The Panther
Registered User
He wasn't short. I recall in the Facing Wayne Gretzky book that players (like Craig Conroy) who first encountered him late in his career observed that he was taller than they expected.
However, he was skinny. Often reporters and broadcasters for other teams would see him shirtless in the dressing room after games and were struck by how slight he was, wondering how this guy was ripping the League a new one, so to speak.
Actually that was probably another unique thing about Gretzky: he was such a prodigy at an early age that he was always the smallest and youngest player on pretty much every team he played for from age 6 to age 20. This kind of taught him quickly to be alert for danger and avoid contact if possible.
There's an obvious contrast here with other prodigies like Mario or Lindros, who were likely always the biggest guys on their teams. You'd think those big guys would have an easier time, physically, in the NHL... but we know how that turned out.
However, he was skinny. Often reporters and broadcasters for other teams would see him shirtless in the dressing room after games and were struck by how slight he was, wondering how this guy was ripping the League a new one, so to speak.
Actually that was probably another unique thing about Gretzky: he was such a prodigy at an early age that he was always the smallest and youngest player on pretty much every team he played for from age 6 to age 20. This kind of taught him quickly to be alert for danger and avoid contact if possible.
There's an obvious contrast here with other prodigies like Mario or Lindros, who were likely always the biggest guys on their teams. You'd think those big guys would have an easier time, physically, in the NHL... but we know how that turned out.