Hockey star Wayne Gretzky joins Roots

15 Feb '06

2 min read

Hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky has joined the Roots Athletics team, Team Roots, this week just before leaving for Torino when he met with Roots Co-founders Michael Budman and Don Green in Toronto at Gretzky's Restaurant to launch the first stage in major four-year collaboration.

Gretzky, who is a longtime friend of Roots, is the focus of a new apparel collection created in his honour that will hit Roots stores coast to coast this weekend. It is being launched now to support Hockey Canada and Canada's national hockey teams as they begin competing at the Winter Olympics in Torino.

The Roots Wayne Gretzky Collection consists of custom-designed jackets, sweatshirts, T-shirts, toques, and hats. Made entirely in Canada, the apparel is predominantly in black with a gold trim and features a special crest and graphics. The gold trim refers to the gold on the Canadian hockey team's jerseys. Led by Gretzky, the team won the Gold Medal in 2002 at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

The graphics in the Collection were inspired by several sources including the Team Canada jersey from the 1956 Olympics in Cortina, the last time the Winter Olympics took place in Italy; the Torino city logo; and the Alps.

Roots will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of Collection items to the Wayne Gretzky Foundation, which provides less fortunate youth with the opportunity to experience the sport of hockey.

Roots Co-founder Michael Budman said, “Wayne is a natural leader of the Roots athletics team, Team Roots, and a great ambassador for our company.”

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