Newly-Acquired Defenseman Andrej Sekera Sounds Like He’ll Fit Right In With LA Kings

February 26, 2015 by Leave a comment

AUDIO: Listen to newly-acquired Los Angeles Kings defenseman Andrej Sekera’s first interview with the local media.

Newly-acquired LA Kings
defenseman Andrej Sekera.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net

LOS ANGELES — For veteran defenseman Andrej Sekera, if being traded wasn’t enough, due to weather conditions, he had to endure flight delays getting out of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Sekera managed to make it to Los Angeles on February 26, only later than either he, or his new team, the Los Angeles Kings, had originally planned.

After undergoing hours of physical examinations, Sekera finally met with the media after the first period of his new team’s game against the Ottawa Senators at Staples Center in Los Angeles that evening.

Sekera, who did not play in the game, said that he got a phone call at home, notifying him of the trade.

“I had a day off, so I was sitting on my couch, watching TV, and I got a phone call that I was traded,” he said. “I was happy, going to a great organization, a club that has had success in the last couple of years, and belongs [in] the top of the league.”

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LA Kings Dean Lombardi On Tanner Pearson, The Best Way To Improve and…Sleeping?

February 26, 2015 by Leave a comment

AUDIO: Includes audio of the media conference call with Dean Lombardi on February 25.

Los Angeles Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: Dawn Mounce/DG Photography”]

EL SEGUNDO, CA — When Los Angeles Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi speaks to the media, if he has the time, he’ll provide chapter and verse about his actions, his plans, and just about anything else under the sun related to the Kings, the National Hockey League, and sometimes, non-hockey-related topics.

During a media conference call on February 25 in which the main topic was the trade in which the Kings acquired veteran defenseman Andrej Sekera from the Carolina Hurricanes (click here for related story), Lombardi also discussed several other subjects.

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LA Kings GM Dean Lombardi On Sekera Trade: Players “Made Me Start Working, To Go Out And Get’em Some Help”

February 25, 2015 by 2 Comments

AUDIO: Includes audio of the media conference call with Dean Lombardi discussing the Andrej Sekera trade on February 25.

Newly-acquired LA Kings
defenseman Andrej Sekera.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo courtesy
National Hockey League

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Even before the Los Angeles Kings lost defenseman Slava Voynov to his indefinite suspension, resulting from him being charged with domestic violence against his wife, it was no secret that they were looking for help on their blue line to fill the void left by big, physical, stay-at-home defenseman Willie Mitchell, who they could not fit under the salary cap last summer.

With both players out of their lineup, the Kings struggled, especially in their own end. That continued until their current eight-game winning streak, prompting President/General Manager Dean Lombardi to acquire defenseman Andrej Sekera from the Carolina Hurricanes on February 25, in exchange for defenseman prospect Roland McKeown and a conditional first round pick.

As first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the conditions for the first round pick are: if the Kings make the playoffs, the pick will be in the 2015 National Hockey League Draft. If not, the pick will be in the 2016 draft.

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LA Kings Kyle Clifford Signed To 5-Year Contract Extension

February 25, 2015 by Leave a comment

AUDIO: Also includes audio of the media interview with Kyle Clifford, who talked about signing a five-year contract extension.

LA Kings left wing Kyle Clifford, shown here during a recent practice.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/CaliShooterOne Photography

EL SEGUNDO, CA — On February 25, the Los Angeles Kings signed left wing Kyle Clifford to a five-year contract extension.

As reported at virtually the same time by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Bob McKenzie of TSN, the deal has a salary cap hit of $1.6 million per season.

Clifford spoke to the media after practice shortly after the deal was announced.

“It’s a good feeling, obviously,” he said. “You can get it out of the way, and just focus on hockey. But it doesn’t guarantee anything. You still have to come to the rink every day, put your work in, and continue to progress to win games.”

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LA Kings Have Re-Discovered “Kings Hockey,” Perhaps Just In The Nick Of Time

February 23, 2015 by Leave a comment

AUDIO: Includes audio of media interviews with Matt Greene, Jake Muzzin and head coach Darryl Sutter after practice on Feburary 23, 2015.

LA Kings defenseman Matt Greene, shown here during a recent practice.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/CaliShooterOne Photography

EL SEGUNDO, CA — After winning seven straight games to move themselves, for at least one day, anyway, into third place in the Pacific Division, the Los Angeles Kings are firing on all cylinders, and as previously reported in this space, they’re doing it by playing Kings Hockey, a term used by the players off and on since last season.

Kings Hockey is when they smother opposing teams in the defensive zone, recovering pucks and breaking out quickly from their zone. That allows the Kings to generate speed through the neutral zone on attack. That speed is critical to their ability to beat opposing defensemen to loose pucks deep in the attacking zone, allowing them to get in on the forecheck, and create scoring chances off of that.

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