August 9, 1988. The day that I realized sports was much more than a game. The day it hit me smack in the face. The day Wayne Gretzky was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. It was also a day that made the NHL what it is today and what has made the US a hockey power.
I never, ever thought that someone of Wayne's talent and ilk would get traded. Who would trade the best hockey player ever? Peter Pocklington, that's who.
I remember where I was when I first heard the news, and I remember where I was when I saw that press conference in Edmonton. I imagine many of you do as well. Its one of those memories that are burned into your mind.
I often wonder where the NHL would be if hadn't been for this day 23 years ago. Would the NHL exist in places like San Jose, Anaheim, Nashville, Tampa, etc. etc. Would the NHL have left Winnipeg and Quebec City? I also look at how the game got a tremendous boost south of the 49th from Wayne's presence. It sparked many kids in a country where hockey wasn't thought of as a mainstream sport to start playing the game. Those kids that started the playing the game got pretty good when they were 18 or 19 and as a result, Canada has a new rival on the junior stage and on the pro stage.
I'm sure to this day there are things about what happened 23 years ago and the days leading up to it that we still don't know about. Books have been written, TV shows have been made, but I'm guessing there are still a lot of stories out there that haven't been told.
What are your thoughts on August 9, 1988?
4 comments:
The "business side of sports" really raised it's head after the trade. Players didn't get traded just because they had poor seasons anymore. Peter Puck went for the green (and we're not just talking about something in his old meat plant's hot dogs--hey yo)
--quick dollars meant more than wins.
... it contributed to players seeing this and realizing anything can happen. Players became more concerned with themselves, not just team's goals, the team front office would do anything for themselves..it probably started all the No trade/no movement clauses the agents use today that now curse the front offices.
...as a Oiler hater I was happy after the trade but that feeling changed as years went by and I realized...
THE FAN SUDDENLY BECAME AN AFTERTHOUGHT
--I think someone else wants the soapbox
keep up the steller work Mitch..heads up in the 'Hat this weekend..lots of roadwork going on
When I told my dad that Grezt got the first words out of his mouth were, "Greztky will never touch the Stanley Cup again." And he hasn't.
It ruined hockey for me. I've hardly watched since then. I've never forgiven Peter puck.
I had the chance to watch two Stanley Final games with Gretzky and the other amazing Oilers of the '80's.
Pocklington has turned out to bet the sleazey, snivelling crook we all assumed him to be, to say nothing of the chubby thief who owned the Kings.
"I never, ever thought that someone of Wayne's talent and ilk would get traded. Who would trade the best hockey player ever? Peter Pocklington, that's who."
Gretzky wanted this trade and helped make it happen. The idea that Pocklington insensitively traded poor little unsuspecting Gretzky is rubbish.
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