KINGS NOTES...
By Gann Matsuda
10-31-01 Late Wednesday, it was learned that Los Angeles Kings' center Jason Allison is doubtful for Thursday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Staples Center. Allison was hit by a puck during Tuesday's 5-1 loss at Chicago. He did not practice on Wednesday.When it rains, it pours... On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have placed right wing Nelson Emerson on injured reserve. Emerson is suffering from post-concussion syndrome resulting from a blind-side hit on September 29, during a pre-season game against the Colorado Avalanche. Emerson was activated on October 23, and played in five regular season games before going back on injured reserve. To take Emerson's place on the roster, the Kings have recalled left wing Derek Bekar from the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. Bekar, 26, has scored four goals and added four assists for eight points in eight games with the Monarchs this season. Bekar, who is 6-2 and weighs 200 pounds, was signed by the Kings as a free agent on September 25. He will wear jersey number 58. 
10-29-01 It just keeps getting worse... On Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have placed right wing Ziggy Palffy on injured reserve retroactive to October 27, due to back spasms. Palffy missed Sunday's game at Carolina with the injury. To take Palffy's spot on the roster, the Kings have recalled forward Jaroslav Bednar from the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL.
10-27-01 On Satuday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have placed defenseman Aaron Miller on injured reserve, retroactive to October 21, due to back spasms. Miller returned to Los Angeles after the team defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, for testing and treatment. He is not expected to rejoin the team on their current road trip. With center Bryan Smolinski also suffering from back spasms, the Kings filled the roster spot left open by Miller by recalling center Randy Robitaille from the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. Robitaille, 26, began the season with the Kings where he appeared in two games, going scoreless with no penalty minutes. At Manchester, Robitaille appeared in six games, scoring a team-leading seven goals and three assists for ten points and no penalty minutes.
10-25-01 On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings completed a blockbuster trade that sent center Jozef Stumpel and right wing Glen Murray to the Boston Bruins for star center Jason Allison and left wing Mikko Eloranta. The trade was completed during the wee hours of Wednesday morning, and only about four hours later, Allison was aboard a 6:30 AM flight from Boston to Tampa, Florida, where the Kings will play on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Allison met with the media after practicing with the team on Wednesday afternoon, and he expressed relief to be back playing hockey after a contract holdout with the Bruins. "We had a great group of guys [in Boston]," Allison said. "I thought we had a pretty good team. It was an unfortunate situation, but sometimes the best thing is to move on. I think I landed in a great spot. I'm pumped up, and happy to be part of this team." Contract negotiations between Allison and the Bruins have been characterized as being acrimonious, with both sides being very far apart on the salary issue. Allison reportedly was asking for a multi-year contract valued at over $8.5 million per season, while the Bruins balked. To make matters worse for Allison, while the Bruins negotiated with Allison, they went out and signed free agent forwards, including winger Martin Lapointe for $5 million per season. Also affecting the Bruins' decision were the arbitration decisions for Pittsburgh Penguins' forwards Alexei Kovalev and Martin Straka. Both players scored 95 points last season, the same as Allison, and received arbitration decisions granting them salaries in the neighborhood of $4 million per year. This set the price as far as the Bruins were concerned, but in September, Allison lowered his demands, but was still asking for $13 million for two years. The Bruins countered with an offer of $4.2 million for one year. At the same time, Bruins' President Harry Sinden told Allison that he was not as good a player as he believed himself to be. "We tried to get a deal done, we couldn't get a deal done, so we had to separate," said Bruins' General Manager Mike O'Connell. "We think Jason's a great player, we felt he could help us, but we felt at this time that the money Jason was looking for, he was ahead of himself." "We think he's a great player, we think he's a good player, we think he could help us, but we felt the money he was looking for was greater than where he fits in in the league right now," O'Connell elaborated. "Based on the limited interest we had, I would say most teams agreed with us." Allison, 26, responded by telling the Bruins that he would never play for them again. "Early in the summer, things didn't go very well," Allison said. "We figured back then that I was going to be traded, eventually. After our last meeting, a couple of weeks into training camp, we knew after that it would just be a matter of time." "I just believe [the Bruins are] an organization that runs its business a certain way," he added. "It got to the point at the end there where I just wasn't happy. I said from the start I really