Los Angeles Kings
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional
ice hockey
team based in Los Angeles
, California
. They are members of the Pacific Division
of the Western Conference
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). The team was founded on February 9, 1966, when Jack Kent Cooke
was awarded an NHL expansion franchise for Los Angeles, becoming one of the six teams that began play as part of the 1967 NHL expansion
. The Kings called The Forum
in Inglewood, California
(a suburb of Los Angeles), their home for thirty-two years until they moved to the Staples Center
in Downtown Los Angeles
to start the 1999–2000 season.
The Kings won their division for the only time in their history in 1990–91. They have qualified for post-season play in twenty-four seasons, advancing past the first round twelve times, and past the second round once. The franchise won their conference championship and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals
in the 1992–93 season, losing to the Montreal Canadiens
in five games.
(PCHL) and the Western Hockey League
(WHL) had several teams in California, including the PCHL's Los Angeles Monarchs
of the 1930s and the WHL's Los Angeles Blades
of the 1960s. When the NHL decided to expand for the 1967–68 season
amid rumblings that the WHL was proposing to turn itself into a major league and compete for the Stanley Cup
, Canadian entrepreneur Jack Kent Cooke
paid the NHL $2 million to place one of the six expansion teams in Los Angeles. Los Angeles has a large number of expatriates from both the Northeastern United States and Canada, which Cooke saw as a natural fan base.
Cooke was thus awarded one of the six new NHL expansion franchises, which also included the California Seals
, Minnesota North Stars
, Philadelphia Flyers
, Pittsburgh Penguins
and St. Louis Blues. He named his team the Kings, and picked the original team colors of purple (or "Forum Blue," as it was later officially called) and gold because they were colors traditionally associated with royalty. The same color scheme was worn by the Los Angeles Lakers
of the National Basketball Association
(NBA), which Cooke also owned.
Cooke wanted his new NHL team to play in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
, home of the Lakers. But the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission, which manages the Sports Arena and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
to the present day, had already entered into an agreement with the Blades (whose owners had also tried to land the NHL expansion franchise in Los Angeles) to play their games at the Sports Arena. Frustrated by his dealings with the Coliseum Commission, Cooke said, "I am going to build my own arena...I've had enough of this balderdash."
Construction on Cooke's new arena, the Forum, was not yet complete when the 1967–68 season began, so the Kings opened their first season at the Long Beach Arena in the neighboring city of Long Beach
on October 14, 1967, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers
4–2. For the next two months, the Kings played their home games both at Long Beach and at the Sports Arena. The "Fabulous Forum" finally opened its doors on December 30, 1967, with the Kings being shut out by the Flyers, 2–0.
The Kings made the Forum their home for the next 32 seasons. Players like Bill "Cowboy" Flett
, Eddie "The Jet" Joyal
, Eddie "The Entertainer" Shack
and Real "Frenchy" Lemieux
helped introduce the Los Angeles area to the NHL in the team's first few seasons. Such player nicknames were the brainchild of none other than Cooke himself.
In their first season, the Kings finished in second place in the Western Division, just one point behind the Flyers. The Kings were the only expansion team that had a winning record at home, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota North Stars
, losing the seventh game at The Forum on April 18, 1968, 9–4. In their second season behind head coach Red Kelly
, the Kings finished fourth in the West Division—the final playoff berth. But after eliminating the Oakland Seals in the first round of the playoffs in seven games, the Kings were swept out of post-season play in the second round by the St. Louis Blues.
After two fairly successful seasons, the Kings hit upon hard times, mostly due to poor management. Kings general managers established a history of trading away first-round draft picks, usually for veteran players (many of them NHL stars on the downside of their careers), a problem that would hinder the franchise for years to come. The Kings' attendance also suffered during this time, leading Cooke to muse that the reason so many Northeasterners and Canadians moved to Southern California was that "they hated hockey."
In 1972, the Kings made two key acquisitions. First, the rise of rookie goaltender Ken Dryden
in Montreal made their #1 goalie Rogatien Vachon
expendable and the Kings obtained him in a trade. After years of a "revolving door" in goal, Vachon solidified the position, often in spectacular fashion. For the next 5 years, the Forum was often filled with chants of "Rogie!, Rogie!" as Vachon made many a great save. In addition, the Kings obtained former Toronto Maple Leafs
winger Bob Pulford
, first as a player and then as their head coach. Under Pulford's disciplined direction, the Kings went from being one of the worst defensive teams in the league to one of the best. It took him just two seasons to lead the Kings back to the playoffs and in 1974, they faced the Chicago Blackhawks
, only to be eliminated in five games. Pulford eventually led the team to three of the most successful seasons in franchise history, including a 105-point season in 1974–75 that is still a franchise record.
In 1973, the Kings hired Bob Miller
as the their play-by-play announcer, and he has held that post continuously since that time. Miller, considered to be one of the best hockey play-by-play announcers in the NHL, is often referred to as the "Voice of the Kings." He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
on November 13, 2000, and his first book, Bob Miller's Tales of the Los Angeles Kings, was published in 2006.
After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in both 1973–74 and 1974–75, the Kings moved to significantly upgrade their offensive firepower when they acquired center Marcel Dionne
on June 23, 1975, in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings
. Dionne was already a superstar in the NHL and he made an immediate impact in the 1975–76 season, scoring 40 goals and adding 54 assists for 94 points in 80 regular season games. He led the Kings to a 38–33–9 record (85 points), earning them a second place finish in the Norris Division
.
Behind Dionne's offensive prowess, the strong goaltending of Rogie Vachon
, and the speed and scoring touch of forward Butch Goring
, the Kings swept the Atlanta Flames
out of the first round of the playoffs, but were eliminated in the second round by the Boston Bruins
in seven games. The Kings would defeat the Flames and lose to the Bruins in the following year's playoffs as well.
On January 13, 1979, Dionne found himself on a new line with two young, mostly unknown players: second-year right winger Dave Taylor and left winger Charlie Simmer
, who had been a career minor-leaguer. This line combination, known as the "Triple Crown Line," would go on to become one of the highest-scoring line combinations in NHL history.
After the Triple Crown Line's first season together, Dr. Jerry Buss
purchased the Kings, the Lakers, and the Forum for $67.5 million, but the Simmer-Dionne-Taylor combination remained intact. The next season, the Triple Crown Line dominated the NHL, scoring 146 goals and 182 assists, good for 328 points. The entire line, along with goalie Mario Lessard
, was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game
that season, which was played at the Forum. In that 1979–80 season, Dionne won the Art Ross Memorial Trophy for winning an NHL scoring title that season with 137 points on 53 goals and 84 assists. But even with the Triple Crown Line's ability to dominate, the Kings still could not get out of the first round of the playoffs until 1982.
That year, the Kings opened the playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers
, who were led by a young but fast-rising star by the name of Wayne Gretzky
. Gretzky was only in his third year in the league, but he dominated the NHL like no other had before from the moment he stepped onto NHL ice in his rookie season. By the 1981–82 season, he was already the most dominant player in the league, and had made the Oilers one of the elite teams in the NHL, on their way to winning four Stanley Cup
championships in the 1980s. The Oilers finished with 111 points, the second-best record in the league, while the Kings barely made the playoffs with only 63 points. The Kings won Game 1 in Edmonton on April 7, 1982, 10–8, in the highest scoring Stanley Cup Playoff game ever. The Oilers recovered to win in overtime in Game 2, and the teams headed to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4.
Game 3 would be one of the most amazing in hockey history and was later dubbed the "Miracle on Manchester
" (the Kings arena, the Forum, was on Manchester Boulevard). In that game, played on April 10, 1982, Gretzky led the Oilers to a commanding 5-0 lead after two periods and it seemed like the Kings were headed for a blowout loss. But the Kings began an unbelievable comeback in the third period, tying the game on a goal by left winger Steve Bozek
at 19:55 of the third period and sending the game into overtime.
Bozek's goal set the stage for what was to come. At 2:35 of the overtime period, Kings left winger Daryl Evans
fired a slap shot off a face-off in the right circle of the Edmonton zone, beating Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr
over his right shoulder to give the Kings an incredible come-from-behind, overtime victory, 6-5. The Miracle on Manchester, the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history, is also the greatest moment in Kings franchise history as of 2007. Not only did the Kings complete a miraculous comeback against the vaunted Oilers, but they also went on to eliminate them from the playoffs in five games.
Despite Dionne's leadership, the Kings missed the playoffs in the next two seasons, and were quickly swept out of the playoffs by the Oilers in 1985, when the Oilers won their second straight Stanley Cup championship. Dionne's time with the Kings ended on March 10, 1987, when he was traded to the New York Rangers
. But by this time, the Kings had new skaters to help lead them into the next decade, including star forwards Bernie Nicholls
, Jimmy Carson
, Luc Robitaille
, and defenseman Steve Duchesne
.
Even before the Dionne trade the Kings were sent reeling when coach Pat Quinn
signed a contract to become coach and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks
with just months left on his Kings contract. NHL President
John Ziegler
suspended Quinn for the rest of the season and barred him from taking over Vancouver's hockey operations until June. Ziegler also barred him from coaching anywhere in the NHL until the 1990–91 season. In Ziegler's view, Quinn's actions created a serious conflict of interest that could only be resolved by having him removed as coach.
Despite these shocks, the Kings made the playoffs in the next two seasons, but they were unable to get out of the first round. Part of the problem was that the way the playoffs were structured (teams were bracketed and seeded by division) made it very likely that they would have to get past either the powerful Oilers or Calgary Flames
(or both) to reach the Conference Finals. In fact, the Kings faced either the Oilers or the Flames in the playoffs four times during the 1980s.
However, the 1988–89 season would be a big turning point for the franchise.
purchased the Kings from Buss and turned the team into a Stanley Cup contender almost overnight. On August 9, 1988, McNall acquired the league's best player, Wayne Gretzky
, in a blockbuster trade with the Edmonton Oilers
. The trade rocked the hockey world, especially north of the border where Canadians mourned the loss of a player they considered a national treasure. McNall also changed the team colors to silver and black.
In Gretzky's first season with the Kings, he led the team in scoring with 168 points on 54 goals and 114 assists, and won his ninth Hart Memorial Trophy
as the league's Most Valuable Player
. He led the Kings to a second-place finish in the Smythe Division
with a 42-31-7 record (91 points), and they ranked fourth in the NHL overall.
The Kings faced Gretzky's old team, the Oilers, in the first round of the 1989 playoffs. They fell behind 3 games to 1, but rallied to take the series in seven games, helped in no small part by nine goals from Chris Kontos
, a little-known player who had just recently been called up from the minor leagues. However, the Kings were quickly swept out of the playoffs in the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Flames.
