NHL Rumors: Edmonton Oilers to hire Wayne Gretzky as vice president

The Edmonton Oilers are expected to hire former star center Wayne Gretzky as an executive

With the Edmonton Oilers officially opening their new arena, a lot of Oilers legends were in town for the opening ceremony. One of them was Wayne Gretzky, the NHL’s career leader in goals, assists, and points. He is also the franchise leader in each of those categories as well.

After an initial report from Bob McKenzie suggesting Gretzky could be taking on an official role with Edmonton, Gretzky will serve as the vice president of their entertainment group.

Gretzky is arguably the greatest NHL player of all-time and his on-ice resume speaks for itself. However, his accomplishments in a team role are much less significant. Gretzky served in the Arizona Coyotes front office and as their head coach as well. While some time away from the front office might be useful for Gretzky, his resume is not encouraging.

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All of that said, the Oilers have been missing the magic they had with Gretzky for the past decade. Perhaps Gretzky returning to the Oilers can help save the franchise, as he will not be serving in a major decision-making role, which should help. Gretzky’s role is more with their entertainment group rather than a front office role. His role is somewhat similar to Kevin Lowe’s. For better or for worse, the Oilers are bringing in former players to help lead them.

The Oilers haven’t made the playoffs since losing in the 2005-06 Stanley Cup Finals. With a new arena and arguably the heir to Gretzky in Connor McDavid, the future looks bright for the Oilers. They have undergone a front office overhaul in recent years, trying to remove the odor of a decade long playoff drought. Gretzky saved the team as a player and now he’ll get the chance to do the same as an executive.