Dave Taylor

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Taylor was a star player at Clarkson University for four seasons while being drafted by both the NHL and World Hockey Association in 1975. He made it to the NHL in 1977 with the Los Angeles Kings. The 1980–81 season saw Taylor take part in history as the 'Triple Crown Line' of Taylor, centre Marcel Dionne and left winger Charlie Simmer became the first line in league history where each player scored 100 points in the same season; Taylor's 112 points was a career high and the first of two straight 100-point seasons. In the 1980s, Taylor was named to the All-Star Game four times and was a Second All-Star once while recording two 40-goal seasons. In 1991, he was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his perseverance and for his leadership qualities on and off the ice while also recording his 1,000th point, becoming the 29th player to do so in NHL history. In his penultimate season, Taylor reached the Stanley Cup Final for the only time in his career, with Taylor recording five goals and eight total points in 22 playoff games. After playing 33 games in the 1993–94 season, Taylor retired, having scored 431 goals and recorded 1,069 points in 1,111 games. Taylor had his number 18 retired by the Kings in 1995, the third player to receive the honor in franchise history. After his playing career ended, Taylor became general manager of the Kings prior to the start of the 1997–98 season, serving in the position until the 2006–07 season. He served as director of player personnel of the Dallas Stars from 2007 to 2010 before being hired by the St. Louis Blues for the same position in 2010. He was promoted to vice president of operations in 2012 and won a Stanley Cup with the team in 2019.

In Their Own Story

On October 15, Taylor stood in the Kings' locker room as Wayne Gretzky skated out to become the NHL's all-time points leader. Taylor provided the assist on that historic goal, a moment of passing the torch between generations. Later, his leadership shone during the 1993 Stanley Cup Final run. Despite his production declining due to head injuries, he recorded five goals and eight total points in 22 playoff games as the Kings reached the final for the first time, though they fell to the Montreal Canadiens in five games. His perseverance was recognized in 1991 when he won both the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his dedication to the team and his charity work helping others overcome speech impediments—a struggle Taylor faced personally since childhood. In his final season, he played only 33 games before announcing his retirement on April 27, 1994. His number 18 was retired by the Kings in 1995, making him the third player in franchise history to receive the honor.

Reader's Guide

Taylor was selected 210th overall in the 15th round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft and was also selected 113th overall in the 9th round of the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft. He became captain of the Kings in 1985 after the departure of preceding captain Terry Ruskowski. He held the position until training camp of the 1989–90 season when Wayne Gretzky was named captain by new head coach Tom Webster, with Taylor consenting to the decision willingly. He would then serve as an alternate captain for the rest of his career. On April 12, 1994, Taylor announced his retirement and played his final game against the Edmonton Oilers, taking the faceoff before being taken out of the game for his 1,111th and final game in the league.

Did You Know?

• Taylor is the lowest-drafted player to net 1,000 career points, drafted in the 15th round (210th overall) of the 1975 NHL draft.
• He held the Kings franchise record for games played (1,111) until March 28, 2019, when he was passed by Dustin Brown.
• Taylor was a member of the famous Triple Crown Line, which in 1980–81 became the first line in NHL history where each player scored 100 points in the same season.
• He won both the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 1991.