[Tman1]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20050808 ... es_gretzky
PHOENIX (CP) - Wayne Gretzky has decided to become head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, according to reports.

Gretzky is expected to officially be named coach Monday, several NHL sources told the Arizona Republic.

When contacted by The Canadian Press, Coyotes spokesman Rich Nairn said he could not confirm the story and that team had no events scheduled for Monday.

Gretzky, the NHL's all-time leading scorer and the managing partner of the Coyotes, had said he would wait until a new collective bargaining agreement was in place before deciding whether to take on the coaching job.

According to some news sources, former Detroit Red Wings associate coach Barry Smith will be named as one of Gretzky's two assistants.

Former Coyotes player Rick Tocchet or interim head coach Rick Bowness will be the other.

Gretzky would take over for Bowness, who stepped in as interim coach after Bob Francis was fired in the 2003-2004 season.

Gretzky is the final year of a five-year contract with the club and is a longtime friend of Coyotes general manager Mike Barnett.

He has already committed to serve as executive director for Team Canada at the
Winter Olympics in Turin in February.

The Coyotes have a new $220-million US arena, which they have yet to play a full season in. They moved to the Glendale Arena in December 2003, but they didn't get opportunity to open a season there before the lockout began.

[Crizzle]

Good for him. It's a natural progression. Perhaps someday he'll own a team.

[canucker]

Hopefully he'll make a good coach, unlike many of his elite predecessors.

[-Mario-]

Gretzky has one hell of a head on his shoulders.
I have no doubt in my mind that he would be a great coach.

[twister]

Crizzle Crizzle:

Good for him. It's a natural progression. Perhaps someday he'll own a team.

Hmm let's see owns many modern day records as a player. Team Canada Gold as a member of the staff 2002.. Won various Canada Cups etc as a member of a team.... Partial owner of the pheonix coyotes.. yes it is a natural progression.. but I think wayne misses being a part of the Team more than anything else.. He was a great player, he was a great hockey executive and a great ambassador for the game... Can he be a great coach.. possibly but time will tell.. got to give Wayne the benefit of the doubt.

[truecdneh]

I would've rather seen him spawning the Winnipeg franchise again but no matter.. It's good to see him back involved again in the NHL again aside from the fact that its in Phoenix of all places..