6. They Both Have Conflicting, Yet Similar, Working Partners/Friends
Like Luke, Wayne had to leave his home to truly begin his career in saving hockey. He moved frequently in his youth, finally ending up in the previously mentioned rebel WHL on a team in Northern Canada called the Edmonton Oilers. It was a young team full of youth and vigor where Wayne was surrounded by a group of players that were about seriously challenge the status quo, just like the Rebel Alliance. While Luke Skywalker had the unpredictable, arrogant and loose cannons Han Solo and Chewbacca to aid him, Wayne had an unpredictable, arrogant and loose cannon teammate named Mark Messier and a hairy beast-man named Dave Semenko. Messier was just as likely to break his stick over your head as he was to score and Semenko would fight anyone
who dared to physically intimidate Gretzky. Let's say the role of Wedge was taken on by a quiet Finnish right winger named Jari Kurri who would score 601 goals in his career, with over 1/2 of them (364) set up by Wayne Gretzky. When the NHL assimilated the WHL in the late 70's, the upstart Edmonton Oilers were one of four franchises that were able to survive the purge of team bankruptcies. They were fortunate enough to have a coach that realized the potential that was on the team and a fan base that was soon to become one of the most vocal and transferable in the league. Demand to see the Oilers ensured near packed stadiums in every city they played in and Wayne and friends went on to dominate the league in the eighties.