Polarizing Players in Kings' History

[ShonSaunders]

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.

Avery was a diving douche. Remember when the Oilers (including MacTavish) went looking for him in the parking lot after that game for “allegedly” call Georges Laraque a monkey? I think he was actually a low point in Kings hockey. He was a guaranteed penalty every shift whether he committed one or not because even the refs hated him.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Bob Miller even hated Avery, as did Norstrom and every other teammate. f*** him.

 

[Albi]

Dustin Brown went after Avery in the locker room and fought him.
He was a POS who just slowed our rebuilding process, I’m wondering why DL waited so long to trade him. On the ice he wasn’t completely useless, but his behavior with his teammates was simply unacceptable. Green, Mitchell, Regehr would have killed him.

 

[KingsFan7824]

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.

I don't know. During that 10-11 season, when Moulson had 31G/53pts, Purcell had 17G/51pts
and Boyle had 21G/35pts, it might've been pretty close between them for a while.

 

[johnjm22]

Bob Miller even hated Avery, as did Norstrom and every other teammate. **** him.

Didn't he do something to disrespect Bob?

I can't remember what it was, but I vaguely remember something happening reguarding him and Miller.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Jozef Stumpel. Brought in not once, but twice, to be the team's "#1 center" and was as soft an NHL player as any who has skated with the Kings.

 

[lumbergh]

I don't find Avery to be polarizing at all. Consensus seemed to be that he was barely tolerable when he was here and completely intolerable when he was not.

 

[BigKing]

Thornton fought Avery, not Brown. It was, however, because Avery was a dick to Brown.

Those teams weren't good. Avery brought an element of "what will he do tonight" to every game. If they are going to lose, I want to be entertained. He was an entertainer, like a clown, but still an entertainer.

 

[KingTrouty]

I want to be entertained. He was an entertainer, like a clown, but still an entertainer.

 

[KingsHockey24]

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?

I for one like Frolov. He's actually my favorite LA King of All-Time. Usually when I go to games I see a few peeps still wearing his jersey as well.

Terry Murray cut his ice-time and was used mostly on the 3rd line/2nd PP and still managed to get 19 goals 50+ points in his final season with us.

 

[TruKingFan]

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.

Gretzky would be my pick as well.

 

[King'sPawn]

Didn't he do something to disrespect Bob?

I can't remember what it was, but I vaguely remember something happening reguarding him and Miller.

Didn't Avery get pissy after Miller suggested he was the goat after a bad game?

 

[kingsholygrail]

Wasn't Storr derailed by a knee injury though?

 

[SlimCharles]

Mathieu Garon was very polarizing. Sometimes he looked great and other times he just looked really bad. The definition of a mediocre goalie.

 

[Legionnaire]

I've lived all this these as well so now I gotta ask? Derek Armstrong? A second line center? What? We were here for that. No debate.

Stumpel? Is this delusion world? Yeah, it was more like please come back so that Derek Armstrong didn't become our first line center.

Holy shit. Wow.

 

[King'sPawn]

I've lived all this these as well so now I gotta ask? Derek Armstrong? A second line center? What? We were here for that. No debate.

Stumpel? Is this delusion world? Yeah, it was more like please come back so that Derek Armstrong didn't become our first line center.

Holy ****. Wow.

Are you saying there wasn't a division of people back when Armstrong was the 2nd line center? I remember there being quite a few discussions.

 

[Reaper45]

Thornton fought Avery, not Brown. It was, however, because Avery was a dick to Brown.

Those teams weren't good. Avery brought an element of "what will he do tonight" to every game. If they are going to lose, I want to be entertained. He was an entertainer, like a clown, but still an entertainer.

He's a dick for sure but he was entertaining as f*** on the ice.

 

[Reaper45]

Wasn't Storr derailed by a knee injury though?

He wasn't right in the head.

 

[Butch 19]

Mathieu Garon was very polarizing. Sometimes he looked great and other times he just looked really bad. The definition of a mediocre goalie.

Disagree 100%. He's the definition of a goalie whose team quit on him. He stole games and shoot outs. He was fun to watch in the shootout.

(hey, look we're polarizing!! )

 

[The Pale King]

Lots of great answers here. I like that people aren't just listing players, but off-ice guys as well. Barry Melrose is another polarizing guy I don't see mentioned here yet. The man behind the bench for the high point of the first 45 years of the franchise, but stubborn and seemingly arrogant, out of the playoffs the other two years.

I don't think I ever read or heard a negative word about Robitaille until the last couple seasons, and that's been combined to his executive role, and strictly on HF.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Sam McMaster, Dave Taylor, Tim Leiweke, Kevin Gilmore and Al Murray have also been credited for making moves that set the Kings back many years. Then again, it also seemed like Taylor was a puppet and those above him were pulling the strings.