Today's team is the first southern squad to win multiple Stanley Cups. Here's the All-Time roster for the Los Angeles Kings:
The Kings were kings in 2012 and 2014, defeating tri-state teams in New Jersey and New York respectively. Los Angeles was the first warm-weather city to host the final in 1993, when Montreal beat L.A. in five games.
1st Line
Center - Marcel Dionne The Kings' career leader in assists and points, Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne centered the team's "Triple Crown" line. The second overall pick in the 1971 draft, Dionne is sixth in NHL history with 1,771 total points and fifth all time with 731 goals. He led the NHL in scoring with 137 points in 1980-81.
Right Wing - Dave Taylor A three-time 40-goal scorer, Dave Taylor thrived on the "Triple Crown" line, totaling the third most career goals, assists, and points in Kings history. L.A.'s all-time leader in plus/minus with +186, Taylor played 17 years and 1,111 games for the Kings - the second highest total in team history. He won the Clancy and Masterton awards in 1991 and captained the team from 1985 to 1989.
2nd Line
Left Wing - Charlie Simmer A two-time 56-goal scorer, Charlie Simmer is the Kings' all-time leader with a 23% shooting percentage and is second only to his Triple Crown linemate Marcel Dionne in goals per game. Simmer's 222 career markers for Los Angeles are ninth in team annals, and his 1.21 points per game average for the team is the highest mark among non-centers.
Center - Anze Kopitar The second most famous Slovenian in North America, Anze Kopitar has won two Stanley Cups, two Selke trophies, and a Lady Byng trophy in his first 14 NHL seasons. The Kings' current captain, "Kopi" ranks fourth in franchise history in games played, goals, assists, and points. He's third in Kings' annals with 53 game-winning goals.
Right Wing - Ziggy Palffy Palffy played a near-even amount of games for the Kings and Islanders and scored a near-even amount of goals per game for both teams. The Slovak star had better points per game, point shares, and plus/minus rating in L.A. (and the Isles have slightly more depth) so I've assigned him here. His +85 rating is third in Kings history and only four players are ahead of him on the team's points per game list.
3rd Line
Left Wing - Alex Frolov The Kings' first round pick in the 2000 draft, Alex Frolov is third among L.A. left wings in goals and points despite playing just seven seasons for the franchise. The two-time 30-goal scorer potted his points at a much tougher time than many of his all-time teammates, resulting in the Kings' tenth highest era-adjusted goals total in team history.
Center - Bernie Nicholls The Kings' single-season record holder with 70 goals in 1988-89, Bernie Nicholls also holds the Kings career mark for short-handed tallies with 25. Playing behind Marcel Dionne and later Wayne Gretzky boosted Bernie's production; they're the only two players ahead of him on the Kings career points per game list. The three-time All-Star is behind Anze Kopitar on this roster in part because his 758 points for the Kings (6th in team history) shrinks to 615 when adjusted for the era in which he played.
Right Wing - Dustin Brown A two-time Stanley Cup champion and the longest serving captain in Kings history, Dustin Brown enters his 17th season with the team that drafted him 13th overall in 2003. Brown leads the franchise in games played with 1,183 and his 299 goals are sixth among Kings.
4th Line
Left Wing - Jim Fox A three-time 30-goal scorer, Fox is ninth in Kings' history with 147 even-strength tallies and he played a primary role in the "Miracle on Manchester" team that upset the Oilers in 1982. Both Fox and Mike Murphy played right wing but I'm moving Fox over to the left side on this line rather than sending him to the press box - a place he's quite familiar with as a longtime broadcaster.
Center - Butch Goring A star two-way center for L.A. throughout he 1970s, Butch Goring was shipped to Long Island in a 1980 trade that kick-started the Islanders' early '80s dynasty. Goring scored 30 or more goals for the Kings in four consecutive seasons, won the Lady Byng trophy in 1978 after committing a single minor penalty in 80 games, and currently sits in seventh place on the team's career goal- and point-scoring lists.
Right Wing - Mike Murphy An NHL All-Star in 1980, Murphy is tenth in Kings history with 194 assists and only ten players appeared in more games for the franchise. He's tied with Goring for second place among short-handed goal scorers for the Kings with 19 and the two are tied for eighth in franchise annals with 28 game-winning goals.
Carter enters his 16th NHL season 18 goals shy of 400. His 186 goals for Los Angeles are 12th in team history, and his 25 playoff points for the 2014 Stanley Cup champion Kings were one shy of Kopitar's league lead. The Flyers' first round pick in 2003 averaged more goals per game in Philadelphia but they've got more forward depth. Berry is fourth among Kings left wings with 350 points. The two-time All-Star coached the Kings after his playing career ended and is credited with forming the "Triple Crown" line.
