TRH GAMEDAY 54 – CALGARY FLAMES: Barry Important Game
The LA Kings have something big to celebrate before their showdown with the Calgary Flames.
No, not their two-game winning streak.
It’s time to honor the man, the myth, the mullet!
*swoon*
Barry Melrose coached the LA Kings during their first ever run to the Stanley Cup Final. While they fell short of winning the title, that 1993 playoff run was filled with so many wonderful moments that have been etched into memories of Kings’ fans.
Probably the best game in Kings history until 2012.
All the feelings.
So a coach who went on such a run probably had a longstanding career with the team, right?
Well, not exactly.
Melrose spent only parts of three seasons with the Kings. During that time he amassed a rather horrendous 79-101-29 record, which included him being fired 41 games into his third season. The Kings only made the playoffs one time during his tenure.
But he looked damn good while doing it.
Fortunately for Melrose, this level of mediocrity means he gets one of the highest honors that the Kings can bestow upon a former member of the organization:
This is what you get for leading to the Kings to a 44.7 percent win percentage.
While the numbers may not back up why Melrose is getting honored tonight, I can assure you all that the former coach is deserving of this honor and I can’t wait to see him back in front of the crowd. I just hope he sends a box of donuts to Bob Hartley before the game for old time’s sake.
And you can tell that current Kings coach Darryl Sutter is excited to see the ceremony as well.
On the Kings wearing “purple and gold” in tonight’s game:
Sutter: It is. Is it? Or is it gold and purple? It’s purple pants, so does that mean anything? I’m not sure. Well, I guess it’s always purple pants [for Legends Nights]. It’s always purple pants, isn’t it?
Reporter: I think they call it Forum Blue.
Sutter: Yeah, I think that’s right.
Reporter: You like those, though.
Sutter: Oh yeah, I like those. They look good. It’s nice to get it changed. We’re black and white. It’s good to see a little color, too.
Reporter: Everyone should have a throwback.
Sutter: Yeah. I wish we could wear ‘em more. I think it’s just the three, isn’t it?
Reporter: If you win all three of those, do you try and wear ‘em more?
Sutter: Well, the only thing about wearing ‘em those three is this year, now it’s Tony and Luc, so there’s always pre-game stuff. Like tonight’s a 7:40 stuff or whatever…If they say ‘7:30, 8, once you do your ceremony, you’re looking at another, what, eight to 10 [minutes.] You’re pushing into somewhere 7:45 and 8 o’clock, all the time.
Reporter: You guys have had a lot of those this year.
Sutter: Yeah, we have. We had three in a row where they were late games. Blakey’s thing, the doubleheader game which made late start, and…there were three in a row where we got out of the rink at midnight.
Reporter: Us, too.
Sutter: Yeah, you’re right.
LA Kings Legends Night, everyone!
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