Hayley Wickenheiser with the Canadian Olympic Team. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

The Saskatchewan native is the captain of the Canadian National women's hockey team, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, six-time world champion, and the first woman to earn a point in a professional men's hockey league. Wickenheiser, 30, is arguably the best female hockey player in the world.

CBCSports.ca: How did you get into hockey?

Wickenheiser: "I started playing when I was 5 years old. I grew up playing in small-town Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, on the outdoor rink.

"I watched my dad play hockey a lot at the rink with the senior players, and that's why I wanted to play. Watching it on TV and watching my dad play senior hockey, it made me want to play."

CBCSports.ca: What was the first game you remember playing?

Wickenheiser: "It was probably a local game in Shaunavon, in my hometown, where I grew up.

"I remember being out there for TimBits type hockey and skating in the cold, outdoor rink. You know, I remember it being so cold that we had to wear a toque under our helmets. Those are probably my first memories - the cold games."

CBCSports.ca: Who was your funniest teammate, and why?

Wickenheiser: "Funniest teammate ever? Probably Judy Diduck. Why? She always had some smart comment to say, or was always pulling some crazy trick.

"She'd pull little tricks in the airport, you know, doing things to other people's equipment. She was constantly singing all the time, making jokes all the time. She's a really funny person."

[Diduck, a veteran of the national team who is now retired, played with Wickenheiser at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, where Canada won silver.]

CBCSports.ca: Where was the most memorable tournament you ever played, and why?

Wickenheiser: "The Salt Lake tournament, the Olympic tournament [in 2002] was my most memorable.

"We lost to the U.S. all along, and then we came back to beat them in the final game, the game that mattered most. It was a great moment, and probably my most memorable."

CBCSports.ca: Where was the worst arena you've ever played at? What was it like?

Wickenheiser: "Schroh Arena in Saskatoon is the worst rink in Canada. Yep. It's just dark and dungy and small and cold, concrete, dirty, just terrible.

"It builds character playing in rinks like that."

CBCSports.ca: Where was the coldest game of hockey you ever played?

Wickenheiser: "The coldest game of hockey I've ever played...hmm. It must be Simmie, Saskatchewan. Real ice, extremely cold.

"I remember wearing a toque under my helmet, mitts in my gloves, and being so cold that we actually had to go into the lobby during intermissions to get warm. Even the lobby was so cold that you could see your own breath in there."

CBCSports.ca: Who is the most memorable hockey parent you ever met? Why?

Wickenheiser: "That's a good question, oh my gosh. I would say my own parents because they went everywhere, but the most memorable ever? Holy cow, that's tough.

"My son's telling me, 'just say everybody,'" she says.

"Probably the most memorable hockey parent I've ever met is Walter Gretzky. I mean, just spending time around Walter, he's the most well-known and famous hockey parent in Canada.

"He came to our golf tournament this summer in Ontario, up in the Muskokas. He came and gave of his time and donated things to the charity and was just great with the people.

"I've been around Walter a number of times throughout my career, and I think he's probably the most memorable, I mean, how can you forget him? He's such a character."