When starting a new job, it's not uncommon to be pranked into welcoming you to a new team. This reality is no different when you're a head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL), as Bruce Boudreau can attest.
He was tricked by Teemu Selanne, who posed as the legendary Wayne Gretzky and invited his new coach at the Anaheim Ducks for a drink in 2011-2012.
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In a video for the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, the Hockey Hall of Famer recounted how the stunt unfolded.
“We were in Vancouver. When he arrived, he told us that he had met Wayne Gretzky and bought him a beer, the Finn recalled. He was as excited as a child.”
On the bus, after morning practice, Selanne had an idea.
“I had his number, but he didn’t have mine. So I texted him: “Hello, this is Wayne. It was great meeting you. I admire you as a player and as a coach. I’d like to go back for a beer.”
Boudreau was overjoyed and readily agreed to go that same evening.
“As we were on the way to the game, I texted him: 'It's Wayne, do you still want to meet?'” the former star recalled with a laugh.
When the coach said yes, the Finn asked him to come to the back of the bus.
“He turned his head to me and started cursing,” Selanne laughed, mimicking the pilot’s reaction. All the boys knew. Everyone laughed.”
Good player
Accompanied by Jeremy Roenick and podcast hosts Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney, all former NHL players, the man who played 1,451 games on the Bettman circuit confided that his former pilot took everything with humor.
When asked by Bissonnette, the Finn replied: “He was great, he loved it.”