from the CP at Sportsnet,

Walter Gretzky, the ultimate Canadian hockey dad who taught and nurtured the Great One, has died. He was 82.

The father of Wayne Gretzky became a name himself, a constant in Wayne's world. As Wayne's star ascended, Walter remained a blue-collar symbol of a devoted hockey parent in a country filled with them.

Wayne Gretzky confirmed his father's death on Thursday night with a social media post.

``It's with deep sadness that Janet and I share the news of the passing of my dad,'' said Wayne. ``He bravely battled Parkinson's and other health issues these last few years, but he never let it get him down.

``For me, he was the reason I fell in love with the game of hockey. He inspired me to be the best I could be not just in the game of hockey, but in life.''

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