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. [24] His play attracted considerable negative attention from other players' parents, including those of his teammates, and he was often booed. Paulina and Dustin's first child, Tatum Gretzky Johnson, was born just over two years . The hardest work he does is getting open. [120], The final game of Gretzky's career was a 21overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 18, 1999, in Madison Square Garden. The 13,000-square-foot property located in Thousand Oaks includes six bedrooms and . The WHA completed the playoffs of its final season as planned. Both McNall and Pocklington quickly agreed. 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. The children and grandchildren of people who . Then he'd come back and say, "Now, this is how the smart player does it." [247] Forbes estimates that Gretzky made US$93.8million from 1990 to 1998. [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. The Gretzkys are basically the royal family in Canada and they will be adding a new member to their family very soon. [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. [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. 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 . As of March 2023, Wayne Gretzky's net worth is estimated to be roughly $250 Million. The athlete is married to Janet Jones, his starsign is Aquarius and he is now 62 years of age. [126], Gretzky's international career highlight arguably came three years later at the 1987 Canada Cup. He is survived by their five children: Wayne, Keith, Glen, Brent and Kim, and several grandchildren. [199], In 2006, Moyes became majority owner of the team. [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. He scored his all-time record of 92 goals with just 369 shots. Sara Marie Cusick thought she and her boyfriend, Ty Robert Gretzky, son of hockey great Wayne Gretzky and founder of The Gretzky Hockey School, were going to his parents house to celebrate his younger brother's high school graduation.However, he had another idea and proposed in the gazebo with a ring his grandmother had given him. Sometimes he will release the puck before he appears to be ready, threading the pass through a maze of players precisely to the blade of a teammate's stick, or finding a chink in a goaltender's armour and slipping the puck into it before the goaltender is ready to react. [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. Wayne Gretzky, a former Canadian ice hockey player known as "The Great One," has a daughter named Emma. "He'd score six or seven points on him. Seven months later, Gretzky joined Team Canada for the 1982 World Championships in Finland. But now, if players without the puck skated just as hard as those with it, but faster, and dodged and darted to open ice just as determinedly, but more effectively, how did you shut them down? 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. However, Gretzky denied that he had any exotic innate abilities. It's a whole new surface and everybody starts from ground zero. Nicknamed "the Great One",[1] he has been called the greatest hockey player ever by many sportswriters, players, The Hockey News, and by the NHL itself,[2] based on extensive surveys of hockey writers, ex-players, general managers and coaches. [144] He had a fast and accurate shot. 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. With a private gym in their home, it's easy for the fitness-focused couple to stay active. Sports commentators said that he played like he had "eyes in the back of his head. In 1977, Wayne Gretzky joined the Soo Greyhounds as the third overall pick of the OHL draft. [246], Gretzky's appeal as a product endorser far surpassed that of other hockey players of his era. I saw him do it night after night. "They're loving us not doing well", he said, referring to American hockey fans. While they were using all this energy trying to rattle his teeth, he was just skating away, circling, analyzing things."[140]. He'd shoot it into the corner again, only this time he cut across to the other side and picked it up over there. [156], Much has been written about Gretzky's highly developed hockey instincts, but he once explained that what appeared to be instinct was, in large part, the effect of his relentless study and practice of the game, in co-operation with his coaches. [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. [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. [233] Trevor is a former minor league baseball player. After losing the first game of a best-of-three final series against the Soviets, Gretzky propelled Canada with a five-assist performance in the second game, including the game-winning pass to Lemieux in overtime, to extend the tournament. Gretzky led the tournament for the fourth and final time with 12 points in seven games. In 1985, Gretzky bought the Hull Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for C$175,000. [224][225], While serving as a judge on Dance Fever, Gretzky met actress Janet Jones. "Wayne Gretzky was one of the most accurate scorers in NHL history", said one biography. Gretzky addressed those comments by saying he spoke out to protect the Canadian players, and the tirade was not "staged". Wayne Gretzky, former National Hockey League player, speaks during the Rancho Mirage Speaker Series at The Show in Rancho Mirage, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. . 