Gretzky rejoins Coyotes as there coach

bigboydan · 12-28-2005, 10:41 PM

Gretzky rejoins Coyotes after mother's death

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Wayne Gretzky knew his mother wanted him to skate back to work as soon as possible.

Gretzky resumed coaching the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday, presiding over a pregame skate in San Jose before a night game against the Sharks. He left his team 10 days earlier to be with Phyllis Gretzky, who died of lung cancer on Dec. 19 in Brantford, Ontario.

"It was a hard 10 days for everybody in our family," Gretzky said outside the Coyotes' locker room. "As people know who have lost a family member, it's always difficult. In saying that, first of all, I love the game, and when I wasn't here, I was missing it."

The NHL's career scoring leader was his usual calm self on the ice, chewing bubble gum and chatting with his assistant coaches while the Coyotes went through drills. After a few days in Canada and another mourning period back home in Los Angeles, Gretzky decided Tuesday that he was ready to resume the comforting routine of the hockey season.

"Hockey was a big part of my mother's life, and she enjoyed being at a hockey game as much as anyone," said Gretzky, also a part-owner of the Coyotes.

"I know she would want me to go back to work and be part of this team again. She enjoyed watching the Coyotes play. ... I think my mom got more enjoyment of watching the Coyotes play with me coaching than with me in the press box. She said I yelled too much."

Gretzky didn't say when he would resume his duties as executive director of the Canadian Olympic hockey team, but Hockey Canada expects his return in January. The club's roster was announced last week, while Gretzky was with his family.

Associate coach Rick Tocchet served as head coach while Gretzky was away. The Coyotes lost three of the five games Gretzky missed, but the coach praised his staff's work.

"It's great for the players to have our whole coaching staff back and together," right wing Mike Johnson said. "I'm sure it's not an easy time for him, but when he talked to us (at the pregame skate), he just said the same things he always does, stressing the importance of this game."

But Phyllis Gretzky still was on her son's mind. Gretzky praised his mother as "a caregiver" who took long-term care of his ailing grandmother and his father's sister afflicted with Down's syndrome.

"Her commitment to her family was overwhelming," Gretzky said.

Gretzky's father, Walter, also is keeping busy by presiding over a five-day, 130-team hockey tournament in Canada.

"He's at the rink from 8 in the morning until 9 at night, so that'll keep him busy and occupied," Wayne Gretzky said. "We just try to keep him busy. Like people would know, when you lose a companion of 45 years, it's hard. It's going to be a change for my dad, but he was tremendous support from my sister, my brothers."

Gretzky saw dozens of friends and extended family members at his mother's memorial service. The somber occasion also gave him the chance to spend quality time with all four of his siblings -- something they had barely done since Wayne left home as a teenager.

"It was quite an emotional time, obviously," Gretzky said. "There were a lot of tears, but we also had a lot of laughs sitting around the room with her. Actually, it was a tremendous opportunity."