Gretzky family: Not a hockey culture

I had a good chuckle when my Dad sent me the link to an article on Ty Gretzky and how he's adjusting to life at his new digs. The eldest son of the Great one and the Gambler is currently enjoying life at Shattuck St. Mary's School, the small boarding school in rural Minnesota that is now famous for its most famous alumn, a kid named Sid.

Gretzky (the young one), who had previously only played two seasons of organized hockey, is playing as a third line centre and is "learning" the game at one of the best schools in the land. According to J.P. Parise, the father of Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils, Ty has come a longway since he "almost died" after being skated into the ground during training camp.

The funniest bit, however, comes from Tom Ward, the school's director of hockey, who says that "if he had been in more of a hockey culture, he would be further along." I pretty much burst our laughing at this point.

More of a hockey culture? Although I do understand what Ward means (Ty has seen more surfboards than left wing locks in his life), the phrase comes out all crooked. He is, after all, the son of the most prolific hockey player of all-time.

If we can take anything away from the article, it's that Ty's hockey career might resemble more that of his uncles Keith and Brent rather than that of his famous father.

Who knows, he may become a lacrosse star.