The day the music died

[rboomercat90]

I think your reasoning makes much sense, and I vaguely remember that narrative too. The rumour I recall involved Ann Sather.

Awful, really in hindsight.

lol no, I don’t remember that one. I do remember how nasty the rumours got after the Gretzky trade though. Those were a rough couple of years in Edmonton.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Where were you this day in 1988?

I remember waking up to the news and thinking it was all a nightmare.

I was in victoria BC when the rumours started, flew back to Edmonton and the day before the trade local reporters were saying it was not happening but 2 reporters from TO and one from Vancouver stuck to their guns. I remember the Vancouver reporter saying that the Edmonton media were being lied to and he was called out by Jones and Matty---I think it was at about 8am the day of the trade when the truth started to sink in

 

[CROTT]

I was almost three months old, in northern Alberta.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I was driving making plumbing deliveries so I was in the truck all day long listening to CHED.

It was different back then. We didn’t have the instant around the clock sports coverage that we do today so we never really heard much about the team, especially during the off season. It was just a few columns a day in the Sun and Journal and some sports radio in the evenings. Mostly what we had in the summers was rumours. Most were meaningless but the summer of 87 gave us the talk that Paul Coffey and Andy Moog wanted out. Neither played for the Oilers again.

In the summer of 88 the rumours were back and this time they were about Gretzky and they wouldn’t stop. For days we heard he was being traded to Vancouver. You didn’t want to believe them but they wouldn’t stop. Now suddenly we were being told it was the Kings.

I remember being in my truck early that morning and hearing it was a possibility that he was going to LA. Every half hour there was an update on the news saying the deal was closer to happening until finally they said it was done and there would be a press conference later that afternoon. Right up until that press conference I wanted to believe it wasn’t true and it was all a prank but it wasn’t. The feelings of emptiness I felt that day was indescribable. That’s the day I learned sports was just a business and I never forgot. I haven’t felt the same way about them since.

This is the thing. All summer there were rumors and even without internet they were everywhere that Gretz was gone. Soon as I saw the lavish wedding production and Janets dress being 200ft long in a ridiculous "Lady Diana" kind of wedding I knew it was over. Theres no way that ego or expectation or want was going to stay in Edmonton. I rue'd the day really that Wayne left Vickie Moss and went with that pole dancer. Not a fan.

So I'm not really remembering perfectly where I was when I heard the news. I think I was in Vancouver or Seattle. I knew it was going to occur.

I know everybody blamed Pocklington but I didn't see a lineup of local owners or business people (translation none) that were lining up to pay Wayne Gretzky what he was worth, to continue to play here. Turns out the guy he did play for was spending other peoples money as well, and was even shittier than Pocklington in that his main play was bilking seniors out of their inheritance.

Indeed it was guys like Pocklington, Mcnall, they made you long for more respected owners for instance Bill Hunter who started the franchise off. The worm had already turned in so many ways. By 90 the NHL was rotten to the core.

Just gonna say this but its completely shitty as well for Gretz, or players in general that the lionshare of owners they play for are such scumbags. The money being tainted. Gretz still a youth when Skalbania pawned off Gretzky to Pocklington over a game of Backgammon. Mr and Mrs Gretzky must have had sleepless nights at the lions den that their son had fallen into.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think your reasoning makes much sense, and I vaguely remember that narrative too. The rumour I recall involved Ann Sather.

Awful, really in hindsight.

meh. We can't insert todays mindset retroactively. At the time Edmonton was a real small working class city and this well before even Oil and Gas wages got crazy. People weren't making tons back then and everybody was workign hard, and long hours.

So that Edmonton was a particular place that wasn't going to be sensitive at all to people that wanted to make millions chasing a puck. There would be zero support of contractual demands and all of Coffey, Mess, Anderson, Lowe were tarred at the time for speaking about money and wanting more.

I think the awful thing thats occurred in pro sports is that a game now can cost 10-100 times more to go to then what it did at the time. To wit we had game 7 87 SC Final tickets in 87 for only 24 bucks. Those same tickets would easily get 2400 now. 100X as much.

Its a crazy train.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

That’s the day I learned sports was just a business and I never forgot. I haven’t felt the same way about them since.

Oh god this 1000%

I was 11 years old when it went down, and told that Gretzky wasn't traded, he was SOLD.

