Sweaters and hockey have been synonymous with each other since the infancy of the sport. Teams have been identified by their iconic colours and patterns. Some of them are classic while others are classically awful. This summer our annual series focuses on the best and the worst sweaters in each team’s history. Today we have the best and the worst Los Angeles Kings sweaters in team history.
Los Angeles Kings Sweaters: The Best and Worst
How We Did It?
We at Last Word on Hockey used a variety of methods to compile this list. Polling came from social media, our writers, and fans. We wanted to get a variety of opinions when we put out our list. This compilation will likely spur debate. However, we wanted to see who had the most memorable sweaters in each team’s history. Let’s put our best foot forward with the best sweaters.
The Best of the Los Angeles Kings
The Great One Cometh
Hockey fans and Southern California marked the arrival of Wayne Gretzky with a brand-new look. The notorious Bruce McNall purchased the Kings from the Buss family in 1987 and ownership made a big splash. Bringing the Great One to Los Angeles was a seismic shift that would eventually get the ball rolling in southern expansion.
Los Angeles had always been known for having synergy with the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers in their gold and purple colour scheme. However, McNall wanted to make a new start and big first impression. The Kings decided to go with the NFL’s Los Angeles Raiders colours and it was a hit. In fact, we’ll talk more about this set of sweaters later.
The Originals
Los Angeles came into the league when the NHL’s massive expansion in the 1967 campaign. Original owner Jack Kent Cooke called them “Kings” because he wanted to give the team a regal feel. He also tied into the Lakers, which he also owned at the time, and their colours as well.
#TBT – Rogie Vachon on the cover of Los Angeles Kings Illustrated (November 1973). #Heritage pic.twitter.com/x7D9mjVzg9
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) November 29, 2018
That alignment continued when Dr. Jerry Buss bought the franchise. The Kings had these colours from their inception until 1988. However, these sweaters have come back for special events and the Reverse Retros. Many hockey fans have actually bemoaned the gold and purple colour scheme. Conversely, many Kings rate these sweaters highly.
The Championship Seasons
These sweaters mark great times in Kings history. Los Angeles and the Chicago Blackhawks pretty much ran the show in the Western Conference and in the NHL. The black variation of this sweater started in the 2008-09 season to have a uniform devoid of purple. A white version debuted in the 2011-12 campaign and the alternate became the primary home jersey. These are basic black and white sweaters, but have a clean look about them. They also remind Los Angeles fans of their Stanley Cup past.
The Worst of the Los Angeles Kings
The Burger King Sweaters
Hockey fashion was certainly in the 1990s. A number of teams made wild sweaters designs with garish colour combos. The Kings subjected us to the Burger King sweaters in the 1995-96 after the All-Star Break.
1995-1996 Los Angeles Kings “Burger King” alternate jersey pic.twitter.com/qWCa1XGTvE
— Every NHL Jersey (@everynhljersey) August 3, 2023
It had elements of the old and new colours, but this sweater is just bad. Hockey’s greatest player actually had to don this sweater and it’s just unfashionable. These jerseys are up there with the Anaheim Ducks‘ Wild Wing sweaters for some of the worst. There is so ironic love from some people, but these are ugly.
2020 Stadium Series
Los Angeles may have won the game at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs against the Colorado Avalanche. However, the 3-1 win was really the only good thing about it. Usually the Kings do well with the black and white contrast in their sweaters. On the other hand, it seems like an odd choice with a diagonal pattern and movement lines. We do appreciate the salute to the U.S. Air Force. In contrast, this one just seems like a miss, here.
2015 Stadium Series
The Kings have been in three outdoor games and this entry seems like a miss, too. Los Angeles went with a silver, black and white top with a black middle stripe. However, the sweater goes all wrong with the white pants and the “LA” on the side. White pants seem to be a big no-no and especially after American Labor Day. At least Los Angeles had a decent-looking sweater in the 2014 Stadium Series game. That grey top looked pretty good.
Future Considerations
Los Angeles is going back to the future for the 2024-25 season. These sweaters harken back to the Gretzky-era according to NHL Uniform Database. There’s been praise for these sweaters and that’s a good thing.
The new Los Angeles Kings jersey compared to the O.G. (Original Gretzky) version from 1988-98. Everything's bigger: the crest, the trim, and the giant stripes around the waist.
My story: https://t.co/2iAlWiVIUm pic.twitter.com/cEZZv45ooi
— SportsLogos.Net (@sportslogosnet) June 26, 2024
One sweater that showed up on a number of worst Kings sweaters list was the 1999-2006 purple third sweater. There are no elements of white on the sweater, which is a risk.
Main photo by: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
