Welcome to another episode of In Search for Excellence! My guest today is my good friend Luc Robitaille! Luc is an NHL Hall of Famer who as a 19-year-old teenager went from being drafted in the 9th round (171st overall) to becoming the highest-scoring left winger in NHL history, with 668 goals over his 19-season career. In his first year in the league, Luc won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year and then went on to become the only left wing in NHL history to record 8 consecutive 40-goal seasons. Luc played 8 all-star games, won a Stanley Cup as a player with the awesome Detroit Red Wings in 2002, and two more Stanley Cups as an executive with the Los Angeles Kings. He is giving back to his community through his Echoes of Hope Foundation. Time stamps: 01:23 Luc Robitaille’s family and background He had a great life but not a lot of moneyWorked at his dad’s scrap yardThe value of manual labor07:44 Earliest memories playing hockey A tennis ball was goldMade their own equipment for hockeyHis first memory holding a stick11:13 The difference from other kids Practicing all the time to be betterHis mentality was all about hard workSense of a game is hard to teach14:57 Goals, dreams, and hard work Wanted to play Junior MajorThat was what they could afford to watchHe was up at 4:30 am to go to practiceNo one needed to ever push him for the next practice19:50 Getting into the World Junior Championship Only 40 players were invited to make the teamHe wasn’t calledOne of the players got injured and he got inThat changed his life permanently22:35 Getting drafted by the LA Kings NHL draftProjected to be a late-round draft pickThe scouts said he was too small, didn't skate well, lacked hand-eye coordinationHe became the 171st pickThe story about the draft and the pin29:38 Moving to LA He wanted to focus on playing hockey onlyStayed in the boarding house with Marcel DionneDid nothing except trainingThe nickname Lucky35:18 The first game Wanted to be a part of making the LA Kings greatRecalling the first game experienceThe excitement of his first score39:17 The Rookie of the Year How did it feel to receive the award?Didn’t think he was going to winHe was overwhelmed but moved on41:18 A special bond with Jimmy Carson Jimmy came from a different backgroundThey had a special bond and practiced all the timeThe secret signal helped them score 15-20 goalsStaying in the middle of the bench45:30 Playing with Wayne Gretzky As a kid, he admired Wayne GretzkyWanted to impress him more than to winWhen he came to the Kings, it was hard because he was his heroThe coach took him from Wayne’s line because he was distracted Sponsors: Sandee | Bliss: Beaches Want to Connect? Reach out to us online! Website | Instagram | LinkedIn