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LA Kings Right Wing Prospect Brandon Kozun Is Finally Growing Up

April 18, 2013 by 3 Comments

LA Kings right wing prospect Brandon Kozun, who is playing this season for the Manchester Monarchs
of the American Hockey League.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: Steve Babineau/Manchester Monarchs

LOS ANGELES — Over the past year or two, when it comes to the Los Angeles Kings’ young prospects, players such as Tyler Toffoli and Jake Muzzin (both are now with the Kings), Linden Vey, Tanner Pearson and Martin Jones have gotten the vast majority of the media attention, and for good reason, as they have been the go-to players for the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, the Kings’ primary minor league affiliate.

Before that, another young player, an offensively gifted prospect who has the added story line of being a local product who played his youth hockey in the Los Angeles area, suddenly found himself out of the spotlight almost completely.

To be sure, Brandon Kozun, now 23 years old, was quickly becoming the forgotten prospect, in terms of the media attention a National Hockey League prospect might normally receive.

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Filed under Audio/Video, Exclusives, News, Prospects Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

2012-13 Will Be A Big Test For Los Angeles Kings Goaltender Prospect Martin Jones

November 15, 2012 by 12 Comments

LA Kings goaltender prospect Martin Jones will be under the
spotlight as the clear-cut number one goalie for the AHL’s
Manchester Monarchs this season.
(click to view larger image)
Photo: Steve Babineau/Manchester Monarchs

LOS ANGELES — It was not so long ago that goaltender Martin Jones of the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen was passed over in the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Talk about discouraging.

But scouts for the Los Angeles Kings were impressed by his play—18-8-1 record, 2.12 goals-against average (GAA), .911 save percentage, and one shutout—in the 2007-08 season. That earned him an invitation to the Kings Development Camp in July 2008, where he made an even bigger impression, so much so that they signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract on October 2, 2008.

Jones went on to shine in goal for the Hitmen for two more seasons before making the jump to the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League (Kings’ primary minor league affiliate), splitting time with netminder Jeff Zatkoff, also a Kings prospect at the time, in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

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Filed under Audio/Video, Exclusives, News, Prospects Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

January 29, 2012 by 4 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

Filed under Audio/Video, News, NHL, Prospects Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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