ESPN Says 'No' to Wayne Gretzky, Could Land on TNT

Sounds like The Great One is making a comeback into the NHL as Wayne Gretzky has been reportedly in discussions with major US networks about a TV job in hockey. The league recently worked out a new deal for broadcasting in the United States and it appears they want the biggest name in hockey history on the telecast.

From the reports via Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, TNT is hoping Gretzky can be hockey's Charles Barkley, which is a touch surprising considering their personalities are very different. As for ESPN, they were reportedly willing to pay $2 million plus, but got out of the running once they heard TNT was offering around $5 million.

The NHL and Turner agreed to a seven-year deal in April to complete the league's new U.S. broadcasting rights arrangement beginning next season. The Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN, inked a seven-year contract of its own with the NHL in March. The latter deal will make ESPN the league's primary American-based broadcast partner.

Time will tell if the TNT broadcast will be good, or will it crank up the greatness...