today in NHL history...

twenty-four years ago today,Wayne Gretzky was traded by the Edmonton Oilers,to the Los Angeles Kings... even though the Oilers won the Stanley Cup,in 1990,without him,Edmonton,honestly,has not been the same team,since then... however,the NHL has exploded into Southern California,Arizona,and Florida,since that date... NHL pundits,and hockey buffs,see the day as,"the day that hockey changed"... former owner Peter Pocklington is still a villain,in Edmonton,for selling(trading)Gretzky,to Kings... however it was a dispute,between Gretzky,and Pocklington,over his contract,and the fact that Gretzky changed his personal services contract,to a standard five year contract,and making him a free agent,in 1988-1989,and the fact that Gretzky would not renegotiate his contract,during the season... that was not known to the fans,at that time... the press conference in Edmonton,for Gretzky,saying goodbye to the fans was a tear jerker...