“Nobody Is Sure What’s Going On”: 4X Stanley Cup Champion Wayne Gretzky Lashed Out at NHL Over ‘Disarray’ and ‘Chaos’ in the League in 1995

Published 11/23/2022, 8:00 AM EST

Follow Us

Wayne Gretzky, aka the Great One, is one of the world’s greatest ice hockey players. The four times Stanley Cup champion dedicated most of his youth to his sport. After the 1998–1999 NHL season, he announced his retirement, leaving behind an enduring legacy.

Hockey is a sport that invites a lot of body contact between players, making it mandatory to introduce obstruction and interference rules. These regulations restrict using sticks or other physical contact to prevent another player from touching the ball.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Gretzky wanted the game to be consistent

In an interview in 1995, Wayne Gretzky once expressed his worry over the inconsistent approach toward the NHL rules. He opened up about the NHL being in chaos over the issue of obstruction and interference.

via Getty

Wayne Gretzky said, “Nobody is sure what’s going on.” Gretzky stressed that some games strictly followed the interference and obstruction rules. In other games, they did not follow these rules properly. Gretzky wanted the regulations to be consistent for all games.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

“Could Have Made My Life a Lot Better”: Before Clinching 4 Stanley Cups, Hockey GOAT Wayne Gretzky Was on the Cusp of Joining MLB, Revealed in 2015

He disclosed that even the slightest contact between players would result in penalties during exhibitions. However, the players were not penalized for touching others as the rule’s strictness gradually diminished. 

Wayne Gretzky lived his dream through his son

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The NHL legend Wayne Gretzky was not born a hockey lover. Gretzky has admitted that he was a huge baseball fan as a teenager. He claimed that despite not being a decent player, he used to love and admire baseball considerably more than hockey.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Wayne Gretzky (@waynegretzky) 

Wayne’s son, Trevor Gretzky, fulfilled his father’s dream of playing professional baseball. Baseball player and actor Trevor Gretzky was born in California, where baseball is a popular sport. Trevor played baseball in school and also took training from famous coaches.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

WATCH THIS STORY: From Being an Ice Hockey Fan to Hunting Brock Lesnar’s Favorite Hobbies Outside WWE

He retired from the minor baseball league in 2021 and established his career as an actor and producer. Trevor has been a part of movies like Old Man Rush, American Seige, and Apex.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Somya Jain

145Articles

One take at a time

Somya Jain is a US Sports author at EssentiallySports. She has been a Psychology student for six years, holds a Master’s degree from Panjab University, Chandigarh, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D.
Show More>

Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa