On the 30th anniversary of the Edmonton Oilers trading Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings, it’s easy to forget what almost happened. The Vancouver Canucks nearly traded for The Great One.
In the NHL, “anyone can be traded” is a popular cliche. This is alluding to the infamous trade on August 9, 1988 that sent Wayne Gretzky, arguably the greatest player ever, from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. However, what people might not know is he was very close to getting traded to a different team – the Vancouver Canucks.
Obviously, the trade to the Kings worked out perfectly for everyone. Gretzky was placed in a media market deserving of his stardom. Meanwhile, the NHL finally had its biggest star in one of the largest United States media markets. The Kings finally became relevant in Los Angeles, a city that will always be a Lakers town.
On the 30th anniversary of the trade, Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal broke down why Vancouver wasn’t able to land The Great One.
Former #Canucks owner Arthur Griffiths on SN 650 talking about the 30th anniversary of the Gretzky trade : "We were being asked to offer his father a position with the club. Long-term, Wayne wanted to be in management & he wanted to be an owner. We were close."
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) August 9, 2018
.@ArthurGriffiths on Gretzky nearly coming to Vancouver: "At the end it came down to more financial issues than players on our end. And don't forget, our dollar was a great disadvantage against a US team in California, in a city like LA that offered so much more opportunity."
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) August 9, 2018
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But let’s imagine what might have happened if the Canucks had worked something out with the Oilers.
Back in 1988, the Canucks weren’t a very good team. Sure, they made the postseason six times from 1980-81 to 1989-90. But remember, back then, the top three teams in each division made the postseason. The Canucks had the added benefit of being in a very shallow division.
Gretzky would have turned them into immediate contenders in 1988-89. The Canucks struggled to score that season, scoring just 251 goals (the fewest in the NHL). Petri Skriko led the team with 66 points. By comparison, Gretzky put up 168 points in 1988-89.
However, his biggest impact would have came in the 1990’s. The Canucks best days came from 1991-92 to 1994-95. During those seasons, Vancouver finished in either first or second in the division each year.
In 1991-92, the Canucks lost to the Oilers in the Division Finals. Since it was a close six game series, it’s not hard to imagine Gretzky being the difference maker against his former team. In 1992-93, the Canucks lost to The Great One’s Kings. Obviously, having number 99 on their side would have turned the tide towards Vancouver.
Their peak came in 1993-94, when they lost to the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup Final. Could you imagine how nuts everyone would have gone if Gretzky was leading the Canucks in 1994? It would be Mark Messier versus The Great One. That’s like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice or Freddy vs. Jason, except it would have compelling content and be unforgettable for all the right reasons.
Gretzky would probably come out on top, considering how close the series was. Remember, it went to seven games. Sure, Brian Leetch and Messier were outstanding in the Stanley Cup Final. But it’s safe to say having Gretzky would have made the Canucks the 1993-94 Stanley Cup champions.
Imagine a world where the Montreal Canadiens weren’t the last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup. And it was the Canucks who held that distinction! They say sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make. Well, the trades you don’t make can also leave you wondering “what if”. The Gretzky non-trade is no different.