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Los Angeles Kings Broadcasters: Anze Kopitar Is Now An Elite Player

October 9, 2012 by 11 Comments

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE: As this series featuring the long-time broadcasters of the Los Angeles Kings continues, like everyone else, they marveled at how forwards Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, and Anze Kopitar raised their level of play during the Kings’ 2012 run to the Stanley Cup. Part nine of a series.

LA Kings center Anze Kopitar, shown here during the on-ice celebration at
Staples Center, after the Kings won their first Stanley Cup
Championship on June 11, 2012.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — As the Los Angeles Kings blew through the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 16-4 record, winning the first Stanley Cup Championship in the 45-year history of the franchise, many pointed to the fact that they got contributions from everyone in the lineup as a key factor in their success.

That the Kings got those contributions from every player, all the way through their lineup, was significant, without a doubt. However, no team can win the Stanley Cup unless their best players are just that, in every game.

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Filed under Exclusives, News, NHL, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2011-12 Year-In-Review: Can LA Kings Forwards Reach The Next Level After Stanley Cup Win?

July 19, 2012 by 4 Comments

Looking ahead to 2012-13, can Los Angeles Kings star center Anze Kopitar, shown here during the team’s
Stanley Cup Championship Rally on June 14, 2012, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, avoid the prolonged
slumps that have plagued him throughout his career?
(click to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

LOS ANGELES — Although it certainly ended with a huge bang, the 2011-12 season was one of struggle for the Los Angeles Kings, given the fact that they qualified for the playoffs by the skins of their teeth.

Indeed, the Kings’ inability to score goals, a problem that plagued them until the trade deadline in February, almost cost them an invitation to the post-season party, and would likely have resulted in a shake-up in the Kings front office (see 2011-12 Los Angeles Kings Year-In-Review: Front Office Turnaround Set Stanley Cup Run In Motion, and 2011-12 Year-In-Review: Doughty Holdout, Failure To Execute In Offensive Zone Almost Sunk LA Kings Early).

But, as detailed in the previous story in this multi-part series that looks back on the Kings’ 2011-12 season, they put it all together in the final six weeks of the season, earning an 11-4-3 record, good for 25 points, securing the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference, setting up their dominant run to the first Stanley Cup Championship in the 45-year history of the franchise.

In part 4 of Frozen Royalty’s 2011-12 Year-In-Review, it is now time to evaluate the players, coaches, and management. In this installment…the forwards. Read more of this post

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2011-12 Year-In Review: Coaching Change, Three Rookies, Big Trade Help LA Kings Reach For The Stars

July 13, 2012 by 5 Comments

2011-12 YEAR-IN-REVIEW: The Los Angeles Kings were struggling mightily, even after Darryl Sutter took over as head coach just before Christmas. Although things improved marginally, it took the recall of three rookies from the minor leagues, and a big trade, to allow the Kings to play the brand of hockey that would allow them to reach for the stars.

Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Sutter (left), shown here with
center Anze Kopitar (center) and forward Jeff Carter (right)
during a practice session on May 9, 2012.
(click to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

LOS ANGELES — After starting the 2011-12 season with sky high expectations, the Los Angeles Kings were in disarray. They were not anywhere near as successful as they should have been heading into the holiday season, just barely keeping their heads above water with a 13-12-4 mark on December 10, 2011, 29 games into the season.

Although they were not that far off the division lead, or even from first place in the Western Conference yet, that record left the Kings much closer to the cellar of both Read more of this post

Filed under News, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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