KINGS NOTES...
By Gann Matsuda
4-23-01 Late Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced their updated second round playoff schedule (all times are PACIFIC): Date Location Time TV ------------------------------------------------------------------ Thu., 4/26 Colorado 7:00 PM FSN2/ESPN2 Sat., 4/28 Colorado 12:00 PM ABC Mon., 4/30 Los Angeles 6:30 PM ESPN Wed., 5/2 Los Angeles 7:00 PM ESPN2 Fri., 5/4 *Colorado 5:00 PM ESPN Sun., 5/6 *Los Angeles TBA ESPN2 Wed., 5/9 *Colorado 7:00 PM ESPN2 ------------------------------------------------------------------ * - if necessary Fox Sports Net West 2 (FSN2) will be televising Game one of the series. The rest of Fox Sports Net's Kings' broadcast schedule will be announced soon. The Game one telecast on Fox Sports Net West 2 will replace the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast on Thursday night. Fox Sports Net 2 has added the Dodgers at Milwaukee Brewers game on Monday, July 23 (5:00 PM) to their schedule.4-23-01 Immediately following their win 3-2 overtime win in Game six over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night, the Los Angeles Kings, who advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a 4-2 series win, announced that individual game tickets for the second round will go on sale on Wednesday at 10:00 AM at the Staples Center box office. A limit of eight tickets per game will be sold per order. Prices for the second round are: $120.00, $118.50, $97.00, $75.00, $66.50, $45.50 and $38.50. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and lines will be formed beginning at 8:30 AM. Tickets will also be available starting at 10:00 AM at all TicketMaster outlets, at www.ticketmaster.com, and by phone at (213) 365-3600. Those willing to put down a $150.00 deposit for 2001-2002 season tickets can pre-purchase second round playoff tickets on Tuesday. Call (888) 546-4752 for more information or to order. The Kings also announced the second round playoff schedule (all times are PACIFIC): Date Location Time TV ------------------------------------------------------------------ Thu., 4/26 Colorado TBA TBA Sat., 4/28 Colorado TBA TBA Mon., 4/30 Los Angeles TBA TBA Wed., 5/2 Los Angeles TBA TBA Fri., 5/4 *Colorado TBA TBA Sun., 5/6 OR *Los Angeles TBA TBA Mon., 5/7 Wed., 5/8 *Colorado TBA TBA 
4-20-01 Late Friday night, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have recalled right wing Brad Chartrand and defenseman Andreas Lilja from the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL. Chartrand who appeared in four games with the Kings this season, scored a goal and no assists. He played in 72 games at Lowell, scoring fifteen goals and adding 34 assists for 51 points. In four playoff games, Chartrand tallied an assist. Lilja appeared in 61 games at Lowell, scoring seven goals and adding 29 assists for 36 points while racking up 149 penalty minutes. Lilja, who appeared in two games with the Kings this season, played in four playoff games at Lowell, recording a team-leading six assists. Chartrand will wear number 29, and Lilja will wear number 6. 4-10-01 On Tuesday, Fox Sports Net released their Southern California broadcast schedule for the first round playoff matchup between the Los Angeles Kings and the Detroit Red Wings. FSN = Fox Sports Net West FSN2 = Fox Sports Net West 2 All times are PACIFIC Game Location Date Time Channel ---------------------------------------------------------------- Game 1 Kings at Detroit Wed., April 11 4:00 PM FSN2 Game 2 Kings at Detroit Sat., April 14 10:00 AM ABC Game 3 Detroit at Kings Sun., April 15 8:30 PM FSN Break the Ice 8:00 PM FSN Pre-Game show Game 4 Detroit at Kings Wed., April 18 7:30 PM FSN Break the Ice 7:00 PM FSN Pre-Game show Game 5 *Kings at Detroit Sat., April 21 12:00 PM ABC Game 6 *Detroit at Kings Mon., April 23 7:30 PM FSN Break the Ice 7:00 PM FSN Pre-Game show Game 7 *Kings at Detroit Wed., April 25 4:00 PM FSN * - if necessary Although anything is possible, anyone looking for the Los Angeles Kings to go after Colorado Avalanche and former Kings' defenseman Rob Blake after July 1 when he will become an unrestricted free agent probably should not hold their breath. Kings' President Tim Leiweke was asked by host Bill MacDonald on Fox Sports Net West 2's "Sports Roundtable" show (which first aired on Monday night) if the Kings would attempt to sign Blake during the off-season. "If you're asking if we would go after him when we have the ability to go after him, the answer is no," Leiweke replied. "We made him an offer, he turned it down, end of story." Leiweke then indicated that while there was no animosity between the Kings and Blake, they did have a problem with Ron Salcer, Blake's agent. "We think the world of Rob, but his agent told us when we made the trade, 'the Kings will die, from this point on,'" explained Leiweke. Sounds like neither side will be very interested in talking to the other this summer. 