Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio have no known direct personal or business relationship. Gretzky is the NHL’s all-time points leader and a Hockey Hall of Fame player. Patricio is a Portuguese executive who served as Kraft Heinz CEO from 2019 to 2023 and left its board in May 2026.
The only verified overlap is indirect, through Kraft Hockeyville, a hockey program run by Kraft Heinz Canada with the NHL and the NHLPA, which names neither man. Below you will find what is confirmed, what is not, and the dates behind each claim.
Quick Answer
- Direct connection: None verified. We found no interview, advertisement, deal, event or filing that names both men together.
- Indirect connection: Kraft Heinz Canada, part of the company Patricio once led, runs Kraft Hockeyville with the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association.
- Why the names appear together: Search tools pair popular names, and many pages repeat the same unanswered question without checking it.
- Latest verified updates: Patricio left the Kraft Heinz board in May 2026. Gretzky signed a multi-year extension as a TNT studio analyst in October 2025.
Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio at a Glance
| Detail | Wayne Gretzky | Miguel Patricio |
| Known for | NHL legend nicknamed The Great One | Consumer goods marketing and corporate leadership |
| Nationality | Canadian, born in Brantford, Ontario | Portuguese |
| Birth | January 26, 1961 | 1966 or 1967 according to public profiles |
| Main career | NHL player from 1979 to 1999 | AB InBev marketing chief, then Kraft Heinz CEO |
| Biggest title | Four time Stanley Cup champion | Kraft Heinz CEO from 2019 to 2023 |
| Latest verified update | Multiyear TNT extension in October 2025 | Left the Kraft Heinz board in May 2026 |
Think of the two careers as parallel lines that meet only at the word hockey, and only through a company program.
Must Read This: Howard Schultz and George Soros: Is There a Connection? 2026
What Is Verified and What Is Not
Many articles about these two names blur fact and guesswork. This table separates them. “Not found” means we checked official sources and found nothing, which is different from proof that something never happened.
| Claim | Status | Where it comes from |
| Gretzky is the NHL’s all time points leader with 2,857 | Verified | NHL and Hockey Hall of Fame records |
| Ovechkin passed Gretzky’s goals record on April 6, 2025 | Verified | AP and NHL coverage |
| Patricio was Kraft Heinz CEO from 2019 to 2023 | Verified | Kraft Heinz announcements and board biography |
| Patricio left the Kraft Heinz board in May 2026 | Verified | 2026 proxy statement and annual meeting results filing |
| Kraft Heinz Canada runs Kraft Hockeyville with the NHL and NHLPA | Verified | Company and NHL releases |
| Patricio was the CEO or chairman of AB InBev | Incorrect | He was AB InBev’s chief marketing officer |
| Gretzky and Patricio worked together | Not found | No source names both |
| They appeared in an ad or event together | Not found | No source names both |
| They are business partners | Not found | No source names both |
Who Is Wayne Gretzky?
Wayne Gretzky is a retired Canadian hockey player nicknamed The Great One, widely regarded as the greatest to play in the NHL. He holds the league records for career points and assists, and he is the only player whose jersey number, 99, is retired across the entire NHL.
Early Life and the Backyard Rink
Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario. His father, Walter, built a backyard rink that the family nicknamed the Wally Coliseum, and he taught Wayne and his brothers the game there.
At age six, Wayne played with ten-year-olds, and he tucked his oversized sweater into his pants on the right side, a habit he kept for his whole NHL career. Walter’s best-known lesson was to skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been. Walter Gretzky died on March 4, 2021.
NHL Career, Teams and Records
Gretzky played 20 NHL seasons, from 1979 to 1999, for four teams. He starred for the Edmonton Oilers, was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in a deal announced on August 9, 1988, moved to the St. Louis Blues on February 27, 1996, and signed with the New York Rangers on July 21, 1996.
| Career measure | Total |
| Regular season games | 1,487 |
| Goals | 894 |
| Assists | 1,963 |
| Points | 2,857 |
| Playoff games | 208 |
| Playoff points | 382 (122 goals and 260 assists) |
| Seasons with 100 or more points | 15 |
| Stanley Cups | 4 with Edmonton (1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988) |
| Hart Trophies (league MVP) | 9 |
| Art Ross Trophies (scoring leader) | 10 |
| Conn Smythe Trophies (playoff MVP) | 2 |
| NHL records held at retirement | 61 |
Those numbers explain why his points total still looks unreal. By the time he retired, he had more career assists than any other player had points. In Los Angeles, he led the Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, and he is credited with popularizing hockey in California.
