“They’re Going to Stuff Their Sticks Down My Throat” : Wayne Gretzky Once Expressed Grave Concerns Early on in His Career

From broken teeth to ear injuries, Wayne Gretzky has battled numerous wounds in his early career. A lesser-known revelation about Gretzky’s early career was made in the 2012 Sports Illustrated anthology named The Great One: The Complete Wayne Gretzky Collection. Playing hockey since the age of 6,  Gretzky joined the Soo Greyhounds team in 1977. While playing for this team, Gretzky faced a unique challenge and a dangerous threat. 

The threat came from other hockey players after Gretzky became a lead scorer at just the age of 16. At this time, the hockey champion was already popular for his spectacular performance in games. However, while scoring with the puck, the opposing team used several tactics to stop Gretzky. Talking about dealing with other hockey players’ threats, the Great One made some key revelations. 

Wayne Gretzky’s rare disclosure about his early career 

“It scares me to think there might be some big son of a gun who is just out there on the ice to try to get me out of the game”, Gretzky admitted. Continuing, the hockey champion recounted, “Guys are always telling me that the next time I touch the puck, they’re going to stuff their sticks down my throat.”  This indicates how there were attempts to intimidate Gretzky to stop him from playing. 

However, Gretzky didn’t stop playing despite these threats. His mindset was, “You’ve got to go ahead and tough it and hope they were kidding.”  This chain of thought helped Gretzky to score 70 goals along with 112 assists. 

Read More: “Eyes in the Back of His Head”: Wayne Gretzky Once Outfoxed His Opponents With His Innate Ability to ‘Turn and Pass Without Even Looking’

Later, after turning seventeen, Gretzky implied how he would like to play a final year for the Soo Greyhounds. Continuing, he stated, “After that, I think I’d be bored.”  The Great One then told that while mentally he believed he was fit to play in pro leagues, physically he wasn’t prepared. He also once made a startling statement about his younger days. 

Wayne Gretzky’s surprising statement about his early experiences 

 “I was thrown in the fire at a young age”, Gretzky stated, recalling his hockey career in childhood. Continuing, ‘The Great One’ implied how at the age of ten, he became immensely famous. It was his parents then who helped him to cope with fame and focus on his career. Later, he also gave them credit for his positive behavior towards others and the person he had become.

 Gretzky’s statements indicate the real, painful struggles behind his tremendous success and fame. His legacy shall continue to inspire the future of hockey.

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