The Kings were coming off their most successful season ever, built largely on the strength of their defense and goaltending. They ranked 2nd in fewest goals allowed in the 1974-75 season, but tied for 9th in goals scored. In addition, while their penalty killing was excellent, their power play ranked in the lower third of the league. Finally, their early round playoff upset by Toronto (where the Kings scored only 6 goals in 3 games) prompted them to make one of the biggest trades in club history. High scoring superstar Marcel Dionne was in a contract dispute with the Detroit Red Wings and was available to a team that would meet his salary demands. So to bolster the offense, they Kings traded veteran defenseman and team captain Terry Harper and tough guy forward Dan Maloney along with draft