Hi Kings fans, in this latest edition of the Kings Kronicles Podcast, we take a look back at the 1974-75 season, the season the Kings registered 105 points – a record that still stands today. Featured in this podcast are former Kings greats Bob Pulford, Rogie Vachon and Bob Berry.
Keep those great podcast suggestions coming and thanks for listening!
You know I thought it was a little weird that Nicklas Backstrom was wearing 99
“Nicklas Backstrom, Dynamo Moscow (KHL): Not only did Backstrom score his first KHL goal last week, he also managed to put an end to a mini-controversy by announcing he would soon be switching sweater numbers. The team assigned him No. 99 — some saw it as an affront to Wayne Gretzky — but Backstrom told a Swedish reporter on Tuesday that he’ll soon be wearing No. 69 instead.”
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Ha – This is the year that got me hooked. I was 10 at the time. I loved those uniforms for sure.
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Mars Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 3:33 pm
@The Weasel, oh man, I love watching those games but I was -2.
I have been watching a lot of old hockey these past two months.
Cannot wait for 13-14 season to kick off. Watch out records!
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I would die for a chance to watch game 6 of the Kings Vs Boston playoff game where Goring gets carried off the ice with the overtime winner. Make it happen!!!
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Forum Gold Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 8:47 pm
@KC23, +1. Even with his Stanley Cup rings with the Isles Butch still calls this one of his most memorable games and gives the fans HUGE props. #19 should be retired.
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USHA#17 Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 11:20 pm
@Forum Gold,
+1 !!!
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The Weasel Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 10:20 am
@Forum Gold,
Goring was my absosulte favorite Kings player as a child. WHY ISN’T his jersey retired?
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brown signs with marc crawford’s defending Swiss League club, ZSC Lions…his first gam e will be nov. 13…
with the Winter Classic on the verge of being cancelled and no scheduled talks planned, coupled with the inability for both the NHL and NHLPA to find a mediator, doesn’t it seem like both parties are moving further apart…?
anyone optimistic on a resolution sooner than later at this point…?
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DesertKing Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 4:59 pm
@variable,
I am optmistic that we will see world peace before we see hockey again.
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variable Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 6:03 pm
@DesertKing,
i know…
it seems to be getting worse – because negotiations are going nowhere…and now a mediator needs to be hired just to get them at the table…
i still support the fehr brothers and the players 100%…but it hurts more and more with each day passing…and each game lost…
fehr’s ego vs. bettman’s ego…
it’s not pacquiao vs. mayweather, because that will never happen…so this will be the longest fight will see all year, if not, the best…
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luc20rules Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 8:43 pm
@variable, mediator won’t cut it with these clowns. Only a Abitrator that can draft a CBA that will go to general vote by the players & owners will get the job done. Bettman’s 5 man team of owners/non-negotiators of which atleast 3 are extremely invested in having player salary rollbacks by what they have done with summer signing or over the last 2 years. Owners of Boston, Washington, & Minn are always flanking Bettman at the negotiations. These owners need to get bypassed if a deal is to be done. Its hard to believe the Owners of NYR, Chi, & Toronto are sitting on their hands while they lose millions.
Next time I hear Bettman or Daly say how they want whats fair for fans. Well lets just say I may hurl. This has just been disgusting to read about.
Pasadena Hockey Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 6:39 pm
@variable, I am very disappointed with the progress of negotiations but no one can ever take away what we went through last year and the championship.
Good for Brown signing to play in Zurich. He will enjoy it there, it is beautiful.
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All of these articles are entertaining and interesting, and much thanks are in order to those who have posted.
But I must admit that whenever I click on this site, I keep hoping to see those magical words, “breakthrough in negotiations”.
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Forum Gold Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 8:51 pm
@Robert R, You have a long wait.
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I wonder if this blog will talk about Brown going overseas or has this blog’s integrity left along with Hammond?
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Just listened to the podcast–fantastic trip down Memory Lane.
If I remember correctly, Opening Night was a 5-3 victory in Philadelphia. I knew then that we had something good. The loss to Toronto was a deflating kick in the gut.
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Robert R Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 5:45 pm
@Robert R, One name that I didn’t hear was Terry Harper, who anchored the defense and whose style really annoyed the opposition. Maloney and Harper were the heart and soul of the team, IMHO, and trading them had a very bad effect on the team. Danny Maloney could score, and was the League’s number one enforcer. He pounded the tar out of everyone.
Great team, great regular season, sick end. I guess that we evened the score with Toronto in ’93.
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Forum Gold Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 8:50 pm
@Robert R, Season seat holder from 72 to 79 and you described this team perfectly.
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USHA#17 Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 11:26 pm
@Robert R,
Great years. Another memory was the guy in the SE corner with the horse voice who use to scream at Larry Brown every night.
Trading Harper and Maloney tore out the heart of soul of that club.
