What did the Kings get for Gretzky?

[Don Taylor*]

Nothing huge but they would get something decent right? I Mean it was Wayne Gretzky.

Click to read more...

 

[GuloGulo]

"On February 27, 1996 he joined the St. Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and draft picks. While he scored 37 points in 31 games for the team (regular season and playoffs), and they got within one overtime game of the Conference finals, he never clicked with the team or with sniper and good friend Brett Hull on the ice as well as many had expected."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Gretzky

 

[Don Taylor*]

So they didn't try to resign him or anything eh.

It was down to Vancouver and New York eh..

 

[arrbez]

So they didn't try to resign him or anything eh.

It was down to Vancouver and New York eh..

well, St. Louis...

Toronto allegedly almost got him as well, depending on who you believe

but hey, Roman Vopat

 

[Wetcoaster]

So they didn't try to resign him or anything eh.

It was down to Vancouver and New York eh..

Another Pat Quinn screw-up.

He stupidly gave Gretzky an ultimatum deadline well after midnight when Gretzky had already gone to bed for the night - and Gretzky was pi$$ed. Quinn pulled the offer off the table. So off to New York. Could you have imagined Gretzky centering Pavel Bure?

 

[Fish on The Sand]

I love how someone can get 37 points in 31 games in that era and still be considered to not have clicked with the team. That's amazing.

when your wayne gretzky anything less than 87 points in 31 games is Jim Campbellesque.

 

[Benchguy]

Reading the topic I remember a question I 've asked my self for some times...

I bought the DVD ultimate Gretzky(great DVD, 2 hour interview with Kiefer Sutherland, greatest moments, records, etc.)
In the DVD , they never talk about Gretky as a Blues, no pics, no comments, no videos...

Anyone knows if Gretzky has something against the Blues ? any regrets going there ?

 

[Shootmaster_44]

Anyone knows if Gretzky has something against the Blues ? any regrets going there ?

I heard he never saw eye-to-eye with Mike Keenan while he was there. But really I think the reason its not mentioned, is that nothing noteworthy happened in St. Louis.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Another Pat Quinn screw-up.

He stupidly gave Gretzky an ultimatum deadline well after midnight when Gretzky had already gone to bed for the night - and Gretzky was pi$$ed. Quinn pulled the offer off the table. So off to New York. Could you have imagined Gretzky centering Pavel Bure?

But Pat Quinn breaks in the rookies!

 

[Transported Upstater]

I heard he never saw eye-to-eye with Mike Keenan while he was there. But really I think the reason its not mentioned, is that nothing noteworthy happened in St. Louis.

On that note: Has anyone ever seen eye-to-eye with Keenan?

 

[God Bless Canada]

"On February 27, 1996 he joined the St. Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and draft picks. While he scored 37 points in 31 games for the team (regular season and playoffs), and they got within one overtime game of the Conference finals, he never clicked with the team or with sniper and good friend Brett Hull on the ice as well as many had expected."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Gretzky

LA would have been better off finishing the season with Gretzky, then letting him leave in the off-season so they could get the compensatory second round pick.

Johnson went on to play over 500 NHL games. Solid third liner at his peak. Tardif's only other notable accomplishment is he won an NCAA championship with Paul Kariya at Maine. Vopat had one of the most forgetable 133-game careers in NHL history.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

On that note: Has anyone ever seen eye-to-eye with Keenan?

Jeremy Roenick and Ed Belfour love the guy.

You have to think Mark Messier, Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan did, too