Wayne Gretzky recalls hilarious story about following his idol Guy Lafleur while playing for Team Canada for first time

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky recalled a hilarious story about following his idol Guy Lafleur while playing for Team Canada for the first time.

On NHL on TNT's Face Off show, when asked which player he was most nervous to be around, Gretzky said:

"Oh my God, I was like a little kid. I was a puppy dog. I followed Guy Lafleur wherever he went."

At just 19, Gretzky was starstruck by Lafleur, who at the time was considered the best player in hockey. Gretzky had idolized Lafleur as a player, and now he was sitting right next to his hero on the bench. For the entire competition, Gretzky stuck to Lafleur like glue, admitting:

"I didn't go anywhere he didn't go. I followed him for six weeks."

Gretzky added that Lafleur took him under his wing during that tournament. Despite their age difference, the two became great friends, with Lafleur looking out for the young rookie.

Gretzky called it "such a pleasure and joy" to not only play with his idol Lafleur, but also other legends like Mike Bossy, Dennis Potvin and Brian Trottier. He remarked:

"You compete against these guys all the time, and you want to show them that you belong, and then all of a sudden, your teammates,and you become best of friends..."

Even decades later, Gretzky still fondly remembers playing alongside Lafleur.

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Wayne Gretzky reflects on memories with Guy Lafleur

Wayne Gretzky recounted that when he played in Montreal as a teenager for Team Canada Juniors, he saw Guy Lafleur's equipment in the locker room they shared with the Montreal Canadiens.

He noticed that Lafleur didn't wear shoulder pads.

“I asked him why he did that, and he said that he was quicker and faster without wearing full shoulder pads,” Gretzky said (per The Athletic),

So, Gretzky began emulating Lafleur, wearing minimal shoulder caps for most of his own career. He asked Lafleur if he ever took shots to the chest. Lafleur reassured him:

"You never really get hit here. It's always on the shoulders."

Wayne Gretzky followed Lafleur's advice, barely wearing shoulder pads and avoiding serious chest injuries. Lafleur breathed his last in April 2022 at age 70 after battling lung cancer.