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LA Kings 2011 Training Camp: Goalie Prospect Jeff Zatkoff Approaches 2011-12 Season With Renewed Focus

September 28, 2011 by 9 Comments

LA Kings goaltender prospect Jeff Zatkoff.
Photo: David Sheehan

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Outside of the years superstar and should-be-Hall-of-Fame netminder Rogie Vachon dominated while toiling between the pipes, goaltending has traditionally been the weakest link for the Los Angeles Kings.

Even goaltender Mario Lessard only had one outstanding season with the Kings in 1980-81. He even played in the 1981 National Hockey League All-Star Game that year, along with the Kings’ “Triple Crown Line,” which featured Marcel Dionne, Charlie Simmer and Dave Taylor.

Kelly Hrudey backstopped the Kings during the Gretzky Era, and helped lead the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1992-93. But that team won by outscoring its opponents, not because of its defense and goaltending. Read more of this post

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From Blimp Rides To Breaking Televisions To Waxed Doughnuts, LA Kings Trainer Emeritus Pete Demers Has Seen It All

June 29, 2011 by 19 Comments

FROZEN ROYALTY EXCLUSIVE — In Part nine of a series, Los Angeles Kings retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers shares more stories involving players, coaches and general managers he worked with during his long career.


Former Los Angeles Kings head athletic trainer Pete Demers, pictured here
behind the bench during the 1995-95 season.
Photo: Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES — In a 41-year career in professional hockey, Los Angeles Kings retired head athletic trainer Pete Demers has certainly seen and heard enough to fill the pages of a good-sized book, sights and sounds that fans and even the media would virtually never have access to.

Whether it was the pre-game rituals some players adhered to game after game, the practical jokes, humorous stories, or just memories of the different characters in and out of the training room, Demers saw it all in 37 years with the franchise, beginning with three years with Springfield of the American Hockey League (the Kings’ minor league affiliate from 1967-75 and 1977-79) before he joined the Los Angeles Kings in 1972. Read more of this post

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Has Dean Lombardi Solved The LA Kings’ Goaltending Woes?

February 4, 2010 by 10 Comments

LOS ANGELES — With the exception of should-be-a-Hall-of-Famer Rogie Vachon, Mario Lessard and Felix Potvin (for about one season), “goaltending” and “Los Angeles Kings” should not be used in the same sentence unless the idea is to cause uncontrollable laughter or crushing despair, depending on who you might be talking to. Read more of this post

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Frozen Royalty Audio And NHL Video: Anze Kopitar Leads LA Kings To 7th Straight Win

February 3, 2010 by 11 Comments

LOS ANGELES — Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth scored goals while Jonathan Quick stopped twenty shots to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers in front of an announced sell-out crowd of 18,118 fans at Staples Center on February 2.

After a scoreless first period, Kopitar opened the scoring on a two-on-one shorthanded break at 16:43 of the second period.

Smyth scored his 17th goal of the season at 11:14 of the third period, taking a nice pass from winger Dustin Brown after a turnover by the Rangers in the neutral zone.

Quick has now won seven consecutive games, and has earned a 1.95 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in that span.

The Kings have won their last seven games and are 9-1 in their last ten games after losing three straight games to the Detroit Red Wings on January 7, the St. Louis Blues on January 9 and the San Jose Sharks on January 11. Read more of this post

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LA Kings Goaltender Jonathan Quick Named NHL’s First Star of the Week

December 14, 2009 by 1 Comment

NEW YORK — On December 14, the National Hockey League named Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick as their number one star of the week for the week ending December 13. Read more of this post

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