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. Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario. He is in the NHL Hall of Fame, and is widely considered one of the greatest hockey players ever. [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". "[218] It was subsequently reported by various outlets that Gretzky had signed with new U.S. NHL rightsholder Turner Sports to become an analyst. [218] He serves as a studio analyst for NHL broadcasts on TNT and TBS. [190][191] Gretzky convinced his long-time agent Michael Barnett to join the team as its General Manager. [86] At first, Gretzky did not want to leave Edmonton, but he later received a call while on his honeymoon from Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall, who asked permission to meet and discuss the deal. 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. 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. Walter Gretzky, father of Wayne Gretzky, waving at a 2017 hockey game in Toronto. . [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. Here are just 14 things the family hopes remains on the DL so as not to tarnish the Gretzky family name. [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. Gretzky was one of six players voted to the International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) Centennial All-Star Team. After the details of the trade were finalized by the two owners, one final condition had to be met: Gretzky had to call Pocklington and request a trade. "[76][78] The rule was reversed for the 199293 season. [93] The Kings got off to their best start ever, winning four straight en route to qualifying for the playoffs. 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. He distorts time, and not only by slowing it down. Wayne Gretzky's daughter Paulina delivered her baby with . An extremely rare 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie has sold for $3.75 million in a private transaction, . [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. [39] The line did not score in the final game, but the WHA won by a score of 43. [269], In 2003, while not criticizing Canada for declining to participate in the invasion of Iraq, Gretzky praised President of the United States, George W. Bush, and his handling of the conflict, saying: "the President of the United States is a great leader, I happen to think he's a wonderful man and if he believes what he's doing is right, I back him 100 per cent. [147] "There is an unhurried grace to everything Gretzky does on the ice. The Kings refused, instead offering Jimmy Carson. Wayne Gretzky is a Canadian-born retired professional hockey player and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $250 million. [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". He died March 4. [105] At the time of the trade, the Blues and New York Rangers emerged as front-runners, but the Blues met his salary demands. Figures in boldface italics are NHL records. Walter Gretzky, the father of NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky , died at the age of 82 after suffering from Parkinson's disease as well as other health issues, the family announced. The Family That Sweats Together. Me: "Peel." Then he'd shoot a puck along the boards and into the corner and then go chasing after it. [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. [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. [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. 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 . "[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]. 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. 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. [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. The Canadians had trouble with the big ice. 11. He is one of the best ice hockey players of all time. [16] Additionally, Walter gave the advice to "skate where the puck's going, not where it's been". [137][138][139] His reading of the game and his ability to improvise on the fly were unrivaled, and he could consistently anticipate where the puck was going to be and execute the right move at the right time. He led the tournament in scoring for the second consecutive time and was named to the All-Star Team. [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. No Canadian kid wanted to play like Makarov or Larionov.