Wayne Gretzky Biography: Age, Net Worth, Height, Parents, Wife, Children

Wayne Gretzky Biography, Age, Net Worth, Height, Parents, Wife, Children – Wayne Gretzky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, former head coach and businessman. He was undrafted during the 1978 NHL Entry Draft . He made his professional debut in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Indianapolis Racers, before going on to play 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers. All through his NHL career, Gretzky won numerous awards and accolades, including a record of nine Hart Memorial Trophies, 10 times Art Ross Trophy, 5x Lester B Pearson Award, Conn Smythe Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy. For his illustrious career, he was inducted in to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999 and subsequently into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2000.

Who is Wayne Gretzky?

Born Wayne Douglas Gretzky on 25 January, 1961 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He is one of five children birthed to parents Walter Gretzky and Phyllis Hockin. He has three brothers Brent Gretzky, Keith Gretzky and Glen Gretzky and sister Kim Gretzky.

Months after Gretzky was born, his parents moved to Varadi Avenue in the same town, because the new home had a yard that was flat enough to be used for an ice rink.

He began playing hockey in his grandparents Tony and Mary’s farm at the age of two years. His main opponent at the time was his grandma whom he tried to score goals against using a souvenir stick.

Gretzky’s father taught his male children and their close friends how to play hockey on the rink he had made at his backyard, which was profoundly known as “Wally Coliseum”. Walter gave them drills, where they had to dribble around bleach bottles and tin cans.

At age 6, Gretzky was playing on a team made up of 10-year-olds. He caught the eye of many parents who became jealous of him. By age 10, he scored 378 goals and made 139 assists in a single season, attracting media interest and attention in Brantford and beyond.

By age 13, Gretzky already had more than a 1000 goals to his name. He was included in the 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, scoring 26 points for his homeland Brantford.

Despite his terrific career as a junior, many teams chose not to sign him. He joined Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with the third pick when he was 16 years old. Gretzky wanted his favored number 9 jersey his hero Gordie Howe wore but had to make do with 99 since it was already taken.

Gretzky joined the Indiana Pacers of the World Hockey Association (NHL), as he was undrafted by any National Hockey League (NHL) team. He signed a seven-year personal services contract worth US$1.75 million on June 12, 1978, at age 17.

After just one season, he was signed by the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Critiques bemoaned he’d suffer in the NHL since it’s a way bigger and tougher league than that of the WHL.

To their surprise, he carried his WHL form to the NHL, winning numerous accolades and awards over a 20 season career, playing also for the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.

Gretzky won a record of nine Hart Memorial Trophies, 10 times Art Ross Trophy, 5x Lester B Pearson Award, Conn Smythe Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy. For his illustrious career, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999 and subsequently into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2000.

Wayne Gretzky Age, Height and Weight

Wayne Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He is currently 63 years old (as of 2024). He stands at a height of 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and weighs in at 84 kilograms (185 lb; 13 st 3 lb).

Wayne Gretzky 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.

What is Wayne Gretzky’s profession?

Wayne Gretzky is a Canadian former ice hockey player, former head coach and businessman. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with four different teams and coached the Phoenix Coyotes for four seasons.

Wayne Gretzky Parents

Wayne Gretzky’s parents are Walter Gretzky and Phyllis Leone Hockin. His father worked for Bell Telephone Canada.

Wayne Gretzky Siblings

Does Wayne Gretzky have siblings? Yes, Wayne Gretzky has four siblings; brothers Brent Gretzky, Keith Gretzky and Glen Gretzky and sister Kim Gretzky.

Wayne Gretzky Wife

Who is Wayne Gretzky married to? Wayne Gretzky 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

Does Wayne Gretzky have children? Yes, Wayne 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

Wayne Gretzky is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey player and former head coach who has an estimated net worth of US$250 million as of 2023, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Source: Ngnews247.com