Gretzky regularly chirps his brother for this Edmonton Oilers draft miss
Wayne Gretzky is not letting his Edmonton Oilers executive brother off the hook for a drafting blunder made four years ago.
The Great One was in attendance for last weekend’s Dallas Stars victory over the Winnipeg Jets, which propelled them into the Western Conference Final. In the aftermath of the big win, Gretzky made an appearance in the Stars’ dressing room, where he congratulated the players and talked to each of them personally.
One of the players who yielded some of the most interesting conversation was Wyatt Johnston, whom the Oilers passed on during the 2021 NHL Draft. Gretzky’s brother, Keith, was, and still is, an assistant GM with the Oilers during that draft.
“You’re such a good player,” Gretzky told Johnston. “I always tell my brother, he didn’t draft you, they picked another guy before you and I always give him sh*t.”
In the 2021 NHL Draft, the Oilers held the 22nd pick, and selected Xavier Bourgault. The Stars selected Wyatt Johnston with the next pick.
Wayne Gretzky told Johnston he “gives his brother sh—t” for not taking Johnston 😂 pic.twitter.com/rSBERFBotp
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 20, 2025
Johnston was selected 23rd overall by the Stars back in 2021, which was exactly one pick after the Oilers opted for Xavier Bourgault with the 22nd overall pick. While Johnston has become one of the most successful players of his draft class, Bourgault hasn’t appeared in a single NHL game yet.
If Bourgault does, it won’t even be with the Oilers, as he was traded to the Ottawa Senators organization last summer in exchange for Roby Jarventie, who recently left Edmonton for Finland.
Johnston leads all players drafted in 2021 with 177 points in 246 NHL games, which is 31 points ahead of second-overall pick Matty Beniers of the Seattle Kraken.
It is no doubt an egregious draft miss from the Oilers, who would look that much more dangerous with a young sniper like Johnston in their ranks. It is unknown, however, how much the blunder can be attributed to Keith Gretzky, whose primary responsibility with the Oilers is with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
The people most likely in charge of that draft selection are Tyler Wright, the Oilers’ director of amateur scouting at the time, and Ken Holland, who was in the GM’s chair.
No matter who is at fault, the Oilers will be looking to make sure Johnston doesn’t make them pay in their upcoming Western Conference Final series.