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
Look at guys like Larry Bird and George Brett and John McEnroe; that's what they did in their careers. They all wanted to be the guy under the microscope late in the game or late in the match. So you just take on that know-how that that's part of your responsibility, and you learn that's what makes it exciting. That's what makes it fun!
Hullie's a lot like a garbage can. You step on the pedal with your foot and the top opens up.
People talk about skating, puck handling and shooting, but the whole sport is angles and caroms, forgetting the straight direction the puck is going, calculating where it will be directed, factoring in all the interruptions. Basically, my whole game is angles.
Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull and Jean Béliveau probably looked at us in the '80s and said, "These guys are soft. We used to take the train."
I heard people say, 'Why would he want to do this?' My answer is 'Why not?' It is what I love. It's what I know.
If I had to pick three players to start a franchise, I'd choose Hasek, Peter Forsberg and Eric Lindros.
At the end of the day everybody lost. We almost crippled our industry. It was very disappointing what happened.
When emotions are high, things are said, things are done. Ultimately, these players want to play. I know too many of them love the game too much.
Eight days ago, we were the toast of the town. Eight days later we're Thanksgiving turkeys.
Good players skate to the puck. Great players skate to where the puck is going to be.
But in my mind, I don't think there's any question Sidney Crosby is the best all-around player in the game. His hockey sense is so strong and so solid, combined with his God-gifted talent of being able to see the ice, see the entire picture in front of him. And, most importantly, I don't care how good you are, if you don't have a work ethic, it doesn't matter. There's no question that each and every game, he's one of the hardest-working guys on the ice. In my mind, he's the best player in the game today.
You miss 100 percent of the selfies you never make.
I love everything about hockey.
Most players go where the puck is. I go where the puck will be.