Los Angeles Kings (1967-Present)

Historical Moments:
1967/68: Things had all come together at once for Jack Kent Cooke the eccentric owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, with a spectacular arena in the Great Western Forum about to open and the NHL about to expand. Cooke who was Canadian Born and missed hockey had long dreamed to bring hockey to Hollywood and with expansion he had that opportunity, as the Kings are 1 of 6 teams to join the NHL. Placed with the other 5 new teams the Kings wearing colorful purple and yellow uniforms would finish 2nd in the Western Conference with a record of 31-32-11. However in the playoffs the Kings would be beaten in 7 games by the Minnesota North Stars.

1968/69: In their 2nd season the Kings would struggle all season posting a record of 24-42-10. However, in the all-expansion Western Division it would be good enough for 4th place to earn a playoff berth. In a battle of California the Kings would beat the Oakland Seals in a hard fought 7-games series. However, in the Western Finals the Kings would crash to reality as they are swept in 4 straight by the St. Louis Blues.

1969/70: The Kings would play miserable hockey all season as they finished dead last with a horrible record of 14-52-10.

1970/71: The Kings struggles continued as they miss the playoffs for the 2nd straight season, while finishing in 5th place with a 25-40-13 record.

1971/72: The Kings struggles continued as they finish in last place for the 2nd time in 3 years with an awful record of 20-49-9.

1972/73: The Kings show some light improvement while missing the playoffs again, finishing in 6th place with a record of 31-36-11.

1973/74: The Kings end a 4-year absence from the playoffs by finishing in 3rd place with a record of 33-33-12. However, the Kings would make a quick exit in the playoffs as they are beaten by the Chicago Black Hawks in 5 games.

1974/75: With realignment the Kings are placed in the Norris Division in the Prince of Wales Commence. Despite playing in a division with the Montreal Canadiens the Kings put together a stung season posting the 3rd best record overall while finishing in 2nd place with a 42-17-21 record. However, in the playoffs the Kings would get a cold dose of reality as they are beaten by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 3-game series.

1975/76: The Kings who have brought several star players like Bob Pulford and Terry Sawchuk past their prime acquire Marcel Dionne in a trade from the Detroit Red Wings. Dionne who is just coming into his prime gives LA its first true hockey superstar. With Dionne leading the way the Kings finish in 2nd place with a 38-33-9 record. In the playoffs Rogie Vachon would allow just 1 goal as the Kings extinguished the Atlanta Flames in 2 straight. However, in the 2nd round the Kings would fall in a hard fought 7-game series to the Boston Bruins.

1976/77: Marcel Dionne scores 53 goals as the Kings finish in 2nd place with a 34-31-15 record. In the Playoffs the Kings would beat the Atlanta Flames in a 3-game series, before falling to the Boston Bruins in the 2nd round again this time losing in 6 games.

1977/78: Despite slipping below .500 with a record of 31-34-15 the Kings finish in 3rd place, and make the playoffs for the 5th straight season. However it would be a quick exit as the Kings are buried by the Toronto Maple Leafs losing 2 straight by a combined score of 11-3.

1978/79: Marcel Dionne is joined by Dave Taylor and Charlie Simmer, who form the Triple Crown line. The addition of the linemates helps Dionne put together a solid season scoring 59 goals. However, the Kings would only mage to finish in 3rd place with a record of 34-34-12 as they allowed 286 goals n the season. In the playoffs the Kings goaltending problems would catch up with them as they are flattened by the New York Rangers in 2 straight allowing 9 goals. The Kings are a part of history as they are sold by Jack Kent Cooke along with the Lakers and the Forum to Jerry Buss for a then record $67 Million, the largest business transaction in sports history at that time. Buss would sell the Kings himself a short time later.

1979/80: Marcel Dionne captures the scoring title with 53 goals and 84 assists. However, the Kings would struggle to post a 30-36-14 record while allowing 313 goals. Despite their mediocre record the Kings would finish in 2nd place and make the playoffs. However, it would be another quick exit as they are beaten by the New York Islanders in 4 games.

1980/81: Marcel Dionne continues to be one of the premier scores in the NHL posting his 4th 50-goal season in 5 years as the Kings finished in 2nd Place with a solid 43-24-13 record. However in the playoffs the Kings would make another first round exit as they allowed 23 goals in a 4 games as they lost to the New York Rangers 3games to 1.

