KINGS NOTES...
By Gann Matsuda
2-28-01 On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have traded goalie Steve Passmore to the Chicago Blackhawks for an eighth-round draft choice. Passmore appeared in 14 games for the Kings this season, earning a 3-8-1 record and a 3.09 goals-against average. Passmore, 28, also played for the Lowell Lock Monsters (AHL) and the Chicago Wolves (IHL) this season. With the Kings' acquiring Felix Potvin and with Stephane Fiset almost back from injury, Passmore became expendable.2-27-01 Late Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have acquired center Steve Kelly from the New Jersey Devils for future considerations. Kelly, 24, has played in 24 games for the Devils this year, scoring two goals and two assists for four points with 21 penalty minutes. In 110 NHL games, Kelly has scored six goals and eight assists for fourteen points to go along with 77 penalty minutes. Kelly was drafted in the first round (sixth overall) in 1995 by Edmonton. The 6-2, 205 pound center played for Edmonton before being dealt to Tampa Bay on December 30, 1997. New Jersey acquired Kelly from Tampa Bay on October 7, 1999. Kelly will wear number 11 for the Kings. The Kings also announced that defenseman Mathieu Schneider has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to February 23. Schneider suffered a right groin strain on Thursday at Calgary. 
2-26-01 Los Angeles Kings' defenseman Mathieu Schneider, who suffered a groin strain on Thursday at Calgary and did not play against Columbus on Saturday, will not travel with the team to Nashville on Tuesday or Chicago on Thursday. Defenseman Philippe Boucher, who injured his hand on Saturday when he blocked a shot, has reported improvement and is expected to be available on Tuesday. 2-23-01 On Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have traded center Bob Corkum to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for future considerations. Corkum, 33, played in 58 games for the Kings this season, scoring four goals and adding six assists for ten points with eighteen penalty minutes. Corkum was assigned to the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL, but did not play for Lowell before being traded. Corkum was signed by the Kings on December 27, 1999, and was a solid contributor last season, and was the team's best face-off man. But this season, Corkum's physical play, his face-off winning percentage and his overall play, slipped badly. 2-22-01 The day after... Wednesday's late-night trade that sent Los Angeles Kings' star defenseman Rob Blake, along with rookie center Steve Reinprecht, to the Colorado Avalanche for gritty winger Adam Deadmarsh, defenseman Aaron Miller, the Avs first-round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, a prospect to be named later and future considerations was still the big news around the NHL on Thursday. For the Kings, Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor was busy trying to justify the deal. Taylor had nothing but praise for the star defenseman. "Rob has been a tremendous player for the Los Angeles Kings," Taylor said. "On the ice, he's been outstanding. He's been an All-Star, he's won a Norris Trophy. He has spent his whole career in LA, and I have a lot emotional attachments to him myself. But it was a decision that was made in the best interests of our organization. We have to continue to move on." "Rob has always represented everything we value in Los Angeles," Taylor added. "He's been a tremendous player for us, on and off the ice. Rob and his wife, Brandy, have been active in the community with various charities." Taylor was also quick to point out that the Kings' dismal playoff record since 1993 was not a factor in the Kings' thinking. "Not winning a playoff game and only qualifying for the playoffs a couple of times in the last few years is certainly not blame that should fall at the feet of Rob Blake," he said. "That's something we all have to accept throughout the organization." Taylor explained that the Kings wanted to sign Blake to a new contract, but then he pointed out the obvious--that the Kings were not interested in paying what will be the "market rate" for Blake's services. "It was an economic decision, certainly, under the direction of our ownership," Taylor said. "It's important for us to have the Los Angeles Kings operate as a viable business. The numbers that Rob was talking about just was not going to work in our budget." "Our intent from the beginning and our first priority would've been to re-sign Rob and have him remain with the Kings," Taylor added. "When it became evident that in order for us to do that, we would have to get to numbers that, in his opinion, would be what he would be paid as an unrestricted free agent in July, that just wasn't possible [so] we moved forward with the best deal for the Los Angeles Kings." "For us to meet the salary demands that Rob was asking for or would receive in July would have meant tremendous increases in our average ticket price, and we didn't feel that was appropriate," Taylor said. Although Blake wanted to be the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL and wanted to continue to live in Manhattan Beach, he scoffed at Taylor's