KINGS NOTES...
By Gann Matsuda
7-31-01 Late Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced the signing of four players. Goaltender Jamie Storr, goalie Marcel Cousineau, and right wing Greg Phillips were signed to one-year contracts. Defenseman Andreas Lilja was signed to a multi-year deal. Financial terms of the contracts were not disclosed. Storr, 25, was 19-18-6 in the 2000-01 season, with a 2.74 goals-against average (GAA), and a .899 save percentage. Although Storr set new career-highs last season in games played (45) and wins, and also tied a career-high with four shutouts, the 2000-01 season was anything but successful for Storr, whose inconsistent, and often poor play forced the Kings to acquire Felix Potvin from Vancouver. Lilja, 26, played most of the 2000-01 season with the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL, where he scored seven goals and added 29 assists for 36 points while racking up 149 penalty minutes. Lilja was second on the team in scoring by defensemen. The 6-3, 220-pound defenseman also appeared in four playoff games with Lowell, contributing six assists. Lilja also appeared in two games with the Kings, making his NHL debut on December 3, 2000, at Anaheim, a 4-0 shutout win for the Kings. He also played in Game Five of the Kings' second round playoff game against the Colorado Avalanche. Prior to joining the Kings, Lilja played the 1999-2000 season with Malmo of the Swedish Elite League, where he scored eight goals and eleven assists for nineteen points with 88 penalty minutes in 49 games. Cousineau, 28, appeared in 37 games at Lowell, earning a 15-20-2 record, one shutout and a 2.85 GAA. Phillips, 23, also spent last season with Lowell. In 33 games with the Lock Monsters he had five goals and five assists for ten points and 33 penalty minutes.7-23-01 The Los Angeles Kings completed their 2001 Development Camp on Friday, July 20, 2001, and it gave them a lot of hope for the future of the franchise. The Development Camp is part of the Kings' stronger emphasis on youth, and building their team through the draft. "We've been moving in the right direction the last couple of years, we had some success this past season in the playoffs, and we look forward to building on that success," said Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor. The Development Camp involved Kings' prospects who are playing in Canadian and United States junior hockey leagues, as well as European players. The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association prevented the Kings from making participation by their prospects mandatory, so the prospects who came to Southern California all volunteered for the two-week camp. "This is a program we started a couple of years ago," Taylor explained. "It's a voluntary program for our young prospects. There are a couple of players here who are under contract with the Kings, but most are draft choices. There are a couple of free agents here as well." The Kings also had a few prospects from college teams in the Development Camp, and they had to be very careful not to jeopardize their status. For instance, NCAA rules prevented the Kings from paying for the expenses of their NCAA prospects, who all had to pay their own way, unlike the Kings' junior hockey prospects, who had their expenses paid for by the Kings. And NCAA rules, as well as rules set forth in the CBA, prevent coaches from NHL teams from working with the prospects during the off-season (they would not be able to work with NCAA players at any time). This left the Kings' coaches in the stands, watching the prospects, rather than working with them. "We've got a great group of coaches--some Canadian college coaches, some American junior coaches, some Canadian junior coaches--they're all helping us with our camp," Kings' head coach Andy Murray said. "We can't step on the ice and work with them, but we can interact with them as much between the sessions as we want." And the players certainly knew that the Kings were watching. In the scrimmage games, the competition was quite fierce. There was plenty of hitting, and even a few scuffles. All were trying to make an impression. "There's no question that all the players know that we're sitting in the stands watching them," Murray said. "It's a fierce battle," said Kings' 2001 first-round draft pick (30th overall) David Steckel. "Everybody knows we're competing for a spot, so you just have to go out there and work hard." Steckel also talked about the hitting going on in the scrimmage games. "They all come with a ton of thunder," Steckel said. "In the game on Saturday, there were a couple of big hits. Either they were 6-5 like me, or even at 5-10. They all come with a bang." Noticeably absent from the Development Camp were left wings Andrei Shefer and Alexander Frolov, two of the Kings' more highly-touted prospects. Shefer, who is 6-1 and weighs 194 pounds, was selected by the Kings in the second round (43rd overall), in the 1999 draft. The 6-3, 191-pound Frolov was chosen by the Kings in the first round (20th overall) in the 2000 draft. "Both players received invitations, but since they are playing with elite level teams in Russia, they were not allowed to attend as both were out of the country training with their respective teams," said Mike Altieri, Kings' Director of Media Relations and Team Services. "Frolov in particular was eager and excited about coming, but his team just graduated to the Elite League this past season," Altieri added. "It was vital for him to be there for their training camp." A few of the Kings' offensive prospects took full advantage of their opportunity to make an impression. "The focus of this camp was more development than evaluation," Taylor explained. "But several players managed to showcase their skills including Jared Aulin, Yanick Lehoux and Mike Camalleri." Aulin, who was the best offensive player in the scrimmage games, is a 6-0, 185-pound center. Along with right wing Adam Deadmarsh and defenseman Aaron Miller, Aulin was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the trade that sent defenseman Rob Blake and center Steven Reinprecht to Colorado. Lehoux, a 6-1, 170-pound center, was selected by the Kings in the third round (86th overall) in the 2000 draft. Camalleri was chosen by the Kings in the second round (49th overall) of the 2001 draft. He is a 5-8 1/2, 175-pound center who is playing for the University of Michigan. The Kings also got a good look at Steckel, who played well in the scrimmage games. Steckel, a 6-5, 200-pound center from Ohio State University, is not ready for the NHL yet, and will return to Ohio State as a sophomore to play for their hockey team next season. But he used this opportunity to learn, and now has a better idea of what he needs to work on to make it to the NHL. "I'm real excited," Steckel said. "I've been told that I have all the potential, and that I just have to utilize it. I've got to hit the weight room hard, put on a couple of pounds. I have to just keep working hard and hopefully, things will happen for me." "It's real competitive," Steckel added about the Development Camp. "Some guys have been in the system for awhile in the minor leagues, and they're showing me the ropes." Murray liked what he saw from Steckel. "He's a big boy at 6-5 1/2," Murray said. "He uses a stick longer than I've ever seen a hockey player use. He's physical, but he's also got a good touch around the net." The Kings like what they see in Steckel, but do not expect to see him in a Kings' sweater until after he graduates. "We're excited about him, but we won't have him in our lineup for a couple of years," Murray explained. "He'll go back to Ohio State and play there. We don't believe in bringing [junior or college prospects] out early unless absolutely necessary." "He'll go back and get better," Murray added. Murray also commented on the physical stature of the players the Kings have been drafting. "We've got a lot of big kids," Murray said. "We drafted some big players, but we didn't just draft size. We drafted skill, too." "That's the big thing now, the big guys are often just as skilled as the small guys," Murray added. "That's not to say that a small player with a big heart can't play in the NHL, because there are a lot of examples of that. Eric Belanger and Ian Laperriere are perfect examples of