August 9, 1988
This Day In NHL Hockey History (Wayne Gretzky Traded) August 9, 1988; the trade shook the hockey world.
Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings from the Edmonton Oilers and Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley in exchange for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first-round draft picks (1989, 1991, 1993) and $15 million in cash.
The announcement of an impending trade was made known to Wayne Gretzky by his father Walter, only two hours after winning the Stanley Cup. Walter Gretzky had known that deal was looming for over four months but kept it a secret from his son so as not to distract him from his on-ice performance. It was widely rumored that the front runners for Gretzky’s services were Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Detroit.
The Fallout
When fans learned of the trade, they were in shock. Some labeled Gretzky a traitor; others bashed his wife Janet for allegedly luring him to Los Angeles to be closer to her acting career. Others flew into a rage against former club owner Peter Pocklington.
Wayne immediately impacted his new team, scoring on his first shot in his first game. The trade immediately put NHL hockey on the map in California, if not the United States. Fans that had only a passive interest in hockey were now supercharged by the Canadian phenom and couldn’t resist being drawn to the game to watch such a fantastic talent, the likes of which had never been witnessed before.
Gretzky’s first visit to Edmonton in a different uniform since the trade, he received a four-minute standing ovation. The building of 17,503 was sold out, marking the most massive crowd in attendance until that date. Oiler fans were electric that night cheering for their hero when Wayne stepped onto the ice for the first time, registering two assists and a punishing hit into the boards from Mark “The Moose” Messier. After the game, Wayne reassured the crowd that “I’m still proud to be a Canadian. I didn’t desert my country. I moved because I was traded, and that’s where my job is. But I’m Canadian to the core. I hope Canadians understand that.” After the 1988-1989 season, Wayne’s life-sized bronze statue holding the Stanley Cup above his head was erected outside Northlands Coliseum. And that is what happened This Day In NHL Hockey History, August 9, 1988.
NHL Jerseys
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