34 years ago, the Wayne Gretzky trade shook a nation and the hockey world | CBC Sports

On August 9th, 1988, the unthinkable happened, the world's greatest hockey player was traded.
It's been 30 years since The Great One uttered the words "I promised Mess I wouldn't do this" and shocked the sporting world. The Gretzky trade sent Canada into mourning, and the NHL into expansion.
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30 years ago, the Wayne Gretzky trade shook a nation
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[@madison_crvt]

the singular most concrete example of the effects of the gretzky trade can be boiled down to this: brothers brian and billy matthews were living in california during this trade and became kings fans. they both relocated to arizona, who also got a team likely because of the popularity gretzky brought to a southern market, and brian had a son who grew up going to coyotes games and started playing hockey in the desert. that son? no other than auston matthews

[@lessthanthreemetal]

That's wild

[@BrettHornby]

If Wayne Gretzky can get traded then anybody can.

[@Oxidize]

4:09

[@mikeslechta6607]

Not J

[@JuliusC1973]

We've certainly seen plenty of examples of that in every sport going all the way back to Babe Ruth being traded from The Boston Red Sox to The New York Yankees after winning THe World Series in 1918.

[@broadstreet21]

Well, Babe Ruth got traded. MJ almost got traded, before he won a single chip with the Bulls.

[@joesakic91]

The San Francisco Bay Area (in particular San Jose), Anaheim, Carolina, Tampa Bay, the Miami area, the Phoenix, Arizona area, Nashville, Dallas and Las Vegas should thank the Edmonton Oilers for trading Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Many hockey fans and experts can argue that those teams wouldn't exist had the Oilers didn't trade the 'Great One.'

[@michaelkrolewski6531]

I heard him being interviewed while taking shots on a golf course during his retirement and he sounded as though he had reGretz about being traded. He reiterated that he had won 3 Stanley Cups with the Oilers and 0 with the Kings

[@mangotango2909]

Joe Krolewski he won 4 cups

[@Cutlass_Rudd]

Yeah, but I know a construction company owner in Ontario that won 5 cups, 2 with Gretzky - he aint cryin'

[@marcpower4167]

I saw that same interview: "How many cups did you win? And how many were in Edmonton?" " 4 and 4" "If you had stayed in Edmonton another 10 years how many more do you think you would have won?" "Hmmm....team was getting pretty good 🤔 probably 4 more." "And does that ever cross your mind?" "Every day."

[@michaelkrolewski6531]

@@marcpower4167 Actually, one of them was without Gretzky, but I get what you mean. They definitely would have won that 4th one with him

[@marcpower4167]

@@michaelkrolewski6531 I think he did win 4 and the oilers won a 5th without him. But above that was what he said.

[@gymrat2647]

I was 11 and living in Ottawa , I cried when I herd the news

[@michaelkrolewski6531]

I was about 13, I watched the announcement on TV at my cottage

[@davidwatson6725]

The free agency part is wrong. There was no NHL free agency then.

[@janellemaynait]

They picked the right time to trade him

[@Denniswilson099]

i was on summer break after i finished grade 2 i woke up that morning seen gretzky in tears on televion. then i went back to my room fell in tears on what happen to him

[@Oxidize]

Great video!

[@CBCSports]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Stormtrooper-oc4vn]

Turns out it was the second one. Bruce Mcnall is a very smart man and all he really wanted to make hockey in la popular and he got it.

[@JuliusC1973]

I still remeber Sports Illustrated putting Magic Johnson on The Cover and him welcoming Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles.

[@roachdoggjr99]

I find it so funny in hockey how the best are constantly traded

[@kristofferlinden6306]

Yes strange

[@JusdoinstuF]

So did Wayne expect a bidding war when his contract was up to increased his salary from the oilers or did he want to leave?

[@kidpoker9408]

wifey

[@JusdoinstuF]

@Stone Harper wow

[@lynx7631]

He probably did expect a bidding war

[@ozzy0353]

Pocklington was a corrupt scumbag who made terrible, selfish deals

[@Paul-vf2wl]

He might have wanted to stay but he wasn't going to stay for less money. Oilers couldn't afford him.

[@sstar202]

If it wasn't for the trade, the NHL might reach new heights in the United States.

[@TheMan750]

Which I think still to this day some Edmontonians are still upset

[@marcpower4167]

Absolutely, the Kings actually weren't drawing well until Gretzky came in.

[@az956]

I was babysitting and I couldn’t stop crying😭 ( I blamed Janet!)

[@PatFrenchLeafsFan1]

It was like the day of John Lennon's murder & Elvis's death.

[@Adriel_HD]

Awwe

[@michaelkrolewski6531]

I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. It was Janet & Peter Pocklington

[@parkerbeard6170]

I was only a year old when this trade happened

[@TBevill1231]

I don’t think the Stars would be in Dallas if Gretzky wasn’t traded.

