Who am I to be giving advice to Wayne Gretzky, but I do have a subtle little suggestion for the greatest player of all time.
Get to know Steve Stamkos. Real well.
Place a phone call every few weeks. Check him out with the Sarnia Sting as often as possible. Write letters. Watch tape.
Stamkos, the current consensus number-one ranked player for next summer's NHL draft, could very well be playing for Gretzky's Phoenix Coyotes in 2008.
The two are on a collision course, if you will.
It's not even opening night yet, and the Coyotes seem to be on a one-way trip south. Next stop, the NHL basement.
Looking to follow the blueprint of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Coyotes are in full rebuilding mode. Translation: a whole lot of losses.
When David Aebischer , Mikael Tellqvist and Alex Auld are battling, and I use that term loosely, to be your number one guy between the pipes, you may as well just wave the white towel in October.
If there is such a thing as an ugly sister in the NHL, she is Phoenix. Toss the ol' pork chop around her neck so the puppy will play with her.
Sure, players like Shane Doan and Ed Jovanovski will keep the 'Yotes competitive, at least most nights, but the youth movement in Phoenix means this team is going to be on the wrong side of a lot of boxscores.
Gretzky, who isn't used to losing, will be in tough in his third year behind the bench. He also serves as managing partner for the Coyotes, meaning his job security, win or lose, is pretty safe.
That may be the only upside this season.
"In life, everybody needs a challenge and obviously this is probably my biggest challenge," Gretzky said Thursday.
We've seen how Gretzky, the player, dealt with challenges. That's what made him great.
Still, Coach Gretzky might be wise to put Steve Stamkos' number on his speed dial.