The 1968–69 Los Angeles Kings season was the

second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...

ever for the Los Angeles Kings in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

. After finishing a surprising second place during the 1967–68 season, the Kings stumbled in their second regular season, finishing with a 24–42–10 record, good for 58 points and fourth place in the six-team Western Division. The Kings made the playoffs, losing in the West Division Final to the St. Louis Blues.

Offseason

The Kings acquired goaltender

Gerry Desjardins Gerard Ferdinand Desjardins (born July 22, 1944) is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, and Buffalo Sabres, and also played one ...

from the

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...

in June, giving up two first-round picks. Goaltender Terry Sawchuk was traded to the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

in October for

Jimmy Peters, Jr. James Stephen Peters Jr. (born June 20, 1944) is a Canadian retired ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left wing who played 309 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings between 1964 and 1974. After his play ...

On the same day the Kings picked up goaltender prospect Wayne Thomas of the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

from the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

. Desjardins would play the majority of games with

Wayne Rutledge Wayne Alvin Rutledge (January 5, 1942 – October 5, 2004) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings and the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Houston Aeros. ...

his main backup.

Regular season

The Kings second season began with playoff expectations following a second-place finish in their inaugural season. The Kings played well enough at home to be competitive for a playoff spot, but they only won 5 road games all season. Attendance for the season exceeded 300,000 for the first time over a 38-game home schedule.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Playoffs

The Kings pulled off a first round upset, knocking off their in-state rivals the Oakland Seals in seven games in the NHL Quarter-finals. The Kings would then be swept by the St. Louis Blues in the West Division final.

Bill Flett William Mayer Flett (July 21, 1943 – July 12, 1999) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames. Flett then moved t ...

led all Kings playoff scorers with 7 points, while

Eddie Joyal Edward Abel Joyal (born May 8, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers between 1963 and 1972. He also played ...

and Ted Irvine had 6 points each. Irvine had 5 goals to lead the club.

Schedule and results

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Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

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New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

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, , 2–5 , , Los Angeles , , 1–4–1 , - align="center" , 7 , , 26 , ,

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...

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Chicago Black Hawks (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

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Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

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, , 2–5 , , Los Angeles , , 6–6–1 , - align="center" , 14 , , 16 , , Minnesota North Stars , , 2–3 , , Minnesota , , 6–7–1 , - align="center" , 15 , , 17 , ,

, , 1–3 , , Philadelphia , , 6–8–1 , - align="center" , 16 , , 20 , ,

, , 2–4 , , New York , , 6–9–1 , - align="center" , 17 , , 21 , ,

, , 1–4 , , Boston , , 6–10–1 , - align="center" , 18 , , 23 , ,

, , 2–2 , , Pittsburgh , , 6-10–2 , - align="center" , 19 , , 24 , ,

, , 3–1 , , Philadelphia , , 7–10-2 , - align="center" , 20 , , 27 , ,

, , 2–4 , , Los Angeles , , 7–11–2 , - align="center" , 21 , , 30 , ,

, , 2–4 , , Los Angeles , , 7–12–2 , - , - align="center" , 22 , , 4 , ,

, , 3–1 , , Los Angeles , , 8–12-2 , - align="center" , 23 , , 7 , , Minnesota North Stars , , 3–2 , , Los Angeles , , 9–12-2 , - align="center" , 24 , , 11 , ,

, , 6–3 , , Los Angeles , , 10–12-2 , - align="center" , 25 , , 14 , ,

, , 2–1 , , Pittsburgh , , 11–12-2 , - align="center" , 26 , , 15 , , St. Louis Blues , , 1–3 , , St. Louis , , 11–13–2 , - align="center" , 27 , , 18 , ,

, , 2–2 , , Montreal , , 11-13–3 , - align="center" , 28 , , 19 , ,

, , 4–6 , , Boston , , 11–14–3 , - align="center" , 29 , , 21 , ,

, , 1–2 , , Los Angeles , , 11–15–3 , - align="center" , 30 , , 26 , , Minnesota North Stars , , 4–4 , , Los Angeles , , 11-15–4 , - align="center" , 31 , , 28 , ,

, , 4–1 , , Toronto , , 12–15-4 , - align="center" , 32 , , 29 , ,

, , 1–4 , , Chicago , , 12–16–4 , - , - align="center" , 33 , , 1 , , St. Louis Blues , , 0–0 , , Los Angeles , , 12-16–5 , - align="center" , 34 , , 5 , , Oakland Seals , , 0–0 , , Oakland , , 12-16–6 , - align="center" , 35 , , 7 , , St. Louis Blues , , 0–5 , , St. Louis , , 12–17–6 , - align="center" , 36 , , 9 , ,

