The 10 greatest L.A. Kings of all time -- No. 3: Luc Robitaille
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Continuing our countdown of the 10 greatest L.A. Kings of all time as chosen by our readers.
No. 3 Luc Robitaille (260 first-place votes, 12,133 points)
Luc Robitaille joined the Kings in 1986 and won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best first-year player after scoring 45 goals to go with 39 assists.
Robitaille scored more than 40 goals in each of his first eight seasons, including three 50-plus, with a career-high 63 in 1992–93, a season he was named team captain in place of injured superstar Wayne Gretzky.
Robitaille was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 29, 1994, in exchange for Rick Tocchet and a second-round draft pick in 1995. The Kings re-acquired him from the New York Rangers on Aug. 28, 1997, for Kevin Stevens. Before the 2001-02 season, he left again to sign with the Detroit Red Wings, where Robitaille was finally able to win the Stanley Cup.
Robitialle returned to the Kings as a free agent before the 2003-04 season and became the Kings’ all-time goal scorer, passing Marcel Dionne by scoring his 551st goal with the team.
Robitaille retired after the 2005-06 season and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
On the Kings’ career leaders list, Robitaille is second in games played (1,077), first in goals (557), fourth in assists (597) and second in points (1,154).
-- Houston Mitchell
Previously:
No. 10: Charlie Simmer
No. 9: Bernie Nicholls
No. 8: Rob Blake
No. 7: Bob Miller
No. 6: Butch Goring
No. 5: Dave Taylor
No. 4: Rogie Vachon