May 26: Turner Sports has officially announced a multi-year agreement with Gretzky to become the lead studio analyst. Kenny Albert and Eddie Olczyk will be the main commentators for the network.
May 25: The Edmonton Oilers were eliminated from Stanley Cup contention last night in a grueling triple overtime game and now an offseason of change is upon them. Beginning that change is the departure of the team’s greatest icon, as Wayne Gretzky will step down as Vice Chairman of the team. Gretzky released a statement on Twitter:
With great appreciation, I wanted to let everyone know that I have decided to step away as Vice Chairman of the Edmonton Oilers effective today.
The Oilers, their fans, and the city of Edmonton have meant the world to me and my family for over four decades–and that will never end. 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.
I want to thank Daryl & Renee Katz, their family, and entire team for all the support and friendship these last several years, and wish them nothing but success.
There has been speculation for weeks that Gretzky could be headed for a role with one of the new NHL broadcasting partners, but David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period also tweets that more changes are expected at the top of the Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) which owns the Oilers and operates Rogers Place. Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports that it will be TNT that will get the legendary hockey icon, with a contract that will pay him “in the neighborhood” of $3MM per season to be a lead studio analyst.
Gretzky joined OEG in 2016, becoming a minority owner of the franchise that started his NHL career. At the time, it was announced that he would work on the commercial side of the business while also being a sounding board for the front office staff. Just having the “Great One” associated with the organization after leaving it so many years ago was a win, but that new era will end up lasting less than five years.
McDavid can follow Wayne’s career path in a trade to the Kings
No thanks.
Noooooo . . Lol
New York Rangers front office
I doubt it. Leetch left, which isn’t a good indication for other former Rangers. I’d think Messier would’ve already been brought on if there was interest.
ill take both with the rangers.
That’s what I was thinking too
For $500 Alex.
A+ photo
Wayne just comes across as a guy that has the life he wants and decides to dabble in things until he gets bored or another opportunity comes along. His off ice career is like that of Michael Jordan
I think that’s a common theme across team sports. The very great players and/or GOATs often aren’t the most successful coaches or GMs.
The former steady defenseman, the back-up catcher, the above average shooting guard, or the back up QB tend to be more impressive coaches/GMs than the great ones and the very good ones.
That’s one hell of a stoagy
Hell I will work for TNT and they will only have to pay me 30,000 dollars per season…To talk about todays hockey…but good for Wayne he should be talking more on TV…
Gretzky just isn’t great at anything other than playing. Didn’t have success coaching, hasn’t had much success in a FO role in getting the Oilers anywhere… I think his place is on TV as well. Someone brought up Michael Jordan; he wasn’t great at anything but playing as well. It must be difficult to struggle and fail in a new role of a sport you effortlessly dominated in your youth.
As an aside, I’m not an Oilers fan, but I really feel bad for McDavid. It always sucks to see one of the best players in the league if not the best stuck on a team that has no chance to win a cup. He can’t do it all himself. McDavid and Gretzky may have similar fates to leave Edmonton as players, but hopefully McDavid will win a few cups afterwards where Grretky never did again after leaving.
I am an oilers fan and I feel terrible for the best player in the league because you’re right.. unless something drastic changes with the players surrounding him and the culture of the team!
They will never win..
Maybe you missed the Draisaitl show. Or Nurse who logged an insane amount of ice time. It isn’t just McDavid playing.
I expect the Oilers will have to wait until 22-23 when the Chiarelli hangover passes for a good push forward. Unless Holland gets dementia and then it’s back to a horror show.
I know it’s not just McDavid playing obviously, but he’s the heart of that team and I didn’t forget about Draisatl. McDavid is on another level is all, but you’re right. The point is that team is not good enough to win a Cup even with those two. They only scored eight goals in four games which is not good enough to win even one game of one series let alone four series. If you’ve got McDavid and Draisatl on your team and you can’t even win one playoff game, that says it all about the construction of that team. Something is very wrong because that should not happen.
Smith had one of the best seasons of his career, but he’s 38 and unlikely to repeat it. After him, you have Koskinen and Stalock neither of which seem like answers in goal, so looks like a major issue there as well. The team lacks the necessary depth to win a cup. They went 7-2 against the Jets in the regular season, but couldn’t win a single game when the level of play increased for the playoffs. Either McDavid and Draisatl win every game for them or they lose. The Jets held each of them to roughly a point per game and it was enough to sweep them in the first round.
I hope to see McDavid (I have more affection and sympathy for him than Draisatl for some reason) win a few Cups before it’s all over, but I doubt it’s going to be in Edmonton. We’ll see.
I too hope for McDavid. When the lottery was called his sad panda face left an impression on me. I actually truly feel for Eichel, that’s even worse.
For some context, you’ve hit the nail on the head in that Edmonton has two players doing too much heavy lifting for team scoring. But they also account for too much Cap space. The ‘construction’ as you term it :)
I expected the Maple Leafs would suffer the same fate, but it’s still only the first round vs. Montreal.
I look at the Cap system and how the money is spent. Jets have a Vezina goalie for 6.15m Edmonton has a backup for 4.5m.
The money the Jets have for forwards is nicely spread out. The Oilers are top heavy, like the Leafs.
Look at Chicago. Won some cups, handed Toews and Kane big money eating salary cap and since then nothing.
In the playoffs the Refs seem to either make no calls, or stupid ones meaning it’s much easier to smother 2 forwards with skill versus 4 or 5 forwards with skill.
So I’m hoping when Koskinen is gone and some buyout penalties disappear Holland might have enough to work with for better ‘construction’ of the team. That is if Nurse, or RNH don’t go strictly for the $$.
Yes Nurse is a horse, great dman and Drai is far and beyond the best power forward in today’s NHL, but beyond that the depth isn’t there. I’m gonna give a shout out to Haas. He does all the little things right. He doesn’t put the puck in but he plays hard and makes the smart play. Perfect 4th liner. Unfortunately he’s our 3C. Depth is an issue. When Archibald, who I also think is a fantastic 4th liner, guy I love to have, is moving up to the 1st line, depth is an issue. And again there is a culture of losing with this team and it seems to transcend the players and coaches. I just don’t understand it.
Just look at how long it took Lemieux and Yzerman to finally win some Cups. It’s up to the GM to make the right trades and draft well now for the Oilers.
@backhandinbaptist – Maybe you missed the fiscal element to my post in regards to depth.
It is no longer culture imho, it’s the money to create depth.
Tent-pole team design does not work.
TNT assembling a pretty meh product there.
Kenny Albert is OK, but no better. Edzo is as tired of hearing himself talk as I am of hearing him talk.
“I like to put on my skates before I put on my pants, I find it’s much easier to tie up my skates that way.” – The most interesting thing I’ve ever heard Wayne Gretzky say.
While one would like to think TNT will have a more lively cast of analysts and commentators than NBCSN has, I fully expect it to be even more PC and bland than it is. You may not like or agree with the Don Cherry’s or Milbury’s or Roenick’s, but they at least make things interesting.