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Celebrating LA Kings Birthdays – April 7

By Ryan Gagne

May 8, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Troy Stecher (51) controls the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Troy Stecher (51) controls the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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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.

Rob Murphy – 1969 (54)

LA Kings Center (1993 – 1994)

The Vancouver Canucks selected Rob Murphy as the 24th overall pick (second round) in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, who debuted with the club on Jan. 29, 1988, against the Hartford Whalers. Interestingly, two years later, on Feb. 9, 1990, he scored his first goal against those same Whalers in a 4-1 win.

Unable to remain a regular (73 games) in the Canucks lineup after five seasons, Murphy was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the 1992 Expansion Draft. After ten points in 44 games with the Sens, he signed as a free agent with the LA Kings on Aug. 2, 1993, suiting up for just eight games before departing the NHL for the IHL, eventually retiring after a stint in Germany.

Jim Paek – 1967 (66)

LA Kings Defenseman (1993 – 1994)

Jim Paek was the first NHL player from the Republic of Korea and the first player from the country to capture the Stanley Cup, winning back-to-back titles with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. Interestingly, Paek only played in three regular-season games during his rookie season, making his NHL debut on Oct. 13, 1990, then played in eight games, including five of the six games in the Stanley Cup Final to earn his first ring.

In this picture taken on Jan. 24, 2022, Canadian coach and former international Jim Paek — the first Korea-born NHL player to win the Stanley Cup — who also coached South Korea’s national ice hockey team at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games, takes part in a practice session with his Anyang Halla teammates in Anyang. – As 2018 hosts, South Korea dreamed of Olympic ice hockey glory, importing a star coach and roster of players. Four years later, not only did they fail to qualify for this week’s Beijing Games — most of their players quit the sport. – TO GO WITH Oly-2018-2022-KOR-ihockey, FOCUS by Sunghee Hwang (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP) / TO GO WITH Oly-2018-2022-KOR-ihockey, FOCUS by Sunghee Hwang (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)
In this picture taken on Jan. 24, 2022, Canadian coach and former international Jim Paek — the first Korea-born NHL player to win the Stanley Cup — who also coached South Korea’s national ice hockey team at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games, takes part in a practice session with his Anyang Halla teammates in Anyang. – As 2018 hosts, South Korea dreamed of Olympic ice hockey glory, importing a star coach and roster of players. Four years later, not only did they fail to qualify for this week’s Beijing Games — most of their players quit the sport. – TO GO WITH Oly-2018-2022-KOR-ihockey, FOCUS by Sunghee Hwang (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP) / TO GO WITH Oly-2018-2022-KOR-ihockey, FOCUS by Sunghee Hwang (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images) /

As a regular in the Pens lineup (49 games) the following season, Paek suited up for 19 playoff games to assist the team in their repeat as champions. Although his best season, 18 points in 77 games, came in 1992-93, his production dipped the following year, which resulted in a trade to the LA Kings on Feb. 16, 1994. Even though his stint in Hollywood was brief (18 games), he was traded to the Senators in June 1994, where he finished his NHL career in 1995.

Troy Stecher – 1994 (69)

LA Kings Defenseman (2021 – 2022)

Troy Stecher plays with the Calgary Flames, his fifth NHL team in seven seasons since making his debut on Oct. 25, 2016, as a member of the Canucks. Interestingly, he became an NHL regular as a 22-year-old, playing in over 68 games in each of his first four seasons, scoring a career-high 24 points during his rookie campaign.

May 8, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Troy Stecher (51) controls the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Troy Stecher (51) controls the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

However, his time in Vancouver ended in the summer of 2020 when Stecher signed with the Red Wings and played for a year and a half before a trade to the LA Kings on Mar. 20, 2022. After a brief 13-game appearance in blue and silver, he departed as a free agent for the Arizona Coyotes. Recently, he was part of a 2022-23 trade deadline deal that brought him back to Western Canada.

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