How did Wayne Gretzky change hockey history?
Wayne Douglas Gretzky was the impetus for change in hockey history. Much like the Montreal Canadiens of the 1950’s had rule changes put in place because of their awesome abilities, the prowess of Wayne Gretzky was too much to overcome. Gretzky impacted the history of the game in many ways, both on and off of the ice. On the ice, Gretzky was too much to handle for defenders and goalies, and his numbers were reminiscent of the gaudy statistics one might compile while playing video games. Off the ice, Gretzky being traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings brought hockey into the sun belts of the U.S.A. He gave the NHL a face to trust, and the league profited from him at every turn. He sold seats wherever he went, which is exactly what the league needed in order to successfully franchise teams out from the traditional hockey hotbeds. The scope of Wayne Gretzky’s impact on hockey is wide ranging. Gretzky not only rewrote the record books with individual achievements that are
