Great coach?
Published 9:00 pm Sunday, August 7, 2005
Wayne Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, will be the new coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, The Arizona Republic reported on its Web site Sunday.
Gretzky, the team’s managing partner, is expected to be introduced as coach today, multiple NHL sources told the paper. ESPN.com confirmed the report later Sunday.
The Coyotes scheduled a news conference for today to make a “major” announcement.
Coyotes general manager Mike Barnett, Gretzky’s former agent and longtime friend, said the decision would rest with the hockey great and his family, who live in Los Angeles.
Gretzky retired in 1999 after 20 seasons in the NHL. “The Great One” helped the Edmonton Oilers win four Stanley Cups, and is the NHL’s all-time leading goal, assist and point producer in the regular season and playoffs.