 

[Fourier]

This is the thing. All summer there were rumors and even without internet they were everywhere that Gretz was gone. Soon as I saw the lavish wedding production and Janets dress being 200ft long in a ridiculous "Lady Diana" kind of wedding I knew it was over. Theres no way that ego or expectation or want was going to stay in Edmonton. I rue'd the day really that Wayne left Vickie Moss and went with that pole dancer. Not a fan.

So I'm not really remembering perfectly where I was when I heard the news. I think I was in Vancouver or Seattle. I knew it was going to occur.

I know everybody blamed Pocklington but I didn't see a lineup of local owners or business people (translation none) that were lining up to pay Wayne Gretzky what he was worth, to continue to play here. Turns out the guy he did play for was spending other peoples money as well, and was even shittier than Pocklington in that his main play was bilking seniors out of their inheritance.

Indeed it was guys like Pocklington, Mcnall, they made you long for more respected owners for instance Bill Hunter who started the franchise off. The worm had already turned in so many ways. By 90 the NHL was rotten to the core.

Just gonna say this but its completely shitty as well for Gretz, or players in general that the lionshare of owners they play for are such scumbags. The money being tainted. Gretz still a youth when Skalbania pawned off Gretzky to Pocklington over a game of Backgammon. Mr and Mrs Gretzky must have had sleepless nights at the lions den that their son had fallen into.

The thing is I am pretty sure that the Oilers could have afforded to pay Gretzky if the Oilers were his only business. But Pocklington needed the money to keep his crumbling empire going. The Oilers were his cash cow and his ticket to raise capital. That eventually ended.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The thing is I am pretty sure that the Oilers could have afforded to pay Gretzky if the Oilers were his only business. But Pocklington needed the money to keep his crumbling empire going. The Oilers were his cash cow and his ticket to raise capital. That eventually ended.

Without getting into too much here it was also the 80's and the Alberta economy was collapsed due to the NEP. So it wasn't just Puck that had cash trouble and a lot of businesses folded, and unprecedented bankruptcies, foreclosures etc. Plus with what ticket prices and TV contracts were back then it wasn't that much of a cashcow. Not enough to pay what Gretz was worth. With Gretz of course getting more sponsorship deals and extra money playing in LA plus what his wife could get there which was not available here. I didn't see her wanting to be on SCTV.

In anycase a lot of empires crumbled here in the 80's. 5-10 years later and it was untenable to even have an NHL team here from a business case pov.

 

[Fourier]

Without getting into too much here it was also the 80's and the Alberta economy was collapsed due to the NEP. So it wasn't just Puck that had cash trouble and a lot of businesses folded, and unprecedented bankruptcies, foreclosures etc. Plus with what ticket prices and TV contracts were back then it wasn't that much of a cashcow. Not enough to pay what Gretz was worth. With Gretz of course getting more sponsorship deals and extra money playing in LA plus what his wife could get there which was not available here. I didn't see her wanting to be on SCTV.

In anycase a lot of empires crumbled here in the 80's. 5-10 years later and it was untenable to even have an NHL team here from a business case pov.

In 82 the highest player in the league made $65K US and players in Canada were paid with $CDN. The Oiler's player salaries would have been under $2M. Ticket and in-game revenues alone were probably over $10M CDN. In 1987 Gretzky made $950K CDN. No other Oiler was over $350K CDN. The team's player salaries was probably under $5M. As a STH I paid $16 for my tickets at the bottom of the upper bowl. The average price was probably about $20. Add in playoffs and just ticket and in-game revenue would have been $20M+ per year. All of this is small potatoes compared with today but for most of the 80's the Oilers were a big cash generator for a guy like Pocklington. But just as important was the ability to use the team as collateral for loans to finance his other businesses. The only reason the Oilers are still in Edmonton is that Pocklington had a huge loan from the ATB secured by the Oilers.

Pocklington's move to sell Gretzky was the start of his undoing in the NHL. It was perhaps the biggest trigger for a massive increase in player salaries that a small market like Edmonton could not manage, especially when the fans baulked at supporting his team any longer. It is possible that this would have happened without the trade but my guess is that at least for 5 more years they would have been ok.

Pocklington was a guy whose MO for his businesses was to strip assets and sell.

 

[Roof Daddy]

9 yrs old, playing road hockey (not street hockey; grew up on an acreage). Was wiring slappers with a tennis ball when my mom called to me to come inside, Gretzky is on TV.

