Wayne Gretzky is regarded as the greatest player in the history of the National Hockey League, with a list of accomplishments that may never be surpassed, including most assists, points, Hart Trophy wins, most 100-point seasons, and scoring 92 goals in a single season.
Even though his goals record was recently broken by Washington Capitals team captain Alex Ovechkin, his career point total of 2,857 will likely be safe forever. Not only did he win the Stanley Cup four times and set multiple NHL records, but he also played internationally for Canada on several occasions.
During one such occasion in the 1987 Canada Cup, Gretzky managed to get together with several Soviet players behind the infamous KGB’s back.
Wayne Gretzky Drank Beers With Multiple Soviet Players Behind the KGB’s Back In 1987
Gretzky told a story during a recent appearance on the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast about him enjoying some brews with a handful of famous Soviet hockey players in strict defiance of the infamous Russian guard, the KGB.
“I met [Igor] Larionov in 1984, snuck him out for dinner, and so I knew he spoke English,” Gretzky said. “So he said to me in [1987] during the warm-up tournament, exhibition games, he said, ‘Wayne, can we go have dinner?’”
“The big five, [Alexei] Kasatonov, Larionov, [Vladimir] Krutov, [Sergei] Makarov…but [Soviet head coach Viktor] Tikhonov has to come and two KGB guys,” explained Gretzky. “I said, ‘no problem.’”
“My mom did a BBQ in the backyard, and my basement was downstairs, and I had this old friend, Charlie Henry. I said, ‘Charlie, you stand at the top of the stairs here, don’t let the KGB down,’” Gretzky said. “I took the guys down there, and I had beers down there for them… they were so happy and so thrilled and so, like, thankful.”
All of this took place before the infamous trade of Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in a move that rocked the foundation of the NHL and set the stage for massive expansion into non-traditional hockey areas.
In many ways, Gretzky was a pioneer of the game. His influence was so widely felt that the NHL grew by multiple franchises thanks to his presence in southern California with the Kings.
Gretzky and Team Canada ultimately defeated the Soviet Union in the championship Game of the 1987 Canada Cup, with Gretzky assisting on Mario Lemieux’s game-winning goal.
Gretzky clearly looks back fondly on his memories during those games, and his story about having beers with Soviet players is certainly worth remembering.
