When Igor Larionov watched Wayne Gretzky say goodbye 10 days ago it triggered a few memories and reminders.

The Great One's retirement reminded him he was the same age and should perhaps soon think of bowing out as well. The memories were altogether something else.

"The first time I met him he got me away from the KGB and out to a nightclub in Calgary the night the '84 Canada Cup ended," the man known as the Russian Gretzky said as though it were yesterday.

"It was the night that (Mike) Bossy grabbed the stick and scored the winning goal to beat us. I'll never forget it. Wayne sent me an invitation to join the Canadian celebration but I sent back my regrets because they had a guy watching us all the time. But at midnight I was able to sneak out and join them and have a couple of drinks.

"I didn't get back until 5 a.m. It was great to meet him and just talk hockey as players instead of having politics between us."

Three years later he was back for Canada Cup '87 with those great Russian teams and he spent a couple of days at Gretzky's parents place in Brantford, Ont. The two have been friends since, although they haven't spent much time together because of their different summer locations, Larionov going back to visit his parents in a small town outside Moscow and Gretzky going to L.A.

Two years later, Larionov came to Vancouver and began an NHL career that has given him a chance to make some money.

"I came to Vancouver after eight years on the national team and all the money I had in my account was 30,000 rubles or about $8,000 Canadian dollars. And all I had got for the book which I had written was $1,500 Canadian dollars because other people controlled the rights. That's all I had.

"But I was one of the lucky ones because they wanted me over here. There are so many players I was with back in Russia who are starving now. They are trying to live on a pension of between $40 and $75 a month. What kind of life can you have on that? They are all great players, but because of the stupid system created in 1917 they could earn no money."

Igor, his wife Lenka and their three children -- including 12-year-old Lenka, who recently sang the national anthem at an indoor soccer game, and Igor Jr. born last year -- will be looking to put down roots perhaps as early as the end of next season.

"I'm still planning to come back to Vancouver, those are my intentions right now. I sold the house I had in North Vancouver, but it is a beautiful city and we're planning to come when I'm finished."

"I don't know when that will be," said Wings assistant Barry Smith of Larionov. "The guy takes such incredible care of himself. He's stronger now than at any time in his career. You could put together a video of what he does, how he trains away from the rink and give it to young players today and say, 'Here, follow this.' He's light, but what does he want to put on weight for? He does everything on skill and quickness."

Said Larionov of his diet: "My one weakness is European cheese in the morning with fresh croissants. Otherwise, it's fish and chicken, just two meals a day and red meat two, maybe three times a month."

Still playing at a very high level with a weight that dips to 163 pounds at this stage of the season, Larionov loves to talk about the old days because of the quality of hockey.

"It was so much fun to play in those days. No trap. Just guys going and moving the puck and playing the game the way it was supposed to be played. They still play those Canada Cup games on ESPN Classic sometimes and the hockey was phenomenal.

"I don't know if we will ever have hockey like that any more. It's sad. In a way Wayne retiring was like a great page of NHL history being turned."