The Los Angeles Kings joined the NHL during the expansion for the 1967-68 season, bringing professional hockey to Southern California and achieving moderate success despite several early postseason exits. Everything changed dramatically with the acquisition of the greatest player of all time in Wayne Gretzky, which boosted the franchise's popularity and sparked new interest in non-traditional hockey markets across the southern United States.
Throughout their history, the Kings have been fortunate to feature some of the top talents in the league, many of whom have since been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Additionally, several players from the 2012 and 2014 teams, which delivered Los Angeles their only two championships, are also strong candidates for future Hall of Fame induction.
Given that only ten players can make our list, who are the top ten players in Kings history? Let's dive in and find out, starting with a fairly obvious selection.
1. Wayne Gretzky
Position: C
Years with Kings: 1988-1996
Notable Accolades: Four-time All-Star, 1989 Hart, Three-time Ross, Three-time Byng, Hall of Famer
Wayne Gretzky easily earns a spot on this list, as his trade to the Kings was one of the most shocking moments in professional sports. Gretzky was immediately named team captain upon his acquisition in August 1988 and sparked a surge of interest in the franchise, located in a non-traditional market.
Gretzky's arrival in Los Angeles also paved the way for the L=league's expansion into more non-traditional markets in the southern United States, while he continued to rewrite the record books seemingly every time he took the ice.
2. Luc Robitaille
Position: LW
Years with Kings: 1986-1994, 1997-2001, 2003-2006
Notable Accolades: Eight-time All-Star. 1987 Calder, Hall of Famer
The highest-scoring left wing in NHL history before being eventually surpassed by Alex Ovechkin, Luc Robitaille carved out a career defined by his clutch scoring. He continues to hold several Kings franchise scoring records, and his number 20 jersey hangs from the rafters of Crypto.com Arena.
His career also included stops with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Detroit Red Wings, with whom he won his first and only Stanley Cup title in 2002. He would eventually return to Los Angeles for the final two years of his career before retiring in 2006.
3. Marcel Dionne
Position: C
Years with Kings: 1975-1987
Notable Accolades: Four-time All-Star, 1980 Ross, Two-time Pearson, 1977 Byng, Hall of Famer
Widely regarded as one of the best players in NHL history, Marcel Dionne would be traded to the Kings after four years spent with the struggling Red Wings. He inked what was at the time the richest contract in NHL history and would go on to record six 50-goal seasons wearing a Kings uniform. He also became the third player to ever reach 700 career goals, and he took his rightful place in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.
4. Jonathan Quick
Position: G
Years with Kings: 2007-2023
Notable Accolades: 2012 All-Star, 2012 Smythe, Two-time Jennings, Two-time Stanley Cup champion
Without a doubt the top goaltender in Kings history, Jonathan Quick holds nearly every statistical franchise record and will almost certainly have his jersey number retired by the franchise after his playing days come to a close. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012 after backstopping the Kings to their first-ever Stanley Cup win and is now the winningest American-born goalie in NHL history. While his career eventually took him elsewhere, Quick remains one of the most iconic and recognizable former Kings players.
5. Anze Kopitar
Position: C
Years with Kings: 2006-Present
Notable Accolades: Two-time Selke, 2022 Messier, Two-time Byng, Two-time Stanley Cup champion
A quiet leader both on and off the ice, Anze Kopitar has carved out a Hall of Fame-worthy career with the Kings while also garnering a reputation as one of hockey's best defensive forwards. Known as the very first Slovenia native to play in the NHL, Kopitar ranks 2nd all-time in Kings point totals and is a two-time recipient of both the Lady Byng Trophy and the Frank J. Selke Trophy.
6. Drew Doughty
Position: D
Years with Kings: 2008-Present
Notable Accolades: Five-time All-Star. 2016 Norris, Two-time Stanley Cup winner
Armed with a feisty personality matched only by his play on the ice, Drew Doughty is arguably the best defenseman in Kings history. A Norris Trophy winner in 2016, he has also earned three separate nominations for the award. He was a vital piece of the Stanley Cup wins by Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014, and is also a two-time Olympic gold medallist with Team Canada.
7. Rob Blake
Position: D
Years with Kings: 1989-2001, 2006-2008
Notable Accolades: Three-time All-Star, 1998 Norris, Hall of Famer
One of the most talented defensemen in Kings history, Rob Blake established himself as a bonafide NHL blue-liner in his first full campaign of 1990-91. He would go on to play for the Kings for a decade, winning the Norris Trophy while also representing Canada on the international stage. He would be traded to the Colorado Avalanche in a 2001 blockbuster deal, but would return for a second tour of duty with the Kings in 2006. He was enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014, and currently serves as the Kings general manager.
8. Dustin Brown
Position: RW
Years with Kings: 2003-2022
Notable Accolades: 2014 Messier, Two-time Stanley Cup champion
The gritty forward played his entire NHL career in Los Angeles and captained them to their 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup victories. Dustin Brown is immortalized not only in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame but by the Kings with a statue of his likeness on display at Crypto.com Arena. He was the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2014, and he is the franchise's all-time games leader.
9. Dave Taylor
Position: RW
Years with Kings: 1977-1994
Notable Accolades: 1981 All-Star, 1991 Clancy, 1991 Masterston
Best known as one-third of the famed “Triple Crown” line with Marcel Dionne and Charlie Simmer, Dave Taylor played his entire NHL career with Los Angeles and earned several All-Star Game nominations while setting several franchise statistical records. His jersey number 18 hangs from the rafters at Crypto.com Arena.
10. Rogie Vachon
Position: G
Years with Kings: 1972-1978
Notable Accolades: Two-time All-Star, Hall of Famer
Supplanted by young Montreal Canadiens phenom Ken Dryden between the pipes in the early 1970s, Rogie Vachon would soon be traded to the Kings and played some of the best hockey of his career while with the franchise. He earned a pair of All-Star Game appearances while also being named a runner-up for the Vezina Trophy. He held many statistical records that have since been broken by Quick, and he was also honored by being the first Kings player to have his jersey number retired.
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