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Bruce McNall, owner of the Los Angeles Kings in the late '80s, engineered the trade that brought Wayne Gretzky to Southern California in 1988. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_McNall (May be subject to copyright) |
It is true that Bruce McNall did engineer the trade that wrestled the greatest hockey player in the world from the Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers. Then he re-located Gretzky to a place that paid little attention to hockey, and a team that didn’t give them much reason to. That move would not only make the Los Angeles Kings an instant Stanley Cup contender, but lead to the growth of hockey not only in Southern California but all over the United States.
He would try and replicate that feat in the Canadian Football League, with nowhere near the same level of success, then drifted into oblivion when he was beset with legal difficulties.
It is Bruce McNall’s birthday today, and a chance to reflect on his life and times.
Out of nowhere
Back in the ‘80s, it was rare for the public to know the owners of hockey teams. It was a little different in Canada, where the population is smaller and more intimate, and we follow hockey much closer. That’s why we know Peter Pocklington owned the Edmonton Oilers, Nelson Skalbania initially owned the Calgary Flames, and Harold Ballard owned the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Back in the ‘80s, it was rare for the public to know the owners of hockey teams. It was a little different in Canada, where the population is smaller and more intimate, and we follow hockey much closer. That’s why we know Peter Pocklington owned the Edmonton Oilers, Nelson Skalbania initially owned the Calgary Flames, and Harold Ballard owned the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Beyond that, it was rare to know who owned any of the other teams, especially the American ones. I am a Boston Bruins fan, but I had no idea who owned them in the ‘80s.
Oddly, I did know a little about the history of the owners of the Los Angeles Kings. I had read in “The Hockey News” the Kings were owned by Jack Kent Cooke, who was a Canadian. He also owned the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, and the Washington football club.
The next time, I heard about the owner of the Kings, it was in the 1982 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kings had fallen behind 5-0 in the third period to the Edmonton Oilers at home in the Los Angeles Forum. Kings owners Jerry Buss just stormed out. The Kings ended up mounting a comeback to beat the Oilers and ultimately eliminate them from the playoffs. Buss also owned the Lakers. He in fact, had bought the Kings, Lakers and the Forum from Cooke.
When the story began to come out about the Gretzky trade, I still thought Buss owned the Kings, because the name of the owner was never really mentioned.
Then, when everything was announced there was the owner of the Kings, a man named Bruce McNall.
To me, Bruce McNall seemed to come out of nowhere.
Back story
I really had heard nothing about McNall, other than he was rich. Later, I heard he had made his money in rare coins, but that didn’t seem like a sustainable source of income.
I really had heard nothing about McNall, other than he was rich. Later, I heard he had made his money in rare coins, but that didn’t seem like a sustainable source of income.
Wikipedia reveals McNall claimed to have made his initial fortune as a coin collector. He also produced several Hollywood movies in the 1980s including “The Manhattan Project” and “Weekend at Bernie’s”.
McNall bought 25 per cent of the Kings from Jerry Buss in 1986, then an additional 24 per cent in 1987 to become the team’s majority shareholder. He bought the rest of Buss’ shares in 1988.
He was set to turn the hockey world upside down.
The trade
I remember the day well. I was home from university for the summer and was already getting ready to go back to school in the Fall. Rumours had started early in the day about a possible trade between the Oilers and Kings involving Wayne Gretzky, who was the greatest player on Earth, and I thought untouchable.
I remember the day well. I was home from university for the summer and was already getting ready to go back to school in the Fall. Rumours had started early in the day about a possible trade between the Oilers and Kings involving Wayne Gretzky, who was the greatest player on Earth, and I thought untouchable.
Then the impossible happened.
On August 9, 1988, the Kings acquired Gretzky, Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski in exchange for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first-round draft picks and $15 million US.
McNall then increased Gretky’s salary from less than $1 million to $3 million yearly, which began a wage spiral.
Improvement
The Kings historically had been one of the worst teams in the league. They qualified for the playoffs by virtue of a generous playoff format which saw four teams from each of the four divisions qualify for the playoffs.
The Kings historically had been one of the worst teams in the league. They qualified for the playoffs by virtue of a generous playoff format which saw four teams from each of the four divisions qualify for the playoffs.
Now, the Kings were not just looking to qualify, they were looking to win it all.
In Gretzky’s first season, they upset the defending Stanley Cup champion Oilers in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Calgary. The second year, the 1989-1990 season, the Kings upset the defending Stanley Cup champion for the second year in a row. This time it was the Calgary Flames.
In 1992, McNall was elected chairman of the NHL Board of Governors, the second highest post in the league.
The Kings kept on improving and finally, in 1993, they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals before losing to the Montreal Canadiens.
Football
McNall continued to become better known in Canada when, in 1991, he, John Candy and Gretzky purchased the Toronto Argonauts. He then shocked the football world by signing highly regarded college prospect Raghib “Rocket” Ismail of Notre Dame to a two-year contract. The move paid immediate benefits as the Argonauts won the 1991 Grey Cup, keyed by a kick return touchdown in the big game by “The Rocket”.
McNall continued to become better known in Canada when, in 1991, he, John Candy and Gretzky purchased the Toronto Argonauts. He then shocked the football world by signing highly regarded college prospect Raghib “Rocket” Ismail of Notre Dame to a two-year contract. The move paid immediate benefits as the Argonauts won the 1991 Grey Cup, keyed by a kick return touchdown in the big game by “The Rocket”.
Flame out
As bright as Bruce McNall’s star shone, it flamed out just as quickly. Wikipedia reveals in December of 1993, McNall defaulted on a $90 million loan and Bank of America threatened to force the Kings into bankruptcy if he did not sell the team.
As bright as Bruce McNall’s star shone, it flamed out just as quickly. Wikipedia reveals in December of 1993, McNall defaulted on a $90 million loan and Bank of America threatened to force the Kings into bankruptcy if he did not sell the team.
Also in December of 1993, McNall plead guilty to five counts of conspiracy and fraud, and admitted to bilking six banks out of $236 million over 10 years. He was sentenced to 70 months in prison. It emerged shortly after that he had put the Kings in serious financial jeopardy. That effectively ended his ownership of the Argonauts too
McNall sold controlling interest in the Kings in 1994, and resigned as chairman of the NHL Board of Governors. The Kings were forced into bankruptcy in 1995, and were plagues with financial problems for years after.
He was released from prison in 2001 after his sentence was reduced by 13 months for good behaviour.
Then Bruce McNall got on with his life post-hockey.
Parting thoughts
It’s almost like one of the Hollywood movies Bruce McNall produced. A mysterious owner spirits away hockey’s greatest player, and becomes a force in professional hockey and football. Then it turns out he made his money the old-fashioned way – he stole it. Just as quickly as he arrived on the scene, he was gone.
It’s almost like one of the Hollywood movies Bruce McNall produced. A mysterious owner spirits away hockey’s greatest player, and becomes a force in professional hockey and football. Then it turns out he made his money the old-fashioned way – he stole it. Just as quickly as he arrived on the scene, he was gone.
It was a short, happy hockey life for Bruce McNall.
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