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. [146], Veteran Canadian journalist Peter Gzowski wrote that Gretzky seemed to be able to slow down time. [16] On the backyard rink, nicknamed the "Wally Coliseum", winter was total hockey immersion with Walter as mentor-teacher as well as teammate. I don't care if you're Carl Lewis, you can't outskate that little black thing. [239] Gretzky eventually sold the team in 1992 for C$550,000. Sep 10, 2021. Since the Order ceremonies are always held during the hockey season, it took 13years and 7monthsand two Governors Generalbefore he could accept the honour. On 26-1-1961 Wayne Gretzky was born in Brantford, Ontario. [51] In the first game of the 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs, against the Montreal Canadiens, Gretzky had five assists, a single game playoff record. )", "Review: Wayne Gretzky writes hockey's history in 99", "Gretzky's book tops Canadian sales for 2016", "Wayne Gretzky endorses Harper despite not being allowed to vote", "Awarded Canada's top honour in 2009, Gretzky has yet to pick it up", "Does The Great One know about politics? [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 said that many of his advantages were a result of his father's brilliant coaching. [64][65] By the time he finished playing in Edmonton, he held or shared 49NHL records. "[91] After the 198889 season, a life-sized bronze statue of Gretzky was erected outside Northlands Coliseum, holding the Stanley Cup over his head. They had trouble with the European patterns and the lateral play and the endless, inventive cycling. Some say I have a "sixth sense" Baloney. Emma was raised in Los Angeles by her father and mother, American actress Janet Jones, and her three brothers Ty . [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. (Nathan Denette/AP) Article. He left in 2021 to become an analyst on Turner Sports' NHL coverage. Using this approach, the Oilers, led by Gretzky, became the highest-scoring team in NHL history. [37] Mio paid the $4,000 bill for the flight with his credit card. Wayne Gretzky, in full Wayne Douglas Gretzky, byname the Great One, (born January 26, 1961, Brantford, Ontario, Canada), Canadian ice hockey player who was considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL). [127] Canada finished with the bronze medal. . By age two, Wayne was trying to score goals against Mary using a souvenir stick. [5] Despite his unimpressive size and strength, Gretzky's intelligence, stamina, and reading of the game were unrivaled. [21] His play attracted media attention beyond his hometown of Brantford, including a profile by John Iaboni in the Toronto Telegram in October 1971. In 1980, when an exercise physiologist tested the recuperative abilities of all of the Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky scored so high that the tester said he "thought the machine had broken. [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. 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. Wayne Gretzky: Family and Education. The couple married in 1960, and lived in an apartment in Brantford, where Walter worked for Bell Telephone Canada. [277] Between 1981 and 1994, he won the Art Ross Trophy, presented to the NHL's season points leader, 10 times. Me: "Get over there and intercept it." The jumpshot is cake. [150], Despite his lack of strength, Gretzky had remarkable physical stamina. [115], In 1997, prior to his retirement, The Hockey News named a committee of 50hockey experts (former NHL players, past and present writers, broadcasters, coaches and hockey executives) to select and rank the 50greatest players in NHL history. 4:28 | March 5, 2021. He led the league in goal-scoring five times and assists 16 times. 36. [98], Gretzky was sidelined for much of the 199293 regular season with a back injury (he returned on January 6, 1993, which was also his 1,000th NHL game), and his 65-point output ended a record 13-year streak in which he recorded at least 100 points each season. Walter Gretzky, father of Wayne Gretzky, waving at a 2017 hockey game in Toronto. Together, they have two children, Tatum and River Johnson. [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. As a result, he developed a deep understanding of its shifting patterns and dynamics. [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. Among their five . I didn't desert my country. [71] Five times between 198182 and 198687, Gretzky led the NHL in goals scored. [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. Gretzky accomplished the feat in only 39games. [257][258] From 1993 to 2020, Gretzky and a business partner operated the Wayne Gretzky's restaurant near the Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto. [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. In his active years, he played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1979 to 1999 for 4 teams. [97] Many credit Gretzky's arrival with putting non-traditional American hockey markets on "the NHL map"; not only did California receive two more NHL franchises (the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and San Jose Sharks) during Gretzky's tenure in Los Angeles, but his popularity in Southern California proved to be an impetus in the league establishing teams in other parts of the U.S. Sun Belt. Long prior to either him or Gretzky joining the Blues, Mike Keenan had refused to moderate his coaching style even while coaching Gretzky while with Team Canada during international tournaments. "[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]. 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. 