NHL Rumors: Is Wayne Gretzky Bringing Hockey to Seattle?

Wayne Gretzky is one of the most notable faces in NHL history. When the "Great One" talks, people listen.

Wednesday, Gretzky was in Seattle, WA at a seemingly harmless Seattle Mariners-New York Yankees baseball game. But, Gretzky was in town for a very unique purpose.

Reports claim that Gretzky was in Seattle to discuss the possibility of bringing a NHL franchise to Seattle.

Gretzky was apparently meeting with Bellevue, WA officials and with Chris Hansen, the leader of the investment group looking to build a new NBA arena in the Seattle area.

The man who is credited with spreading hockey in California could continue that growth along the entire Pacific coast.

This isn't the first time an NHL franchise has been discussed in the Seattle area. Before Hansen's current proposal, the owner of the AHL's Chicago Wolves, Dan Levin, was interested in the idea.

Currently, Seattle has the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

There are no NCAA collegiate hockey programs in the state of Washington. Washington State University plays Division-II club.