comments that his salary demands would break the Kings' budget. "Well, that is their side of the story," he said. "We wanted to stay. I guess [free agency] is going to happen now. This is a great opportunity in Colorado, but we'll see what happens." "There wasn't really a close deal all year," Blake said about the contract negotiations with the Kings. "My wife is a little upset," Blake added. "I don't think she understands it all right now. It will be big change for her. She has never left Manhattan Beach. It's going to be a big change no matter where we end up." Blake reportedly scoffed at the possibility of signing with the Kings as a free agent after July 1. But don't expect him to sign with the Avs, either. "We've talked and had meetings with the Avalanche when we landed and the goal is to go on and do the best possible this season and get into the playoffs and see what we can do in the playoffs," said Blake. "I'm just going to wait and see," he added. "I want to take care of the business on the ice and get everything done there and when that's done, we'll do the other things. I really haven't taken a long time to think about it. I spent a lot of time in LA and that's what I was focused on until this happened. What I'm going to do is fit [in with the Avs] and do what I can to help this team win and then sit down at the end and look at everything." Blake also contends that he does not hold a grudge against the Kings. "I had a great time in LA," he said. "I had a lot of years there and they gave me a great start to a career that I am very thankful of. Again, there is no animosity in LA. I had a great time there but that chapter is closed and I'm ready to move on here in Colorado." Although conventional wisdom dictates that you don't trade within your own conference, the Kings wanted the best deal for Blake and they know that even if they traded Blake to an Eastern Conference team, he could easily wind up back in the West next season. "There were a number of teams talking to us from the East and the West, but it was important for us to get the best deal," Taylor explained. "If I was presented with two deals and they were both equal in my mind or maybe even slightly better, the preference would be to send Rob to the East, but bear in mind that in July, he has the ability to sign anywhere he wants, so regardless, he could come right back to the West if he had been traded to the East." "I had conversations with a number of teams in the West and teams in the East, and we felt, without question, that the deal we received from the Avalanche was in the best interests of the Los Angeles Kings, both in the immediate future and also down the road," Taylor emphasized. Taylor then turned his thoughts to the players received from Colorado and what they are expected to bring to the Kings. "Particularly, with Adam, a forward who will add some grit, a player who goes to the net as hard as he does, and gets in on the forecheck, he's a nice addition and a complement to the skilled forwards we have up front," Taylor said. Deadmarsh should improve the Kings' forecheck. "I just want to go out and compete hard each and every night," Deadmarsh said. "A lot of my game is grinding in the corners and getting in on the forecheck quick, trying to get my linemates the puck." The trade came as a surprise for Deadmarsh, to be sure. "It definitely was a surprise," he said. "They told me after the game last night. It hit home there pretty hard, but I've had the night to think about it and I'm very excited." "It was hard at first, we had a very good thing going in Colorado," Deadmarsh added. "But the thought that the Kings are in a real fight down the stretch really excites me." "The Avalanche has had a lot of great games with Los Angeles," Deadmarsh continued. "We've definitely competed well against each other. I've definitely seen the talent that LA has, and I'm very excited to be a part of that now. Hopefully, we can make a little run and make the playoffs." Deadmarsh remained in Denver on Thursday to deal with family matters, including twin girls, who were born on February 9, prematurely. "I do have two baby girls in the intensive care unit at the hospital," Deadmarsh said. "I needed to spend today with the kids and my wife to settle things down here a little bit. Hopefully, I'll be [in Los Angeles] for Saturday's game [against Columbus]." Deadmarsh also talked about his former team bringing in another elite defenseman near the trade deadline, as they did last season when they acquired Ray Bourque from Boston. "I think it's very obvious that [the Stanley Cup] is their goal right now, and all year long it has been," Deadmarsh said. "This trade just proves it." But he also said that that chapter of his career is over and it is time to look forward. "It's obviously two different situations [between the Avalanche, who are Stanley Cup favorites and the Kings, who are currently out of the playoff picture], but it's definitely a situation that I look forward to being part of," Deadmarsh said. "It's a situation where we're going to have to make a little run here to make the playoffs, and that's exciting to me." As for Miller, the veteran defenseman flew to Calgary on Wednesday morning and played very