Los Angeles Kings facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Los Angeles Kings
Conference	Western
Division	Pacific
Founded	1967
History	Los Angeles Kings 1967–present
Home arena	Crypto.com Arena
City	Los Angeles, California
Colors	Black, silver, white
Media	FanDuel Sports Network West KCAL-TV ESPN Radio 710 Tu Liga Radio 1330 AM
Owner(s)	Philip Anschutz and Ed Roski
General manager	Rob Blake
Head coach	Jim Hiller
Captain	Anze Kopitar
Minor league affiliates	Ontario Reign (AHL) Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL)
Stanley Cups	2 (2011–12, 2013–14)
Conference championships	3 (1992–93, 2011–12, 2013–14)
Presidents' Trophies	0
Division championships	1 (1990–91)

The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team from Los Angeles, California. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. The team started on June 5, 1967, as one of six new teams in the 1967 NHL expansion.

The Kings play their home games at Crypto.com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles, which has been their home since the 1999–2000 season. Before that, they played for 32 years at the Forum in Inglewood, California.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, the Kings had great regular seasons but often lost early in the playoffs. Key players from that time included goalie Rogie Vachon and the "Triple Crown Line" with Charlie Simmer, Dave Taylor, and Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne. They famously upset the Edmonton Oilers in 1982 in a game known as the Miracle on Manchester.

In 1988, the Kings traded for superstar Wayne Gretzky from the Oilers. This made hockey much more popular in Los Angeles and helped the sport grow in warmer parts of the United States. Gretzky, along with Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille and defenseman Rob Blake, led the Kings to their only division title in 1990–91. They also reached their first Stanley Cup Finals in 1993, but lost to the Montreal Canadiens.

After 1993, the Kings faced financial challenges. New owners Philip Anschutz and Edward P. Roski took over in 1995. The team then had some average years until they made the playoffs again in the 2009–10 season. This team featured goalie Jonathan Quick, defenseman Drew Doughty, and forwards Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, and Justin Williams.

Under coach Darryl Sutter, who joined in the 2011–12 season, and with the addition of Jeff Carter, the Kings won two Stanley Cups in three years: in 2012 against the New Jersey Devils and in 2014 against the New York Rangers. Jonathan Quick and Justin Williams won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the best players in those playoffs. Since then, the Kings have had mixed results, making the playoffs five times in the last decade but not getting past the first round.

History of the Los Angeles Kings

Starting the Team: The "Forum Blue and Gold" Years (1967–1975)

The Forum in Inglewood, California, was the Kings' home from 1967 to 1999.

In 1967, the NHL decided to add more teams. Canadian businessman Jack Kent Cooke paid $2 million to bring a team to Los Angeles. Cooke chose the name "Kings" because he wanted the team to feel royal. He picked purple (called "Forum Blue") and gold as the team colors, which are often linked to royalty. These colors were also used by the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, which Cooke also owned.

The Kings' first season in 1967–68 began at the Long Beach Arena because their new home, the Forum, wasn't ready. They won their first game on October 14, 1967, against the Philadelphia Flyers. The "Fabulous Forum" opened on December 30, 1967.

After making the playoffs in their first two seasons, the Kings had some tough years due to poor management. They often traded away their top draft picks for older players, which hurt the team's future. However, they started to improve by adding key players like Bob Pulford in 1970, Juha Widing, and goalie Rogie Vachon in 1971. These additions helped the Kings become one of the best defensive teams, and they returned to the playoffs in 1974.

The "Triple Crown Line" with Marcel Dionne (1975–1988)

After losing in the first round of the playoffs in 1974 and 1975, the Kings got a big boost when they acquired center Marcel Dionne from the Detroit Red Wings. With Dionne's scoring, Rogie Vachon's strong goaltending, and Butch Goring's speed, the Kings had exciting seasons.

Marcel Dionne (center) played with Dave Taylor and Charlie Simmer on the famous "Triple Crown Line," one of the highest-scoring lines in NHL history.

In 1977, coach Bob Pulford and General Manager Jake Milford left the team. The Kings struggled in the 1977–78 season and lost in the first round of the playoffs. The next season, coach Bob Berry put Dionne on a new line with two young players: Dave Taylor and Charlie Simmer. This line became known as the "Triple Crown Line." Simmer was tough along the boards, Taylor was a great playmaker, and Dionne was a natural goal scorer. This line became one of the highest-scoring lines in NHL history.

