BIOGRAPHY
Wayne Gretzky Biography, Family, Net Worth & more.
Wayne Gretzky is a former professional ice hockey player and head coach, who is considered the greatest ice hockey player ever. He played 20 seasons in the NHL and is the leading career goal scorer, assist producer, and point scorer in NHL history. Gretzky also holds 61 NHL records, including 40 regular season records, 15 playoff records, and 6 All-Star records.
Wayne Gretzky Biography
Wayne Gretzky (born January 26, 1961), a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, head coach, and businessman, was undrafted during the 1978 NHL Entry Draft. He made his professional debut in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Indianapolis Racers and played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers.
Gretzky won numerous awards and accolades throughout his NHL career, including nine Hart Memorial Trophies, 10 times Art Ross Trophy, 5x Lester B Pearson Award, Conn Smythe Trophy, and the Lady Byng Trophy.
Gretzky’s father taught his children how to play hockey on his backyard rink, known as “Wally Coliseum.” At age 6, Gretzky was playing on a 10-year-old team, attracting media attention and scoring 378 goals and 139 assists in a single season. By age 13, Gretzky had more than 1000 goals and was included in the 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
Despite his impressive junior career, Wayne Gretzky faced difficulties in getting signed by teams, which led him to join the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds as the third pick when he was just 16 years old. At the age of 17, Gretzky signed a seven-year personal services contract with the Indiana Pacers of the World Hockey Association (NHL), worth US$1.75 million. However, he was signed by the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL) after just one season.
Despite concerns that he would struggle in the NHL because of its larger and more physical gameplay, Gretzky was able to maintain his impressive form from the WHL in the NHL and went on to win numerous accolades and awards during his 20-season career. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999 and later into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2000.
Wayne Gretzky Age
Wayne Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He is currently 63 years old (as of 2024).
Wayne Gretzky Height and Weight
He stands at a height of 1.83m and weighs in at 84kG
Wayne Gretzky’s Nationality and Ethnicity
Wayne Gretzky was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. By birth, he is a Canadian national. He later naturalized for the United States of American, making him a dual citizen. Therefore, he is a Canadian-American and of white ethnicity.
Wayne Gretzky Parents
Gretzky’s parents are Walter Gretzky and Phyllis Leone Hockin. His father worked for Bell Telephone Canada.
Wayne Gretzky Siblings
Gretzky has four siblings; brothers Brent Gretzky, Keith Gretzky and Glen Gretzky and sister Kim Gretzky.
Wayne Gretzky Wife
He is married to his wife Janet Jones. Jones is an American actress who has appeared in several movies, including The Flamingo Kid (1984), A League of Their Own (1992), The Sound and the Fury (2014) and American Siege (2021).
Wayne Gretzky Children
Gretzky has five children with his wife Janet Jones. The couples children are Paulina, Ty, Trevor, Tristan and Emma. Amongst his kids, it is only Ty who played hockey in high school before deciding to quit the sport altogether during college.
Wayne Gretzky Net Worth
As of 2023, Wayne’s estimated net worth is around US$250 million.
Source: DKlassgh.net