A view of the ice rink built for the National Hockey League's Jan 25 Stadium Series game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Juan Ocampo / NHLI via Getty Images

Hall-of-famer Wayne Gretzky's impact on hockey in the United States cannot be understated.

It's been 25 years since the Canadian icon was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, and his influence will be measured in one of the most unusual sports scenarios: an outdoor National Hockey League game in sunny southern California.

"Twenty five years ago no one would have envisioned two California teams playing an outdoor game here in Los Angeles," Gretzky said of the Jan 25 game at Dodger Stadium between the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks.

"I always said it is going to be special when we get to play an outdoor game when it is weather like this.

"You will see people in T-shirts, shorts and running shoes and the ice is still going to be fantastic and the atmosphere will be wonderful."

Sandal-wearing California hockey fans will converge on the iconic baseball stadium with its palm trees and mountain views for the second of six NHL outdoor contests in Canada and the US this season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in the first outdoor game at Michigan Stadium on Jan 1. Other stops include Chicago's Soldier Field, Vancouver's BC Place and two games at Yankee Stadium in New York.

"It is great for the game, and a wonderful way to show the world that not only are we a winter sport, but we are a sport that can play in this kind of weather and be successful," said Gretzky, squinting in the bright sunshine.

Gretzky played countless hours on backyard rinks as a youngster growing up in Canada, so when the four-time Stanley Cup champion talks about playing outdoors he speaks from plenty of experience.

One thing he remembers about those days is the harsh reality of coming in from the cold.

"Your fingertips, ears and toes get the coldest," he said.

"While you are out there, you don't really notice it. But when you come in, and you are seven years old, you start to thaw. You got your hands over the fireplace and your dad is rubbing your feet and everything starts to thaw and you have tears in your eyes.

"Those are the things you never forget about playing outside."

Despite temperatures in the mid-20s C for the Dodger Stadium game, the 52-year-old Gretzky said the ice won't be a problem in the unique setting.

"It will be perfect; no problem. The ice will be fine," said Gretzky who was traded to Los Angeles from Edmonton in one of the biggest deals in NHL history on Aug 9, 1988.

"Everywhere I go people ask me how can they have ice when it is so warm? But people don't realize it is like 65 degrees inside a hockey arena. It's not that cold.

"As long as it was slippery, it was OK for me."

It will almost certainly be the warmest game since the NHL started holding regular season outdoor showdowns in 2003 in Edmonton, Alberta, where the temperature plunged to -35 C.

Gretzky was involved in two of the NHL's most unusual earlier outdoor contests, including the 1991 exhibition game between the Kings and the New York Rangers in Las Vegas and 12 years later when he competed in the first Heritage Classic alumni game at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium.

Gretzky played 20 seasons in the NHL and is considered one of the greatest players in the game's history.

He is the NHL's all-time leading scorer and the only player to amass more than 200 points in one season - a feat he accomplished four times.

(China Daily 01/19/2014 page11)