All of the struggles of the early '80's disappeared in 1988, with the arrival of one of the greatest athletes of all-time. On August 9, 1988, Wayne Gretzky was traded to Los Angeles and almost instantly turned the Los Angeles Kings into one of the most popular franchises in sports. Suddenly, the Los Angeles Kings games became the hottest ticket in town and, more importantly, the team became a playoff contender. In just his first season in L.A., "The Great One" set a franchise record with 168 points (54 goals, 114 assists) and earned his ninth Hart Trophy, given to the NHL's MVP. -NHL.com