Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky makes an animated point to the officials during tonight's game against the Canadiens.
The Gazette

Any time The Great One comes to Montreal – and it doesn't happen often enough  – you've got yourself a story.

The legendary Wayne Gretzky, managing partner and head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, dropped in for a pregame media visit late this afternoon, in the hours following Hockey Canada's hardly-news announcement that Detroit Red Wings vice-president Steve Yzerman would head the team to assemble Canada's squad for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. It's a job Gretzky had held in 2002 in Salt Lake City (gold) and 2006 in Turin (seventh).

Gretzky spoke about the Hockey Canada announcement and the scope of the Olympics, as well as his memories of playing in Montreal, against Hall of Fame Habs goaltender Patrick Roy, his own young, promising team, the fragile state of the world economy, and more.

Have you got 15 minutes? Give Wayne a listen here.

Wayne Gretzky, pictured here with one of the reasons he wanted to live in southern California, cried during the press conference:

The Great One - for one moment in his career - just couldn't hold it together. The 27-year-old, who had spent almost his whole life fending off jealous hockey parents, tough opponents and harsh critics, broke down after reading off just a few words at Edmonton's Molson House.

"For the benefit of Wayne Gretzky, my new wife and our expected child in the new year, I thought it was beneficial to all involved if they let me play with the Kings," he said to the shock of everyone in the room. "It's disappointing having to leave Edmonton, but there comes a time when."