Latest news with #WayneGretzky
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Wayne Gretzky teams up with Palm Beach Gardens to build elite youth ice facility and launch Gretzky Invitational
Wayne Gretzky is backing a new indoor ice facility set to break ground in Palm Beach Gardens this July (Getty Images) Palm Beach Gardens is about to become a hotbed for youth hockey and ice sports—thanks to the backing of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky. A brand-new indoor ice facility is set to break ground this July at Plant Drive Park, bringing year-round skating opportunities to South Florida in a move that blends elite hockey pedigree with strong community engagement. Gretzky Hockey School and youth tournament to anchor facility programming The project is a collaboration between the City of Palm Beach Gardens and the Palm Beach North Athletic Foundation, which successfully raised the funds to bring the vision to life. While Florida is known more for its beaches than its blue lines, the upcoming venue will give local athletes a chance to lace up their skates in a state-of-the-art environment—and do so under the influence of 'The Great One.' The new facility won't just be another ice rink—it's set to become a premier destination for hockey development in the region. Highlighting its launch will be the Gretzky Invitational, a youth hockey tournament expected to attract top young talent from across North America. Alongside the tournament, the facility will also host training camps operated by the Gretzky Hockey School, a program known for developing youth players with a strong emphasis on skill, discipline, and love of the game. By tying his name to the facility and lending his brand to its programming, Gretzky is continuing his lifelong mission to grow the sport beyond traditional hockey markets. While hockey is front and center, the new complex is designed to serve a broad array of ice sports. It will also accommodate figure skating competitions and offer public access for recreational skating year-round. This gives Palm Beach Gardens residents a unique recreational resource that is rare in South Florida—and opens doors for kids who previously had limited access to the sport. Also Read: Who are Wayne Gretzky's kids and what do they do? A closer look at the legendary NHL star's family Construction is scheduled to begin in early July, marking the start of what city officials hope will be a transformative project for youth sports in the region. Gretzky's involvement is more than symbolic—it's a game-changer for Florida's hockey future. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Why Wayne Gretzky was never drafted: The full story behind hockey's greatest mystery
Why Wayne Gretzky was never drafted: The full story behind hockey's greatest mystery(Image Via IG/@waynegretzky) It might be an astonishing fact to learn that the greatest player in hockey history, Wayne Gretzky, was never drafted into the NHL . Current stars like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby had the honor of going first overall, but Wayne entered the league in an unusual backdoor way. This was not a case of some bizarre scouting miss; it was a perfect storm comprising age restriction, rival league, and one extraordinary contract in the making of hockey legends. Wayne Gretzky's early days in the WHA and that contract, which changed everything Wayne Gretzky 🏒: The NHL Legend Who Was Never Actually Drafted! 🚀 #shorts #waynegretzky #nhl #hockey Wayne Gretzky's path to the NHL began outside the NHL. At barely 17 years of age, he joined the World Hockey Association (WHA), a rival to the NHL, which allowed younger players to turn professional. He signed in 1978 with the Indianapolis Racers, but his stay there was short. After just eight games, the financially shaky team sold his contract to the Edmonton Oilers, another WHA franchise. Even so, Gretzky wasn't an ordinary player. He had entered into a personal services contract, not a standard player contract. This meant that he was bound directly to the Oilers owner, Peter Pocklington, circumventing normal player rules. When the WHA merged with the NHL in 1979, the league found itself at a crossroads: would Gretzky be entered into the draft, or would he be allowed to play under his existing contract? Memories: Wayne Gretzky tallies his final NHL point In its endless whim against the league recession, the Colorado Rockies would supposedly snatch up my pick if I were drafted and moved. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Is Why Smart People Always Keep Baking Soda At Home Read More Undo Hence, Gretzky insisted that he would remain in Edmonton. Following protracted deliberations, the NHL finally agreed to a compromise: the Oilers could keep Gretzky, but their draft order would be moved to the bottom for 1979. Thus, in 1979, they held the 21st overall pick and opted for Kevin Lowe, yet another future Hall of Famer. The introduction of Gretzky into the NHL marked the beginning of the epic dynasty in Edmonton. Over nine seasons, Gretzky led the Oilers to four Stanley Cups and set scoring records that no one has dared to touch till today, 2,857 career points, including 894 goals and 1,963 assists. While Alex Ovechkin did put an end to the goal record in 2025, no one has matched his total supremacy since. Also Read: From Canada's hero to Donald Trump's ally? Wayne Gretzky's silence still feels like a betrayal to his home country Wayne Gretzky's undrafted road to NHL greatness is a rare story told on the stage of timing, talent, and smart maneuvering. While today's prospects follow rigid draft rules, Gretzky proved that greatness does not always need permission to begin. His legacy remains one of the most remarkable and unrepeatable in all of sports history. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
What are the pros and cons of expanding regular schedule as NHL explores 84-game season?