Retirement and Life After Hockey
Gretzky retired on April 18, 1999, after the Rangers lost 2 to 1 in overtime to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 22, 1999, with the usual three-year waiting period waived.
Later, he was executive director of Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2002 Olympics, the team that won Canada’s first Olympic hockey gold in 50 years, and he coached the Phoenix Coyotes from 2005 to 2009.
When Ovechkin Broke the Goals Record
On April 6, 2025, Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena, passing Gretzky’s 894. It was Ovechkin’s 1,487th game, the same number of games Gretzky played in his whole career.
Gretzky was in the building and shook Ovechkin’s hand on the ice. The record no longer belongs to Gretzky, but he still owns the career points record (2,857), the career assists record (1,963) and the career playoff goals record (122).
Wayne Gretzky in 2026
Gretzky joined Turner Sports as an NHL studio analyst ahead of the 2021 to 2022 season, and he signed a multiyear extension with TNT in early October 2025. In February 2026, he was in Milan for the Winter Olympics. He watched Canada’s semifinal against Finland on February 20 alongside Mark Messier, and reports placed Tom Brady in the same suite.
Canada came back from two goals down to win that game in overtime. Two days later, the United States beat Canada in overtime in the gold medal game. Gretzky played for Canada at the 1998 Olympics, where the team finished fourth, and he never won an Olympic medal as a player.
His relationship with Canadian fans also made headlines. In November 2025, on the 100% Hockey podcast, he said he is a Canadian citizen for life and that he never became an American citizen, according to CTV News.
Must Read This: Florence Pugh and Igor Olenicoff: Real Link or Rumor? (2026)
Who Is Miguel Patricio?
Miguel Patricio is a Portuguese business executive best known for leading Kraft Heinz as CEO and later as board chair. Before that, he spent two decades building beer brands at AB InBev and its predecessor in Brazil.
Early Career: Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola and Philip Morris
Kraft Heinz’s board biography traces his path in marketing. He was a global marketing director at Johnson & Johnson from 1989 to 1995, then a global marketing director at The Coca-Cola Company from 1996 to 1997. From 1997 to 1999, he was vice president of marketing at Philip Morris International.
Years at AB InBev and Ambev
In 1999, he became chief marketing officer of Companhia de Bebidas das Americas, the Brazilian brewer known as Ambev and a predecessor of AB InBev, a role he held until 2004. At AB InBev, he held zone president and marketing leadership roles from 2005 to 2012, then served as chief marketing officer from 2012 to December 2018.
In early 2019, he moved to a role leading special global marketing projects before leaving for Kraft Heinz. This is where some websites go wrong: he was never AB InBev’s CEO or chairman.
Kraft Heinz CEO From 2019 to 2023
Kraft Heinz announced Patricio as its next CEO in April 2019, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2019, when he succeeded Bernardo Hees. At the time, he described some of the company’s brands as dusty and in need of rejuvenation. He led the company until the end of 2023, and on January 1, 2024, Carlos Abrams Rivera took over as CEO.
Chair and Executive Chair
In 2022, the board named Patricio chair while he remained CEO, after Alexandre Behring retired from the role. When he handed over the CEO job in 2024, he became non-executive chair. By 2025, he was serving as executive chair, helping oversee the planned separation of Kraft Heinz into two companies.
On December 15, 2025, Kraft Heinz announced Steve Cahillane as CEO, and Patricio stepped down as executive chair effective December 31, 2025. John T. Cahill became chair on January 1, 2026, and said Patricio could now focus on his other commitments.