In 1981–82, the Kings had a weaker season but still made the playoffs. They faced the powerful Edmonton Oilers, led by a young Wayne Gretzky. The Kings pulled off a huge upset, winning the series. One game, known as the "Miracle on Manchester," saw the Kings come back from a 5–0 deficit in the third period to win in overtime. Even though they beat the Oilers, the Kings were then eliminated by the Vancouver Canucks.

The Kings missed the playoffs for the next two seasons. They returned in 1984–85 but were quickly swept by the Oilers, who went on to win the Stanley Cup. In 1986–87, Dionne was traded to the New York Rangers. However, a new group of young stars like Bernie Nicholls, Jimmy Carson, Luc Robitaille, and Steve Duchesne began to shine. The Kings made the playoffs for two more seasons but kept getting eliminated by strong teams like the Oilers or Calgary Flames.

The Gretzky Era (1988–1995)

A statue of Wayne Gretzky stands outside Crypto.com Arena. Gretzky played for the Kings from 1988 to 1996.

In 1988, Bruce McNall bought the Kings and quickly changed the team's colors to silver and black. Then, on August 9, 1988, he made a huge trade to get Wayne Gretzky, the best player in the league, from the Edmonton Oilers. This trade shocked the hockey world and made the Kings incredibly popular in Southern California. Gretzky's arrival helped other NHL teams start in warmer cities like Anaheim, San Jose, Dallas, and Tampa.

In his first season with the Kings, Gretzky scored 168 points and won his ninth Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player. The Kings beat the Oilers in the first round of the 1989 playoffs but then lost to the Calgary Flames. The next season, Gretzky became the NHL's all-time leading scorer. The Kings beat the Flames but then lost to the Oilers.

In the 1990–91 season, Gretzky led the Kings to their first-ever division title. However, they lost a close playoff series to the Oilers. After another playoff loss to the Oilers in 1992, Barry Melrose became the new head coach.

Melrose led the Kings to new heights in the 1992–93 season, even though Gretzky missed many games due to injury. Led by Luc Robitaille, the Kings reached their first Stanley Cup Finals. They faced the Montreal Canadiens. The Kings won Game 1, but a controversial stick measurement in Game 2 led to a penalty against Kings defenseman Marty McSorley. The Canadiens tied the game and won in overtime. The Kings struggled after that, losing the next two games in overtime and Game 5, giving the Canadiens the Stanley Cup.

Financial Challenges and a New Home (1995–2009)

The years after the 1993 Finals were tough. The Kings missed the playoffs in 1993–94. During this time, Wayne Gretzky scored his 802nd career goal, passing Gordie Howe as the NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer. The team's owner, Bruce McNall, faced financial problems, and the Kings went into bankruptcy in 1995. This led to many strong players being traded away, and Gretzky eventually left for the St. Louis Blues in 1996.

Mattias Norstrom was the Kings' captain from 2001 until 2007.

In October 1995, Philip Anschutz and Edward P. Roski bought the Kings. The team slowly rebuilt, returning to the playoffs in 1998, led by captain Rob Blake. However, they were swept by the St. Louis Blues. The 1998–99 season was full of injuries, and the Kings missed the playoffs again.

In 1999, the Kings moved from The Forum to the new Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, which was built by Anschutz and Roski. With a new arena and a new coach, Andy Murray, the Kings improved a lot. They made the playoffs in 2000 but were swept by the Detroit Red Wings.

The 2000–01 season was controversial because fans worried about the team's commitment to winning. Star defenseman Rob Blake was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. However, players received in that trade, Adam Deadmarsh and Aaron Miller, helped the Kings upset the Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs, their first series win since 1993. They then lost to the Avalanche in seven games.

After this, Luc Robitaille left to play for Detroit, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2002. The Kings had another good season in 2001–02 but again lost to the Colorado Avalanche in the playoffs. The next few seasons were disappointing, and the Kings missed the playoffs until the 2009–10 season.

During these years, the Kings drafted several important players who would lead to future success, including Dustin Brown (2003), Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Quick (both 2005), and Drew Doughty (2008).

Back to the Playoffs (2009–2011)

Anze Kopitar (left) and Drew Doughty (right) were drafted by the Kings in the late 2000s and helped the team become playoff contenders.

By the 2009–10 season, the Kings had a strong team with goalie Jonathan Quick, defenseman Drew Doughty, and forwards Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, and Justin Williams. They finished with 101 points, one of their best seasons ever, and returned to the playoffs. They lost to the Vancouver Canucks in six games.

