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Celebrating LA Kings Player Birthdays – March 18

By Ryan Gagne

15 Nov 2001: Left wing Craig Johnson #23 of the Los Angeles Kings and Darryl Sydor #5 of the Dallas Stars skate during the NHL game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Leafs defeated the Blackhawks 4-1. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2001 NHLI Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross /Getty Images/NHLI
15 Nov 2001: Left wing Craig Johnson #23 of the Los Angeles Kings and Darryl Sydor #5 of the Dallas Stars skate during the NHL game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Leafs defeated the Blackhawks 4-1. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2001 NHLI Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross /Getty Images/NHLI /
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Everyone loves a good celebration, so whether you are cutting your own cake or wishing friends and family a happy birthday today, here are a few LA Kings players, past and present, who were also born on this day.

Gilles Hamel – 1960 (63)

LA Kings Left Winger (1989 – 1990)

Gilles Hamel played 519 games in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, Winnipeg Jets, and Kings. As a fourth-round pick of the Sabres in 1979, he debuted on Nov. 15, 1980, and registered two 20-goal campaigns while playing in upstate New York.

Eventually, Hamel was traded to the Jets in 1986, where he played three seasons before another trade (for Paul Fenton) brought him to the Kings on Nov. 25, 1988. After just 11 games, he skated in the NHL for the last time on Dec. 23, 1988.

Craig Johnson – 1972 (51)

LA Kings Left Winger (1995 – 2003)

Craig Johnson was a St. Louis Blues second-round pick in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, making his debut on Jan. 21, 1995. After 64 games over two seasons with the Blues, Johnson was part of the Wayne Gretzky trade on Feb. 26, 1996, ending The Great One’s tenure in Los Angeles.

Nov. 15, 2001: Left wing Craig Johnson #23, of the Los Angeles Kings, and Darryl Sydor, #5, of the Dallas Stars, skate during the NHL game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Leafs defeated the Blackhawks 4-1. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2001 NHLI Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross /Getty Images/NHLI
Nov. 15, 2001: Left wing Craig Johnson #23, of the Los Angeles Kings, and Darryl Sydor, #5, of the Dallas Stars, skate during the NHL game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Leafs defeated the Blackhawks 4-1. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2001 NHLI Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross /Getty Images/NHLI /

Interestingly, Johnson would spend the same amount of time (eight seasons) in LA as Gretzky did; however, he scored just 141 points in 429 games. Eventually, he would depart for another California team (Anaheim) in 2003, becoming the last player to wear #23 before Dustin Brown put it on for the first time in 2004.

Bob Nevin – 1938 – 2020 (82)

LA Kings Right Winger (1973 – 1977)

Bob Nevin was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1962 and 1963, suiting up for 1128 games over an 18-year career in the NHL. Although he had great success playing for Original Six franchises, Toronto and New York, Nevin made his way to Los Angeles on Jun. 13, 1973, when he was drafted from the Minnesota North Stars.

Upon arriving with the newly established Kings, Nevin became one of the first players in team history to score 30 goals and surpass 70 points in a season while wearing the crown. Interestingly, in just 235 games, he finished with 177 points, complimenting superstar players like Marcel Dionne and Butch Goring during his time in LA.

Brad Selwood – 1972 (75)

LA Kings Defenceman (1979- 1980)

Brad Selwood was a first-round pick, 10th overall, of the Maple Leafs in the 1968 Amateur Entry Draft, who never found success in the NHL. After suiting up for 99 games over two seasons, Selwood jumped to the World Hockey Association, where he won the Avco Cup with the New England Whalers in 1973.

Despite not playing in the NHL for several years, the Montreal Canadiens eventually retained his playing rights and traded him to the Kings on Sept. 14, 1979. Although Selwood had not skated in the league for seven seasons, he returned for 63 games in 1979-80, finishing his professional career in LA with 14 points.

Phil Sykes – 1959 (64)

LA Kings Left Wing (1982 – 1989)

After playing college hockey with the University of North Dakota, Phil Sykes was a free agent when he joined the Kings organization on Apr. 5, 1982. Eventually, the rookie debuted on Nov. 6, 1982, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, appearing in ten games over his first two seasons.

Then, Sykes became an NHL regular in 1984, scoring a personal best 44 points in 1985-86, reaching the 20-goal mark for the only time during his career. Unfortunately, after watching his production dip every season, the Kings traded him to the Jets for Brad Jones on Dec. 1, 1989.

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