that. When you've got that heart, you can make a lot of things happen." In other news... Taylor revealed a bit more about their dealings with star left wing Luc Robitaille, who was insulted by the Kings' offer of a one-year deal at $2.5 million, plus incentives worth as much as $1 million--a contract offer that was $1 million less in base salary that his previous contract. Taylor explained that the Kings wanted to sign him to a shorter term deal. "Luc is one of the greatest Kings of all time," Taylor said. "Very popular with our fans, very popular in the community. We wanted to re-sign Luc. The biggest problem was that he wanted a three-year contract, but we wanted to do something on a shorter term." Taylor explained that he wanted Robitaille to come back to him with a counter-proposal, but that Robitaille never did. "We did make an offer to him," Taylor said. "I talked to him on the Saturday before free agency opened, and asked him to get back to us with something for us to consider. But obviously, he decided to go in a different direction. We respect that, and we thank him for the time he spent with the Kings." Based on this and on published comments by Robitaille and his agent, Robitaille was apparently so incensed and insulted by the offer that he did not want to have anything more to do with the Kings, and wound up signing with the Detroit Red Wings. And who can blame him? The Kings' failure to sign Robitaille is a huge blunder, their apparent desire to build with youth notwithstanding. Given his service to the Kings, Robitaille not only deserved to be signed, but could have been signed for only a modest raise, something the Kings could easily afford, despite their pleas of "financial responsibility." Signing Robitaille would have secured a left winger who was second on the team in goals and points in the 2000-01 regular season, was a second-team All-Star (the end-of-the-season honor), and a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame. Bottom line: the Kings blew it on this one...big time. Furthermore, it really is too bad that in the history of the Kings' franchise, there are more of these mistakes than there are successes, or at the very least, the blunders outweigh the positive moves by quite a large margin. 
7-21-01 The National Hockey League announced this week that the 2002 NHL All-Star FANtasy will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, adjacent to Staples Center, from Wednesday, January 30 - Sunday, February 3, 2002. This event is held annually as part of the NHL All-Star Weekend. The 2002 NHL All-Star Game will be played at Staples Center, hosted by the Los Angeles Kings. An NHL press release announced that the NHL All-Star FANtasy will offer the opportunity to: * Meet NHL players, past and present * Enjoy non-stop entertainment * Hone your skills on the ice, inline and street hockey rinks * Test your shot for speed and accuracy * Have your picture taken with the Stanley Cup * Visit the "Coolest Kids Zone" designed just for young hockey fans * Create your own hockey trading card * Collect great hockey memorabilia Tickets for the 2002 NHL All-Star FANtasy go on sale in November, 2001, through Ticketmaster by phone (310/480-3232 in the Los Angeles area), online at Ticketmaster.com, and at Ticketmaster outlets. 7-14-01 EL SEGUNDO, CA -- In front of a surprisingly large, energetic crowd at the HealthSouth Training Center in El Segundo, the Los Angeles Kings held a scrimmage on Saturday night, featuring two squads of young players in their system. The scrimmage was part of the Kings' 2001 Development Camp for their young prospects from the minors, Canadian junior leagues, and European leagues. Kings' prospect center Jared Aulin scored two goals and added an assist for the White squad, while defenseman Steve Shirreffs, who plays for Karpat in Finland, scored the hat trick for the Black squad. The White squad had a 3-0 lead after the first period. They took a 4-0 lead early in the second period on a goal by defenseman Richard Seeley, but then allowed four unanswered goals the rest of the way. The game ended in a 4-4 tie. No overtime period was played. Some brief observations... Aulin, who was acquired from Colorado, along with Adam Deadmarsh and Aaron Miller, in the trade that sent Rob Blake and Steve Reinprecht to the Avalanche, was arguably the best offensive player on the ice. He displayed great hands, excellent moves with and without the puck, and a good wrist shot. He also showed that he is not afraid to take the puck right to the front of the net. Aulin also appears to be a very good face-off man. On the downside, Aulin did not display the mean streak or physical play to make up for his 6-0, 180 pound stature. He also did not show great speed in this game, although he does not appear to be a bad skater. Unless Aulin can bulk up and become a stronger skater, he is going to have problems against the plethora of much bigger, stronger centers in the NHL. Aulin also did not do much defensively, although he did show good habits by remaining high in the zone in the offensive end when his linemates were deep in the offensive zone. But in all fairness, the White squad was loaded with the more offensive players, and overall, they did not play all that well defensively. As such, this game was probably not a good indication of any of their defensive abilities. Center David Steckel, who was selected by the Kings in the first round (30th overall) in June's entry draft, played a strong game, contributing an assist and showing some good playmaking skills. Also impressive was the play of defenseman Mike Pudlick, who played on the Black squad. Defensively, he was the best defenseman on the ice for either squad. Defenseman Richard Seeley also played well, displaying some good offensive skills. He scored a goal on a slap shot from right point off a clean face-off win by Aulin, and showed some good speed and hands as he rushed the puck up ice through the neutral zone. Seeley also showed that he is willing to work hard in front of his own net. But it was evident that he needs to work on his strength if he wants to make it as an NHL defenseman. He is listed at 6-2 and 199 pounds, but those stats appear to be a overstated a bit. Shirreffs may be from one of Kings' owner Philip Anschutz's hockey teams in Europe. There are at least two players from his European teams who are participating in camp. One player who did not impress was defenseman Richard Petiot, who was selected by the Kings in the fourth round (116th overall) in June's entry draft. Petiot looked almost completely lost in his own zone, and did not appear to have the strength or skating ability needed to be an NHL defenseman, contrary to what Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor said about Petiot on draft day. Kings' assistant coach Mark Hardy commented that "Even at his size, [Petiot] looks scared out there." Another player who was noticeable for the wrong reasons was forward Tim Eriksson (5-9, 165 pounds, 19 years old; plays for Hammerby in Sweden), showed great speed, and puck-handling skills. But he carried and held the puck way too much. He even failed to make passes on two plays to wide open linemates that probably would have resulted in goals. He had perfect set-up opportunities and decided to hold the puck longer, looking for a shot. And in both instances, he wound up getting checked off the puck, and the Black squad was able to clear the zone. But one must remember...this was just one game. Although the players were serious on the ice and played hard (there was a lot of hitting, and tempers flared a few times) because they are all trying to impress the Kings scouts, one game is not a good indication of how a player will perform. Although it gives one a glimpse of what might be for any given player, it is like looking through a pinhole at one fleeting moment in time. As such, none of the comments in this article about the players mentioned should be taken as the definitive low-down on how they will play, either tomorrow, or in a few years. Kings' prospects center Yanic Lehoux (third round, 86th overall, 2000 entry draft), center Mike Cammalleri (second round, 49th overall, 2001 entry draft), and right wing Jens Karlsson (first round, 18th overall, 2001 entry draft) were scratched for Saturday's scrimmage. Among the players not