Wayne Gretzky announced on Tuesday that he is stepping down as Vice Chairman of the Edmonton Oilers organization, citing a change in circumstances that made doing his job and fulfilling his role with the team more and more difficult.
Some will correlate the decision of Wayne Gretzky stepping away from the Oilers organization with the elimination of the team from the 2020-21 NHL playoffs, but the truth is, Gretzky already knew he was leaving and likely didn’t want to make the announcement while the team in the midst of fighting for their playoff lives.
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There has been talk that ESPN and Turner Sports are actively trying to land Gretzky for an analyst position and this may be a key factor in his decision to leave the Oilers.
Gretzky said in a statement:
With great appreciation, I wanted to let everyone know that I have decided to step away as Vice Chairman of the Edmonton Oilers effective today.
The Oilers, their fans, and the city of Edmonton have meant the world to me and my family for over four decades–and that will never end. Given the pandemic and other life changes, I realize I will not be able to dedicate the time nor effort needed to support this world-class organization.
I want to thank Daryl & Renee Katz, their family, and entire team for all the support and friendship these last several years, and wish them nothing but success.
While Gretzky’s decision might not have been motived by the Oilers lack of success this season, there may be some changes in other areas to this team. According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, changes at the top of the Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) could be coming and there will certainly be some roster changes with pending free agents getting a lot of attention over the next few weeks and GM Ken Holland with some money to spend.
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