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. [282][283] The Wayne Gretzky 99 Award is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. Widely considered to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time, he . [15] Drills included skating around Javex bleach bottles and tin cans, and flipping pucks over scattered hockey sticks to be able to pick up the puck again in full flight. The couple married in 1960, and lived in an apartment in Brantford, where Walter worked for Bell Telephone Canada. The family moved into a house on Varadi Avenue in Brantford seven months after Wayne was born, chosen . "I do! On May 25, 2021, Gretzky announced that he would step down from his role with the Oilers, stating that "The Oilers, their fans, and the city of Edmonton have meant the world to me and my family for over four decadesand that will never end. [117] As the season wound down, there was media speculation that Gretzky would retire, but he refused to announce his retirement. 31. One of the rumored reasons that trade happened is . So I had a long head start on everyone else. [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. And like his parents, the retired athlete also has five children with his wife . He retired from international play holding the records for most goals (20), most assists (28), and most overall points (48) in best-on-best hockey. 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. [102] Under both McNall and the new ownership group, the team was fiscally unstable, to the point that paychecks to players bounced. [39][41] In game one, the line scored seven points, and the WHA All-Stars won by a score of 42. [197] Gretzky resumed his head-coaching duties on December 28. Given the pandemic and other life changes, I realize I will not be able to dedicate the time nor effort needed to support this world-class organization. Him: "Which way?" [32] While in the air, Skalbania worked on the deal. Walter Gretzky had been an outstanding Junior B hockey player. . [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). [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. Gretzky was named to the club on November 29, 1997. [129] Playing on a line with Pittsburgh Penguins' superstar Mario Lemieux, he recorded a tournament-best 21 points in nine games. [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. I've just learned to guess what's going to happen next. [34], One of the highlights of Gretzky's season was his appearance in the 1979 WHA All-Star Game. [173][174] But Gretzky discouraged unfair hits in another way. [22] In the 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, Gretzky scored 26 points playing for Brantford. 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. [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. He won a record nine Hart Trophies as the most valuable player in the NHL. "[80], In this, Gretzky added his considerable influence as the preeminent NHL star of his day to that of the Soviets, who had also developed a more team-style of play, and had successfully used it against the best NHL teams, beginning in the 1972 Summit Series. Wayne Gretzky and the hockey world will 'never forget' Ace Bailey, Mark Bavis and 9/11. She and Johnson posed beside her father Wayne and mom Janet, while their two boys sat beneath them in the cutest . Walter Gretzky was the son of immigrants - a Polish mother and Russian father - who started a vegetable farm in 1932 in Canning, Ont., just outside Brantford, on the Nith River, where Wayne . He made an immediate impact on the ice, scoring on his first shot on goal in the first regular season game. Marie, a northern Ontario city that inflicts a heavy travelling schedule on its junior team. In 2000, he became part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, and following the 200405 NHL lock-out, he became the team's head coach. [278] Gretzky was named the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1985 and 1988, receiving the Conn Smythe Trophy. 0:35. The NHL did not allow the signing of players under age 20, but the WHA had no rules regarding such signings. He distorts time, and not only by slowing it down. "[148], Commentators have noted Gretzky's uncanny ability to judge the position of the other players on the iceso much so that many suspected he enjoyed some kind of extrasensory perception. [17], In Gretzky's first appearance in Edmonton after the trade, a game nationally televised in Canada, he received a four-minute standing ovation. [17], The team Gretzky played on at age six was otherwise composed of 10-year-olds. 14/14 Reason For The Trade. It's like Larry Bird. The Wayne Gretzky family is very close.. Wayne Gretzky was born January 26, 1961.. His dad, Walter Gretzky, was born October 8, 1938. Published Aug 7, 2019. [20], By age 10, Gretzky had scored an astonishing 378goals and 139assists in just oneseason with the Brantford Nadrofsky Steelers. [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. [124], Gretzky made his first international appearance as a member of the Canadian national junior team at the 1978 World Junior Championships in Montreal, Quebec. [116], The 199899 season was his last as a professional player. [23] By age 13, he had scored over 1,000goals. Tatum . "[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. In 1983, they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to be swept by the three-time defending champion New York Islanders. 99. [213], Thirteen years later, on December 31, 2016, Gretzky participated in the Winter Classic Alumni Game, which was held between teams of former Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues players two days before the 2017 Winter Classic. 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]. 