The Detroit News

If Wayne Gretzky's wife had her way, the Great One would have been a Detroit Red Wing.

Gretzky shared that tidbit during an appearance at the Greatness in Leadership forum in Lethbridge, Alberta, the Canadian Press reported.

In 1988, the Oilers, with whom Gretzky had won four Stanley Cups, traded him to the Los Angeles Kings.

"At the end of the day, and this is kind of unique, the Oilers said, 'what city do you want to go to?'" Gretzky said, according to the Canadian Press. "I had the choice of New York, Detroit or L.A.

"Everyone thought that my wife (actress Janet Gretzky) had picked L.A. and my wife said, 'You should play in Detroit.' It was my dad who called me and said, 'You should play in L.A.' For whatever reason, he said, 'I think you should move to L.A.,' and I became an L.A. King after that."

Gretzky retired after the 1998-99 season, never winning another Stanley Cup after Edmonton. The Red Wings won the Cup in 1997 and 1998.