History UsefulNotes / WayneGretzky

Very popular with endorsements, promoting companies like Coca-Cola, Domino's Pizza, and Sharp Electronics just to name a few. Also made his mark on video games with Midway's ''Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey'' (basically the NHL answer for ''VideoGame/NBAJam'') and 989 Studio's ''Gretzky NHL'' games on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable.

'''Wayne Douglas Gretzky''' (born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former UsefulNotes/{{NHL}} player for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers. Considered by almost everyone to be the greatest hockey player of all time. Known simply as “The Great One”. The guy has broken so many records that if we were to list them here, the reader of this article would be here forever. To give a very short summary, Gretzky is probably the closest any person has ever been to being scientifically declared ''psychic'', as aside from his own talents with the puck, he has an inexplicable ability to not only read what other players are going to do but also what other players are going to do in response to ''in response'' to what other players do. Extremely well-liked by hockey fans all over for his excellent playing, his apparent love and dedication to the game, [[StupidSexyFlanders good looks]], and being one of the [[NiceGuy nicest hockey players ever]]. Seriously, when Gretzky actually fought someone, '''hell froze over'''.

'''Wayne Douglas Gretzky''' (born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former UsefulNotes/{{NHL}} player for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers. Considered by almost everyone to be the greatest hockey player of all time. Known simply as “The Great One”. The guy has broken so many records that if we were to list them here, the reader of this article would be here forever. To give a very short summary, Gretzky is probably the closest any person has ever been to being scientifically declared ''psychic'', as besides from his own talents with the puck, he has an inexplicable ability to not only read what other players are going to do but also what other players are going to do in response to ''in response'' to what other players do. Extremely well-liked by hockey fans all over for his excellent playing, his apparent love and dedication to the game, [[StupidSexyFlanders good looks]], and being one of the [[NiceGuy nicest hockey players ever]]. Seriously, when Gretzky actually fought someone, '''hell froze over'''.

In 2002, he served as the executive director of Canada's men's Olympic hockey team. The team got off to a rough start and were harshly criticized by Canadian media and mocked by their competitors. When Gretzky was questioned about it at a press conference, he replied with an angry tirade about how much the Canadians' competitors hated them, how many observers wanted them to fail, what he saw as a DoubleStandard that would have had the Canadians condemned if they used the same kinds of tactics their opponents used on them, dismissed claims of dissent in the Canadians' dressing room as "American propaganda" and concluded by saying his team was a proud group that would remain DefiantToTheEnd. Many people were [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness shocked at the even-tempered Gretzky acting the way he did]], and he was widely mocked in foreign media. His speech turned out to be a BatmanGambit, as his tirade drew the media's focus onto him and relieved pressure on his players. They and their Canadian fans also treated his words as a RousingSpeech, [[LetsGetDangerous going on to win Canada's first men's gold medal in 50 years.]]

'''Wayne Douglas Gretzky''' (born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former UsefulNotes/{{NHL}} player for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers. Considered by almost everyone to be the greatest hockey player of all time. Known simply as “The Great One”. The guy has broken so many records that if we were to list them here, the reader of this article would be here forever. Extremely well liked by hockey fans all over for his excellent playing, his apparent love and dedication to the game, [[StupidSexyFlanders good looks]], and being one of the [[NiceGuy nicest hockey players ever]]. Seriously, when Gretzky actually fought someone, '''hell froze over'''.

In 2002, he served as the executive director of Canada's men's Olympic hockey team. The team got off to a rough start and were harshly criticized by Canadian media and mocked by their competitors. When Gretzky was questioned about it at a press conference, he replied with an angry tirade about how much the Canadians' competitors hated them, how many observers wanted them to fail, what he saw as a DoubleStandard that would have had the Canadians condemned if they used the same kinds of tactics their opponents used on them, dismissed claims of dissent in the Canadians' dressing room as "American propaganda" and concluded by saying his team was a proud group that would remain DefiantToTheEnd Many people were [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness shocked at the even-tempered Gretzky acting the way he did]], and he was widely mocked in foreign media. His speech turned out to be a BatmanGambit, as his tirade drew the media's focus onto him and relieved pressure on his players. They and their Canadian fans also treated his words as a RousingSpeech, [[LetsGetDangerous going on to win Canada's first men's gold medal in 50 years.]]

