Wayne Gretzky reveals he was nicknamed ‘The Great One' at age 10 after scoring 400 goals in a single season
Long before Wayne Gretzky dominated
NHL
record books and became a global icon, his legendary nickname — The Great One — was already following him around the rinks of Ontario. But as Gretzky recently revealed ahead of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, the origin of that iconic moniker goes back to when he was just 10 years old, lighting up minor league hockey in Brantford.
Wayne Gretzky's 400-goal season as a kid drew the attention of the media
Speaking candidly, Gretzky shared how a mind-blowing 400-goal season as a 10-year-old caught the attention of a reporter from the London Free Press. The journalist, impressed by the young prodigy's scoring spree, wrote a feature story that would unknowingly set a cultural moment in motion.
'I was 10 years old,' Gretzky said. 'A reporter from the London Free Press came down and did a story on me — I scored 400 goals that year.
'At the end of the article, he said, 'NHL guys have one nickname — Mr. Hockey, the Golden Jet. And he said, 'We should just call him The Great One.''
The nickname, intended as a compliment from a local reporter, had staying power. But not everyone was on board at first — especially Gretzky's father, Walter, who was hesitant about the title being attached to his son so early.
Walter Gretzky
tried to tone down the hype, but the nickname stuck
'Well, my dad tried to kill that right away,' Gretzky recalled.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential
Seeking Alpha
Read More
Undo
'And it just kept coming back and coming back.'
Despite his father's initial resistance, the name became inescapable. And as Wayne continued to grow into the sport — eventually scoring 894 NHL goals, collecting 2,857 career points, and winning four Stanley Cups — the nickname proved prophetic.
'Finally, I just was like, 'Well, we're going to have to live with it,'' Gretzky added with a laugh.
Also Read:
Anton Frondell snubs Blackhawks and Connor Bedard to stay in Sweden with childhood club
In hindsight, the reporter's intuition was spot-on. 'The Great One' didn't just describe Gretzky's potential — it defined a career that would go unmatched in hockey history.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ty Gibbs Turns $1M NASCAR In-Season Tournament Challenge Win into a Heartfelt Post-Race Gesture
Image via Imagn: Ty Gibbs Ty Gibbs scored big at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning NASCAR's first-ever In-Season Tournament and earning a $1 million prize, along with a black-and-gold trophy, a custom AEW wrestling belt, and a commemorative ring. Gibbs, the sixth seed, beat Ty Dillon in the five-race elimination challenge, finishing 21st while Dillon came in 28th. But here's the catch: Gibbs didn't take all the cash home. So what did he do with it? Ty Gibbs Vows to Donate $10,000 to Charity Following Big Win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway The 22-year-old dominated NASCAR's In-Season Tournament with speed, smart pit stops, and top-10 finishes. In the final, he faced surprise finalist Ty Dillon, the 32nd seed, who upset big names like Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski. However, the No. 10 Chevy driver struggled with car damage following a restart incident on Lap 56 and was three laps down in 28th. Dillon's dream run of knocking out Hamlin in the opening round at EchoPark Speedway and Keselowski at the Chicago Street Course ended in Indy, as Gibbs claimed the $1 million prize. However, Gibbs' classy post-race gesture and interview with TNT Sports were the talk of the town. 'Super cool. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 11 Foods That Help In Healing Knee Pain Naturally | Zen Life Mag Undo Very honored to be in this position. Thank you to all of NASCAR and TNT Sports for allowing us to be able to do this. It's awesome to win this and super cool to be in this position. A million bucks is a lot of money. I'm going to give $10,000 to wherever Ty Dillon wants to choose to give to charity.' He also added, 'I told the broadcast in the other show… our sponsor, SAIA, challenged Ty Dillon's sponsor; whoever loses gives ten thousand dollars for Toys for Tots. And I wanna put another ten on top of that. Wherever Ty Dillon wants it to go, it's his choice.' Gibbs was actually referring to a fun sponsor-driven side bet tied to the In-Season Challenge final, where the losing driver's sponsor would donate $10,000 to charity. Ty Dillon is in Good Spirits After Missing Out on $1 Million Prize While Ty Dillon was happy with Ty Gibbs' charitable gesture, it didn't soften the sting of narrowly missing out on the $1 million prize. In an interview with he reflected on his loss but was gracious in defeat. 'It's painful right now that we didn't win the whole thing. But it definitely doesn't overshadow how much this whole run has meant for us and our team, our sponsors. We're grateful, man. It's a good boost of energy. Hopefully, we'll finish out the year strong (he is currently in 32nd place) because of it. I believe in our team and what the future holds. So today was tough, but you know, this run has been really great and I appreciate it. ' Dillon's comments showed respect for the new In-Season Tournament format, which brought fresh energy to NASCAR's mid-season stretch. Despite driving for a smaller outfit like Kaulig Racing, Dillon got a rare month in the NASCAR spotlight. Also read: Valentina Shevchenko Embraces 'Self-Expression' After Bold Move to OnlyFans for Exclusive Content Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG 4th Test: 'You're not in the battle' - Ex-England batter Kevin Pietersen defends Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes and Kevin Pietersen (Images via Getty Images) The fourth Test at Old Trafford ended in a hard-fought draw, but the closing moments of the match saw emotions run high, especially from England captain Ben Stokes. With the game heading towards an inevitable draw on Day 5, Stokes appeared eager to call off play early. However, India, still chasing personal milestones, declined his offer, leading to a visibly frustrated response from the England skipper. