Gretzky steps down

Wayne Gretzky is stepping down as coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, a source told sportsnet.ca.
An official announcement is expected today.
Gretzky's role as head coach and a managing partner with the beleaguered franchise has been in dispute since the franchise was placed into bankruptcy court. He reportedly earns $8 million annually from the dual roles and neither of the bidders - the NHL and Jim Balsillie's group - want to assume responsibility for it.
Gretzky has been absent from the team's training camp as the dispute goes on, with Ulf Samuelsson taking over in an interim role with assistance from veteran Dave King, who was hired on Monday.
The NHL is offering to buy the club for $140 million US and keep it in Glendale while it finds another local buyer, while Balsillie has offered $240 million on the condition that he can eventually move it to Hamilton.
The team's future was up before Judge Redfield T. Baum's bankruptcy court in Phoenix yesterday, with Balsillie revising his offer and promising to keep the club in Glendale for the current season.

I feel like the Great One is much more suited to a scouting role than he is to a coaching or management position.

guess this is not surprising based on the situation the team is in.

Not surprising and certainly this has been in the works for a while considering all that has gone on in Phoenix, and the NHL's position on not honouring Gretzky's contract if they win the bid for the Coyotes.

I'm still not clear on how the NHL can say that. Very odd.

I think it absolutely sucks how this guy has been dragged through the mud. He oozes hockey from every pore, and has done more for the game of hockey and the NHL than any other single player.

I hope a team snaps him up as a 'special consultant' and reaps the rewards.

Maybe he'll return to LA as an adviser... he likes the West Coast.

Press release by Gretzky:

Statement From Wayne Gretzky
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Phoenix, Ariz.)–Wayne Gretzky announced today that he is stepping down as Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations of the Phoenix Coyotes Hockey Club, effective immediately. “This was a difficult decision that I’ve thought long and hard about,” said Gretzky. “We all hoped there would be a resolution earlier this month to the Coyotes ownership situation, but the decision is taking longer than expected. Since both remaining bidders have made it clear that I don’t fit into their future plans, I approached General Manger Don Maloney and suggested he begin looking for someone to replace me as coach. Don has worked hard and explored many options. I think he has made an excellent choice, and so now it’s time for me to step aside.

“The Coyotes scouting staff has put together a great group of young and talented players who are going to improve tremendously over the next few years,” continued Gretzky. “I’m proud of the team we’ve assembled, the organization with which I’ve been associated and the thousands of dedicated fans who have never wavered in their support of this young team. I’m confident that the best is yet to come for hockey in Phoenix.

“I want to thank every staff member of the Phoenix Coyotes, past and present. It was a real pleasure to work with each and every one of you. I’ve always said that Phoenix is a great sports city and deserves nothing but the best. I still believe that. As a young boy, I learned to play hockey in Southern Ontario, and I know what great fans they have there. It’s my hope they too will have an NHL franchise in the not too distant future.

“I often said it was the greatest honor and privilege I could imagine to be able to play in the National Hockey League. I feel the same way about being an NHL coach. I’ve loved the four years I spent coaching the Coyotes. Not a day went by when I took it for granted, and I will miss the competition of the NHL dearly. It was an honor to hold the position, and I will always consider myself especially fortunate to have had this opportunity.”

Nice little parting gesture there...

Personally I see Gretzky as more of a president type than a coach. I really don't get how he got to be a coach.

Personally I see Gretzky as more of a president type than a coach. I really don't get how he got to be a coach.

SensGirl11 wrote:Personally I see Gretzky as more of a president type than a coach. I really don't get how he got to be a coach.

Butts in seats.

I thought of that too, but why buy tickets to see Gretzky behind the bench?

I could see that working more in LA since he played there.

SensGirl11 wrote:I thought of that too, but why buy tickets to see Gretzky behind the bench?

I'll bet ya a lot fewer tickets would have been sold with [insert non-hockey hero/icon name] behind the bench.

So how long before Gretzky's lawyers sue for breach of contract? The Coyotes may be in or near bankruptcy, but the NHL (if they are the new owners) are not. $8M/year, with a contract, is not something to give up without a second's thought.

Are we going to have the game's ambassador suing the league? If so, then *that* will be Buttman's legacy.

SpezDispenser wrote:Is it too soon for me to say that he should never have been Head Coach in the first place?

no you can say it, am sure lots of people were thinking it, sounded more like a marketing/PR stunt more than sound hockey decision.

SpezDispenser wrote:Is it too soon for me to say that he should never have been Head Coach in the first place?

I think you're late to the game if anything...

Maybe now with a real coach this team will do something.

They need real players too.

Looks like Dave Tippett is going to be named the new head coach of the Coyotes.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2009/09/24/11098221.html

How about dressing less rookies to begin with?