In 2002, he served as the executive director of Canada's men's Olympic hockey team. The team got off to a rough start and were harshly criticized by Canadian media and mocked by their competitors. When Gretzky was questioned about it at a press conference, he replied with an angry tirade about how much the Canadians' competitors hated them, how many observers wanted them to fail, what he saw as a DoubleStandard that would have had the Canadians condemned if they used the same kinds of tactics their opponents used on them, dismissed claims of dissent in the Canadians' dressing room as "American propaganda" and concluded by saying his team was a proud group that would remain DefiantToTheEnd Many people were [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness shocked at the even-tempered Gretzky acting the way he did]], and he was widely mocked in foreign media. He turned out to be CrazyLikeAFox, as his tirade drew the media's focus onto him and relieved pressure on his players. They and their Canadian fans also treated his words as a RousingSpeech, [[EarnYourHappyEnding going on to win Canada's first men's gold medal in 50 years.]]

Also was the owner of the Phoenix Coyotes and served as their head coach for a while, although [[ThePeterPrinciple the team did not see much success when he was their head coach]]. Most recently, he's joined Turner Sports as an analyst for Creator/{{TNT}}'s NHL coverage (a split deal with ESPN beginning in the fall of 2021).

%%!!Tropes listed:
* TheAce: See the records on Wiki/TheOtherWiki? Gretzky either set them or broke them throughout his career, to say nothing of his outstanding skills.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: See the page quote above. He has said in interviews that he didn't have size, strength, or speed on his side, so he had to make up for it with smarts. In his childhood years, his father always told him to "skate where the puck is going, not where it had been". This would later prove to be a contributing factor to him growing up to become the league's smartest player to ever set skate on the ice.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: He only ever fought four times in his NHL career. When he did, his opponents didn't expect it, simply because he was so nice that they never saw it coming.
* ChildProdigy: During his childhood years, he showed prodigious talent with the stick and often took practices with his father during their spare time.
* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Gretzky was dismissed by some scouts for being too light and not too physical, which would cause him not to last long in the NHL. WhosLaughingNow
* HumbleHero: Perennially respectful and kind to people, and known for having a rather humble attitude in spite of being the greatest to ever play the game.
* NiceGuy: He was renowned for being respectful to everyone on and off the ice and simply focused on playing a clean game. Trying to rough him up on the ice pretty much guaranteed that his team's enforcers would come down on the offender harder than usual.
* OfficerAndAGentleman: In the figurative sense. Gretzky was both an awesome player and a fine gentleman, having won the Lady Byng Trophy (for most sportsmanlike play) five times in his career.
* RedBaron: "The Great One." The man holds more than 60 NHL records, including most goals scored and most points scored. To the point that, in the latter category, the next-closest player barely got with one thousand points of Gretzky. He's so good that his number #99 was retired league-wide, so that no one else can ever wear that number again across all of the NHL. Even on teams he never played for!
* SimpleYetAwesome: He was never particularly known for notable performance in a single game. Instead, he became a legend by being so consistently good in every game over a long career. He wasn't flashy, yet was borderline unstoppable.
* TookALevelInBadass: He likes to tell the story of his first trip to the Stanley Cup Final, in 1983 against the defending champion [[BadassCrew New York Islanders]]. Gretzky liked the Oilers’ chances – they did have Wayne Gretzky, after all – but the Islanders [[CurbStompBattle swept them in four games]]. He and his teammates sat in the locker room trying to figure out what just happened; then they walked to their team bus just as the Islanders were walking, or more accurately [[AlmostDeadGuy limping]], to theirs. As Gretzky puts it, “that’s when the light bulb came on”. He saw, first-hand, that the Islanders had pushed themselves a lot harder. It’s safe to say the lesson sunk in: Gretzky and the Oilers would win four of the next five Stanley Cups.
* UpToEleven: Did this with both the legendary "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe's number 9, and all of Howe's records.
* WeakButSkilled: He had a fairly average physique during his playing days but his ability to visualize puck movement and see openings made him virtually unstoppable on the ice.