Miguel Patricio in 2026
Cahillane took over as CEO on January 1, 2026. On February 11, 2026, the board decided to pause the separation work and put $600 million into the business instead. At the annual meeting on May 14, 2026, shareholders elected ten directors.
Patricio had told the company he would not stand for reelection, and he was not among them, so his time on the board ended there. Kraft Heinz’s board letter publicly thanked him for his service as CEO, director and executive chair. If you follow the company, its investor calendar lists third-quarter results on November 4, 2026, and an Investor Day on November 12, 2026.
How Kraft Heinz Connects to Hockey
What Kraft Hockeyville Is
Kraft Hockeyville is a Canadian contest that began in 2006, when Salmon River, Nova Scotia, became its first winner. Communities compete for money to upgrade their rinks and a chance to host an NHL preseason game. Kraft Heinz Canada runs it together with the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association.
Kraft Hockeyville 2026
The 2026 edition marked the program’s 20th anniversary. Thirteen provincial and territorial winners were announced on March 14, 2026, for the first time, and the top two finalists, Taber, Alberta, and Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, were named on March 21.
After a national vote, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced on April 4, 2026, during Hockey Night in Canada, that Taber had won. Taber received $250,000 for rink upgrades and the chance to host a preseason game in 2027, while Tumbler Ridge received $100,000.
Total prizing passed $1 million, the largest in the program’s history. The Canadian Press reported that Taber had lost its only two ice rinks after a Zamboni explosion, which is why the win mattered locally.
Why This Is a Company Link, Not a Personal One
Read who is actually named in those announcements: Gary Bettman, Ron MacLean, and Kraft Heinz Canada leaders such as Simon Laroche, its president, and Kelly Fleming, its chief marketing officer. Neither Gretzky nor Patricio appears. The program also began in 2006, years before Patricio joined Kraft Heinz in 2019, so he did not create it. A sponsor backing a sport does not mean its executives met the sport’s stars.
Timeline of Key Dates
| Date | What happened |
| August 9, 1988 | Gretzky’s trade to the Los Angeles Kings is announced |
| April 18, 1999 | Gretzky retires from the NHL |
| November 22, 1999 | Gretzky is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame |
| 2006 | Kraft Hockeyville begins in Canada |
| 2012 to 2018 | Patricio serves as chief marketing officer of AB InBev |
| July 1, 2019 | Patricio becomes Kraft Heinz CEO |
| 2021 | Gretzky joins Turner Sports as an NHL studio analyst |
| May 2022 | Patricio becomes Kraft Heinz chair |
| January 1, 2024 | Carlos Abrams Rivera becomes CEO and Patricio becomes nonexecutive chair |
| April 6, 2025 | Ovechkin breaks Gretzky’s goals record |
| October 2025 | Gretzky signs a multiyear extension with TNT |
| December 31, 2025 | Patricio steps down as executive chair |
| January 1, 2026 | Steve Cahillane becomes CEO and John T. Cahill becomes chair |
| February 11, 2026 | Kraft Heinz pauses its planned separation |
| February 20 to 22, 2026 | Gretzky attends Olympic hockey games in Milan |
| April 4, 2026 | Taber is named Kraft Hockeyville 2026 winner |
| May 14, 2026 | Kraft Heinz annual meeting elects ten directors without Patricio |
Did Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio Ever Work Together?
We found no record that they did. No shared advertisement, charity event, board seat, interview or filing names both men. That does not prove they never met, because two famous people can share a room without leaving a paper trail. It simply means anyone claiming a partnership needs to show a source.
If you see a claim like that, run three quick checks. First, look for both names in the same official document, such as a company release, league page or SEC filing. Second, compare the dates, because a program from 2006 cannot involve an executive who arrived in 2019. Third, ask whether the source is the company, the league or a regulator or just another website repeating a search suggestion.
You Should Also Read This: Masayoshi Son and Greg Hayes: Careers, Deals and Latest News
Common Mistakes About Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio
- Calling Patricio the CEO or chairman of AB InBev. He was its chief marketing officer. His CEO and chair roles were at Kraft Heinz.
- Describing the two men as business partners. No source supports that.
