There was a slight shock to the senses at the Toyota Sports Center this morning as the 1990-91 Smythe Division banner and the 1992-93 Campbell Conference banner had been removed, changing a familiar line of sight from the press area. Of course, the most recent banner remains.
As they often do at practices in advance of retro jersey nights, the team was also breaking in the forum blue and gold pants, helmets and gloves at practice this morning. The vintage color scheme will be used when the Kings host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, February 23. Here, Jonathan Bernier mans the crease at practice this morning with vintage brown equipment.
Whatever the color scheme is, it’s fine as long as the effort on the ice is vintage May/June 2012.
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VERY happy to see the conference banner and such go down. Cup banners only please.
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Shuchuk Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:05 pm
@KC23, 100% agree.
I’m OK with ONE “Pacific/Smythe Division” banner, and each year the Kings win the division that year can be added, but that’s it. Western Conference/Division banners are for losers.Now let’s fill the rafters with more CHAMPIONSHIP banners.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:13 pm
@Shuchuk, I think I would have kept the Campbell Conference banner. AFAIC, the division stuff, much like the President’s trophy, is meaningless.
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Deke'r Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 7:27 pm
@Shuchuk, …..as long as Vanhoover is around we probably won’t get any “Western Conference/Division banners” anyhow….is that what you mean….
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Call me crazy but I really dig the throwbacks. Think they should be the full time jerseys. Who doesn’t want to see those old school goalie pads every night?
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jess Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 4:25 pm
@xeropoint, Those vint pads are cool
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Dustin Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 4:30 pm
@xeropoint, your crazy, just kidding, i prefer the throwback colors too!
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JonRosen Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 4:40 pm
@xeropoint, I am led to believe that they’ll be the official third jerseys next season.
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jess Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 5:20 pm
@JonRosen,
You mean, -there’s something to look forward to next year?
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xeropoint Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 5:55 pm
@JonRosen, Thank you for the info. That rocks!
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Shuchuk Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:09 pm
@xeropoint, the VINTAGE CROWN is by far LA’s best logo. I’ve seen some mock-ups on the internet of updated purple & gold unis that were SWEET. that being said, it’s obvious the team is committed to the black & silver shield and I doubt any change will occur for at least 10 years.
Shuchuk Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:13 pm
@xeropoint, call me crazy, but I think these uniforms would be AWESOME: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/drdru96/Harkins_ThrowbackConcept2011_Doughty.jpg
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Dave K Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:25 pm
@Shuchuk, very cool unis indeed. I vote “yes”!
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xeropoint Reply:
February 15th, 2013 at 9:03 am
@Shuchuk, Those are pretty rad
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:17 pm
@xeropoint, I still liked the previous jerseys–what amounts to the current “third jersey.” I really hated the crest, but liked the most recent crown. In fact, if for some reason they went back to the previous jersey, I’d like to see the current jersey fitted with that crown–in monochrome–instead of the home plate thingy (or, I’d like it if they put that crown in the current home and road jerseys, etc. They can put the home plate on the shoulder if they want.)
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Westgarth just had a pretty good fight with Orr of Toronto. Westgarth did pretty good.
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jess Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 4:25 pm
@KC23, Did westy clap?
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KJ Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 4:34 pm
@jess,
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Duncanz Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 5:14 pm
@jestgarth, I sure hope so. I’m going to be watching it on NHL Tonight later and he can save me setting my PBR down on his behalf.
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jess Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 5:18 pm
@Duncanz,
-He’s just so damn thoughtful.
It looks like a throwback to the Cechmanek days with all those pucks sitting in our net.
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 4:33 pm
@Jon G, He was a dream compared to Cloutier.
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Jon G Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 5:28 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), I still think Cechmanek was our worst goalie ever, but Cloutier is definitely in the conversation. I just hated the way Cechmanek would never move: it the puck did not hit him he didn’t try to stop it. Remember all those times when the puck would be at his feet and he just stood there instead of smothering it?
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HockeyNerd Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:04 pm
@Jon G, Have to wonder how old you guys are. The 80′s featured Blake (The goaltender, not Rob Blake), Eliot and Mattson. Let’s just say those guys did NOT bring back memories of Rogie Vachon….
CL Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:05 pm
@Jon G, Dude, not even close! I just went to look up the stats for both, since I barely remember the Cechmanek days (though beachball Clooter still gives me nightmares). Cechmanek had a 2.51 GAA with the Kings. Cloutier was pushing 4! I remember going to one game, and three minutes in an opposing player flips the puck in from the blue line to go for a line change. Boom! Goal! I don’t think the shooter even got a +1 for his goal as he leisurely skated off the ice before it floated in past Cloots the Incompetent.
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:18 pm
@Jon G, Fukufuji.
‘nuf said
CL Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:24 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, Yeah, but I felt bad for Fukufuji. He definitely wasn’t ready for the NHL, and it wasn’t his fault the Kings had to dig down to their fifth-string guy. Cloots had no excuse for being so consistently terrible. Nor did Crawford have any excuse for consistently starting him.
Shotongoal Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:42 pm
@Jon G, I will ALWAYS think Ron Grahame was the worst goalie in Kings’ history. They traded (1st round pick) for him thinking that he would be a #1 and would get them over the hump in the playoffs. In his three years in LA they didn’t make the playoffs, he was brutal, and that trade cost them the chance to draft Raymond Bourque. Doesn’t get much worse than that!
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 7:36 pm
@CL, I’m with you there. If you want to talk “legit” goaltenders, Clute is a pretty easy pick.
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I’d love to see them break out the home unis from the 70′s. The gold jerseys with gold pants, loved them!!
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Goring 19 Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 5:37 pm
@Jack the Lad, same here Jack, Gold Jersey, Gold pants with Forum Blue trim. Just to see it once again. The throwback road unis are great, but I’d like to see the all Gold unis to relive my childhood where this “hockey” thing all started for me. GKG!
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Forum Gold Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 6:27 pm
@Goring 19, Forum Gold agrees. GO KINGS GO!!!
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rogiesbackup Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 11:19 pm
@Jack the Lad, Oh man would that be COOL!!! What do you think JR?? Think YOU can plant that idea to the Kings. The ALL GOLD unis from the mid seventies. That was just soo flashy!! Kings gold unis seemed to have more of a “shine” then the Predators yellow home jerseys. Can’t pin point why.
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KC23 Reply:
February 14th, 2013 at 11:29 pm
@Jack the Lad, hated them myself. Always thought they should of been white with gold trim.
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I see guys talking about Mike Blake above a goalie from the 80′s.
He works in Kitchener Ontario at his brothers produce company.
I see Mike all the time at a local sports bar and grill.
He’s now a golfer with all his spare time and a really good guy.
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I don’t like how the retired jerseys are arranged… it looks ridiculous. I realized they tried to use them to fill empty space, but they’re in absolutely random order. there’s no rhyme or reason to it. it’s not numerical, it’s not alpha, nor the order they were retired, nor even grouped by color scheme. blech.
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Anyone know what time morning skate is tomorrow?
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Gold jerseys and gold pants ala Kent Cooke @ home were great.
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