Wayne Gretzky

[Eye of Ra]

We all know about how good he was with the Oilers, but how good was Gretzky when he played for you guys?

Is he considered to be one of the best Kings players ever?

Everyone know about his skills, but did he play with any grit and physicality at all for you guys?

Would he have a impact today or he was just a player that fit in the old school era?

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[sr edler]

Grit and physicality?

I think he high-sticked Doug Gilmour in the eye in the 1993 playoffs. Does that count?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Grit and physicality?

I think he high-sticked Doug Gilmour in the eye in the 1993 playoffs. Does that count?

He had such a huge impact physically that people today still cry about this, like the example above.

 

[King'sPawn]

We all know about how good he was with the Oilers, but how good was Gretzky when he played for you guys?

Is he considered to be one of the best Kings players ever?

Everyone know about his skills, but did he play with any grit and physicality at all for you guys?

Would he have a impact today or he was just a player that fit in the old school era?

He was and is arguably the best player to play the game, and set some milestones while on the Kings, so yes, I think most would consider him the best Kings player.

He wasn't necessarily the most liked or favorite Kings player though. I've seen many fans on this board omit him from their top 5 favorite Kings players. Robitaille is usually the favorite.

He didn't play with grit at all.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

GP-G-A-PTS-PIM-+/-

1988–89 Los Angeles Kings NHL 78 54 114 168 26 +15
1989–90 Los Angeles Kings NHL 73 40 102 142 42 +8
1990–91 Los Angeles Kings NHL 78 41 122 163 16 +30
1991–92 Los Angeles Kings NHL 74 31 90 121 34 −12
1992–93 Los Angeles Kings NHL 45 16 49 65 6 +6
1993–94 Los Angeles Kings NHL 81 38 92 130 20 −25
1994–95 Los Angeles Kings NHL 48 11 37 48 6 −20
1995–96 Los Angeles Kings NHL 62 15 66 81 32 −7

I LUVZZZ HIMMM

i started following LA in 1992, still remember my first NHL game ever (MTL VS LA) and Wayne put up 4pts, and Hrudey had a monster game, fell in love with both players immediately and yes Wayne was amazing to watch, the rest of the team...not so much lol

but Wayne & Grit? not really

 

[Omni Owl]

Gretzky had grit by proxy with McSorley watching his back. He's the best hockey player ever, so that would make him the best King ever. Maybe not the most well liked King though.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Maybe not the most well liked King though.

Why not?

 

[Butch 19]

He was and is arguably the best player to play the game, and set some milestones while on the Kings, so yes, I think most would consider him the best Kings player.

He wasn't necessarily the most liked or favorite Kings player though. I've seen many fans on this board omit him from their top 5 favorite Kings players. Robitaille is usually the favorite.

He didn't play with grit at all.

I would be interested in seeing anyone's top 5 Kings players' list that does not include Gretzky. Talk about denial.

He was in his prime when he was traded to L.A. and he took it from there. He was easily the best player in the NHL, and by quite obvious deduction, the best player the Kings have ever had.

When he was 9 he knew he couldn't play with any grit (he was playing with 12 yr olds anyway) - he has always been a smaller player than his age group, so he had to use his hockey skills to make up for his lack of size.

 

[sr edler]

Why not?

Because he didn't play "Kings hockey", like Dustin Brown....


No, but not being a Kings fan I would take a wild guess and say it has something to do with his personality or the fact he wasn't a Kings guy from the start like Luc Robitaille.

 

[YP44]

Why not?

I am guessing because he will be remembered more for what he did in Edmonton than LA.

Dionne and Luc are my top 2.

 

[TheBannermen]

We all know about how good he was with the Oilers, but how good was Gretzky when he played for you guys?

Is he considered to be one of the best Kings players ever?

Everyone know about his skills, but did he play with any grit and physicality at all for you guys?

Would he have a impact today or he was just a player that fit in the old school era?

His impact as an LA King will always be remembered for what he did for the game off the ice, like it or not. Individually, he was a marvel every game. As a team, the Kings with Gretzky will likely be remembered as being a fun team to watch, but ultimately, a disappointing one that never lived up to the expectations.

 

[Omni Owl]

Why not?

For reasons already mentioned, I guess for his personality, though I've always liked him. He's always been an inspiration because of his lanky frame, yet had a genius level hockey IQ which overcame that (big) deficiency.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Not many Kings fans (at least here on HF) will admit that they loved Gretz because it would show that they only started following hockey in a religious way when he was traded here.

 

[Fishhead]

Don't underestimate Wayne's grit. Remember that time he almost broke Taylor's hand when he was with Edmonton?

 

[Choralone]

Gretzky's impact on the ice for LA was almost overshadowed by what he meant for legitimizing the Kings organization in general, and what he meant for growing the game in California and beyond.

He came to LA as a fully-formed legend, so it's a little different than watching a guy grow up in front of you and turn from a rookie or young player into a star.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Gretzky's impact on the ice for LA was almost overshadowed by what he meant for legitimizing the Kings organization in general, and what he meant for growing the came in California and beyond.

He came to LA as a fully-formed legend, so it's a little different than watching a guy grow up in front of you and turn from a rookie or young player into a star.

Exactly. I wouldn't be a hockey fan of it wasn't for that trade. They started televising games in Vegas because of Gretzky, and I still remember watching the 93 run when I was only 7 years old.

 

[King'sPawn]

I would be interested in seeing anyone's top 5 Kings players' list that does not include Gretzky. Talk about denial.