participating in the Development Camp are right wing Dan Welch (eighth round, 245th overall, 2000 entry draft), left wing Alexander Frolov (first round, 20th overall, 2000 entry draft), and left wing Andrei Shefer (second round, 43rd overall, 1999 entry draft), defenseman Jason Crain (third round, 74th overall, 2000 entry draft), and others. The Kings have scheduled two more scrimmages during their Development Camp. The next game will be on Wednesday at 11:00 AM, and the final game will be on Friday at 9:00 AM. Both games will be played at the HealthSouth Training Center. A brief postscript to Saturday's scrimmage... It was absolutely wonderful to be able to see a fast-paced, quality hockey game in the middle of July. For those of you who have been suffering from withdrawal symptoms after seeing the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup more than one month ago, be sure to catch one of the remaining scrimmage games this week. The action isn't at the NHL level, but these kids are playing their hearts out, trying to make a good impression. There is plenty of offense, good defensive play, and more than enough hard hitting and physical play, not to mention that you will get to see some players who will be wearing Kings' sweaters in the future. So if you miss good hockey already, you have two more chances to see some before the exhibition season begins in mid-September. In other news... Another player not participating in the Development Camp was center Jaroslav Bednar, who was selected by the Kings in the second round (51st overall) in June's entry draft. Of course, the Kings think that Bednar might be ready for the NHL right now. "Bednar has NHL skills and his offensive ability has improved the last three years," general manager Dave Taylor said. "He is an offensive-minded player. He is a better skater and stronger than the other two. I think those guys can play at this level, but Bednar has a little more speed to his game." "Jaroslav Bednar is a Czech player who has spent the last two seasons in Finland," Taylor added between periods during Saturday's scrimmage. "He is a very skilled forward who is a good skater and moves the puck well. "We think Bednar has an excellent chance of playing for our team next season." Saturday's scrimmage also revealed some interesting insights into the Kings' long-term goals and thinking. Although trading star defenseman Rob Blake and allowing future Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille to sign with the Detroit Red Wings are not moves that teams committed to winning the Stanley Cup should make, it has become clear that Kings' owner Philip Anschutz is calling the shots, and that money is driving what the Kings can or cannot do when it comes to player personnel decisions. At least, for now. "Anschutz is calling the shots," said an unnamed source close to the Kings' organization. "And he's not willing to spend the money [needed to sign top-notch players like Blake or Robitaille, let alone bring in big-name unrestricted free agents such as Joe Sakic, or Jeremy Roenick, or even to trade for a superstar like Jaromir Jagr] while Dave [Taylor] is re-building the system." Anschutz is waiting for Taylor to finish re-stocking the Kings' farm system through good, solid drafts, building a farm system that will allow the Kings to develop more of the "homegrown" players that they have not been able to develop in a long time before he will spend more money on the team. Having their own AHL franchise in Manchester, New Hampshire, will help accelerate the re-stocking process, which has suffered for a long time because of the many shortcomings of the Kings' hockey operations and farm system. "[The Kings] have drafted poorly, and have made some poor [player personnel] decisions over the years," said the unidentified source. "But those were made mostly by earlier regimes." The source went on to say that Taylor needs to be given a chance to get the farm system built up and then pass judgement. The inherent problem here is that there is no guarantee that Anschutz will spend the money to bring in top-tier talent then, either--this is all very similar to what Kings' fans have been told in the past--many promises have been made over the years, only to be broken again and again, all of which lends itself to a great deal of skepticism by Kings' fans and hockey pundits alike. The Kings have also been quietly rebuilding their scouting staff, both at the professional and amateur levels. Over the last two seasons, scouts have been replaced, and a number of new scouts have been added. "The Kings now have one of the largest scouting staffs in the league," said an unnamed source. "[The Kings] are right up there with New Jersey. When the draft comes around, the team now has people who can look at a player and say 'he's the guy.'" That certainly leaves a lot to be desired about the capabilities of the Kings' scouting staff prior to the new changes, and it explains a lot when it comes to their poor drafting. However, the fact that the Kings recognized that their scouting staff was not getting the job done and are now trying to correct that is a positive for the future of the franchise. Although it would appear that the Kings actually do have a long-term plan to build their team from within, be able to develop young prospects, and turn them into solid NHL players, and continue to do that for the long-haul, this still does not explain trading away a player who is arguably the best defenseman in the NHL (Blake), and then low-balling Robitaille, and allowing him to sign elsewhere. Both are players who would have helped this team tremendously, both last season and next season. Everyone knows that the Kings played poorly with Blake in the lineup last season. But it was quite evident that the distraction of his contract dealings with the Kings adversely affected the team from training camp, so much so that it seriously damaged the team's collective psyche, and badly hurt their play. One could reasonably argue that if the Kings had signed him early on that the team would have fared much than they did. Admittedly, the Kings still needed a better goaltender (such as Felix Potvin), but one can reasonably assume that Taylor would have made a such a move, even if the Kings had signed Blake. And when it comes to the issue of money, aside from the $40 million budgeted by Anschutz for player salaries, the offer the Kings made to Robitaille, a one-year, $2.5 million plus up to $1 million in incentives, was an insult. It amounted to a base salary pay cut of $1 million and that infuriated Robitaille. Clearly, the Kings treated Robitaille very poorly, and they knew it. Taylor immediately went into damage control after Robitaille signed with the Detroit Red Wings. In a surprise move, he revealed the specifics of their offer to Robitaille in a radio interview, something the Kings never do (financial terms of contracts and the details of contract negotiations are confidential, according to club policy), and then tried to justify it. "Luc was asking for $6 million a year for three years," said another unidentified source on Saturday night. "And he only scored two goals in the playoffs." Actually, Robitaille scored four goals and contributed three assists, for seven points, and was a +1. He shared the goal-scoring lead on the team with Glen Murray. And given the fact that most of the playoff games were low-scoring affairs with great goaltending, what did the Kings expect? Regardless of what Robitaille was asking for, and what he did--or did not do--in the playoffs, he was second on the team in scoring, he scored 37 goals in the regular season on a team that still is not all that deep offensively, and was a great player on the ice, in the dressing room, and in the community, does that give the team he gave his heart and soul for the vast majority of his career the right to offer him a contract with a pay cut? The Kings should have at least offered Robitaille a contract at the same base salary. Given what he signed for with the Red Wings (two year deal, $4.5 million per year), Robitaille clearly could have been signed for what would be a modest raise from the Kings, a team that could have easily afforded that, even with their budget constraints. Bottom line: Robitaille certainly deserved better treatment from the Kings, no doubt. A