It's funny that you refer to Gretzky's skating as ugly. I find that Jaromir Jagr has the ugliest skating by far of any hockey player. Whereas Gretzky didn't look very strong or fluid on his feet, Jagr looks like someone learning to roller blade in a parking lot the way he lunges around and glides.
The point is it doesn't matter if your skating isn't technically sound if you're an all-time talent, but to mere mortals, it counts for some...
