DALLAS — NHL icon Wayne Gretzky recently visited the Dallas Stars locker room to congratulate the team on reaching their third consecutive Western Conference Final. Their opponent in the series is the Edmonton Oilers, the franchise where “The Great One” famously won four Stanley Cup championships.
Stars captain Jamie Benn spoke about the visit on Tuesday, the day before Game 1 against Edmonton. “He said we’re going up against a pretty good team now,” Benn recalled, adding, “And I had to ask him who he was cheering for. It felt right, and he didn’t answer, obviously.”
Benn described Gretzky`s presence as “pretty cool.” The visit happened after the Stars secured their spot in the West Final rematch against the Oilers with a 2-1 overtime victory over Winnipeg on Saturday night.
This upcoming series is a repeat of last year`s Western Conference Final, which Edmonton won in six games before ultimately losing to Florida in the seven-game Stanley Cup Final.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer also expressed his appreciation for the visit. “What a great honour to have the greatest player of all time come down after the game and say hello,” DeBoer commented.
DeBoer relayed that Gretzky told the Stars he thoroughly enjoyed watching them play and remarked that they were now going to compete against “one of the greatest teams ever.”
DeBoer had previously spent time with Gretzky while serving on the coaching staff for Team Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament earlier this year.
“Extra special. That’s my era. That’s the guy we all grew up watching,” DeBoer said of Gretzky. He added that Gretzky is a “special guy” in more personal settings like a coach`s room, noting, “You can see his passion for the game. He can sit and talk hockey and tell stories all night.”
Gretzky was a key part of the Oilers` dynasty in the 1980s, winning four Stanley Cup titles within five seasons. He held the NHL`s career goal record with 894 until Alex Ovechkin surpassed him on April 6. However, Gretzky still holds the records for most career points (2,857) and assists (1,963).
Given his strong ties to Edmonton, there was curiosity about whether Gretzky might have said anything that could be interpreted as picking a side in the upcoming series. DeBoer confirmed that Gretzky did not express any such preference.
“He didn’t. He would never say that, and I would never put him in that spot,” DeBoer stated. He emphasized Gretzky`s respect for the Stars and their accomplishments, adding, “I think we all understand his allegiance to Edmonton and appreciate that, so he never went beyond that.”
Tristan Blackwood