Wayne Gretzky

[King'sPawn]

Please. Gretzky is the GOAT, yet some posters hesitate to put him in their top 5 Kings of of all time.

Gretzky is responsible for the Kings getting to the SCF in 93 and their only division title in 50 years. He put Kings hockey on the Southern California map - period. And we are seeing the results of that now with SoCal players being drafted.

Even though the Kings have 2 Cups(!!), there still isn't the same excitement going into Staples for a game as going into the Forum when Gretzky was here. No one says before a game "I wonder what incredible play Kopitar, Carter or Doughty will do tonight." Well, we said that about Gretzky.

Where are the Gretzky fans?!

Ok, he may also be responsible for the Ducks existence - everything can't turn out great.

Some people might not have seen Gretzky play. It seems a little disingenuous to have one of their favorite players be someone they never saw. Others might have different criteria than you or me in terms of who their favorite or top Kings are.

Gretzky is the reason I started watching hockey. When he was traded to the Kings, my dad was watching the Kings on TV, and I would watch it with him. Then a kid moved in from Boston, and he was a Bruins fan whose favorite player was Ed Belfour. I finally got to play and was hooked. Even when I played hockey, I wanted to be like Jari Kurri, because I didn't think anyone could or should be Wayne Gretzky.

So if you're looking for people who respect Gretzky as the athlete and as the spokesman of the NHL, there are plenty of us. I just don't see you normally take this fervently combative stance towards any other dissenting opinion, disregarding the possible circumstances.

 

[damacles1156]

Please. Gretzky is the GOAT, yet some posters hesitate to put him in their top 5 Kings of of all time.

Gretzky is responsible for the Kings getting to the SCF in 93 and their only division title in 50 years. He put Kings hockey on the Southern California map - period. And we are seeing the results of that now with SoCal players being drafted.

Even though the Kings have 2 Cups(!!), there still isn't the same excitement going into Staples for a game as going into the Forum when Gretzky was here. No one says before a game "I wonder what incredible play Kopitar, Carter or Doughty will do tonight." Well, we said that about Gretzky.

Where are the Gretzky fans?!

Ok, he may also be responsible for the Ducks existence - everything can't turn out great.

I say that about Drew Doughty nightly, Drew Doughty is easily a Generational Defender.

Won't see another Defender like Doughty as a King, in probably a lifetime.

 

[Omni Owl]

I say that about Drew Doughty nightly, Drew Doughty is easily a Generational Defender.

Won't see another Defender like Doughty as a King, in probably a lifetime.

Probably not, we haven't had a homegrown Dman like him since Blake (whom I think wasn't as good as Doughty). Look how long it took for Drew to come around.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Probably not, we haven't had a homegrown Dman like him since Blake (whom I think wasn't as good as Doughty). Look how long it took for Drew to come around.

It was pretty clear that Drew was already a phenom as a rookie, but by his second season I think it was even further confirmation that he would be one of the top defensemen in hockey. I don't think it took a long time for Drew to come around, it just took a long time for others in hockey media to notice.

 

[kingsholygrail]

It was pretty clear that Drew was already a phenom as a rookie, but by his second season I think it was even further confirmation that he would be one of the top defensemen in hockey. I don't think it took a long time for Drew to come around, it just took a long time for others in hockey media to notice.

I still argue this goal sold the media on Doughty.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Wayne Gretzky may have an indirect impact as to why Drew Doughty is a Los Angeles King, for he is the reason Drew grew up a Kings fan