Wayne Gretzky reveals the shocking reason he decided to prolong his career after considering early retirement
There was a time when the greatest NHL player of all time, Wayne Gretzky, almost retired at a young age, but he decided to prolong his career for a specific reason.
Wayne Gretzky retired in 1999 at age 38, concluding a 20-season NHL career during which he broke more than 50 records. But his career might have turned out much differently without a pivotal moment 11 years earlier.
In an interview with the YouTube channel Valuetainment in 2017, Wayne Gretzky remembered how he once thought of retiring early back in 1988.
That year, right after being traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the LA Kings, Gretzky was mentally exhausted from the demands of the game and felt he had just a few years left in him.
It was his wife who made the major difference in his life. She got him into contact with Billy Blanks, founder of Tae Bo, one of those exercise programs that became all the rage during the 1990s.
The encounter rejuvenated Gretzky, extending his career and ability to compete at the highest level.
«In 1989 I met a gentleman by the name of Billy Blanks who kind of changed my whole mindset, and my wife grabbed me by the ear and said we're gonna go down and work out with Billy,» said Gretzky.«I never skated in the offseason because you mentally need a break from skating every single day but you know bike riding or running or rowing or tae-bo he sort of changed my whole mindset and when I was like 28 and 29 I thought I might play 3 or 4 more years ... I ended up playing in another 11 years.»
When Gretzky finally retired in 1999, it came after three years with the New York Rangers and a very introspective talk with his wife.
After retiring from the ice as a player, Gretzky went into coaching, taking the helm of the Phoenix Coyotes between 2005 and 2009.
After the team declared bankruptcy, he resigned from coaching and remained involved in the game through broadcasting and other interests.
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