Apr 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Wayne Gretzky speaks during a press conference with Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (not pictured) after the game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin scored the 893rd and 894th goals of his career, tying Gretzky for most all-time goals in NHL history at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Apr 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Wayne Gretzky speaks during a press conference with Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (not pictured) after the game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin scored the 893rd and 894th goals of his career, tying Gretzky for most all-time goals in NHL history at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Quite possibly the greatest NHL player of all time, Wayne Gretzky, is going viral once again, but this time it's off the ice. The Edmonton Oilers legend recently collaborated with social media sensation Zachery Dereniowski to bless a person in need.
Dereniowski posted a video on TikTok on June 5, where he took a random man named Raymond to a Montreal Canadiens game. That was not all the TikTok star did, as there was a list of surprises for Raymond.
One of the biggest ones was when Wayne Gretzky himself showed up, greeted the pair, and even signed the jersey that Dereniowski gave to Raymond. “The One” didn’t stop there. He presented the new car that Dereniowski had bought for Raymond to the unsuspecting stranger, who was at a loss for words.
@mdmotivator “This is the best day of my life” 🥹❤️ #waynegretzky #nhl #hockey #father #dad ♬ original sound - Zachery Dereniowski
With 27.4M TikTok followers, Dereniowski enlisted Gretzky—a legend Raymond never expected to meet—to craft the day of his life
Dereniowski, who has a massive TikTok following of 27.4 million followers, collaborated with Gretzky to give Raymond a day every NHL fan dreams of.
But before Raymond left, Dereniowski had one last surprise for him. He handed him $10,000 in cash.
Meeting Gretzky, a new car, and $10,000 to spare? That’s the type of kindness that made Dereniowski famous. And Gretzky played a vital part in making Raymond’s day better.
Interestingly, this is not Gretzky’s first time in front of a camera.
Wayne Gretzky Commercials That Kept The Fans Entertained
Gretzky, being the face of his franchise and of the league, was not free of commercial commitments. He starred in several advertisements through the years and helped the league find its way into the mainstream.
One of the most famous ones is the "Bo Knows" campaign by Nike to promote their cross-training shoes. The series starred baseball star Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson alongside numerous other famous athletes, including Gretzky.
While Gretzky said only one word - "No" - his delivery made the advertisement an instant classic, leaving viewers laughing.
The NHL legend did another campaign with the pizza company, Domino's. He is seen skating across the ice to deliver a hot pizza to an unsuspecting customer’s door. The customer is shocked to find the iconic player at their door.
One of the best-known ads features Gretzky, who was playing for the New York Rangers at this point, in a puck shooting contest against Swedish ice hockey player Mats Sundin, who was the then captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The premise is such that whoever wins the bout is supposed to buy the other one lunch from McDonald's.
Gretzky has performed these roles to perfection, almost as well as his skills on the ice!
What do you think of Wayne Gretzky's role in Zachery Dereniowski's TikTok video? Let us know in the comments.
