On August 9th, 1988, Wayne Gretzky officially became a member of the Los Angeles Kings, shocking the hockey world. This week on Roll The Tape, Afi Ahmed and Kyle McLaren look back at the trade, what it meant for Gretzky’s legacy, and how it impacted the growth of the game itself.

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Show Notes

Memories of Gretzky ( 1:22 )

The foundations of the trade ( 3:10 )

Could any trade today be as shocking as Gretzky leaving Edmonton? ( 6:45 )

Why did Pocklington trade Gretzky? ( 9:17 )

Should owners be focused on winning or profitability? ( 12:44 )

Impact of Gretzky trade leading to the NHL’s southern expansion ( 20:27 )

The growth of the game of hockey ( 28:45 )

How much emphasis did Gretzky’s post-playing career push him towards LA? ( 32:41 )

Hot Take Corner (38:00)

Notable mentions

Peter Pocklington | Wayne Gretzky | Gary Bettman | Mark Messier | Janet Gretzky

Additional readings