modest raise was well-deserved, but it is quite clear that the Kings did not think so. What is now becoming clear is that the Kings are operating under a long-term plan, and are asking fans to "trust them," as Kings' President Tim Leiweke said in a recent article in the LOS ANGELES TIMES. "[They] took their lumps when they didn't sign Robitaille," said another unnamed source close to the Kings. "And if their recently-drafted prospects don't pan out, and if the team does poorly without Blake and Robitaille, everyone will be able to say, 'I told you so.' But if they do well next season, the Kings will be able to say that their plan is working and continue to ask people to trust them." Although that may be true, some will contend that the Kings can rebuild their farm system even if they were to have signed Blake and Robitaille, and even if they had signed one of the top unrestricted free agents this summer. Many are pointing to the fact that Kings' fans were told that one of the major reasons that a new arena was needed was to bring in additional revenue so that the Kings would be able to sign big-name stars as unrestricted free agents in an effort to improve the team. But a few years later, and with two seasons playing at Staples Center, that promise is only as good as whatever paper it might have been written on--it is a broken promise. Staples Center is a huge cash cow for Anschutz and Ed Roski, Jr., but the extra revenue generated by other events being held at Staples Center is not being used to augment the Kings' player personnel budget, and none of the big-name, top-tier stars who have been available have even come close to being signed by the Kings because they simply do not have the budget for it. The primary justification used by the Kings is that in order to sign the best players who are unrestricted free agents, they would have to raise ticket prices. A letter sent to season ticket holders this summer explained the Kings' rationale. "We have made the argument that we were unwilling to significantly increase ticket prices in order to pay Rob [Blake] $9.6 million per year for five years. Ticket prices for the NHL and sports as a whole are too expensive. We can't keep on passing our mistakes onto you through skyrocketing ticket prices. We are proud of the fact the Kings average ticket price is one of the lowest in the NHL and we are committed to keeping the sport of hockey affordable to our fans." Although no one can argue that ticket prices for all sports are not too expensive, do the Kings really have one of the lowest average ticket prices in the NHL? Not so according to the Fan Cost Index survey by the TEAM MARKETING REPORT (www.teammarketing.com). Their research shows that the Kings had the sixth-highest average ticket price in the NHL last season at $54.03. The league average is $47.70. Toronto had the highest average ticket price at $67.01 (in US dollars). Calgary had the lowest average ticket price at $32.86. And when you factor in the cost of average-priced tickets, parking, hot dogs, a 12 ounce beer, a soft drink, a program and two adult-sized caps, a family of four paid $312.12 to see a Kings' game last season, the fifth-highest in the league, and an increase of 10.3% from the previous year. While this lends a small bit of credence to why the Kings would say that they would need to raise ticket prices significantly in order to sign top-caliber players like Rob Blake, this information certainly contradicts their claim about having one of the lowest average ticket prices in the league. And to top it off, the Kings are raising ticket prices again for the 2001-2002 season, and one might think that the Kings would be using the additional revenue to sign some top-tier talent. Sorry. Wrong answer. Guess again. But the Kings certainly led their fans into believing that they would. "[The Rob Blake trade] also frees up dollars that can be utilized in acquiring additional talent this summer through trades and free agency," season ticket holders were told. "We expect that more teams will be looking to trade high-priced players than teams looking to acquire them and there will be a very good group of free agents this summer that could help make us a better team overall. We will carefully assess the marketplace this summer and given the available dollars we will give great consideration to any opportunities that come our way... ." Although this letter gave many season ticket holders hope that the Kings would take the next step in improving their team after making a strong run in the playoffs by signing a big-name free agent, the Kings sat on the sidelines, watching the bullet train whiz by them as every top-name unrestricted free agent was signed by other teams within the first 24-48 hours after teams were allowed to sign them. "The fans don't want to hear that [the Kings are trying to re-stock their farm system and build from within by developing young prospects]," said another unidentified source. "They want them to bring in free agents and win now." For many fans, that might be true. But there are a lot of Kings' fans who understand the need for balance--that the Kings need to do both--build a strong farm system capable of developing talent on a consistent basis, as well as being willing to improve the big club by signing unrestricted free agents when the talent needed is readily available. Balance is one of the keys to everything in life. But in the case of the Kings, although they evidently have a long-range plan, it seems that they have yet to find the necessary balance, something that could come back to haunt them in a big way 7-11-01 On Wednesday, the National Hockey League released their 2001-2002 schedule, and the Los Angeles Kings will begin the new season at Staples Center on October 4, 2001, against the Phoenix Coyotes. The Kings will play sixty games against Western Conference rivals, with five games each against Pacific Division foes, and four games each against Northwest and Central Division teams. The Kings face Eastern Conference teams twenty-two times. Their longest home stand, from November 1-15, 2001, comes against Chicago, Atlanta, Calgary, Detroit and Dallas--five games spread over fifteen days. The Kings' longest road trip will be six games in eleven days, October 20-30, 2001, at Detroit, Columbus, Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, and Chicago. The schedule also has the Kings playing in back-to-back games eleven times. The 2002 NHL All-Star Game, which will be hosted by the Kings at Staples Center, will be played on February 2, 2002. The schedule also has a twelve-day break, from February 15-24, 2002, to allow NHL players to participate in the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Kings also announced that Frozen Fury 5, their annual pre-season game at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be played on Saturday, September 22, 2001, at 7:30 PM PDT, against the San Jose Sharks. "The pre-season games at MGM Grand have proved to be an overwhelming success," said Kings' Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor. "The Kings, [along with previous opponents, the] Avalanche and Coyotes have been well-received in Las Vegas, and we look forward to developing a relationship with the San Jose Sharks and their fans." "Las Vegas is a great market and the Grand Garden Arena is an excellent facility for hockey and everyone associated with the game, especially the players, really enjoy the experience," Taylor added. Tickets for the game go on sale at noon on Saturday, July 14, 2001, and are priced at $20.00, $30.00, $45.00, $60.00, and $150.00. Tickets can be purchased at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office and all TicketMaster locations (Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Tower Records, Robinsons-May stores and select Wherehouse locations). Tickets can also be purchased by phone via Las Vegas TicketMaster at (702) 474-4000, or Los Angeles TicketMaster at (213) 365-3600. LOS ANGELES KINGS 2001-2002 SCHEDULE ------------------------------------ ALL TIMES PACIFIC HOME GAMES IN CAPITAL LETTERS Television Schedules not yet available September (Pre-Season) ---------------------- DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME TV --------------------------------------------------------- Sat 9/15/01 Anaheim 7:30 PM