From Great to ...?

I was going to write a humorous post on former Ranger and all time greatest hockey player Wayne Gretzky’s vineyard project. I was going to go on about how this might be the start of a new trend in the NHL and the Rangers in particular – Scott Gomez tequila, Jaromir Jagr Jagrmeister, Brendan Shanahan Irish Whiskey – but instead I got to thinking about Gretzky’s post hockey career and his off ice dealings in general.

Gretz is an amazing ambassador for the sport (I’ve met him and he’s just as genial and well mannered as he comes off in his public appearances) but there’s definitely a stranger, more complex guy lurking under the surface. I think part of it is the simple kid from Brantford being thrust in to world’s he knew nothing about. That’s why a lot of his business deals seem to be things that come to him (the vineyard, for example, is in Canada’s Niagara region, close to his boyhood home. Don’t you think a guy who spent so much time in California could have found a Napa Valley partner if he wanted one?) Gretz has also obviously learned loyalty from his parents and he is loyal almost to a fault. What he’s not, is the greatest judge of character. And that’s why he has remained friends with folks like Bruce McNall, Glenn Anderson, Marty McSorley and Rick Tocchet, when other more pragmatic folks might have kept their distance. His actions are admirable but not necessarily advisable.

Which makes me wonder about the Coyotes and Wayne’s current and future track record as a coach. Like the vineyard, this deal was handed to Gretz rather than him seeking it out. Remember, this is a guy who didn’t skate for three years after he retired (Or so he claims. When I was working the 2000 All-Star Game in Toronto there was a rumor that he hosted a private shinny game at Maple Leaf Gardens the evening after the game). Mike Barnett came along with Gretzky as GM and their record over the last couple of years has been one of trying to get the last few flashes of brilliance out of talent that has seen it’s best days (Curtis Joseph, Owen Nolan, Brett Hull, Jeremy Roenick). Their lack of success led to Barnett being replaced by former Rangers Assistant GM Don Maloney. Whether Maloney can keep Gretzky from employing his pals around the league is in question (Gretzky is the “Managing Partner” of the team) is one question. The other has to be whether Gretzky’s amazing skill set will ever really translate to coaching.

He certainly can’t be the mean guy like a Mike Keenan or Scotty Bowman. That’s just not his personality. And I don’t think he can be a players’ coach either. His stature has always meant that he had to keep a little distance between himself and the world and he’s not a natural leader like Mark Messier. Can he teach young players to play, “the Gretzky Way”? I don’t know. When I first saw him play with the Rangers I thought he was slightly overrated and had trouble fitting in to the Rangers system. It didn’t make long to realize that the Rangers needed to fit in with Gretzky’s system not vice versa. He was just that good. But that fabled ability of his; “he sees the ice differently” is something that may not be able to be taught. Which leaves you wondering what Wayne actually can bring behind the bench.

It’s a cautionary tale for the Rangers, with Messier making noises about being interested in the GM’s job. It’s also a cautionary tale for Mess, as he watches one of his best friend’s struggle with going from being “Great” to “Fair to Poor”. And it’s a cautionary tale for all us hockey players to make sure that we identify our strengths on and off the ice and tailor our actions accordingly. Even the greatest hockey player who ever lived has his limits.