Friday, October 23, 2026

Wayne Gretzky To Headline TNT’s NHL TV Coverage

  • The Great One will work as a studio analyst during Stanley Cup Playoffs and other pivotal moments of NHL season.
  • Kenny Albert and Eddie Olczyk being hired for play-by-play and game analysis.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Turner Sports is poised to announce Wayne Gretzky, Kenny Albert, and Eddie Olczyk as its first NHL TV team Wednesday.

Turner’s TNT is expected to officially announce the trio sometime Wednesday morning, said sources.  

Gretzky, arguably the greatest hockey player in history, will appear as a studio analyst throughout the upcoming 2021-2022 season, then ramp up his TV appearances during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Albert and Olczyk will work play-by-play and game analysis.

Gretzky will earn around $2 million a year for his first full-time embrace of TV, said sources. Charles Barkley of TNT’s “Inside the NBA” is a big hockey fan. Barkley’s expected to occasionally kibbitz with Gretzky on NHL coverage.

On May 6, Front Office Sports reported both Turner and ESPN were interested in hiring the “Great One” as they take over the NHL’s U.S. media rights from NBC Sports. The New York Post first reported that Albert, the radio voice of the New York Rangers, was landing the leading play-by-play job, succeeding the retired Doc Emrick at NBC.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Matthew Mayich’s Family Rips Coach Exit as ‘Negotiated Agreement’

Arizona State and Greg Powers “reached a mutual agreement to part ways.”
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Marina Williams-Walter Cronkite Sports Network

ASU Hockey Home Opener Marred by Player Collapse Fallout

ASU’s hockey home opener featured more absences amid an ongoing investigation.
A drone view shows the Paramount water tower at Paramount studios in Hollywood and the Hollywood sign, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., August 24, 2026.

Newly Formed Skydance Is a Force in Sports Media

The large-scale deal creates a sports media colossus.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/23/26 – JJ Watt Takes CBS Chair, FIFA Rights Shake-Up, Small-Market World Series

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Oct 3, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer waits to run onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Who Is Alabama Football in Year 3 Under Kalen DeBoer?

The No. 6 Crimson Tide host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
Zach Lowe Sean Fennessey The Ringer

Substack CEO: No Deal With The Ringer, Even as Talent Flocks to Platform

Zach Lowe is the latest Ringer talent to launch a Substack newsletter.
NBC Sports Logo
October 22, 2026

Comcast-NBCUniversal Split Comes With $1B Cost, Layoffs

The NBC Sports parent company will take on a hefty restructuring charge.
Troy Aikman
October 22, 2026

Examining Troy Aikman’s Options After J.J. Watt-CBS Deal 

Aikman has yet to receive a formal offer to return to ESPN.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
October 22, 2026

FIFA’s World Cup Rights Shake-Up Could Favor NBC Over Fox

It’s bad news for Fox and great news for Telemundo’s parent, NBC.
Aug 3, 2024; Canton, OH, USA; Houston Texans former defensive end J.J. Watt in attendance at the Class of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
October 22, 2026

NFL TV’s Analyst Market Tightens as CBS Extends JJ Watt

Watt is officially Tony Romo’s full-time replacement at CBS.
Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; MLB on Fox broadcasters Kevin Burkhardt, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Derek Jeter during game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.
October 22, 2026

Fox, MLB Look to Counter Lower World Series Expectations

MLB is riding a wave of postseason audience expansion.
October 21, 2026

NFL Claims ‘No Concern’ About Aikman’s Issues With Buck, ESPN

Aikman’s contract expires after the Super Bowl.