Known as “The Great One”, Wayne Gretzky is nothing short of a hockey legend. The NHL player, who retired in 1999, became the NHL’s all-time leading career point scorer during his 20-season career, even winning four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers. But beyond his career successes, Wayne is also a devoted husband to his long-time wife, Janet Jones, and a father of five: two daughters and three sons.
To mark the sporting legend’s 65th birthday, we’re taking a look at his loving family who have supported him in his career both in and outside the rink.
© WireImageWayne met Janet while guest judging on "Dance Fever" in 1979
Janet Jones
Wayne first met his now-wife, model and actress Janet Jones, while guest judging on the show Dance Fever in 1979, where Janet was a contestant. Though they remained in touch, the pair did not begin dating until 1987 after bumping into each other at a Lakers game.
“The first week, I said, ‘What do you think?’ And [my father] goes, ‘Oh, she’s a lifer,’” Wayne told the This Past Weekend podcast in 2023. “We both love sports. It’s wonderful that her and I watch hockey together, baseball, football, and basketball. She loves going to games.”
The couple tied the knot in 1988 in a lavish ceremony in Edmonton, dubbed “The Royal Wedding” by hockey fans. They’ve since gone on to share five kids together who’ve explored a range of careers, from sports to showbiz.
© Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty ImagesPaulina shared the dating advice she received from her father
Paulina Gretzky, 37 (1988)
Paulina, Wayne and Janet’s eldest daughter, is an actress, model, and social media personality with over one million followers on Instagram. She’s appeared in films like Fame (2009) and Grown Ups 2 (2013), and has also modelled for publications like Golf Digest.
The model began dating pro golfer Dustin Johnson in 2013 and became engaged the same year; the pair later welcomed two sons, Tatum (2015) and River (2017). After a ten-year engagement, the couple tied the knot in 2022 in a stunning ceremony at Blackberry Farm, Tennessee.
Outside of her career, Paulina is known for being close with her famous father; in an Instagram Q&A session on her stories, she shared with fans: “The best dating advice I ever received was from my dad. He told me to weigh the pros and cons of dating someone. If the cons outweigh the pros, then don’t try to be the person who thinks they can change them.”
© NHLI via Getty ImagesTy (right) co-founded the Gretzky Hockey School with his father
Ty Gretzky, 35 (1990)
While Wayne and Janet’s eldest son, Ty, didn’t quite follow his father into professional hockey, it’s clear the sport still holds an important role in his life. Ty is best known for founding the Gretzky Hockey School in 2014 alongside his father, a hockey camp that provides players with an “NHL-like experience”.
“He was my hockey guy,” Wayne told The Steam Room podcast in 2021. “He loves hockey. He is one of my best friends and I love it.”
Ty has been married to Sara Cusick, who co-hosts the podcast Causing A Scene, since 2020, and the couple share two daughters: Sicily (2021) and Vienna (2023).
© Getty ImagesTrevor was previously a baseball player
Trevor Gretzky, 33 (1992)
Formerly a sportsman just like Wayne, Trevor was previously a Minor League Baseball player, drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2011 and later playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Though different from his father’s sport of choice, Trevor revealed to The Washington Post in 2015 that Wayne “knows a lot about baseball”.
“All pro sports are the same. You work hard, and the guys who work the hardest and play the hardest come out on top,” Trevor said. “He’s been telling me that since I was a little kid.”
Trevor later pivoted to a career in acting, appearing in the sports comedy Odd Man Rush (2020) and the thriller American Siege (2021) opposite Bruce Willis. He shares a daughter, Phoenix (2023), with his fiancée Ashley Malinchak, and announced the birth of his son in 2025, named after his grandpa and nicknamed “Lil Wayne”.
© Getty ImagesTristan (left) formerly played golf at New York University
Tristan Gretzky (2000)
A former pre-professional golf player, Tristan attended Pepperdine University before transferring to New York University, continuing to play for his college’s golf team. “My life goal is to be on the PGA Tour,” he previously shared in 2018, per Golf Digest.
Tristan later went on to carve out a career in real estate, and is currently working as an Associate at Newmark, according to his LinkedIn.
Alongside his brothers, he also recreated his grandfather Walter Gretzky’s famous hockey shrine basement for the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend, chatting about his family’s legacy to the Missin Curfew podcast. “He really was the best, and my dad tries to be like him as much as he can, and he does it so well – and then we try to copy our dad.”
© Getty ImagesEmma (third from right) trained as a professional tennis player
Emma Gretzky (2003)
The youngest Gretzky daughter, Emma previously played tennis for the Southern Methodist University’s Mustangs team, competing in both singles and doubles matches, later graduating in 2025.
“She didn’t start playing until she was 12 and a half,” Wayne told the Ventura Star. “But it’s a marathon, not a sprint. John McEnroe always says, you can play tennis for a long time, you don’t have to be great at 16.”
A one-time actress, she previously appeared in the Gia Coppola film Palo Alto (2013) alongside Emma Roberts. Emma is currently in a relationship with SMU Mustangs football player Stone Eby, and the couple announced the birth of their son, Walter Boone-Gretzky Eby, in August 2025.
