1969–70 Los Angeles Kings season

The 1969–70 Los Angeles Kings season was the third ever for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League (NHL). After qualifying for the playoffs in each of their first two seasons, under the direction of coach Red Kelly (who left to take the Pittsburgh job), the Kings finished the season with an NHL-worst record of 14-52-10 (38 points). The team also fired coach Hal Laycoe after just 24 games. His replacement, Johnny Wilson, did not fare much better, winning just nine of the remaining 52 games on the schedule. For the first time in team history, the Kings failed to qualify for the playoffs.

The last remaining active member of the 1969–70 Los Angeles Kings was Butch Goring, who retired after the 1984–85 season.

Offseason In the Entry Draft, the Kings chose goaltender Dale Hoganson with their first pick, 16th overall in the second round.

Regular season

The Kings endured some long stretches of futility during the 1969–70 season: From January 29 through March 5, they went 17 straight games without a victory (0–13–4) From November 8 through November 29, they went 10 straight games without a victory (0–9–1) From January 11 through January 25, and again from January 29 through February 15, they lost 8 straight games From January 11 through February 15, they suffered 11 consecutive road losses. Their only two victories away from home all season were: December 2 (4–3 at Oakland) and January 10 (6–4 at Minnesota)

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

| 1 || 11 || Montreal Canadiens || 1–5 || Montreal || 0–1–0

| 2 || 15 || St. Louis Blues || 1–4 || St. Louis || 0–2–0

| 3 || 17 || Oakland Seals || 1–5 || Oakland || 0–3–0

| 4 || 18 || Oakland Seals || 5–0 || Los Angeles || 1–3-0

| 5 || 22 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–0 || Los Angeles || 2–3-0

| 6 || 25 || Boston Bruins || 2–3 || Los Angeles || 2–4–0

| 7 || 29 || Detroit Red Wings || 2–5 || Los Angeles || 2–5–0

| 8 || 1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–4 || Los Angeles || 2–6–0

| 9 || 5 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 6–2 || Los Angeles || 3–6-0

| 10 || 8 || New York Rangers || 1–4 || Los Angeles || 3–7–0

| 11 || 10 || Montreal Canadiens || 3–6 || Los Angeles || 3–8–0

| 12 || 15 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–3 || Pittsburgh || 3–9–0

| 13 || 16 || Boston Bruins || 4–7 || Boston || 3–10–0

| 14 || 19 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 4–4 || Toronto || 3-10–1

| 15 || 20 || Philadelphia Flyers || 2–3 || Philadelphia || 3–11–1

| 16 || 22 || Minnesota North Stars || 1–4 || Minnesota || 3–12–1

| 17 || 26 || Chicago Black Hawks || 0–6 || Chicago || 3–13–1

| 18 || 27 || Detroit Red Wings || 1–5 || Detroit || 3–14–1

| 19 || 29 || St. Louis Blues || 1–3 || St. Louis || 3–15–1

| 20 || 2 || Oakland Seals || 4–3 || Oakland || 4–15-1

| 21 || 3 || Philadelphia Flyers || 1–7 || Los Angeles || 4–16–1

| 22 || 6 || Oakland Seals || 5–3 || Los Angeles || 5–16-1

| 23 || 10 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 0–2 || Los Angeles || 5–17–1

| 24 || 13 || St. Louis Blues || 1–8 || Los Angeles || 5–18–1

| 25 || 15 || Minnesota North Stars || 4–4 || Los Angeles || 5-182

| 26 || 17 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–1 || Los Angeles || 6–18-2

| 27 || 20 || Minnesota North Stars || 3–3 || Los Angeles || 6-18–3

| 28 || 24 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 1–8 || Toronto || 6–19–3

