Gretzky Reflects on the Growth of Hockey, Sharing Stories Ahead of Winter Classic
The NHL's all-time points leader, Wayne Gretzky, marveled at the enthusiastic crowd of Florida Panthers and New York Rangers fans gathered at loanDepot park in Miami. He expressed his awe at the sport's expanding reach, noting its popularity in traditional hockey hubs like Buffalo, Minnesota, Boston, and Chicago, as well as its growing presence in Florida and California.
Gretzky's presence at the Discover Face-Off Panel, part of the 2026 Enterprise NHL PreGame Outdoor Fan Festival, highlighted the increasing interest in outdoor hockey. The panel featured a discussion between Gretzky and retired former Rangers forward Nick Fotiu, moderated by former goalie Darren Pang, an analyst for the 'NHL on TNT'.
Fotiu, who played 13 seasons in the NHL (1976-1989), including eight with the Rangers, shared his experience in the 2012 Winter Classic alumni game against the Philadelphia Flyers. He described it as 'unbelievable', emphasizing the passion and intensity of the players and the coach, Mike Keenan.
Gretzky, on the other hand, has experienced the full spectrum of NHL outdoor hockey. During his 20-season career with the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and Rangers, he played in both scorching heat and bone-chilling cold. He recalled a preseason game with the Kings against the Rangers in Las Vegas in 1991, where the rink was built in the Caesars Palace parking lot, and an alumni game before the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton, where temperatures dropped to -40 degrees.
Despite the varying conditions, Gretzky found the outdoor games exhilarating. He humorously noted, 'I had 100 degrees (in Las Vegas), and I had a minus-40 (in Edmonton), so I played in both of them. Trust me, the 100 degrees was a lot more fun.'
The 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic, featuring the Panthers and Rangers, was expected to have a game-time temperature of around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Fans enjoyed the sun during pregame festivities outside loanDepot park, the home of Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins.
Activities included the hardest shot, accuracy challenge, and bubble hockey challenge, with the Stanley Cup, which the Panthers won the past two seasons, on display. Nick Arbia, a Panthers fan from Orlando, waited in line with his family to take a photo with the Cup, expressing his excitement about the outdoor game.
Fotiu reminisced about his early days as a Rangers fan, sleeping outside Madison Square Garden to buy tickets for the Stanley Cup Playoffs when he was 16. He described playing for the Rangers as a 'dream come true', playing with the greatest players, including Gordie Howe, whom Gretzky admired as a child.
Gretzky, who grew up in Brantford, Ontario, and broke Howe's NHL records for points (2,857) and goals (894), praised Howe's kindness and character, stating, 'Gordie was so nice to everybody. He was incredible. As great of a player that he was, he was a better person.'
The event showcased the enduring legacy of hockey legends like Gretzky and Howe, inspiring new generations of fans and players alike.
