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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Down On The Farm With The Manchester Monarchs: Blue Line Corps May Be Their Greatest Asset

October 14, 2011 3 Comments

DOWN ON THE FARM: Between goaltending and their defensive corps, the Manchester Monarchs’ greatest strength will be on their side of the red line in the 2011-12 season.

Thomas Hickey is beginning to look like he might develop
into the defenseman the Los Angeles Kings were hoping
for when they selected him with the fourth overall pick
in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Photo: Steve Babineau/Manchester Monarchs

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — The Manchester Monarchs, the primary minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, are 1-1 after their first two games of the 2011-12 season, allowing just three goals in those games. They return to action tonight against the Providence Bruins, the start of a three-games-in-three-nights road trip in which they will also face the Portland Pirates on October 15, and the Springfield Falcons on October 16.

Although no one in their right mind, would draw conclusions about a team based on just two games, especially so early in a season, the Monarchs figure to be one of the stingier teams in the American Hockey League.

Indeed, with goaltenders Martin Jones and Jeff Zatkoff expected to improve upon solid seasons in 2010-11, the rest is up to the skaters in front of them. Read more of this post

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2011 LA Kings Training Camp: Scott Parse May Be Playing Himself Out Of A Job

September 27, 2011 6 Comments

LA Kings right wing Scott Parse, shown here during a drill at the
Kings’ 2011 Training Camp, held at the Toyota Sports Center
in El Segundo, California, on September 26, 2011.
Photo: David Sheehan

EL SEGUNDO, CA — With left wing Dustin Penner looking strong and fit, with center Anze Kopitar and right wing Justin Williams experiencing no difficulties coming off late-season injuries, and with little concern about chemistry developing between forwards Dustin Brown, Simon Gagne and Mike Richards, the microscope has now focused on the Los Angeles Kings’ third and fourth lines during their 2011 Training Camp, which is entering its twelfth day on the ice. Read more of this post

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Showing Signs Of Progress: LA Kings Blue Line Prospects Nicolas Deslauriers, Derek Forbort, And Kevin Gravel

July 25, 2011 11 Comments

EL SEGUNDO, CA — All it takes is a quick glance at the roster to see that the Los Angeles Kings are set with their top six defensemen, with Drew Doughty, assuming the Kings can get him to sign a contract soon, leading their blue line corps.

Defenseman prospect Derek Forbort 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

The Kings are also developing several young prospects for their blue line, including Jake Muzzin, Thomas Hickey, Viatcheslav Voynov, Andrew Campbell, David Kolomatis, and Patrick Mullen—all played for the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, the Kings’ primary minor league affiliate, last season.

But if you think the pipeline ends there, sorry, guess again.

Indeed, even more prospects are working their way up the ladder, trying to achieve the dream of someday playing in the National Hockey League, and three of them, Kevin Gravel, Derek Forbort and Nicolas Deslauriers, participated in the Kings 2011 Development Camp in mid-July at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California, the Kings’ practice facility. Read more of this post

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Los Angeles Kings Defenseman Prospect Jake Muzzin Likely To Be Waiting Awhile For His Turn

July 21, 2011 17 Comments

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Last season, defenseman prospect Jake Muzzin came out of nowhere to make the Los Angeles Kings’ 2010-11 opening night roster, despite having playing in just one regular season game and 13 playoff games at the American Hockey League level in 2009-10.

Defenseman prospect Jake Muzzin speaks 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

Prior to that, the 6-3, 213-pound native of Woodstock, Ontario was a standout with the Sault Ste. Marie (Soo) Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for four seasons, scoring 15 goals and adding 52 assists for 67 points in 64 games with 76 penalty minutes.

That was when he caught the eyes of the Kings scouts. The result: the Kings signed him as an unrestricted free agent on January 4, 2010, to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Muzzin was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round (141st overall) in the 2007 National Hockey League Entry Draft, but had surgery to repair two herniated discs in 2005, and played sparingly in 2006-07—just 37 games.

Not wanting to take a risk on a young player who already had major back problems, the Penguins did not sign Muzzin to a contract, nor was he selected in the draft by another NHL team. Accordingly, he became an unrestricted free agent during the 2010 off-season. Read more of this post

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Frozen Royalty Audio: 2011 Los Angeles Kings Development Camp – Part 1

July 12, 2011 10 Comments

EL SEGUNDO, CA — The Los Angeles Kings 2011 Development Camp for their young prospects was already well underway by the time their first on-ice session that was open to the public and the media on July 11 came around. Read more of this post

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