1981/82: The NHL moves to a more geographical division setup as the Kings are moved into the Smythe Division. Marcel Dionne would score 50 goals, but the Kings would struggle miserably posting a 24-41-15 record while allowing a league high 369 goals. However, under the new playoff format the Kings who finished in 4th place would make the playoffs. The playoffs would get off to a wild start as the Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers 10-8 in a Game 1 shoot out in Edmonton. After the Oilers won Game 2 the Kings appeared to be heading for defeat down 5-0 in the 3rd period at the Forum. However, the Kings would chip away at the lead tying the game with 5 seconds left on Steve Bozek's goal with goalie pulled. In overtime the Forum would erupt when rookie Daryl Evans scored at 2:36 into overtime. After dropping Game 4 at home the Kings would again stun the Oilers 7-4 in the decisive 5th game in Edmonton. However in he Smythe Division Finals, the Kings would be knocked off by the Vancouver Canucks in 5 games never recovering from losing back-to-back games in overtime to fall behind 3-0 in the series.

1982/83: The Kings goaltending trouble catch up with them as they miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 years while finishing in last place with a record of 27-41-12. Along the way Marcel Dionne would post another 50-goal season surpassing the 500-goal milestone in the process.

1983/84: Losing Marcel Dionne for part of the season to injury the Kings struggles continue as they finish in last place with an awful 23-44-13 record.

1984/85: Marcel Dionne nets his 600th career goal as the Kings make the playoffs after a 2-year absence posting a record of 34-32-14 while finishing in 4th place. However, in the playoffs the Kings would be swept in 3 straight by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Edmonton Oilers losing 2 games in overtime.

1985/86: The Kings miss the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 years while finishing in last place with a record of 23-49-8.

1986/87: Marcel Dionne plays his last game in a Kings uniform as he is traded near the end of the season to the New York Rangers. However, Kings fans would quickly find another hero to cheer for as Luc Robataille scored 45 goals while capturing the Calder Trophy. With a young team the Kings made into the playoffs with a 31-41-8 record, finishing in 4th place. However, it would be another quick exit as the Kings are beaten by the Edmonton Oilers in 5 games.

1987/88: Despite a 30-42-8 record the Kings make the playoffs by finishing in 4th place. In the playoffs the Kings would make a quick exit as they are toasted by the Calgary Flames in 5 games. However, the big news would come a few months after the season when Owner Bruce McNall would off the hockey deal of the century, acquiring Wayne Gretzky in a multiplayer deal from the Edmonton Oilers.

1988/89: After 2 decades of tolling in relative anonymity the city of Los Angeles finally had to take notice at the Kings, who had the greatest player in NHL history, Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky would make an immediate impact winning the Hart Trophy while leading the Kings wit a 42-31-7 record good enough for 2nd place. In the playoffs Gretzky who had won the All-Star Game MVP in his return to Edmonton came back to haunt his former team again as the Kings overcame a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Oilers in 7 games. However, in Smythe Finals the Kings past goaltending problems would rise again as they are swept by the Calgary Flames allowing 22 goals in 4 games.

1989/90: Wayne Gretzky would get the season started off right as he made history in Edmonton again passing his boyhood idol Gordie Howe with his 1,851st point on October 15th. Gretzky would go on to lead the NHL in scoring with 40 goals and 102 assists. However the Kings would have to settle for 4th place with a record of 34-39-7, while allowing 337 goals. However, in the playoffs the Kings would explode scoring 12 goals in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead over the Calgary Flames. After dropping Game 5 in Calgary the Kings would advance to the Smythe Finals with an overtime win at the Forum. However, for the 2nd straight year the Kings would be let down by their goaltending as they allow 24 goals while being swept by the Edmonton Oilers sin 4 straight.

1990/91: The Kings win their first ever division title posting a solid record of 46-24-10 as Wayne Gretzky captures another scoring title with 122 assists. In the playoffs the Kings would beat the Vancouver Canucks in 6 games setting up a Smythe Final rematch with the Edmonton Oilers. However, once again the Kings would fall losing in 6 games in a series that saw 4 games go to overtime.

1991/92: The Kings are unable to repeat as Division Champions posting a 35-31-14 record while finishing in 2nd place. In the playoffs the Kings would be knocked off by the Edmonton Oilers again this time falling in the first round in 6 games.

