Top 10 LA Kings Forwards of All-Time

2 – Luc Robitaille – 1986 to 1994, 1997 to 2001, 2003 to 2006

(Photo by Stephen Dunn /Getty Images)

If any of you had “Lucky” Luc as the number 1 forward on your lists, like with Marcel, I would not argue or disagree with your decision. Luc was drafted by the Kings very late in the 1984 NHL entry draft at 171st overall in the 9th round. (Yes, the 9th round! Around that does not even exist anymore today!) Even though Luc had a natural instinct to score goals, many, (and I mean MANY) goals, teams passed on selecting Luc based on his poor and slow skating abilities. The Kings’ took a chance with him and the rest is history! Right out of the gates, Robitaille won the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year after the 1986-87 season, (and still is the only Kings’ player to do so to this day), with 45 goals and 85 points, and then topped that the next season with an even more astounding 53 goals and 111 points! (And all this before Gretzky even arrived in LA!) Unlike some other players who’s stats spiked upwards after Gretzky arrived, Luc proved that he didn’t need “The Great One’s” help with getting that puck in the net. For example, during the 1992-93 season when Gretzky missed half the season due to a serious back injury that almost ended his career prematurely, Luc took on the Captain’s mantle and ran with it, (or in this case skated with it) and finished the season with his best numbers yet with 63 goals and 125 points! (The 63 goals Luc scored broke the NHL record for most goals in a season by a left winger in history. It was later broken by Alexander Ovechkin in 2007-08 when he achieved 65 goals). That post-season, of course, was when the Kings’ made their magical run to the Stanley Cup Final where Luc added another 9 goals and 22 points in 24 playoff games. Bitterly traded away to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Rick Tocchet, and a draft pick that turned out to be Pavel Rosa, (remember him?!), Luc reunited with Gretzky in New York with the NY Rangers, before returning to the Kings’ before the 1997-98 season. Now in his early 30’s, Luc once again rose to the occasion by scoring over 30 goals for three straight seasons for the Kings from 1998-99, (including scoring 39 goals during that 1998-99 season), to the 2000-01 season and bare in mind this was during the “DEAD PUCK” era! After helping the Kings be one playoff victory away from reaching the 2001 Western Conference Finals, Luc then signed with Detroit where he played on the 4th line and scored another 30 goals in 81 games, (did I mention that Luc was in his ’30’s by this time? Or that this was during the “DEAD PUCK” era? OR THAT HE SCORED 30 GOALS WHILE PLAYING ON DETROIT’S 4TH LINE?!?! I REPEAT, THE 4TH LINE! Like, imagine if Kyle Clifford or Andy Andreoff could do that??? Like seriously, how great was this guy?!?!?!). Luc won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings that post-season, (along with former (2 time) LA Kings’ defensemen Steve Duchesne), after contributing another 9 goals (FROM THE 4TH LINE PEOPLE! THE 4TH LINE!), during the championship run. Luc returned to play for the Kings for the third time and retired with them at the end of the 2005-06 season after becoming the highest scoring left winger in NHL history, (after passing some guy named … BOBBY HULL! Or to some of you, the legendary Hall of Fame father of Brett Hull), and becoming the Kings’ all-time franchise leader in regular-season goals with 557, (but finishing with 668 goals overall), power-play goals at 210 and game-winning goals with 73. Luc later became a part of Kings’ management, becoming the team’s President of Business Operations and was part of the two Stanley Cup victories the Kings’ achieved in 2012 and 2014. Luc is also responsible for bringing respect and prestige to the Kings’ past and past players by creating events like “Legend’s Night”.  For example, like when Luc recently presented former LA King, (who also wore the number #20 and currently an analyst for TSN), Ray Ferraro a silver stick in honor of him playing in 1,ooo career regular season games, as is custom whenever a player reaches that prestigious milestone. But Ferraro, who played for LA at the time of his achievement, was never presented with one by the Kings’ organization, until now thanks to Luc! Today, Luc is now the full President of the Kingdom after taking over from Dean Lombardi. What more can I say? The man is a complete LEGEND in every way! Not bad for someone who they said couldn’t skate and was drafted 171st overall!

(photo credit to Gord Miller of TSN)

On Feb 28, 1999 @rayferrarotsn played his 1000th NHL game. He was never presented a silver stick, until Luc Robitaille did tonight. pic.twitter.com/5JrLuusqmk

— Gord Miller (@GMillerTSN) November 3, 2017

Best Regular Season with the Kings – 1992-93

• 63 goals, 62 assists, 125 points, plus-18, 24 power-play goals and 8 game-winning goals.

Best Playoffs with the Kings – 1991

•  12 goals, 16 points, 5 power-play goals and 2 game-winning goals in 12 playoff games.

Career Total with the Kings

• Regular Season – 1,077 games, 557 goals, 597 assists, 1,154 points, 210 power-play goals and 73 game-winning goals.
• Playoffs – 94 games, 41 goals, 48 assists and 89 points,

Awards and Achievements with the Kings

• 2012, 2014 Stanley Cup (as a Kings’ executive)
• 1987 Calder Trophy winner
• Named to 1987 NHL All-Star Rookie Team
• 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2001 NHL All-Star Game
• 1991 Canada Cup (while as a member of the Kings)
• 1994 IIHF World Championship Gold Medal (as Captain for Team Canada, a member of the Kings, and scoring the shootout winner that won them the Gold Medal)
• All-Time Overall Leader in Goals by a Left Winger in NHL history with 668.
• Jersey number #20 retired by the Kings
• Has a Statue in Tribute to him outside the Staples Center
• Hockey Hall of Fame