Los Angeles Kings
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| Los Angeles Kings | |
| Missing image LosAngelesKings_100.png Los Angeles Kings | |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Home ice | Staples Center |
| Based in | Los Angeles |
| Colours | Purple, black, silver |
| League | National Hockey League |
| Head coach | Andy Murray |
| General manager | Dave Taylor |
| Owners | Philip F. Anschutz and Edward P. Roski, Jr. |
The Los Angeles Kings are a National Hockey League team based in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Founded: 1967
- Arena: Staples Center
- Uniform colors: Purple, black, and silver
- Logo design: A silver crown outlined in purple
- Stanley Cups won:
| Contents |
Franchise history
The Pacific Coast Hockey League had many teams in the southern California area, and minor pro hockey found success there. However, the lack of a major arena in the area was the main claimed factor in the NHL's decision before the Sixties to not expand to Los Angeles.
When the PCHL threatened to turn itself into a major league and compete for the Stanley Cup, the Canadian enterpreneur Jack Kent Cooke paid the NHL $2 million to form a new team in Los Angeles, as part of the so-called "Expansion six." As for the arena, Cooke stated that the new team would play in "the most beautiful arena in the world". True to his word, the first home of the Kings, the "Fabulous Forum" in Inglewood, California, opened to rave reviews.
Although the Kings were initially very successful in their first year, finishing one point out of first place in a very weak Western Division, they would become plagued by mismanagement. The team would finish last in the NHL in 1969-70. The Kings would return to the playoffs in 1973-74, and would finish with an impressive 42-17-21 record the next year. The Kings had still not won a playoff series. The arrival of Marcel Dionne -- the great superstar of franchise history -- from the Detroit Red Wings along with superlative goaltending from Rogatien Vachon would give them the boost to do just that, even though their regular season point total dropped from 105 to 85. After dispatching the Atlanta Flames in two games, they were beaten in seven games by the Boston Bruins. The Kings would beat the Flames and lose to the Bruins the following season as well.
The Kings exited the playoffs in the first round every year thereafter until 1981-82, after they were relocated to the Smythe Divison. The 24-41-15 Kings upset the 48-17-15 Edmonton Oilers -- who were so dominant that they were the only winning team in the division -- three games to two, before losing to the Vancouver Canucks. The Kings didn't make the playoffs again until 1984-85, when the Oilers swept them in three games on their way to the Stanley Cup.
An aging Dionne was traded in the 1986-87 season, ending an era that saw him become the second leading scorer in NHL history, and the Oilers beat the Kings four games to one in 1986-87 playoffs. Playoff success continued to elude the Kings in the 1987-88 season, and by that time the team had yet in their history to win a best-of-seven playoff series or advance past the second round.
Black and Silver Era
KingsSilver_Logo.gif
Bruce McNall who had bought the team in 1987, would turn the Kings from perennial failures into Cup contenders on August 9, 1988 when he acquired Wayne Gretzky in exchange for for $15 million, Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, several first-round draft choices. The Los Angeles Kings would debut a black and silver uniform modelled on the Los Angeles Raiders. The Kings had the league's top offense and finished fourth in the league in 1988-89, while Gretzky won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP for turning the team around with his team record 168 points. They would overcome a 3-1 series deficit to the Oilers in the team's first best-of-seven playoff victory. The Kings were swept by the Flames in round two. The Kings beat the Flames and were swept by the Oilers the following season's playoffs, and were eliminated by Edmonton in 1990-91, and 1991-92 as well.
In 1992-93, the Kings advanced past the second round for the first time in club history. After the Toronto Maple Leafs surged to a 3-2 series lead, Gretzky scored an overtime goal to win Game 6 and had a hat trick in Game 7 to lead the Kings to their first Stanley Cup Finals.LAKings1993celebration.jpg
In the Finals, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Kings three times in overtime and set a playoff record for most playoff wins. Gretzky finished the playoffs with an astounding 40 points, easily a team record. Both teams missed the playoffs the following year, and the Kings would not contend for a playoff spot for the next three seasons. The Kings would trade Gretzky to the St. Louis Blues for Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, Patrice Tardif and two first round draft picks.
Recent Years
Since the Gretzky trade, the Kings have only won a single playoff series (in 2001, against the Detroit Red Wings).
Players of Note
- Wayne Gretzky
- Marcel Dionne
- Larry Robinson
- Jari Kurri
- Larry Murphy
- Terry Sawchuk
- Paul Coffey
- Bob Pulford
- Steve Shutt
Current stars:
Not to be forgotten:
- Rob Blake
- Jim Fox
- Charlie Simmer
- Bob Berry
- Mike Corrigan
- Steve Duchesne
- Butch Goring
- Mike Murphy
- Marty McSorley
- Kelly Hrudey
- Bernie Nicholls
- Jay Wells
- Mark Hardy
- Juha Widing
Retired Numbers:
- 30 Rogie Vachon
- 16 Marcel Dionne
- 18 Dave Taylor
- 99 Wayne Gretzky
Team Records
- Goals, Single Season: Bernie Nicholls, 1988-89: 70
- Assists, Single Season: Wayne Gretzky, 1990-91: 122
- Points, Single Season: Wayne Gretzky, 1988-89: 168
- Penalty Minutes, Single Season: Marty McSorley, 1992-93: 399 (Dave Schulz had 405 PIM in 77-78, but split the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.)
- Games, Career: Dave Taylor, 1111
- Goals, Career: Marcel Dionne, 550
- Assists, Career: Dionne, 757
- Points, Career: Dionne, 1307
- Penalty Minutes, Career: McSorley, 1846
- Goaltending Games, Career: Rogatien Vachon, 389
- Goaltending Wins, Career: Vachon, 151
- Shutouts, Career: Vachon, 32
Los Angeles Kings official web site (http://www.lakings.com/)
| National Hockey League | 
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| Trophies and Awards: Stanley Cup | Prince of Wales | Clarence S. Campbell | Presidents' Trophy | Art Ross | Bill Masterton | Calder | Conn Smythe | Hart | Norris | King Clancy | Lady Byng | Lester B. Pearson Award | Rocket Richard | Plus/Minus | Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award | Jennings | Vezina | |
| Related Articles: AHL | ECHL | WHA | World Cup | |
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External Links
USA Today's Franchise History (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/rewind/2005-04-20-hockey-rewind_x.htm#kings)
Team Website (http://www.lakings.com)