1992/93: Despite missing Wayne Gretzky for the first half of the season due to a back injury the Kings are able to make in into the playoffs by finishing in 3rd place with a record of 39-35-10. Wayne Gretzky began to get healthy as the playoffs began and by only playing 48 games he was fresh. In the first round the Kings would extinguish the Calgary Flames in 6 games scoring 33 goals including 9 in each of the final 2 games. In the Smythe Finals the Kings stayed red hot as they beat the Vancouver Canucks in 6 games, scoring 26 goals. Facing the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Campbell Conference Finals the Kings finally slowed down as they fell behind 3 games to 2. Facing elimination in Game 6 Wayne Gretzky sent the series to a decisive 7th game with a power play goal in overtime. In game 7 in Toronto, Gretzky carried the Kings on to the Finals with a hat trick as the Kings beat the Leafs 5-4. In their first finals appearance the Kings appeared to be heading for hockey immortality on the Stanley Cup as they won 1 in Montreal and led the Canadiens 2-1 late in the 3rd period of Game 2. However, the Habs facing a 0-2-deficit gambled that Marty McSorley's blade had too much curve and challenged his stick. McSorley's blade was in fact too curved and the Habs would tie the game on the ensuing power play and tie the series in OT. As the series shifted to LA the Habs would continue their overtime magic winning Games 3 and 4 in OT before knocking off the disheartened Kings 4-1 in Game 5.

1993/94: After their heartbreaking loss in the Stanley Cup Finals the Kings struggled alls season, missing the playoffs while finishing in 5th place with a disappointing record of 27-45-12. Making matters worse their record was even worse then the expansion Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. However, the season was not without a great moment form The Great One as Wayne Gretzky broke Gordie Howe's career goals scored record on march 23rd in front of a full house at the Forum.

1994/95: Owner Bruce McNall who was once the toast of Los Angeles is forced to sell the team as his once great financial empire was now in ruin, as he even faced fraud charges, for which he would later serve 4-years in Federal Prison. In a season shortened by a lockout the Kings would fall 1 point short of the playoffs as they finished in 4th place with a record of 16-23-9.

1995/96: While the Kings were in the midst of their 3rd straight season without making the playoffs with a 24-40-18 record, the Wayne Gretzky era in Los Angeles comes to an end as he is traded late in the season to the St. Louis Blues. In his 8 years in LA Gretzky had opened the NHL to new markets in the Southern United States, while leading to an new era of expansion. When Gretzky was traded to the Kings there were 21 teams in the NHL, only 1 of which was in the Sunbelt. When Gretzky was traded to St. Louis there were 26 teams, 5 of which were in the Sunbelt. Over the next 5 years that number would grow to 30 NHL teams in which 9 of which were in the Southern US.

1996/97: Without Wayne Gretzky the Kings would continue to struggle as they finished in 6th place with a miserable record of 28-43-11 record.

1997/98: The Kings welcomed back Luc Robataile as they returned to the playoffs with a 2nd place record of 38-33-11, led by a stellar season from Rob Blake who won the Norris Trophy. However, in the playoffs it would be a quick exit as the Kings are swept in 4 straight by the St. Louis Blues.

1998/99: In the final season of hockey at the Great Western Forum the Kings end up finishing in last place with a disappointing record of 32-45-5, missing the playoffs for the 5 time in 6 years.

1999/00: The Kings entered a new Millennium with a new state of the art arena in the Staples Center. In their first year at the shimmering new arena the Kings would finish in 2nd place with a solid 39-31-12-4 record. However, it would be another quick exit as they are swept by the Detroit Red Wings in 4 straight.

2000/01: Faced with losing Rob Blake to free agency the Kings trade their star defenseman to the Colorado Avalanche for Adam Deadmarsh. Deadmarsh would actually provide a spark for the Kings as they made the playoffs by finishing in 3rd place with a record of 38-28-12-3. In the playoffs the Kings appeared to be heading for another quick exit as they dropped their first 2 games to the Detroit Red Wings. However the Kings would rally to win the next 4 to win their first playoff series in 8 years. Facing the Avalanche in the 2nd Round the Kings would give Rob Blake's new team all they could handle rallying from a 3-1 deficit to force a seventh game, before the Avalanche rallied to win the final 2 games and eliminate the Kings. Blake and the Avalanche would go on to win the Stanley Cup.