NHL (via Getty Images) The National Hockey League ( NHL ) is said to be considering the 84-game regular season again as part of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) talks. The subject, which emerged in several rounds of talks, has generated controversy in the hockey community. But is it what it should be? Here are some of the benefits and some of the disadvantages that the NHL will have to consider for the supposedly 84-game regular season. Additional games translate to additional dollars, but what is the price for players in the NHL? The National Hockey League (NHL) is rumored to be revisiting the 84-game regular season as part of ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations. The proposal to include two games in the regular season has ramifications that reach far beyond the scorecard. While the NHL seeks to maximize its business and engender more fan interest, the expansion rumor mill is once again churning. But is it what it needs to be? Two additional games per year can greatly increase revenue, particularly for lower-market teams. More tickets sold, broadcasting rights, and concessions would directly enhance team profitability. An 84-game schedule provides more room for balancing a schedule between conferences. With 32 teams in the league, maintaining equal numbers of home and away games against divisional and inter-conference foes is easier to do with two extra games. A long schedule provides for teams such as the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens or the New York Rangers and New York Islanders to see each other more frequently. These divisional rivals are customer favorites and have built-in historical appeal that is difficult to achieve with random pairings. BREAKING: NHL considers 84-game season | How will this IMPACT Montreal Canadiens? | Habs Preseason Skepticism on NHL's suggested 84-game model While there are potential advantages, numerous members of the hockey world are apprehensive of the long-term effects of an 84-game season on players and team operations. Lengthening the season increases the likelihood of injury and exhaustion. With the existing 82-game grind already stressful, the additional games may further fuel burnout, particularly among experienced players. More games would definitely incur more travel days, disrupting the recovery schedule and possibly on-ice performance. Cross-country matchups would be tough for coast-based teams. The NHL did try an 84-game schedule for a brief period in the early 1990s. It was greeted with lukewarm enthusiasm, with nothing to indicate it had any tangible dividend. That experiment remains a cautionary tale even to this day. Also read: Who are Wayne Gretzky's kids and what do they do? A closer look at the legendary NHL star's family Will NHL put business or player health first? As the National Hockey League and its owners weigh adding two additional games to the schedule, the league finds itself at a fork in the road. While the temptation of increased revenue and renewed rivalries is enticing, issues of player well-being and travel arrangements can't be dismissed. The choice may ultimately depend on a balance between competitive purity and business potential. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
The Oilers cannot trade Connor McDavid. But what would a potential deal even look like?
