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Wayne Gretzky Admits He Had Talked To Leafs About President Job

By Catherine Silverman

Jan 25, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; From left Paulina Gretzky , Wayne Gretzky , Emma Gretzky and Janet Gretzky pose for a photo before the game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings in the Stadium Series hockey game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 25, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; From left Paulina Gretzky , Wayne Gretzky , Emma Gretzky and Janet Gretzky pose for a photo before the game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings in the Stadium Series hockey game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Wayne Gretzky admits he had discussion with the Toronto Maple Leafs regarding the team president position

Obviously, nothing ever came of it- but it seems as if Wayne Gretzky could have potentially been the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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In a recent interview with George Stroumboulopoulos of Hockey Night in Canada, Gretzky confirmed that he and the Original Six franchise had been in discussions regarding Gretzky taking the presidency job with the team. 

Of course, the job ultimately went to Brendan Shanahan, who fired all the assistant coaches and kept Randy Carlyle. Some fans might be devastated to hear this after the fact- imagine, the Great One as team president!

This wouldn’t be Gretzky’s first go-around in the front office for an NHL franchise, though. The former superstar had been a partial owner and head coach for the then-Phoenix Coyotes, right before the team went under in 2009. Under Gretzky, the team posted it’s worst season record in franchise history, although the entire team was in the process of imploding during Gretzky’s tenure. There is no definitive proof that any decisions made by the former player directly- or indirectly- led to the team’s bankruptcy in 2009.

Despite the tarnish on Gretzky’s reputation from his tenure in the desert, he suggested that the job wasn’t in the cards for a number of outlying factors, as well. Per NBC’s Pro Hockey Talk, Gretzky hasn’t shown much interest in doing much outside of his personal life.

"“Right now I’m so excited about what I’m doing in my life. I’m going to be a grandfather here in five or six weeks and that’s exciting,” he said. “I have some businesses that I tend to that I’m enjoying.“So I don’t really actively look to get back into hockey.”"

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