2001/02: Just as training camp is starting the Kings are affected personally by the horrors of September 11th when Director of Scouting Garnett "Ace" Bailey and Scout Mark Bavis are among those killed when United Flight 175 which they were taking from Boston to Los Angeles is hijacked and ran into the World Trade Center. Playing the season in tribute to their two 9/11 victims the Kings post a solid 40-27-11-4 record, but can only secure the 7th seed and are forced to face the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. The Kings appeared to be overmatched as they fell behind 3 games to 1. However, goalie Felix Potvin would keep the Kings alive with a 1-0 overtime win in Game 5. Potivn would continue to frustrate the Avalanche in Game 6 as the Kings forced a 7th game with a 3-1 win at the Staples Center. However, in Game 7 the Kings would be the ones who were frustrated as they were blanked 4-0 in Colorado.

2002/03: After three straight playoff appearances the Kings are ravaged by injuries as several key players miss significant time due to injury as top Center Jason Allison appeared in just 26 games, while Winger Adam Deadmarsh was limited to just 20. In total 536 man games were lost to injury a franchise high as the Kings struggled to finish in 3rd place with a disappointing record of 33-37-6-6, leaving the Kings out of the playoffs.

2003/04: Injuries were problematic from the start of the season as Jason Allison and Adam Deadmarsh were unable to return from the lingering effects of concussions. Despite the loss of manpower the Kings managed to hang tough through the first half of the season as they held a 21-14-11-5 record at the All-Star Break. However, as the season wore on the injuries continued to mount as Goalie Roman Cechmanek missed two long stretches due to a groin injury, while Zigmund Palffy was lost for the entire second half after shoulder surgery. The mounting injuries would eventually be too much to overcome for the Kings who missed the playoffs for a second straight season with a mediocre 28-29-16-9 record. One bright spot for the Kings was the return of Luc Robitaille who in his third tenure with the Kings led the team in scoring with 51 points.

2004/05: Season Cancelled Due to Lock Out

2005/06: Coming out of the lock out the Kings looked to be one of the more improved teams in the league as they were able to acquire players like Valeri Bure, Jeremy Roenick, Pavol Demitra, and Goalie Mathieu Garon, as they got off to a solid 15-6-1 start. The Kings continued to play good into the start of the New Year winning their first two games in January to sit at 27-14-2. However, it would all go downhill quickly from there as injuries and struggles to the new players the Kings were counting on overwhelmed them as they won just 4 of their next 18 games heading into the Olympic Break. After the Olympics in Torinio the Kings continued to struggle as they acquired Mark Parrish and Brent Sopel from the New York Islanders at the trade deadline. When that did not work the Kings would change coaches replacing Andy Murray John Torchetti. However, all the Kings scorers could not get back on their early season roll, as they missed the playoffs for a 3rd straight season with a record of 42-35-5, while Luc Robitaille ended his brilliant 20-year career with 15 more goals ending his career with 668 goals most of which came with the Kings in three separate tenures in LA.

2006/07: With the hopes of getting back into the playoffs the Kings hired Marc Crawford, a coach with a Stanley Cup resume. However, when the season started it was clear the Kings, had a long way to go to build a team good enough for Crawford to lead, as they got off to a terrible, winning just five of their first 19 games. One move that did not work out was the acquisition of Goalie Dan Cloutier as won just six games with a 3.98 GAA. Goaltending would be a problem all season for the Kings, as injuries and poor play led to five different goalies seeing time in the net, and they ranged from the unproven Yutaka Fukufuji who became the first Japanese born player to play in the NHL to the washed up veteran Sean Burke who was in his 20th season in the NHL. None of them worked out as the Kings were never a factor in the playoff chase as they landed in 4th place in the loaded Pacific Division with a disappointing record of 27-41-14.

2007/08: England was not stranger to Kings, but for the Los Angeles Kings it was a whole new world as they began the season facing the defending Stanley Cup Champions Anaheim Ducks in first regular season games played in Europe. The Kings would take the opener at O2 Arena with Goalie Jonathan Bernier having a successful debut, making 26 saves in a 4-1 win. The Ducks would recover to win the second game. When the Kings returned to Los Angeles Bernier struggled and was returned to his team Junior Hockey team in the QMJHL, as the Kings lost their first four games in North America. The Kings would to win four in a row, as they closed October with a 6-7-0 record. After a mediocre November the Kings stumbled in December, suffering an eight game losing streak as they entered the New Year in last place with a record of 14-24-2. The struggles continued into January as the Kings continued to play sub .500 hockey. The Kings would go on to finish with the second worst record overall in the NHL as they posted a 32-43-7 record. Following the season the Kings would fire Coach Marc Crawford, and replace him with Terry Murray.