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What Went Wrong For LA Kings G Prospect Jack Campbell Since 2010 NHL Draft?

November 8, 2016 by 2 Comments

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EL SEGUNDO, CA — Back in June 2010, the hottest goaltending prospect was Jack Campbell, who played in major junior hockey in Canada and in the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP).

Campbell ended up being selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round (11th overall) in that draft, held at Staples Center in Los Angeles—he was the Stars’ goaltender of the future.

But almost immediately, things began to go south for the 6-2, 197-pound native of Port Huron, Michigan. Indeed, since he was drafted, Campbell was hot and cold with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League. He even bounced back and forth between the Texas Stars and the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

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LA Kings: No Quick? No Problem

October 14, 2016 by 1 Comment

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, shown here
during practice at the Toyota Sports Center
in El Segundo, California.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/CaliShooterOne Photography

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Looking back to a cold, dark night in Buffalo, New York on November 12, 2013, Los Angels Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick suffered a grade 2 groin strain in a game against the Buffalo Sabres, forcing him to miss significant time.

Media, pundits and fans—just about everyone predicted that the Kings would go into a tailspin without their superstar goaltender. But what happened next surprised shocked the hockey world, as Ben Scrivens and Martin Jones stepped up to backstop the Kings to points in 17 of their next 19 games, putting the Kings in position to go on to win the 2014 Stanley Cup Championship.

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Jeff Zatkoff Has Come Full Circle With LA Kings

October 6, 2016 by 1 Comment

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jeff Zatkoff, shown here during
their 2016 Training Camp at the Toyota Sports Center
in El Segundo, California.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/CaliShooterOne Photography

EL SEGUNDO, CA — For Los Angeles Kings faithful, if the name “Jeff Zatkoff” doesn’t ring a bell, beyond the fact that he played for the 2016 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins, it should.

Indeed, Zatkoff got his start in professional hockey with the Kings, who selected him in the third round (74th overall) of the 2006 National Hockey League Entry Draft. But that was also the year that they selected goaltender Jonathan Bernier in the first round (11th overall), and one year prior, they selected Jonathan Quick in the third round (72nd overall).

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Adrian Kempe Is Getting A Long, Hard Look At Center During LA Kings Training Camp

October 3, 2016 by 7 Comments

Los Angeles Kings forward prospect Adrian Kempe, shown here
during their 2016 Training Camp at the
Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/CaliShooterOne Photography

EL SEGUNDO, CA — After spending the vast majority of the 2015-16 season on left wing with the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign, Los Angeles Kings forward prospect Adrian Kempe is playing center in the Kings’ 2016 Training Camp, which has been more than a bit of an adjustment for him.

“Until I was 15, I played center my whole life,” he said. “Then, mostly the wing. Last year, I played 15-20 games at center.”

“I’m playing center right now, so it’s tough,” he added. “I played left wing almost all last year, so it’s been tough to play in the middle. But I’ve felt more and more comfortable after each game. I got better and better in the defensive zone, and better in terms of puck possession, too.”

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Simplicity Is Key For LA Kings Defenseman Prospect Derek Forbort

September 28, 2016 by Leave a comment

LA Kings defenseman prospect Derek Forbort
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/CaliShooterOne Photography

EL SEGUNDO, CA — The 2010 National Hockey League Entry Draft was a deep one, with a vast majority of the first round picks making to the NHL to stay.

But the same cannot be said for the 15th overall pick in that draft, Los Angeles Kings defenseman prospect Derek Forbort, who played 14 games with the Kings last season, but was a healthy scratch more often that not.

Back in June 2010, with the draft held at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi referred to Forbort as a “project.”

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

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