The next season saw Gretzky become the league's all-time leading scorer. On October 15, 1989, in Edmonton, he assisted on a Bernie Nicholls
goal to tie Gordie Howe
's career record of 1,850 points, then broke it late in the contest on a game-tying goal against Bill Ranford
. The goal forced overtime, where Gretzky capped a spectacular night by scoring again to win the game for Los Angeles. At season's end, the Kings finished fourth and faced the defending champion Flames in the first round. This time, they defeated Calgary in six games, two of which had dramatic overtimes — Game 3 was won with a shorthanded goal by Tony Granato
, and Game 6 ended with a strange goal by Mike Krushelnyski
while he was flat on his back. However, the Kings were swept in the second round by the eventual champion Oilers, who were seeking revenge for the loss of the previous year.
Gretzky spearheaded the Kings to their first (and at present, only) regular-season division title in franchise history in the 1990–91 season with a 46-24-10 record (102 points, the second best point total in franchise history). Notably, it was the first time in 10 years that a team from Alberta
had not finished first in the Smythe. However, the heavily favored Kings struggled in the playoffs, winning the first round against the Vancouver Canucks
in six games but losing a close series against Edmonton in the second round that saw four games go into overtime. The 1991–92 season, the Kings' 25th as a franchise, witnessed seven Kings players score over 20 goals; Gretzky himself had a then-career low in scoring yet still finished third in the league behind Pittsburgh Penguins
teammates Mario Lemieux
and Kevin Stevens
. Despite this, Los Angeles again failed to thwart their Edmonton rivals in the post-season, losing to the Oilers in the first round. This marked the third straight year that the Gretzky-led Kings were eliminated from the playoffs by Gretzky's former teammates.
The Kings would reach new heights in the 1992–93 season, but the campaign started badly when it was learned that Gretzky had suffered a career-threatening herniated thoracic disk before the season began. The concern was not mainly whether Gretzky would be able to play that season, but if he would ever be able to play again. But even without their captain and leading scorer, the Kings got off to a blistering 20-8-3 start, with left-winger Luc Robitaille
, who won the Calder Memorial Trophy
as the 1986–87's NHL Rookie
of the Year, filling in as captain for the ailing Gretzky. Robitaille led the team until Gretzky returned after missing the first 39 games. Robitaille would go on to retire at the end of the 2005–06 season as the highest-scoring left winger in National Hockey League
history.
Robitaille and Gretzky, along with former Oilers' winger Jari Kurri
, forwards Tony Granato
and Tomas Sandstrom
, defensemen Rob Blake
, Marty McSorley
, and Alexei Zhitnik
, and goalie Kelly Hrudey
, guided the Kings through a rough middle portion of the season until they found their game once again in the last three months of the campaign to qualify for post-season action. Although Gretzky came back to score 16 goals and 49 assists (65 points) in just 45 games, it was Robitaille who was the Kings' impact player that season, leading the team in scoring with 63 goals and 62 assists (125 points) in 84 regular season games, setting new NHL all-time records for goals and points scored by a left winger in a single season. The Kings finished with a 39-35-10 record (88 points), clinching third place in the Smythe Division.
First-year head coach Barry Melrose
had his team's offense running on all cylinders when the 1993 playoffs began, and they scored an amazing 33 goals in their first-round series against the Calgary Flames
. In the second round, the Kings faced the heavily-favored Vancouver Canucks
, a team that had beaten the Kings rather handily five times in seven games during the regular season, and had not lost to the Kings in their four meetings in Vancouver
. But the Kings would go on to eliminate the Canucks in six games, with the pivotal victory coming in Game 5 at Vancouver, which was tied 3-3 at the end of regulation play. The teams were still tied after the first overtime period, but winger Gary Shuchuk
scored at 6:31 of the second overtime period, giving the Kings a 3-2 series lead, and dealing the Canucks an emotional and, as it turned out, fatal blow.
In the Campbell Conference Finals, the Kings were even more of an underdog against the Doug Gilmour
-led Toronto Maple Leafs
. But with Gretzky at the helm, the Kings eliminated the Leafs in a hard-fought seven-game series that included two overtime games and a Game 6 win for the Kings, who were facing elimination after losing Game 5 in overtime—they trailed the Leafs in the series, 3-2. In Game 6, Toronto scored two third period goals and tied the game at 4-4 at the end of regulation play. But in overtime, Luc Robitaille fed Gretzky a perfect pass and Gretzky scored to give his team a dramatic 5-4 victory and send the teams back to Toronto for a Game 7. In the final contest, Gretzky scored a hat trick
(three goals) and had an assist to lead the Kings to a 5-4 win and a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history.
In the Stanley Cup Finals, the Kings faced the Montreal Canadiens
, who had breezed through the playoffs and were well-rested. The Kings defeated the Canadiens in Game 1, 4-1. Game 2, however, proved to be the turning point in the series. Late in the contest, with the Kings leading by a score of 2-1, Canadiens coach Jacques Demers requested a measurement of Kings defenseman Marty McSorley's stick blade. His suspicions proved to be correct, as the curve of blade was too great, and McSorley was penalized. The Canadiens pulled their goalie, Patrick Roy
, giving them a two-man advantage, and Eric Desjardins
scored on the resulting power play to tie the game. Montreal went on to win the game in overtime on another goal by Desjardins, and the Kings never recovered. They dropped the next two games in overtime, and were shelled 4-1 in Game 5 as the Canadiens won their 24th Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Despite the stinging defeat at the hands of the Canadiens in the finals, Gretzky and the Kings had generated excitement about hockey and the NHL that had never been seen before in Southern California. As soon as Gretzky donned a Kings jersey, the Forum was sold out for every game — virtually overnight, a Kings game became the hottest ticket in town. The popularity of Gretzky and the Kings also led to the NHL awarding an expansion team to Anaheim, California
; in 1993 the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (who became the Anaheim Ducks
on June 22, 2006) would become the Kings nearest rival, just 35 miles to the south. Gretzky's popularity in Southern California also led to the NHL expanding or moving into other Sun Belt
cities such as Dallas
, Phoenix
, Tampa
, Miami
, and Nashville
.
McNall's profile also rose during this time. In 1992, he was elected chairman of the NHL's Board of Governors, the second-most powerful post in the league. His support of Gary Bettman
tipped the scales in favor of Bettman's election as the league's first Commissioner
. However, only two years later, McNall was forced to sell the team to IDB Communications founder Jeffrey Sudikoff and former Madison Square Garden
president Joseph Cohen in the wake of a federal investigation into his financial practices. He ultimately pled guilty to five counts of conspiracy and fraud, and admitted to obtaining $236 million in fraudulent loans from six banks over 10 years.
It later emerged that McNall's free-spending ways put the Kings in serious financial trouble. At one point, Cohen and Sudikoff were even unable to meet player payroll, and were ultimately forced into bankruptcy in 1995. They were forced to trade many of their stronger players, resulting in a roster composed of Gretzky, Blake, and little else. The Kings missed the playoffs for four seasons, from 1993–94 to 1996–97.
bought the Kings out of bankruptcy court in October 1995 and began a rebuilding phase. Meanwhile, Gretzky, who was by this time on the downside of his career, stated publicly that he wanted the team to acquire a forward capable of scoring fifty goals per season and an offensive defenseman. If they failed to do that, he wanted to be traded to a team that was a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
After all he had done for the game by that time, Gretzky wanted another chance to win an elusive fifth Stanley Cup before retirement. But his public statements forced the Kings' hand, since no team would now give them equal value in a trade because of his demands — the Kings would be at a huge disadvantage in any trade, and this would badly hurt their rebuilding program.
On February 27, 1996, Gretzky was traded, this time to the St. Louis Blues, for forwards Craig Johnson, Patrice Tardif
, Roman Vopat
, a first-round pick in the 1997 draft
(Matt Zultek
) and a fifth-round choice in the 1996 draft
(Peter Hogan). None became stars for the Kings, although Gretzky himself was an unrestricted free agent by season's end, and only played 18 regular season games for the Blues. Like Marcel Dionne
before him, Gretzky ended up with the New York Rangers
.
Shortly after Gretzky was traded, the often-maligned general manager Sam McMaster was fired and was replaced by former Kings winger Dave Taylor
. But the rebuilding phase for Taylor was a tough one, as the Kings continued to flounder—they failed to make the playoffs until the 1997–98 season. After another disappointing season in 1998–99, then-head coach Larry Robinson
, who also played three seasons for the Kings from 1989–92 and had been an assistant coach on the New Jersey Devils
' 1995 Cup team, was fired.
Taylor turned to Andy Murray
, who became the Kings' 19th head coach on June 14, 1999. Taylor's hiring of Murray was immediately criticized by media across North America because of Murray's perceived lack of experience — up to that point, his only head coaching experience had been at the international level with the Canadian National Team and at the US high school level. Indeed, Taylor took a gamble on Murray, hoping it would pay off.
But Taylor was not finished dealing that summer. Shortly after hiring Murray, Taylor acquired star right-wing Zigmund Palffy
and veteran center
Bryan Smolinski
on June 20, 1999, in exchange for center prospect Olli Jokinen
, winger prospect Josh Green
, defenseman prospect Mathieu Biron
and the Kings' first-round pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
.
The Kings also made an even bigger move in 1999, as they left the Great Western Forum and moved to Staples Center
in downtown Los Angeles
, which was built by Anschutz and Roski. Staples Center was a state-of-the-art arena, complete with luxury suites and all the modern amenities that fans and athletes would want in a brand-new facility.
With a new home, a new coach, a potential 50-goal scorer in the fold and players such as Rob Blake
, Luc Robitaille
, Glen Murray
, Jozef Stumpel
, Donald Audette
, Ian Laperriere
, and Mattias Norstrom
, the Kings improved dramatically, finishing the season the 1999–2000 season with a 39-31-12-4 record (94 points), good for second place in the Pacific Division
. But in the 2000 playoffs, the Kings were once again eliminated in the first round, this time by the Detroit Red Wings
in a four-game sweep.
, who had won the James Norris Memorial Trophy
as the NHL's best defenseman in 1998.
In that deal, the Kings sent Blake and center Steven Reinprecht
, to the Colorado Avalanche
in exchange for right wing Adam Deadmarsh
, defenseman Aaron Miller
, center prospect Jared Aulin
and a first-round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
(Dave Steckel
). Deadmarsh and Miller became impact players for the Kings, who finished the 2000–01 season with a 38-28-13-3 record (92 points), good for a third place finish in the Pacific Division and another first-round playoff date with the Detroit Red Wings.
The heavily-favored Red Wings — many predicted another four-game sweep — made easy work of the Kings in Games 1 and 2 at the Joe Louis Arena
, but the Kings got back in the series with a 2-1 win in Game 3 at Staples Center.
