NYPOST: Wayne Gretzky will be a lead analyst on Turner’s premier studio show after agreeing to a contract that will pay him in the neighborhood of $3 million per season, according to sources.

The 60-year-old announced Tuesday he was stepping down as vice chairman of the Edmonton Oilers after the Jets swept them out of the Stanley Cup playoffs Monday. to bring Gretzky to Bristol, leaving TNT as the clear favorite, The Post reported nearly three weeks ago. Turner, with Gretzky’s buddy Charles Barkley serving as a recruiter, closed the deal.

TNT and ESPN will take over NHL coverage from NBC beginning next season, and TNT is trying to build something that feels as central to the NHL as Barkley’s “Inside the NBA.”

No, there’s no correlation to the Oilers’ series loss to Winnipeg.  This was in the works from the second ESPN and TNT/TBS.

TNT outbid ESPN for the secondary rights to NHL broadcasts and announced Gretzky would be their lead analyst while Kenny Albert will be doing PXP with Eddie Olczyk.

Poor Edmonton.  At least Wayne waited until after the Oilers’ lengthy playoff run to blame it all on the Pandemic.

TNT knows what they’re doing.  Shaq and Barkley are two of the best players in the HISTORY of the NBA.  They have instant credibility and they give zero fucks about being broadcasters on their NBA halftime show.  That’s why people love it.

Getting the greatest player to ever play the game to sit behind a desk every week will be MASSIVE for TNT if they want eyeballs and what most people don’t know is Wayne is one of the best storytellers on the planet.

I had the pleasure of watching a Leaf game with Wayne about 8 years ago.  He sat and told story after story about Ace Baily, Jaroslav Pouzar, playing in Indianapolis, Slats, Light Beer vs Stout, and his kids.  He would stop and watch 30 seconds of the game then tell us what he liked and what he didn’t, followed by smiling “what do I know?” and a sip of fresh Coors light Eddie Mio had just handed him.

He’s not a performer like Barkley Or O’Neal and doesn’t need to be.   He’s Wayne Fucking Gretzky and he’s the GOAT because he saw things others didn’t so I’m sure he’ll figure out the rest.

“Don’t go to where the puck is, go to where the puck is going to be’ – Walter Gretzky

At least next year he knows he’ll still be working in the second round.

DB