I think my mom was choked because they cut the feed of “Days of our Lives” to go to the Gretzky presser. I balled like a baby. Complete devastation.

 

[JeffSkinner53]

My dad said he's only cried twice in his life- when I was born and when Gretz was traded. Both times tears of sadness.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Sad day. I remember reading the rumour by Al Strachan in the Globe & Mail and outright dismissing it. Only to see it come to fruition despite Sather fighting his failing franchise owner.

Unfortunately the trade was the confluence of a number of sea changes happening within the NHL. The league economics were evolving with salary disclosure; movement of salaries standardized to U.S. dollars; and movement away from small resourced wildcat owners like car dealership owner Pocklington and real estate flipper Skalbania. Didn't help that the broader Alberta environment as a price taker economy were forced to ride the Oil price yo yo down from $151/barrell in 1980 to the global crash to $30.00 in 1986. As the Alberta bumper stick lamented, "Please God let there be another Oil boom. I promise not to piss it away this time."

The Paul Coffey trade over money was the canary in the coalmine for this franchise and league which saw the economics and player valuation necessitate the first major move of a cornerstone Cup winning team. Pocklington diluting his financial resources with bad businesss decisions caught up with him and selling the league's best player became his meal ticket to personal solvency. Most unfortunate too that this sell-off timed with the happiest moment in Gretzky's life to enable Puck to deflect his financial issue motivated sell off including lying about it.

Tragic. I often think about a Mike Keenan quote where he speculated that Oilers Dynasty Team might have won up to 10 Cups had they been able to keep them together. I think the NHL 'innocence' died somewhat with that deal and big business U.S. fuelled model set in motion.

 

[Drivesaitl]

In 82 the highest player in the league made $65K US and players in Canada were paid with $CDN. The Oiler's player salaries would have been under $2M. Ticket and in-game revenues alone were probably over $10M CDN. In 1987 Gretzky made $950K CDN. No other Oiler was over $350K CDN. The team's player salaries was probably under $5M. As a STH I paid $16 for my tickets at the bottom of the upper bowl. The average price was probably about $20. Add in playoffs and just ticket and in-game revenue would have been $20M+ per year. All of this is small potatoes compared with today but for most of the 80's the Oilers were a big cash generator for a guy like Pocklington. But just as important was the ability to use the team as collateral for loans to finance his other businesses. The only reason the Oilers are still in Edmonton is that Pocklington had a huge loan from the ATB secured by the Oilers.

Pocklington's move to sell Gretzky was the start of his undoing in the NHL. It was perhaps the biggest trigger for a massive increase in player salaries that a small market like Edmonton could not manage, especially when the fans baulked at supporting his team any longer. It is possible that this would have happened without the trade but my guess is that at least for 5 more years they would have been ok.

Pocklington was a guy whose MO for his businesses was to strip assets and sell.

? Mark Howe alone was paid 325K in 1982. Where do you come up with the bolded? Theres no way the Oilers payroll was under 2M in 82. Bobby Smith in Minny was making 350K in 82. Dave Taylor was making 450K on a 7yr deal in LA.

I saw a post of yours from a decade ago that you made on HF. Its full of miscalculations. They continue to this thread. In 87 the capacity was not "close to 18K as you stated it was close to 17K. Nor did playoff tickets increase by an average 50% back then. I paid little uptick in playoff tickets back then and barely noticeable. The playoff tickets of course were priced according to what round. For instance the 24 bucks I paid was the most, of course for the final. Third round was 18bucks, 2nd round was 15, and first round was 14. Same tickets that cost around 13 bucks regular season. I have the ticket stubs right in front of me. But thats a year the Oilers were in final and played all games of final. Only time they did. Most playoffs in the 80's there were fewer home games in SC final as the Oilers won most of them quickly.

 

[Fourier]

? Mark Howe alone was paid 325K in 1982. Where do you come up with the bolded? Theres no way the Oilers payroll was under 2M in 82. Bobby Smith in Minny was making 350K in 82. Dave Taylor was making 450K on a 7yr deal in LA.