In Game 4, the Red Wings took a commanding 3-0 lead after two periods. This set the stage for yet another unbelievable playoff comeback for the Kings, highly reminiscent of the "Miracle on Manchester," back in 1982. Seldom-used forward Scott Thomas, a career minor-leaguer, scored a power play goal at 13:53. The Red Wings were called for a penalty with just under three minutes to play and Kings' coach Andy Murray gambled and pulled his goalie to give his team a two-man advantage. The gamble paid off as Jozef Stumpel
would follow with another power play goal at 17:33. Finally, Bryan Smolinski
tied the game at the 19:07 mark. In the overtime, Deadmarsh stole the puck from Red Wings' star defenseman Chris Chelios
in the right corner behind the Detroit net, and threw a centering pass to center Eric Belanger
, who scored the game-winning goal at 2:36 to lift the Kings to a miraculous come-from-behind win, now known as the "Frenzy on Figueroa," or the "Stunner at Staples." That win would lead to the Kings eliminating the Red Wings in Game 6 by winning four straight games after going down 2-0 in the series. It was the Kings' first playoff series win since 1993.
In the second round, the Kings went up against another elite team, the Colorado Avalanche
, led by superstars Joe Sakic
, Peter Forsberg
, Patrick Roy
, Ray Bourque
, and Rob Blake
. The Kings took the eventual champions to seven games but lost the series, 4-3. The most memorable game of that series was Game 6 where goalies Patrick Roy of Colorado and Felix Potvin of the Kings battled to a 0-0 tie. The teams played through one overtime, and the Kings scored in the second overtime for a 1-0 win.
The 2001–02 started off with tragedy as team scouts Garnet "Ace" Bailey
and Mark Bavis were both casualties of the September 11th attack. The team honored the two by wearing "AM" patches on their jerseys. Earlier in the season, the team acquired Jason Allison
who was involved in a contract dispute along with Mikko Eloranta
from the Boston Bruins
in return for Jozef Stumpel
and Glen Murray
. At mid-season they held the 2002 NHL All-Star Game
while still fighting for a playoff spot in which they clinched seventh place in the Western Conference where they were matched with the heavily-favored Avalanche. After being bounced out of the playoffs in the first round by the Avalanche, the next two seasons would be major disappointments, as the team failed to make the playoffs in both seasons.
, Jeremy Roenick
and Pavol Demitra
for the 2005–06 season. Los Angeles began the new season strong, but the second half of the season saw the Kings once again stumble badly, freefalling from second in the Western Conference in early January to tenth place. On March 21, 2006, the team fired head coach Andy Murray
, replacing him with interim head coach John Torchetti
. With three games left in the season, Luc Robitaille, the team's all-time leading scorer and the NHL's all-time highest-scoring left winger, announced that, at the end of the year, he would be retiring from pro hockey.
Just one day after the end of the Kings' 2005–06 regular season, AEG decided to clean house. On April 18, 2006, President/Hockey Operations and General Manager Dave Taylor
and Director of Player Personnel Bill O'Flaherty were relieved of their duties, and Vice President and Assistant General Manager Kevin Gilmore was re-assigned to other duties within AEG. Torchetti and assistant coaches Mark Hardy and Ray Bennett, along with goaltending consultant Andy Nowicki, were also fired. Kings CEO Tim Leiweke also announced that he would no longer be the team's Chief Executive Officer.
On April 21, 2006, the Kings signed Philadelphia Flyers
scout and former San Jose Sharks
general manager Dean Lombardi
as President and General Manager. He was signed to a five-year contract, signaling big changes in the near future for the franchise. Soon after he was hired, Lombardi quickly began to revamp the Kings' hockey operations and just barely over one month into his tenure as President and General Manager, on May 22, 2006, he hired Marc Crawford
to be the Kings' 21st head coach.
in goal for the third period of the game with the St. Louis Blues. This marked the first time in hockey history that a Japanese-born player played in an NHL regular season game. On January 20, 2007, the Kings retired Luc Robitaille's jersey in an hour-long ceremony prior to the game with the Phoenix Coyotes
. It was the fifth Kings jersey to be retired by the team.
, left wings Ladislav Nagy
and Kyle Calder
, and defensemen Tom Preissing
, Brad Stuart
and Jon Klemm
. However, despite opening the season with a win against the defending Stanley Cup
champion Anaheim Ducks
in the first NHL regular season game in Europe at the new O2 Arena
(also owned by AEG) in London
, United Kingdom
, the new acquisitions did little to change the Kings' fortunes as the team finished with the second worst record in the league. On June 10, 2008, the team announced the firing of head coach Marc Crawford.
In the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
, the Kings had a busy day, starting with a 3-way trade with the Calgary Flames
and the Anaheim Ducks
. The Kings traded Mike Cammalleri
to the Flames, and the 28th overall pick to the Ducks. The Kings received the 12th overall pick (which eventually was traded to the Buffalo Sabres
for the 13th overall pick). The Kings used the 2nd overall pick to select defenseman Drew Doughty
, and the 13th overall pick to select Colten Teubert
.
, who became the 22nd head coach in franchise history. on October 8, 2008, right wing Dustin Brown was named as the Kings’ fifteenth captain in franchise history. Brown, 23, is also the youngest captain and the first American-born captain in Kings’ history.
, known for his prowess in front of the opposing goaltender. They also signed defenseman Rob Scuderi
, who won the Stanley Cup the previous year with Pittsburgh. The Kings were very successful during the 2009-10 NHL Season, as they finished sixth overall in the West while still in the midst of a rebuild. They established a franchise record with a nine game unbeaten streak, and finished the season with 101 points, just the third 100+ points season in franchise history. However, they lost to a highly skilled Vancouver Canucks
team in six games. A series in which the Kings led 2-1 at home up 3-2 entering the 3rd period only to let it slip away due to goaltending by Vancouver netminder Roberto Luongo
and late goals by the Sedin Twins. Despite the first round loss, many considered the season to be an outright success due to the age of the team and the setbacks from injuries to key players Ryan Smyth
and Justin Williams
. Forward Anze Kopitar
spent most of the first half of the season in the top ten in the league in scoring, and finished 20th overall in points. Doughty was one of three finalists for the James Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, and received the ‘Best Defenseman’ award on the team. This was the first time in eight years that the Kings made it to the playoffs.
, Willie Mitchell, and added forward Alexei Ponikarovsky
after losing out on the controversial free agent signing of Ilya Kovalchuk
. Mitchell's signing created a top defensive pairing along with Norris Trophy favorite Drew Doughty
, and bolstered the chemistry of the locker room, after the departure of veterans Sean O'Donnell
and Alexander Frolov
. The Kings wasted no time in starting the season on the right foot, with a 2-1 shootout victory of the Canucks, on the road in Vancouver. Coupled with a 4-1 victory six days later in Los Angeles, the Kings' two wins in two games against the Vancouver Canucks
match the number wins they had in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the same Canucks.
The Kings were the 7th seeded Western Conference team in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs
, and played San Jose in the first round. The team’s high scorer, Anze Kopitar, was injured and was not available for the playoffs. On April 25th, the Kings lost to the San Jose Sharks in game six of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, allowing the Sharks to advance.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses/Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Builders
Broadcasters (Foster Hewitt Memorial Award Recipients)
, C, 1975–87, number retired November 8, 1990. 18 Dave Taylor
, LW/RW, 1977–94, number retired April 3, 1995. 20 Luc Robitaille
, LW, 1986–94, 1997–2001, and 2003–06, number retired January 20, 2007. 30 Rogatien "Rogie" Vachon
, G, 1972–78, number retired February 14, 1985. 99 Wayne Gretzky
, C, 1988–96, number retired by the league on February 6, 2000, and by the team on October 9, 2002.
Goalies: first team – Rogatien "Rogie" Vachon
, second team – Kelly Hrudey
Defensemen: first team – Rob Blake
and Steve Duchesne
, second team – Larry Murphy and Bob Murdoch
Centers: first team – Wayne Gretzky
, second team – Marcel Dionne
Forwards: first team – Dave Taylor
and Luc Robitaille
, second team, Charlie Simmer
and Mike Murphy
Coach: first team – Bob Pulford
, second team – Barry Melrose
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; * = current Kings player
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They are members of the Pacific Division
Pacific Division (NHL)
The National Hockey League's Pacific Division is one of three divisions that make up the Western Conference. It was formed in 1993 as part of a league realignment...
of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NHL)
The Western Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Eastern Conference....
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). The team was founded on February 9, 1966, when Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke was a Canadian entrepreneur and former owner of the Washington Redskins , the Los Angeles Lakers , and the Los Angeles Kings , and built The Forum in Inglewood, California and FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.-Early career:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Cooke moved with his family to...
was awarded an NHL expansion franchise for Los Angeles, becoming one of the six teams that began play as part of the 1967 NHL expansion
1967 NHL expansion
The National Hockey League undertook a major expansion for the 1967–68 season, adding six new franchises to double the size of the league. This marked the first change in the composition of the league since 1942, when the Brooklyn Americans folded. Thus, the expansion ended the era of the Original...
. The Kings called The Forum
The Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
in Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
(a suburb of Los Angeles), their home for thirty-two years until they moved to the Staples Center
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
in Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
to start the 1999–2000 season.
The Kings won their division for the only time in their history in 1990–91. They have qualified for post-season play in twenty-four seasons, advancing past the first round twelve times, and past the second round once. The franchise won their conference championship and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals
1993 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1993 Stanley Cup Final series was contested by the Los Angeles Kings and the Montreal Canadiens to decide the NHL championship for the 1992–93 season. It was the first appearance in the Final for the Kings, and the 34th for Montreal, their first since the 1989 Final. The Canadiens won the...
in the 1992–93 season, losing to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in five games.
The "Forum Blue and Gold" years (1967–68 to 1987–88)
Prior to the Kings' arrival in the Los Angeles area, both the Pacific Coast Hockey LeaguePacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.-PCHL 1928-1931:...
(PCHL) and the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League (minor pro)
The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League...
(WHL) had several teams in California, including the PCHL's Los Angeles Monarchs
Los Angeles Monarchs
The Los Angeles Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team, active from 1944–1950, in the Pacific Coast Hockey League . The Monarchs are the only professional ice hockey team to win a league championship for the city of Los Angeles...
of the 1930s and the WHL's Los Angeles Blades
Los Angeles Blades
The Los Angeles Blades were a professional inline hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. The Blades played in Roller Hockey International from 1993-1997 and played their home games at the Great Western Forum....
of the 1960s. When the NHL decided to expand for the 1967–68 season
1967 NHL expansion
The National Hockey League undertook a major expansion for the 1967–68 season, adding six new franchises to double the size of the league. This marked the first change in the composition of the league since 1942, when the Brooklyn Americans folded. Thus, the expansion ended the era of the Original...
amid rumblings that the WHL was proposing to turn itself into a major league and compete for the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
, Canadian entrepreneur Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke was a Canadian entrepreneur and former owner of the Washington Redskins , the Los Angeles Lakers , and the Los Angeles Kings , and built The Forum in Inglewood, California and FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.-Early career:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Cooke moved with his family to...
paid the NHL $2 million to place one of the six expansion teams in Los Angeles. Los Angeles has a large number of expatriates from both the Northeastern United States and Canada, which Cooke saw as a natural fan base.
