Hockey History - the NHL "Second Six"
July 23rd, 2018 In March of 1965, a formal process began headed by then NHL President Clarence Campbell so that the league would expand its operation to include a second division of six teams. Gone would be the days of the so-called "Original Six" franchises. Joining them would be a half-dozen new teams that...10 Greatest LA Kings of All Time
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June 23rd, 2018Kings Contributors
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Kings History
Bruce McNall: His Rise and Fall
On Aug. 9, 1988, the hockey world changed forever. The Edmonton Oilers traded the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, along with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski, to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, $15 million in cash, and the Kings' first-round draft picks in 1989, 1991 and 1993. Behind all of this madness was young 38-year-old Hollywood movie producer and Kings owner Bruce McNall. Growing up in Arcadia, California, McNall had interest in collecting ancient coins and artifacts. He claimed to be a child prodigy, starting college at 16 and attending Oxford. He was able to turn his childhood hobby and expertise into his first fortune. McNall had a gift of convincing wealthy people to buy ancient coins. The McNall Rise McNall now had a fortune that he made in the ancient coin collecting business. He soon ventured into horse racing and then into the movie business. As a producer, McNall was responsible for producing movies like War Games and the cult... Kings History
Drafted by Kings but Succeeding Elsewhere
In the past fifteen years, the Los Angeles Kings have drafted many key components to add to their team which has helped them win two Stanley Cups. Players like Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Quick,Tyler Toffoli and Dustin Brown were all drafted by the Kings in this time frame. The Kings have had success finding talent in recent drafts. Some of these draft picks were able to crack the team's lineup right away, but this hasn’t always been the case. There have been many draft picks that didn’t pan out or fit into future plans for the Kings. These five players were drafted by the Kings, but found success with other NHL clubs. Wayne Simmonds – 2007 Round 2 #61 Overall Drafted 61st overall in 2007 by the Kings, Wayne Simmonds had three average seasons in Los Angeles from 2008-2011. Then, in the summer of 2011, Simmonds was involved in a blockbuster trade - he was sent to Philadelphia along with center Brayden Schenn and a future second-round draft pick. In return,... Los Angeles Kings
LA Kings Defense Second to None
Defense wins championships, or so the saying goes. For the Los Angeles Kings, defense was certainly the backbone of the team this past season. They allowed the fewest goals in the league while also having the league’s top penalty kill. While it may not have led them to a championship, it did help them take a step forward after missing the playoffs in 2016-17. There were many strong individual performances in goal and in front of it that resulted in such a strong team result. Quick As Solid As Ever For any defense as strong as the Kings, the main reason is usually having an elite performer between the pipes. That was definitely the case for the Kings as they relied heavily on Jonathan Quick. After missing 59 games in 2016-17 because of a groin injury he suffered in the season opener, Quick came back strong, going 7-2-1 with a 1.89 goals against average and a .942 saves percentage in October. He rode that hot start to a solid season, starting 63 games and posting a 33-28-3 record... Kings History
From NCAA to the Los Angeles Kings
More than 300 former collegiate hockey players played in an NHL regular-season game this past season. Former NCAA student-athletes now account for more than 30 percent of players on NHL rosters. The Kings have been active through the years signing college free agents and drafting college hockey alumni. This past March in particular, Los Angeles signed St. Cloud State standout Mikey Eyssimont, who had been drafted by the Kings in 2016. Free agent right winger Sheldon Rempal signed with the Kings after finishing the season with Clarkson University. Highly-touted Minnesota State Mankato defenseman Daniel Brickley signed with LA as well. Kings fans hope these three college hockey stars can have the NHL success like these former or current Kings players who were drafted out of college. Dave Taylor - Clarkson University Golden Knights Dave Taylor spent his entire NHL career with the Kings, playing a franchise-record 1,111 games. He played on one of the most prolific scoring...Kings Archives
10 Greatest LA Kings of All Time
If you are explaining, you are losing— J.C. Watts If true, the L.A. Kings have done one hell of a lot of 'splainin' over their 45-year history. However, thanks to the heroics of Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and company, they now finally have a Cup. Therefore, the... July 7th, 2018Top 3 All-Time Kings Goalies
It has been a season of celebration across the National Hockey League. The league has celebrated 100 years of existence with several Centennial Celebrations at various points of the 2016-17 season. Events like the NHL Centennial Classic, an outdoor game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto... March 26th, 2018Remembering the Los Angeles Kings' Triple Crown Line
This post was originally written in November 2012. Growing up in the 1970's as a hockey fan in Los Angeles, I was intimately familiar with three things very few Angelenos had even a remote grasp upon: 1) Los Angeles had an NHL hockey team, 2) said hockey team was named the Kings, and 3) the... August 7th, 2017Miracle on Manchester, Still Greatest NHL Playoff Upset of All Time
While digesting the Montreal Canadiens absolutely shocking upset of the first place, Presidents Trophy winners, the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs last night, I thought to myself *What is the greatest upset of all time?* A few noteworthy upsets immediately came to mind... April 29th, 2010