| 29 || 25 || Boston Bruins || 1–7 || Boston || 6–20–3

| 30 || 28 || New York Rangers || 3–3 || New York || 6-20–4

| 31 || 30 || Minnesota North Stars || 0–0 || Los Angeles || 6-205

| 32 || 1 || Philadelphia Flyers || 4–3 || Los Angeles || 7–20-5

| 33 || 3 || Boston Bruins || 2–6 || Los Angeles || 7–21–5

| 34 || 6 || Montreal Canadiens || 3–4 || Montreal || 7–22–5

| 35 || 8 || Philadelphia Flyers || 1–4 || Philadelphia || 7–23–5

| 36 || 10 || Minnesota North Stars || 6–4 || Minnesota || 8–23-5

| 37 || 11 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–3 || Chicago || 8–24–5

| 38 || 14 || Montreal Canadiens || 2–4 || Montreal || 8–25–5

| 39 || 15 || Boston Bruins || 3–6 || Boston || 8–26–5

| 40 || 17 || St. Louis Blues || 1–3 || St. Louis || 8–27–5

| 41 || 18 || Detroit Red Wings || 1–3 || Detroit || 8–28–5

| 42 || 22 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 2–3 || Los Angeles || 8–29–5

| 43 || 24 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–4 || Pittsburgh || 8–30–5

| 44 || 25 || New York Rangers || 2–3 || New York || 8–31–5

| 45 || 28 || New York Rangers || 5–4 || Los Angeles || 9–31-5

| 46 || 29 || St. Louis Blues || 2–3 || Los Angeles || 9–32–5

| 47 || 31 || Detroit Red Wings || 1–2 || Los Angeles || 9–33–5

| 48 || 5 || Montreal Canadiens || 3–5 || Los Angeles || 9–34–5

| 49 || 7 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–3 || Pittsburgh || 9–35–5

| 50 || 8 || New York Rangers || 1–5 || New York || 9–36–5

| 51 || 11 || New York Rangers || 2–6 || Los Angeles || 9–37–5

| 52 || 14 || St. Louis Blues || 1–2 || St. Louis || 9–38–5

| 53 || 15 || Philadelphia Flyers || 1–7 || Philadelphia || 9–39–5

| 54 || 18 || Boston Bruins || 5–5 || Los Angeles || 9-39–6

| 55 || 19 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–6 || Los Angeles || 9–40–6

| 56 || 21 || St. Louis Blues || 2–4 || Los Angeles || 9–41–6

| 57 || 25 || Minnesota North Stars || 3–3 || Minnesota || 9-41–7

| 58 || 26 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 0–1 || Pittsburgh || 9–42–7

| 59 || 28 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 3–3 || Toronto || 9-42–8

| 60 || 1 || Philadelphia Flyers || 4–4 || Philadelphia || 9-42–9

| 61 || 3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–3 || Los Angeles || 9–43–9

| 62 || 5 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 3–5 || Los Angeles || 9–44–9

| 63 || 7 || Oakland Seals || 5–3 || Los Angeles || 10–44-9

| 64 || 8 || Oakland Seals || 2–2 || Oakland || 10-44–10

| 65 || 12 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–1 || Los Angeles || 11–44-10

| 66 || 14 || Philadelphia Flyers || 3–5 || Los Angeles || 11–45–10

| 67 || 15 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–5 || Chicago || 11–46–10

| 68 || 17 || Detroit Red Wings || 2–3 || Detroit || 11–47–10

| 69 || 19 || Montreal Canadiens || 1–6 || Los Angeles || 11–48–10

| 70 || 21 || Detroit Red Wings || 1–4 || Los Angeles || 11–49–10

| 71 || 24 || St. Louis Blues || 0–4 || Los Angeles || 11–50–10

| 72 || 26 || Philadelphia Flyers || 3–2 || Los Angeles || 12–50-10

| 73 || 28 || Minnesota North Stars || 4–2 || Los Angeles || 13–50-10

| 74 || 31 || Minnesota North Stars || 2–5 || Minnesota || 13–51–10

| 75 || 3 || Oakland Seals || 1–4 || Oakland || 13–52–10

| 76 || 4 || Oakland Seals || 4–1 || Los Angeles || 14–52-10

Legend:

