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

December 21, 2011 1 Comment

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

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Despite Long Odds, LA Kings Prospects Jordan Weal And Tyler Toffoli Have Sights Set On The NHL For 2011-12

August 5, 2011 11 Comments

EL SEGUNDO, CA — With the Los Angeles Kings having acquired two, top-six forwards this summer in center Mike Richards and left wing Simon Gagne, their top two lines appear to be set for the 2011-12 season.

Center prospect Jordan Weal spoke 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

Add to that the fact that the Kings have role players up front who are returning, it is safe to presume that all available positions on their forward lines have been filled, which means that, barring unforeseen circumstances, it is more than likely that there no available roster spots for any of their up-and-coming forward prospects.

Despite the astronomical odds against making it onto the Kings’ opening night roster, two of their young prospects, centers Jordan Weal from the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League and Tyler Toffoli from the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League, have their sights set firmly on the National Hockey League for the 2011-12 season. Read more of this post

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LA Kings Defenseman Drew Doughty Named To Team Canada For 2010 Winter Olympics

December 30, 2009 Leave a Comment

]SASKATOON, SK AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — On December 30, Hockey Canada announced its roster for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty has been selected to represent Canada in the tournament.

Doughty, 20, will represent Canada at the Olympics for the first time, but has played for Canada in the 2009 World Championships (won the Silver medal – 9 games played, 1-6=7, with his seven points tied for fourth among defensemen in the tournament and his six assists third most among defensemen in the tournament and tied for eighth overall); at the 2008 World Junior Championships (Gold medal – 7 GP, 0-4=4, was named Top Defenseman of the tournament); the 2007 World Junior Under-18 Championships and the 2006 World Junior Under-17 Championships.

“This means a lot to me,” said Doughty. “I didn’t expect to make the team. I’m just ecstatic.It’s a dream come true and to be able to play in Vancouver makes it that much better. I’m happy to be a part of the team in any way, shape or form.” Read more of this post

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Four LA Kings Prospects Make Canada’s 2010 World Juniors Team

December 16, 2009 2 Comments

CALGARY, AB AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — On December 16, Hockey Canada announced its roster for the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championships and four Los Angeles Kings’ prospect have made the team, including forwards Brayden Schenn and Brandon Kozun, defensemen Colten Teubert and goaltender Martin Jones.

The four players are the most any National Hockey League club has on the team and only four other NHL clubs have multiple prospects on the team (New York Islanders, Nashville, St. Louis and New Jersey all have two).

The IIHF 2010 World Junior Championships will be held December 26, 2009 – January 5, 2010 in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan.

Schenn, 18, made his Kings and NHL debut on November 26 at Vancouver after signing a One-Day NHL Regular Season Amateur Tryout Agreement. Read more of this post

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Five LA Kings Prospects Invited To Canada’s World Junior Selection Camp

December 2, 2009 Leave a Comment

CALGARY, AB AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — On December 2, Hockey Canada and the Los Angeles Kings announced that forwards Brayden Schenn and Brandon Kozun, defensemen Colten Teubert and Nicolas Deslauriers, along with goaltender Martin Jones have been invited to attend the selection camp for Canada’s National Junior Team.

The five Kings prospects are the most any National Hockey League team will have at the camp. Only the Edmonton Oilers with three prospects attending will have more than two prospects at the camp, which will be held December 12-16, 2009 in Regina, Saskatchewan. 36 players were invited to participate.

Canada’s National Junior Team will be selected at the end of the camp. The team will then play three exhibition games before the start of the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championships, which begin on January 2, 2010.

Schenn, 18, made his Kings and NHL debut on November 26 at Vancouver after signing a One-Day NHL Regular Season Amateur Tryout Agreement. Read more of this post

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July 1 Was The Time For Dean Lombardi To Gamble

July 3, 2009 14 Comments

COMMENTARY: Los Angeles Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi filled a hole on July 2 with the signing of unrestricted free agent defenseman Rob Scuderi but still has a huge, gaping hole to fill on left wing. Should he have gambled on one of the top free agents on July 1?

LOS ANGELES — After day two of the National Hockey League’s annual feeding frenzy, otherwise known as the first couple of days when teams can sign unrestricted free agents, the Los Angeles Kings have filled a need on their blue line.

On July 2, they agreed to terms with veteran defenseman Rob Scuderi, 30, who just won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, to a four-year deal that is reported to be worth $13.6 million, an average of $3.4 million per season—a nice raise from the $725,000 he earned last season.

The 6-0, 218-pound defenseman scored a goal and added fifteen assists for sixteen points with a +23 plus/minus rating and eighteen penalty minutes in a career-high 81 regular season games last season.

In the playoffs, Scuderi scored a goal and tallied four assists for five points with six penalty minutes in 24 games, averaging 20:29 of ice time. Read more of this post

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