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Celebrating LA Kings Birthdays – May 15

By Ryan Gagne

MONTREAL, CANADA - DECEMBER 10: Assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings Jim Hiller, works the bench during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on December 10, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA - DECEMBER 10: Assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings Jim Hiller, works the bench during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on December 10, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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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.

Jim Hiller – 1969 (54)

Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada – LA Kings Right Wing (1992 – 1993)

Jim Hiller, who currently serves as an assistant coach under Todd McLellan, is a former 10th pick (207th overall) in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. After making his debut on Oct. 6, 1992, he played just 40 games with the Kings before being included in the Paul Coffey trade with the Detroit Red Wings that brought Jimmy Carson to Los Angeles in 1993.

MONTREAL, CANADA – DECEMBER 10: Assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings, Jim Hiller, works the bench during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on December 10, 2022, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA – DECEMBER 10: Assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings, Jim Hiller, works the bench during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on December 10, 2022, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Eventually, Miller left the NHL for Europe after 63 games, collecting just 20 points in North America before embarking on a career in the IHL, DEL, and finally, Italy. Moreover, he retired from professional hockey in 2002, returning to the WHL to coach the Tro-City Americans. Then, in 2004, he landed his first NHL job with the Detroit Red Wings, moving on to stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders before returning home to the Kings.

Dave Langevin – 1954 (68)

St. Paul, Minnesota, USA – LA Kings Defenseman (1986 – 1987)

Unless you were a diehard Islanders fan during their dynasty years of 1980-1984, you might have forgotten that Dave Langevin was a member of all four championship teams, despite playing in just 513 NHL Games. After beginning his professional career in the WHA, he came to New York in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft as a seventh-round pick (112th overall).

Eventually, Langevin left Long Island and played a season with the Minnesota North Stars before signing as a free agent with the Kings in February 1987. Although he only played in 11 games with the club, he did score four points to bring his career total to 119 points. Upon retirement, he got into coaching at the junior level and worked with the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. Interestingly, he was inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993.

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