Editing Los Angeles Kings (section)

===Marcel Dionne and the "Triple Crown Line" (1975–1988)===
After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in both [[1973–74 NHL season|1973–74]] and [[1974–75 NHL season|1974–75]], the Kings moved to significantly upgrade their offensive firepower when they acquired center [[Marcel Dionne]] from the [[Detroit Red Wings]].<ref name="Kings07008GuideP114">{{cite book |author=Los Angeles Kings Communications Department |title=2007–08 Los Angeles Kings Media Guide |page=114}}</ref> Behind Dionne's offensive prowess, the strong goaltending of Rogie Vachon, and the speed and scoring touch of forward [[Butch Goring]],<ref name="GoringFR">{{cite news |last=Matsuda |first=Gann |url=http://frozenroyalty.net/2010/02/24/butch-goring-was-the-la-kings-first-star-fan-favorite" |title=Butch Goring Was The LA Kings' First Star, Fan Favorite |publisher=FrozenRoyalty.net/Gann Matsuda |date=February 24, 2010 |access-date=July 25, 2012}}</ref> the Kings played two of their most thrilling seasons yet, with playoff match ups against the then-[[Atlanta Flames]] in the first round, and the [[Boston Bruins]] in the second round, both times being eliminated by Boston.

[[File:Marcel Dionne 1987.JPG|thumb|upright|left|Acquired by the Kings in 1975, [[Marcel Dionne]] was paired with [[Dave Taylor (ice hockey)|Dave Taylor]] and [[Charlie Simmer]]. The line, known as the Triple Crown Line, went on to be one of the highest-scoring line combinations in NHL history.]]
Bob Pulford left the Kings after the [[1976–77 NHL season|1976–77 season]] after constant feuding with then owner Jack Kent Cooke, and General Manager [[Jake Milford]] decided to leave as well. This led to struggles in the [[1977–78 NHL season|1977–78 season]], where the Kings finished below .500 and were easily swept out of the first round by the Maple Leafs. Afterwards, Vachon became a free agent and sign with the Red Wings. The following season, Kings coach [[Bob Berry (ice hockey)|Bob Berry]] tried juggling line combinations, and Dionne found himself on a new line with two young, mostly unknown players: second-year right winger [[Dave Taylor (ice hockey)|Dave Taylor]] and left winger [[Charlie Simmer]], who had been a career minor-leaguer.<ref name="Kings0708Guide4" /> Each player benefited from each other, with Simmer being the gritty player who battled along the boards, Taylor being the play maker, and Dionne being the natural goal scorer. This line combination, known as the "Triple Crown Line", would go on to become one of the highest-scoring line combinations in NHL history.<ref name="Kings0708Guide4" /><ref name="Miller105-109">{{cite book |last1=Miller |first1=Bob |last2=Schultz|first2=Randy|title=Bob Miller's Tales From The Los Angeles Kings|publisher=Sports Publishing, LLC|location=Champaign, Illinois|year=2006|isbn=1-58261-811-9 |pages=105–109}}</ref> During the first three seasons of the Triple Crown Line, a period where Dr. [[Jerry Buss]] purchased the Kings, the Lakers, and the Forum for $67.5 million,<ref name="KingsMediaGuide97-98P4" /> the Kings were eliminated in the first round. The Kings regressed in [[1981–82 NHL season|1981–82]] finishing 17th overall, but this was nevertheless good enough to make the [[1982 Stanley Cup playoffs]] under the new format put in place that year as they were still fourth in their division with 63 points, the lowest point total of any playoff team but ahead of the [[Colorado Rockies (NHL)|Colorado Rockies]], the worst team in the league that season. However, Los Angeles managed to upset the second overall [[Edmonton Oilers]], who finished 48 points ahead of them during the season and were led by the young [[Wayne Gretzky]].<ref name="2008OfficialGuideP152">{{cite book |editor=McCarthy, Dave |title=National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2008 |publisher=Triumph Books |year=2007 |page=152 |isbn=978-1-60078-037-0}}</ref> With two victories in Edmonton and one at the Forum – dubbed "[[Miracle on Manchester]]", where the Kings managed to erase a 5–0 deficit in the third period and eventually win in [[Overtime (hockey)|overtime]] – the Kings upset the vaunted Oilers, but they wound up eliminated by eventual finalists [[Vancouver Canucks]] in five games.<ref name="Kings0708GuideP5">{{cite book |author=Los Angeles Kings Communications Department |title=2007–08 Los Angeles Kings Media Guide |page=5}}</ref>

The 1982 off-season saw the moribund Rockies move to [[East Rutherford, New Jersey]]. To keep the divisions geographically and numerically balanced, the renamed [[New Jersey Devils]] were re-aligned to the Patrick Division while the [[Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)|Winnipeg Jets]] took their place in the Smythe Division. It was immediately apparent that the Kings, now the lone American team in the division, would have a much more difficult time staying out of last place since Winnipeg, after struggling for their first two seasons after [[1979 NHL expansion|moving over from the WHA]], had already improved to a .500 record the previous season. Despite Dionne's leadership, the Kings missed the playoffs in the next two seasons.

The Kings managed to record a winning record in [[1984–85 NHL season|1984–85]] under coach [[Pat Quinn (ice hockey)|Pat Quinn]], although it was still only good enough for fourth place. This time, the Kings were quickly swept out of the playoffs by the Oilers on their way to capturing their second-straight Stanley Cup championship.<ref name="Kings0708GuideP202" /> After a losing season in [[1985–86 NHL season|1985–86]], the Kings saw two important departures during [[1986–87 NHL season|1986–87]], as Quinn signed a contract in December to become coach and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks with just months left on his Kings contract – eventually being suspended by [[NHL Commissioner|NHL President]] [[John Ziegler (sports administrator)|John Ziegler]] for creating a conflict of interest -<ref name="NYT-Quinn">{{cite news |title=SPORTS PEOPLE; 'Intolerable Position' |work=The New York Times |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1D71039F933A25753C1A961948260 |date=October 7, 1987 |access-date=March 20, 2008}}</ref> and Dionne left the franchise in March in a trade to the [[New York Rangers]].<ref name="Kings0708GuideP180">{{cite book |author=Los Angeles Kings Communications Department |title=2007–08 Los Angeles Kings Media Guide |page=180}}</ref> Despite these shocks, a young squad that would lead the Kings into the next decade, including star forwards [[Bernie Nicholls]], [[Jimmy Carson]], [[Luc Robitaille]], and defenseman [[Steve Duchesne]],<ref name="Kings0708GuideP5" /> started to flourish under head coach [[Mike Murphy (ice hockey, born 1950)|Mike Murphy]], who played thirteen season with the Kings and was their captain for seven years, and his replacement [[Robbie Ftorek]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-07-sp-18172-story.html|title=Murphy Is Fired by Kings : Poor Record Cited; New Haven Coach May Get the Job|author=Crowe, Jerry|date=December 7, 1987|work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=March 20, 2008}}</ref><ref name="ftorek" /> The Kings made the playoffs for two seasons, but they were unable to get out of the first round given the playoff structuring forced them to play either the Oilers or the equally powerful [[Calgary Flames]] en route to the conference finals. In all, the Kings faced either the Oilers or the Flames in the playoffs four times during the 1980s.<ref name="playoff80s">{{cite web |url=http://kings.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=64410 |title=Playoff Games 1980s |publisher=Los Angeles Kings |access-date=March 20, 2008}}</ref>