well in his Kings' debut, a 2-0 shutout at Calgary. He earned the second star of the game. "We obviously have a very high opinion of Aaron Miller and his game, and he is a defensive defenseman," Taylor elaborated. "He's got excellent size and reach, he's a very good defender and is excellent on the penalty-kill." "One of the aspects we wanted to add to our team was a defensive defenseman, particularly one with the size that Aaron has," Taylor explained. "He's a very intelligent player. I don't think we'll look to him to provide offense for our club with players like Mathieu Schneider, Lubomir Visnovsky and some of the different defensemen we have. We feel that he's a nice fit." "Both players are excellent fits for our club," Taylor added. "Andy Murray and his coaching staff have refused to use this situation as an excuse for our play, particularly recently, but the closer we got to the deadline, the more the realization sank in with our players that Rob was going to be moved. Once the right deal presented itself, we had to get it done." When asked about if losing Blake would hurt his team's chances of making the playoffs, Taylor scoffed. "I don't think we've handicapped our chances," he said. "I like the make-up of our team. I think Adam and Aaron fill two crucial areas on our club, both defensively and with a gritty forward up front. It actually adds a bit of balance to our team." "We know our situation, there are twenty-two games remaining and we're six points back of Edmonton for that final spot and we hold two games in hand," Taylor added. "So it's important for us to play good hockey and to play above .500 from now to the end of the year. There is a lot of work to do, but we think we have the team that can do it." Both Taylor and Deadmarsh dispelled the notion that Deadmarsh was damaged goods. Deadmarsh has suffered an eye injury, along with a concussion and a knee sprain this season, but has fully recovered from those injuries, including the knee sprain, his most recent injury. "My knee is fine," Deadmarsh said. "It was a minor sprain that really didn't affect me that much at all. I hurt it at a time when I could take some extra time off at the All-Star break, so I definitely would have been back sooner if not for the break." "Our doctors all got on the phone together and discussed the different injuries--Rob Blake's shoulder as well as Adam's injuries," Taylor explained. "Both sides were comfortable that the players were 100% and ready to go." Taylor also discussed the future of the Kings, in light of this trade. "For us to move forward, we have to continue to build this organization," Taylor said. "The more quality people we bring in, the more good, young players who come into our organization, within our budget, that's where we're going to have success." The "prospect to be named later" and the future considerations in this deal could very well push the Kings ahead in that regard. "We have a grouping of names [for the prospect to be named later]," Taylor said. "We're allowed to select one player from that group, and we have to make our selection within thirty days." Taylor added that these are "high-caliber" prospects. The Kings could also wind up with a solid prospect from the future considerations in this trade. "If Rob re-signs with Colorado, we would receive an additional first round draft choice [in 2002]," Taylor said. "If he doesn't, we will receive an additional second round draft choice [also in 2002]." Taylor also said that the Kings could be active before the March 13 trade deadline and during the off-season. "This [trade] does free up some money in our budget and will enable us to be active between now and the trade deadline and also through the summer," Taylor said. "It's our intent to continue to improve our hockey club." But while Taylor was busy putting the best spin possible on this trade, perhaps Kings' defenseman Mattias Norstrom, Blake's defensive partner for more than two seasons, said it best. "It's a sad, sad day," he said. "It's kind of hard to say where we go from here." Despite that sentiment, the Kings played a gritty game against Calgary, and were very strong defensively. "I was very interested to see how they would respond tonight after all that's happened in the last few days," Kings' head coach Andy Murray said. "What we did tonight was play together. That's what we need to do the rest of the way." But perhaps what transpired on Thursday morning was more indicative of what the Kings' players are thinking about the stretch drive. They congratulated Blake for being traded to Colorado. "It's funny, it was more 'congratulations,'" Blake said. "It was real difficult saying good bye. I've got some real good friends that I've spent a lot of time with and it was difficult to say good bye to them [Thursday] morning. But they wish the best for me." Reports out of Calgary indicate that left wing Luc Robitaille has been named team captain, but he was still wearing an "A" on his sweater at Calgary on Thursday. Robitaille will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, too. Will he be next? "Right now, that's the last thing I'm thinking about," he said. Unlike the Kings, the Avs appear to have ownership and management willing