Staples Center Thu 9/20/01 San Jose 7:30 PM Compaq Center *Sat 9/22/01 San Jose 7:30 PM Las Vegas MGM Grand Wed 9/26/01 Anaheim 7:30 PM Arrowhead Pond Sat 9/29/01 Colorado 7:30 PM Staples Center Mon 10/01/01 Colorado 7:00 PM Pepsi Center * - Kings Home Game OCTOBER (REGULAR SEASON; 8 away, 5 home) ---------------------------------------- DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME TV --------------------------------------------------------- Thu 10/04/01 PHOENIX 7:30 PM Sun 10/07/01 MINNESOTA 5:00 PM Tue 10/09/01 Dallas 5:30 PM Thu 10/11/01 St. Louis 4:30 PM Sat 10/13/01 TAMPA BAY 7:30 PM Tue 10/16/01 WASHINGTON 7:30 PM Thu 10/18/01 ANAHEIM 7:30 PM Sat 10/20/01 Detroit 4:30 PM Tue 10/23/01 Columbus 4:00 PM Thu 10/25/01 Tampa Bay 4:30 PM Fri 10/26/01 Florida 4:30 PM Sun 10/28/01 Carolina 10:30 AM Tue 10/30/01 Chicago 4:30 PM NOVEMBER (4 away, 7 home) ------------------------- DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME TV --------------------------------------------------------- Thu 11/01/01 CHICAGO 7:30 PM Sat 11/03/01 ATLANTA 1:00 PM Thu 11/08/01 CALGARY 7:30 PM Sat 11/10/01 DETROIT 7:30 PM Thu 11/15/01 DALLAS 7:30 PM Sat 11/17/01 Detroit 4:30 PM Sun 11/18/01 Minnesota 3:00 PM Tue 11/20/01 Calgary 6:00 PM Thu 11/22/01 Edmonton 6:00 PM Sat 11/24/01 SAN JOSE 1:00 PM Thu 11/29/01 EDMONTON 7:30 PM DECEMBER (8 away, 7 home) ------------------------- DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME TV --------------------------------------------------------- Sat 12/01/01 NASHVILLE 1:00 PM Mon 12/03/01 CALGARY 7:30 PM Thu 12/06/01 ST. LOUIS 7:30 PM Sat 12/08/01 St. Louis 5:00 PM Sun 12/09/01 Chicago 4:00 PM Tue 12/11/01 Nashville 5:00 PM Thu 12/13/01 VANCOUVER 7:30 PM Sat 12/15/01 COLUMBUS 7:30 PM Sun 12/16/01 Anaheim 5:00 PM Tue 12/18/01 Toronto 4:30 PM Thu 12/20/01 Ottawa 4:00 PM Sat 12/22/01 Montreal 4:00 PM Wed 12/26/01 Phoenix 6:00 PM Thu 12/27/01 ANAHEIM 7:30 PM Sat 12/29/01 NY RANGERS 7:30 PM JANUARY (8 away, 6 home) ------------------------ DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME TV --------------------------------------------------------- Wed 01/02/02 FLORIDA 7:30 PM Sat 01/05/02 NY Islanders 4:00 PM Mon 01/07/02 New Jersey 4:30 PM Wed 01/09/02 NY Rangers 5:00 PM Thu 01/10/02 Boston 4:00 PM Sat 01/12/02 San Jose 3:00 PM Tue 01/15/02 NASHVILLE 7:30 PM Thu 01/17/02 BUFFALO 7:30 PM Sat 01/19/02 NY ISLANDERS 1:00 PM Mon 01/21/02 Anaheim 7:30 PM Thu 01/24/02 MINNESOTA 7:30 PM Sat 01/26/02 COLORADO 1:00 PM Mon 01/28/02 Colorado 6:00 PM Wed 01/30/02 Minnesota 5:00 PM FEBRUARY (3 away, 4 home) ------------------------- DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME TV --------------------------------------------------------- Mon 02/04/02 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 PM Thu 02/07/02 CAROLINA 7:30 PM Fri 02/08/02 Phoenix 6:00 PM Mon 02/11/02 DALLAS 7:30 PM Wed 02/13/02 PHOENIX 7:30 PM Tue 02/26/02 Columbus 4:00 PM Wed 02/27/02 Pittsburgh 4:30 PM MARCH (8 away, 7 home) ----------------------- DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME TV --------------------------------------------------------- Sat 03/02/02 COLUMBUS 1:00 PM Mon 03/04/02 OTTAWA 7:30 PM Wed 03/06/02 Dallas 5:30 PM Sat 03/09/02 Colorado 12:00 PM Mon 03/11/02 CHICAGO 7:30 PM Thu 03/14/02 ST. LOUIS 7:30 PM Sat 03/16/02 PITTSBURGH 12:00 PM Mon 03/18/02 San Jose 7:30 PM Thu 03/21/02 COLORADO 7:30 PM Sat 03/23/02 SAN JOSE 1:00 PM Sun 03/24/02 Phoenix 4:00 PM Tue 03/26/02 Vancouver 7:00 PM Thu 03/28/02 Edmonton 6:00 PM Sat 03/30/02 Calgary 6:00 PM APRIL (2 away, 5 home) ---------------------- DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME TV --------------------------------------------------------- Tue 04/02/02 VANCOUVER 7:30 PM Thu 04/04/02 DETROIT 7:30 PM Sat 04/06/02 EDMONTON 7:00 PM Mon 04/08/02 DALLAS 7:30 PM Thu 04/11/02 Vancouver 7:30 PM Sat 04/13/02 San Jose 12:00 PM Sun 04/14/02 ANAHEIM 1:00 PM 7-10-01 On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have signed forward Jaroslav Bednar and defenseman Jaroslav Modry to new contracts. Financial terms were not disclosed. Bednar, 24, was selected in the second round (51st overall) of June's NHL Entry Draft. He was signed to a one-year contract. Bednar, who is 6-0 and weighs 198 pounds, scored 32 goals and added 28 assists for 60 points and 51 penalty minutes in 56 games last season with HIFK Helsinki of the Finnish Elite League. He was ranked second in the league in scoring. In five playoff games, Bednar scored three goals and tallied an assist for four points. Modry, 30, was signed to a two-year deal. He played in 63 games for the Kings last season, scoring four goals and adding fifteen assists for nineteen points, a career-high. 7-7-01 In some ways, this is almost comical... On Saturday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have signed unrestricted free agent center Randy Robitaille to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Robitaille, 25, appeared in 62 games with the Nashville Predators last season, scoring nine goals and seventeen assists, good for 26 points, a career-high. Robitaille, who is 5-11 and weighs 196 pounds, also played in 26 games with the Milwaukee Admirals of the IHL last season, scoring ten goals and adding 23 assists for 33 points. Robitaille was signed by the Boston Bruins as a free agent on March 27, 1997. In 140 NHL games with Boston and Nashville, Robitaille has scored twenty goals and 33 assists for 53 points. His best NHL season came in 1999-2000 at Nashville, when he scored eleven goals and fourteen assists for 25 points in 69 games. "Randy Robitaille is a skilled player who provides some depth to the organization," said Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor. "He has proved that he can play and contribute at the NHL level." At first blush, this move by the Kings seems to be quite odd. Many believe that the Kings' biggest weakness is at the first-line center position. So why sign Randy Robitaille? After all, Jozef Stumpel, Bryan Smolinski, Eric Belanger, and even Ian Laperriere would be ahead of Randy Robitaille on the Kings' depth chart, so he will clearly not be competing for any of the first three center positions. Even on the fourth line, he has Laperriere, and Steve Kelly ahead of him. So as Taylor said, Randy Robitaille will be a depth player, probably destined for the minor leagues next season. Everyone knows the Kings need all the help they can get in their minor league system, due to poor drafting over the years. But will Randy Robitaille, who will never make anyone forget former Kings' star left wing Luc Robitaille, really help? Given the controversy surrounding the Kings losing Luc Robitaille, and the way they reportedly low-balled him with a contract offer that deeply insulted him, this move will appear very silly to some. The signing of Randy Robitaille will probably be seen by some as a complete joke simply because he shares the same surname as Luc Robitaille, but also because of the way the Kings handled negotiations with Luc Robitaille, who signed a three-year, $9 million deal with the Stanley Cup contender Detroit Red Wings after receiving what he believed was an insulting contract offer by the Kings. That offer was a one-year deal, valued at $2.5 million, plus incentives that, if met, would bring his salary up to $3.5 million, equal to his previous contract. No raise, not even a longer-term contract was offered by the Kings to an All-Star, a record-setting left wing, a prolific scorer, a class act on and off the ice, and a fan favorite. In fact, Luc Robitaille bled the Kings' colors and is identified with the Kings first and foremost, and always will be. Yet the Kings chose to low-ball him in contract negotiations and wound up losing their first-line left wing, a move that shocked and angered many Kings' fans. In the days that immediately followed Luc Robitaille's signing with Detroit, the Kings quickly came under fire from fans and media alike. Taylor then appeared on some radio interviews and was clearly trying to do damage control. Although the Kings certainly do not believe that Randy will replace Luc in the hearts and minds of Kings' fans, there are those who will wonder, based on the way the Kings treated Randy's namesake. 