4-8-01 Late Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings announced the schedule for their first round playoff series against the Detroit Red Wings (all times are PACIFIC): Date Location Time TV ------------------------------------------------------------------ Wed., 4/11 Detroit 4:00 PM ESPN Sat., 4/14 Detroit 10:00 AM ABC Sun., 4/15 Los Angeles 8:30 PM ESPN2 Wed., 4/18 Los Angeles 7:30 PM ESPN2 Sat., 4/21 *Detroit 12:00 PM ABC Mon., 4/23 *Los Angeles 7:30 PM ESPN2 Wed., 4/25 *Detroit 4:00 PM ESPN * - if necessary Fox Sports Net is expected to announce their broadcast schedule for Los Angeles area viewers sometime on Monday. The Kings will practice on Monday at 8:30 AM at the HealthSouth Training Center in El Segundo, and will leave for Detroit immediately after practice. 4-6-01 On Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that individual game tickets for the first round on the 2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs will go on sale on Monday, April 9, beginning at 8:00 AM PDT at the Staples Center box office. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and no lines will be permitted before 7:00 AM PDT. Tickets will also be available starting at 10:00 AM PDT at Ticketmaster outlets, at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling (213) 480-3232. Prices for the first round are: $28.50, $35.50, $55.50, $65.00, $85.00, $105.00 and $108.50. Those willing to make a deposit on 2001-2002 season tickets ($50.00 per ticket) can purchase playoff tickets on Saturday or Sunday by calling (888) KINGS-LA (546-4752). 4-2-01 Following their 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night, the Los Angeles Kings announced their annual team awards: Awards Voted by the Media ------------------------- Bill Libby Memorial Award (Most Valuable Player): Luc Robitaille Best Newcomer: Lubomir Visnovsky Best Defenseman: Mattias Norstrom Best Defensive Player: Mattias Norstrom Awards Voted by the Kings' Players ---------------------------------- Most Inspirational Player: Ian Laperriere Unsung Hero: Jaroslav Modry Award Voted by the Kings Care Foundation ----------------------------------------- Community Service Award: Kelly Buchberger and Stu Grimson Award Voted by the Kings Booster Club ------------------------------------- Most Popular Player : Ian Laperriere On Monday, the National Hockey League named Los Angeles Kings' goalie Felix Potvin as their Player of the Week for the period of March 26 - April 1, 2001. During the timeframe, Potvin earned a 2-1-1 record in four games, with a stellar 0.73 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage. He also recorded three shutouts in the four games. Potvin edged Buffalo Sabres goalie Dominek Hasek (3-0-0, 0.67 GAA, .972 save percentage, two shutouts), and Pittsburgh Penguins center Mario Lemieux (3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points, +6 rating in three games) for the weekly honor. This is the fifth time Potvin has been honored as the NHL Player of the Week. He last received the honor in March, 1998 as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. In other news... Helene Elliott reports in Monday's LOS ANGELES TIMES that although Kings' left wing Stu Grimson, faces an automatic two-game suspension for receiving his third instigator penalty on Saturday, the Kings are appealing, claiming that Grimson did not seek out Colorado's Scott Parker and, therefore, the instigator penalty was unwarranted. 4-1-01 By now, I'm sure most everyone realizes that today's issue of my "Kings Notes" was nothing more than an April Fool's Day joke, and that there is absolutely no truth in the report whatsoever. My apologies to the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, National Hockey League, Pierre Lacroix, Gary Bettman, Jeffrey Pash, Rob Blake, Aaron Miller, Adam Deadmarsh, Jared Aulin, the Avalanche medical stuff (Dr. Tim Bennett is a fictitious character), Dave Taylor, Tim Leiweke, Philip Anschutz, and anyone else who may be directly or indirectly affected by this attempt at humor. Ok...back to reality...the Kings are just two points behind sixth place Vancouver, who they host on Monday at Staples Center. Look for my next report sometime on Tuesday morning. Early Sunday, the National Hockey League announced that they will void portions of the trade that sent then-Los Angeles Kings' defenseman Rob Blake, along with center Steven Reinprecht to the Colorado Avalanche for right wing Adam Deadmarsh, defenseman Aaron Miller, the Avs' first-round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, a prospect to be named later (Jared Aulin) and future considerations. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the move, the result of an investigation launched after Blake suffered what was initially diagnosed as a knee sprain in a game on March 20, but turned out to be an aggravation of a partially torn ligament. Medical examinations by Colorado Avalanche team doctors, along with doctors brought in by the NHL, have discovered that Blake's knee injury was actually an aggravation of a partially torn knee ligament, an injury that was not disclosed by the Kings prior to the trade. "Both teams shared medical information about all the players involved in this deal," said Jeffrey Pash, NHL Legal Counsel. "But our investigation revealed that the Kings intentionally hid information regarding Blake's knee injury that occurred earlier this season." "That injury was more serious than the Kings let on," Pash continued. "Apparently, the