Wayne Gretzky | Mixed Views on Modern Hockey

See him and Steve Yzerman in 1983 on the same rink at Joe Louis Arena when I was 9 years old was the highlight of my life.

Modern hockey is over coached and lacks creativity. This is what Gretzky is saying and i have heard it from Ovechkin. They are absolutely right.

He’s a good man, speaks from the heart. Imagine being the greatest in the world in a sport for over 20 years and still being healthy mentally and physically enough to appreciate all the success with his family. 👌🍻

Greatest ambassador to hockey. Speaks truthfully about different hockey eras, their upsides and downsides. It's an absolute pleasure to watch any of his interviews. Thank you Great One

I'm a southern boy from Texas... I can't help but admire the way Canada loves hockey... It's so embedded in the culture like Gretzky said. Over the last 20 plus years I have become such a fan. Yes I know.. You Canadians have forgotten more than I'll ever know about hockey lol... I still love it !!!

Wayne is so well-spoken.

99 is one of the few people that can say today's NHL stars lack creativity and get away with it.

What a smart and real guy. It's clear he came from humble beginnings and understands the realities of life in a broader context. Strange thing is, that I remember Wayne as a player, but never really heard him speak before. To my Czech ear, Wayne sounds a lot like the late Ivan Hlinka, who was very similar in his life story, natural wisdom in spades, a sharp, critical eye to observe the reality around him and a remarkable ability to comment on it in plain language. This natural, realistic shrewdness explains a lot of Gretzky's phenomenal success as a player. He wasn't the biggest guy, he wasn't the fastest skater, or the hardest shooter. But he was the best player. And all of the difference was in the head.

I love Wayne Gretzky. He brings tears of joy to my eyes. I count myself so fortunate that I got to grow up watching him play since 1980 and all the great memories he is part of in my life. If I ever met him I’d probably break down crying over the experience. And I don’t cry for almost anything but dead loved ones. The NHL makes me sad nowadays. It’s corporate and lacking in the passion and love that existed before 2000. Bettman is the great destroyer of the NHL.

Gretzky's trade from Edmonton changed how hockey was viewed by cities outside the snow belt. Without this trade, most of the teams south of St. Louis would not exist today (or would have been established until many years later).

Can we make him Commissioner already?

I remember back in the 70's and 80's ;playing outdoors from 8am til 12 noon then wolf down lunch, go back to the rink and play til 5pm ,then wolf down supper and back to the rink til lights out at 11 pm.We had a 9pm curfew but when we were at the rink the police did not enforce the curfew.Today when I pass an outdoor rink on a weekend it is empty.

All class, all the time. We can argue about who was the best of all time--Orr, Howe, Gretzky...and if you're French Canadian, Maurice Richard--but there's never been a better ambassador for the game than the Great One.

Seems like Gretzky wants to have more community hockey in Canada, totally agree with him

I still love watching his interviews; seems so open, introspective, honest and humble

The cost is what stopped me dead in my tracks. Tried out for my high school hockey team with borrowed goalie equipment, coach liked what he saw and offered me a spot. My parents then found out what is was going to cost for equipment, ice time, and other fees and they said there is no one way we can afford this and that was the end of my dreams. That all happened for me in the 80’s; I can only imagine what parents have to go through in today’s world to afford everything.

I can listen to Wayne talk all day.

This absolute treasure of a human is so humble about his accomplishments, it actually brings tears to my eyes. You made me cry Wayne! Damn.

I was finally able to get into playing ice hockey at 23 because I could finally afford it. After playing ball hockey since I was 4, it was a nice change to play real hockey for once.

Wayne is amazing. Great interview.