Wayne Gretzky and Larry Culp are not known to have any personal or business relationship. Their names show up together in coverage of the 2022 Milken Institute Global Conference. Larry Culp was on the speaker list, while Arizona Coyotes executive Xavier Gutierrez had discussed a famous hockey saying linked to Gretzky in an earlier interview. Later articles tied the two references together.
The connection comes from a hockey saying discussed in a business context, not from a known partnership between Gretzky and Culp.
Why Are Wayne Gretzky and Larry Culp Linked?
Wayne Gretzky made his name in hockey, while Larry Culp built his career in corporate leadership, including as CEO of General Electric.
The link comes from conference coverage. Later articles point to a Sports Business Journal story about the 2022 Milken Institute Global Conference. In those accounts, Culp appears in the conference setting, and the Gretzky reference comes from Gutierrez, who talked about a hockey saying on looking ahead.
That may explain why the two names appear together in search results, even though no meeting between them has been established.
What the 2022 Milken Institute Conference Records Show
The Milken Institute Global Conference ran from May 1 through May 4, 2022, at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The theme was “Celebrating the Power of Connection.” Business leaders and experts from other fields came to talk about markets, public issues, and new ideas.
The official speaker directory listed Larry Culp as chairman and CEO of General Electric. It also listed Xavier Gutierrez as president, CEO, and alternate governor of the Arizona Coyotes. That confirms both men were speakers at the same event.
Who Is Xavier Gutierrez?
Xavier Gutierrez helps explain the hockey connection. As president and CEO of the Arizona Coyotes, he had to plan for the team’s future, including how to reach people who might become fans.
In a Navigate interview published in January 2022, months before the Milken conference, he talked about a line often tied to Gretzky. The line is about skating to where the puck is going, not where it has been. He said he first thought Wayne was the source, but later heard the advice may have come from Wayne’s father, Walter Gretzky.
Gutierrez used the saying to explain why the Coyotes needed to plan for future fans instead of relying only on past success.
How the Hockey Idea Applied to the Coyotes
Gutierrez described a changing fan base. It included young people, women, diverse communities, tech users, and people who care about a company’s purpose. He also spoke about reaching Latino communities and helping more people connect with the team.
A team cannot assume its future crowd will look like today’s crowd. It has to learn about new groups and work to reach them.
These were his comments on the Coyotes’ plans. This is not a quote from Larry Culp.
Who Said “Skate to Where the Puck Is Going”?
The line “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been” is widely linked to Wayne Gretzky. People use it to talk about planning ahead and spotting change early. Popular hockey quote lists credit Wayne.
Other published accounts credit his father, Walter Gretzky, with the advice. The Canadian Space Agency has also described it as advice Walter gave to Wayne. Gutierrez’s own story fits this mix, since he thought the line was Wayne’s before hearing about Walter.
The quote is widely associated with Wayne Gretzky, but some published accounts credit his father, Walter. The available sources do not establish who first said it. Either way, the idea holds up: study how people and markets may change, then plan around that.
What Does the Sports Business Journal Story Show?
Later articles describe a May 2022 Sports Business Journal report as the place where Culp and the Gretzky-related reference came together. In those accounts, Culp is mentioned in the conference setting, and Gutierrez brings up the hockey saying.
There is one limit here. The original Sports Business Journal article remains difficult to verify, so its exact wording is unclear. This part of the story rests on how later coverage describes it.
The official Milken records do not confirm that report. They only list Culp and Gutierrez as speakers. Gutierrez’s interview shows he discussed the hockey idea before the conference. Published sources also credit the quote to both Wayne and Walter Gretzky.
Are Wayne Gretzky and Larry Culp Related or Business Partners?
No. No family tie between Wayne Gretzky and Larry Culp has been established in public records. Their careers are also separate, since Gretzky is known for hockey and Culp for corporate leadership.
No business partnership or joint project between them has been documented either. Gutierrez’s interview does not link either man to a shared venture.
That does not prove they have never crossed paths in private. It only means there is no solid basis to call them relatives, friends, or business partners.
Wayne Gretzky’s NHL Records and Larry Culp’s GE Career
Wayne Gretzky’s Hockey Legacy
Gretzky finished his NHL career with 894 regular-season goals, 1,963 assists, and 2,857 points. He is still the league’s career leader in assists and total points.
His goals record fell in April 2025, when Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th NHL goal and passed him. Gretzky’s place in hockey history is still huge because of his scoring and playmaking.
His famous saying has also spread beyond the rink. Business leaders use it to talk about planning, change, and future demand. That is how his name can turn up in business coverage without him being part of the event.
Larry Culp’s Business Career
Culp led Danaher from 2001 to 2014. He became CEO of General Electric in 2018. GE Aerospace launched as an independent public company in April 2024, and Culp is its chairman and CEO.
His work has centered on company operations, leadership, and business change. None of that overlaps with Gretzky’s hockey career, and no joint effort between the two men is on record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Wayne Gretzky and Larry Culp mentioned together?
Later coverage ties their names to a 2022 Sports Business Journal story about the Milken Institute Global Conference. Culp is mentioned in the conference setting. In a January 2022 interview, Xavier Gutierrez discussed a hockey saying often attributed to Wayne Gretzky.
Did Wayne Gretzky attend the 2022 Milken Institute Global Conference?
Wayne Gretzky does not appear in the official 2022 speaker directory, and the sources reviewed do not establish that he attended. The directory lists Larry Culp and Xavier Gutierrez. A mention in a story is not proof of attendance.
Did Larry Culp quote Wayne Gretzky?
No evidence shows that he did. The hockey saying comes from Gutierrez’s interview about the Coyotes’ future fans and business plans.
Who is Xavier Gutierrez?
He is a business executive who served as president and CEO of the Arizona Coyotes. In a Navigate interview, he used the hockey saying to explain how the team could prepare for future fans.
Is the famous hockey quote from Wayne Gretzky or Walter Gretzky?
The line is widely linked to Wayne, but Walter is also credited with giving the advice to his son. Gutierrez noted this doubt in his interview. The sources do not settle who said it first.
The Bottom Line on Wayne Gretzky and Larry Culp
The link between Wayne Gretzky and Larry Culp is best seen as a reported tie through conference coverage. Official Milken Institute records place Culp and Gutierrez on the 2022 speaker list, and Gutierrez’s earlier interview shows how a hockey saying became part of a business talk about future fans.
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Hi, I’m Sophia Turner, a content writer who focuses on celebrity biographies, net worth information, and entertainment topics. I enjoy researching public figures and using reliable sources to make complex or unfamiliar information easy to understand.
My goal is to create clear and useful articles about celebrities, including their careers, achievements, backgrounds, and public work. I also follow entertainment news and trends to keep the content relevant and interesting for readers.