Gretzky's grandmother dies at 84
BRANTFORD, Ontario -- Wayne Gretzky is mourning the death of his grandmother, three weeks after the hockey great's mother died.
Betty Hockin, the grandmother of the Phoenix Coyotes coach, died Saturday at 84 in a hospital in Brantford after being stricken with a heart attack last month.
The funeral home, the Beckett-Glaves Family Center in Brantford, listed her death on its Web site Monday.
Hockin entered the hospital one day before daughter Phyllis Gretzky was admitted for deteriorating health from lung cancer. Hockin was released from the hospital to attend her daughter's funeral Dec. 22.
Wayne Gretzky took a 10-day leave of absence from the Coyotes to be with his mother, who died of lung cancer Dec. 19 in Brantford.
Hockin, who had 21 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren, is survived by sister Eileen Lockley and sisters-in-law Clara Cook and Elaine Van Bradt.
The funeral is scheduled for Wednesday in Brantford.
Blue Jackets moves
The Columbus Blue Jackets reassigned defenseman Jamie Pushor and forwards Peter Sarno and Ben Simon to Syracuse of the AHL yesterday. Pushor had an assist in one game with the Blue Jackets. He has two goals and nine assists in 33 games for the Crunch. Sarno played in one game for Columbus, and has nine goals and six assists in 13 games for Syracuse. Simon has 10 goals and 10 assists in 31 games for the Crunch, and played five games for the Blue Jackets.
Coyotes recall forward
The Phoenix Coyotes recalled left wing Steve Gainey from San Antonio of the AHL yesterday. Gainey will join the Coyotes tonight before their game in Ottawa. The 26-year-old forward, signed as a free agent on Nov. 4 while playing with San Antonio, had one assist in 11 NHL games during two previous call-ups this season. He was San Antonio's top scorer, with seven goals and 15 assists in 28 games.
Predators sign top pick
The Nashville Predators signed 2004 draft pick Alexander Radulov to an NHL contract yesterday. The 19-year-old Radulov had 76 points in 33 games for the Quebec Remparts, third-best in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He had six goals in one game on Oct. 28. Radulov recently earned a silver medal with Russia at the World Junior Championship tournament. He had four points in six games. The right wing was the Predators' first-round pick and 15th overall in 2004.
Ruutu out indefinitely
Blackhawks center Tuomo Ruutu had surgery yesterday for a severed tendon in his right ankle, and the team said he will be sidelined indefinitely. He was carried off the ice after catching his skate in the base of the net during the second period of Sunday night's 5-1 loss to Nashville, the 10th straight for Chicago. The losing streak is the Blackhawks' longest since a team-record 12-game slide at the end of the 1950-51 season. Ruutu, a 22-year-old Finn, has two goals and two assists in 11 games this season, his second in the NHL.
