You've heard this before, Wayne Gretzky put LA on the hockey map when he was traded to the Kings in 1988. As Evans mentions, LA become Hollywood in a hockey sense when #99 arrived in town. People wanted to see and be seen at a hockey game in Los Angeles, it took off during that time period all due to Wayne Gretzky. Sometimes I sit back and think if NHL hockey in the West would have flourished or even survived if Gretzky was not moved to the Kings.

Evans was not with the Kings when Gretzky joined them, but he did play against "The Great One". Evans scored the game winning goal against the Oilers in 'The Miracle of Manchester' game and the Kings went on to round 2 of the playoffs after defeating the heavliy favored Edmonton Oilers.

Evans also talks about his formative years growing up in Toronto and tells a story about playing in a youth tournament against a team from Pittsburgh. Somehow the team Evans played for had to beat the team from Pittsburgh by 32 goals to advance to the next round. His team won by 33, in three, 10 minute periods. I don't think we would see that in tournament play today because hockey in the U.S. has grown and in some parts of the country, teams are on an even plane compared to their Canadian counterparts.

Even though Daryl Evans only played a handful of games for the Leafs at the end of his career, he called it "really special". After all, he grew up listening to Toronto games on Wednesday and Saturday nigh and was thrilled to wear the Leafs's sweater.

These days our game does not have enough stories like this and I am afraid to say it will only get worse in the story telling phase.

I am old enough to remember listening to a hockey game with a transistor radio under my pillow. I'd fall asleep visualizing the action I was listening to and dreaming as much as I wanted to about the game I love.

I can only hope the current generation of fans can enjoy the stories of the past and maybe continue to showcase stories like this.

Source: "NHL lines site Betway”