9. On the advice of his agent, Gretzky picked the Oilers, but the move was not that simple. Wayne dropped off his daughter Emma at Court 8 in the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. [251][252] The video game brand EA Sports included Gretzky in its 2010 title NHL Slapshot,[253] and he had previously been an endorser for the 989 Sports games Gretzky NHL 2005 and Gretzky NHL 2006. [280] The Lady Byng Trophy, awarded for sportsmanship and performance, was presented to Gretzky five times between 1980 and 1999. [196] He took an indefinite leave of absence on December 17 to be with his ill mother. Me: "Peel." [74] Amid growing concern around the NHL that a financial institution might be able to lay claim to Gretzky's rights in the event the heavily leveraged Pocklington were to declare bankruptcy, as well as growing dissatisfaction on the part of Gretzky and his advisers, in 1987, Gretzky and Pocklington agreed to replace the personal services contract with a standard NHL contract. As you . Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario. 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. [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). Gretzky played for 10 years with the Oilers, with Sather as coach. Then an older player in the sunset of his career, he had been passed over for the captaincy of the team. [7] Gretzky played briefly for the St. Louis Blues before finishing his career with the New York Rangers. Wayne Gretzky (@waynegretzky) Instagram photo. [144], He also had strong general athletic skills. [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. "He was improvising all the time. Wayne Douglas Gretzky is a renowned Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Jones took to Instagram writing: "Love you, Wayne, and a perfect night with most of the family by our sides. The family had five children, and they all played hockey as toddlers. [73], When the Oilers joined the NHL, Gretzky continued to play under his personal services contract with Oilers owner Peter Pocklington. By the time Gretzky turned six, he was playing hockey alongside the teenagers in his locale. Perched on the crest of a hill with breathtaking 360-degree views of the Santa Monica Mountains and Lake . [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. [241] The club won the Grey Cup championship in the first year of the partnership, but struggled in the two following seasons, and the partnership sold the team before the 1994 season. 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. Love you all, 33 years Happy Anniversary." Wayne Gretzky and actress Janet Jones attend the "The . "[149] Gretzky said he sensed other players more than he actually saw them. Marie Greyhounds selected Gretzky, even though Walter Gretzky had told the team Wayne would not move to Sault Ste. [237], Gretzky owned or partnered in the ownership of two sports teams before becoming a partner in the Phoenix Coyotes. Wayne Gretzky Family. [91] After the game, Gretzky took the opportunity to confirm his patriotism: "I'm still proud to be a Canadian. "A lot of times, I can turn and pass without even looking."[5]. At coach Muzz MacPherson's suggestion, Gretzky settled on 99.[30]. [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. But I'm Canadian to the core. Paulina and golfer Dustin Johnson announced their engagement on August 18, 2013. "[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. Gretzky did not attend the Coyotes' training camp, leaving associate head coach Ulf Samuelsson in charge, due to an uncertain contractual status with the club, whose bankruptcy hearings were continuing. [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. [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]. [165] Gretzky also excelled at box lacrosse, which he played during the summer. [199], On May 5, 2009, the Coyotes' holding company, Dewey Ranch Hockey LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. "[218] It was subsequently reported by various outlets that Gretzky had signed with new U.S. NHL rightsholder Turner Sports to become an analyst. He led the tournament in scoring for the second consecutive time and was named to the All-Star Team. "Our family is thrilled to become the new guardians of this world-class hobby treasure." [221] A fictional crime-fighting version of him served as one of the main characters in the cartoon ProStars in 1991. Him: "If you get cut off, what are you gonna do?" Him: "Which means" 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. [21] Gretzky said he would have voted Bobby Orr or Gordie Howe as the best of all time. 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. Wayne Gretzky is a Canadian-born retired professional hockey player and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $250 million. Walter Gretzky father of hockey hall-of-famer Wayne Gretzky waves to fans as the Buffalo Sabres play against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto on Tuesday, January 17, 2017. [29] His coach at the Edmonton Oilers, Glen Sather, said, "He was so much more intelligent. [219] In 1984, he travelled to the Soviet Union to film a television program on Russian goaltender Vladislav Tretiak. [66], The Edmonton Oilers finished first overall in their last WHA regular season. [223], Gretzky is a dual citizen of both Canada and the United States, having become a naturalized citizen of the latter. [230], The couple have five children: Paulina, Ty, Trevor, Tristan, and Emma. [220] Gretzky was a guest host of the American late night variety show Saturday Night Live in 1989. Gretzky said that he told his dad that he was a little embarrassed about breaking his idol's record, and in some ways he . He led the tournament in scoring with 12 points en route to a second-place finish to the Soviet Union,[126] losing 81 in the final. The family regularly visited the farm of Wayne's grandparents, Tony and Mary, and watched Hockey Night in Canada together. [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. [5][11] The couple married in 1960, and lived in an apartment in Brantford, where Walter worked for Bell Telephone Canada. Wayne Gretzky is famous for his contribution to NHL. He was the son of Phyllis Hockin and Walter Gretzky.