Nearly 30 years after trade, All-Star game bears Wayne Gretzky’s imprint
Brian Matthews was a student at Loyola Marymount University in 1988 when Wayne Gretzky’s arrival transformed Los Angeles into the western capital of the hockey universe.
“There was a vibe,” Matthews recalled. “The Kings had Gretzky, and [Marty] McSorley and then Jari Kurri. They were fun to watch. They scored goals. They put up points. They were winning.”
But Matthews never would have dreamed that 29 years after Gretzky was traded by the Edmonton Oilers to the Kings he would be back in Los Angeles watching his son Auston Matthews, a rookie center with Toronto Maple Leafs, playing in his first NHL All-Star game at the Staples Center on Sunday.
The last time the NHL All-Star game was in Los Angeles, in 2002, five US-born players were on the rosters. This year, there are 12 US-born players among 44 players, including Matthews, born and raised in Arizona, and defenseman Seth Jones, the son of former NBA player Ronald “Popeye” Jones who was born in Texas and launched his hockey career in Denver.
“[The trade] probably had the greatest effect of any transaction in the history of hockey,” Nashville Predators GM David Poile told USA TODAY Sports. “I’m not sure Seth comes out of Dallas or Matthews comes out of Arizona without that trade.”
In 1987-88, NHL teams used 735 players, and 563 (76.5%) were Canadian, with 113 (15.3%) US-born. In today’s NHL, 47.2% (416) are Canadian and 25.6% (226) are from the US.
Not since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993 has a Canadian team won a Stanley Cup championship. In the 24 seasons since, seven different US-based franchises (New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings) have won their first Stanley Cup titles.
“Over the last 50 years, the three most important moments for the growth of hockey in America were Bobby Orr from Parry Sound (Ontario), the Miracle on Ice and Gretzky from Edmonton to LA,” USA Hockey Executive Director Dave Ogrean said. “Two of those are ‘Thank you Canada.’”
When the Gretzky deal was made, he was coming off a 149point season and was only 27 months removed from his record 215-point season.
Tom Laidlaw, a Kings defenseman in 1988, said Kings players knew instantly life had changed. “Wherever Gretzky was is where hockey was,” Laidlaw said.
Laidlaw said it wasn’t just Gretzky’s play that expanded hockey’s fan base – it was his willingness to be an ambassador. He made countless appearances
“I think he knew at a young age the impact he would have, and wanted to have, on the game,” Laidlaw said. “Wayne understood his importance.”
Expansion might have occurred whether Gretzky was traded or not, but excitement generated by his presence in Los Angeles jump-started the growth. “He sold hockey,” Poile said. “He got people interested in playing hockey. Rinks were getting built in southern states.”
The NHL was a 21-team league when Gretzky came to LA. The NHL will have 31 teams next season with the Vegas Golden Knights joining. In 1987-88, Canada had seven NHL teams and the United States boasted 14. Today, the NHL has seven Canadian teams and 24 in the US.
Auston Matthews’ interest in hockey resulted from an uncle taking him to Phoenix Coyotes hockey games.
The Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996. The season before, the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver. Jones said he became interested in sport following the Avalanche’s success.
“Hockey just kind of took off in Denver then,” he said.
Ogrean said the fact that the Americans have cut into Canada’s pie doesn’t mean Canada’s influence is waning.
“I don’t look at Canada’s level as having declined at all,” he said. “I look at the levels of other countries, especially ours, as having tides that have risen.”
He said USA Hockey’s program has improved because it has learned from watching Canadians and competing against them. “Their performance in tournaments is exceptional,” Ogrean said.
Despite a reduction in their percentage of NHL jobs held, Canadians have won the past two Olympic tournaments, the past two World Championships and the World Cup of Hockey. This month, the United States won the World Junior Championship, the showcase event for the world’s top teen-age NHL prospects.
Today, USA Hockey boasts 364,489 registered youth players, more than double the number it had before the Gretzky trade.
“Canada has been No. 1 forever, but I think the gap is starting to close,” Poile said. “We are heading in the direction that someday the US may have as much NHL participation as Canada.”