Player statistics Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes Player GP G A Pts PIM Ross Lonsberry 76 20 22 42 118 Eddie Joyal 59 18 22 40 8 Butch Goring 59 13 23 36 8 Eddie Shack 73 22 12 34 113 Bill Flett 69 14 18 32 70 Leon Rochefort 76 9 23 32 14 Jimmy Peters Jr. 74 15 9 24 10 Ted Irvine 58 11 13 24 10 Phil "Skip" Krake 58 5 17 22 86 Bob Wall 70 5 13 18 26 Bill White 40 4 11 15 21 Dick Duff 32 5 8 13 8 Dennis Hextall 28 5 7 12 40 Larry Cahan 70 4 8 12 52 Mike Corrigan 36 6 4 10 30 Matt Ravlich 21 3 7 10 34 Dale Rolfe 55 1 9 10 77 Bryan Campbell 31 4 4 8 4 Dale Hoganson 49 1 7 8 37 Brent Hughes 52 1 7 8 108 Real Lemieux 18 2 4 6 10 Gilles Marotte 21 0 6 6 32 Howie Hughes 21 0 4 4 0 Garry Monahan 21 0 3 3 12 Juha Widing 4 0 2 2 2 Jacques Lemieux 3 0 1 1 0 Jim Stanfield 1 0 0 0 0 Gary Croteau 3 0 0 0 0

Goaltending Note: GP = Games played; MIN = Minutes; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average Player GP MIN W L T SO GAA Denis DeJordy 21 1147 5 11 4 0 3.24 Gerry Desjardins 43 2453 7 29 5 3 3.89 Wayne Rutledge 20 960 2 12 1 0 4.25

Transactions The Kings were involved in the following transactions during the 1969–70 season.

Trades May 14, 1969To Los Angeles KingsRoss Lonsberry Eddie ShackTo Boston BruinsKen Turlik 1st round pick in 1971 – Ron Jones 1st round pick in 1973 – Andre Savard June 9, 1969To Los Angeles KingsDennis Hextall Leon RochefortTo New York RangersReal Lemieux June 12, 1969To Los Angeles KingsCashTo St. Louis Blues8th round pick in 1969 – Pat Lange June 12, 1969To Los Angeles KingsCashTo Montreal Canadiens6th round pick in 1969 – Guy Delparte 7th round pick in 1969 – Ian Wilkie September 1, 1969To Los Angeles KingsRoger CoteTo Phoenix Roadrunners (WHLJim Murray November 17, 1969To Los Angeles KingsRights to Jean Potvin 2nd round pick in 1970 – Al McDonough 3rd round pick in 1970 – Terry HolbrookTo Montreal Canadiens2nd round pick in 1970 – Buster Harvey 3rd round pick in 1970 – Steve Carlyle 4th round pick in 1970 – Cal Hammond January 23, 1970To Los Angeles KingsDick DuffTo Montreal CanadiensDennis Hextall 2nd round pick in 1971 – Larry Robinson February 1, 1970To Los Angeles KingsGary MarshTo Toronto Maple LeafsJacques Lemieux February 20, 1970To Los Angeles KingsGarry Monahan Matt Ravlich Brian GibbonsTo Detroit Red WingsGary Croteau Dale Rolfe Larry Johnston February 20, 1970To Los Angeles KingsGilles Marotte Jim Stanfield Denis DeJordyTo Chicago Black HawksBryan Campbell Bill White Gerry Desjardins February 27, 1970To Los Angeles KingsReal Lemieux Juha WidingTo New York RangersTed Irvine

Free agent signings November 15, 1969From Springfield Kings (AHL)Jean Potvin

Intra-league Draft June 11, 1969To Chicago Black HawksHowie Menard June 11, 1969To St. Louis BluesRon Anderson

Reverse Draft June 12, 1969To Denver Spurs (WHL)Jacques Caron June 12, 1969From Pittsburgh PenguinsNoel Price

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Nationality 2 16Dale Hoganson 3 27Gregg Boddy 4 39Bruce Landon 5 51Butch Goring

NOTE: Back before 1979, the amateur draft was held with varying rules and procedures. In 1969, teams only needed to select as many player as they wanted to, which is why there were only four Kings players drafted.

References Kings on Hockey Database