- Saying Patricio still runs Kraft Heinz or sits on its board. He left the CEO role at the end of 2023 and the board in May 2026.
- Saying Gretzky holds the NHL goals record. Ovechkin has held it since April 6, 2025.
- Crediting Patricio with starting Kraft Hockeyville. It began in 2006.
- Quoting a net worth with no source.
Net Worth: What Can and Cannot Be Verified
No official source publishes a verified net worth for either man. Figures published online vary and mostly rest on estimates. For Patricio, SEC filings are the real record, since they list the Kraft Heinz shares he holds and any stock sales. A share count is not a net worth, though, because it ignores everything else a person owns. Until a reliable disclosure appears, treat any dollar figure as a guess.
Why Do These Two Names Appear Together in Search?
Search engines suggest pairs when many people type two names in one query, and content sites then publish an article for each pair whether or not a story exists. Some of those pages invent a link, and others admit there is none.
The only honest bridge between these two names is Kraft Heinz and hockey, and that bridge is a company program, not a friendship. If you landed here after seeing the pair suggested somewhere, the short version is that the suggestion reflects search habits, not a documented relationship.
How Their Careers Differ
| Measure | Wayne Gretzky | Miguel Patricio |
| Field | Professional sport | Consumer goods marketing and management |
| Success measured by | Goals, points and championships | Brand growth, company results and board decisions |
| Peak public role | NHL star, then TNT analyst | Kraft Heinz CEO and chair |
| Link to Kraft Hockeyville | None found | Led the parent company from 2019 to 2023 |
Conclusion
Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio built two very different careers, one on the ice and one in boardrooms, and no verified source shows they worked together. The only real link is indirect, through Kraft Hockeyville and the company Patricio once led.
Check dates, names and primary sources before repeating a claim and use this page as a reference for the facts that are actually confirmed.
FAQ’s
Are Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio connected?
Not directly, based on the sources we checked. The only link is indirect: Kraft Heinz Canada runs Kraft Hockeyville with the NHL and NHLPA, and Patricio led Kraft Heinz from 2019 to 2023.
Did Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio work together?
No source shows that they did. No joint campaign, event, board role or filing names both men.
Who is Miguel Patricio?
He is a Portuguese executive who was chief marketing officer of AB InBev from 2012 to 2018 and CEO of Kraft Heinz from 2019 to 2023. He later served as chair and executive chair of Kraft Heinz.
Is Miguel Patricio still the CEO of Kraft Heinz?
No. He stepped down as CEO at the end of 2023, left the executive chair role on December 31, 2025, and was not on the slate of directors elected on May 14, 2026.
Who is the current Kraft Heinz CEO?
Steve Cahillane has been CEO since January 1, 2026, and John T. Cahill has been chair since the same date.
Does Wayne Gretzky still hold the NHL goals record?
No. Alex Ovechkin broke it on April 6, 2025, with his 895th goal. Gretzky finished with 894 goals but still holds the records for career points and assists.
Who won Kraft Hockeyville 2026?
Taber, Alberta, won on April 4, 2026. The town received $250,000 for rink upgrades and the chance to host an NHL preseason game.
What is Wayne Gretzky doing in 2026?
He works as a studio analyst for TNT’s NHL coverage after signing a multi-year extension in October 2025, and he attended Olympic hockey games in Milan in February 2026.
What was Miguel Patricio’s role at AB InBev?
He was chief marketing officer from 2012 to December 2018, after earlier zone president and marketing roles there.
What is Miguel Patricio’s net worth?
No verified figure is published by an official source. His SEC filings show share holdings, but they do not equal net worth.
I’m Elyon Marwood, the voice behind BlessWithUs. Writing has always been more than just words for me; it’s a way to share faith, spread hope, and bring light into someone’s day. Through heartfelt blessings, meaningful prayers, and uplifting messages, I create moments that help you slow down, feel at peace, and reconnect with what truly matters. Every piece I write carries a purpose to comfort your heart, strengthen your faith, and remind you that even in the quietest moments, you are deeply guided, loved, and blessed.
