Wayne Gretzky entertained a full house of AAPEX keynote attendees with dozens of hockey tales, and some valuable lessons on leadership.

In an conversation led by Dr. Kent MacDonald, President of Northwood University and a highly regarded leader in higher education, Gretzky, the undisputed best professional hockey player of all time, talked extensively about his admiration for Gordie Howe, his debt to his protector Dave Semenko, and his respect and lessons from his father Walter.

But he also spoke about how lessons from sports have helped him succeed in his years since retiring as an active player.

“I always tell people, you know, listen, I grew up a hockey player. I don’t try to hide it or disguise it. I love sports. It was my life. And my dad always taught me, you know, life sports teaches you about life. It teaches how to prepare, teach you how to work hard, teach you how to be unselfish teach you how to respect your opponent, respect your teammate. And so I try to always kind relate my hockey life to the real world.

But as a captain, I always felt like in the locker room, every guy needs to be treated the same. So whether a guy gives two minutes, or he’s the goal tender, or plays 22 minutes a night, each guy is valuable to you.

“The success of the team or the failure of the team. And to me that’s the way I look at business too. That each and every person that you have around you becomes imperative and important to the success [of the team]. And always, I was a big preacher of this, that when you walk in the door, you check your ego at the door and you can never stop learning.

“You can never stop getting advice. And it’s always good to nudge other people also. It’s good to make other people feel good and to encourage them.

“Is there a way for the audience to be thinking, how do you get the entire group on on the same page? One vision, one goal?” asked Dr. MacDonald.

Gretzky: “I think personally in my opinion, the leader has to be the guy that is on that same page. If the people around him see the leader or the captain or the boss on that same page, it’s easy.

“So we used to do these things, or we had an assistant coach- and you call him,” he added with a laugh, he would say to us, if I can’t get you two guys on this page, I can’t expect the rest of the group to do it.

“But if I get you and you on this page and do what I’m asking you guys, then we’re gonna smooth sailing. And to me that’s a big part of it.”

AAPEX 2025 runs November 4 to 6 in Las Vegas. It ia s trade only event.