OT: Annoying Kings 1990+

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I guess that's the beauty of being a fan as a kid. You remember the players you loved more than you hated. That being said. Roman Cechmanek was a real rough one. I think Jeremy Roenick or someone was watching this one goal go in on Cechmanek and he said "You could've timed that shot with a calendar". Peak Kings mediocrity for me. And like Stumpel, I hated having to confirm how to spell his name.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Kelly Buchberger and Charlie Huddy always got laughs from my Dad and I. Everything about Buchberger was funny to us. I feel like he wore every number in the league. His mouth was off. His lips always seemed super swollen and was rocking that special needs helmet.

Then Huddy. He had the Gretzky non-helmet. Like a toy helmet. Mustache and bald head at 23. Looked like he kept his hair long so it still looked good under a helmet. Like the Al Iafrate "Skullet".

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Jere Karalahti​

Mr. Heroin himself. Had one decent stretch in late 2001 and into the series against Detroit. Then fell off the wagon, and was never seen again. Did continue to play professionally in Europe into 2016 according to hockeydb.com

He had been clean on the dope for a few years before coming to LA in 1999 but keep in mind he was drafted in 1993 - his addiction issues held up his visa in 1998 so he came over in summer 1999 and made the team.

Then he moved to alcohol, which he struggled with in LA and ultimately led to his trade to Nashville, where he also slipped and didn't play in the NHL again. I believe he was investigated in some type of drug dealing ring in the mid 2010s back in Finland but was cleared. But damn did trouble follow that guy around.

I actually admired the guy, he said IDGAF and did what he wanted no matter what people thought. For a hot minute he looked like he could be a solid defender although his skating was terrible, but he was big and mean and would have had a solid career if he could have controlled himself.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Chris Marinucci, circa 1996 or so. Every time I heard his name I felt like having a giant bowl of rigatoni.

 

[histkng23]

Kelly Buchberger and Charlie Huddy always got laughs from my Dad and I. Everything about Buchberger was funny to us. I feel like he wore every number in the league. His mouth was off. His lips always seemed super swollen and was rocking that special needs helmet.

Then Huddy. He had the Gretzky non-helmet. Like a toy helmet. Mustache and bald head at 23. Looked like he kept his hair long so it still looked good under a helmet. Like the Al Iafrate "Skullet".

Kelly Buchberger, while towards the twilight of his career, was a decent player. Wasn't flashy, just showed up every day, and was willing to drop the gloves when needed.

Charlie Huddy......this video (that Puck found if I recall)....says it all

 

[Kings4OT]

Huddy, the original Muffin man

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Kelly Buchberger, while towards the twilight of his career, was a decent player. Wasn't flashy, just showed up every day, and was willing to drop the gloves when needed.

Crazy how he turned into the most useful player in that deal coming to LA from Atlanta, Audette/Kaberle for Buchberger/Emerson. I wish they would have left Emerson at the airport, not only did he suck ass now we have had to deal with him in the front office since. Thanks Bowlby, he's the one who pushed for that trade since Emerson was his Bowling Green buddy.

Huddy, that video never gets old to me. The evolution of goofy defenders during that time are Huddy > Sydor > Berg > J Blow > Muzzin.

There's a great Muzzin video out there too that's similar to this one, I'll have to find it. Classic Muzzin just biffing it all over the place, wiping out for no reason, turn overs right up the gut ending in goals against, missed checks and concussing himself against the glass, its gold..

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I also love the Kelly F**kberger moniker someone used all the time, cracked me up.

Another one was Loco using Shitterberg for Zetterberg.

 

[xis]

Anyone mention Sylvain Couturier yet?

My choice is Maxim Kuznetsov. Puck started calling him CutsNutsOff after he stepped on the puck in game and fell like a sequoia.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Anyone mention Sylvain Couturier yet?

My choice is Maxim Kuznetsov. Puck started calling him CutsNutsOff after he stepped on the puck in game and fell like a sequoia.

First game as a King. Puck went behind the net, he went and tried to retrieve and stepped on it and went down. Other team recovered.

Don't remember if it led to a goal against but I will never forget sitting there watching the game and just shaking my head. I researched him with Detroit fans when the trade happened and all said the same thing - huge size, not a good player.

Kings gave up Schneider for him.

 

[histkng23]

First game as a King. Puck went behind the net, he went and tried to retrieve and stepped on it and went down. Other team recovered.

Don't remember if it led to a goal against but I will never forget sitting there watching the game and just shaking my head. I researched him with Detroit fans when the trade happened and all said the same thing - huge size, not a good player.

Kings gave up Schneider for him.

Kuznetsov was more or less a throw in for the Schneider trade. If I recall correctly, think Schneider was going to be a UFA at the end of 2003, and probably had priced himself out of the self-imposed salary cap the Kings operated under during that period. Think Taylor was trying to model the team after the Red Wings, whom had made a habit of loading up on Russian players from the 90s into the early 2000s. Kuznetsov, who was a 1st pick in 1995, wasn't cracking their lineup, and probably felt a change of scenery was needed. The main component was getting a 1st for the 2003 draft, which ended up being #27, which they chose Jeff Tambellini who was then parlayed with Denis Grebeshkov (who I can still hear Pierre McGuire have an on air orgasm about thinking he was going to be a star D-man) to the Islanders for Brent Sopel & Mark Parrish.

2002-03 season for Kings had high hopes, and started off great, but then injuries to Jason Allison & Adam Deadmarsh (who never played again) started the downhill slide. Allison was particularly devastating because was due to a knee on knee hit from Andy Sutton, and he truly was never the same after that. Sutton, who was known for taking knees out, wasn't punished by the league, which is typical when players take out Kings players (ex. Gavy's injury against the Islanders this year, as well as Anders Lee slew-footing another Kings player later that same period).

Kings tried to load up for the 2003 draft, on the heals of successive years of breaking the record for man games lost to injury (unofficial) during the final seasons of Andy Murray's coaching. Kings had 4 picks in the top 44, in what is considered one of the best draft classes ever. Problem was they had Al Murray as their Director of Scouting, so players like Brian Boyle (who was serviceable), Jeff Tambellini, and Konstantin Pushkarev (WTF!?) were chosen over players such as Corey Perry, Loui Eriksson, Patrice Bergeron, and Shea Weber.