Yah, the data I quoted was bogus. Thanks for pointing this out! I'll delete the portion of the post. But the Oilers still would likely not have had a salary total much over $2M. Rank and file guys earned very little. The NHL minimum salary in 1987 was $25K and the average that year was $160K. Afew guys had big contracts due to the WHA impact but in 1982 I doubt the average salary would have been more than $100K and aside from Gretzky most of the Oilers would have had low salaries at that point.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yah, the data I quoted was bogus. Thanks for pointing this out. I'll delete the portion of the post. But the Oilers still would likely not have had a salary total much over $2M. Rank and file guys earned very little. The NHL minimum salary in 1987 was $25K and the average that year was $160K. Afew guys had big contracts due to the WHA impact but in 1982 I doubt the average salary would have been more than $75K and aside from Gretzky most of the Oilers would have had low salaries at that point.

I would dispute both the 2M figure for 82 and the 5M for 1987 albeit the latter is more possible.

I haven't been able to find the minimum salary for around 82. I doubt it was as low as 25K. Also a difference of what may or may not have been official and what actual salaries were.

I know you've seen this post"

1977-78 NHL Salaries

I was doing some research on something else and came across this. Atlanta Tom Lysiak $130,000 Dick Redmond$ $125,000 Daniel Bouchard$ $100,000 Bob MacMillan $85,000 Bill Clement$ $85,000 John Gould $70,000 Willi Plett$ $70,000 Eric Vail$ $65,000 Guy Chouinard $65,000 Richard Mulhern$...

forums.hfboards.com

So that even in 1977 only two players in the entire league were making under 40K. A full 5 yrs before 82.

 

[Messrules11]

I remember the “promised Mess I wouldn’t do this” comment. But I remember Sather sitting there and i just couldn’t believe it… still can’t.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

That's where the reference is from. As @Stoneman89 said it refers to the death of Holly.

All these years and I did not know that!

 

[Bobieque]

I was with my Dad renovating Ernest Manning's house in St. Albert (Preston Manning's parents). Just in shock. All of us.

When I tell people now about that time period, I mention when Princess Diana died or 9-11 and people being in shock for a few days...was basically the city of Edmonton at that time.

Still have both full newspapers from the next day...The entire SUN was devoted to the trade, every article.

I forget the proper English Literature arch type, ("Loss of innocence?") but that was a depressing time.

 

[Fourier]

I would dispute both the 2M figure for 82 and the 5M for 1987 albeit the latter is more possible.

I haven't been able to find the minimum salary for around 82. I doubt it was as low as 25K. Also a difference of what may or may not have been official and what actual salaries were.

I know you've seen this post"

1977-78 NHL Salaries

I was doing some research on something else and came across this. Atlanta Tom Lysiak $130,000 Dick Redmond$ $125,000 Daniel Bouchard$ $100,000 Bob MacMillan $85,000 Bill Clement$ $85,000 John Gould $70,000 Willi Plett$ $70,000 Eric Vail$ $65,000 Guy Chouinard $65,000 Richard Mulhern$...

forums.hfboards.com

So that even in 1977 only two players in the entire league were making under 40K. A full 5 yrs before 82.

If you look at those numbers most and add up the salaries you get for example:

LA 2.005M
Philly 2.115M
St. Louis 1.78M
Toronto 1.865M
Vancouver 1.72M
Washington 1.305M
Atlanta 1.445M.

Four years later, aside form Gretzky, the Oilers would have looked a lot more like a team like Atlanta than Philly. Remember, guys like Anderson, Messier and Coffey were 20.

Sport Magazine use to publish player salaries. Here is an old post from Ogopogo in 2005 that had a compilation from 1987.

Sport magazine (unfortunately no longer in print) used to do an annual salary survey. They printed the top earners in each major sport and the top 100 overall. Here are some interesting numbers from the June 1987 issue of Sport magazine:

Top 10 NHL Earners:

1. Wayne Gretzky EDM - $950,000 CDN - converted to $717,250 USD
2. Marcel Dionne NYR - $700,000
3. Mike Bossy NYI - $650,000
4. Bryan Trottier NYI - $625,000
5. Dave Taylor LA - $600,000
6. Mario Lemieux PIT - $550,000
Denis Potvin NYI - $550,000
8. Mike Liut HAR - $450,000
9. Rod Langway WAS - $400,000
10. Barry Pederson VAN - $350,000

Interesting to have 3 Islanders in the top 10. In today's NHL they would be in serious cap trouble - a la the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The top NBA player was Moses Malone of Washington with $2.145 million, the top baseball player was Jim Rice of Boston with $2.4125 million and the top football player was Jim Kelly of Buffalo with $1.4 million.

