Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are the original L.A. hockey team. Playing in the heart of Downtown, the Kings have had a rich tradition in Los Angeles and have a strong So Cal hockey following.


History
The Kings and Lakers moved into the newly-build Forum in 1967. The Kings would make the playoffs seven years in a row beginning in 1987, culminating in thier first Stanley Cup appearance in 1992-93, led by Wayne Gretzky, Jarri Kurri, and Luc Robitaille. The Kings would go on to lose to the Montreal Canadiens in the Finals. Since then, the Kings have only made the playoffs four times, the last in 2002. Despite the recent woes, the Kings have had 13 Hall of Famers, including the greatest hockey player of all time in Wayne Gretzky.

Current Situation
It's hard to say there is a team in L.A. that is worse than the Clippers, but the Kings give them a run for their money. I originally said they were abysmal, but to be more specific, their defense is terrible. They gave up the third-most goals in the NHL last year. They haven't made the playoffs in six years. They have a great young player in Anze Kopitar (only 20 years old and led the team in points), but have struggled all season to find consistency. This season, they used six different goaltenders - six! You can't expect to win games when you are constantly changing the player in your most important position. Because of the poor record of the Kings, the attendance has been disappointing the past couple years.

Fun Fact
ESPN's head hockey analyst, Barry Melrose, was once the coach of the Kings. In fact, it was Melrose that unexpectedly led the Kings to the Stanley Cup in his first year of coaching in 1993. The next two years, however, would not be good for the Kings and Melrose was let go halfway through the 1994-95 season. Melrose was known for his magnificent mullet in his coaching days and even made a one-time appearance in a "This is Sportscenter" commercial.


Why People Like Them
The Kings reached their peak in the late 80's up until their Stanley Cup appearance in '93. This is thanks to the most part to Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky revitalized hockey in Los Angeles. I remember the days of every kid in my school having a Gretzky jersey. He and Magic Johnson were the biggest athletes in Los Angeles during his stint in L.A. Not to mention the fact that Gretzky has arguably the hottest wife in all of sports. The Kings also play in the Staples Center, which is easy to get to and offers pretty cheap tickets in the nose-bleed sections. The Kings also have the distinction of never being owned by Disney, which is a turn-on to a lot of L.A. hockey fans. The Kings also have Kopitar, who at 20 years old, has a very bright future in front of him.

Why People Hate Them
The Kings haven't made the playoffs in six years - six freaking years! That's a longer playoff drought than the Clippers. They stink. That's the bottom line. While I doubt very many people hate the Kings, they are losing more fans than they are gaining. And with the recent success of the Ducks, the casual hockey fan is leaning more towards the Ducks than the Kings. I think the number one way to make the Kings popular again is to bring in Gretzky to be the coach. He may not be the most succesful coach in Phoenix, but he's The Great One and the Kings really have nothing to lose.

#1 Fan
Elisha Cuthbert. She is a Kings season ticket holder and used to date New York Rangers badass Sean Avery. She even use to have a hockey blog. The star of "Girl Next Door" made famous for her bit role in "Old School," she is the perfect L.A. sports fan, and just the fan the Kings need to get people talking about them. Unfortunately, no one really cares about hockey, so no one knows Cuthbert is a Kings fan.

Best Player
Kopitar. The 20-year-old wonder is part of a new breed of young players in the NHL that are making hockey somewhat relevant again. Often overlooked because of Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, Kopitar is the future of the Kings franchise. At 6'4", 220 lbs., he's got everything you want in a hockey player. The kid is looking at another 20 years in the NHL, and if the Kings are smart, they will keep him as long as they can. Here's a shootout goal against Martin Brodeur, one of the greatest goalies in the history of the NHL. Watch the initial fake. Pure genius.


Venue
Staples Center. There is nothing bad about playing in the Staples Center. The place is rad. Every seat in the arena, even the nosebleed seats, is a decent seat. Again, I must mention the $12 beers, but that's the only knock I have on the Staples Center. There's plenty of parking, easy to get to by public transportation, and the food is great. It's also only a couple blocks away from The Original Pantry Cafe, one of the best diner's in Los Angeles. The atmosphere for Kings games rival Lakers games, but that's because Kings fans are:
1) usually drunker than basketball fans
2) usually crazier than basketball fans
3) usually tougher than basketball fans
4) always pissed off because their team is losing

Simers Says
Kings: Philip Anschutz owns the hockey team, and if Lakers ever go on the block, he has the first right of refusal to buy them. Long live Buss.

Dwyre Says
Management has made sure that nobody cares.

Verdict
The Kings are bad, but they aren't a bad team to support. If I had to choose between supporting the Kings or Ducks, I would pick the Kings because a) unlike the Ducks, they are actually in L.A.; b) they have a 40-year history in L.A.; c) I still have my Gretzky jersey that I had when I was 7. Ya, they may be bad right now, but they have Kopitar. He is the future, I'm telling you. His upside potential is tremendous, and next year, I smell playoffs. Now if we can just look past those damn $12 beers.