He was in his prime when he was traded to L.A. and he took it from there. He was easily the best player in the NHL, and by quite obvious deduction, the best player the Kings have ever had.

When he was 9 he knew he couldn't play with any grit (he was playing with 12 yr olds anyway) - he has always been a smaller player than his age group, so he had to use his hockey skills to make up for his lack of size.

He's in my top 5, but I recall finding it interesting that others didn't. In all fairness, I'm sure many who don't include him just never saw him.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

28 years ago...



https://www.nhl.com/news/wayne-gretzky-traded-to-kings-28-years-ago/c-281301452

And, just like that, there was a far different hockey vibe in Los Angeles.

Dennis Metz, sales manager for the Kings at the time, said his team had a thousand phone calls inquiring about tickets the day the trade was announced, a bit of a spike from the 10 he said would come on a normal August day.

"We don't have to sell the sport anymore," Metz said. "We have the best player in hockey. It will sell itself."

Said Kings owner Bruce McNall: "I've got to do something to sell hockey in L.A., and there's no name in hockey like Wayne Gretzky."

Gretzky scored 246 goals and had 672 assists in eight seasons with Los Angeles. In his first season with the Kings, he won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player for his ninth and final time. He rapidly built the team's fan base and captured the imagination of all hockey fans, winning the NHL scoring title in his second and third seasons with the Kings.

"Wayne is the biggest draw in hockey and the best player in the world," Kings GM Rogie Vachon said upon Gretzky's arrival. "He will make a tremendous impact on fans here, on the interest in hockey, and really put us on the map. It's very rare that a franchise gets the opportunity to get a player of this caliber."

The Kings, who had missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three of the previous six seasons and hadn't won a series since their upset of the Oilers in 1982, went to the postseason in each of Gretzky's first five seasons in Los Angeles. In 1993, they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Canadiens in five games.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

He's in my top 5, but I recall finding it interesting that others didn't. In all fairness, I'm sure many who don't include him just never saw him.

One of my pet peeves about some of our fellow Kings fans (at least the long time ones) is that they are ungrateful for the great one (pun kinda intended). They feel the need to show you that they didn't need the trade to be die hard Kings fans and they are much better fans than the ones who got into hockey because of Gretzky.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Classic Gretzky documentary that I used to watch on repeat.

This was a great video as well, recapping the Kings' 1988-89 season.

 

[Quattro]

One of my pet peeves about some of our fellow Kings fans (at least the long time ones) is that they are ungrateful for the great one (pun kinda intended). They feel the need to show you that they didn't need the trade to be die hard Kings fans and they are much better fans than the ones who got into hockey because of Gretzky.

Lot of truth in that.

I've been a Kings fan since the early 70's but I readily admit I wasn't paying much attention to them in the years before 99 came. There was a buzz in this city about the Kings after that that was unreal. I've been a hardcore fan ever since.

Obviously, Gretzky is the greatest Kings player ever, just based on pure performance. If they had won the Cup in 1993, the narrative would be a lot different and he would be held in even higher regard than he already is.

Others like Luc are more popular, but none were better players. Go back and look at his point production. It was just stupid.

 

[KingTrouty]

My favorite King ever, my favorite athlete ever.

Wayne is the reason I started following our beloved Kings. Not ashamed in the least to say that, either. what a beautiful, amazing, all-time King, all-time athlete.

 

[KingsFan7824]

My biggest regret as a Kings fan is that I didn't really get to experience Gretzky's first 5 years a King. Growing up in Philly, there just wasn't the access, especially game to game. No internet as we know it. No TV except the couple times the Flyers played those late night games in LA that my mom let me stay up to watch. I'm between the ages of 10-15, and there was only so much I could do.

I remember that MacTavish goal in OT that eliminated the Kings. It wasn't really until the Toronto series that I got to watch Gretzky and the Kings on a game to game basis, and that was only because they actually got to the conference final, and the games were on ESPN.

 

[yankeeking]

Why not?

Because he didn't play "Kings hockey", like Dustin Brown....


No, but not being a Kings fan I would take a wild guess and say it has something to do with his personality or the fact he wasn't a Kings guy from the start like Luc Robitaille.

kings hockey hadn't been thought of yet LMAO he was an oiler plain and simple and while he was the greatest of all time , we had our great ones too , Dionne .Vachon, Luc, and beloved kings like goring , taylor and bring him in was hiring a mercenary , plus we played the oilers many many times over the years in the same division so there was some instances there also.........its not like we didn't like the guy the place was full but its kind of like when Clemens went to the Yanks , in our hearts he was still a red sox..............of course that's might be just my opinion lol

 

[yankeeking]

One of my pet peeves about some of our fellow Kings fans (at least the long time ones) is that they are ungrateful for the great one (pun kinda intended). They feel the need to show you that they didn't need the trade to be die hard Kings fans and they are much better fans than the ones who got into hockey because of Gretzky.

no one was actually ungratefull but since we didn't get a cup that trade devastated the system for more than a decade, you think the people on here are whining because we traded a first for sekara and than again for lucic, they traded 3 firsts and jimmy carson and that kid dman who were both first rounders so five firsts , no organization should be allowed to do that , of course it changed the path of hockey thruout the sunbelt and added the ducks down the road , but for kings without a cup it was blackhole ville..............with that said I can still remember the moment I heard of the trade and doing freaking cartwheels about it still one of my favorite days , GO FIGURE