Wayne Gretzky to stay a fan, doesn't envision return to NHL
The Los Angeles Kings' bandwagon remains fully tenanted despite the team's current standing, seeded two points behind the Calgary Flames in the Pacific Division.
And among those fans unwilling to budge - still holding out firm belief that the Kings will be reckoned with in the playoffs - is Wayne Gretzky, who's enjoying life after the NHL, and life as a fan, far too much to give it up.
Right now, that is.
"I always say never is a long time, but right now it's just probably not going to happen for me," Gretzky said at Luc Robitaille's statue unveiling outside Staples Center on Saturday.
"I'm a huge fan of the game. I love watching it. I'm a huge L.A. Kings fan. I really admire what the organization has done for not only hockey in this town but for hockey in general," he added.
"I think Dean (Lombardi) has done a wonderful job and Darryl (Sutter) is the best coach in hockey, and until somebody beats them, that's the way it is. It's really special. I feel like a fan, like everyone else. I enjoy watching them play."
Of course, The Great One didn't enjoy a heaping slab of success in his initial return to the NHL, finishing with a .473 winning percentage after four seasons behind the bench of the Phoenix Coyotes.
He also only recently became a grandfather, which is surely helping tether him to the homefront.