7-6-01 On Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have signed defenseman Tomas Zizka to a three-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed. Zizka, 21, was selected by the Kings in sixth round (163rd overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. In 43 games with Zlin in the Czech Extra League, Zizka scored two goals and added eleven assists for thirteen points with sixteen penalty minutes. Zizka, who is 6-2 and weighs 198 pounds, also played in six playoff games with Zlin, racking up six penalty minutes. In 133 career games with Zlin, Zizka has scored nine goals and 24 assists for 33 points with sixty penalty minutes. 7-5-01 Unrestricted free agent right wing Steve Heinze met the Los Angeles media on Wednesday morning and talked about his signing a three-year, $6 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings late Tuesday. Heinze said that he was quite surprised that he was able to sign with a team so quickly after the teams could begin signing unrestricted free agents on July 1. "It happened so quickly," Heinze said. "We were trying to feel out the market. We're very excited it happened so quick." "My agent's plan was to let a couple of guys go, see what the market is, and see where I fit in from there," Heinze added. "I wasn't going to be the market-maker. I was going to be in the second-tier, so I had to play 'follow the leader.'" Heinze explained that a number of teams were interested in signing him, but the Kings were one of his top choices. "I had a pretty good year, so there was interest out there," he said. "Certainly, LA was right up there on top of my list. I've only heard good things about the coaching staff and management." "Everyone knows how excited everybody got about what they did in the playoffs," Heinze elaborated. "Anytime you see that, you're excited to join a team that is, essentially, a contender." The Southern California lifestyle and climate also proved to be very attractive. "The Los Angeles lifestyle is not that difficult to take, from what I hear," Heinze said with a chuckle. "I actually have a close friend from college who lives out there. I've spent time with him, and got to hang out with him in Manhattan Beach. It's a very pleasant place to be, and everyone seems to be smiling a bit more there in the winter than I was used to in Boston." "My wife is pregnant, and is due in October," Heinze continued. "It will be nice to walk the baby outside in the sunshine, and not be knee-deep in snow." Although he played with Kings' forwards Glen Murray, Bryan Smolinski, and Jozef Stumpel, this did not impact his decision to sign with the Kings. "Stumpel, Smolinski, and Murray all played [with the Boston Bruins], and we played a few years together," Heinze explained. "We all came in at the same time, and broke into the league at the same time. We built a pretty good friendship there." Heinze said that he is looking forward to reuniting with his former Bruin teammates. "I'll certainly enjoy playing with those three guys again," Heinze said. "I played the most with Stumpel, and was on my way to what might have been a career year when I got hurt after thirty games. I had seventeen goals in thirty games playing with Jozef. He's a guy who can give you some tap-ins around the net." Over the years, Heinze has been a versatile forward, playing both scoring and checking roles, along with power play and penalty-killing. "From a personnel point of view, I would fit in OK with a team that has a bunch of guys who can move the puck and put up some offensive numbers and score some goals," Heinze said. Playing in all those varying roles means Heinze will bring a good deal of experience to the Kings. "Hopefully, [he will bring] a bit of leadership [to the Kings]," he said. "After ten years in the league, I think I have a pretty good idea of what it takes, and what you need to do, game in and game out. I've done everything from being on the fourth line and checking and killing penalties to strictly power play and first or second line." "Everyone wants to be the leading scorer and on the first power play [unit], but there's other things I can bring, like checking and hard work that way," he added. "I'm certainly not a guy who's carrying [the puck] the length of the ice every shift, so I have to bring a bit of the grinding and corner work." And Heinze is hoping that the Kings and their fans do not look at him as the replacement for left wing Luc Robitaille, who signed with the Detroit Red Wings after feeling insulted by the Kings' offer of a one-year deal valued at $2.5 million plus incentives worth $1 million. "I hope they don't compare me to Lucky Luc, because I know how much everybody there loves him," Heinze said. "But they're bringing me in to score goals, absolutely, and to fill some offensive shoes. I can't say that I'm in Luc Robitaille's class as a prolific scorer, but I want to come in and help the team." After scoring just twelve goals and thirteen assists for 25 points in 75 games with the Bruins in 1999-2000, Heinze had his best season ever, scoring 27 goals and adding 27 assists for 54 points with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres. In the playoffs, Heinze, who was dealt to Buffalo near the trade deadline, played in thirteen games, scoring three goals and contributing four assists for seven points. What a difference a new team and a new season can make. "The grass was certainly greener when I got out of Boston," Heinze explained. "Playing time, first and foremost [was the key to his improvement]. I was not getting ice time too much under [former head coach] Pat Burns that last year in Boston. Certainly, the opportunity to play twenty minutes a night [with Columbus]...things are going to happen." "Your confidence builds and then you're on the power play," he elaborated. "You let your talent take over and you play the game, unlike in Boston--one mistake and you're on the fourth line, you get benched, things like that. It's not a real fun atmosphere to be in, and it kind of snowballed on itself. Just the change of scenery really helped me out." Heinze also said that playing for a new expansion team [Columbus] was still a better situation for him than staying in Boston. "We judged our success by wins and losses, but also by the efforts and attitudes guys had every game," Heinze said. "If you give all you can, and then still lose to the Detroit Red Wings, that happens. They have a multi-million dollar payroll, they have All-Star after All-Star. Sometimes, they're going to beat you no matter how hard you work." "[But] we took a positive attitude into it," Heinze added. "The fans packed the stadium because we were winning a little bit for them. The town liked the coaching staff and management. Coming from a franchise that was a bit more 'old school' in Boston, it was a breath of fresh air to be treated with a lot of respect, and there was a nice atmosphere at the rink every day." On a far less serious topic, Heinze said that he will ask the Kings for jersey number 57, just like the famous "Heinz 57" sauce. But he recounted the reason he was not allowed to wear that number in Boston. "I asked to wear it numerous times in Boston, but they're a little more conservative over there, and they didn't like high numbers," Heinze said. "The game is the game, and you wear the number they give you. Ray Bourque only got [to wear a] high number." 7-3-01 Late Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have signed unrestricted free agent right wing Steve Heinze to a three-year contract. Terms of the deal with not disclosed. Heinze, 31, played in 79 games this past season for the Buffalo Sabres and the Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring 27 goals and 27 assists for 54 points. In thirteen playoff games with Buffalo, he tallied three goals and four assists for seven points. Heinze also scored fifteen power play goals. "Steve Heinze is a proven NHL scorer who will provide some balance to our top lines," said Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor. "He is a valuable player on special teams and will also bring some veteran leadership to our club." Heinze, who is 5-11, and weighs 202 pounds, began the 2000-01 season with Columbus after the Blue Jackets selected him from the Boston Bruins in the NHL Expansion Draft on June 23, 2000. The Sabres acquired Heinze from Columbus on March 13, 2001, in exchange for a third-round choice (Per Mars) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Originally drafted by the Bruins as their second choice (60th overall) in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, Heinze has scored 158 goals and 135 assists for 293 points with 321 penalty minutes in 594 career NHL games with the Sabres, Blue Jackets and Bruins. In 65 playoff games, Heinze has scored 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points. His best year prior to the 2000-2001 was in 1997-98, when he scored 26 goals and added 20 assists for 46 points in 61 games for Boston. Prior to making his NHL debut with the Bruins during the 1991-92 season, Heinze was an All-American and first-team Hockey East All-Star selection at Boston College, and in 1992 he represented the United States at the Olympic Games. 