It has been ten years since Wayne Gretzky coached professional hockey, however, fans have been clamouring for the champion to return since leaving a decade ago. The Canadian General Manager of Hockey, Sean Burke, announced that he had been actively pursuing Wayne Gretzky for a new coaching position. Sean’s announcement noted that Gretzky could become the head coach for the Spengler Cup Tournament.
Gretzky has already responded to his potential return with reporters. The former champion mention that it was a shocking but pleasant surprise when Burke called him. Wayne noted that he thanks the general manager and was immediately excited at the prospect, with Team Canada holding a special place in his heart. The Spengler Cup is the oldest tournament in professional hockey, and being named the head coach is a significant honour. Wayne iterated to Sean Burke that he would need time to evaluate the decision, considering that the cup takes place over Christmas.
Gretzky’s History
This would be the first time that Wayne Gretzky ever coached Team Canada, but not the first time he’s interacted with the sporting organization as he has represented his home country multiple times with Team Canada. However, Wayne participated in the selection of players for the 2002 and 2004 Olympic Teams. Both franchises would go on to win Olympic Gold Medals.
Wayne Gretzky has coached before the Spengler Cup. He was the Head Coach for the Arizona Coyotes from 2005 to 2009. The club was incredibly successful under his leadership, but after requiring more time with family, Wayne stepped down ahead of the 2010 Season. The last attempt Wayne had at coaching was at the Metropolitan Division All-Star Competition. He coached other legends like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby while coaching the all-star team.
The Spengler Cup
Those interested in viewing the 2019 Spengler Cup can watch the competition unfold between December 26th and 31st. This tournament has taken place since 1923 in Davos, Switzerland. This competition was created for Professional German Hockey Players who wanted to play in European games after World War One. The event exceeded expectations and is now one of the more prestigious hockey events worldwide.
The 2019 Spengler Cup will be broadcasted through multiple television stations, such as TSN in Canada and SportsNet in the United States. European Fans can witness the tournament through Eurosport 2. Viewers from the United Kingdom can watch on the Free Sports Channel and Sport1 Station in Russia.