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar both went on to score centuries, with Stokes even tossing the ball to Harry Brook in an attempt to wrap up proceedings quickly. Brook's gentle delivery was dispatched for six by Jadeja, who brought up his hundred. Later, Brook too offered to call it off before Sundar could complete his ton, but the focus remained firmly on Stokes' reaction. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW Stokes' decision and visible agitation didn't go unnoticed. Former England captain Nasser Hussain remarked, 'Stokes didn't have to bowl Brook, and it looked a bit silly at the end there.' Sanjay Manjrekar, former India batter, went further, calling Stokes' behaviour 'spoiled.' India stay alive, England frustrated after draw; handshake drama at Old Trafford and more But Kevin Pietersen came out strongly in support of his former teammate. Taking to X, the 45-year-old defended Stokes' emotional response, saying, '2 days fielding and no result on the cards - you WANT to get off the field! You cannot have a pop at Ben Stokes for his frustration.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Rare, Refined, and Ready Soon – Monte South is the Answer Monte South A Joint Venture between Adani Realty and Marathon Realty Learn More Undo He continued, 'Very easy to have a pop at him when you're sitting in your lounge watching. You're NOT in the battle. Leave the men in the ring to be emotional.' Kevin Pietersen on X (Screengrab) Pietersen insisted that while Stokes was right to feel agitated, it shouldn't take away from India's batting effort. 'The Stokes issue should NOT distract from the batters who batted to save the Test Match! Outstanding effort and one which makes The Oval a very important Test.' Poll Do you think Ben Stokes was justified in his frustration during the Test match? Yes, he had every right. No, he overreacted. The draw leaves the series finely balanced heading into the final Test at The Oval. India will be on a high, buoyed by gritty efforts from KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Jadeja, and Sundar. England, meanwhile, will look to regroup and seal the series with a win. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: Ben Stokes breaks silence on his availability for Oval Test: 'Very unlikely...'
England captain Ben Stokes speaks during a press conference at Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, Tuesday July 1, 2025. AP/PTI(AP07_01_2025_000203A) England captain Ben Stokes on Sunday broke his silence about his availability for the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, to be played at The Oval from Thursday. Stokes said he had been suffering from pain in his right bicep tendon—on top of various other injuries—as he bowled only 12 overs during India's hard-fought draw at Old Trafford. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "I don't want to eat my words, but the likelihood I won't play is very unlikely," said Stokes. "Mentally, I'm decent. Physically, I've been better." "It's been a pretty big workload so far in this series," said the England captain. "It was another big week in the third Test at Lord's, and the same again this week. Pain is just an emotion, so it's just one of those things. "It's my bicep tendon. It's had a lot of workload. It's a lot of time in the middle doing my job. It didn't get any worse. Hopefully, it settles down and will be as good as gold for the last game." Ben Stokes press conference: On handshake controversy, India fightback, his own fitness Stokes is the leading wicket-taker on either side in the England-India series with 17 wickets—his most successful bowling return across a 12-year Test career. The 140 overs he has bowled in the series is also the highest workload of his career. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Before Dying, My Husband Said, I'm Sorry. I Asked For What. You'll See. Then This Happened Novelodge Undo "It's been a big five or six weeks,' he said. 'I will always give everything I possibly can. I ask the guys to try to run through a brick wall for the team, and I will always try to do the same and lead by example. Bowling and being in the field is tough work, so I am pretty sore. Poll Will Ben Stokes play in the final Test against India? Yes, he will play No, he won't play Still undecided Depends on his recovery 'I think everyone is going to be pretty similar: shut it down, rest up, and give themselves the best chance of selection. I won't hide away from the fact that it has been a tough few days, especially for the bowling unit. We like to get our team out a couple of days before, but we might have to take longer to give everyone as much time as possible to recover. 'We are going in 2-1 up, but we want to put in that one last big performance. We kept saying today: one last push before one last push next week. There is a lot of hard work still to go in this series.' Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
