@joestevens29
Assuming the info below is accurate...very murky is a good description....
Gretzky scored his first professional goal against
Dave Dryden of the
Edmonton Oilers[35] in his fifth game, and his second goal four seconds later.
[36] However, he played only eight games for Indianapolis. The Racers were losing $40,000 per game. Skalbania told Gretzky he would be moved, offering him a choice between the Edmonton Oilers and the
Winnipeg Jets. On the advice of his agent, Gretzky picked the Oilers, but the move was not that simple. On November 2, Gretzky, goaltender
Eddie Mio and forward
Peter Driscoll were put on a private plane, not knowing where they would land and what team they would be joining.
[32] While in the air, Skalbania worked on the deal. Skalbania offered to play a game of
backgammon with Winnipeg owner Michael Gobuty, the stakes being if Gobuty won, he would get Gretzky and if he lost, he had to give Skalbania a share of the Jets. Gobuty turned down the proposal and the players landed in
Edmonton.
[37] Mio paid the $4,000 bill for the flight.
[38] Skalbania sold Gretzky, Mio and Driscoll to Oilers owner
Peter Pocklington, a former business partner. Although the announced price was $850,000, Pocklington actually paid $700,000.
[35] The money was not enough to keep the Racers alive; they folded that December.
[34]
Wayne Gretzky - Wikipedia
) into a star. There's a reason the Oilers went all-in on him for free agency.