to go the extra mile to build a Stanley Cup winner. "[Avs' General Manager] Pierre [Lacroix is] amazing," Avs' forward Shjon Podein said. "You almost get used to him making these blockbuster deals and bringing these great players in here. I don't think a lot of us realize how hard it really is to do once, much less...how many times has he done it now? Four? Five?" "That's part of that winning atmosphere," Blake said. "Since he's been here, they have a strong team and then they comes down towards the playoffs they make some moves and bring someone in to create a little more excitement. Again it happened this year and I'm fortunate I'm on that end." Patrick Roy and Ray Bourque. And now Rob Blake. All three are future Hall of Famers. "I know that after everybody is settled in and understands the whole dimension of the transaction, nobody--I am convinced 100 percent--will disagree in what this organization is trying to accomplish." More Blake... After arriving in Denver on Thursday, Blake finally had time to talk about the trade. "I'm excited," he said. "It kind of puts to an end everything that was going on all season. This is a great opportunity here. It's an opportunity to win. I think that's something any player would want." He also said that he was hoping that if he was traded, he would wind up with the Avs. "I was hoping it would happen," Blake said about being traded to the Avs. "Obviously I think when you look at the top teams in the league, Colorado is right there. Anytime you can be put in that situation, just go in and fit in and help that team win, you know that's a great opportunity." "I think first and foremost, you come here and you come to a situation where the ultimate goal is the Stanley Cup and that's what this whole team has been geared for since day one," Blake added. "The comments coming out of here, everything you hear is for the Stanley Cup and for the playoffs and do the best possible. I'm going to come here and fit into that role and do what I can." Blake's statement begs the obvious question: why doesn't this happen with the Kings? 2-21-01 The Colorado Avalanche have spoken about their acquisition of defenseman Rob Blake and rookie center Steve Reinprecht from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for winger Adam Deadmarsh, defenseman Aaron Miller, the Avs first-round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, a prospect to be named later and future considerations. "I am thrilled to announce tonight the acquisition of two very talented hockey players," said Colorado Avalanche President and General Manager Pierre Lacroix. "Rob Blake is an elite and one-of-a-kind defenseman who is in his prime right now and Steven Reinprecht is a talented 24-year-old forward with a great future ahead of him." "Steven Reinprecht is a talented young forward with great hockey sense," Avalanche Vice President of Player Personnel Michel Goulet said. "He is regarded as a bright rookie with immense potential. His production will continue to increase with more experience at the NHL level." "Blake is recognized as a major force in this league and an all-around great defenseman that combines size, skill, toughness, and agility," Lacroix said. "Many contending teams in both conferences were looking to acquire Rob Blake, knowing how valuable he would've been to their team." "I'm convinced our fans will be excited to hear this news," Lacroix concluded. "It's another example of how the Avalanche organization is committed to do everything possible to go all the way." Lacroix's statement will undoubtedly result in many people accusing the Kings of lacking that same commitment. Late Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have traded defenseman and team captain Rob Blake, along with rookie center Steve Reinprecht, to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for winger Adam Deadmarsh, defenseman Aaron Miller, the Avs first-round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, a prospect to be named later and future considerations. Blake, 31, was drafted by the Kings in the fourth round (70th overall) in the 1988 draft. He debuted with the Kings on March 27, 1990, and was a solid contributor when the Kings went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1992-93. Blake, 31, has been captain of the team since the start of the 1996-97 season, has scored 138 goals and tallied 291 assists for 429 points in 662 career games with the Kings. In 57 playoff games with the Kings, Blake has scored eight goals and added sixteen assists for 24 points. Blake is the Kings' all-time leader in a number of categories points by defensemen (429; 10th overall), goals by defensemen (138), assists by defensemen (291), and games played by defensemen (662; 6th overall). He has led all Kings' defensemen in scoring six times, has been named the club's Most Valuable Player twice and has been named the team's Best Defenseman six times. In the 1997-98 season, Blake won the James Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. Clearly, Blake's impact was huge, and he will be missed. "We have deep appreciation for everything Rob Blake has done for the Kings organization," team President Tim Leiweke said. "He is a class act and we will certainly