Wayne Gretzky is a former Canadian ice hockey player and head coach who is often hailed as the greatest ever to grace the sport of ice hockey. Notably, he played for around 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) between four teams from 1979 to 1999. However, Gretzky retired on April 18, 1999, at the age of 38 years and has since been involved in various positions within the sport.
Soon after retiring, he got involved with the Arizona Coyotes as he bought a 10% stake in the franchise in partnership with majority owner Steve Ellman. He also took over the roles of alternate governor, managing partner and head of hockey operations for a while before becoming the head coach of the team in 2006, serving until 2010. He also had roles with the Canadian men's hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics. In an notable event, he returned to the Edmonton Oilers in 2016 as partner and vice-chairman of the team's parent company, Oilers Entertainment Group to work on the business side of the Oilers' operations. However, he stepped down from his duties in 2021 and currently serves as a studio analyst for TNT and TBS.
Wayne Gretzky's Parents
Wayne Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario, to Phyllis Leone and Walter Gretzky. Walter and Phyliss got married in 1960 and lived in Brantford, where Walter was employed by Bell Telephone Canada. However, they moved to a house on Varadi Avenue when Gretzky was just seven months old. Nonetheless, Gretzky's parents frequently visited his paternal grandparents, Tony and Mary, on their farm, where they enjoyed watching Hockey Night in Canada together. Notably, it was at their farm that Wayne first skated when he was just two years old. Seeing this, Walter built a rink in their backyard, which he called the "Wally Coliseum." Walter also taught his kids how to skate and a famous advice to Wayne "skate where the puck's going, not where it's been." This advice greatly influenced Wayne’s playing style. Unfortunately, Walter passed away in 2021 at the age of 82.
Wayne Gretzky's Siblings
Wayne Gretzky grew up alongside his four siblings and is the eldest of five children. He has a sister named Kim and his three brothers named Keith, Glen, and Brent respectively. Notably, all three of his brothers were also involved in the sport of hockey, with Brent going as far as the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL. Keith was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres but never made the first team and instead played in the minor leagues before turning to managerial positions in the minor leagues post retirement. Glen on the other hand, became and actor and producer. His most notable appearance came in "Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II" where he played the role of Robert.
Wayne Gretzky's Wife
Wayne Gretzky is married to actress Janet Jones. The couple met while Gretzky was judging a show called Dance Fever. They continued to see each other regularly after this initial encounter but did not start dating until 1987. Moving foward, Gretzky proposed to Janet in January 1988 and the couple tied the knot on July 16, 1988, in a grand ceremony that the Canadian press dubbed "The Royal Wedding" at St. Joseph's Basilica. The wedding reportedly cost Gretzky over US$1 million and was broadcast live across Canada. Janet is also notable for her roles in movies like Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988), A League of Their Own (1992) and Alpha Dog (2006).
Wayne Gretzky's Kids
Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet have five kids. Paulina, Ty, Trevor, Tristan, snd Emma Gretzky.
Paulina Gretzky was born on December 19, 1988 and is a model by profession who is married to World Golf Champion Dustin Johnson. The couple have two sons Tatum, born on January 19, 2015, and River Jones, born on June 12, 2017. Gretzky’s first son, Ty was born on July 9, 1990, and is married to Sara Cusick. The couple have two daughters together named Sicily, born in 2021, and Vienna, born in 2023. Their second son, Trevor Gretzky, born on September 14, 1992, initially pursued a career in baseball, playing for the minor league teams of the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. However, after leaving baseball in 2016, he transitioned to acting, appearing in films such as Mile 22, Spiral, and American Siege. He also has a daughter, named Phoenix with his fiancée Ashley Malinchak.
Tristan Gretzky, born on August 2, 2000, is a golfer and also a brokerage intern at JLL. Prior to that, Tristian played golf for Pepperdine University's men's team before transferring to New York University. Notably, he appeared in a movie called "Two Tickets to Paradise" in the year 2006. This stands as his only acting venture till date. Their youngest child Emma Gretzky was born on March 28, 2003. Notwithstanding, she plays tennis at Southern Methodist University and also appeared in the film Palo Alto (2013) alongside Emma Roberts and James Franco.
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