Kings, knowing that they would probably trade Blake, did not tell him about the full extent of the injury, and also hid it from the Avalanche team doctors." Blake was very surprised at the findings. "I didn't even know about it," Blake said. "I hurt the knee in practice back in December, but it didn't keep me out of the lineup. It hurt a little bit, and I had it checked, but [Kings' team doctors] said that I just need to do a little rehab work on it, but that it shouldn't keep me out of the lineup." "I guess I was just lucky that I didn't hurt it while I was still playing in LA," an angry Blake added. "The injury, if not treated properly, could have put Blake out of action for a long time," said Avalanche team physician Dr. Tim Bennett. "Blake is lucky that he wasn't more seriously injured." "We are surprised and very angry about this," Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix said. "I'm really, really surprised that the Kings would stoop this low. I had a lot of respect for [Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager] Dave Taylor. I just hope he was just as much in the dark about all this as we were." The NHL did not specify who was involved in the cover-up. Bettman has ruled that parts of the trade between the Kings and Avalanche will be voided at the end of the 2000-2001 season. "What's done is done for this season," Bettman said. "Too many games have been played after the trade, so under the rules, because the trade deadline has passed, the terms of the trade will stand until the end of this season." "But after this season is over, portions of this trade will be voided," Bettman continued. "Blake will stay in Colorado, as will [center] Steven Reinprecht. But defenseman Aaron Miller will be returned to the Avalanche." "The Kings will also forfeit their rights to Jared Aulin, and to any other future considerations from this deal, including the conditional draft pick in 2002." Aulin was selected by the Kings as the "prospect to be named later." He was one of Colorado's top prospects. In short, the Kings have to give back Miller, and they lose Aulin and the draft pick they would have gotten for Blake--a first-round pick in 2002 if he signs with Colorado, or a second-round pick in 2002 if he signs elsewhere. In the end, the Kings have traded away Blake and Reinprecht for right wing Adam Deadmarsh. Pash also said that the Kings will face further penalties. "The Kings have been fined $100,000, and will forfeit their first-round picks in the 2001 and 2002 entry drafts," Pash said. "The NHL cannot tolerate such underhanded behavior by our teams, and we will seriously punish any team that engages in such abhorrent activities." The Kings have not yet released a statement, but have scheduled a telephone press conference for 12:00 PM PST where they are expected to comment on the situation. In the final analysis, this is clearly a desperate move by a franchise that is now run solely by the almighty dollar. Sure, the Kings' ownership (Philip Anschutz) and management (Tim Leiweke) knows that winning means added recognition and more butts in the seats, which results in increased revenue, but in light of this revelation, it is obvious that the Kings never intended to sign Blake to a contract. Rather, they intended from the outset to dump Blake's salary, trading him to the highest bidder. Then, in order to keep his trade value as high as possible, they hid Blake's torn knee ligament from him, and did not tell the Avs about it, either. This is about as low as one can go. Not only is it dirty pool by the Kings, but one can only assume that Blake was not getting proper treatment for the injury. This could have had a terrible effect on his career if the injury somehow got worse. And even worse for the Kings, just so that they could save money and get more than they might have in a deal if they had been honest in their dealings with Blake and the Avs, the Kings lost out big time on Miller and Aulin, as well as two draft picks from the Avs that could have been huge, not to mention their own first-round picks in 2001 and 2002, which are now forfeit. The bottom line: Dishonesty and greed has created a huge black hole in the Kings' future. The loss of Aulin, along with two high-round draft picks, and two first-round picks forfeited--those are tremendous losses that will create huge holes in an already talent-deficient farm system. Clearly, the future for the Kings is not a bright one. Their established talent is aging...this team is not getting any younger, and now, they have virtually no young talent coming up through their system. With this team struggling just to make the playoffs, with the signing of quality free agents in the off-season being unlikely because ownership does not appear to be interested in spending money on payroll, and with a dearth of talent in their minor league system now and over the next couple of years, the Kings do not appear to be getting closer to the Stanley Cup. Rather, they are moving farther from it. Better get used to it folks. It looks as if we're going to have to withstand a few more very long, disappointing seasons from the Kings. But don't get too disappointed. Take a deep breath and look at your calendar! :-)