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Robert R Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 7:26 pm
@USHA#17, I used to do the walk-around between the 2nd and 3rd periods with the Whitehats, doing the cheers and yells. Occasionally led a yell. I usually left the Forum with no voice. Fun, fun times.
Shotongoal Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 4:40 pm
@Robert R, this has been my favorite Kings team of all-time until of course the present Cup champs. Maloney was one of my all-time faves. That trade brought Dionne and had to be made, hated seeing Maloney and Harper leave but Dionne wasn’t going to come here for nothing. Odd that neither Harper or Maloney ever made much of a difference for Detroit. Just how good those Kings teams could have been if Harper and Maloney could have stayed and been Marcel’s teammates will never be known, but I have a feeling it would have been fun to watch! Always wondered if the trade for Macel would have even happened if the 74-75 team had gone farther in the playoffs. Losing to Toronto like they did was crushing.
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Robert R Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 7:19 pm
@Shotongoal, Even though that trade brought Marcel Dionne, I was still perplexed and angry because I knew that although we got a superstar, the entire team was disrupted. My reaction was “What did they do that for?!”
KC23 Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 1:00 pm
@Robert R, To this day that Toronto series was the most disappointing playoff series I’ve ever witnessed the Kings play. A POS 3 game series. I’m still upset about it. I went to that last playoff game. The open drop of the puck fight was cool though.
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Shotongoal Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 4:45 pm
@KC23, I was there also and couldn’t agree more, that series loss was devastating. That was the first Kings team that I thought had a true chance of winning the Cup, and then to lose like that. I remember my brother and I sitting in our seats after the final horn just staring at the empty ice until one of the ushers told us it was time to leave, I was 13 and still remember the pain of it. I guess that’s what just made this past season just so much sweeter!
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Shotongoal Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 4:47 pm
@Shotongoal, to add to it, this was the first playoff game I ever saw in person.
Forum Gold Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 6:30 pm
@KC23, Since I am in the 3rd period of my life my memory is not as good as yours. I was at that game also, in fact I was at every game from 72 to 79. Who fought? I think because of the low scoring in that series management felt we needed more goals and JKC loved the big name players. The team chemistry was never the same but Marcel did flourish in LA and gave it his all.
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Forum Gold Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 6:34 pm
@Forum Gold, A big “Thank You” Nick for this blog. The fan base of about 6000 were the most enthiastic bunch and deserved a better fate in this series.
Thanks Nick nice to hear your voice again.
Take care
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This was my first full year following the Kings…great year but ended up on a sour note with the loss to Toronto. Great defensive team and actually had the record for most wins in a row on the road until it was broken in the 80s sometime. The team by all rights probably should have made it to the semi-finals (probably to lose to Philly). But things didn’t go as planned and probably hurt the franchise for years to come.
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It’s been three or four days since I last checked this blog. Rich, come back….
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Jon G Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 7:18 pm
@Michael J., It’s November and there are 15 posts on this message board. This is so depressing.
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DesertKing Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 8:32 pm
@Jon G,
With no games being played, no player moves being made, no cheating by the Sharks, or whining by the Yotes, then there isn’t a lot to.talk about. Thank God for Bob, Jim, Nick, and Darryl to bring us these stories amd enhance our knowledge of the history of the Kingdom, but great stories like these don’t spur conversation and give and take. That was the mastert of Rich, the ability to throw together a story on any issue in such a way as to stimulate great debate from a multitude of perspectives. Of course, you cam always rely on me to present great viewpoints concerning nachos, TM, and Kompon.
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luc20rules Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 9:37 pm
@DesertKing, Don’t taint Nachos by using them in the same sentance as TM & Kompon. LOL
Shakes Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 6:40 am
@DesertKing, +1
DesertKing Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 7:13 am
@Shakes
Hey dude, good to see you are ok enough to check the blog. Hope your family, jome and neighborhood made it through the storm ok.
luc20rules Reply:
November 1st, 2012 at 9:39 pm
@Michael J., It maybe Bettman & Fehr have beaten down the insiders than Rich being gone. I know with each CBA Non-Negotiation story I read part of the child within me dies.
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Monarchs playing Scranton tomorrow @ 4pm PST. Manch firing on all cylinders this year.
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The Kings lost only twice in the first 2 months of the 74-75 season I believe. This is still my favorite team of the “Forum Blue and Gold” days. As Robert R said in an earlier post, trading Danny Maloney and Terry Harper seriously altered the chemistry of this team. To this day I still can’t believe the Leafs beat us with that ridiculous 2 out of 3 format. We pounded the Leafs all year that season, one game 8-0. Oh well, it took a while but we got our Cup.
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Forum Gold Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 7:15 am
@Goring 19, trading #19 altered my chemistry for the Kings.
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Goring 19 Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 7:37 am
@Forum Gold, that one still hurts and always will…
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KC23 Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 1:03 pm
@Goring 19, Amen. How could they? I was crushed.