Defense Pair 1
Drew Doughty leads all L.A. blueliners in point shares and his 102.8 total over 12 seasons is fifth in franchise history. Only six Kings have accumulated more assists than the 2016 Norris trophy winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion. Like Doughty, Rob Blake played in four All-Star games, won a Norris trophy, and has his name on the Stanley Cup. The Hall of Famer ranks in the Kings' all-time top ten in games played (8th), penalty minutes (4th), assists (10th) and points (10th).
Defense Pair 2
Duchesne is third among Kings defensmen in scoring, and averaged 0.71 points per game over his seven seasons in SoCal. Only Simmer and Palffy produced more points for the Kings in fewer games than Duchesne's 315 in 442 contests. He ended his 16-year career as a champion with the 2002 Red Wings. Muzzin is sixth among Kings blueliners with 27.9 defensive point shares and produced more offense than three of the five players ahead of him. The three-time 40-point scorer is now a member of the Maple Leafs.
Defense Pair 3
Lubomir Visnovsky - Mattias Norstrom
It was a very thin line between Duchesne and Visnovsky, who posted nearly as many points in seven seasons than Steve did in six. The Slovak star earned 47.2 point shares in the early 2000s, and totaled 50 assists in a season twice. Norstrom was purely a stay-at-home rearguard, earning the second highest DPS in team history. L.A's captain from 2001 to 2007, Norstrom scored just 14 goals over his 11 seasons with the Kings.
Spare - Alec Martinez
Alec Martinez is fourth in Kings annals - and third among defensemen - with 31.5 point shares. The two-time Cup winner earned the seventh spot on this roster over Marty McSorley, who scored slightly more frequently and fought a lot more. Martinez is now a member of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Goalies
Starter - Jonathan Quick
Backup - Rogie Vachon
Milford, Connecticut's favorite son, Jonathan Quick is the Kings' franchise leader in wins, shutouts, and save percentage. The two-time Jennings award winner was named playoff MVP for the first of L.A's. two titles in 2012. He led the league in shutouts that season with 10, and posted a career-best 1.95 goals against average. Vachon won two Cups with the Canadiens early in his career, before a 1971 trade to Los Angeles. The Hall of Fame netminder is second to Quick in wins and shutouts, and his era-adjusted goals against average of 2.63 is tops in team annals.
Head Coach: Darryl Sutter Captain: Dustin Brown
Darryl Sutter and Andy Murray (not the tennis player) are the only two Kings coaches to serve six seasons and more than 400 games with the team. Sutter has the highest regular season and postseason winning percentage in franchise history, and directed the team's two Stanley Cup winners.
I hope you'll join us tomorrow for our next All-Time Team, the Minnesota Wild.
Thanks for reading!
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Makes sense that Luuuuuuuc would replace simmer on the triple crown line. I had so much fun following this team and going to games during the gretzky era.
ReplyDeleteDave Taylor's a legend in these parts.
ReplyDeleteI just can't get over teams completely overhauling their color schemes. I know there's a long history of it, but it's so strange. Seems like 2 different teams.
I expected Granato. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say something similar to what Night Owl said...the Kings really have changed their uniforms a lot for an expansion franchise which has never moved.
ReplyDeleteWhen Robitaille was on the Rangers my Dad and I used to yell at the TV "use the Force, Luc!" (The Rangers could use something supernatural tonight....)
I just got the 1984-85 and 1985-86 Marcel Dionne Topps cards in trade today. Those purple and yellow uniforms were awesome.
ReplyDeleteFor those who may not know, they match the Los Angeles Lakers colors because they were owned by the same person. When he sold off the Kings they switched to the boring black and gray tandem. They also caused the NBA Lakers-Kings rivalry, when the NBA's Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985 the Lakers organization took significant offense...and they've been major rivals ever since.
Jim Fox is the only one missing from my collection.
Bummed to not see McSorley and Granato. Both were Kings who eventually played in San Jose.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really solid team. I love that second line. Also nice additions of Lubomir Visnovsky and Jeff Carter. Was hoping Butchie would have made the Islanders team, but I understand why he's on the Kings instead.
ReplyDeleteSide note: Alec Martinez scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal against the Rangers in 2014 (in overtime). It was a very exciting moment.
I gave Granato a second(third?) look and I still think Bob Berry was the right choice but it was closer than I realized. Good call, guys.
ReplyDeleteI seem to continually underestimate how good Luc Robitaille was. Had no recollection that he's in the top 15 all-time in scoring.
ReplyDelete