A dejected Wayne Gretzky hangs his head after Team Canada lost a semifinal shootout to the Dominik Hasek-led Czech squad.

It remains an enduring image of the Nagano Olympics.

As the Czech Republic team celebrated its thrilling semifinal shootout victory, Wayne Gretzky sat alone, on the verge of tears, knowing that his first and only shot at winning an Olympic gold medal as a player had disappeared.

Oct 28: Scott Oake talks to Wayne Gretzky on The Headliner

During his 20-year career, Gretzky always considered it an honour to wear the maple leaf and represent Canada in international competition.

Wayne Gretzky Born: Jan. 26, 1961, Brantford, Ont. Experience Played in the 1996 World Cup Played in four Canada Cups, winning three (1991, 1987, 1984). Four times was the tournament's leading scorer (1991, 1987, 1984 and 1981) and was named to three all-star teams (1991, 1987, 1984). Played in 1982 world championship, named to the all-star team, tournament's leading scorer Bronze medalist in 1978 world junior championships, named best forward, all-star team

From his first overseas experience at the World Junior Championships to that fateful day two years ago in Nagano when coach Marc Crawford opted to sit Gretzky in the shootout, he always assumed a leadership role, guiding the national team to three Canada Cups.

"I loved being part of Team Canada," he said. "I love taking the responsibility, I love being in that situation."

Now, with his appointment as the executive director of Canada's 2002 men's Olympic hockey team, Gretzky is once again asked to lead Canada to glory.

"Wayne is doing this as a true Canadian," said Bob Nicholson, president of the Canadian Hockey Association. "He's setting quite an example, and it's a huge statement."

Gretzky knows there are skeptics out there who argue he's not qualified to take on such a role, that all his considerable hockey experience has been on the ice, not behind the bench or in the front office.

But Gretzky says he's ready to shoulder the burden of assuring his team's solid performance, and argues that there's a big distinction between his job as an executive director and an NHL general manager.

"If this team isn't successful, I will take responsibility," he said. "The heat is on me and that's fine by me."

Gretzky doesn't have to deal with a budget, negotiate contracts, or build a team that can withstand the rigours of an 82-game schedule and playoffs.

"It's not the NHL," he said. "It's a whole different scenario. You're not dealing with contracts, you're not dealing with salaries or agents. This is a situation where, and there are so many great Canadian hockey players, picking the right 23 to work together, picking the right goaltender. Those kind of decisions become very important."

In short, his goal is to win gold and nothing else.

And maybe, considering his international and NHL experience, no one is better suited to select the team.

Just over a season removed from retirement, Gretzky knows virtually every player who will be on the 2002 roster.

He has socialized with them, spent long plane flights with them and played games against them. More than any other general manager in the NHL, Gretzky knows which players have what it takes to win gold.

But what really drives Gretzky is passion. He's not getting one penny for his role with the Olympic team, and he seems determined to implement his vision.

Gretzky will no doubt make sure that the 2002 squad will empahsize offence. He took the first step towards realizing that goal by selecting Toronto Maple Leafs coach Pat Quinn to head up the team and adding assistants Ken Hitchcock and Jacques Martin.

Quinn is known for encouraging a free-flowing offensive style that will get the most out of Canada's top players such as Paul Kariya, Joe Sakic and Jason Allison.

Although Quinn has never been behind the bench of Team Canada in an international competition before -- he's served as the general manager in the 1997 and 1998 world championships and as the assistant GM at the 1996 World Cup -- his outstanding NHL record has earned him widespread respect from players throughout the league.

International Acclaim
YR	Event	GP	G	A	PTS
'98	Olympics, Nagano	6	0	4	4
'96	World Cup	8	3	3	6
'91	Canada Cup	7	4	9	13
'87	Canada Cup	9	3	18	21
'84	Canada Cup	8	5	7	12
'82	World Champ.	10	6	8	14
'81	Canada Cup	7	5	7	12
'78	World Jr. Champ.	6	8	9	17

While Gretzky may have the final say when it comes to the makeup of the team, he insists that he'll consult and work with his three coaches on constructing the best squad from the pool of talent available.

"The selection process is critical. We're going to share it, that's the management style Wayne wants to adopt," Quinn said.

"Ultimately, the coaching staff has to be comfortable with the people they have on the bench," Gretzky said. "So we're going to work closely together."

In just over five months, Gretzky has to name Canada's first eight players. If his plans work out, Gretzky will not only lead Canada to its first hockey gold since 1952, but he will get the medal he's been dreaming of winning since Nagano.