Dave Taylor

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Lore & Background

Taylor's journey began in the mining town of Levack, Ontario, where he worked in the mines while attending high school before dominating Junior A with the Onaping Falls Huskies. His college career at Clarkson University was historic; in the 1976–77 season, he led all of NCAA hockey with 41 goals and 108 points. Drafted by both the NHL and WHA, he chose the Kings, where he quickly became a star. The pinnacle of his on-ice success came in 1980–81 with the 'Triple Crown Line,' where he scored 112 points alongside Dionne (135) and Simmer (105). Taylor captained the team from 1985 until Wayne Gretzky's arrival in 1988, at which point he graciously stepped down to serve as an alternate captain for the 1988–89 season. His career was marked by resilience; despite suffering a mild concussion and battling headaches that plagued his final season, he played his 1,111th and final game on April 14, 1994, against the Edmonton Oilers before retiring.

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

For fans studying Taylor's career path, note his unique trajectory from a 210th overall draft pick to an NHL executive. After retiring as a player with 431 goals and 1,069 points, he immediately moved into the front office as assistant general manager of the Kings. He was promoted to general manager prior to the 1997–98 season, serving until his firing on April 18, 2006. As GM, he made pivotal moves, including trading Rob Blake for Adam Deadmarsh in 2000–01 and drafting future superstars Anže Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Jonathan Quick. Taylor later served as Director of Player Personnel for the Dallas Stars (2007–2010) before joining the St. Louis Blues in the same role in 2010. Promoted to Vice President of Hockey Operations in 2012, he won a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019 and returned to his hometown of Levack to celebrate, with his name engraved on the Cup for the first time.

Did You Know?

• Taylor was drafted in the 15th round (210th overall) of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft, making him the lowest-drafted player to ever score 1,000 career points.
• In his final college season at Clarkson University (1976–77), Taylor led the nation in scoring with 41 goals and 108 points, a remarkable achievement that helped put the program on the map.
• Taylor is one of many people to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup as both a player (though he never won as a player) and an executive; he reached the Final in 1993 but lost, and later won as an executive with the