Yesterday, I had the honor of catching up with former Kings great, and Hockey Hall of Famer, Marcel Dionne, who was gracious enough to give some of his time. Dionne, now 59, played with the Kings from 1975-88, making up the bulk of a tremendous NHL career in which Dionne totaled 731 goals and 1,040 assists in 1,348 games. Dionne now lives in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where he owns and operates a sports-memorabilia store (www.marceldionne.com). Here’s the interview, which I hope everyone will enjoy…
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Question: Even though you’re pretty far from Southern California, do you still get the chance to keep up with the Kings?
DIONNE: “Absolutely. I’m watching on TSN and SportsNet, and looking at the standings, and when they play back East, I catch them. I’m aware of their lineup and I’m very happy for them. They got off to a quick start and they were very impressive last year. They’re going to lose a few here and there, but they’re most likely going to win more games, which is real nice. The last three years, they have made some headway. The only sad thing is that we hear so much about the East Coast teams and the teams in Canada. Sometimes they forget about L.A. I talk to (CBC analyst) Kelly Hrudey, because I know he played in L.A., and I said, `You’ve got to start talking more about them.’ When they do talk about L.A., the word out there is that they have a very good team. But there’s a next step. When I look at the top 10 (in scoring), I wish I could see Kopitar there, because then you get a little more print.”
Question: No doubt, the memorabilia store keeps you busy, but what else are you up to these days?
DIONNE: “I have a sports-marketing company, and I have for many years, and I have done many other things. I’m still involved with the public, and I probably do over 80 appearances a year, with corporate and charity functions, and a lot of events related to the business of hockey. It’s a lot of fun. We’re building a diner now, for my daughter, as part of the complex with the store. We have a lot of requests for local events, and I said, `Let’s do it.’ So we’ll serve breakfast and lunch, and after that we can close and have some private parties. It’s all sports-related. it’s a real fun thing. Where we are, they love the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres. You get fans from everywhere. It’s a very healthy environment, especially with the holidays coming down.”
Question: When you think of your association with the Kings over the years, what do you take the most pride in?
DIONNE: “I’m very, very lucky because I get to travel so much and see people. Today I saw Denis Potvin, and I’ve met a lot of guys, over the year, I played with in World Championships and All-Star Games, and I know their families and they know my family. With L.A., I’m lucky that I still meet a lot of guys everywhere. It’s very, very rewarding. We go back to times when the game was a little different, so it’s very enjoyable. We exchange some things that were a part of our past. For me, L.A. is obviously what I’m known for. I started with the Red Wings, but it’s amazing how that memory starts to fizzle out.”
Question: When you look back at your career with the Kings, which game or moment stands out the most for you?
DIONNE: “[laughs] Well, there’s no doubt that it’s always the Miracle on Manchester. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched that thing with my kids, and my grandkids watch it. It’s fading on the tape. Now we have `Dancing With The Stars.’ Every time I look at Daryl Evans, I think, `He should be asked to dance on that show.’ Then you hear Bob Miller and the emotion in the voices of all those people. That’s what is very, very rewarding. There’s no doubt. When I go to Edmonton, I’m still reminded. `Marcel, you guys…’ [laughs] That was not a big outcome for me in that game, but I watched Charlie (Simmer) and Dougie Smith and Daryl Evans with that wicked shot off the faceoff. That, you don’t forget that. I’m not very good at remembering things, but this one was obvious.”
I TOO would love to see Kopitar in the top 10 in league scoring. He should be there going forward as he matures, whether he realizes that potential or not.
Interesting, that the other night on the broadcast, Marcel likened him to Mark Messier.
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kiosku2 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 8:17 pm
@18,118, I was going to say the same thing. It’s weird how he and Doughty are not nearly on the same pace as they were last year points-wise. Now that can change because its plenty early but it still would be nice to see them go on a tear (terror?) and maybe give the team an added little push. We could use anything at this point…
I keep wondering with Kopitar this season at this point in the season, if it’s just a better left wing for him to get back on a more productive pace or if, like Nash in Columbus, it shouldnt matter and he should be putting up points regardless. Kopi has never had much consistency on his line because a lot of teammates have been traded or have been sidelined due to injury. He’s always improved every year despite that reality; what’s going on this year then?
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LW Anybody? Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:43 pm
@kiosku2, Actually, last year Kopi had 81 points in 82 games, this year he has 20 points in 20 games, so he’s really on exactly the same pace. I think the problem is, we as fans see his potential at times to score several points a game and be one of the true elite scorers in the game. Honestly, I see it as a desire issue. As much as I’d love to see, I think he just doesn’t have quite the same drive as a Crosby or an Ovechkin.
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Agame Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 8:53 am
@LW Anybody?, Nobody wants a selfish player who plays for stats. Let Kopi stay what he is, team player, with lot’s of good play’s in both ends!
Dionne said it really well, you need good line mates! And let’s be honest they aren’t on the same level as Kopitar!
