Article Summary
Wayne Gretzky, the legendary hockey player, visited the Dallas Stars locker room after their victory, congratulating them on advancing to their third consecutive Western Conference final. The Stars will face the Edmonton Oilers, a team with which Gretzky has a storied history. Gretzky, who was a four-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Oilers, visited the team after their win against the Winnipeg Jets, which set up the rematch. The Stars’ coach, Pete DeBoer, expressed his excitement about meeting one of his hockey heroes, and Gretzky reciprocated the sentiment, stating that he had fun watching the Stars play. The Oilers won the West final over the Stars in six games last year, and Gretzky, who is an Oilers legend, was respectful of both teams during his visit.
What This Means for You
- Wayne Gretzky, one of the greatest hockey players of all time, is showing support for the Dallas Stars, which could be a good omen for the team as they face off against the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference final.
- Gretzky’s visit highlights the importance of mentors and heroes in sports, and how their support can motivate and inspire athletes to perform at their best.
- The rematch between the Stars and Oilers is a highly anticipated event, and Gretzky’s presence adds an extra layer of excitement and intrigue to the series.
- The future outlook for the Stars is positive, as they have a strong team and the backing of a legendary player like Gretzky, but they will need to bring their A-game to compete against the talented Oilers team.
Original Post
DALLAS — Wayne Gretzky was in the Dallas Stars locker room congratulating them after they advanced to their third consecutive Western Conference final, where they will face the franchise with which “The Great One” was a four-time Stanley Cup champion.
“He said we’re going up against a pretty good team now,” Stars captain Jamie Benn said Tuesday, the day before hosting Game 1 against Edmonton. “And I had to ask him who he was cheering for. It felt right, and he didn’t answer, obviously.”
Benn said it was “pretty cool” that Gretzky visited the Stars after their 2-1 overtime win Saturday night over Winnipeg that set up a West final rematch against the Oilers.
Edmonton won the West final over the Stars in six games last year, then lost to Florida in a seven-game Stanley Cup Final.
“What a great honor to have the greatest player of all time come down after the game and say hello,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said.
Gretzky told the Stars he had so much fun watching them play, and that they were now going to play “one of the greatest teams ever.”
DeBoer was on the coaching staff for Canada for the team’s 4 Nations Face-Off title earlier this year and during that period got to spend some time with Gretzky.
“Extra special. That’s my era. That’s the guy we all grew up watching,” DeBoer said. “He’s a special guy when you get him 1-on-1 or in a coach’s room or behind the scenes. You can see his passion for the game. He can sit and talk hockey and tell stories all night.”
Gretzky was part of four Stanley Cup titles in a five-season span in the 1980s with Edmonton. He was the NHL career-leading goal scorer with 894 goals until Alex Ovechkin passed him on April 6 but still has the most points (2,857) and assists (1,963).
So when meeting the Stars and DeBoer, did Gretzky say anything that would create headlines in Edmonton, such as saying he was hoping Dallas would win?
“He didn’t. He would never say that and I would never put him in that spot,” DeBoer said. “He was very respectful of our group and the job we’d done to that point. I think we all understand his allegiance to Edmonton and appreciate that, so he never went beyond that.”
Key Terms
- Wayne Gretzky
- Dallas Stars
- Edmonton Oilers
- Stanley Cup Playoffs
- Hockey Legends
- Sports Motivation
ORIGINAL SOURCE:
Source link
