Lucky Luc

Luc Robitaille has many of the same characteristics of yesterday's hero, Magic Johnson. He makes the impossible seem easy, he is extremely talented and he is an amazing person off the ice! While I admire Luc tremendously for being the top scoring left wing in history and one of the most successful late round draft picks in sports, it is what he meant to me off the ice that makes him one of my heroes.

Luc became my favorite player the moment he stepped on the ice during the first hockey game I ever attended. He was in his third year in the NHL and as a Montreal transplant, he barely spoke english. But boy could he score goals! I think he scored two that game, including the game winner with just a couple of minutes to spare and I said "he's my favorite player". I peppered my friend Howard with non-stop questions and with the help of Bob Miller, Kings play by play man, I learned more about hockey than I thought possible! I became hooked! I listened or watched every game and by the next season I had my own season seats, was active in the booster club and went on a road trip to Winnepeg in the dead of March! My first and last experience in sub-zero temps! All because of this player I fell in love with!

While the player called Lucky Luc caught my eye with his exciting goal scoring on the ice, it was his sweet, fan loving nature off the ice that captured my heart. I would wait for him before or after games and he would always stop and say hi! He would ask me how school was going and never denied a picture or autograph. Not just from me but from anyone! I rarely saw less than a smile on his face and he was always willing to talk briefly with the fans about the game. When they talk about fan favorites in any sport in this town, Luc's name comes up even though he has been retired for two years! You still see his name on jerseys at games!

My favorite Luc story came after he had been traded! I missed him greatly and his trade from LA broke my heart! I was in Anaheim hanging out with a mutual friend of Luc's and mine. She had to go to the team hotel to give something to him and I went along. I had no intent of bothering him and waited in the car. Next thing I know, my friend is tapping on the window and asking me to come into the hotel with her. I didn't want to be one of "those" fans but begrudgingly went with her. I am glad I did because when she told Luc I was down in the car, he came downstairs to say hi! I was shocked and thrilled! The meeting was brief but I got to tell him how much I miss him and he let me know how much he missed LA and all the fans! That he would come down to say hi meant the world and will always typify just what kind of guy Luc is!

He no long plays in the NHL but is active in LA sports. He works in the front office for the Kings in, what else, community affairs. He may not have won a championship as a King but he won something just as big, the life long admiration and love of the fickle fans of this city! An athlete and person as special as Luc deserves it!