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Best and worst sweaters of all-time: Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar, Ray Emery

Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, center, shoots against Anaheim Ducks goalie Ray Emery during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

AP

From the early days of Dave Taylor and Marcel Dionne in Los Angeles to the current times with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown, the Kings have always been proud of their crowns and that’s with good reason. The Kings have always looked good in Hollywood and while that’s necessary when playing there, there’s a look or two that stands out above all over their history.

Best: I’ve stressed from the get-go with this series that sometimes teams get it right immediately and have an original look that beats all comers. Such is the case with the Kings whose purple and gold original sweaters are magnificent. When they added names to both the home and road sweaters in 1977 that’s when things got really real for the Kings. That look was so good that the Kings used the purple road sweaters as special alternates last year and will do it again this season. That kind of beauty is hard to find these days.

Worst: I’ve dilly-dallied with some of the other brutal sweaters. I didn’t hammer down on the Islanders’ fisherman, I didn’t bury the Vancouver “Flying V’s”, but I will thoroughly trash the Kings’ 1996 alternate sweater. You’ll know this one better as their “Burger King” third jersey because of the creepy head of the king over the shoulder while there were swooping streaks and an odd numbering and lettering style on the sweater. It’s creepy, it’s weird, and it’s part of a pack of third jerseys from that year that defy explanation. Worst of all, they made Gretzky wear these at one point. Egregious. The guys at The Royal Half did an incredible writeup on the history of the Burger King sweater that’s more than worth your time to read, just remember to avert your eyes when gazing upon the king himself.

Silver and black attack: When Bruce McNall bought the Kings and pulled Wayne Gretzky away from the Oilers, the Kings broke out a very Raiders-like silver and black look that the Great One helped make look iconic for the time. It helps that the Kings saw their greatest success with Gretzky with these sweaters and it makes even more sense that it’s a look that the Kings are going back to this season.

Assessment: Like it or not, the Kings are going back to the silver and black look thanks to the inspiration by their recent third sweater. Some dig the new “LA” crest that makes you think of the 90s Kings (I’m one of them) while others despise it. Their now former home black and purple sweater will be their alternate and they’re making the road sweaters a white version of the black sweater. To me it’s a nice look and since I have a slight affinity for the 90s Kings look, I’m cool with it. That said, getting teased occasionally with the 60s-70s purple Kings sweater with the crown is a cruel tease. It’s such a sweet look it hurts to see it only rarely.