miss him." "It became evident to us that Rob, who will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, was intent on exercising that option at the end of the season, and I think [Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor] has done a great job in acquiring talent that will help us now and in the future." The Kings also lost a solid young prospect in Reinprecht. The 24-year-old rookie has scored twelve goals and added 17 assists for 29 points in 59 games this season, and is among the leaders in rookie scoring. "Rob Blake has been a tremendous player for the Los Angeles Kings as well as a true ambassador for the sport in Los Angeles," said Taylor. "We wish Rob the all the best in Colorado. We also wish Steve Reinprecht all the best in what promises to be a strong NHL career. He is a determined and hard-working young man and we know he will see success." But of course, the focus was on losing a player who is among the top two or three defensemen in the league, while at the same time, looking ahead. "While we are disappointed to see Rob Blake leave the Los Angeles Kings, we are extremely pleased with the players, prospects and future draft choices which we were able to acquire in this transaction," said Taylor. "Once we came to the conclusion that Rob would not re-sign with the Kings, our focus shifted to making a deal for Rob that best ensured the Kings current and future success." Deadmarsh, 25, has played in just 39 games with the Avs this season, scoring 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points, definitely a off-year for him. In 453 regular season games in his NHL career, Deadmarsh has 138 goals and 150 assists for 288 points to go along with 723 penalty minutes. Deadmarsh, who is 6-0 and weighs 205 pounds, was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques (now the Colorado Avalanche) as their second pick (14th overall) in the 1993 draft. He led the Avs with 33 goals in the 1996-97 season, and established career-highs for goals and points that season (60 points). Deadmarsh was also a member of Colorado's Stanley Cup-winning team in 1996, and has played in 99 playoff games, scoring 22 goals and 35 assists for 57 points while racking up 94 penalty minutes. Deadmarsh also represented the United States in the 1996 World Cup and the 1998 Olympics. Miller, 29, was third among Colorado defensemen in scoring, with four goals and nine assists for thirteen points in 56 games. He is 6-4 and weights 200 pounds. Miller, who currently has a +19 rating, was drafted in the fifth round (88th overall) in the 1989 draft by the New York Rangers. He was traded to Quebec on January 17, 1991. In 310 career NHL games, Miller has scored 17 goals and added 46 assists for 63 points to go along with 179 penalty minutes. In sixty playoff games, Miller has three goals and eight assists for eleven points and 34 penalty minutes. He also played for Colorado's Stanley Cup team in 1996. "We were able to obtain two players who can step into our lineup now and have a definite impact," Taylor said. "Aaron Miller is a strong, gritty defenseman who will help provide us with the defensive stability we need and Adam Deadmarsh provides us with a unique combination of toughness, grit and offensive ability that our club has been seeking." "Both Aaron and Adam have significant playoff experience and we look to them to provide leadership and the drive we need to make a run for the playoffs this year," Taylor added. "They will certainly be key, core players for our club." The first round pick and the future considerations in this deal could be huge for the Kings, especially if speculation that the future considerations will be based on whether or not Colorado can sign Blake to a new contract. "In addition, we have obtained Colorado's first round pick in 2001 and our choice from a group of Colorado prospects, both of which we feel will help us succeed in the future," Taylor said. I'll have more on this trade, probably in the early afternoon on Thursday, after a conference call with the Kings sometime on Thursday morning. I will also be posting a commentary piece on this trade, in the larger context of the state of the Kings' franchise, late Thursday or sometime on Friday. With the e-mail list going down sometime during the wee hours of Thursday morning and with it being down for possibly 24-48 hours, please check http://www.kingshockey.com for the articles, along with a report on Thursday's game at Calgary, as well as any other news from the Kings. I will do my best to keep everyone informed and give you whatever added insight I can. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have assigned center Bob Corkum to the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL and have recalled right wing Marko Tuomainen from Lowell. Corkum, 33, has scored four goals and added six assists for ten points in 58 games this season with the Kings. He was placed on waivers last week, but was not claimed. Corkum started the season well, but has tailed off badly over the last couple of months. Tuomainen, 28, has appeared in one game with the Kings this season, with no points. At Lowell, he has played in 48 games and leads the Lock Monsters in goals, assists and points, with 23 goals and 30 assists for 53 points. 