Wayne Gretzky will not coach at the Spengler cup

The NHL-legend was asked to take over as head coach of Team Canada for the Spengler Cup, but had to decline.

Gretzky will not be in Davos over Christmas Maurice Parree

"It was a nice surprise when Sean Burke called,” Gretzky told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. “I thanked him. I was excited about it. Team Canada is pretty special. I think the Spengler Cup is the oldest tournament that we know of. It’s a pretty nice honor."

However, Gretzky later informed Burke that he could not accept the position and will therefore not be coming to Davos over Christmas.

Wayne Gretzky informed Sean Burke today he couldn’t accept the head coaching job for Canada at the Spengler Cup. Clearly a decision that wasn’t easy for Gretzky who says he was very much honoured to be asked. So Burke, the GM of Canada’s Spengler Cup team, now moves on to Plan B — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 13, 2019

While Gretzky has helped to build two Canadian Olympic teams (2002 and 2006) as well as the team for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey entry, it would have been his first time coaching a Canadian national team.

( 13 November 2019 | mso )