In the 2011 playoffs, the Kings faced the San Jose Sharks. Even without an injured Anze Kopitar, the Kings pushed the series to six games before losing in overtime.

Winning the Stanley Cup (2011–2014)

The 2011–12 season started poorly, leading to coach Terry Murray being fired. Darryl Sutter took over as coach, and the team improved a lot. They also traded for Jeff Carter during the season. The Kings finished as the eighth seed in the Western Conference for the 2012 playoffs.

The Kings then went on an amazing playoff run. They swept the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks, then swept the second-seeded St. Louis Blues. They became the first eighth-seed team to beat the first and second seeds in their conference. They then defeated the Phoenix Coyotes in five games to reach the Finals.

In the Finals, Los Angeles faced the New Jersey Devils. The Kings won in six games, securing their first-ever Stanley Cup. They won the deciding game at home in Staples Center. Goalie Jonathan Quick was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the playoffs.

Dustin Brown celebrates with the Stanley Cup during the Kings' victory parade in 2012.

The 2012–13 NHL season was shorter due to a lockout. The Kings finished as the fifth seed and began their Stanley Cup defense against the St. Louis Blues, whom they beat in six games. In the second round, they faced the San Jose Sharks and won a tough seven-game series. In the Western Conference Finals, they played the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks. The Kings lost the series in five games to the Blackhawks, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.

In the 2013–14 season, the Kings acquired Marian Gaborik and made the playoffs again. In the first round of the 2014 playoffs, they faced the San Jose Sharks. The Kings lost the first three games but then made an incredible comeback, winning the next four games to win the series. They became only the fourth team in NHL history to win a series after being down 3–0. In the second round, they beat the Anaheim Ducks in another Game 7. In the third round, they faced the Chicago Blackhawks again. The Kings won Game 7 in overtime, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in three years. They were the first team in NHL history to win three Game 7s on the road to reach the Finals.

The parade for the 2014 Kings team after they won their second Stanley Cup.

In the Final, the Kings played the New York Rangers. The Kings won the Stanley Cup in five games, with Alec Martinez scoring the winning goal in double overtime of Game 5. This championship run was one of the longest in NHL history, with the Kings playing 26 playoff games and facing elimination seven times. Justin Williams won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

After the Stanley Cups (2014–Present)

After winning two Stanley Cups, the Kings were expected to do well in the 2014–15 season. However, they struggled with injuries and lost many road games. They missed the playoffs, becoming the first defending Stanley Cup champion to do so since 2007.

A face-off between the Kings and the San Jose Sharks during a playoff game in 2016.

In the 2015–16 season, the Kings made the playoffs but lost to the San Jose Sharks in five games. On June 16, 2016, Anze Kopitar became the team's new captain, taking over from Dustin Brown.

The Kings celebrated their 50th anniversary in the 2016–17 season. They hosted the NHL All-Star Game. Goalie Jonathan Quick was injured for most of the season, and the team struggled, missing the playoffs. After the season, General Manager Dean Lombardi and coach Darryl Sutter were fired. Rob Blake became the new general manager, and John Stevens became head coach. In the 2017 NHL expansion draft, the Vegas Golden Knights picked defenseman Brayden McNabb from the Kings. The Kings made the playoffs in 2018 but were swept by the Golden Knights.

In November 2018, the Kings fired John Stevens and hired Willie Desjardins. The team finished last in their division and missed the playoffs again.

Todd McLellan was hired as head coach in April 2019. The 2019–20 season was a rebuilding year, with many players leaving. The team had a seven-game winning streak near the end of the season, showing off their young talent. However, the season was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Kings did not make the playoffs.

In the 2020–21 season, the Kings continued to rebuild. Anze Kopitar scored his 1,000th career point. They missed the playoffs again.

For the 2021–22 season, the Kings added forwards Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson. They made the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, even though Drew Doughty was injured. This was also Dustin Brown's last season before he retired. The Kings lost to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games in the first round.

In the 2022 off-season, the Kings acquired Kevin Fiala. He led the team in points for much of the 2022–23 season and was chosen for the All-Star Game. The Kings made the playoffs but lost to the Edmonton Oilers again in six games.

In the 2023 off-season, the Kings traded for forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. The 2023–24 season started strong, with a record-breaking 11-0-0 start on the road. Goalie Cam Talbot also played very well. However, the team struggled in January, leading to coach McLellan being fired. Assistant coach Jim Hiller took over as interim head coach. The Kings made the playoffs but were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers for the third year in a row. Hiller was later named the full-time head coach. Pierre-Luc Dubois was traded to the Washington Capitals for goalie Darcy Kuemper.