Cooke was thus awarded one of the six new NHL expansion franchises, which also included the California Seals
California Golden Seals
The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of...
, Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
, Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
and St. Louis Blues. He named his team the Kings, and picked the original team colors of purple (or "Forum Blue," as it was later officially called) and gold because they were colors traditionally associated with royalty. The same color scheme was worn by the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA), which Cooke also owned.
Cooke wanted his new NHL team to play in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in the University Park neighborhood, of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park. It is located next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, just south of the campus of the University of Southern California.-History:The Los Angeles...
, home of the Lakers. But the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission, which manages the Sports Arena and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
to the present day, had already entered into an agreement with the Blades (whose owners had also tried to land the NHL expansion franchise in Los Angeles) to play their games at the Sports Arena. Frustrated by his dealings with the Coliseum Commission, Cooke said, "I am going to build my own arena...I've had enough of this balderdash."
Construction on Cooke's new arena, the Forum, was not yet complete when the 1967–68 season began, so the Kings opened their first season at the Long Beach Arena in the neighboring city of Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
on October 14, 1967, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
4–2. For the next two months, the Kings played their home games both at Long Beach and at the Sports Arena. The "Fabulous Forum" finally opened its doors on December 30, 1967, with the Kings being shut out by the Flyers, 2–0.
Bill Flett
William Mayer "Cowboy" Flett was a professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Atlanta Flames and Edmonton Oilers.-Playing career:Flett began his career with the Melville Millionaires of the SJHL...
, Eddie "The Jet" Joyal
Eddie Joyal
Edward Abel "Jet" Joyal is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers...
, Eddie "The Entertainer" Shack
Eddie Shack
Edward Steven Phillip Shack , also known by the nicknames "The Entertainer" and "The Nose" is a retired Canadian hockey player who played for six National Hockey League teams from 1959 to 1975,Shack was born in Sudbury, Ontario...
and Real "Frenchy" Lemieux
Real Lemieux
Réal "Frenchy" Lemieux is a former ice hockey right wing. He played in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres....
helped introduce the Los Angeles area to the NHL in the team's first few seasons. Such player nicknames were the brainchild of none other than Cooke himself.
In their first season, the Kings finished in second place in the Western Division, just one point behind the Flyers. The Kings were the only expansion team that had a winning record at home, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
, losing the seventh game at The Forum on April 18, 1968, 9–4. In their second season behind head coach Red Kelly
Red Kelly
Leonard Patrick "Red" Kelly, CM is a retired Canadian ice hockey player in the NHL. He played on more Stanley Cup winning teams than any player who never played for the Montreal Canadiens, and is the only player to be part of two of the nine dynasties recognized by the NHL in its history...
, the Kings finished fourth in the West Division—the final playoff berth. But after eliminating the Oakland Seals in the first round of the playoffs in seven games, the Kings were swept out of post-season play in the second round by the St. Louis Blues.
After two fairly successful seasons, the Kings hit upon hard times, mostly due to poor management. Kings general managers established a history of trading away first-round draft picks, usually for veteran players (many of them NHL stars on the downside of their careers), a problem that would hinder the franchise for years to come. The Kings' attendance also suffered during this time, leading Cooke to muse that the reason so many Northeasterners and Canadians moved to Southern California was that "they hated hockey."
In 1972, the Kings made two key acquisitions. First, the rise of rookie goaltender Ken Dryden
Ken Dryden
Kenneth Wayne Dryden, PC, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is married with two children and four grandchildren and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...
in Montreal made their #1 goalie Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League....
expendable and the Kings obtained him in a trade. After years of a "revolving door" in goal, Vachon solidified the position, often in spectacular fashion. For the next 5 years, the Forum was often filled with chants of "Rogie!, Rogie!" as Vachon made many a great save. In addition, the Kings obtained former Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
winger Bob Pulford
Bob Pulford
Robert Jesse Pulford is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League...
, first as a player and then as their head coach. Under Pulford's disciplined direction, the Kings went from being one of the worst defensive teams in the league to one of the best. It took him just two seasons to lead the Kings back to the playoffs and in 1974, they faced the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
, only to be eliminated in five games. Pulford eventually led the team to three of the most successful seasons in franchise history, including a 105-point season in 1974–75 that is still a franchise record.
In 1973, the Kings hired Bob Miller
Bob Miller (sports announcer)
Robert James "Bob" Miller is an American sportscaster, best known as the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Kings team of the National Hockey League on Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket...
as the their play-by-play announcer, and he has held that post continuously since that time. Miller, considered to be one of the best hockey play-by-play announcers in the NHL, is often referred to as the "Voice of the Kings." He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
on November 13, 2000, and his first book, Bob Miller's Tales of the Los Angeles Kings, was published in 2006.
After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in both 1973–74 and 1974–75, the Kings moved to significantly upgrade their offensive firepower when they acquired center Marcel Dionne
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
on June 23, 1975, in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
. Dionne was already a superstar in the NHL and he made an immediate impact in the 1975–76 season, scoring 40 goals and adding 54 assists for 94 points in 80 regular season games. He led the Kings to a 38–33–9 record (85 points), earning them a second place finish in the Norris Division
Norris Division
The NHL's Norris Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division moved to the Clarence Campbell Conference in 1981, with the Detroit Red Wings being the only member to remain from the previous season. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. The...
.
Behind Dionne's offensive prowess, the strong goaltending of Rogie Vachon
Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League....
, and the speed and scoring touch of forward Butch Goring
Butch Goring
Robert "Butch" Goring is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. He played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Boston Bruins. He is a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Islanders. Since retiring as a player he has served as head coach of...
, the Kings swept the Atlanta Flames
Atlanta Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the...
out of the first round of the playoffs, but were eliminated in the second round by the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in seven games. The Kings would defeat the Flames and lose to the Bruins in the following year's playoffs as well.
On January 13, 1979, Dionne found himself on a new line with two young, mostly unknown players: second-year right winger Dave Taylor and left winger Charlie Simmer
Charlie Simmer
Charles Robert Simmer is a retired ice hockey forward, most notably for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League, who was notable for his scoring and power play prowess.-Playing career:...
, who had been a career minor-leaguer. This line combination, known as the "Triple Crown Line," would go on to become one of the highest-scoring line combinations in NHL history.
After the Triple Crown Line's first season together, Dr. Jerry Buss
Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
purchased the Kings, the Lakers, and the Forum for $67.5 million, but the Simmer-Dionne-Taylor combination remained intact. The next season, the Triple Crown Line dominated the NHL, scoring 146 goals and 182 assists, good for 328 points. The entire line, along with goalie Mario Lessard
Mario Lessard
Mario Lessard is a retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender.Lessard started his National Hockey League career with the Los Angeles Kings in 1978. He would play his entire NHL career with the Kings. He retired after the 1984 season. Lessard was a NHL Second Team All-Star in 1981...
, was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game
National Hockey League All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
that season, which was played at the Forum. In that 1979–80 season, Dionne won the Art Ross Memorial Trophy for winning an NHL scoring title that season with 137 points on 53 goals and 84 assists. But even with the Triple Crown Line's ability to dominate, the Kings still could not get out of the first round of the playoffs until 1982.
That year, the Kings opened the playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, who were led by a young but fast-rising star by the name of Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
. Gretzky was only in his third year in the league, but he dominated the NHL like no other had before from the moment he stepped onto NHL ice in his rookie season. By the 1981–82 season, he was already the most dominant player in the league, and had made the Oilers one of the elite teams in the NHL, on their way to winning four Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championships in the 1980s. The Oilers finished with 111 points, the second-best record in the league, while the Kings barely made the playoffs with only 63 points. The Kings won Game 1 in Edmonton on April 7, 1982, 10–8, in the highest scoring Stanley Cup Playoff game ever. The Oilers recovered to win in overtime in Game 2, and the teams headed to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4.
Game 3 would be one of the most amazing in hockey history and was later dubbed the "Miracle on Manchester
Miracle on Manchester
The Miracle on Manchester is the nickname given to a National Hockey League playoff game between the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers that took place on April 10, 1982 in the league's 65th season...
" (the Kings arena, the Forum, was on Manchester Boulevard). In that game, played on April 10, 1982, Gretzky led the Oilers to a commanding 5-0 lead after two periods and it seemed like the Kings were headed for a blowout loss. But the Kings began an unbelievable comeback in the third period, tying the game on a goal by left winger Steve Bozek
Steve Bozek
Steven Michael Bozek is a retired professional ice hockey left wing who spent 11 seasons in the NHL with four clubs...
at 19:55 of the third period and sending the game into overtime.
Bozek's goal set the stage for what was to come. At 2:35 of the overtime period, Kings left winger Daryl Evans
Daryl Evans
Daryl Thomas Evans is a retired Canadian ice hockey player.Drafted in 1980 by the Los Angeles Kings, Evans also played for the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs....
fired a slap shot off a face-off in the right circle of the Edmonton zone, beating Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr
Grant Fuhr
Grant Scott Fuhr is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League and currently the goaltending coach for the Phoenix Coyotes. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame...
over his right shoulder to give the Kings an incredible come-from-behind, overtime victory, 6-5. The Miracle on Manchester, the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history, is also the greatest moment in Kings franchise history as of 2007. Not only did the Kings complete a miraculous comeback against the vaunted Oilers, but they also went on to eliminate them from the playoffs in five games.
Despite Dionne's leadership, the Kings missed the playoffs in the next two seasons, and were quickly swept out of the playoffs by the Oilers in 1985, when the Oilers won their second straight Stanley Cup championship. Dionne's time with the Kings ended on March 10, 1987, when he was traded to the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. But by this time, the Kings had new skaters to help lead them into the next decade, including star forwards Bernie Nicholls
Bernie Nicholls
Bernard Irvine Nicholls is a former professional ice hockey centre. His junior career was spent with the Kingston Canadians, where he established himself as a dynamic scorer and a multi-faceted talent. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, 73rd...
, Jimmy Carson
Jimmy Carson
James Charles Carson is a retired American professional hockey player. He is best known for his 10 year NHL career, spent with several teams. After retiring from professional hockey, he embarked on a new career as a financial advisor....
, Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, and defenseman Steve Duchesne
Steve Duchesne
Steve Duchesne is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL with several teams from 1986 until 2002...
.
Even before the Dionne trade the Kings were sent reeling when coach Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (ice hockey)
John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
signed a contract to become coach and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
with just months left on his Kings contract. NHL President
NHL Commissioner
The National Hockey League Commissioner is the highest-ranking executive officer in the National Hockey League . The position was created in 1993 with Gary Bettman as the first Commissioner...