Some called it the biggest trade in NHL history; others called it selling Wayne Gretzky. Since part of the return package was approximately $15 million, and the deal involved seven players and a mountain of draft picks, there's a case to be made that it was both a trade and a sale. All these decades later, it's safe to say any deal involving Connor McDavid's exit from the Edmonton Oilers would be earth-shattering. It would have to be a pure trade, and it would be the end of the general manager who makes it. Advertisement At the time of the Gretzky deal in the summer of 1988, two of the men closely involved in the proceedings offered clarity. Now, 37 years later, their words stand as both historical context and a harbinger of what may come. Glen Sather: 'What people have to realize is pro players are commodities, whether it's football, or baseball, or hockey. Wayne's situation could have been rectified if both sides had conceded points, but neither side did. Now you can't turn back the clock. It's done. We have to get on with it.' Wayne Gretzky: 'The Oilers are the best team in the NHL. But my contract only lasted four more years. I'll be 31 then. That might be too old to test the free-agent market. If I was ever going to make a move, it had to be now. I decided for the benefit of myself, my new wife and our expected child in the new year, it would be beneficial for all involved to let me play for the Los Angeles Kings.' Both quotes are from a 'The Hockey News' article from the Sept. 9, 1988, issue, via Bob McKenzie and Jim Matheson. Fast forward to 2025, and McDavid is reaching a crossroads with the Oilers. One year remains on his current deal, and free agency beckons. On the other hand, there's unfinished business for the captain in Edmonton. It's mind-boggling to imagine losing another hockey icon, one of the best ever (again) and a player who may one day hold the title of the best player in NHL history. Oilers management trading McDavid is a non-starter. It can't happen. The organization's foundation piece is not replaceable, so a contract — even a short-term extension — is the outcome this summer. If any other result comes to pass, something went badly wrong from an ownership and management point of view. McDavid's words in his exit interview with the media were, as always, measured and precise. One thing he said recalled the Gretzky 1988 media avail: 'Ultimately, I still need to do what's best for me and my family.' Advertisement That is a completely reasonable reaction from a player who has grown from a teenage phenom to a 28-year-old who is now a family man. There's also the matter of two frustrating Stanley Cup Final losses, and his legacy and bona fides for the Hockey Hall of Fame. Expect a shorter contract than hoped, and if the Oilers fall shy of Stanley over the rest of the decade, perhaps a trade request (that should be instantly granted). The timing of a trade this summer would be a disaster for ownership and management, so unless there has been a severe fracture, Edmonton's captain will sign a third contract with the team. If the Oilers are forced to make a deal that sees a McDavid exit, the gap between fan expectations and reality will be extreme. Fans might look for a package that includes impact futures along with multiple first-round selections, but in reality, potential suitors would probably be unwilling to part with more than one top-end youth. And, any team acquiring McDavid will land first-round picks around Nos. 29-32. Take the Los Angeles Kings as an example. A deal built around power forward Quinton Byfield and emerging defenceman Brandt Clarke, plus picks, would give Edmonton building blocks for the next decade. Fans might see that as reasonable. New Kings general manager Ken Holland would be unwise to trade two vital pieces to the team's Stanley Cup hopes rolling out for the next several years. Both men are young (22) and not yet in their peak value seasons. As much as McDavid could help Los Angeles, the Kings (or any acquiring team) would be adding a player who is exiting his peak seasons. A bell curve of McDavid's career points per game totals shows what should be a long and exceptional run through his 30s: All numbers via hockey-reference, including all game states McDavid has been remarkably consistent, including the early years when playing with below-average linemates, and then in later years when injuries slowed him at times. His 2024-25 season saw a fall-off in points per game, but he could easily deliver a season commensurate with 2020-24 next season and beyond. Advertisement The major point is this: McDavid has fewer peak seasons ahead of him than he has delivered for Edmonton since the fall of 2015. The Kings can't overpay with multiple elite youth, and that means the Oilers may receive less than fans expect. When the Gretzky trade/sale went down, Edmonton received first-round draft picks in 1989, 1991 and 1993. The club also acquired Jimmy Carson, who turned 20 in the summer of 1988. He was a talented but one-dimensional scorer, coming off a 55-goal season with Los Angeles. Martin Gelinas, a highly regarded winger who played for Edmonton in 1988-89 at age 18, was also included. The