2-20-01 Various sources are reporting that Los Angeles Kings' defenseman Rob Blake has returned to Los Angeles to deal with a family matter. Blake will not play on Monday night at Edmonton, but is expected to return to the team for Thursday's game at Calgary. "This was a personal matter," Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor said. "I haven't spoken to Rob, but I did speak to his agent [Ron Salcer] and he won't be there tomorrow." Blake reportedly did not learn about the problem until after Sunday's game at Chicago. Defenseman Philippe Boucher will take Blake's place on the roster, having been recalled from the Manitoba Moose of the IHL. Defenseman Mathieu Schneider, who was hit in the head by a puck on Sunday, has been cleared to play. Matt McHale has a very interesting critique of Kings' head coach Andy Murray... http://www.dailynewslosangeles.com/sports/articles/0201/20/spo07.asp 2-12-01 More on Thursday's desperation move by the Los Angeles Kings to shore up their goaltending and make a last-ditch push for the playoffs... Felix Potvin was relieved to be traded to the Los Angeles Kings. "It's a big relief, I'm thrilled to go with the Kings," Potvin said. "Right now, I'm just putting what happened this year in the back of my mind, going forward with a fresh start. My goal is to play in the playoffs every year. My goal is to help the Kings get there. They're a real feared team around the conference. It's a matter of getting on track." "Feared?" The Kings are in ninth place in the Western Conference and are dropping like a stone. Makes you wonder... Potvin has had it tough, being traded three times since 1999. "It's been tough to move around like this," Potvin said. "But if you look around the league, there's a few guys that did come back after moving around. The first one that comes to mind is Grant Fuhr. And Sean Burke is having a great season, so I'm still positive. I'm still young and I'm looking forward." The Kings can only hope that Potvin's optimism translates into stellar goaltending, something they desperately need. Kings' head coach Andy Murray said that they have been interested in acquiring Potvin because of his experience. "There were other goaltenders that were out there, but we felt Felix Potvin was the one who can help us," Murray said. "He's had playoff experience, he's dealt with pressure situations and that's what we're going to be dealing with on a nightly basis now for the remaining twenty-five games." "He will definitely be one of our two goalies here," Murray added. "He's going to play lots of games for us. As soon as we became aware of the fact that Vancouver had made a deal for [Dan] Cloutier, there was immediate interest on our coaching staff." Prior to the trade, Potvin, who has been very inconsistent this season, was given the choice of being assigned to the minors or being put on waivers. "If you watched Felix this year, he's allowed a soft goal followed by a highlight-reel save," Vancouver Canucks' General Manager Brian Burke said. "It's not physical, it's confidence." Burke added that the future considerations exchanged by the Kings for Potvin would involve draft choices. In what can only be viewed as a last-ditch, desperation move, not to mention a no-confidence vote for Jamie Storr, on Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings acquired veteran goalie Felix Potvin from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for future considerations. Potvin, 29, has certainly seen his best years pass him by already, despite flashes of brilliance here and there. This season, Potvin has appeared in 35 games, earning a 14-17-3 record with a 3.08 goals-against average (GAA) and one shutout, but has a poor .887 save percentage. In 69 career games with Vancouver, Potvin has a 26-30-10 record with a 2.84 GAA and a .906 save percentage. Regardless of Potvin's current numbers, the Kings sound upbeat, believing that Potvin can provide some experience in goal. "We feel this acquisition will bring some stability to our goaltending and give us some momentum as we continue to strive to make the playoffs," Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor said. "Felix Potvin is a proven NHL goaltender with a great deal of playoff experience and that can only help our team in the future." Potvin was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round (31st overall) of the 1989 draft. He was a stand out in six seasons for the Leafs, with a 160-149-49 record, a 2.88 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Potvin was a candidate for the Calder and Vezina Trophies in 1992-93 when he led the NHL with a 2.50 GAA and was second in save percentage (.910). That year, he earned a 25-15-7 record in 48 games. In 1993-94, Potvin tied the Leafs' record for wins with a 34-22-9 record while earning a 2.89 GAA. He currently ranks third all-time among Leafs' goalies in wins and games played (369). He has also played in 52 playoffs games (all with Toronto), and has a 25-27 record with a 2.85 GAA and give shutouts. In 1994, he became the third goalie in NHL history to record three straight shutouts in one playoff series, winning three, 1-0 games against Chicago. Potvin also led the Leafs to the Campbell Conference Finals in 1993 (when they lost to the Kings, four games to three) and in 1994. His 25 playoff wins rank him third in Maple Leafs' franchise history. Potvin was dealt to the New York Islanders on January 9, 1999 for defenseman Bryan Berard and a 1999 sixth-round draft pick. He was acquired by Vancouver on December 19, 1999 in exchange for forwards Bill Muckalt, Dave Scatchard and goalie Kevin Weekes. 