THE NHL : Gretzky Passes Up Disneyland’s $100,000

Wayne Gretzky could have made $100,000 for saying, “I’m going to Disneyland!” in the moments after he broke Gordie Howe’s National Hockey League scoring record. But he didn’t say it.

He did, however, go to Disneyland. On Tuesday, Gretzky and his wife, Janet, and their daughter, Paulina, arrived aboard team owner Bruce McNall’s helicopter and were honored with a parade down Main Street followed by a ceremony on the steps of Town Square.

Gretzky is now an honorary citizen of Disneyland. So, obviously, there are no hard feelings about his refusal to do the Disney commercial.

According to Gretzky’s representative, Michael Barnett, the commercial would have been made if the point that gave Gretzky the record had been scored in overtime--thereby ending the game. But when the point was scored with regulation time left and an overtime to be played, Gretzky did not feel it would be right to do a commercial in the midst of a game, even though it could have been shot while NHL officials were setting up for the brief ceremony.

Gretzky didn’t want any distractions with the teams still playing a game.

The strength of the Disney commercials is the on-the-spot, live shot, as a player leaves the field after a Super Bowl victory or a Stanley Cup victory or whatever. They never stage the shot later.

Therefore, impasse. No commercial.

So Gretzky went to Disneyland. He simply didn’t get $100,000 in spending money.

Gretzky did not want his record performance turning into a money-grubbing endeavor of any sort, for anyone’s personal gain. He made sure that every item involved in his record-setting run was carefully controlled.

All of the pucks used in his last 14 points--from the start of the season to the record--went to the Hall of Fame. The sweater he wore Oct. 15 at Edmonton went to the Hall of Fame. The stick he used to break the record will end up in the Hall of Fame.

Gretzky used a different stick on every shift of the record-setting game. His father, Walter, took charge of the sticks, which will have numbered brass plaques attached to verify their authenticity and will be signed by Gretzky, before being given to charities for fund-raising purposes.

Barnett said that both he and Walter Gretzky have already received more than 30 requests from charitable organizations for the 11 available sticks.

Even the helmets--one from each period--will have plaques attached and go to charity.

Gloves, skates and pants will end up in the Hall of Fame.

A photograph of Gretzky in a King uniform and Howe, in a Detroit Red Wing uniform, was taken last week at the Kings’ practice rink in Culver City. The picture shows the two in a dream-like, misty setting. There will be 99 prints made, numbered, signed by Gretzky and Howe, and sold with proceeds going to charity.

The NHL’s marketing department is to handle the manufacture and sale of souvenir pucks, T-shirts and pennants, but Gretzky has also directed that profits from those sales must go to charities.

Gretzky and Howe will, however, profit from some advertising campaigns that are based on the record, including a Coca-Cola commercial and an American Express ad.

But neither is selling memorabilia a la Pete Rose. (As Globe and Mail columnist Al Strachan commented: “A sordid example of capitalism’s worst features.”)

Barnett said that if Gretzky had chosen to market the event to its maximum potential, he could have made more than $1 million.

Philadelphia goalie Ron Hextall, who had been holding out/sitting out, is practicing with the team again and could be back in action for the Flyers’ Nov. 4 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hextall was suspended from the first 12 games of the season by the NHL for his attack on Chris Chelios in a playoff game last season. But he was, at the same time, saying that he was a holdout, that his contract with the team was “invalid.” He held a press conference on Sept. 8 to say that he would be holding out until his contract was renegotiated.

Although the team has not announced a new deal, apparently the team and Hextall have “agreed to agree” on something, because he is back on the ice and not saying a word about an invalid contract.

Helmut Balderis, 37, a Soviet player on the Minnesota North Stars’ roster, was asked if he can play as well as Gretzky. Through an interpreter, Balderis said: “Not exactly. He is younger, but if the other defensemen are going to be as gentle against me as they have been against him, then I’ll be pretty close to Gretzky’s caliber.”

St. Louis Blues goalie Greg Millen, recalling the days when he was Wayne Gretzky’s teammate at Sault Ste. Marie in the Ontario Hockey Assn., said he was struggling at the time, having been demoted from the Pittsburgh Penguins’ International Hockey League affiliate at Kalamazoo, Mich. Gretzky was an up-and-coming star who was “setting the league on fire, filling every building we played in.” Millen said: “His presence put a little spark back in the game for me. His enthusiasm was tremendous . . .I don’t think people realize how much he has done and how much he’s put into our sport. All fans should really appreciate Gretzky because I firmly believe that people may never get the opportunity to see an athlete of his caliber in any sport.”

One day after Millen’s comments appeared in the local newspaper, Gretzky scored against his old buddy.

Hockey Notes

Kitty Kelly, one of the stars of the Ice Capades, which will open at the Forum Friday, is the daughter of Red Kelly, the first coach of the Kings . . . The Software Publishers Assn. has voted “Wayne Gretzky Hockey” the best sports simulation game for personal computers . . . Bob Probert’s deportation hearing is scheduled for Thursday. If all goes well for the player there, and at an NHL hearing in a few months, the Red Wings will welcome him back to the team. Steve Yzerman has come out in support of Probert, and word from Detroit is that the Wings would rather keep him than trade him.

Although Vladimir Krutov had to return to the Soviet Union Saturday to take care of the “paperwork” involved in getting his release from the army and visas for his family, the Canucks seem confident that he will be back in Vancouver soon . . . Edmonton goalie Grant Fuhr, coming back after an emergency appendectomy Sept. 14, dressed for last Friday night’s game against Boston and was available as the backup for Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets before being sent down to the Oilers’ American Hockey League team at Cape Breton in Nova Scotia for conditioning. Fuhr was scheduled to start for Cape Breton against Halifax Tuesday night and again Friday against Hershey before rejoining the Oilers at Montreal Sunday.

The New York Rangers’ 7-1-1 start (the best in the league) is their best since a 9-1 start in 1983-84 . . . The Rangers don’t wear numbers on their helmets now because Coach Roger Neilson wants to make it tough for scouts watching his pregame skate. The Rangers practice in jerseys with wrong numbers . . . Right wing Randy Wood of the New York Islanders was suspended for four games by the NHL for hitting Minnesota’s Curt Giles with his stick during a game last week.