“I was so mad,” NHL legend Wayne Gretzky was once left ANNOYED by childhood icon Bobby Orr

NHL great Wayne Gretzky recalled the time he was left mad at his idol Bobby Orr on the ice field.

“I was so mad,” NHL legend Wayne Gretzky was once left ANNOYED by childhood icon Bobby Orr

Wayne Gretzky (L) and Bobby Orr (R) [Pic Credit: The Hockey Writers/SI]

The legend of Wayne Gretzky has seen plenty of ups and downs and memorable moments. His moniker “The Great One” itself suggests his status in the realm of ice hockey. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in this sport. A player of his caliber can also get mad at some point, as he was when he got the chance to play with Bobby Orr.

While Gretzky is regarded as the greatest of all time by many, Orr was described as the best defenseman ever seen. His techniques and abilities along with his style of play, made him one of the most feared men at the back. However, these two legends never got the chance to play an official game as Orr had to retire due to an injury. He had often claimed that he was unfortunate to not go up against him and Mario Lemieux.

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Orr’s unique style of play made him a hero in the eyes of many, including Gretzky. So when he got a chance to play with his idol, he did not care where he was at the moment. The two NHL greats played one charity game. It was Orr who asked him whether he would be interested in playing in this event. Despite being far away, the then-Edmonton Oilers forward said yes.

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“I was so mad. I had to fly from Hawaii to Winnipeg and the only reason I did was so I could play with Bobby Orr,” Gretzky recalled the story during an NHL event. While he might have been actually mad, Gretzky was not willing to let this chance slip by hand and traveled all the way to share the ice field with his idol.

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Bobby Orr was pleased about playing with Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky has time and time again disclosed how much he idolized Bobby Orr while growing up. He had been left fascinated by his style of play. So he did not pass up the opportunity to play with him, even if it meant traveling a long distance. Orr was later pleased by this and was happy to share the ice field with him back then.

Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr
Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr (Pic Credit: CBC)

He would label this moment as special. “It was the only time I’d ever been on the ice with Wayne and I’ve never been on the ice since with him, so obviously it was a thrill,” Orr said. He recalled the game being a little dull, as it was a charity game. Though there were no magnificent plays, Orr would cherish this moment. “To be on the ice, with a player like Wayne and a person like Wayne, was special, it really was,” he further claimed.

Orr became the youngest player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979. On the other hand, Gretzky would join him in this class in 1999, immediately after his retirement. Since then, both legends have come across each other on several occasions, but this one moment with both of them remains the best time they both had in their legendary careers.

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