Team Look: Uniforms and Logos

The Kings' first logo, used from 1967 to 1982.

When the Los Angeles Kings first started, their uniforms were purple ("Forum blue") and gold. The design was simple, with stripes on the shoulders and bottom. They used a crown logo.

From 1980 to 1988, the uniforms changed slightly, adding white to the socks and bottom stripes.

Just before Wayne Gretzky joined in 1988, the Kings changed their colors to black and silver, similar to the Las Vegas Raiders football team. The new uniforms kept a similar design but with the new colors and a new primary Kings logo. These uniforms were used until the 1997–98 season.

The Kings tried a purple and gold alternate jersey for the 1995–96 season. It had a unique design with a fading black splash and a logo of a bearded king. Fans didn't like this "Burger King" jersey, and it was only used for one season.

Primary logo, used 1982–1988

Primary logo, used 1988–1998

For the 1998–99 season, the Kings introduced new logos and uniforms with a purple, silver, and white color scheme. The new main logo was a shield with a lion, a crown, and the sun. The jerseys featured this shield logo with purple accents. In 2002, the crown logo became the main logo, and the shield became an alternate.

In 2008, the Kings brought back a black and silver alternate jersey inspired by their 1988–1998 look. This jersey featured the current crown logo with an 'LA' abbreviation. Three years later, the Kings fully returned to black and silver as their main colors.

From 2010 to 2017, the Kings also wore their classic purple and gold jerseys from the 1970s for special "Legends Night" games.

Logos used 1998–2024

Shield logo

Crown logo

Banner logo

The shield logo was the team's main logo until 2002. The crown logo became the main logo in 2002. The banner logo, introduced in 2008, became the main logo in 2011 and was used until 2024.

The Kings wore special silver jerseys for the 2014 NHL Stadium Series. For the 2015 Stadium Series, they wore a jersey with silver, black, and white colors.

For their 50th anniversary in the 2016–17 season, the Kings wore special silver alternate jerseys with gold accents on the logos and numbers.

When Adidas became the official uniform maker in 2017, the Kings' home and away uniforms stayed mostly the same, with minor updates to the collar.

In the 2018–19 season, the Kings brought back their silver alternate uniforms. They also wore their white 1990s-era uniforms for two "heritage" games in the 2019–20 season.

For the 2020 NHL Stadium Series, the Kings wore special black and white uniforms with an "LA" design.

In the 2020–21 season, the Kings unveiled a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform. This uniform used the design from 1988 to 1998 but in the team's original purple and gold colors.

Before the 2021–22 season, the Kings replaced their silver alternates with a modern version of their 1990s white uniforms.

A second "Reverse Retro" uniform was introduced in the 2022–23 season, featuring the 1980–88 uniform design but with a white base and purple and gold colors.

On June 20, 2024, the Kings revealed a new main logo, which is a modern version of their 1988 logo. The new uniforms are also based on the 1988–1998 uniforms.

Mascot

Since 2007, the Kings' mascot has been Bailey, a six-foot lion. He wears the number 72 because that's the average temperature in Los Angeles. Bailey is named after Garnet "Ace" Bailey, who worked for the Kings and passed away in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Before Bailey, the Kings had a mascot named Kingston the snow leopard in the early 1990s. Kingston is now the mascot for the Kings' minor league team, the Ontario Reign.

Team Rivalries

The Kings have strong rivalries with the other two NHL teams in California: the Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks.

• The rivalry with the Anaheim Ducks is called the "Freeway Face-Off" because both cities are close to each other on Interstate 5.
• The rivalry with the San Jose Sharks shows the competition between Northern and Southern California.

The Kings beat both the Ducks and the Sharks during their 2014 Stanley Cup run. They have also played outdoor games against them in the NHL Stadium Series.

In the 1980s, the Kings had a big rivalry with the Edmonton Oilers. This rivalry has become strong again in recent years, as they have played each other in the playoffs for three years in a row from 2022 to 2024.

Recent Seasons

Here are the results for the last five seasons the Kings have completed. For all seasons, see List of Los Angeles Kings seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses/shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Players and Staff

Team Captains

Anze Kopitar has been the Kings' captain since 2016.

Head Coaches

Darryl Sutter coached the Kings from 2011 to 2017.

General Managers

Rob Blake is the Kings' current general manager, a role he has held since 2017.

