Some people skate to the puck. I skate to where the puck is going to be.

Wayne Gretzky’s line is commonly cited to explain the anticipatory style that made him hockey’s most prolific scorer. Rather than relying on speed or brute force, Gretzky was known for reading plays early—tracking patterns, teammates’ tendencies, and defenders’ positioning to arrive at open ice before the puck did. The quote circulated widely in sports media as a capsule description of his “hockey IQ” during and after his NHL career (1979–1999), and it is often invoked in business and leadership settings as an analogy for strategic foresight and positioning ahead of competitors.

The contrast is between reactive competence and proactive vision. “Skating to the puck” represents responding to what is already happening—chasing events, copying others, or optimizing for the present. “Skating to where the puck is going to be” emphasizes prediction, preparation, and creating advantage by arriving early to the next opportunity. The quote’s significance lies in its generalizable lesson: excellence often comes from pattern recognition and anticipation rather than mere effort. It also implies a willingness to commit to a future state before it is obvious, accepting uncertainty in exchange for strategic positioning.

1) “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”
2) “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”