Gretzky: No conversations with Capitals
/Wayne Gretzky was a guest on Prime Time Sports on Sportsnet 590 The FAN Monday evening.
On the rumours involving the Washington Capitals:
"I'm probably more surprised or as surprised as anybody else to see the stories that are out there, but in some ways it's really nice that people are thinking about me. Everything I have in my life is because of hockey and the National Hockey League and I love the game. So my name is mentioned quite a bit, but the truth of the matter is there was really never any conversations with me or the Washington Capitals. Good for them, they got the people they want and are ready to go for next season and Mr. Leonsis is a wonderful owner and I wish them nothing but the best of luck."
On getting involved with the game at some level again:
"Right now it's a difficult scenario in that when you're a player, part of being a player is you're sort of on a team or live in a city or you're traded to a different destination. Part of being in a hockey family is you pack up and move forward and get on with your life and play for that particular team.
"In this particular case, I really love where I live in California. It's a different scenario for me this time around. The older three children were around when I played and now they've all moved on and moved out of the house. Now with two younger ones at home, 11 and 13, I'm more of a father and more of a parent that's around a lot more obviously than when I was playing.
"So for me, the scenario has to be absolutely breathtaking or perfect in order for me to even consider sitting down with my family and saying 'what do you think of this scenario.'
"We know that everything we have in our life is because of the National Hockey League. If it ever got to that point we'd sit down as a group. We've never got to that point in time. I love where I live and I love raising my children in California. For me, it's probably the ideal place in the sense that we can be a regular, normal family in the sense that hockey's big here, but it's not like a lot of other cities."
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On if it would be management vs. getting back into coaching:
"You know what, I've never even thought about it, to be really honest with you. I always said that one of the great things - challenges - I had in my life was to become a head coach and I loved every minute of it. I've never thought about going back to it at this particular time. I truly enjoyed it while it lasted."
On what he'd say to Patrick Kane now as a teammate:
"First off, you have two really good teams. And you've got two teams battling not only for this particular series, but a chance and the honour of playing in the Stanley Cup Finals and winning a Stanley Cup. Now if Chicago is to come back in this series and win this series and get to the Finals and even maybe even win against a tough opponent in either New York or Montreal, then you start throwing the flags in the air saying this could be a dynasty.
"If Los Angeles wins this series and knocks out the defending Stanley Cup champions and goes on to win in the Stanley Cup Final, then you've got to start looking at Dean Lombardi and what he's put together and how well Darryl Sutter has coached that team and the two Stanley Cups they've won in a few years. With their nucleus so young with Doughty, Kopitar, Brown and so on.
"Right now it's really good hockey and the only thing I can say - Glen Sather and John Muckler used to say it best: It doesn't matter how many goals or how many points you get in the playoffs or a playoff game, it's getting that all important big goal when it's 2-2 late in the third or if it's 1-1 midway through the second period and Kane has proven he's able to do that over the last few years of the Stanley Cup playoffs. I'm sure Quenneville has talked to him, and I'm sure they know and realize it's imperative for him to get a big goal. He's accomplished that more than enough over the last few years. I'm sure they're banking on him having a big Game 4 here in Los Angeles."
Who would he cheer for in a Kings-Rangers Stanley Cup Final?
"I'm a fan (laughs), put it that way. Listen, I've said it since 1988 when I came to L.A. that the greatest thing that could ever happen to the National Hockey league would be an L.A.-New York Final. Listen, those people in the offices in New York are human too and I'm sure they're pulling in that direction, but they're also sentimental in the fact that Chicago is a great city and Montreal is a wonderful city and I'm sure the commissioner and his office are sitting there saying this is one of the great Final Fours we've ever had and we can't lose whoever gets into the Finals.
"You know, L.A.-New York would be wonderful and I know there's been a lot of talk in California about trying to revive the '93 Final of L.A.-Montreal, but you know what - New York has got a lot to say about it and they seem to be playing as good as anybody in the National Hockey League right now. Listen, Chicago is not out of it by any means. I still think there's a little bit of hockey left to be played before we can finally get to the Stanley Cup Finals.