Team Owners

• Jack Kent Cooke: 1967–1979
• Jerry Buss: 1979–1988
• Bruce McNall: 1988–1994
• Joseph M. Cohen and Jeffery Sudikoff: 1994–1995
• Philip Anschutz and Edward Roski: 1995–present

Team Honors and Records

Retired Numbers

Five of the Kings' retired jersey banners hanging in the arena in 2012.

The Los Angeles Kings have honored several important players and one broadcaster by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team will ever wear that number again.

Hockey Hall of Fame Members

Many people who have played for or worked with the Los Angeles Kings have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. This includes players, coaches, and general managers.

Players

Builders (Coaches/Managers)

• Red Kelly
• Jake Milford
• Roger Neilson

Team Records: Regular Season Scoring Leaders

Luc Robitaille holds the Kings' record for most goals scored with 557.

These tables show the top players in Kings history for points, goals, and assists during the regular season.

•  *  – current Kings player

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

Team Records: Regular Season Goaltending Leaders

These tables show the top goalies in Kings history for games played, wins, and shutouts during the regular season.

•  *  – current Kings player

Note: GP = Games played; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

Team Records: Playoff Scoring Leaders

These tables show the top players in Kings history for points, goals, and assists during the playoffs.

•  *  – current Kings player

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

Team Records: Playoff Goaltending Leaders

These tables show the top goalies in Kings history for games played, wins, and shutouts during the playoffs.

•  *  – current Kings player

Note: GP = Games played; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

Jonathan Quick holds the Kings' record for most shutouts in a season, with 10 in the 2011–12 season.

Regular Season Records

• Most goals in a season: Bernie Nicholls, 70 (1988–89)
• Most assists in a season: Wayne Gretzky, 122 (1990–91)
• Most points in a season: Wayne Gretzky, 168 (1988–89)
• Most points in one game: Bernie Nicholls, 8 (1988–89)
• Most points by a defenseman in a season: Larry Murphy, 76 (1980–81)
• Most points by a rookie in a season: Luc Robitaille, 84 (1986–87)
• Most wins by a goalie in a season: Jonathan Quick, 40 (2015–16)
• Most shutouts by a goalie in a season: Jonathan Quick, 10 (2011–12)

Playoff Records

• Most goals in a playoff year: Wayne Gretzky, 15 (1992–93)
• Most assists in a playoff year: Wayne Gretzky, 25 (1992–93)
• Most points in a playoff year: Wayne Gretzky, 40 (1992–93)
• Most points in one playoff game: Tomas Sandstrom, Tony Granato, Wayne Gretzky, 5 (1989–90)
• Most points by a defenseman in a playoff year: Drew Doughty, 18 (2013–14)
• Most points by a rookie in a playoff year: Tyler Toffoli, 14 (2013–14)
• Most wins by a goalie in a playoff year: Jonathan Quick, 16 (2011–12, 2013–14)
• Most shutouts by a goalie in a playoff year: Jonathan Quick, 3 (2011–12, 2012–13)

Team Records

• Most points in a season: 105 (1974–75)
• Most wins in a season: 48 (2015–16)
• Longest regular season winning streak: 9 (2009–10)
• Longest playoff winning streak: 8 (2011–12)

Broadcasters

Daryl Evans is one of the Kings' current radio commentators.

In 1973, the Kings hired Bob Miller as their play-by-play announcer. He was known as the Voice of the Kings and worked for the team until he retired in 2017. Bob Miller received a special award for his contributions to hockey broadcasting and even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2018, the Kings stopped broadcasting games on traditional radio stations. Instead, they partnered with iHeartMedia to create the Los Angeles Kings Audio Network, which streams games and other content online through the iHeartRadio app.

In 2023, the Kings decided to go back to having their TV and radio broadcasts shared by the same announcers. They also announced new TV deals with Bally Sports West and KCAL-TV. In 2024, they made a new deal with ESPN Radio 710 to stream all games on the ESPN LA app, with some games also on the radio.

Television and Radio: Bally Sports West, KCAL-TV and ESPN Radio 710 and ESPN LA App

• Nick Nickson – play-by-play
• Daryl Evans – color commentator
• Jim Fox – color commentator

Public Address Announcers:

• David Courtney 1989–2012
• Dave Joseph 2013–2020
• Trevor Rabone 2021–present

Affiliate Teams

The Kings have minor league teams that help develop young players. Currently, their main affiliate is the Ontario Reign in the American Hockey League (AHL). They also have an affiliation with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in the ECHL.