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Report: Gretzky a no-go for Winter Classic alumni game

Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky watches the Los Angeles Kings play the Tampa Bay Lightning during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

AP

This time it seems like our hopes to see “The Great One” take the ice in Philadelphia for the Winter Classic alumni game are dashed again.

CSNPhilly’s John Boruk tweeted last night that Wayne Gretzky will not be participating in the alumni exhibition at Citizens Bank Park and has told folks with the Winter Classic as much. Boruk’s sources indicate that if the game was held in New York City he would have played in the game.

Considering that Yankee Stadium is hosting a college bowl game for the next couple of years, if we’re going to see Gretzky suit up for an alumni game we’re going to have to hope for St. Louis or Los Angeles to host one in the meantime. That’s... Not very likely to happen we’d assume.

While it’s disappointing to see that 99 won’t be playing, the number of other greats and Hall Of Famers that will be playing is off the charts. Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, and Eric Lindros playing for the Flyers and we’re likely to see a host of former 1994 Rangers suit up as well including Mark Messier and with Mike Keenan coaching the team, that will make the event a fun one.

Still, this has been the best opportunity to get Gretzky out there for an event like this and after seeing Mario Lemieux play for Pittsburgh last year, getting that megastar touch to the game would’ve made it nostalgia perfect.