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What kid dreams of becoming a business writer? None that I know of, including me.

Instead, like most of my youthful pals, I fantasized about becoming an NHL hockey star while I was growing up in Windsor, Ont., a stone’s throw from Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena. Those dreams died by the time I was 16, but several of my more talented high school teammates did go all the way.

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One of them was goalie Eddie Mio, who in 1978 joined the Edmonton Oilers along with his best friend — a young phenom named Wayne Gretzky. Eddie served as best man at Gretzky’s wedding before he was traded to the New York Rangers in 1981.

I’m sure Eddie never dreamed he’d wind up being best buds with the most prolific scorer in NHL history. But that’s life. It’s unpredictable. Sometimes, in wonderful ways. Even for regular blokes like me who don’t become sports heroes.

If not for the encouragement of my Grade 12 English teacher I would never have considered a career in journalism. And I’m not sure I would have stuck with it if not for early mentors like National Post columnist Terence Corcoran. But I got lucky. I met many wonderful colleagues along the way.