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.
Jere Karalahti – 1975 (48)
LA Kings Defenseman (1999 – 2002)
Jere Karalahti was a sixth-round selection (146th overall) of the LA Kings in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, who made his debut six years later on Dec. 11, 1999, against the Montreal Canadiens. After playing professionally in his native Finland, Karalahti eventually came to North America, where he suited up for 134 games in black and silver.
During his time in LA, he collected 26 points with eight goals and 18 assists before being traded to the Nashville Predators for Cliff Ronning on Mar. 6, 2002. After a brief stint with the Predators (15 games), Karalahti returned to Finland in early 2003.
Kurtis MacDermid- 1994 (29)
LA Kings Defenseman (2017 – 2021)
Kurtis MacDermid was an undrafted prospect who signed an entry-level contract with the LA Kings on Sept. 13, 2012. Although he was still playing at the junior level at the time of the signing, he finished playing with the Erie Otters in the OHL before beginning an assignment with the Ontario Reign during the 2015-16 season.
MacDermid made his NHL debut on Oct. 7, 2017, and scored his first goal three weeks later. After 118 games throughout four seasons, he was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 Expansion Draft, bringing an end to his Kings career. Interestingly, the Kraken flipped him to the Colorado Avalanche six days after the draft, allowing MacDermid to win a Stanley Cup title in 2022.
Jean Potvin- 1949 – 2022 (72)
LA Kings Defenseman (1970 – 1972)
Jean Potvin was an undrafted junior prospect who signed the LA Kings on Nov. 15, 1969, making his NHL debut a year later on Dec. 26, 1970. Although his first stint in a Kings’ uniform was short, four games, Potvin returned to the AHL, where he led all Springfield Kings defenders in scoring en route to a Calder Cup championship in 1971.
Despite the success in the minors, Potvin returned to Los Angeles for 39 additional games before a trade to the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 28, 1972. Even though he had a respectable NHL career with 287 points in 613 games, Potvin will always be remembered as the brother of Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Potvin, who won four Stanley Cups with the New York Islanders. Sadly, Jean passed away in 2022 at the age of 72.