3 of the top 4 overall that year were boxers: #1 Michael Spinks $4 million, #2 Marvin Hagler $2.45 million and #4 Mike Tyson $2.33 million.

Jim Rice was the top paid team sportsman and no NHL players cracked the top 100.

The highest paid NHL coach was Jacques Demers of Detroit at $240,000 and the lowest was Tom Watt of Vancouver at a paltry $85,000 Canadian or $64,175 US.

The NHL minimum salary was $25,000 and the average salary was $160,000.

That year Michael Jordan made $730,000 but pulled in a colossal $2 million more from endorsements.

Interesting reading. I have the 1989 and 1990 issues as well.

 

[guymez]

I was driving in the West end of Edmonton. Had the radio on and they announced the trade.
I had to pull over and listen. What I was hearing required my full attention.
I listened in stunned disbelief.

After a few minutes I looked out the passenger window and saw a bunch of construction workers all huddled around a truck radio.
It seemed like everything momentarily stopped.

All of what I saw around me at that moment really highlighted the level of emotional investment Edmontonians had in Gretzky and this hockey team.

 

[Drivesaitl]

If you look at those numbers most and add up the salaries you get for example:

LA 2.005M
Philly 2.115M
St. Louis 1.78M
Toronto 1.865M
Vancouver 1.72M
Washington 1.305M
Atlanta 1.445M.

Four years later, aside form Gretzky, the Oilers would have looked a lot more like a team like Atlanta than Philly. Remember, guys like Anderson, Messier and Coffey were 20.

Sport Magazine use to publish player salaries. Here is an old post from Ogopogo in 2005 that had a compilation from 1987.

Even in 77-78 season, a full 5 yrs before 82-83 there were ZERO cases of a player being paid 25K. Again I don't know why that is being posted when operatively no players were earning as little as 25K. Even 5 seasons previous.

Remember as well that the Oilers were supplementing with other players like Ken Linseman, Kent Nillson etc.

Ken Linseman alone was on a contract of 180K and played on that Oilers 82-82 club, I presume the club you had said cost less than 2M.

Its also confusing that you use Canadian funds in some of your posting and yet using the American salary interchangeable.

Gretz made 500K Cad in 82-83.

Linseman 180K

Anderson signed for 400K/ a yr later. I can't find any source that says what Anderson was making before that. Lets say 50K.

Mess 60K This was even what he made in his first WHA contract.

Kurri 50K

Fogolin. Details scant but was making 95K in Buffalo years prior. I'd read the Oilers matched the Buffalo price. This would put Lee at over 100K Canadian.

Coffey was making 110K

Lowe signed in 83 for 150K

Charlie Huddy. Unknown. Unlikely it would be lower than 50K

Pat Hughes. Lowest paid player in league in 82 was making 40K so at least that.

Lumley a sought after player at the time was pulling in 100K

Tom Roulston. Put it at 40K Again no NHL players were getting less.

Pouzar. Recollection he was paid 80K. A reasonably talented sought after free agent.

Dave Hunter. Doubt it was under 50K, the Habs wanted him and Lumley at the time.

Dave Semenko. A perhaps surprising 110K. But an important player and insurance policy.

Laurie Boschman 94K

Randy Gregg from recollection he was 60K. Can't find actual figures but it took a bit of convincing for him to forego medical career. Keeping in mind he could make anything less just being a specialist, at the time.

Willy Lidstrom100K

Garry Unger 200K USD

Moog 50K

Fuhr 50K plus a signing bonus, can't remember the details.

Ron Low 100k

About 8 other players on roster for that season. Even using lowest possible total of 40k thats 320K

Even if you want to dispute some numbers above or factor in trades and days paid here vs elsewhere theres little chance at the figure being under 2M as you first stated. Likely even that the payroll was 2.5-3M for the 82-83 season.

I'll bold the players above that you probably forgot in terms of what their salary range was. its understandable to think the bolded players were paid less than that or to have overlooked that. But those are the numbers and all the bolded could've been playing on other clubs. It wasn't the whole team that was young. The vets were especially crucial and Journeyman NHL players came at a price.

