Rangers To Sign Gretzky, Official Word Comes Today

The New York Rangers have won the Wayne Gretzky sweepstakes, and will announce today that they have signed the NHL’s career scoring leader.

Although the Rangers refused specific comment Saturday on their pursuit of Gretzky, the Associated Press learned an announcement was imminent. The Rangers scheduled a news conference at noon today at Madison Square Garden, presumably to announce the signing of the illustrious free agent to a two-year deal.

Earlier Saturday, the New York Post reported Gretzky was on the verge of signing a two-year contract with the Rangers. Gretzky, who became an unrestricted free agent July 1, rejected three offers from other teams of three-year deals for between $15 million and $18 million to accept the Rangers’ two-year offer, the Post reported.

The most recent came Friday when negotiations with the Vancouver Canucks broke down. There had reportedly been as many as eight teams on Gretzky’s wish list, but apparently his most ardent wish was to rejoin friend and former Edmonton teammate Mark Messier on the Rangers. The two were a potent combination while leading the Oilers to four Stanley Cups in the 1980s.

Gretzky will probably be taking a salary cut. Last year, he was paid a league-high base salary of $6.54 million in the third year of a $25 million contract. Although Messier has said he would take less money so Gretzky could fit into the Rangers’ salary structure, Madison Square Garden president Dave Checketts had insisted previously that no player would make more than the team captain, who will be paid $6 million this season.

It’s apparent Gretzky will finish his epic career in New York. At 35, he is no longer the player who scored a record 92 goals or 215 points in a season, as he did in the 1980s. But he is still one of the NHL’s premier playmakers, as proven by his 79 assists last season while dividing his time between the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues.

Gretzky, traded to the Blues late last season, finished with 102 points, 12th in the league. The figure would have led the Rangers who were topped by Messier’s 99.

Gretzky would be a perfect fit for the Rangers, filling a much-needed hole at center where he is expected to spark the play of the team’s flagging forwards on the No. 2 line behind Messier.

Gretzky became a free agent July 1 after rejecting a two-year offer from the Blues worth more than $6 million per year. The Canucks weren’t the only team that Gretzky’s agent, Mike Barnett, had talked to recently. Such teams as the San Jose Sharks, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Phoenix Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs also were reportedly in the running.

Sharks general manager Dean Lombardi said that $7 million per year, which reportedly was Gretzky’s asking price, “would be hard to swallow.” And Tony Taveras, president of the Mighty Ducks, said his team had not pursued Gretzky with any intensity because “I think we would be worlds apart on the compensation package.” The Blues wanted to resign Gretzky, but said he wanted more than they could afford.

As for the Rangers, a source told the Post on Friday night: “Negotiations took a very positive turn this evening. … Actually, this morning was the first time they ever made a formal proposal.”

Ironically, the Rangers had missed out acquiring Gretzky earlier in the year when he was put on the trading block by the Kings. Instead, Gretzky was dealt to St. Louis for several top prospects.

The season ended in disappointment for Gretzky and apparently a deterioration of his relationship with coach Mike Keenan, who admonished the all-star center in front of the team for what he considered a sub-par playoff performance.

When Gretzky joined the Blues, he was reportedly offered a three-year deal worth about $7 million per year. By the time the playoffs were over and the Blues were out after the second round, the team had pulled that off the table and was offering less money and a shorter-term contract.

Apparently Gretzky never felt the length of the deal was important.

“It wasn’t the third year that was important,” the Post’s source said. “Wayne wanted to come to New York. Two years was never an issue for him.”

Rejoining Messier was obviously more of the issue. And Messier is obviously willing to make financial concessions to have his old pal with him again.

MEMO: Cut in the Spokane edition