Polarizing Players in Kings' History

[The Pale King]

Inspired by an interesting thread on the Leafs board. Which players have left mixed legacies, or garnered a wide range of opinions even while with the team? Feel free to state how you view the player as well.

Rob Blake is the obvious one, but how bout a guy like Frolov?

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[Bandit]

 

[kingsholygrail]

Voynov is becoming one.

 

[KINGS17]

Scammalleri!

 

[tny760]

quick?

 

[kilowatt]

Lucic, certainly. Maybe a guy like Ryan Smyth? Dustin Brown!

 

[Legionnaire]

Rob Blake. Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

 

[Bandit]

quick?

Don't think it qualifies as polarizing when it's only one person who's constantly ragging on him.

 

[Reaper45]

Sean Avery.

 

[Reaper45]

Not a player but Pat Quinn did the Kings dirty back in the day.

 

[Bandit]

Sean Avery.

Eh, pretty sure everyone hates the little shitbag. Good player with zero brains on and off the ice.

Not a player but Pat Quinn did the Kings dirty back in the day.

Good call.

 

[The Tikkanen]

I think if you're gonna go most polarizing in Kings history it has to be Bruce McNall. Not a player but did a lot of good, put the Kings on the popular map, made some great trades and also sank the organization behind the scenes that set the franchise back for many years. As for most polarizing player in Kings history, for me would be Jack Johnson. I don't watch college hockey so all the information I read was fan boys who told King fans this guy was destroying everybody in sight at Michigan. Tremendous puck handler and skater. Then I saw him play. Maybe the worst positional defensemen I've ever seen, would constantly lose his man and run around trying to make plays. He killed nobody on the ice but killed it in the minus category and the biggest hit in in a Kings jersey was him getting cleaned out behind the net. The videos on YouTube, Kill Jack Kill, tuns out he was doing that to guys who are now playing beer leagues or selling car insurance. Couldn't wait for him to be gone. Lombardi pulls off a miracle and gets Jeff Carter for him and the rest is history. Went from a low to a high in a matter of a few months. And when King fans bring up Jack's name saying the Kings should trade for him or God forbid sign him in free agency it still pisses me off.

 

[King'sPawn]

Nowadays Muzzin has everyone in a tizzy.

People were split on Armstrong back when he was a 2nd line center.

Doughty and Kopitar have frequently been hot debates.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Usually a couple players each season fit the description.

 

[johnjm22]

In modern Kings history it has to be Blake.

Brown has been divisive at times. He shouldn't be. He should be beloved.

Richards has also become somewhat divisive. I find there's a correlation between those who are overally critical of Brown and those who exaggerate Richard's contributions. These are the "Richards set the tone" type people.

We've also had long polarizing arguments about Cammalleri and even Bud Holloway on this board. Holloway never even played a regular season game for the Kings.

Patrick O'Sullivan, Matt Moulson, and Thomas Hickey also comes to mind.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Used to be Darryl Sydor.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Stoll and Penner. How many couldn't wait until they left as free agents after the 11-12 season? Before the playoffs started of course. Then it was thank god for those guys!

Penner averaged 8 goals per 82 games in the regular season for the Kings. Gave up a 1st for him. Come playoff time, he was money, and even became Mr. Pancakes.

Stoll, infuriating offensive zone penalties, and could never hit the net on the PP. That he was even on the PP was stupid. Today, I think everyone would love a 3rd center like Stoll.

We've also had long polarizing arguments about Cammalleri and even Bud Holloway on this board. Holloway never even played a regular season game for the Kings.

Patrick O'Sullivan, Matt Moulson, and Thomas Hickey also comes to mind.

If Moulson is in there, Purcell and Boyle have to be with him.

 

[johnjm22]

If Moulson is in there, Purcell and Boyle have to be with him.

When Moulson left and had success with NYI, there was a lot of furious debate around here about it. People blamed TM and DL for MM not panning out here. Others believed he was given every opportunity. We were desperate for scoring wingers at the time, so seeing him put up 30 goals right away was extremely frustrating. The issue turned into a proxy debate between the pro DL/TM camp and the anti DL/TM people.