haul was impressive, but no one on the hockey planet argued Edmonton received 100 cents on the dollar in the deal. Carson was the lone player who had a significant role for the 1988-89 Oilers. The Oilers did not receive the Kings' top player, brilliant young winger Luc Robitaille, in the trade. He was 21 in 1987-88, scoring 53-58-111 to lead the Kings in points. Edmonton also did not receive Steve Duchesne, an impressive young defenceman for Los Angeles. Putting the deal into historical context, Edmonton received the Kings' best young scoring centre, a solid two-way winger prospect (Gelinas) and three first-round selections. The club also had to give up two NHL players (Mike Krushelnyski, Marty McSorley) who served as enforcers for Gretzky in Edmonton and Los Angeles, while also playing quality hockey. Looking back, it was a ghastly trade. The current club may do no better. In a trade with Los Angeles, the Oilers might expect to receive the Kings' second-best offensive youngster (the equivalent of Carson). That would be Clarke, a problematic solution since he's a young puck mover and the Oilers already have Evan Bouchard. Having said that, on pure talent, Clarke would be a satisfactory centrepiece to the deal. Advertisement After that, the deal would need a solid prospect (the Gelinas equivalent) who is a plug-and-play. That might be Liam Greentree or Francesco Pinelli. Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman at The Athletic have written at length about all prospects mentioned here. The three first-rounders Edmonton acquired in 1988 were partial payment for Krushelnyski and McSorley. Plus the $15 million. If the deal were for McDavid straight up, the Oilers would get fewer picks if we're using the Gretzky trade as a template. Clarke, Pinelli and a first-round pick for McDavid is a far cry from satisfactory. It's another reason Edmonton's ownership and management must make signing another contract as attractive as possible for McDavid. Improving the roster this week represents the first step.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Duncan Keith's Hall of Fame election puts him in rarefied company — exactly where he belongs
Duncan Keith coasted. The best defensemen do that, you know. It's how they play so many minutes, how they conserve their energy over the course of a game, a road trip, a season. They coast. They glide. They hover. During his 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks — does anyone count or care about that last year with the Edmonton, because history won't — Keith logged 33,495 minutes and 55 seconds of ice time, more than anyone else in the league. So, yes, sometimes he coasted. Advertisement But wait, no, that's not the right word for it. Keith didn't coast. He didn't glide. He didn't hover. He lurked. Knees bent. Shoulders tilted forward. Stick at the ready. Head on a swivel. Eyes scanning, always scanning. He was always coiled, always ready to strike. He could go from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye, whether it was to pounce on a loose puck in the offensive zone or cover for a teammate's mistake in the defensive zone. Few players have ever skated as effortlessly as Keith did, and even fewer could explode out of a standstill the way he could. He could run a power play, yes. He could kill a penalty, yes. He could leverage his wiry, 6-foot-1 frame into surprising physical dominance in front of his own net. But Keith made his bones in a less glamorous part of the ice. If Wayne Gretzky's office was behind the net, and Alex Ovechkin's office is the left faceoff circle, then Duncan Keith's office was between the red line and his own blue line. That's where he lived. That's where he lurked. That's where opposing rushes went to die. That's where Keith used his quick mind, quick stick and quick feet to prevent breakaways and derail odd-man rushes. Whether he was skating backward in the traditional style or skating alongside his opponents before swinging into them and forcing them to the outside in the style he pioneered — literally changing the way the game is played — Keith killed plays better than perhaps anyone in his generation. But it was what he could do after that which really separated him from his peers, which made him a two-time Norris Trophy winner, which helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups, which helped Canada win two Olympic gold medals, which made him, officially as of Tuesday afternoon, a first-ballot Hockey Hall of Famer. Keith didn't just kill the play; he immediately resurrected it. He didn't just strip the puck; he promptly fired a perfect, hard, flat outlet pass to Patrick Kane, or Jonathan Toews, or Patrick Sharp, or Marián Hossa, or Alex DeBrincat, or any of Chicago's dangerous forwards over the years. He flipped the ice as quickly as he flipped that switch from lurk to launch. He was the driving force that made the entire Blackhawks machine go. Advertisement Kane was the flashy superstar, all skill and excitement. Toews was the ferocious leader, all will and desire. Hossa was the two-way force, Sharp was the marksman, Brent Seabrook was the emotional heartbeat, Niklas Hjalmarsson was the