Monarchs, are just getting the trickle down effect of DS taking over for TM. Manchester has in recent years implemented the same strategies of the Kings, but with a midseason change in LA the effects didn’t take hold in Manchester until training camp of this year. Results of the DS effect Monarchs start the season 5-1-0.
http://kings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=644525
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Well I did it. I took a stand. I returned my $60.00 14 X 20 Stanley Cup matted photo back to Costco. I am not renewing my season tickets next year. And since this years money is all tied up with the club I have sold these tickets (if they ever play)to somebody. I am done. I just cannot stand millionares bickering with billionares while us fans and arena employees suffer. Screw them all. Good bye Kings. Way to screw up such a fantastic year.
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Subby Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:14 pm
@Howe9, don’t punish Costco because of it xD ahahah wah wah wah wahhhhhhhh
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Happy Friday Insiders,
For those of you who are interested, @puck73, @KC23 and myself will be watching the monarchs today on AHL Live @4pm PST and commenting on the game in the chat window to the right of the vid stream.
If you miss today’s game, hope to see you on there in the future. Have a great weekend.
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KC23 Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 1:08 pm
@jess, I hope we get some others to join us. Should be fun.
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The long stalemate has really been dragging the league down to new depths. It puzzles me that these blokes think hockey fans are that gullible that we will act like nothing happened when this is all said and done. As if we have nothing better to do than hang on to a sport that neglects the very pulse that keeps the league alive..the fans. They are basically fighting over presumed income that may never be there once this thing is over. Who’s to say anyone will care when we actually see a puck drop on a new season. Make no mistake this fight has three parties involved and the fans are the ones that hold the leagues viability in our hands. Maybe the owners and players should get better perspective and understand whos hand they are actually biting.
I have a colleague that thinks the NHL is finished. He feels this is the last straw and pro hockey as we know it is all but dead. All I know is lockouts do nothing for morale on all sides. If the league actually surives to see another CBA the NHL really needs to make a clause in the next one that says there can be no work stoppage regardless of the situation on either side of the fence.
If this charade continues to drag one the league will get a rude awakening once they see all the arenas looking alot like Phoenix & Florida on a game night..you won’t survive without US!!
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 10:31 am
@KOHO, Well….They have relegated me to just a couch hockey fan. I will follow the Kings and watch the games that are broadcasted on regular tv but thats it. I will not buy tickets to games, buy merhandise, or pay for any center ice package. The NHL will not get another 0.01 from my wallet.
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KOHO Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 12:13 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, I respect your stance and anyone else who feels the same. The NHL & the players are making a huge mistake by underestimating our resolve as fans. If this continues much longer the fans will be desensitized to their plight and will lose interest and “lockout” the NHL from our lives.
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CB14 Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:19 pm
@KOHO, The vast majority of Hockey fans ARE that gullible. Since the last lockout the leagues revenues have grown at a record pace, and last season they had their highest revenues ever. There aren’t many fair weather fans of the NHL, thus there aren’t many fans that will leave.
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Slightly OT Bailey, L.A. Kings Ice Crew, Garth Kemp & ABC7 are joined at the Rose Bowl for Red Cross donations by Bob Miller & Daryl Evans.
I only know ABC7 & Red Cross will be there till 6:30 pm tonite for Sandy donations.
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NHL cancels the winter classic today 338 PM
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DesertKing Reply:
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:38 pm
@Gail Web,
Yesssssssss!!!!!!
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Anyone know where I can get a Brown or Kopitar jersey from their new teams!?
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As a LA Kings fan I am very discouraged about this season being lost to labor strife. It is such a shame that the 2012 LA Kings playoff run and Stabley Cup will lose momentum thanks to this siLly labor strife. Owners and players need to stop ruining the game anymore and agree on a new CBA already!
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Darn it, I just miss hockey! I miss my Kings, there is no substitute for me. I miss Rich too.
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Ah Memory Lane! I became a Kings’ fan during the ’74/’75 season after going to my first hockey game against the Atlanta Flames. I’ll never forget the 2nd game I went to later in the season against the NY Islanders. Butch Goring caught the back of Jean Potvin’s skate around the eye. He went down in a heap and left a huge pool of blood on the ice. He broke the orbital bones around the eye and suffered from double vision. He returned to action by playoff time apparently still suffering from double vision and was not a factor in the series against Toronto. I was always convinced that had Butchie been healthy then we would of had a different playoff result.
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Shotongoal Reply:
November 4th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
@HeyChief, I was also at that game. Most blood I’ve ever seen on the ice, horrible injury!
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Been a Kings fan since 1968 when I was 7 years old. I remember that Toronto series well. The biggest disappointment for the team up to that point in its history. Why the league would allow a series to be decided by a best of 3 format was insane. ANY team could have a couple of good games and knock out a much better team. Such a waste to play the entire season and then lose it in a 3 game series. I remember that the Kings were having a really difficult time scoring goals in that series. That was a tough one to take. But, dealing with all that we have had to deal with over the years, we Kings fans are a pretty tough bunch!
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