 

[AM]

This is the thing. All summer there were rumors and even without internet they were everywhere that Gretz was gone. Soon as I saw the lavish wedding production and Janets dress being 200ft long in a ridiculous "Lady Diana" kind of wedding I knew it was over. Theres no way that ego or expectation or want was going to stay in Edmonton. I rue'd the day really that Wayne left Vickie Moss and went with that pole dancer. Not a fan.

So I'm not really remembering perfectly where I was when I heard the news. I think I was in Vancouver or Seattle. I knew it was going to occur.

I know everybody blamed Pocklington but I didn't see a lineup of local owners or business people (translation none) that were lining up to pay Wayne Gretzky what he was worth, to continue to play here. Turns out the guy he did play for was spending other peoples money as well, and was even shittier than Pocklington in that his main play was bilking seniors out of their inheritance.

Indeed it was guys like Pocklington, Mcnall, they made you long for more respected owners for instance Bill Hunter who started the franchise off. The worm had already turned in so many ways. By 90 the NHL was rotten to the core.

Just gonna say this but its completely shitty as well for Gretz, or players in general that the lionshare of owners they play for are such scumbags. The money being tainted. Gretz still a youth when Skalbania pawned off Gretzky to Pocklington over a game of Backgammon. Mr and Mrs Gretzky must have had sleepless nights at the lions den that their son had fallen into.

I was driving the girlfriend to work. Going past Bonnie Doon mall on Whyte ave when it came on the radio. There was all sorts of narrative being bandied about. But wanting to play in la and the new wife sort of fit for both parties and Gretzky got the just desserts.

 

[TheGingaNinja]

I had jus returned to Ottawa from Edmonton with my mom due to my parents divorce at age 14. My Habs loving uncle called me upstairs to troll me with the 'good news' and to give me a copy of the paper he had bought especially for me. Not a red letter year in my life, that's for sure, lol.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I was driving the girlfriend to work. Going past Bonnie Doon mall on Whyte ave when it came on the radio. There was all sorts of narrative being bandied about. But wanting to play in la and the new wife sort of fit for both parties and Gretzky got the just desserts.

Yeah. Gretz played it to the hilt. The acting background (sarcasm) helped. I mean what male dabs their tears with a hanky making sure to have the hanky there for effect, to make it clear to everybody he's crying? Like I've never done that in my life and don't know anybody that would. That he's repeatedly dabbing at his eyes with a hanky. Was so over the top along with the "I told Gretz I wouldn't do this. "

Now this is not to say that Gretz at the presser wouldn't be sad as it was to announce his departure to LA and ending the lovely time he had here with fans and team mates. But the performative aspects were over the top. Gretz was on to LA and more than fine with it. Really all roads were leading to it being LA, or Vancouver, next closest spot among NHL clubs.

I lost count how many times Gretz dabbed at his tears. Or how many times he waved the hanky around the cameras for effect. "See, I'm crying" Stop peeling onions..

Even when Sather stepped in later and said he could axe the whole deal Gretz said no, don't. This is an agreed statement of facts. In effect Sather or Gretz or both could have stopped the whole deal.

Pocklington, who deserves most of the barbs he got was a convenient target. Neither Wayne or Janet wanted fans to establish their actual intent. To his credit perhaps Puck played along and was never averse anyway to being a pariah.

 

[AM]

Yeah. Gretz played it to the hilt. The acting background (sarcasm) helped. I mean what male dabs their tears with a hanky making sure to have the hanky there for effect, to make it clear to everybody he's crying? Like I've never done that in my life and don't know anybody that would. That he's repeatedly dabbing at his eyes with a hanky. Was so over the top along with the "I told Gretz I wouldn't do this. "

Now this is not to say that Gretz at the presser wouldn't be sad as it was to announce his departure to LA and ending the lovely time he had here with fans and team mates. But the performative aspects were over the top. Gretz was on to LA and more than fine with it. Really all roads were leading to it being LA, or Vancouver, next closest spot among NHL clubs.

I lost count how many times Gretz dabbed at his tears. Or how many times he waved the hanky around the cameras for effect. "See, I'm crying" Stop peeling onions..

Even when Sather stepped in later and said he could axe the whole deal Gretz said no, don't. This is an agreed statement of facts. In effect Sather or Gretz or both could have stopped the whole deal.

Pocklington, who deserves most of the barbs he got was a convenient target. Neither Wayne or Janet wanted fans to establish their actual intent. To his credit perhaps Puck played along and was never averse anyway to being a pariah.

It was either get something now or nothing in a year.