puck-marked warrior, Corey Crawford was the safety net, Andrew Shaw was the fiery id. But Keith was the engine. Keith made it all happen, made it all go. Indefatigable. Indomitable. Unbreakable. If Toews and Seabrook sometimes had to drag the Blackhawks into the fight, Keith was always there to push them forward. Never was that clearer than during his masterpiece, the 2015 playoff run when he averaged more than 31 minutes per game, with the Blackhawks essentially down to just four playable defensemen. He was a unanimous choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy that spring as playoff MVP. It was the best hockey of his career. It could have been the best hockey of anyone's career. He was that good. Keith was tough, his famous toothless smile after taking a puck to the mouth and missing just a few shifts — 'long way from the heart,' as he said — one of the indelible images of the 2010 Cup run. He missed two or fewer games 11 times in his career. 'The heart of our defense,' Hossa said. 'His work ethic, compete level and leadership set the standard for all of us.' He threw himself in front of 1,896 shots during his 16 seasons with the Blackhawks, fifth in the league for that time span (his on- and off-ice BFF Seabrook, appropriately enough, was No. 1). Keith was nasty, bringing plenty of snarl to a team known for its skill. He wasn't that big. He wasn't that strong. But he was menacing, unpredictable, and yes, as any Canucks fan will point out, a little dirty at times. He would have fit right in with the modern-day Florida Panthers. The 'ultimate competitor,' Kane called him. Keith was intimidating. He loved slasher flicks, and his ever-seething intensity kept rookies in awe, cub reporters in a perpetual state of unease, and opponents on their toes. He once went ballistic on then-rookie Ben Smith during training camp after a battle in the scrum, pounding him into the ice with right hand after right hand after right hand in a shocking outburst. Advertisement But Keith was funny, too. Asked what happened after that fight with Smith, he deadpanned for several minutes about how, when he was younger, he was basically in a roving street gang looking for fights. His penchant for slipping into a Scottish accent and quoting 'Braveheart' was a running theme of the 2013 playoff run. His teammates loved him, yet never managed to lose their reverence for him, for his obsession with nutrition, with sleep, with exercise, with squeezing every last bit of talent out of his game and every last minute of ice time out of his spindly frame. These are all memories that will linger for generations. But that's all they are now, memories. This has all been written in the past tense. It's a sobering thing to see the present become the past, to see heroes become history. Hall of Fame inductions do that to you as a fan, conjuring up some of your favorite moments ever, but forcing you to confront the inexorable march of time all the same. For Blackhawks fans, that 2015 Cup run feels like a lifetime ago, but it also feels like just yesterday. With the franchise currently mired in an endless rebuild, one that's been years in the making and still has years to go, that past brings both comfort and wistfulness. The Blackhawks will spend 2025-26 celebrating their centennial season, and Keith and his core teammates surely will be ubiquitous at the United Center throughout the campaign. There'll be bobbleheads and a team Hall of Fame and slickly produced highlight videos that stir visceral memories of when the Blackhawks ruled this city and this league. It'll be fun, and it'll be bittersweet. You can be cynical, sure, and look at it all as a mere cash grab, as a distraction, a shiny object to draw your attention away from the mess on the ice. You can roll your eyes at the thought that Sam Rinzel or Artyom Levshunov or Kevin Korchinski can ever be what Duncan Keith was, can ever mean what Duncan Keith meant. Or you can choose to be grateful. Grateful for the reminders of a time that either triggered or entrenches or forever deepens your love of a game, your love of a team. Grateful to have seen a player like Duncan Keith do what he did best, what he did better than just about anybody else. Keith is the second member of Chicago's vaunted core to be voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, following Hossa's election five years ago. They'll surely be joined by Toews and Kane whenever they decide to hang it up. It's been so odd to see Kane in Rangers and Red Wings jerseys, and it will be so jarring to see Toews in a Jets jersey, just as it was so bizarre to see Keith in an Oilers jersey. But history tends to forget these denouements, these career death throes, these proud professionals raging against the dying of the spotlight. Boston Bruins fans no longer sweat the image of Bobby Orr in a Blackhawks sweater, just as San Francisco Giants fans don't waste time thinking about Willie Mays in a Mets hat. Keith was, is and always will be a Blackhawks legend. Now, officially, he's a hockey legend, too. (Top photo of Duncan Keith hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2010: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