, , 2–6 , , Detroit , , 12–18–6 , - align="center" , 37 , , 11 , ,

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, , 3–9 , , Chicago , , 15–23–6 , - align="center" , 45 , , 29 , ,

, , 3–1 , , Los Angeles , , 16–23-6 , - align="center" , 46 , , 30 , ,

, , 5–7 , , Los Angeles , , 16–24–6 , - , - align="center" , 47 , , 1 , , Oakland Seals , , 8–5 , , Los Angeles , , 17–24-6 , - align="center" , 48 , , 4 , , St. Louis Blues , , 4–2 , , Los Angeles , , 18–24-6 , - align="center" , 49 , , 6 , ,

, , 2–4 , , Los Angeles , , 18–25–6 , - align="center" , 50 , , 8 , ,

, , 4–2 , , Pittsburgh , , 19–25-6 , - align="center" , 51 , , 9 , ,

, , 0–5 , , Detroit , , 19–26–6 , - align="center" , 52 , , 11 , ,

, , 3–7 , , Montreal , , 19–27–6 , - align="center" , 53 , , 13 , ,

, , 4–1 , , Los Angeles , , 20–27-6 , - align="center" , 54 , , 15 , , St. Louis Blues , , 1–4 , , St. Louis , , 20–28–6 , - align="center" , 55 , , 16 , ,

, , 3–6 , , Detroit , , 20–29–6 , - align="center" , 56 , , 19 , , Minnesota North Stars , , 4–7 , , Minnesota , , 20–30–6 , - align="center" , 57 , , 20 , ,

, , 2–6 , , Los Angeles , , 20–31–6 , - align="center" , 58 , , 22 , , St. Louis Blues , , 1–3 , , Los Angeles , , 20–32–6 , - align="center" , 59 , , 23 , , Oakland Seals , , 4–3 , , Oakland , , 21–32-6 , - align="center" , 60 , , 24 , , Minnesota North Stars , , 1–1 , , Los Angeles , , 21-32–7 , - align="center" , 61 , , 26 , ,

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, , 2–2 , , Los Angeles , , 21-33–8 , - align="center" , 63 , , 5 , ,

, , 4–6 , , Toronto , , 21–34–8 , - align="center" , 64 , , 6 , ,

, , 1–5 , , Philadelphia , , 21–35–8 , - align="center" , 65 , , 8 , ,

, , 3–3 , , Montreal , , 21-35–9 , - align="center" , 66 , , 9 , ,

, , 2–7 , , Boston , , 21–36–9 , - align="center" , 67 , , 12 , ,

, , 0–4 , , Los Angeles , , 21–37–9 , - align="center" , 68 , , 15 , ,

, , 3–1 , , Los Angeles , , 22–37-9 , - align="center" , 69 , , 18 , , Oakland Seals , , 3–2 , , Los Angeles , , 23–37-9 , - align="center" , 70 , , 20 , ,

, , 4–2 , , Los Angeles , , 24–37-9 , - align="center" , 71 , , 22 , , Oakland Seals , , 0–4 , , Los Angeles , , 24–38–9 , - align="center" , 72 , , 23 , , Oakland Seals , , 4–5 , , Oakland , , 24–39–9 , - align="center" , 73 , , 26 , ,

, , 4–8 , , Pittsburgh , , 24–40–9 , - align="center" , 74 , , 27 , ,

, , 2–4 , , Philadelphia , , 24–41–9 , - align="center" , 75 , , 29 , , St. Louis Blues , , 1–3 , , Los Angeles , , 24–42–9 , - align="center" , 76 , , 30 , , Minnesota North Stars , , 3–3 , , Los Angeles , , 24-42–10 , -

Playoffs

;West Division Semi-final Los Angeles Kings vs. Oakland Seals ''Los Angeles'' wins best-of-seven series 4–3. ;West Division Final Los Angeles Kings vs. St. Louis Blues ''St. Louis'' wins best-of-seven series 4–0.

Player statistics

Forwards

''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes''

Defencemen

''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes''

Goaltending

''Note: GP = Games played; MIN = Minutes; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average''

Awards and records

Records

Milestones

Transactions

The Kings were involved in the following transactions during the 1968–69 season.

Trades

Reverse Draft

Intra-league Draft

Draft picks

*NOTE: Back before 1979, the amateur draft was held with varying rules and procedures. In 1968, teams only needed to select as many player as they wanted to, which is why there was only one Kings player drafted.

References

Kings on Hockey Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:1968-69 Los Angeles Kings Season Los Angeles Kings seasons

Los LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to: Science and technology * Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation * Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers * Level of significance, a measure of statistical significance ...

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