EL SEGUNDO, CA — The Los Angeles Kings routine game-day morning skate was considerably more than routine…for head coach Darryl Sutter, defenseman Drew Doughty and for the local media, all because of the presence of a seminal figure in the sport of hockey.
That man was seen on the bench during the morning skate, talking with Sutter. Later, as he made his way into the dressing room area, he stopped to chat with radio play-by-play announcer Daryl Evans. Once inside, Doughty was pulled out of an interview with the media to meet him.
That seminal figure was more than a superstar, legendary among the most legendary players who have ever played the game—the best defenseman ever to play the game, and some argue that he was the best player to have ever played the game…none other than the great Bobby Orr.
The few members of the local media who covered today’s morning skate were very fortunate to get the opportunity to meet him and shake his hand. But taking the time to do that derailed my hopes of interviewing several players, impacting my coverage today.
But we did speak with Doughty and center Anze Kopitar, and you can listen to those interviews below.
LEAD PHOTO: Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick (left), defenseman Drew Doughty (center) and center Anze Kopitar (right), shown here during a recent practice at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California. Photo: David Sheehan/CaliShooterOne Photography.
Raw Audio Interviews
(Extraneous material and dead air have been removed; click on the arrow to listen):
Drew Doughty (2:57)
Anze Kopitar (3:00)
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Instant pass on interviews if you got to meet Orr.