Brian Kennedy’s My Country Is Hockey Is A Revealing, Insightful, Must-Read Book

Photo: Argenta Press

MONTEREY PARK, CA — Here in the United States, especially for those of us who did not grow up in the Northeast, or in states like Minnesota, where kids have the opportunity to play hockey on a frozen pond, or where road hockey games have been popular for many, many years, that innocent and pure part of the game remains a mystery.

Author and scholar Brian Kennedy, Ph.D., a native of Montreal, an Associate Professor of English at Pasadena City College, and a freelance hockey writer who covers the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks for Inside Hockey, previously wrote two books, Growing Up Hockey: The Life and Times of Everyone Who Ever Loved The Game, and Living The Hockey Dream: Interviews and Personal Stories From NHL Superstars and Other Lovers of The Game, in which he gave readers a good look into how hockey is so deeply rooted in Canadian culture and in the psyche of Canadians.

But in his new book, My Country Is Hockey: How Hockey Explains Canadian Culture, History, Politics, Heroes, French-English Rivalry and Who We Are As Canadians, Kennedy goes for the jugular in that regard, taking great pains to point out how hockey is inextricably intertwined with just about all things Canadian, heavily influencing Canadian thought, behavior, politics, and so much more, while also looking at how the purity and simple joy of the game is being lost. Read more of this post

Frozen Royalty’s LA Kings Pre-Season Ticket Giveaway: You Could Win 4 Lower Bowl Tickets

Photo: Gann Matsuda

On the eve of the Los Angeles Kings’ 2011 Training Camp, and just days away from the first pre-season game, it is time to celebrate the return of hockey. To help us all get into the spirit, Frozen Royalty will be giving away two sets of four, lower bowl, ice-level seats for that game, on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 7:30 PM Pacific time at Staples Center in Los Angeles, against the Phoenix Coyotes.

But…there’s a catch. First, you must be a Facebook and/or a Twitter user. Second, you’re going to have to do a little homework to earn them. Here’s what you’ll need to do to qualify and win: Read more of this post

Frozen Royalty Audio: Interviews From The Pete Demers Series

Los Angeles Kings retired head
athletic trainer Pete Demers.
Photo: Noah Graham/Getty Images
via the Los Angeles Kings

A twelve-story series on just about any topic requires a considerable amount of source material to draw from, and that is exactly what Los Angeles Kings retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers provided for the series of stories on his 41-year career in professional hockey, 37 in the Kings organization, that was completed on July 29, 2011.

Indeed, I sat down with Demers in three separate sessions—two in late December 2010, and one in early January 2011. In the end, we talked for more than four-and-a-half hours (4:37:52, to be exact), with Demers sharing story after story, along with unique insights about hockey, and about the work of the athletic trainer that so few know about.

It was fascinating, funny, and highly entertaining.

Former Kings players and coaches also shared their thoughts about Demers, along with some stories involving him. Some are quite amusing. Read more of this post

Honored In Obscurity: Los Angeles Kings Retired Athletic Trainer Pete Demers

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: The Los Angeles Kings have more than twenty people—players, coaches, general managers and broadcasters—who have gained entry to the hallowed halls of the Hockey Hall of Fame. There are also two other members of the Kings family who have been so honored, including former head athletic trainer Pete Demers. But because of how they are recognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame, Demers has been honored in almost complete obscurity, as have fellow athletic trainer and equipment manager honorees. In the final installment of this series on Demers’ career, Frozen Royalty looks at the honor, and what Demers is doing to ensure that future athletic trainers and equipment managers will get to enjoy that bit of the spotlight they deserve.


Los Angeles Kings retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers, circa 2003.
Photo: Demers Family Collection

LOS ANGELES — Fifteen players who have worn the jersey of the Los Angeles Kings have been inducted into the hallowed halls of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Three people inducted in the Builders category also spent time with the Kings organization, and one former head coach, Red Kelly, was inducted as a player, for a total of 19 people affiliated with the Kings who have become honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In addition, former Kings broadcaster John Kenneth “Jiggs” McDonald, the team’s original play-by-play announcer, and the legendary “Voice of the Kings,” long-time television play-by-play announcer Bob Miller, are media honorees.

But hardly anyone knows that the Kings have two additional people from their family who have earned a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

One is Norm Mackie, who served as the head athletic trainer from their inaugural 1967-68 season through 1971-72. Read more of this post

LA Kings Retired Athletic Trainer Pete Demers Looks Back At Controversy Surrounding His 2006 Departure

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: After four consecutive seasons where the Los Angeles Kings were absolutely decimated by injuries, head athletic trainer Pete Demers suddenly found himself on the outside looking in, as he was “…retained in a lesser role,” following the 2005-06 season, a move that generated criticism aimed at the franchise. In part eleven of this series on Demers’ career with the Kings and in professional hockey, he talks about leaving the job he loved so much and the controversy surrounding his departure.


Los Angeles Kings retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers, shown here behind the Kings bench at Staples Center in Los Angeles on December 17, 2005.
Photo: Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES — After a career with the Los Angeles Kings that spanned 37 years, starting with three seasons with their former American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield prior to joining the big club in 1972, head athletic trainer Pete Demers left the club after the 2005-06 season. But that came right after four straight seasons when the Kings were absolutely ravaged by injuries (see Retired LA Kings Trainer Pete Demers Recalls Record-Breaking, Injury-Filled Seasons, 2001-02 to 2005-06).

In two of those seasons, the Kings set unofficial records for man-games lost to injury, with 536 in 2002-03, a record they eclipsed in 2003-04 when they lost 629 man-games.

Those seasons were sandwiched between years when they lost 211 man-games to injury in 2001-02, and 366 in 2005-06 (the National Hockey League did not play in 2004-05 due to a labor dispute).

That is an unfathomable, mind-blowing 1,742 man-games lost to injury in just four seasons. Read more of this post

Retired LA Kings Trainer Pete Demers Recalls Record-Breaking, Injury-Filled Seasons, 2001-02 to 2005-06

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: It was not so long ago that the Los Angeles Kings dressing room and training room might have looked more like a hospital ward than anything else. After all, back in 2002-03 and 2003-04, they set unofficial records for man-games lost to injury. Retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers had to treat all those injuries, and Frozen Royalty takes a long, hard look back at those disastrous seasons, as well as more of Demers’ thoughts on the mechanics of injuries, their treatment, and their prevention. Part ten of a series.


Los Angeles Kings retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers (left)
shown here treating forward Ian Laperriere.
Photo: Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES — Right wing Ziggy Palffy displayed great skill and speed when he played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1999-2000 to 2003-04.

Right wing Adam Deadmarsh was hard-nosed, physical, and was a very talented, determined, intense player for the Kings from 2000-01 to 2003-04. Read more of this post

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,042 other followers