1993–94 Los Angeles Kings season

The 1993–94 Los Angeles Kings season was the Kings' 27th season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The team finished in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a record of 27–45–12 for 66 points and missed the playoffs. The Kings played their home games at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood.

This season saw Kings captain Wayne Gretzky become the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer. He also won his 10th and final Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer with 130 points. Despite Gretzky's achievements, the defending conference champion Kings regressed on the ice. They finished in 10th place in the newly-rebranded Western Conference, 16 points behind the San Jose Sharks, who clinched the eighth and final playoff spot. Notably, the Kings also finished five points behind their new local rivals, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who were then in their first year of existence.

NHL Draft
In the Entry Draft, the Kings first pick, in the second round, was used to choose Shayne Toporowski from the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. Their first-round pick had been dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in the Wayne Gretzky trade.

Wayne Gretzky's goal scoring record

 * March 20, 1994 – At 19:11 of the third period in a game against the San Jose Sharks, Gretzky scored the 801st goal of his career, tying the NHL's career goals record held by his idol, Gordie Howe. Gretzky jammed a rebound past San Jose goaltender Artūrs Irbe after a shot by Los Angeles defenceman Alexei Zhitnik had glanced off Irbe. The goal was the second of the game for Gretzky, who had earlier scored at 6:16 of the first period by stealing the puck from Sharks defenceman Sandis Ozoliņš and backhanding it through Irbe's legs. The record-tying goal, scored after the Kings had pulled their own goaltender, Kelly Hrudey, for an extra attacker, tied the game at 6-6. The game ended as a tie with the same score.


 * March 23, 1994 – At 14:47 of the second period in a game against the Vancouver Canucks, Gretzky scored the 802nd goal of his career against Canucks goaltender Kirk McLean to break Howe's career NHL goals record. The goal came on a Kings power play, with Marty McSorley and Luc Robitaille picking up assists. Robitaille had started the play during a rush toward the Vancouver net with a drop pass to Gretzky, who passed across the ice to McSorley; McSorley fed the puck back to Gretzky, who shot the puck into an almost empty net. Gretzky's teammates poured onto the ice to congratulate him, and the game was halted for a ceremony to honour both Gretzky and Howe. Unfortunately for the Kings, the record-breaking goal came in a losing effort, as Vancouver defeated Los Angeles, 6-3.

Regular season

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Awards and honors

 * Wayne Gretzky, Art Ross Trophy
 * Wayne Gretzky, Lester Patrick Trophy

Transactions
The Kings were involved in the following transactions during the 1993–94 season.