Wayne Gretzky Reportedly Approached By ESPN About NHL Broadcasting Role
ESPN has approached hockey legend Wayne Gretzky about working on the network's NHL broadcasts, according to The Athletic's Sean Shapiro.
The NHL struck a seven-year deal with ESPN in March.
"It’s been believed that ESPN wanted to take some big swings when it came to adding hockey personalities whose names held Hall of Fame value from their playing careers," Shapiro wrote. "Bringing in hockey’s universally known all-time leading scorer would certainly fit that ambition."
The allure of Gretzky is obvious.
The 60-year-old is recognized as "The Great One" for a reason. He's a four-time Stanley Cup champion whose stats defy belief. His 2,857 points are the most ever, and he'd remain the all-time points leader if you wiped out all 583 of his goals.
Having Gretzky with the ESPN family would be a big feather in the network's cap.
However, Shapiro reported it's unclear how interested he is in the role, though he hasn't ruled it out.
It's also not known whether Gretzky would be good in the booth. Being a great athlete doesn't mean one will excel as a broadcaster.
To some extent, Gretzky showed his legendary skills on the ice didn't guarantee success in another career when he failed to guide the Phoenix Coyotes to the playoffs in four seasons as a head coach from 2005 to 2009.
Depending on when he signed a contract, ESPN would have time to help Gretzky prepare since its agreement with the NHL doesn't go into effect until the 2021-22 season.
