Don't hate the player, hate the...

Across all professional sports, contract negotiations, player-coach relationships, retirement, and player-player conflicts result in athletes changing their uniforms. The popularity of the player is positively correlated with the outrage of the old team and the excitement of the new team. Switching teams is not, by any means, a new sensation. Usually, a trade makes a small wave within the organization that ripples out into the public for a week at the most. When great players are traded, however, it is a different story. Over the course of five weeks, we are taking a look at five significant cases. The first was Brett Favre. The second is Wayne Gretzky.

Wayne Gretzky led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships during his tenure in Canada. He was more than a household name—he was a household legend. This changed when, just five days after his final championship victory with Edmonton, Gretzky found out that owner Peter Pocklington was trying to trade him. Appalled that Pocklington lacked the decency to call Gretzky and tell him that he was considering a trade, Gretzky called the Oilers to officially request a trade, as required by his contract. This cut Pocklington off from any possible attempts to discontinue trying to trade Gretzky. Soon after, Gretzky signed with the Los Angeles Kings in what came to be known as “The Trade.” Canadians were outraged; New Democratic Party House leader went so far as to demand that the government block the trade. He was unsuccessful.

Controversy swirled around the reasons for the trade. Gretzky was called greedy, because he received more money from the Kings. His wife was called selfish, as some claimed that she encouraged the move to further her acting career. Others blamed the Oilers’ ownership, specifically Pocklington, who was rumored to need the money due to struggling business ventures. No matter the true reasons, Gretzky rejuvenated the Kings’ franchise and made hockey popular in Los Angeles.

Gretzky moved from LA to spend part of the 1996 season with the St. Louis Blues, then signed a contract with the New York Rangers, where he completed a stunningly successful career. The face of the Oilers franchise for ten years, Gretzky went on to legitimize the NHL and his popularity greatly contributed to the league’s expansion. The Oilers sacrificed the Great One and, consequently lost their opportunity to remain a dynasty.

Next Week: Patrick Ewing