Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky CCis a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey Leaguefor four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "The Great One", he has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters, players, and the NHL itself. He is the leading scorer in NHL history, with more goals and more assists than any other player. He scored more assists than any other player scored total points,...
NationalityCanadian
ProfessionHockey Player
Date of Birth26 January 1961
CityBrantford, Canada
CountryCanada
Sometimes people ask, 'Are hockey fights real?' I say, 'If they weren't, I'd get in more of them.
When people come up to me and say, "I was at your Game 7 in the playoffs in Toronto," or, "I saw your first goal in the NHL," that triggers memories. But I don't sit around my kitchen table and tell my kids, "You know, one year I got 92 goals."
He brings something special. I don't know what it is, but if you ask him, you couldn't understand his answer.
I wasn't naturally gifted in terms of size and speed; everything I did in hockey I worked for, and that's the way I'll be as a coach.
And people who know me would tell you that away from hockey I'm really not that competitive.
I really wanted to write a book [99: Stories of the Game ] on the tradition and history of the league, where kids can pick it up and read it and learn things and say, "Geez, I didn't know that. That's pretty cool."
I'm very proud of our NHL players. I think they all handle themselves extremely well and they all work really hard.
It's an honour and a thrill and a privilege just to play in the NHL.
My kids are no different than anyone else's - they tend to disagree with everything I say!
Lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time. There's nothing like it. It's the greatest story. In my era, they used to say you couldn't be a superstar without winning one. I remember thinking when I lifted it: "Now they can't say that about me."
I just like to keep my money in the bank; I'm not a big risk-taker. I don't know anything about the stock market... I stay away from things I don't know anything about.
I knew at a young age, whether I was playing baseball or hockey or lacrosse, that my teammates were counting on me, whether it be to strike the last batter out in a baseball game or score a big goal in a hockey game.
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
I grew up such a fan. It was my life. Everything I did was hockey related and everything I have is because of hockey and the NHL.