John Ziegler
John Ziegler (sports administrator)
John A. Ziegler, Jr was the fourth president of the National Hockey League.In 1977, Ziegler became the fourth president of the NHL, succeeding Clarence Campbell...
suspended Quinn for the rest of the season and barred him from taking over Vancouver's hockey operations until June. Ziegler also barred him from coaching anywhere in the NHL until the 1990–91 season. In Ziegler's view, Quinn's actions created a serious conflict of interest that could only be resolved by having him removed as coach.
Despite these shocks, the Kings made the playoffs in the next two seasons, but they were unable to get out of the first round. Part of the problem was that the way the playoffs were structured (teams were bracketed and seeded by division) made it very likely that they would have to get past either the powerful Oilers or Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
(or both) to reach the Conference Finals. In fact, the Kings faced either the Oilers or the Flames in the playoffs four times during the 1980s.
However, the 1988–89 season would be a big turning point for the franchise.
Silver and Black Era (1988–89 to 1997–98)
In 1987, coin collector Bruce McNallBruce McNall
Bruce Patrick McNall is a former Thoroughbred racehorse owner, and a sports executive who once owned the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League .McNall claimed to have made his initial fortune as a coin collector, though...
purchased the Kings from Buss and turned the team into a Stanley Cup contender almost overnight. On August 9, 1988, McNall acquired the league's best player, Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, in a blockbuster trade with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. The trade rocked the hockey world, especially north of the border where Canadians mourned the loss of a player they considered a national treasure. McNall also changed the team colors to silver and black.
In Gretzky's first season with the Kings, he led the team in scoring with 168 points on 54 goals and 114 assists, and won his ninth Hart Memorial Trophy
Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
as the league's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. He led the Kings to a second-place finish in the Smythe Division
Smythe Division
The NHL's Smythe Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Clarence Campbell Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honor of Conn Smythe. It is the fore-runner of the NHL's Northwest Division and NHL's Pacific Division....
with a 42-31-7 record (91 points), and they ranked fourth in the NHL overall.
The Kings faced Gretzky's old team, the Oilers, in the first round of the 1989 playoffs. They fell behind 3 games to 1, but rallied to take the series in seven games, helped in no small part by nine goals from Chris Kontos
Chris Kontos
Christopher T. Kontos is a former National Hockey League forward who is best known for his surprising 9 goals in 11 playoff games while he was a member of the Los Angeles Kings and his shocking franchise opening night 4 goal performance against that season's Vezina Trophy winner Ed Belfour.During...
, a little-known player who had just recently been called up from the minor leagues. However, the Kings were quickly swept out of the playoffs in the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Flames.
The next season saw Gretzky become the league's all-time leading scorer. On October 15, 1989, in Edmonton, he assisted on a Bernie Nicholls
Bernie Nicholls
Bernard Irvine Nicholls is a former professional ice hockey centre. His junior career was spent with the Kingston Canadians, where he established himself as a dynamic scorer and a multi-faceted talent. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, 73rd...
goal to tie Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
's career record of 1,850 points, then broke it late in the contest on a game-tying goal against Bill Ranford
Bill Ranford
William Edward Ranford is a former professional ice hockey goaltender and current goaltending coach for the Los Angeles Kings. He graduated from New Westminster Secondary School in 1985. He was selected in the third round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, 52nd overall, by the Boston Bruins...
. The goal forced overtime, where Gretzky capped a spectacular night by scoring again to win the game for Los Angeles. At season's end, the Kings finished fourth and faced the defending champion Flames in the first round. This time, they defeated Calgary in six games, two of which had dramatic overtimes — Game 3 was won with a shorthanded goal by Tony Granato
Tony Granato
Anthony Lewis Granato is an American retired National Hockey League left winger and a former head coach and assistant coach of the Colorado Avalanche...
, and Game 6 ended with a strange goal by Mike Krushelnyski
Mike Krushelnyski
Mike Krushelnyski is a retired Ukrainian-Canadian professional ice hockey centre in the NHL, and former head coach of Vityaz Chekhov in the KHL.-Playing career:...
while he was flat on his back. However, the Kings were swept in the second round by the eventual champion Oilers, who were seeking revenge for the loss of the previous year.
Gretzky spearheaded the Kings to their first (and at present, only) regular-season division title in franchise history in the 1990–91 season with a 46-24-10 record (102 points, the second best point total in franchise history). Notably, it was the first time in 10 years that a team from Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
had not finished first in the Smythe. However, the heavily favored Kings struggled in the playoffs, winning the first round against the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in six games but losing a close series against Edmonton in the second round that saw four games go into overtime. The 1991–92 season, the Kings' 25th as a franchise, witnessed seven Kings players score over 20 goals; Gretzky himself had a then-career low in scoring yet still finished third in the league behind Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
teammates Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
and Kevin Stevens
Kevin Stevens
Kevin "Artie" Stevens is a retired ice hockey player and current NHL scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played left wing on a line with Mario Lemieux during the Penguins' Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992...
. Despite this, Los Angeles again failed to thwart their Edmonton rivals in the post-season, losing to the Oilers in the first round. This marked the third straight year that the Gretzky-led Kings were eliminated from the playoffs by Gretzky's former teammates.
The Kings would reach new heights in the 1992–93 season, but the campaign started badly when it was learned that Gretzky had suffered a career-threatening herniated thoracic disk before the season began. The concern was not mainly whether Gretzky would be able to play that season, but if he would ever be able to play again. But even without their captain and leading scorer, the Kings got off to a blistering 20-8-3 start, with left-winger Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, who won the Calder Memorial Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
as the 1986–87's NHL Rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
of the Year, filling in as captain for the ailing Gretzky. Robitaille led the team until Gretzky returned after missing the first 39 games. Robitaille would go on to retire at the end of the 2005–06 season as the highest-scoring left winger in National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
history.
Robitaille and Gretzky, along with former Oilers' winger Jari Kurri
Jari Kurri
Jari Pekka Kurri is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey right winger and a five-time Stanley Cup champion. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. He is currently the general manager of Team Finland....
, forwards Tony Granato
Tony Granato
Anthony Lewis Granato is an American retired National Hockey League left winger and a former head coach and assistant coach of the Colorado Avalanche...
and Tomas Sandstrom
Tomas Sandström
Tomas Sandström is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League from 1984 to 1999. He grew up in Fagersta, Sweden....
, defensemen Rob Blake
Rob Blake
Robert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with...
, Marty McSorley
Marty McSorley
Martin James "Marty" McSorley is a retired Canadian professional hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League from 1983 to 2000. A versatile player, he was able to play both the forward and defense positions. He is also a former head coach of the Springfield Falcons of the American...
, and Alexei Zhitnik
Alexei Zhitnik
Oleksiy Mykolaiovych "Alexei" Zhitnik is a retired Ukrainian-Russian ice hockey defenceman. Zhitnik has played more games in the National Hockey League than any other Soviet-born defenceman. He has represented the Soviet Union, CIS, and Russia internationally, and Ukraine during two NHL All-Star...
, and goalie Kelly Hrudey
Kelly Hrudey
Kelly Hrudey is a former NHL ice hockey goaltender and current hockey broadcaster with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. During his NHL career, Hrudey played for the New York Islanders , Los Angeles Kings , and San Jose Sharks .-Playing career:Hrudey played junior hockey for three years with...
, guided the Kings through a rough middle portion of the season until they found their game once again in the last three months of the campaign to qualify for post-season action. Although Gretzky came back to score 16 goals and 49 assists (65 points) in just 45 games, it was Robitaille who was the Kings' impact player that season, leading the team in scoring with 63 goals and 62 assists (125 points) in 84 regular season games, setting new NHL all-time records for goals and points scored by a left winger in a single season. The Kings finished with a 39-35-10 record (88 points), clinching third place in the Smythe Division.
First-year head coach Barry Melrose
Barry Melrose
Barry James Melrose is a former player and head coach in the National Hockey League, as well as a current commentator and hockey analyst for ESPN.-Playing career:...
had his team's offense running on all cylinders when the 1993 playoffs began, and they scored an amazing 33 goals in their first-round series against the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. In the second round, the Kings faced the heavily-favored Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, a team that had beaten the Kings rather handily five times in seven games during the regular season, and had not lost to the Kings in their four meetings in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. But the Kings would go on to eliminate the Canucks in six games, with the pivotal victory coming in Game 5 at Vancouver, which was tied 3-3 at the end of regulation play. The teams were still tied after the first overtime period, but winger Gary Shuchuk
Gary Shuchuk
Gary Robert Shuchuk is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Shuchuk started his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings in 1990...
scored at 6:31 of the second overtime period, giving the Kings a 3-2 series lead, and dealing the Canucks an emotional and, as it turned out, fatal blow.
In the Campbell Conference Finals, the Kings were even more of an underdog against the Doug Gilmour
Doug Gilmour
Douglas Robert Gilmour is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is the current general manager of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League . During his National Hockey League career, Gilmour played for 7 NHL clubs: the St...
-led Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. But with Gretzky at the helm, the Kings eliminated the Leafs in a hard-fought seven-game series that included two overtime games and a Game 6 win for the Kings, who were facing elimination after losing Game 5 in overtime—they trailed the Leafs in the series, 3-2. In Game 6, Toronto scored two third period goals and tied the game at 4-4 at the end of regulation play. But in overtime, Luc Robitaille fed Gretzky a perfect pass and Gretzky scored to give his team a dramatic 5-4 victory and send the teams back to Toronto for a Game 7. In the final contest, Gretzky scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
(three goals) and had an assist to lead the Kings to a 5-4 win and a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history.
In the Stanley Cup Finals, the Kings faced the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, who had breezed through the playoffs and were well-rested. The Kings defeated the Canadiens in Game 1, 4-1. Game 2, however, proved to be the turning point in the series. Late in the contest, with the Kings leading by a score of 2-1, Canadiens coach Jacques Demers requested a measurement of Kings defenseman Marty McSorley's stick blade. His suspicions proved to be correct, as the curve of blade was too great, and McSorley was penalized. The Canadiens pulled their goalie, Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
, giving them a two-man advantage, and Eric Desjardins
Eric Desjardins
Éric Desjardins is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. He won the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993 and headlined the Flyers defence for over a decade...
scored on the resulting power play to tie the game. Montreal went on to win the game in overtime on another goal by Desjardins, and the Kings never recovered. They dropped the next two games in overtime, and were shelled 4-1 in Game 5 as the Canadiens won their 24th Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Despite the stinging defeat at the hands of the Canadiens in the finals, Gretzky and the Kings had generated excitement about hockey and the NHL that had never been seen before in Southern California. As soon as Gretzky donned a Kings jersey, the Forum was sold out for every game — virtually overnight, a Kings game became the hottest ticket in town. The popularity of Gretzky and the Kings also led to the NHL awarding an expansion team to Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
; in 1993 the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (who became the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
on June 22, 2006) would become the Kings nearest rival, just 35 miles to the south. Gretzky's popularity in Southern California also led to the NHL expanding or moving into other Sun Belt
Sun Belt
The Sun Belt or Spanish Belt is a region of the United States generally considered to stretch across the South and Southwest . Another rough boundary of the region is the area south of the 36th parallel, north latitude. It is the largest region which the U.S government does not recognize officially...
cities such as Dallas
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
, Phoenix
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
, Tampa
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, Miami
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
, and Nashville
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
McNall's profile also rose during this time. In 1992, he was elected chairman of the NHL's Board of Governors, the second-most powerful post in the league. His support of Gary Bettman
Gary Bettman
Gary Bruce Bettman is the commissioner of the National Hockey League , a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice-president and general counsel to the National Basketball Association...
tipped the scales in favor of Bettman's election as the league's first Commissioner
NHL Commissioner
The National Hockey League Commissioner is the highest-ranking executive officer in the National Hockey League . The position was created in 1993 with Gary Bettman as the first Commissioner...
