Kris King

Kris King played 849 NHL games with Detroit, the Rangers, Winnipeg, Phoenix, Toronto and Chicago. (Rick Stewart /Allsport)

Mark Malinowski
2010-06-19 09:30:00

Status: Former NHL left wing from 1987-2001 with Detroit, New York Rangers, Winnipeg, Phoenix, Toronto and Chicago.

Ht: 5-foot-11 Wt: 202 pounds

DOB: February 18, 1966 In: Bracebridge, Ont.

Hockey Inspirations: "My dad Dave played hockey for the Canadian Air Force in Germany and it was his teachings at a young age that allowed me to fall in love with our great game. I met Darryl Sittler in our town of Hornepayne when he came to our hockey banquet when I was eight years old. He was my favorite player at that time."

First Hockey Memory: "Playing on our outdoor rink in minus-25 weather and not caring."

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: "I love hockey, but love fishing more, always have."

Nickname: ‘Kinger.’

Favorite Movies: "Anything Clint Eastwood is in, but my favorite is The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. A real classic."

Last Book Read: "The Overlook by Michael Connelly. I enjoy the Harry Bosch novels."

Musical Tastes: " ‘70s and ‘80s music, not the disco stuff."

Favorite TV Shows: "Law & Order, any of them. And now, the Canadian show Flashpoint."

First Job: "Working the line for Coca Cola in Gravenhurst (Ont.)."

Current Car: "Mazda."

Favorite Meal: "Steak – and anything with it."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Cookie dough."

Greatest Career Moment: "Being drafted (80th overall by Washington in 1984), realizing I actually had a chance to play in the NHL."

Most Painful Moment: "Tearing my MCL on a hit by (Sergei) Fedorov when playing with Winnipeg. Turned out to be my last game in Winnipeg (1996)."

Favorite Uniforms: "Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks."

Favorite Arenas To Play: "Maple Leafs Gardens and the old Chicago Stadium."

Most Memorable Goal: "First goal playing for Detroit after being called up from Adirondack that morning on Glenn Healy against the Kings (1987)."

Strangest Game: "0-0 tie when playing with the New York Rangers."

Closest NHL Friends: "Mike Gartner, Paul Broten, Darren Turcotte, Kay Whitmore."

Funniest Players Encountered: "Paul Broten."

Toughest Competitors Encountered: "Joe Kocur hands down. Toughest guy I played with and against."

Funny Hockey Memory: " ‘Brotsy’ always had the great one-liners that tended to end up with me in a fight with the guy he was mouthing off to. After a fight in Edmonton, I went into the Oilers’ penalty box and sat down, not noticing an Oiler already there. Had to skate out and into my own."

Last Vacation: "Family trip to Fort Myers Beach."

Personality Qualities Most Admired: "Hard work, commitment and honesty."

Career Accomplishments: Earned the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 1996; Captain of Winnipeg Jets 1995-96; Scored 66 goals in 849 NHL games with 2,030 PIM; Currently serves as senior vice president of hockey operations at the NHL central office in Toronto.

Mark 'Scoop' Malinowski is the author of "Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle" and creator of two websites: www.thebiofile.com  and www.Tennis-prose.com.