Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio: What Connects Them (2026)

Last updated: October 11, 2026

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If you’ve searched for “Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio” together, you’re probably wondering what connects a hockey legend with a Portuguese food-industry executive. The short answer: nothing personal at all. These two men are not partners, not collaborators, and not even acquaintances on the public record — they simply share the distinction of being highly successful in very different worlds. Here’s the full, verified story of who they each are, what they’re up to in 2026, and why their names sometimes land in the same search results.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio are not in a relationship of any kind. They have never worked together, dated, or publicly acknowledged any connection. Gretzky — widely regarded as the greatest ice hockey player of all time — has been married to actress Janet Jones since 1988, while Patricio — a Portuguese businessman and former CEO of Kraft Heinz — is married to Jill Patricio, with whom he has three children. The two simply come from completely different spheres: one from professional sports, the other from global corporate leadership.

Illustration for Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio

Who Are Miguel Patricio and Wayne Gretzky?

Wayne Gretzky, nicknamed “The Great One,” is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 20 seasons in the NHL from 1979 to 1999 and remains the league’s all-time leading scorer with 2,857 career points. He led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships in the 1980s and, at retirement, held 61 NHL records. Since his playing days, he has worked as a coach, executive, and — most recently — as a studio analyst for NHL on TNT.

Miguel Patricio is a Portuguese businessman best known for serving as the chief executive officer of The Kraft Heinz Company, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. Born in Portugal in the mid-1960s, he built his career in consumer marketing — spending two decades at Anheuser-Busch InBev, where he rose to global chief marketing officer — before taking the top job at Kraft Heinz in July 2019. He is married to Jill Patricio, and the couple has three children.

Relationship Timeline

Because there is no relationship between these two men, this section traces the verified milestones that define each man’s public life — so you can see exactly where (and where not) their stories overlap.

  • 1961 — Wayne Gretzky is born on January 26 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
  • 1966/1967 — Miguel Patricio is born in Portugal; he later earns a degree in business administration from FGV EAESP in Brazil (1989).
  • 1979–1999 — Gretzky plays 20 NHL seasons, winning four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and setting scoring records that still stand.
  • 1987–1988 — Gretzky meets actress Janet Jones; after becoming a couple in 1987, he proposes in January 1988, and they marry on July 16, 1988, in a ceremony the Canadian press dubbed “The Royal Wedding.”
  • 1989–2018 — Patricio builds a global marketing career at Philip Morris, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and then for two decades at Anheuser-Busch InBev, where he becomes global CMO in 2012.
  • 1999 — Gretzky retires from professional hockey; the couple’s five children — Paulina, Ty, Trevor, Tristan, and Emma — would eventually make the Gretzkys one of sports’ most recognized families.
  • 2019 — Patricio succeeds Bernardo Hees as CEO of Kraft Heinz, tasked with reviving growth at the packaged-food giant.
  • 2022 — Patricio becomes Chair of the Kraft Heinz board while continuing as CEO; Gretzky’s eldest daughter Paulina marries golfer Dustin Johnson in Tennessee.
  • 2023–2024 — Patricio hands the Kraft Heinz CEO role to Carlos Abrams-Rivera, transitioning to board chair.
  • 2025 — Kraft Heinz announces a plan to split into two independent companies, with Patricio serving as Executive Chair to steer the separation; Gretzky signs a multi-year contract extension as an NHL analyst with TNT Sports.
  • 2026 — Patricio resigns as Executive Chair and continues as a non-employee director while Steve Cahillane takes over as Kraft Heinz CEO; Gretzky remains a fixture on NHL on TNT’s studio panel.

Latest Updates

Wayne Gretzky’s 2026: The Great One is still a major voice in hockey broadcasting. In October 2025 he signed a multi-year extension to continue as a studio analyst for NHL on TNT, alongside colleagues including Paul Bissonnette, Anson Carter, and Henrik Lundqvist. In early October 2026, appearing on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” he praised Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft — for handling enormous expectations with maturity. Around the same time, on NHL on TNT, he drew comparisons between 39-year-old Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and ageless legends Tom Brady and LeBron James, saying Crosby might be playing better now than at 32.

Miguel Patricio’s 2026: Corporate leadership news has been the story for Patricio. In December 2025, Kraft Heinz announced that former Kellanova CEO Steve Cahillane would take over as CEO effective January 1, 2026, while Patricio stepped down as Executive Chair but remained on the board as a non-employee director. The company continues working toward its planned separation into two independent publicly traded companies, expected to close in the second half of 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio dating?
No. There is no romantic relationship, partnership, or documented personal connection between the two men at all. Both are married to other people.

Who is Wayne Gretzky’s wife?
Wayne Gretzky has been married to American actress Janet Jones since July 16, 1988. The couple has five children, including Paulina Gretzky, whose husband is professional golfer Dustin Johnson.

Who is Miguel Patricio’s wife?
Miguel Patricio is married to Jill Patricio, and the couple has three children. Unlike Gretzky, Patricio keeps a low public profile outside of his corporate career.

Why do Wayne Gretzky and Miguel Patricio appear together in searches?
The pairing appears to be a quirk of search-engine curiosity rather than any real-world link. One is among the most famous athletes in history; the other is a respected but far less public corporate executive. Neither has ever mentioned the other in interviews, business dealings, or public appearances.

For more explainers at AllAboutFacts — where facts meet curiosity.

Faizi is a content writer at AllAboutFacts (hotteamnames.com), covering vocabulary, language tips, and everyday explainers.

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