. However, only two years later, McNall was forced to sell the team to IDB Communications founder Jeffrey Sudikoff and former Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
president Joseph Cohen in the wake of a federal investigation into his financial practices. He ultimately pled guilty to five counts of conspiracy and fraud, and admitted to obtaining $236 million in fraudulent loans from six banks over 10 years.
It later emerged that McNall's free-spending ways put the Kings in serious financial trouble. At one point, Cohen and Sudikoff were even unable to meet player payroll, and were ultimately forced into bankruptcy in 1995. They were forced to trade many of their stronger players, resulting in a roster composed of Gretzky, Blake, and little else. The Kings missed the playoffs for four seasons, from 1993–94 to 1996–97.
Staples Center era (1998–present)
Phillip Anschutz and Edward P. RoskiEdward P. Roski
Edward P. Roski, Jr. is an American real estate businessman in Los Angeles, California.-Biography:Roski was born in Oklahoma and raised in Southern California. He is a graduate of Loyola High School and the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, where in 1962 he earned a...
bought the Kings out of bankruptcy court in October 1995 and began a rebuilding phase. Meanwhile, Gretzky, who was by this time on the downside of his career, stated publicly that he wanted the team to acquire a forward capable of scoring fifty goals per season and an offensive defenseman. If they failed to do that, he wanted to be traded to a team that was a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
After all he had done for the game by that time, Gretzky wanted another chance to win an elusive fifth Stanley Cup before retirement. But his public statements forced the Kings' hand, since no team would now give them equal value in a trade because of his demands — the Kings would be at a huge disadvantage in any trade, and this would badly hurt their rebuilding program.
On February 27, 1996, Gretzky was traded, this time to the St. Louis Blues, for forwards Craig Johnson, Patrice Tardif
Patrice Tardif
Patrice Pamphile Tardif professional ice hockey centre, formerly of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings....
, Roman Vopat
Roman Vopat
Roman Vopat is a Czech professional ice hockey forward currently playing for HC Litvínov in the Czech Extraliga. He is the younger brother of former NHL defenceman, Jan Vopat.-Playing career:He was drafted by the St...
, a first-round pick in the 1997 draft
1997 NHL Entry Draft
The 1997 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 21 June 1997.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
(Matt Zultek
Matt Zultek
Matt Zultek is a professional ice hockey player who was drafted in the first round, 15th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. The Kings had acquired this selection from the St. Louis Blues as part of the 1996 Wayne Gretzky trade...
) and a fifth-round choice in the 1996 draft
1996 NHL Entry Draft
The 1996 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 22, 1996.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :...
(Peter Hogan). None became stars for the Kings, although Gretzky himself was an unrestricted free agent by season's end, and only played 18 regular season games for the Blues. Like Marcel Dionne
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
before him, Gretzky ended up with the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
.
Shortly after Gretzky was traded, the often-maligned general manager Sam McMaster was fired and was replaced by former Kings winger Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor (hockey)
David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St...
. But the rebuilding phase for Taylor was a tough one, as the Kings continued to flounder—they failed to make the playoffs until the 1997–98 season. After another disappointing season in 1998–99, then-head coach Larry Robinson
Larry Robinson
Larry Clark Robinson is a former ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League. Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and is currently the defensive coach for the New Jersey Devils...
, who also played three seasons for the Kings from 1989–92 and had been an assistant coach on the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
' 1995 Cup team, was fired.
Taylor turned to Andy Murray
Andy Murray (hockey player)
Andy Murray is the current head coach for the Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey team of the NCAA Division I Central Collegiate Hockey Association . He is a former head coach of the Los Angeles Kings and the St...
, who became the Kings' 19th head coach on June 14, 1999. Taylor's hiring of Murray was immediately criticized by media across North America because of Murray's perceived lack of experience — up to that point, his only head coaching experience had been at the international level with the Canadian National Team and at the US high school level. Indeed, Taylor took a gamble on Murray, hoping it would pay off.
But Taylor was not finished dealing that summer. Shortly after hiring Murray, Taylor acquired star right-wing Zigmund Palffy
Zigmund Palffy
Žigmund "Ziggy" Pálffy is a Slovak professional ice hockey player of Hungarian origin, who plays for HK 36 Skalica of the Slovak Extraliga....
and veteran center
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
Bryan Smolinski
Bryan Smolinski
Bryan Anthony Smolinski is an American professional ice hockey center. The Boston Bruins drafted him 21st overall in 1990. He has played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks and...
on June 20, 1999, in exchange for center prospect Olli Jokinen
Olli Jokinen
Olli Jokinen is a Finnish professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was initially drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1997, third overall after Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. He was the captain of the Florida Panthers from 2003...
, winger prospect Josh Green
Josh Green
Joshua Green is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Barons, of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, defenseman prospect Mathieu Biron
Mathieu Biron
Mathieu Biron is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He currently plays Defence for the Hamburg Freezers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-Playing career:...
and the Kings' first-round pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
.
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
in downtown Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, which was built by Anschutz and Roski. Staples Center was a state-of-the-art arena, complete with luxury suites and all the modern amenities that fans and athletes would want in a brand-new facility.
With a new home, a new coach, a potential 50-goal scorer in the fold and players such as Rob Blake
Rob Blake
Robert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with...
, Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, Glen Murray
Glen Murray (hockey player)
Glen Murray is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings.-Playing career:...
, Jozef Stumpel
Jozef Stümpel
Jozef Stümpel is a Slovak professional ice hockey centre currently playing for HC Spartak Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Donald Audette
Donald Audette
Donald Audette is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey forward who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers.-Playing career:He was drafted in the 9th round of the...
, Ian Laperriere
Ian Laperriere
Ian Laperrière is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently under contract to the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League , but who has not played since the season because of post-concussion syndrome....
, and Mattias Norstrom
Mattias Norström
Erik Johan Mattias "Notan" Norström is a Swedish retired professional ice hockey defenceman, currently working for the AIK IF organization. Norström began his National Hockey League career with the New York Rangers. However, he is most noted for his ten seasons as a member of the Los Angeles...
, the Kings improved dramatically, finishing the season the 1999–2000 season with a 39-31-12-4 record (94 points), good for second place in the Pacific Division
Pacific Division (NHL)
The National Hockey League's Pacific Division is one of three divisions that make up the Western Conference. It was formed in 1993 as part of a league realignment...
. But in the 2000 playoffs, the Kings were once again eliminated in the first round, this time by the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in a four-game sweep.
2000-01
The 2000–01 season was a controversial one, as fans began to question AEG's commitment to the success of the Kings because they failed to significantly improve the team during the off-season. Adding fuel to the fire was the February 21, 2001, trade of star defenseman Rob BlakeRob Blake
Robert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with...
, who had won the James Norris Memorial Trophy
James Norris Memorial Trophy
The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's top "defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position". The James Norris Memorial Trophy has been awarded 55 times to 23 different players since its beginnings in...
as the NHL's best defenseman in 1998.
In that deal, the Kings sent Blake and center Steven Reinprecht
Steven Reinprecht
Steven Edward "Steve" Reinprecht is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing in the Vancouver Canucks organization. He most recently played on loan for Adler Mannheim of the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga ....
, to the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
in exchange for right wing Adam Deadmarsh
Adam Deadmarsh
Adam Deadmarsh is a former Canadian-American professional ice hockey player who played in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche and the Los Angeles Kings. He is currently an Assistant Coach to Joe Sacco for the Avalanche...
, defenseman Aaron Miller
Aaron Miller
Aaron Michael Miller is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. Over the course of his fourteen year career in the National Hockey League, Miller played for four teams: the Quebec Nordiques, who eventually relocated and became the Colorado Avalanche, the Los Angeles Kings, and the...
, center prospect Jared Aulin
Jared Aulin
-International:-Awards:WHL-Personal:While playing with the Los Angeles Kings, Aulin was rumored to be dating Paris Hilton. - External links :...
and a first-round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
2001 NHL Entry Draft
The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:...
(Dave Steckel
Dave Steckel
David Steckel is an American professional ice hockey center currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
). Deadmarsh and Miller became impact players for the Kings, who finished the 2000–01 season with a 38-28-13-3 record (92 points), good for a third place finish in the Pacific Division and another first-round playoff date with the Detroit Red Wings.
The heavily-favored Red Wings — many predicted another four-game sweep — made easy work of the Kings in Games 1 and 2 at the Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight...
, but the Kings got back in the series with a 2-1 win in Game 3 at Staples Center.
In Game 4, the Red Wings took a commanding 3-0 lead after two periods. This set the stage for yet another unbelievable playoff comeback for the Kings, highly reminiscent of the "Miracle on Manchester," back in 1982. Seldom-used forward Scott Thomas, a career minor-leaguer, scored a power play goal at 13:53. The Red Wings were called for a penalty with just under three minutes to play and Kings' coach Andy Murray gambled and pulled his goalie to give his team a two-man advantage. The gamble paid off as Jozef Stumpel
Jozef Stümpel
Jozef Stümpel is a Slovak professional ice hockey centre currently playing for HC Spartak Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
would follow with another power play goal at 17:33. Finally, Bryan Smolinski
Bryan Smolinski
Bryan Anthony Smolinski is an American professional ice hockey center. The Boston Bruins drafted him 21st overall in 1990. He has played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks and...
tied the game at the 19:07 mark. In the overtime, Deadmarsh stole the puck from Red Wings' star defenseman Chris Chelios
Chris Chelios
Christos Kostas Tselios is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently the Executive Advisor to Ken Holland, the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, a role that Steve Yzerman held before leaving to become general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.Chelios played...
in the right corner behind the Detroit net, and threw a centering pass to center Eric Belanger
Eric Belanger
Éric Bélanger is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, who scored the game-winning goal at 2:36 to lift the Kings to a miraculous come-from-behind win, now known as the "Frenzy on Figueroa," or the "Stunner at Staples." That win would lead to the Kings eliminating the Red Wings in Game 6 by winning four straight games after going down 2-0 in the series. It was the Kings' first playoff series win since 1993.
