Wayne Gretzky Quotes

When I played in a 21-team league, there were six or seven goalies who were just average, and the equipment and pads were smaller. I came in the right era. I played for the right team. It was all speed, and creativity and imagination.

At the end of the day everybody lost. We almost crippled our industry. It was very disappointing what happened.

I have recall. I don't know why or how. I had a guy once who said he played against me in novice [league, for kids under nine], for the Detroit Lasers. And I said, "Oh yeah, we beat you in the tournament, 8-1 and I think I scored seven goals, and the goalie was left-handed." And he was, "Oh my God. I was the goalie!" .

I get a lot of parents coming up to me, telling me they are grooming their kids to be professional athletes. I'm really against that. I think it's a great life, and yeah, you can lead them in that direction. I think a lot of parents live their lives through the kids. Because they didn't make it, they want their kids to make it. It puts a lot of undue pressure on the kids.

And people who know me would tell you that away from hockey I'm really not that competitive.

As a player, you have one responsibility, to focus yourself and be ready for the game. As a coach, your responsibility is to get 20 guys ready and have them all on the same page. If you can't get every guy ready every night, you're going to struggle.

The only way a kid is going to practise is if it's total fun for him... and it was for me.

My best friend had a hockey scholarship at Ohio State, so I would get a couple of pairs at the beginning of the season and send them down to him. They practised two hours a day. He'd skate in them for three weeks then ship them back.

It's really hard. And it's harder today because of the salary cap. It starts in September at training camp - getting every guy on the same page, being as mentally and physically as focused as you can be. Then in April and May, you basically spend eight weeks practising, watching video and playing games. That's your life.

If we're going to change the game it has to start at eight, nine and 10 years old. When we were that age we'd go to the pond or backyard rink and throw a puck on the ice and play five on five, or seven on seven. You get this creativity and this imagination that comes from within, just having fun on the pond. Now kids are so focused on team play, and the coaches are so focused on positioning. You can't change it at the NHL level.

Nothing can replace the Olympics. I love the Olympics. I was so proud when I played in '98 and I was so proud when we won in 2002.

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

I miss 100% of the shots I don't take.

Only one thing is ever guaranteed, that is that you will definitely not achieve the goal if you don't take the shot.

Most players go where the puck is. I go where the puck will be.

We feel fortunate [with Canada hockey team]. We have got a lot of guys who love to play, but they also love to win even more. We are pretty happy. Although we are young, we like our group of players.

Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy.

I think the Americans are ready to play, they want to beat us. I think that players like Chris Chelios and his leadership over there goes a long way.

The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it.

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.

The 2002 (Olympic) team was a great team, we won the gold medal, they deserved all the accolades that they got. But this team seems to have a little more depth and maybe a little more talent to pick from. So it makes the job of picking the right 23 guys even more difficult.

It's just amazing how many companies suddenly want you to hold up their products after you've held up the Stanley Cup.

It's kind of ironic when I broke in at 17, I was told I was too small, too slow and I wouldn't make the NHL

I'm very proud of our NHL players. I think they all handle themselves extremely well and they all work really hard.

The biggest difference between L.A. and Edmonton was that instead of people looking at me I was looking at them.

A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.

I love everything about hockey.

One hundred percent of shots not taken don't go in.

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.

No matter who you are, we're creatures of habit. The better your habits are, the better they will be in pressure situations.

You know, I've held women and babies and jewels and money, but nothing will ever feel as good as holding that Cup.

I played everything. I played lacrosse, baseball, hockey, soccer, track and field. I was a big believer that you played hockey in the winter and when the season was over you hung up your skates and you played something else.

Competitive spirit is still at a premium. The more you win, the better you play, the more money you make, so they all have that in mind.

That's the hardest part of this whole process. The best part is picking the players and the worst part is telling basically five players they are not going to play tonight.

Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction to be successful.

I don't think any one person will ever be bigger than the game.

Good players skate to the puck. Great players skate to where the puck is going to be.

You'll never catch me bragging about goals, but I'll talk all you want about my assists.

The best players in the game want the responsibility of being the best player. The reality is the game has changed from now back to '87. It's a lot tighter checking. The players are better today. So, that makes it harder for him just in that fact. We can't rely solely on Mario [Lemieux] to carry this team. We're not relying on that.

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."

Listen, everything I have in my life is because of the NHL and because of hockey, and I love the game and I loved every minute of being a player, I loved coaching, I loved being involved in the NHL.

We played in an era where you were taught to hate your opponent. But life changes. I raise my kids differently than my mom and dad raised their kids.

He brings something special. I don't know what it is, but if you ask him, you couldn't understand his answer.

I think that from the time you start playing sports as a child you see that your responsibility to your team is to play the best that you can play as an individual... and yet, not take anything away from being part of a team.

Thankfully, in my youth I had the best financial advisor a son could ask for: my dad Walter. When I got that first signing bonus in 1978, Dad took my cheque, announced, 'This is what we're going to do,' and bought an annuity with it.

My kids are no different than anyone else's - they tend to disagree with everything I say!

It's an honour and a thrill and a privilege just to play in the NHL.

When you're playing an exhibition, you're kind of letting everyone get an opportunity.