Los Angeles Kings’ 2011 Late-Round Draft Picks Working To Beat Long Odds

August 18, 2011 by 9 Comments

EL SEGUNDO, CA — The National Hockey League Entry Draft is one huge crapshoot in terms of teams landing prospects who will make it to the NHL level to stay, let alone big stars, even for those who are lucky enough to be first round picks.

Left wing prospect Joel Lowry 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

For those who end up being selected in later rounds, the odds of making it to the NHL are much, much longer. Nevertheless, every so often, they not only make it to the NHL, but they thrive there.

The most notable cases in point among Kings draft picks (not including active NHL players) would be:

  • Butch Goring, Center (fifth round, 51st overall, 1969)
  • Billy Smith, Goaltender (fifth round, 59th overall, 1970)
  • Dave Taylor, Right Wing (15th round, 210th overall, 1975)
  • Mark Hardy, Defenseman (second round, 30th overall, 1979)
  • Bernie Nicholls, Center (fourth round, 73rd overall, 1980)
  • Kevin Stevens, Left Wing (sixth round, 108th overall, 1983)
  • Luc Robitaille, Left Wing (ninth round, 171st overall, 1984)
  • Rob Blake, Defenseman (fourth round, 70th overall, 1987)
  • Alexei Zhitnik, Defenseman (fourth round, 81st overall, 1991) Read more of this post

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LA Kings Retired Athletic Trainer Pete Demers Looks Back At Controversy Surrounding His 2006 Departure

July 10, 2011 by 17 Comments

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: After four consecutive seasons where the Los Angeles Kings were absolutely decimated by injuries, head athletic trainer Pete Demers suddenly found himself on the outside looking in, as he was “…retained in a lesser role,” following the 2005-06 season, a move that generated criticism aimed at the franchise. In part eleven of this series on Demers’ career with the Kings and in professional hockey, he talks about leaving the job he loved so much and the controversy surrounding his departure.

Los Angeles Kings retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers, shown here behind the Kings bench at Staples Center in Los Angeles on December 17, 2005.
Photo: Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES — After a career with the Los Angeles Kings that spanned 37 years, starting with three seasons with their former American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield prior to joining the big club in 1972, head athletic trainer Pete Demers left the club after the 2005-06 season. But that came right after four straight seasons when the Kings were absolutely ravaged by injuries (see Retired LA Kings Trainer Pete Demers Recalls Record-Breaking, Injury-Filled Seasons, 2001-02 to 2005-06).

In two of those seasons, the Kings set unofficial records for man-games lost to injury, with 536 in 2002-03, a record they eclipsed in 2003-04 when they lost 629 man-games.

Those seasons were sandwiched between years when they lost 211 man-games to injury in 2001-02, and 366 in 2005-06 (the National Hockey League did not play in 2004-05 due to a labor dispute).

That is an unfathomable, mind-blowing 1,742 man-games lost to injury in just four seasons. Read more of this post

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Los Angeles Kings Must Do More Than Honor Legend Rogie Vachon During A Pre-Game Ceremony

January 21, 2011 by 6 Comments

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: The Los Angeles Kings honored their past last week when they paid tribute to former superstar goaltender Rogie Vachon. But it sounds like the Kings may have even more up their sleeves to honor the Hockey Hall of Fame-worthy netminder.

Former LA Kings superstar goaltender Rogie Vachon (right) was honored by the team (Kings President/Business Operations Luc Robitaille is pictured, at left) during a ceremony prior to the their game against the Edmonton Oilers
on January 15, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Photo: Noah Graham/NHLI via Getty Images and the Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES — Last week, the Los Angeles Kings paid tribute to their past in the first of three “Legends Nights” this season. Rather appropriately, the first legend they chose to honor was their first true superstar and the first Kings player to have his jersey retired, superstar goaltender Rogatien “Rogie” Vachon.

Accompanied by his wife, children and their families, Vachon was honored during a pre-game ceremony, one that brought a visible smile to his face.

“It was very, very well done,” said the 65-year-old native of Palmarolle, Quebec. “[Kings President/Business Operations] Luc Robitaille and the [communications] department did a fantastic job. They planned it very well, and they asked me which people I wanted to invite. Having the whole family on the ice at the same time was very special.” Read more of this post

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Will The NHL’s Winter Classic Ever Come To Southern California?

January 18, 2011 by 2 Comments

LOS ANGELES — Heinz Field in Pittsburgh has long since been converted back into a football stadium after the National Hockey League’s 2011 Winter Classic, played on January 1. But, since then, there has been a lot of talk about other NHL cities that want to host the annual outdoor game.

Logo courtesy National Hockey League

To be sure, a lot of NHL cities, especially in colder regions of the United States, are already lined up, waiting for their chance to host the annual spectacle, and, if you listen to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, only cities with cold weather will host the Winter Classic.

“I think, for the foreseeable future, it’s more likely than not we’ll continue to do it in climates that we hope will be more hospitable, and we saw what happened in Pittsburgh this year,” said Bettman, noting that the NHL had to deal with unseasonably warm temperatures and rain, forcing them to turn a day game into an evening contest, starting at 5:00 PM Eastern time.

Bettman added the league would be open to having teams located in warmer climates participate in the Winter Classic as the visitors. Read more of this post

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Former LA Kings Defensive Stalwart Mattias Norstrom Left The Game On His Own Terms

November 1, 2010 by 9 Comments

LOS ANGELES — On a night in which the Los Angeles Kings handed the once-vaunted New Jersey Devils a 3-1 defeat, shutting down the mighty $100 million superstar Ilya Kovalchuk in the process, the Kings took time to pay tribute to their past, and to one of their own.

Former LA Kings defenseman Mattias Norstrom (center), was honored by the Kings
during a pre-game ceremony on October 30, 2010, when the Kings hosted
the New Jersey Devils at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Photo: Los Angeles Kings

Former Kings defenseman Mattias Norstrom was back in Los Angeles on October 30, and was honored by the team during a pre-game ceremony.

“It is fun, it’s great being back,” said Norstrom, who played in 780 regular season games with the Kings over eleven seasons after being acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on March 14, 1996. “I haven’t been back here for two-and-a-half years. The last time I was back was with the [Dallas] Stars in the Spring of ’08.” Read more of this post

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Gann Matsuda On The Hockey Writers: Even With His Career In Jeopardy, Ian Laperriere’s Priorities Are Right On The Mark

November 1, 2010 by 4 Comments

LOS ANGELES — Prior to their game against the New Jersey Devils on October 30 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Kings honored former Kings defenseman and team captain Mattias Norstrom, who was a stalwart warrior on the Kings’ blue line for eleven seasons until he was traded to the Dallas Stars in a trade deadline deal on February 27, 2007.

Several of Norstrom’s former Kings teammates were present for the pre-game ceremony, including defensemen Rob Blake and Mathieu Schneider, forwards Derek Armstrong, Nelson Emerson, Glen Murray and Luc Robitaille, and goaltender Jamie Storr.

Another was forward Ian Laperriere, who was acquired by the Kings in the same deal with the New York Rangers that sent Norstrom to the Kings.

“[The ceremony was a] great thing for a great player, a great teammate,” said Laperriere, who was a fan favorite in Los Angeles and received a raucous ovation when he was introduced. “He’s been a friend for years. I’m just glad I was able to make it.”

Laperriere said that he played with very few players who could match Norstrom’s work ethic, dedication or intensity, and added that such players seem to be a dying breed. Read more of this post

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