In the second round, the Kings went up against another elite team, the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
, led by superstars Joe Sakic
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven "Joe" Sakic is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and current hockey executive. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 20-year tenure, Sakic won the Stanley Cup twice, captured numerous NHL...
, Peter Forsberg
Peter Forsberg
Peter Mattias "Foppa" Forsberg is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player and currently an assistant general manager of Modo Sports. Known for his on-ice vision and physical play, Forsberg is considered one of the most complete players of his generation...
, Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
, Ray Bourque
Ray Bourque
Raymond Jean "Ray" Bourque is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player. He currently holds records for most goals, assists and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League . Bourque has become near-synonymous with the Boston Bruins franchise, for which he played 21 seasons and...
, and Rob Blake
Rob Blake
Robert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with...
. The Kings took the eventual champions to seven games but lost the series, 4-3. The most memorable game of that series was Game 6 where goalies Patrick Roy of Colorado and Felix Potvin of the Kings battled to a 0-0 tie. The teams played through one overtime, and the Kings scored in the second overtime for a 1-0 win.
2001 through 2004
Garnet Bailey
Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup winning teams...
and Mark Bavis were both casualties of the September 11th attack. The team honored the two by wearing "AM" patches on their jerseys. Earlier in the season, the team acquired Jason Allison
Jason Allison
Jason Paul Allison is a professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Allison is most notably known for his former role with the Boston Bruins of the NHL, for which he briefly served as team captain....
who was involved in a contract dispute along with Mikko Eloranta
Mikko Eloranta
Mikko Eloranta is a former Finnish ice hockey who plays with TPS Turku of the SM-Liiga. He represented Finland in both the Olympic Winter Games and the World Cup of Hockey.-Playing career:...
from the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in return for Jozef Stumpel
Jozef Stümpel
Jozef Stümpel is a Slovak professional ice hockey centre currently playing for HC Spartak Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
and Glen Murray
Glen Murray (hockey player)
Glen Murray is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings.-Playing career:...
. At mid-season they held the 2002 NHL All-Star Game
52nd National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 52nd National Hockey League All-Star Game took place on February 2, 2002, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The final score was World 8, North America 5. This was the last National Hockey League All-Star Game to have the North America vs...
while still fighting for a playoff spot in which they clinched seventh place in the Western Conference where they were matched with the heavily-favored Avalanche. After being bounced out of the playoffs in the first round by the Avalanche, the next two seasons would be major disappointments, as the team failed to make the playoffs in both seasons.
2005-06
Following the resumption of play after the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the Kings acquired Valeri BureValeri Bure
Valeri Vladimirovich Bure is a retired professional ice hockey right winger from Russia. He played ten seasons in the National Hockey League...
, Jeremy Roenick
Jeremy Roenick
Jeremy Shaffer "J.R." Roenick is a former American professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League . He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks over the course of his 18 NHL...
and Pavol Demitra
Pavol Demitra
Pavol Demitra was a Slovak professional ice hockey player. He played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League , two in the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League /Slovak Extraliga and one in the Kontinental Hockey League . Known as an offensive player, Demitra was a first- or second-line...
for the 2005–06 season. Los Angeles began the new season strong, but the second half of the season saw the Kings once again stumble badly, freefalling from second in the Western Conference in early January to tenth place. On March 21, 2006, the team fired head coach Andy Murray
Andy Murray (hockey player)
Andy Murray is the current head coach for the Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey team of the NCAA Division I Central Collegiate Hockey Association . He is a former head coach of the Los Angeles Kings and the St...
, replacing him with interim head coach John Torchetti
John Torchetti
John Torchetti is the head coach of the American Hockey League's Houston Aeros and a former professional ice hockey player. Previously, he was the head coach of the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League , and the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL for the 2006–2007 season...
. With three games left in the season, Luc Robitaille, the team's all-time leading scorer and the NHL's all-time highest-scoring left winger, announced that, at the end of the year, he would be retiring from pro hockey.
Just one day after the end of the Kings' 2005–06 regular season, AEG decided to clean house. On April 18, 2006, President/Hockey Operations and General Manager Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor (hockey)
David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St...
and Director of Player Personnel Bill O'Flaherty were relieved of their duties, and Vice President and Assistant General Manager Kevin Gilmore was re-assigned to other duties within AEG. Torchetti and assistant coaches Mark Hardy and Ray Bennett, along with goaltending consultant Andy Nowicki, were also fired. Kings CEO Tim Leiweke also announced that he would no longer be the team's Chief Executive Officer.
On April 21, 2006, the Kings signed Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
scout and former San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
general manager Dean Lombardi
Dean Lombardi
Dean Lombardi is President and General Manager of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings. He previously served as GM of the San Jose Sharks, a position he held for seven seasons .-Early life:...
as President and General Manager. He was signed to a five-year contract, signaling big changes in the near future for the franchise. Soon after he was hired, Lombardi quickly began to revamp the Kings' hockey operations and just barely over one month into his tenure as President and General Manager, on May 22, 2006, he hired Marc Crawford
Marc Crawford
Marc Joseph John Crawford is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach, most recently employed by the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. He was previously the head coach of three other organizations and won a Stanley Cup in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche...
to be the Kings' 21st head coach.
2006-07
There were few highlights during the 2006–07 season. On January 13, 2007, the Kings made hockey history by putting Yutaka FukufujiYutaka Fukufuji
is a Japanese ice hockey player currently with the Nikko Ice Bucks of the Asia League Ice Hockey. Fukufuji was the first Japanese player to appear in a National Hockey League game. He is the first Japanese citizen to be drafted as a goaltender in the NHL and second Japanese national to be...
in goal for the third period of the game with the St. Louis Blues. This marked the first time in hockey history that a Japanese-born player played in an NHL regular season game. On January 20, 2007, the Kings retired Luc Robitaille's jersey in an hour-long ceremony prior to the game with the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. It was the fifth Kings jersey to be retired by the team.
2007-08
Before the 2007–08 season, the Kings signed six unrestricted free agents, including center Michal HandzusMichal Handzus
Michal Handzuš is a Slovak professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, left wings Ladislav Nagy
Ladislav Nagy
Ladislav Nagy is a Slovak professional hockey player who plays for HC Lev Poprad of the KHL.- Playing career :Nagy, who is of Hungarian descent, was drafted 177th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues. Nagy had played in the Slovak Extraliga as a junior prior to being drafted...
and Kyle Calder
Kyle Calder
Kyle Charles Calder is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League...
, and defensemen Tom Preissing
Tom Preissing
Thomas Joseph Preissing is an American professional ice hockey Defenseman currently playing for EHC Biel of the Swiss National League A...
, Brad Stuart
Brad Stuart
Bradley Stuart is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League .- Playing career :...
and Jon Klemm
Jon Klemm
Jonathan Darryl Klemm is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League. He is currently serving as the assistant coach for the Spokane Chiefs, a Western Hockey League team, based from Spokane, Washington.-Playing career:After winning the Memorial...
. However, despite opening the season with a win against the defending Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
champion Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the first NHL regular season game in Europe at the new O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
(also owned by AEG) in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the new acquisitions did little to change the Kings' fortunes as the team finished with the second worst record in the league. On June 10, 2008, the team announced the firing of head coach Marc Crawford.
In the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
2008 NHL Entry Draft
The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 20–21, 2008...
, the Kings had a busy day, starting with a 3-way trade with the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
and the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The Kings traded Mike Cammalleri
Mike Cammalleri
Michael Cammalleri is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League .-Junior:...
to the Flames, and the 28th overall pick to the Ducks. The Kings received the 12th overall pick (which eventually was traded to the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
for the 13th overall pick). The Kings used the 2nd overall pick to select defenseman Drew Doughty
Drew Doughty
Andrew 'Drew' Phillip Doughty is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
, and the 13th overall pick to select Colten Teubert
Colten Teubert
Colten Teubert is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, 13th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft...
.
2008-09
On July 17, 2008, the Kings hired Terry MurrayTerry Murray
Terry Rodney Murray is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, and current head coach of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings...
, who became the 22nd head coach in franchise history. on October 8, 2008, right wing Dustin Brown was named as the Kings’ fifteenth captain in franchise history. Brown, 23, is also the youngest captain and the first American-born captain in Kings’ history.
2009-10: Return to the Playoffs
During the 2009 offseason, the Kings traded for forward Ryan SmythRyan Smyth
Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League...
, known for his prowess in front of the opposing goaltender. They also signed defenseman Rob Scuderi
Rob Scuderi
Robert John Scuderi is an American professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League.-Amateur:...
, who won the Stanley Cup the previous year with Pittsburgh. The Kings were very successful during the 2009-10 NHL Season, as they finished sixth overall in the West while still in the midst of a rebuild. They established a franchise record with a nine game unbeaten streak, and finished the season with 101 points, just the third 100+ points season in franchise history. However, they lost to a highly skilled Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
team in six games. A series in which the Kings led 2-1 at home up 3-2 entering the 3rd period only to let it slip away due to goaltending by Vancouver netminder Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . Born in Montreal, Quebec, he is of Italian and Irish ancestry. He employs the butterfly style of goaltending...
and late goals by the Sedin Twins. Despite the first round loss, many considered the season to be an outright success due to the age of the team and the setbacks from injuries to key players Ryan Smyth
Ryan Smyth
Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League...
and Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
. Forward Anze Kopitar
Anže Kopitar
Anže Kopitar is a Slovene professional ice hockey player and alternate captain of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . The first Slovenian to play in the NHL, Kopitar played junior hockey for his hometown team HK Acroni Jesenice and led his native country before he moved to Sweden...
spent most of the first half of the season in the top ten in the league in scoring, and finished 20th overall in points. Doughty was one of three finalists for the James Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, and received the ‘Best Defenseman’ award on the team. This was the first time in eight years that the Kings made it to the playoffs.
2010-11
During the 2010 offseason, the Kings signed veteran and former on-ice captain for the Vancouver CanucksVancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, Willie Mitchell, and added forward Alexei Ponikarovsky
Alexei Ponikarovsky
Oleksiy Volodymyrovych "Alexei" Ponikarovsky is a Ukrainian Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League .-RSL:...
after losing out on the controversial free agent signing of Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Valerevich Kovalchuk is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger who is an alternate captain of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. Drafted first overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, he began his NHL career in 2001–02 with Atlanta and was...
. Mitchell's signing created a top defensive pairing along with Norris Trophy favorite Drew Doughty
Drew Doughty
Andrew 'Drew' Phillip Doughty is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
, and bolstered the chemistry of the locker room, after the departure of veterans Sean O'Donnell
Sean O'Donnell
Sean "O.D." O'Donnell is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
and Alexander Frolov
Alexander Frolov
Alexander Alexandrovich Frolov is a Russian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. In an 8 year National Hockey League career he played with the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers....