Marcel is, IMO, the all-time greatest King. Sure, Gretzky was awsome, but he really is an Oiler at heart. Rogie deserves mentioning, but Marcel was so good for so many years and is one of the greats in hockey history that i feel often is overlooked. DT was also really good, but not in the same class, stats wise.
He really is a class act and I loved his candid comments about Kopi and what he needs to do to improve. He tells it like it is. You are awsome Marcel!
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King John Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 9:09 am
@tornado12,
Dionne, Taylor, Goring, Vachon: some of the great Kings from the pre-Gretzky days…
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jet Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 9:34 am
@tornado12, agree 100%, for so many years he was the only reason to go to games.
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Great interview Rich!
I watched a part of the panel discussion yesterday with Luc, TM’s brother, and Denis Potvin…Marcel is still passionate and that’s what makes him great…I think that rubbed off on Luc!
What great memories I have with the Triple Crown Line…I remember thinking that every time they were on the ice–that they could score–at least have a good scoring chance. My first hockey game ever was at the Fabulouos Forum when we beat the Flames 4-0 with Mario Lessard in goal. The next game I went to I think we beat Vancouver 12-1 or something like that. Sigh!
Let’s beat the Habs tomorrow!
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USHA#17 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:26 pm
@CupRun2011,
…yeah, then Simmer broke his leg…
Marcel taking in and mentoring Luc in my mind symbolized the bridge between the middle and modern eras of hockey and old school hockey mentality.
Marcel will always be one of the top Kings in my book and perhaps on a better club would have been second only to Gretzky in all time scoring.
No one had more 40 and 50 goal seasons at his age then Marcel.
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Marcel and Butch. Those two are a true representation of what the earlier Kings teams started to bring to LA.
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Goring 19 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:59 pm
@18,118, here here!
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seenitallsince'67 Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 9:48 am
@18,118,
When we refer to the Butch and Marcel era, the number was 16,005 (Forum capacity). Now this is as good as it gets for #1 and #2 centers. It’s a shame that Marcel never was on a cup winning team.
Butch was the “piece” for the islanders.
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POS picked up by the Wild today on waivers. Don’t know if it’s been mentioned yet. So bummed we have Williams right now (Sarcasm)
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=342518
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I wish I could get the thought out of my head of that horrible night in Boston with the broken leg, which pretty much spelled the end of the Triple Crown glory days. That was an ugly ugly play to watch, not unlike the Joe Theisman play.
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puck73 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 6:53 pm
@KC23, It was Simmer, and it was in Toronto..just helpin.
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KC23 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 6:56 pm
@puck73, I knew it was Simmer, but I could of sworn it was in Boston.
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KC23 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 6:59 pm
@puck73, Ah, he broke his jaw against Boston. That is where I got mixed up.
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Marc Nathan Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:05 pm
@KC23, absolutely Toronto… a 1-0 win at that!!!
How great is Marcel? Whenever we needed a goal, that son of a gun was bank. Can we hire him as a consultant to rub off Miracle Mojo on the boys?
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Marcel was a great player for the Kings on many bad Kings teams. Super fast skater, strong on the puck with a wicked wrist shot. Amazing how his scoring totals still hold up today.
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puck73 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 6:59 pm
@Scaught, Dave Taylor once told Jim Rome on the air several years ago that Marcel’s legs were loke fire hydrants, and that it was nearly impossible to knock him off his skates with his knees bent. Plus he had a great slap shot, snapp shot, and wrister. And how bout 1000 assists for his career as well. Wonder how many points he would have scored if he played with the Habs back then? He was one of my hero’s growing up, a class act, and IMO the 3rd greatest center to ever play the game behind only Gretzky and Lemieux. 731 goals…that doesnt suck !
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USHA#17 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:55 pm
@puck73,
No, he didn’t suck all. A great era of Kings hockey.
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Goring 19 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 8:05 pm
@puck73, wasn’t the Triple Crown Line fun to watch, bet even today they would fit in, at least they would put the puck in the net. LOL
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Someone, please get Loktionov some old Marcel videos to study…
Thank you.
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Dionne was a real “Kings crown tattooed on his ass” player… he was the first true NHL superstar who’s identified with the LA franchise (and only Robitaille can say the same thing).
Being born in 1990, I was never able to see him play. But when I met him, he was just a great guy. Glad that he remains a Kings fan, even today.
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Doc. Mark 1968 Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:43 pm
@Kevin Y,
Oh to be 21!!
Score hot chicks now young man. When you get old, it gets much tougher.
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Matt George Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:14 pm
@Doc. Mark 1968,
Not with the proper funding!
HAR!
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The first time I saw Marcel play was early in the 75/76 season (his 1st in LA) against the Red Wings. On his second shift of the game, he came off the bench, intercepted the puck, went in on a breakaway, and scored. From that moment on I became a diehard Dionne fan. To this day, he’s my alltime favorite King.
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