Gretzky Back in NHL, As Owner

P H O E N I X, Feb. 16, 2001 -- Wayne Gretzky's exuberance showed through when heplayed, and he couldn't restrain it when he got back into hockey asa partner in the new Phoenix Coyotes ownership.

"I said from Day 1 that I'm not going to be the president,coach or general manager, but I own a piece of a hockey team andI'm thrilled about that," he said Thursday after he and managingpartner Steve Ellman completed their $90 million purchase of theteam.

The closing came hours before an NHL deadline to finish thedeal. Ellman and Gretzky already had been given two extensions towrap up the purchase from Richard Burke after delays because offinancial complications.

This time, Ellman said, it took 48 hours of haggling because ofpaperwork.

"I'm apologetic that it took so long," he said. "It has beenextremely difficult, but not as dramatic, possibly, as seen fromthe outside."

Wants to Sign Khabibulin

Gretzky, who joined Ellman on May 26, said he hasn't plannedpersonnel moves, in part because NHL commissioner Gary Bettmanwanted him to stay clear until the closing.

But he disclosed plans to re-sign goalie Nikolai Khabibulin,bring former teammate Pat Conacher aboard as an assistant coach andreward forward Claude Lemieux, who signed with the Coyotes for the$150,000 minimum, but expects $9 million for the next three years.

"We've been on the outside looking in," Gretzky said. "Weweren't in the locker room. We purposely stayed away — it's whatMr. Bettman wanted us to do."

Bettman brokered the deal to make sure the franchise stayed inArizona.

Had the sale fallen through, Burke would have been free to keepthe $26 million that the new owners paid in advance and sell tosomeone else.

But Burke persevered, granting two extensions past an originalclosing date of June 30.

"It's a relief that this is over," he said. "I'm sure it isfor everybody involved."

Goal: Another Goalie

Ellman pegged his acquisition costs at $125 million, includingthe sale price, operating losses since July 1 and closing fees.

The sale puts a player with four Stanley Cup rings in charge ofhockey operations for a club that hasn't advanced beyond the firstround of the playoffs since 1987.

One of Gretzky's first decisions involves getting something ofvalue for a goalie before the March 13 trading deadline.

All-Star Sean Burke is 34, and Khabibulin, six years younger,has not played in the NHL since April 1999 after refusing a $3million-a-year contract with the Coyotes.

"Sean Burke has been maybe the MVP in the whole league,"Gretzky said. "He's been that good, game in and game out. He'sbeen outstanding, but we realize that Khabibulin is a tremendousgoaltender, and he's a player we'd like to sign."

Gretzky also has to decide what to do with team scoring leadersKeith Tkachuk and Jeremy Roenick, whose combined salaries make upone-third of the team's $39 million payroll.

GM Bobby Smith's future has been in question since Gretzkyjoined forces with Ellman. If he stays on, he will have to answerto layers of authority, including vice president Cliff Fletcher.

"Cliff is my right arm," Gretzky said. "That's why I hiredhim, and that's what I want him to do."

Third Change in Ownership

There is still potential for distractions for Ellman, adeveloper, because of the enmity between him and some citycouncilors in nearby Scottsdale over the stalled redevelopment of amall there.

Ellman said an arena could be built quickly.

"We could have the arena open in 20 months from when the citygives me the permit to build," Ellman said. "We've finished allthe schematic drawings, we've cleared the portion of the site wherethe arena would be."

Gretzky and Ellman represent the NHL team's third change ofownership.

The Jets entered the league in 1979 under Winnipeg lawyer BarryShenkarow.

He sold to Richard Burke and Steven Gluckstern for $65 millionin October 1995, and they moved the franchise to Phoenix the nextsummer. Burke, who bought out Gluckstern on Sept. 12, 1997, put theteam on the market last winter.