Down On The Farm With The Manchester Monarchs: Zatkoff Having An All-Star Season In Goal, While Jones Takes Small Step Backwards

January 31, 2012 3 Comments

Jeff Zatkoff (left) and Martin Jones (right), shown here during the
Los Angeles Kings 2011 Training Camp on September 23, 2011.
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES — Although Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick is garnering more and more consideration as one of the National Hockey League’s best goaltenders—something that has been virtually unheard of when discussing Kings netminders over their 44-year history—and with Jonathan Bernier possessing the skills, if not the opportunity, to be a starting goalie in the NHL, as the old saying goes, a team can never have enough goaltending.

As such, the Kings have continued to draft and develop young goaltenders, and they have two young netminders having solid years with their primary minor league affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League. Read more of this post

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Los Angeles Kings Forward Prospects Brandon Kozun and Linden Vey Face Similar Challenges

January 29, 2012 2 Comments

Right wing prospect Brandon Kozun, shown here speaking to the
media during the Los Angeles Kings 2011 Development Camp
at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California,
July 11-12, 2011.
Photo: Gann Matsuda

LOS ANGELES — As years pass, National Hockey League players continue to get bigger, stronger and faster, so much so that the size, speed and strength of the players has driven much of the game’s evolution into what we see on NHL ice today.

But with the rule changes after the 2004 NHL lockout that have brought speed and skill back into the game by clamping down on obstruction, smaller, speedier players once again can thrive in the NHL, but only if they can hold their own with the big boys.

Size, or lack thereof, is something Los Angeles Kings right wing prospect Brandon Kozun has been hearing about since he started playing hockey. Read more of this post

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Down On The Farm With LA Kings Blue Line Prospects Deslauriers, Hickey and Muzzin

January 27, 2012 5 Comments

Nicolas Deslauriers
Photo: Scott Slingsby

LOS ANGELES — While the National Hockey League pauses its season to put on its annual All-Star festivities this weekend, what’s a hockey writer to do if the NHL All-Star weekend is not their cup of tea, especially since the game itself has become a complete bore, barely resembling the game we normally enjoy?

Sure, I could have watched the All-Star draft (yawn), and I will watch tonight’s skills competition, the only redeeming spectacle during All-Star weekend. But with some extra time on my hands, why not see how the kids down on the farm are doing?

Indeed, the time has come to take a look at some of the Los Angeles Kings’ young prospects, and, in this installment, the focus will be on the blue line corps. Read more of this post

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Los Angeles Kings: Dustin Penner, Slava Voynov Are Both Anxious Get Off To Strong Start

October 21, 2011 1 Comment

After being sidelined by leg injuries, LA Kings left wing Dustin Penner is working to get off to a strong start.
Photo: David Sheehan

EL SEGUNDO, CA — After being the target of heavy criticism for his poor play and physical conditioning late last season after being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings left wing Dustin Penner dedicated himself to improving his strength and conditioning during the off-season.

Even then, Penner had fans up in arms about his alleged poor conditioning after a photo appeared on Twitter back in August that “proved” he was badly out of shape.

The photo turned out to be totally misleading—an understatement of epic proportions, as Penner’s dramatically improved strength and conditioning had already been well-documented.

After all that, Penner was looking forward to getting off to a strong start, but you may know what author John Steinbeck wrote about the best laid plans…

Indeed, instead of starting off on the right foot in the Kings’ season opener against the New York Rangers in Stockholm, Sweden on October 7, and against the Buffalo Sabres on October 8 in Berlin, Germany, Penner was sidelined for those games by multiple injuries. Read more of this post

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Frozen Royalty Audio: Los Angeles Kings Prepare For 2011-12 Home Opener

October 18, 2011 Leave a Comment

Rookie defenseman Slava Voynov will make his NHL debut on October 18, 2011, when the LA Kings host the St. Louis Blues at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Photo: David Sheehan

EL SEGUNDO, CA —The Los Angeles Kings are back from their four-game, European/East Coast trip to start their 2011-12 season, and they were hard at work at practice on October 17, 2011, at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California.

Left wing Dustin Penner, who suffered what was called a knee contusion during the first period at Philadelphia on October 15, left the ice after about twenty minutes. He went to see Kings doctors for an evaluation.

Defenseman Slava Voynov, who was recalled from the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League on October 16, due to an apparent shoulder injury suffered by defenseman Drew Doughty at Philadelphia (he was placed on injured reserve), practiced with the team and was paired with defenseman Willie Mitchell.

Voynov is expected to see a lot of ice time on October 18, when the Kings host the St. Louis Blues in their home opener. Read more of this post

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Down On The Farm With The Manchester Monarchs: Can Jeff Zatkoff Reclaim Top Goalie Spot?

October 17, 2011 Leave a Comment

DOWN ON THE FARM: Los Angeles Kings goaltending prospects Martin Jones and Jeff Zatkoff are expected to improve upon solid 2010-11 seasons with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League. But can Zatkoff, who got off to a bit of a slow start last season, and has likely been passed by Jones on the Kings depth chart, bounce back this season?

Goaltending prospect Jeff Zatkoff will likely need an outstanding
season to reclaim the number one goaltender position with
the Manchester Monarchs, which would also make him the
third-ranked goalie on the LA Kings’ depth chart.
Photo: Steve Babineau/Manchester Monarchs

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — As was reported in this space this past summer, with Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier giving the Los Angeles Kings a one-two punch in goal that, arguably, they have never had before, the Kings are set in goal for the foreseeable future.

But with two netminders who are good enough to be number one goaltenders, something will eventually have to give. Read more of this post

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