LA Kings: Top five hottest starts to career with organization
While his goal-streak was snapped on Thursday evening, Andreas Athanasiou nonetheless made the LA Kings and their fanbase take notice.
A.A. scored goals in each of his first three games with the LA Kings, joining only Bill Lesuk and Wayne Gretzky as the only players to accomplish the franchise feat. Despite being unable to equal the latter’s record of four, Athanasiou has received deserved praise regardless.
His achievement has also brought up memories of other players who have had hot starts to their respective Kings tenures.
With that in mind, here is a list of the top 5 hottest starts to an LA Kings career:
5. Jeremy Roenick
When the infamous 2004-05 lockout ended, there was a palpable sense of excitement for fans all around the NHL. Those of the LA Kings were no exception as their team would start the 2005-06 season with newly-acquired all-star Jeremy Roenick.
In his first game with the Kings, Roenick did not disappoint, scoring two goals in the first 4:18 of the game.
If Kings fans thought this was a sign of things to come, however, they would soon be disappointed. In 58 games for the Kings that season, Roenick would only score nine goals and 13 assists — his lowest career totals since his rookie season of 1988-89. He only played 20 games that season, by the way.
2005-06 was Roenick’s only season with the Kings as he would sign with the Phoenix Coyotes in the summer of 2006.
4. Andreas Athanasiou
His accomplishment was already touched on, but three goals in your first three games as a King does warrant repeating.
Despite scoring 30 goals for the Detroit Red Wings in 2018-19, A.A. collected just 11 goals and 15 assists last season between Detroit and Edmonton. Those are still decent numbers, but for the skeptics, it’s enough to believe that the Kings perhaps could have done better.
There are still many more games to go this season, but the 26-year-old is already proving that he is a valuable commodity, especially being a late offseason signing.
3. Jim Fox
Whether it’s been for 40 years or 40 days, fans of the LA Kings know and love Jim Fox.
While he has been known as the club’s TV color analyst for many years, it’s easy to forget that the native of Colliston, Ont. was quite the player, as well. In fact, Fox’s career with the Kings had a promising start.
In his rookie season of 1981-82, Fox scored three goals and three assists in his first four games. But, unlike No. 5 in our list, Fox would be a consistent contributor for his new team.
In 77 games in 1981-82, Fox would score 30 goals and add 38 assists for 68 points. He would even help the underdog Kings to arguably the biggest playoff upset in NHL history that spring.
2. Luc Robitaille
A 9th-round draft selection (171st overall) in 1984, Luc Robitaille’s career trajectory didn’t look so promising. After the LA Kings drafted him, though, Robitaille would break out offensively for the QMJHL’s Hull Olympiques before making the jump to the NHL in 1986.
Not only would Robitaille make the Kings’ opening-night roster, but he would also score eight goals and five assists in his first 10 games with the club, including three two-goal outings.
Robitaille would finish his rookie season with 45 goals and 84 points, earning the Calder Trophy for the NHL’s top freshman. He would also go on to achieve unprecedented success with the Kings — first as a player and then as an executive — helping earn the Kings two Stanley Cups in the latter role.
Not bad for a 9th-rounder.
1. Wayne Gretzky
To this day, it is regarded as the biggest trade in sports — not just hockey — history.
In an earth-shattering trade, Wayne Gretzky was traded to the upstart LA Kings and wasted no time giving fans in Los Angeles what they wanted to see.
As mentioned, Gretzky holds the franchise record for most consecutive games with a goal to start a Kings career with four. However, No. 99 would go on a 23-game point streak to begin his career with his new team, amassing 16 goals and 29 assists during that span.
Next. Win over Colorado Avalanche quelled panic for team. dark
In 74 games for the Kings in 1988-89, Gretzky would score 54 goals and 114 assists for 168 points. His efforts earned him a record ninth Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP before leading his new team to a first-round upset of the defending Stanley Cup champions, his former team, the Edmonton Oilers.