In the wake of Wayne Gretzky's retirement, we've collected the following memories of number 99 to share with you, our valued readers:

"As a young boy growing up in Edmonton in the mid-eighties, it's hard not to idolize Wayne Gretzky as a god. We all dreamed of racing down the ice to score that winning goal to capture the Stanley Cup. But my most memorable Gretzky moment was when he got traded to the Los Angeles Kings.

I was about 10 years old at the time, and I was in my parent's car listening to the radio at about three on a sunny summer afternoon and I felt as if I had been betrayed. How could they trade Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player ever, was the question racing through my mind.

My little pre-adolescent mind was racing and couldn't comprehend how or why he would be traded. I got over it, but that day was in my mind forever."

-- Aubrey Chau, Edmonton correspondent

"I'll never forget the time Gretzky scored the winning goal with like 13 seconds left in regulation of Game One of the 1991-92 Stanley Cup Finals against Chicago. That was awesome. Oh wait a minute, that wasn't Gretzky, that was Mario Lemieux. Okay, well there was that time in the playoffs against Boston when he kept pulling the puck through Ray Bourque's skates the whole way up ice before finally blowing right around him and then piping a wrist shot over Andy Moog's glove. Now that was incredible. Come to think of it, that was Lemieux. Well I'll be damned. How about the time he split the Minnesota defense and... no, that was Lemieux. Who's this 'Wayne Gretzky' fellow again?"

-- Michael Dell, Editor-in-Chief

"My favorite Gretzky moment was being in the San Jose Arena when he tied Gordie Howe's goal-scoring record in a game against the Sharks when he was an LA King. He scored the tying goal of the game with just a few seconds left, and at first the crowd was quiet. But then when everybody realized what had just happened, the whole crowd got on its feet and gave him a very long standing ovation. That was very cool."

-- A.J. DaSilva, San Jose correspondent

"1. I am at basketball camp in Worcester, Mass., listening to the morning sports...they talk about the Red Sox, the Patriots training camp getting ready to go, minor league baseball, oh yeah and by the way - Wayne Gretzky was traded yesterday to the Los Angeles Kings, now to traffic.

2. Gretzky calls the New Jersey Devils a 'Mickey Mouse organization' and the ice gets showered with Mickey Mouse dolls during the game. Hey Wayne, here's your Mickey Mouse, buddy.

3. Gretzky's only visit to the Nashville Arena - five assists. Not bad for an old guy...he demonstrated again why we should appreciate him...people went to see an NHL game in Nashville, Tenn."

-- Jeff Middleton, Nashville correspondent

"Wayne Gretzky was still playing?"

-- Jerry Fairish, Pittsburgh Correspondent

"Gretzky - three points of note from my vantage area ... not sure how relevant they are.

1. The Canadians (people not team) were visibly shaken on his retirement. Office talk had most people talking of getting teary eyed. I recall that when Gretzky got married it was shown on TV in Canada - something like the Diana/Prince Charles wedding.

2. 4-on-4 rule. During his Edmonton days, I recall the NHL changing the rule when both teams were assessed minor penalties to keep the teams at five aside - Oilers scored just about every time before that. It wasn't until recently the rule was changed back.

3. Hockey pool memory - during his big years for most playoff or season pools Gretzky could either not be drafted at all, or you could take either Gretzky points or Gretzky assists. It was about that time that pools where you were allocated a certain amount of currency and bid on players gained popularity. Beer prices at games were cheaper then too."

-- Steve Guest, Ottawa Correspondent

"Wayne Gretzky is, and forever will be, a great playmaker, an incredible scorer, and the best hockey player perhaps of all time. But I will always remember him for the sweaty, blanched, teary face that he gave while the Rangers' team photo was being taken. His passes, astonishing, his goals, breathtaking, his skating, God-like, but that face was the face of one who loves the game so dearly, and that is what I will remember Gretzky for."

-- Chris Schilling, Carolina Correspondent

"This is Toe Haenke from the Ice Pimps! I just want you all to know, we are deeply saddened by "The Great One's" retirement. Even though the Ice Pimps' doctrine doesn't directly relate to Wayne's game, all of the past and present Ice Pimps want to salute Wayne and thank him for everything. You are probably thinking, why the hell am is this goon telling us this? Well, I don't really know either. I guess it is just sharing the memories... Growing up in northern Minnesota, a decent hockey hotbed, we always dreamt we could be Wayne, even me. Thanks for preserving all of hockey's moments with your great website. My only hope is Wayne gets bored and comes back to play next season."

-- Toe "Ogie" Haenke, Ice Pimp

"Seriously, Gretzky was still playing?"

-- Jerry Fairish, Pittsburgh Correspondent

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