News & Views on the Los Angeles Kings and the National Hockey League by Gann Matsuda
June 30, 2011 3 Comments
LOS ANGELES — The annual unrestricted free agent frenzy begins on July 1 at 9:00 AM Pacific time, and while everyone knows the Los Angeles Kings have a couple of big holes to fill among their top six forwards, do not expect them to be in the running for the biggest fish of all, Dallas Stars center Brad Richards, who will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Read more of this post
June 29, 2011 17 Comments
FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE — In Part nine of a series, Los Angeles Kings retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers shares more stories involving players, coaches and general managers he worked with during his long career.
Former Los Angeles Kings head athletic trainer Pete Demers, pictured here
behind the bench during the 1995-95 season.
Photo: Los Angeles Kings
Whether it was the pre-game rituals some players adhered to game after game, the practical jokes, humorous stories, or just memories of the different characters in and out of the training room, Demers saw it all in 37 years with the franchise, beginning with three years with Springfield of the American Hockey League (the Kings’ minor league affiliate from 1967-75 and 1977-79) before he joined the Los Angeles Kings in 1972. Read more of this post
June 29, 2011 1 Comment
KingsCast is at it again as Keith Korneluk and Chris Kaliszewski look at the Los Angeles Kings’ acquisition of center Mike Richards, the Ryan Smyth trade, as well as a look at what the Kings did in the 2011 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Read more of this post
June 27, 2011 6 Comments
SMYTH FINALLY RETURNS HOME: Veteran left wing Ryan Smyth is finally back home after the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers were finally able to agree on a trade. Story includes details on the trade, along with commentary on the reaction to the deai. Did Smyth handle things the right way, or does he deserve to be criticized, or worse?
Veteran left wing Ryan Smyth (right), shown here parked in his usual spot in front
of the net, was finally traded to the Edmonton Oilers on June 26.
Photo: David Sheehan
On June 26, the Kings sent the 35-year-old native of Banff, Alberta back to where he began his National Hockey League career in 1995-96, playing eleven seasons in an Oilers jersey. Read more of this post
June 26, 2011 1 Comment
LOS ANGELES — The 2011 National Hockey League Entry Draft, held at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, June 24-25, was expected to be quite uneventful for the Los Angeles Kings, who did not have a pick in the first round after they traded it to the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline in the deal that brought winger Dustin Penner to the Kings.
Logo courtesy: National Hockey League
“We’re excited,” Kings Co-Director of Amateur Scouting Michael Futa told LAKings.com. “You always talk about that when you’re leaving the draft, about your excitement level, and the energy.”
“Today was a long day, especially for the first time for us, as a group, to go through yesterday without a pick—that was an eternity,” Futa added. “To be active [in the first round the last handful of years], and then to see things fall the way they did [this year], we were thrilled.” Read more of this post
June 25, 2011 1 Comment
LOS ANGELES — Contrary to reports on June 24 that a deal had been completed, veteran left wing Ryan Smyth is still a member of the Los Angeles Kings, and it appears that no deal will happen for the next few days, at least.
Gilbert Brule
Photo: National Hockey League
The reported deal had Smyth going to the Edmonton Oilers, where he began his NHL career in 1995-96, playing eleven seasons in an Oilers jersey. In exchange, the Kings would receive a fourth or a fifth round draft pick, and forward Gilbert Brule.
Brule, 24, has one year left in a $1.85 million contract, but that’s $1.85 million more than the Kings are willing to carry on their books for him.
In other words, the addition of Brule in the deal is simply to move his salary off the Oilers’ books. Likewise, the Kings would not have retained his services, either, opting to apply that $1.85 million towards the acquisition of a top six left winger. Read more of this post
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