Dave Taylor (ice hockey)
A hard-nosed right winger who formed one of hockey's most explosive scoring lines and became the heart of the Los Angeles Kings for 17 seasons.
Born 1955 (age 71)·Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1955)·Birthday: December 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dave Taylor's journey to the NHL was anything but a straight shot. Drafted in 1975, he honed his game for two more years at Clarkson University, a testament to his patience and dedication. When he finally joined the Los Angeles Kings in 1977, he brought a unique blend of grit and scoring touch. His legacy was cemented in the 1980-81 season when he, Marcel Dionne, and Charlie Simmer were dubbed the 'Triple Crown Line,' a unit that terrorized goalies with Taylor's 112-point contribution. More than just a scorer, he played with a physical edge that commanded respect. His entire professional career was spent in Los Angeles, a rarity in sports, making him a foundational figure who helped build the franchise's identity and connect it to its fans long after his retirement.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dave was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dave Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Dave's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 112 points in the 1980-81 season as part of the Kings' 'Triple Crown Line.'
- Played his entire 17-season NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings.
- Recorded over 1,000 career points and nearly 1,600 penalty minutes, showcasing a dual-threat style.
- Served as the Los Angeles Kings' General Manager from 1997 to 2006.
Did You Know?
He was selected 210th overall in the 1975 NHL Draft, making him a late-round success story.
He won the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1991 for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
After his playing career, he earned a Master's degree in business administration from Pepperdine University.
“I wasn't the first pick, but I showed up to work every single day.”