7-2-01 Late Monday, former Los Angeles Kings' star, and now Detroit Red Wings' left wing Luc Robitaille talked about his leaving the Kings to play for the Red Wings. Robitaille elaborated on how the Kings insulted him with an offer that amounted to a cut in his pay from last season. "The truth is, they made it really easy on me to go to a different team," Robitaille said. "I was very surprised and very shocked. I don't think I'm a greedy person, but I want to win the Cup and I want to play for a team that is a contender, and I believe Detroit is doing that now." "This is the best opportunity for me to win the Cup, and I'm thankful I got to go to a good team," he added. "He told me, 'I'm a proud athlete, once I'm out there, I don't think about money and I will work hard, but don't hurt my pride,' " Robitaille's agent Pat Brisson told Elliott. "He was very shocked and he said, 'I take it personal,' and we started accepting calls and discussing different situations." "[Robitaille] never wanted to leave, but once they made that offer, he wasn't going to come scrambling back," said Tom Reich, Brisson's partner. "The offer they made to him was about as attractive as a Zamboni through your front door, and Luc gave Pat and me explicit directions to cut a deal with one of the contending teams that was a good fit. They made his decision easier than my fork cutting through cheesecake." Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor told Helene Elliott of the LOS ANGELES TIMES that both the length of the contract demanded by Robitaille, and the cost, were factors in their decision. "We made an offer to Luc and I talked personally to him Saturday, and after free agency opened [Sunday] we hadn't talked to him again," Taylor told Elliott. "It's difficult. The player as a free agent really holds the cards, and he can determine where he plays." "We have nothing but great things to say about Luc Robitaille," Taylor added. "I can't say anything but wish him luck." The question now is: will the Kings get a sniper to replace Robitaille? Or anyone else, for that matter? "This leaves some money available in the budget, but I can't say, 'Luc is gone, so we'll bring in Player X,'" Taylor elaborated. "We've looked at a number of free agents, without getting specific. One of our concerns was getting Mathieu Schneider re-signed, and that helps us on defense. The other players we have to sign are restricted free agents. Now we'll look at other options." Elliott also reported that the Kings never intended to match any offers Robitaille would get, and that Kings' head coach Andy Murray was down on Robitaille because of his defensive shortcomings. "I had two months where it was really a weird feeling," Robitaille said. "It was hard the last couple of months because I never heard from the Kings. They never acknowledged me. I knew something was going on, and I didn't know what it was." That is totally classless treatment from the team Robitaille gave his heart and soul for almost his entire NHL career. The least they could have done is tell him up front what they were going to do. Robitaille deserved that much. Despite his moving on to Detroit, Robitaille's family will remain in Los Angeles. "Leaving is going to be hard," Robitaille said. "LA is always going to be home and where we raise our kids. To a certain degree, this wasn't really up to me." Robitaille also expressed his gratitude to Kings' fans, "I'm always going to be thankful for the way the fans treated me," he told Elliott. "We had a great run in the playoffs, and I thought things would go a different route, but they didn't." ASSOCIATED PRESS is reporting that left wing Luc Robitaille, who signed a two-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings, rumored to be valued in the $8 or 9 million range, jumped at the chance to sign with the Wings because the offer made to him by the Los Angeles Kings was an insult. According to Robitaille, the Kings offered him a one-year contract at a rate lower than the $3.5 million per year was already earning. "The Kings talked to me last Thursday, one year at a pay cut," he said. "I was shocked." An obviously disappointed and angry Robitaille did not hesitate to take a parting shot at the Kings. "I'm happy because I'm going to a team that's wants to win," Robitaille said. "The one thing I have left to do in my career is to win the Cup, and now I'm going to a team that has that chance." Clearly, Robitaille was saying that the Kings do not have a chance to win the Cup, and the implication is that they are not willing to spend the money needed to accomplish that goal. That is now quite obvious, unless they are planning to put all of their resources in a player like Jaromir Jagr. With their unwillingness to sign Rob Blake and now the revelation of the fact that they made a horribly insulting offer to Robitaille, it is now quite evident that the Kings' overarching concern is not winning the Stanley Cup. Rather, being fiscally responsible is at the forefront. The Kings have now let loose two of their very best players in Blake and Robitaille, the two players who Kings' fans identified with the most. Blake is arguably the best defenseman in the NHL, and Robitaille, even at his age, is one of the top scorers in the league. It seems logical that to win the Stanley Cup, you need some top-tier talent. But after trading away Blake and now making an insulting contract offer to Robitaille, essentially forcing him to go elsewhere, the Kings now have just right wings Ziggy Palffy and Adam Deadmarsh who would qualify. To be sure, the Kings are not devoid of talent. But if they wish to improve their team and rise to the next level, as they have promised they would do (ie. get past the second round of the playoffs), they need to ADD talent, not trade it away or let it walk away to other teams. And especially in the case of Robitaille, the Kings should be ashamed. He bled the Kings' colors. He was a leader, on the ice and off. He loved Los Angeles and he loved the Kings, and it showed on the ice, where he gave everything he had. And he was their second-leading scorer last season, just one point behind Palffy--he was a big reason why the Kings made the playoffs. Yet, the Kings chose to "reward" him by cutting his pay and telling him that they only wanted to commit to one more year? Robitaille had every right to be insulted and angered. And if this is the new way of the Kings, then they do not deserve a class act like Robitaille on their team. It's official... Late Monday, the Detroit Red Wings announced that they have signed former Los Angeles Kings' left wing Luc Robitaille to a two-year deal, with a team option for a third year. Robitaille, a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame, scored 37 goals and 51 assists for 88 points in 82 games for the Kings last season. He was the Kings' second-leading scorer, and led the Kings with sixteen power play goals. Robitaille was named as a second-team All-Star, and played in the mid-season All-Star Game. "We are absolutely pleased to have agreed to terms with Luc," said Red Wings' General Manager Ken Holland. "Adding an offensive player to our team was a priority and we feel we have addressed that with this addition." On Monday afternoon, unconfirmed reports state that Los Angeles Kings' star left wing Luc Robitaille has signed a free agent deal with the Detroit Red Wings. The deal is rumored to be a two-year deal, valued around $8 million. The contract is also rumored to have an option