It really boiled over when this game happened: Recaps

There was similar debate about Purcell, but it never got as heated.

There was hardly much arguing over Boyle after he was traded, but there was definitely a long argument about drafting him over Cory Perry.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Used to be Darryl Sydor.

Very true on Sydor. Boucher and Modry are also dmen that had good seasons number wise yet LA fans booed often.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Very true on Sydor. Boucher and Modry are also dmen that had good seasons number wise yet LA fans booed often.

Found this article written about the trade that sent Sydor to Dallas.

Kings Trade Sydor for Two Tough Guys
Looking for elements of toughness, the Kings traded defenseman Darryl Sydor and a fifth-round draft pick in 1996 to the Dallas Stars on Saturday for defenseman Doug Zmolek, 25, and right wing Shane Churla, 30.

Sydor, who had been the subject of trade rumors recently, had been wildly inconsistent since his promising rookie year when the Kings went to the Stanley Cup finals in 1992-93. King Coach Larry Robinson quickly grew frustrated with him this season, calling him a "time bomb."

"It's not a relief," said Sydor, a first-round pick in 1990. "I guess I didn't help the cause the way I was playing. I knew it was going to happen, but I didn't want it to happen. They wanted to get more character players in here, but I believe in myself as a character player."

You could also add Aki Berg and Jamie Storr to the list. Both taken high in their respective drafts, both expected to be the future of the team, with Aki Berg being touted as a top pairing defenseman, and Jamie Storr as a starting netminder, and both failed to reach their potential. The more years passed, the more fans started to get more and more impatient with these two.

 

[BallPointHammer]

Larry Murphy. Throughout his career really.

 

[Butch 19]

Patrick O'Sullivan, Matt Moulson, and Thomas Hickey also comes to mind.

Hickey? How is it his fault that DL thought he had the talent to be a #4OL? He deserved to be picked in the 2nd or 3rd round, where many had him going.

One of the top (bottom) 5 worst King draft picks ever.

 

[Butch 19]

Used to be Darryl Sydor.

I booed. He earned it.

 

[johnjm22]

Hickey? How is it his fault that DL thought he had the talent to be a #4OL?

I don't think anyone is saying it's his fault. Who's saying that? How is it relevent to the conversation?

He deserved to be picked in the 2nd or 3rd round, where many had him going.

He's played 400 career games and counting. Out of all the players taken in the 2007 draft, that's the 26th most. There's an argument to be made he's a late first rounder value wise.

One of the top (bottom) 5 worst King draft picks ever.

Other Kings 1st round picks:

Teubert
Bernier
Tukonen
Tambellini
Grebeshkov
Jens Karlsson
Dave Steckel
Mathieu Biron
Matt Zultek
Storr

Granted none of them were picked as high as Hickey, but I'd take Hickey over any of them.

 

[BigKing]

Sean Avery was one of the only sources of entertainment from LA Kings hockey for a good stretch there. Even though Lappy hating him said all you needed to know about him as a person and teammate, I still loved having him on the team and enjoyed his antics after he left as well.

The "sloppy seconds" thing on Phaneuf was hilarious and was the modern-day version of Reg Dunlop putting a hit out on Tim McCracken. Such a shame the NHL suspended him for it and didn't let him play Phaneuf that night. Would have been must see TV. The stuff with Brodeur--who is a complete and total prick himself--was also fantastic.

In a league full of boring personalities, he was something to talk about even if it was generally bad.

As to the most polarizing player, have to think Blake takes the cake. The captaincy thing and then goes on to help knock us out of the playoffs the next two seasons only to come steal money from the Kings once he was pretty much done. Vetoes a trade at the deadline and then goes to SJ anyways. Best Kings defenseman until Doughty, however. I don't think there is a player that did as much for the Kings on the ice but has F'd them off the ice as much as Blake. The fact he is now the GM really solidifies his position at the top of the list.

Gretzky should be mentioned as well, however. Bring back all his old Edmonton buddies, push players out he didn't like and then sandbag his own trade value when that time came.