In the 40+ year history of the National Hockey League’s Los
Angeles Kings, five jersey numbers have been retired by the club. The Los
Angeles Kings retired numbers feature some of hockey’s greatest players of
the past four decades and all are well deserving of the honour.
Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the Los
Angeles Kings and the numbers that the NHL club has retired with the following
four questions.
Q. Number 16 is retired by the Los Angeles Kings in honour of what
player?
A. Marcel
Dionne played for the Kings from 1975-76 until 1986-87. In that time, he
won an Art Ross Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy and two Lester B. Pearson Trophies. He
remains the all-time team leader in assists with 757 and points with 1307.
After dominating the OHA with the St. Catherines Black Hawks
for three years from 1968-69 to 1970-71, Dionne’s National Hockey League career
started with the Detroit Red Wings in 1971-72 after the Wings took him second
overall at the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft. Marcel played four years with Detroit
before moving to Los Angeles, where he played the bulk of his career. Dionne
finished his Hockey Hall of Fame career with the New York Rangers, after being
traded from Los Angeles near the end of the 1986-87 season.
Q. Who is the only goaltender to have his number retired by the Los
Angeles Kings?
A. Rogatien
‘Rogie’ Vachon’s number 30 was retired by the Kings in 1985. Vachon played
between the pipes for Los Angeles from 1971-72 to 1977-78. Rogatien remains the
all-time leader amongst Los Angeles Kings goalies for games played, minutes
played, wins, losses, ties and shutouts.
Vachon’s NHL career started with the Montreal Canadiens in
1966-67, leading the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 1968-69.After playing
70 of 80 games for the Kings in 1977-78, he was shipped off to Detroit for the
following season. Rogie played two years with the Red Wings and two years with
the Boston Bruins before retiring. For some unknown reason, Rogie
Vachon is still not a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Q. Number 20 is retired by the Kings for what ‘lucky’ player?
A. Luc Robitaille
wore number 20 for the Kings over three different tenures during his NHL
career. He first was a King from 1986 until 1994. He returned for 1997 until
2001 then finished off his career with Los Angeles from 2003-04 to 2005-06. Robitaille
was the first and only Calder Trophy winner for the Kings. Luc was a lowly
ninth round pick at the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, 171st overall, after
just his first of three years as a star in the QMJHL with the Hull Olympiques.
With Hull, Robitaille would total 148 points in his second year and an amazing
191 points in his final season.
Q. Drafted 210th overall by the Kings in 1975, what player
overcame the odds and had his number 18 retired by the team?
A. Dave Taylor is
the lowest drafted player in National Hockey League history to record more than
1,000 points in a career. The Los Angeles Kings were the only team Taylor
played for during a career that stretched from 1977-78 to 1993-94. He served as
team captain for the Kings from 1985-86 to 1988-89 before relinquishing the ‘C’
to Wayne Gretzky. Taylor was part of the Triple Crown Line
that consisted of himself, Marcel Dionne and Charlie Simmer.