2-12-01 On Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that television play-by-play announcer Bob Miller, the "Voice of the Kings," has won the television play-by-play award for excellence in the field of local sports announcing at the 10th Annual Southern California Sports Broadcasters Awards. Miller, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame earlier this season as the 2000 recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award (recognizing those members of the radio and television industry who have made outstanding contributions to their profession and the game during their hockey broadcast careers), won the local award for the second time. The award is voted on by members of the Southern California Sports Broadcasters organization. 2-9-01 On Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have recalled defenseman Philippe Boucher from the Manitoba Moose of the IHL. Boucher, 27, has played in 44 games at Manitoba this season, scoring nine goals and adding 22 assists for 31 points. Speculation is that defenseman Rob Blake will be out for additional games with a shoulder injury...or perhaps a trade is imminent. 2-8-01 On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they assigned right wing Marko Tuomainen back to the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL. Tuomainen played in one game for the Kings, racking up two penalty minutes. At Lowell, Tuomainen has played in 42 games, scoring 19 goals and adding 26 assists for 45 points with 57 penalty minutes. He was also played in the AHL All-Star Game. 2-7-01 On Wednesday, the ASSOCIATED PRESS reported that Los Angeles Kings' defenseman Rob Blake, who suffered a bruised right shouldeer in the waning seconds of overtime on Tuesday against Chicago at Staples Center, could miss Thursday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Blake was examined on Wednesday, but x-rays were negative. He will be re-examined on Friday. 2-4-01 Rob Blake, Ziggy Palffy and Luc Robitaille represented the Los Angeles Kings in the 51st NHL All-Star Game in front of a capacity crowd of 18,646 at the Pepsi Center in Denver on Sunday. The North American All-Stars wound up defeating the World All-Stars, 14-12. Robitaille scored two goals and Blake tallied an assist for the North American All-Stars. Ziggy Palffy scored a goal and added an assist for the World All-Stars. Blake was also a +2 for the game. He was on the ice for North American team goals by Edmonton's Doug Weight and Boston's Bill Guerin, in addition to Robitaille's. He was also on the ice when Palffy scored for the World All-Stars. Blake's assist was this third point in the annual All-Star game (one goal, two assists in four All-Star game appearances). Palffy scored his first All-Star game goal and his first points in an All-Star game. Robitaille, who made his eighth appearance in the All-Star game, has scored eight goals All-Star competition. He scored the third goal for the North American squad on assists from Blake and Boston's Jason Allison and at 12:00 of the first period. Blake had the puck on right wing, about five feet past the red line. He passed across to Robitaille, who was at the blue line on left wing. He moved to a point just below the top of the left circle where he let go with a slap shot that beat Buffalo's Dominek Hasek top shelf, right corner of the net. Robitaille, known for a quick shot with a low back swing, did not even lift his back swing to waist level before blasting his slap shot past Hasek. It was a great shot that impressed North American team captain Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who exclaimed, "oh my!" from the bench when Robitaille ripped the puck past Hasek. In the second period, Palffy was cruising down the slot when Modin, who was in the right circle, backhanded a pass to him. Palffy was alone between the hashmarks and he wristed the puck low, beating Phoenix goalie Sean Burke low, just inside the left goal post at 17:05. Robitaille scored his second goal of the game at 18:13 when World goalie Roman Cechmanek of the Philadelphia Flyers went out of his net after the loose puck. In the right circle, he left the puck for a teammate, but he lost the puck to Atlanta winger Donald Audette. In the lower right circle, Audette passed across the slot to Robitaille, who was open just inside the left face-off dot and had a wide open net to wrist the puck into before Cechmanek could get back in front of his net. At 19:59 of the third period, Detroit Red Wings' defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom scored on a shot from the slot, off a pass from Palffy to close out the scoring. 2-1-01 On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have loaned forward Scott Thomas to the Manitoba Moose of the IHL for conditioning purposes.