[@marcpower4167]

They would have moved but debateable if they would have gone to Dallas. (A lot of factors in that move)

[@bonifacioclara3042]

with the whole leo messi situation going on this is the only guy that i know understands him

[@JohnnyJay88]

You can tell in his voice. He didnt wanna leave

[@slapshot68]

Canada didn’t either, they meant business, they were protesting hard

[@jennifers4865]

I heard Sid Vicious played for the New Jersey Devils!

[@marioantoniocrespoMexican92]

I wasn’t born yet. I was born in 1994

[@joejamros]

If Wayne Gretzky stays in Edmonton, he could've won more Stanley Cups as Mark Messier.

[@broadstreet21]

That's a huge IF. If he stayed in Edmonton, he'd be criminally underpaid, making only six figures. And then instead of Gretzky, it's Messier, then Kurri getting traded.

[@JuliusC1973]

They probably would have won 8 Stanley Cups in Edmonton and then 2 more in New York late in their careers playing for The Rangers.

[@broadstreet21]

@@JuliusC1973 Well here's the question, how on earth does Gretzky stay in Edmonton? For starters, he would have to settle for under a million per annum, while many other clubs will be throwing multi-million dollar figures at him. Red Wings, no question, they would roll out the dough. Kings were committed to go the distance to get him. Rangers ditto. And all of Gretzky's corporate sponsors and partners, they would be pressuring him to choose a big market. Oh, and Janet would want to stay in Los Angeles to further her acting career. Remember, Gretzky was set to be a free agent in 1989, and point blank told Pocklington he was not going to re-sign. You truly think otherwise?

[@JuliusC1973]

@@broadstreet21 You offer him an Ownership Stake in The Edmonton Oilers. No one thought about offering him that, but they should have. The Boston Bruins offered Bobby Orr and Ownership Stake in The Boston Bruins, but Orr's Agent never told him. Bobby Orr should have never left The Boson Bruins, he should have been a Boston Bruin for Life, just as Wayne Gretzky should have been an Edmonton Oiler for Life. That's just my opinion. I just hated seeing the break up of one of hte greatest teams ever assembled.

[@broadstreet21]

@@JuliusC1973 Well offer him an ownership stake in the Edmonton Oilers? Were they not losing money, featuring too many high-paid stars in too small of a market? If Gretzky remained with the Oilers, either by being made part owner or something else, well they could not afford to stay in Edmonton. Meaning, they would be moved to another city in a bigger market. That, or they fold. Either way, Gretzky's days in Edmonton is numbered.

[@mufasaunleashed]

The Oilers are near the top of their division. The Kings are at the bottom. Watch out McDavid they're coming for you!

[@sedlyholmes3722]

It was his father's fault too

[@privatejets9992]

Never seen Gretzky and Bowie in the same room ,..

[@CBCSports]

🤔

[@atrealdino6667]

This will be Conor McDavid in another 2-3 years

[@JohnnyJay88]

Absaloutely not

[@danstaneckyj7854]

traded, how about sold, the meat processing plants and car dealerships were hurting. 15 million would pay the entire payroll for 3 or 4 years back then. strictly a business deal.

[@hmingthantluanga184]

🐐

[@aaronbenhaggai973]

Heard they where gonna trade him to Toronto

[@ckendall67]

- Came close to a trade with the Leafs in 1996 I heard but it fell through.

[@michaelkrolewski6531]

I remember in the early 80's when it was an April fools joke. There was a picture of Gretzky in a Maple Leafs jersey standing next to Harold Ballard on the cover of the Toronto Star. I think April 1st, 1982.

[@marcpower4167]

My understanding Vancouver & Detroit were in the mix too. Potential stacked teams there if either of those happened. 😮

[@mattlorentz1988]

This is why I dispise L A Go Oilers Go

[@ayo_ocho8861]

I love my Oiler but we are idiot for these trade

[@marcpower4167]

Hard to say, Oilers still won another cup without him. Got quality players in Jimmy Carson and Martin Gelinas and much needed cash. But yeah I do think it was the beginning of the end of the Oilers dynasty.

[@slapshot68]

Imagine the bulls trading MJ, lol Chicago would probably be having riots n shootouts

[@wheatcrunch101]

You are completely wrong about the free agent part. Save us the 4 minutes so no one else wastes their time with this nonsense.

[@slapshot68]

They almost rioted on the streets

[@kidpoker9408]

this and suter robbed wayne of 3500 and 1000 goals and 10 stanley cups and 100 million hart's

[@kidpoker9408]

oh and probably a billion assists

[@josiahwhitehead7519]

Lol if “you’re old”,enough okay boomer.

[@faceSSScase3]

I was not being alive in 1988

[@canucks4961]

Who cares

[@paulstastny5583]

Gretzky would be a 3rd line forward in today's game

[@PhillyLeotardo25]

Paul Stastny dumbest thing I ever heard of

[@joetarantino5691]

And why a 3rd line forward?

[@johnhunter7588]

Lol no

[@EmailBacon]

Ummm that is not right

[@robertshockey3442]

Ya maybe if he was as he is right now like in his 50s