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2012 Stanley Cup Final: For Many LA Kings Faithful, Being On The Verge Of A Championship Is All Too Surreal

June 6, 2012 by 9 Comments

COMMENTARY: Coverage of the Los Angeles Kings’ meteoric rise and dominating run though the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs by out-of-town media has focused too much on some tired story angles. Also, for many local hockey fans, the Kings’ playoff run is very hard to believe.

Los Angeles Kings forwards (from left) Jeff Carter, Anze Kopitar and
Justin Williams spoke to the media following their 4-0 win in
Game 3 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final on June 4, 2012,
at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net

LOS ANGELES — As the Los Angeles Kings have blown through one opponent after another in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, some of the stories that stand out, outside of those describing what has happened on the ice, have been a bit surprising, and sadly, some have been rather disappointing.

Some of the “roll your eyes” story angles:

•   The “discovery” of center Anze Kopitar (see 2012 Stanley Cup Final: Eastern Media’s Ignorance Of All Things LA Kings, Shines Through). Read more of this post

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Filed under Audio/Video, History, News, NHL, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LA Kings Retired Trainer Pete Demers Dealt With Much More Than Injuries To Players

March 9, 2011 by 16 Comments

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: In part five of an exclusive series based on an extensive interview with Los Angeles Kings head athletic trainer emeritus Pete Demers, Frozen Royalty takes a look at the most visible aspect of his job, caring for injured players…and trainers are definitely not immune from injury or illness, either…

Los Angeles Kings head athletic trainer
emeritus Pete Demers, circa 1982.
Photo: Demers Family Collection

LOS ANGELES — For athletic trainers in the National Hockey League, their most important job is to treat injured players and help them recover from their injuries, and in a 34-year career with the Los Angeles Kings, retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers has probably treated more injuries and illnesses than any of his colleagues, past or present, and not just those suffered by players.

To be sure, caring for injured players is the one aspect of the athletic trainer’s duties that is the most visible, and for Demers, it was no different. Like other trainers, he was most noticeable whenever he jumped over the boards and scurried out onto the ice to care for an injured player.

Even before he made it to the NHL, Demers already had experience dealing with serious injuries. Read more of this post

Filed under Exclusives, History, News, NHL Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LA Kings Retired Trainer Pete Demers Had To Be A Jack Of All Trades

February 18, 2011 by 22 Comments

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: In the second story in a multi-part series based on an exclusive interview with retired Los Angeles Kings athletic trainer Peter Demers, Frozen Royalty looks back at Demers’ start with the Kings back in the early 1970’s, and how different the job was back then compared to the present day.

When now-retired athletic trainer Pete Demers (shown here in a 1974 photo) started his 34-year career with the Los Angeles Kings, he was much more than just the head athletic trainer.
Photo: Demers Family Collection

LOS ANGELES — Today, National Hockey League teams have a head athletic trainer, at least one assistant athletic trainer, an equipment manager, a couple of assistant equipment managers, and a strength and conditioning coach. Most teams also have a massage therapist.

But back in the late 1960’s when Pete Demers began his career in professional hockey, through the time he became the head athletic trainer for the Los Angeles Kings in 1972, things were very, very different.

Indeed, when Demers started working with the Rhode Island Reds of the American Hockey League in 1965, or during a brief stint in 1968 with the Columbus Checkers of the International Hockey League, and even with the AHL’s Springfield Kings (the Los Angeles Kings’ minor league affiliate at the time) starting in 1969, there were no equipment managers, strength and conditioning coaches, or massage therapists. Read more of this post

Filed under Exclusives, History, News, NHL Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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