?Lakers Were So Special? : Wayne Gretzky Reminisces His ?Proudest Moment’ Following Controversial NHL Trade

The decade of the 1980s was memorable for Los Angeles for two reasons – Wayne Gretzky’s trade to the L. A Kings and the unforgettable performances of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had won two NBA seasons consecutively in 1987 and 1988, thrilling basketball fans. In a recent Instagram reel, Wayne Gretzky warmly praised the Lakers for their phenomenal performances. Indicating how the Lakers dominated the decade of the 1980s through their energy and competitiveness, Gretzky complimented them by saying, “The Lakers were so special.”

Speaking from his home, he also recalled his proudest moment after getting traded to the LA Kings. The ice hockey legend admitted to being unsure of his decision to play with the Kings. Recalling his first game with his new team, Gretzky described the feeling of being watched by 6000 people, watching the game live. Continuing, ‘The Great One’ held nothing back about his proudest moment after playing his sixth game for the L.A Kings against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Wayne Gretzky’s intriguing revelations

Trying to build the LA Kings team before the Stanley Cup, Gretzky recounted how it was an exciting time for him. A reason for this was the growing popularity of ice hockey among American audiences, where famous personalities like Tom Hanks would arrive to see the matches. Later, Gretzky described how the Kings, by reaching the Stanley Cup finals, had “put their name on the map.” Adding to this, he recalled his best moment playing for the team after helping them win their 6th Game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Gretzky recounted how “the whole country wanted Toronto to win.” Despite fans’ sentiment against LA Kings, Gretzky, and his team defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 with a final score of 5-4. Elaborating on this marvelous victory, Gretzky commended the team’s efforts. He also disclosed, “This was one of my proudest moments as an L. A King won Game 7 in Toronto.” In memory of the unforgettable game, Gretzky also put up a portrait of him playing the game, on a wall in his house.

This wasn’t the only time Gretzky had opened up about his experience playing for the LA Kings team. Earlier, ‘The Great One’ had also explained how the decision to switch to the LA Kings was beneficial for him.

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Wayne Gretzky reveals why moving to L. A. was advantageous

During a press conference, Gretzky shed light on the real reason for his decision to play for the L.A Kings. “I decided that for the benefit of myself, my new wife and our expected child…it would be beneficial to let me play for the Los Angeles Kings”, he said.

Another reason for the switch from the Edmonton Oilers to the LA Kings was to use his relative obscurity in LA to his advantage. Gretzky hinted at how playing in a city where he wasn’t famous, would positively impact his kids’ upbringing.

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Gretzky’s statements indicate that the move to LA was a sound decision for him. Eventually, the LA Kings gave their all to reach the Stanley Cup finals in 1993 as a united team. What are your views about the match between the LA Kings and the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1993? Share your thoughts in the comments section.