Report: Gretzky signs deal to grow game of hockey in China

Great Wall, meet Great One.

Wayne Gretzky signed a lucrative deal with "hockey powers in China," TSN's Darren Dreger reports.

Gretzky's name and brand will appear on hundreds of arenas being built across the country, and the hockey luminary will be heavily involved in the development of academies and camps in China as well as an equipment line.

The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing, and while it's unclear whether NHL players will participate, both the league and the Canadian Women's Hockey League have taken significant steps to grow the game in China.

Gretzky has gotten involved in many business ventures over the years, including acquiring ownership stakes in the then-Phoenix Coyotes and the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, owning an eponymous restaurant in downtown Toronto, and opening a winery and distillery in the Niagara region of Ontario.

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