. The Kings wasted no time in starting the season on the right foot, with a 2-1 shootout victory of the Canucks, on the road in Vancouver. Coupled with a 4-1 victory six days later in Los Angeles, the Kings' two wins in two games against the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
match the number wins they had in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the same Canucks.
The Kings were the 7th seeded Western Conference team in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs
2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...
, and played San Jose in the first round. The team’s high scorer, Anze Kopitar, was injured and was not available for the playoffs. On April 25th, the Kings lost to the San Jose Sharks in game six of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, allowing the Sharks to advance.
Season-by-season record
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Kings. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Los Angeles Kings seasonsNote: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses/Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2006–07 | 82 | 27 | 41 | 14 | 68 | 227 | 283 | 4th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2007–08 | 82 | 32 | 43 | 7 | 71 | 231 | 266 | 5th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | 207 | 234 | 5th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
82 | 46 | 27 | 9 | 101 | 241 | 219 | 3rd, Pacific | Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... ) |
| 2010–11 | 82 | 46 | 30 | 6 | 98 | 219 | 198 | 4th, Pacific | Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Sharks San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... ) |
Hall of Famers
Players- Paul CoffeyPaul CoffeyPaul Douglas Coffey is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League. Known for his speed and scoring prowess, Coffey ranks second all-time among NHL defencemen in career goals, assists, and points, behind Ray Bourque.-Playing career:Coffey was drafted 6th...
, D, 1991–1993, inducted 2004 - Marcel DionneMarcel DionneMarcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
, C, 1975–1987, inducted 1992 - Dick DuffDick DuffTerrence Richard "Dick" Duff was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 18 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League . He also served as head coach of the Leafs for part of the...
, C, 1970, inducted 2006 - Grant FuhrGrant FuhrGrant Scott Fuhr is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League and currently the goaltending coach for the Phoenix Coyotes. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame...
, G, 1995, inducted 2003 - Harry Howell, D, 1971–1973, inducted 1979
- Wayne GretzkyWayne GretzkyWayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, C, 1988–1996, inducted 1999 - Jari KurriJari KurriJari Pekka Kurri is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey right winger and a five-time Stanley Cup champion. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. He is currently the general manager of Team Finland....
, RW, 1991–1996, inducted 2001 - Larry Murphy, D, 1980–1984, inducted 2004
- Bob PulfordBob PulfordRobert Jesse Pulford is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League...
, LW, 1970–1972, inducted 1991 - Larry RobinsonLarry RobinsonLarry Clark Robinson is a former ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League. Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and is currently the defensive coach for the New Jersey Devils...
, D, 1989–1992, inducted 1995 - Luc RobitailleLuc RobitailleLuc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, LW, 1986–1994, 1997–2001, 2003–2006, inducted 2009 - Terry SawchukTerry SawchukTerrance Gordon Sawchuk was a Ukrainian-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.-Early life and playing career:Sawchuk was born and raised...
, G, 1967–1968, inducted 1971 - Steve ShuttSteve ShuttStephen John Shutt is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He was an integral part of the Montreal Canadiens team that won five Stanley Cups in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979.-Early years:...
, LW, 1984–1985, inducted 1993 - Billy SmithBilly Smith (ice hockey)William John Smith, better known as Billy Smith, is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender and is best known for winning four Stanley Cups with the New York Islanders and being the first goalie to be credited with a goal....
, G, 1971–1972, inducted 1993
Builders
- Roger NeilsonRoger NeilsonRoger Paul Neilson, CM was a National Hockey League coach, and was responsible for many innovations in the game...
, Head coach, 1984, inducted 2002 - Jake MilfordJake MilfordJohn Calverley "Jake" Milford was a general manager in the National Hockey League....
, GM, 1973–1977, inducted 1984
Broadcasters (Foster Hewitt Memorial Award Recipients)
- Jiggs McDonaldJiggs McDonaldJohn Kenneth "Jiggs" McDonald is a sportscaster who did play-by-play announcing for NHL games for almost 40 years. In 1990, McDonald received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame....
, 1967–1973, inducted 1990 - Bob MillerBob Miller (sports announcer)Robert James "Bob" Miller is an American sportscaster, best known as the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Kings team of the National Hockey League on Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket...
, 1973–present, inducted 2000
Retired numbers
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
, C, 1975–87, number retired November 8, 1990. 18 Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor (hockey)
David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St...
, LW/RW, 1977–94, number retired April 3, 1995. 20 Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, LW, 1986–94, 1997–2001, and 2003–06, number retired January 20, 2007. 30 Rogatien "Rogie" Vachon
Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League....
, G, 1972–78, number retired February 14, 1985. 99 Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, C, 1988–96, number retired by the league on February 6, 2000, and by the team on October 9, 2002.
All time Kings team
As voted by the media and fans, an all time Kings team was selected to celebrate the club's 40th anniversary in the NHL The first and second teams were as follows:Goalies: first team – Rogatien "Rogie" Vachon
Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League....
, second team – Kelly Hrudey
Kelly Hrudey
Kelly Hrudey is a former NHL ice hockey goaltender and current hockey broadcaster with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. During his NHL career, Hrudey played for the New York Islanders , Los Angeles Kings , and San Jose Sharks .-Playing career:Hrudey played junior hockey for three years with...
Defensemen: first team – Rob Blake
Rob Blake
Robert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with...
and Steve Duchesne
Steve Duchesne
Steve Duchesne is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL with several teams from 1986 until 2002...
, second team – Larry Murphy and Bob Murdoch
Centers: first team – Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, second team – Marcel Dionne
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
Forwards: first team – Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor (hockey)
David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St...
and Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, second team, Charlie Simmer
Charlie Simmer
Charles Robert Simmer is a retired ice hockey forward, most notably for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League, who was notable for his scoring and power play prowess.-Playing career:...
and Mike Murphy
Coach: first team – Bob Pulford
Bob Pulford
Robert Jesse Pulford is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League...
, second team – Barry Melrose
Barry Melrose
Barry James Melrose is a former player and head coach in the National Hockey League, as well as a current commentator and hockey analyst for ESPN.-Playing career:...
Franchise scoring leaders
These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; * = current Kings player
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | P/G |
| Marcel Dionne Marcel Dionne Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers... |
C | 921 | 550 | 757 | 1307 | 1.42 |
| Luc Robitaille Luc Robitaille Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,... |
LW | 1079 | 557 | 597 | 1154 | 1.07 |
| Dave Taylor Dave Taylor (hockey) David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St... |
RW | 1111 | 431 | 638 | 1069 | .96 |
| Wayne Gretzky Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,... |
C | 539 | 246 | 672 | 918 | 1.70 |
| Bernie Nicholls Bernie Nicholls Bernard Irvine Nicholls is a former professional ice hockey centre. His junior career was spent with the Kingston Canadians, where he established himself as a dynamic scorer and a multi-faceted talent. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, 73rd... |
C | 602 | 327 | 431 | 758 | 1.26 |
| Butch Goring Butch Goring Robert "Butch" Goring is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. He played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Boston Bruins. He is a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Islanders. Since retiring as a player he has served as head coach of... |
C | 736 | 275 | 384 | 659 | .90 |
| Jim Fox | RW | 578 | 186 | 293 | 479 | .83 |
| Charlie Simmer Charlie Simmer Charles Robert Simmer is a retired ice hockey forward, most notably for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League, who was notable for his scoring and power play prowess.-Playing career:... |
LW | 384 | 222 | 244 | 466 | 1.21 |
| Rob Blake Rob Blake Robert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with... |
D | 734 | 152 | 311 | 463 | .63 |
| Mike Murphy | RW | 673 | 194 | 263 | 457 | .68 |
Franchise individual records
- Most goals in a season: Bernie NichollsBernie NichollsBernard Irvine Nicholls is a former professional ice hockey centre. His junior career was spent with the Kingston Canadians, where he established himself as a dynamic scorer and a multi-faceted talent. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, 73rd...
, 70 (1988–89) - Most assists in a season: Wayne GretzkyWayne GretzkyWayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, 122 (1990–91) - Most points in a season: Wayne GretzkyWayne GretzkyWayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, 168 (1988–89) - Most points in a game: Bernie NichollsBernie NichollsBernard Irvine Nicholls is a former professional ice hockey centre. His junior career was spent with the Kingston Canadians, where he established himself as a dynamic scorer and a multi-faceted talent. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, 73rd...
, 8 (1988–89) - Most penalty minutes in a season: Marty McSorleyMarty McSorleyMartin James "Marty" McSorley is a retired Canadian professional hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League from 1983 to 2000. A versatile player, he was able to play both the forward and defense positions. He is also a former head coach of the Springfield Falcons of the American...
, 399 (1992–93) - Most points in a season, defenseman: Larry Murphy, 76 (1980–81)
- Most points in a season, rookie: Luc RobitailleLuc RobitailleLuc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, 84 (1986–87) - Most wins in a season: Jonathan QuickJonathan QuickJonathan Douglas "Jon" Quick is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, 39 (2009–10) - Most shutouts in a season: Rogie Vachon, 8 (1976–77)
General managers
- Larry ReganLarry ReganLawrence Emmett Regan , was a retired Canadian National Hockey League professional ice hockey player and hockey executive. He played for the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs after a long senior-hockey career, winning the Allan Cup in 1948...
: 1968–1973 - Jake MilfordJake MilfordJohn Calverley "Jake" Milford was a general manager in the National Hockey League....
: 1973–1977 - George Maguire: 1977–84
- Rogatien "Rogie" VachonRogatien VachonRogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League....
: 1984–92 - Nick BeverleyNick BeverleyNicholas Gerald Beverley is a former hockey player in the NHL and former head coach in the NHL and AHL.He played for the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, and Colorado Rockies. His NHL career totals are 18 goals, 94 assists for 112 total points in 501...
: 1992–94 - Sam McMasterSam McMasterSam McMaster was the General Manager of the Los Angeles Kings from 1994 to 1997. During his tenure, the Kings regressed to the bottom of the league's standings. He is known for being the man who traded Wayne Gretzky to the St. Louis Blues for three prospects, two of whom left the NHL within three...
: 1994–97 - Dave TaylorDave Taylor (hockey)David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St...
: 1997–2006 - Dean LombardiDean LombardiDean Lombardi is President and General Manager of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings. He previously served as GM of the San Jose Sharks, a position he held for seven seasons .-Early life:...
: 2006–present
See also
- 1967 NHL Expansion1967 NHL expansionThe National Hockey League undertook a major expansion for the 1967–68 season, adding six new franchises to double the size of the league. This marked the first change in the composition of the league since 1942, when the Brooklyn Americans folded. Thus, the expansion ended the era of the Original...
- List of NHL players
- List of NHL seasons
- Staples CenterStaples CenterStaples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...