year. On Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Kings left wing Ken Belanger and defenseman Brett Hauer to contracts. Both players were unrestricted free agents. Belanger, 27, played in forty games for the Boston Bruins last season, and was third on the team with 121 penalty minutes. He was signed to a two-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed. Belanger, who is 6-4 and weighs 225 pounds, also missed 21 games last season with hip injuries. "We are pleased to add Ken Belanger to our hockey club," said Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor. "He will bring toughness and grit to our lineup." But can he fill the skates of enforcer Stu Grimson, who was signed to a free agent deal by the San Jose Sharks? Hauer, 29, played in 82 games last season with the Manitoba Moose of the IHL, and he led all IHL defensemen in scoring with 17 goals and 42 assists for 59 points. In 13 playoff games, Hauer scored a goal and added nine assists for ten points. Hauer, who is 6-2 and weighs 210 pounds, was the IHL's Most Valuable Defenseman and has led the IHL in defenseman scoring the last two seasons. Hauer was also a first-team IHL All Star the last three seasons. "Brett is a top minor league defenseman who will bring great offensive skill and experience to our corps of depth defensemen," said Kings' Assistant General Manager/Manchester Monarchs General Manager Kevin Gilmore. "We expect him to come to our NHL camp in September and challenge for an NHL spot. Brett will either bring skilled depth to our NHL club or be one of our top defensemen with our new American Hockey League affiliate in Manchester, New Hampshire." Hauer was originally a fourth-round draft selection (71st overall) of the Vancouver Canucks in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft and is a native of Richfield, Minnesota. In 34 career NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, he scored four goals and four assists for eight points with 32 penalty minutes. In other free agent-related news, former Kings' left wing/enforcer Stu Grimson was signed to a two-year deal by the Nashville Predators. The Predators will also have an option for a third year. "Stu will bring many elements to our club: character, size and toughness," Predators' head coach Barry Trotz said. "Stu also brings leadership and character to our team," Predators' General Manager David Poile said. "He has been a respected player in the NHL throughout his career. He immediately makes us a bigger, stronger, and tougher team." "Stu is going to be missed," said Kings' defenseman Mathieu Schneider. "He's a tremendous asset in the dressing room." "Ken Belanger is a tough kid," Schneider added. "He'll play his role and play it well. But it's hard to explain the impact Stu had on this team. Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but the Predators will have an option for a third season. Grimson, 36, played in 72 games with the Kings last season, scoring three goals and two assists. He registered his 2,000th career penalty minute on March 19 against Phoenix. He also led the league in header goals. Kings' defenseman Mathieu Schneider, who was signed earlier on Monday to a new three-year deal, rumored to be worth more than $3.5 million per year, spoke with the media about his new contract and his outlook for the Kings. Schneider said that the Kings matched other offers he had received, and that he had received "three solid offers" from other teams. But right off the bat, Schneider said that the Kings were his first choice. "I didn't make it a secret right from the start that I wanted to return," he said. "We had a great year last year. I got along great with Andy, the coaching staff was fun to work with, we had a lot of success, my family is happy here in LA. I'm just very excited." Schneider said that negotiations with the Kings were rather uneventful. "Things went pretty smoothly," he said. "We had talked before yesterday on a couple of occasions. Dave had made us two previous offers, but we elected to wait until yesterday." "What we got was very fair for both sides." Schneider did say that the contract includes bonuses for higher levels of performance. And money was not the only factor in his decision to sign with the Kings. "There were a lot of factors contributing to my not signing earlier last year," Schneider explained. "The biggest being that I hadn't played on a winning club the previous four years. Attractive players come from winning teams. The [New York] Rangers [where Schneider played prior to signing with the Kings] were in complete disarray." "For me, it was a breath of fresh air to come out here in a positive situation," he added. "It was turning over a new leaf. When you're happy in your personal life, things go well in your professional life. "I wanted to be an organization committed to winning, and we've got that here," Schneider said. Schneider's family situation was also a determining factor. "My family is also very happy here, and I didn't want to uproot them again after just one year," he said. As for the Kings, Schneider is very optimistic about their chances, another reason he signed with them. "I think we're still a couple of players away from winning a Stanley Cup," he admitted. "But I think we proved that we're not far off. Right now, players within the organization have to have a commitment to taking it to the next level, and I think we're capable of doing it. We had a confidence issue, but we were able to fight through it, make the playoffs and do fairly well." "I think we're going to go into the season as a better team than we were this past season," he added. Schneider also expressed hope that the Kings will sign unrestricted free agent left wing, Luc Robitaille. "As for Luc, I know they're still talking, so hopefully, they'll get things done," Schneider said. "We're optimistic that a deal will get done. At the same time, we realize that things are being run here as a business, so we have to accept that, too." "They're committed to winning," Schneider added. "I did talk to Dave and [head coach] Andy [Murray], and if there's a deal out there that will make the team better, they say they'll do it." Schneider also commented on the whirlwind the was blowing around the NHL on Sunday, with all the top-tier unrestricted free agents being signed the very first day that they could be signed. "I think everyone was surprised how quickly things moved for a whole group of free agents," Schneider said. "I think a lot of teams feel that they're close to winning the Cup, so that fueled much of what happened yesterday." It is now official... On Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have re-signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Mathieu Schneider to a new three-year contract. Financial terms and conditions of the agreement were not announced. Schneider, 32, played in 73 games for the Kings this past season, his first with the club. He scored 16 goals and 35 assists (35), for 51 points, high marks for Kings' defensemen last season. Schneider finished the regular season tied for fourth in the NHL for goals by a defenseman and tied for ninth in NHL scoring by defensemen. He also led the Kings in game-tying goals with two, co-led the Kings (with Mattias Norstrom) in blocked shots with 137, and led all Kings in ice-time, averaging 25:51 minutes per game during the post-season and 23:04 during the regular season. In the playoffs, Schneider was a leader on the Kings' blue line, with nine assists in 13 games, to go along with solid defensive play and strong play at the opposition's blue line. Schneider was signed by the Kings as a free agent from the New York Rangers to a one-year contract on August 13, 2000. "We are excited to have Mathieu returning to the Kings and committing to our organization on a long-term basis," said Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor. "Mathieu was our top defenseman last season, he upgraded our power play and was a major contributor to our post-season success." "I am thrilled to be back, Schneider said. "The Kings were my first choice all along. We have a lot to build off from last season's success, and I am looking forward to the next couple of years here in Los Angeles." FYI...the Kings did not make qualifying offers to David Hymovitz and Marko Tuomainen They are now unrestricted free agents.
