Advertisements

LA Kings Assistant GM Michael Futa On Newly-Acquired Defenseman Daniel Brickley

April 6, 2018 by Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings rookie defenseman David Brickley (foreground)
shown here during a recent practice.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net

EL SEGUNDO, CA — While they were winning Stanley Cup Championships in 2012 and 2014, while they were a legitimate Stanley Cup contender in 2013, and when they thought they still had a chance to win a championship in 2015, the Los Angeles Kings gambled by trading away first round draft picks that they used to acquire players who they believed would put them over the top.

In most cases, the gamble worked well for the Kings. But as their window for winning championships began to close, that gamble, as it does more often than not when that window is closing, resulted in the cupboard being quite bare when it came to higher-end talent coming up through the ranks. But that is what championship teams are supposed to—draft and develop their young prospects well in order to build their team through the draft and to stockpile players that other teams covet for use in trades to bring in the final pieces of the puzzle.

Read more of this post

Advertisements

Filed under News, Prospects

LA Kings Think Cal Petersen Will Be Their Next Hot Goaltender Prospect

March 24, 2018 by Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings goaltending prospect Cal Petersen, shown here during the Kings 2017 Rookie Camp
at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California on September 8, 2017.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net

ONTARIO, CA — It wasn’t so long ago that the Los Angeles Kings had a bevy of riches in goal. Indeed, with Jonathan Quick becoming a superstar, he had Jonathan Bernier, once thought to be the Kings goaltender of the future, right behind him.

Bernier, who wanted to be a number one goaltender—and rightly so—was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs after the Kings won the Stanley Cup Championship in 2012. Backup goaltender Martin Jones was in the same situation after the Kings won the 2014 Stanley Cup Championship, and was traded to the Boston Bruins, who immediately dealt him to the San Jose Sharks.

The Kings have also had the likes of Jean-Francois Berube and Peter Budaj In their netminder stable. Berube was the victim of the good’ol numbers game with the Kings, and was lost to the New York Islanders, who claimed him off of waivers, while Budaj was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning last season.

Read more of this post

Filed under Exclusives, News, Prospects Tagged with , , , ,

LA Kings LW Prospect Austin Wagner Has Speed Comparable To Connor McDavid

March 21, 2018 by Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings left wing prospect Austin Wagner (foreground), shown here playing
for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League.
Photo courtesy Ontario Reign
(click above to view larger image)

ONTARIO, CA — If you’ve watched Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, you know that he has a combination of size, skill and speed the likes of which haven’t been seen in a long, long time, perhaps never before.

To be sure, McDavid is absolutely breathtaking to watch and although he doesn’t have the size and skill to match McDavid, the Los Angeles Kings have a left wing prospect in their system, 20-year-old Austin Wagner, who has speed comparable to McDavid’s.

Wagner was selected by the Kings in the fourth round (99th overall) of the 2015 National Hockey League Draft. The 6-2, 185-pound native of Calgary, Alberta played four seasons with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, with his best year coming in 2016-17, when he scored 30 goals and added 36 assists for 66 points in 64 regular season games, with a +52 plus/minus rating and 94 penalty minutes. In the playoffs that season, Wagner played in 22 games, scoring 16 goals, and contributing five assists for 21 points.

Read more of this post

Filed under Exclusives, News, Prospects Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

From Rock Bottom To The NHL: LA Kings G Jack Campbell

March 5, 2018 by Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings backup goaltender Jack Campbell
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.net
(click above to view larger image)

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Rookie goaltender Jack Campbell has been on quite the whirlwind over the last couple of weeks. Indeed, he was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings on February 22, 2018, from the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League, and just five days later, he earned his first National Hockey League win in a 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Campbell, 26, was selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round (11th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-2, 197-pound native of Port Huron, Michigan was acquired by the Kings on June 25, 2016, in a trade that defenseman prospect Nick Ebert to the Stars.

If the fact that Campbell was a 2010 draft pick doesn’t raise a red flag for you, it should. His journey to the NHL has been long and arduous, and that’s putting it mildly. In fact, his time with the Dallas organization was pretty much a downward spiral, and he certainly hit rock bottom.

Read more of this post

Filed under News, Prospects Tagged with , ,

LA Kings D Prospect Jordan Subban: “Maybe We’ve Got To Slow Down His Flight Patterns”

February 16, 2018 by 1 Comment

Los Angeles Kings defenseman prospect Jordan Subban (left), shown here during a
recent game against the Texas Stars.
Photo: Jessica Harsen/Courtesy Ontario Reign
(click above to view larger image)

ONTARIO, CA — when the Los Angeles Kings sent center Nic Dowd to the Vancouver Canucks, in exchange for defenseman Jordan Subban on December 7, 2017, the question among pundits and fans alike was, “Is he anywhere near as good as P.K.?”

Indeed, the 22-year-old is the younger brother of superstar defenseman P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators, and of goaltender Malcolm Subban of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Read more of this post

Filed under Exclusives, News, Prospects Tagged with , , , ,

← Older posts