wanted to be happy, and be in a place where I'd be treated properly, and be with a team that improved every year, to the point where you're contending for a Stanley Cup. I wasn't sure that was going to happen there, and I was a little upset about the way things were handled." "It's a perfect situation for me," Allison continued. "I couldn't be happier. I see nothing but good things for the [Kings] organization. I'm expecting really big things out of the organization the next few years." And among the teams who were pursuing Allison, it was the Kings who were most attractive to him. "Of all the teams that were interested, this was probably my first choice, and I was fortunate enough to end up here," he said. "It's a great young team that's building and getting better and better every year. Hopefully, I can help them build." Allison, who had been training at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts to stay in shape, said that other teams showing interest were the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, and Washington Capitals. Allison's agent Bryant McBride said that his client is very excited about the opportunity to play with Kings' right wing Ziggy Palffy. "His eyes light up when he talks about Ziggy," McBride said. "I think this is going to be one of the great new tandems in the NHL. They're going to be really fun to watch. And you add [Adam] Deadmarsh and I think that's going to be one of the best lines in the league. You've got speed, grit, toughness and size." McBride also elaborated about the terms of Allison's contract with the Kings, which will pay him $5.5 million this season, $6.5 million next year, and $8 million in the third season--a $20 million deal, which can increase by $2 million with performance-based bonuses. Allison also indicated that it was time for him to get back on the ice after a lengthy holdout. "For me to be out a year, or even half a year, that does no good for anybody," he said. "If two teams can work something out, there's no need for that." Deal In The Works Since the Summer ---------------------------------- The Kings, who had been sputtering offensively until Tuesday night when the blew out Columbus, 7-1, had been pursuing Allison since the summer. "We've been talking to the Bruins really since the summer," said Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor. "In the last week and a half they heated up and we got into a position where we were prepared to put two of our six top forwards in the deal. And to a point where the Bruins, I think, were resigned to the fact that they couldn't get Jason signed and they were prepared to move him." "We looked at a lot of different options over the course of the summer, including discussions with the Bruins about Jason," Taylor elaborated. "He was very high on our list, particularly because of his age. When you're only twenty-six, you're going to improve. We expect Jason to continue to put up big numbers and improve as a player over the next few years." Bruins Wanted Immediate Help ---------------------------- Talks between the two sides really heated up after the Bruins, who are off to a fast start this season, scored just eight goals on a recent six-game road trip. The Bruins decided that they needed to get players who could step right into spots on their top lines, and the Kings' offer of Stumpel and Glen Murray was the best offer they received. "It's been about four months since this process began and we've been talking to a number of teams," O'Connell said. "This was by far the deal that made the most sense to us." "In exploring a trade for Jason, we wanted to receive players who would help our club immediately and step into one of the top two lines on our club," said O'Connell. "We accomplished that in acquiring two players that would be among the top six forwards on any team in the NHL." "When that opportunity presented itself to us, we felt we had to move," O'Connell added. "I think we've played very good hockey for the most part, of the nine games we've played," O'Connell said. "We've had some trouble scoring, and these two players will help us address that need. We have a good foundation for a good team here. We expect it to have a positive influence on everyone on the team." "When you add players like this--accomplished, mature, professional players--you expect it to help everyone," he added. "But I think it will give Joe [Thornton] a push, and it will make it more of a concern for other teams because they're going to have to worry about three lines." O'Connell spoke with both Stumpel and Glen Murray, and said that they were excited to be returning to the Bruins. "They're both excited about coming back," said O'Connell. "Both know the area. I knew them both when they were rookies. But a lot has happened between then and now." "I have known both of these players since they came into the league and coached both of them in Providence early in their careers," O'Connell added. "I have seen them develop and I believe that we made our team better in this trade." Stumpel was selected by the Bruins in the second round (40th overall) in the 1991 NHL entry draft, and played three seasons with Boston from 1994-97, before being traded to the Kings in August, 1997. Glen Murray was the Bruins first round choice (18th overall), also in the 1991 draft. He played two seasons for the Bruins from 1993-95, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He spent two years in Pittsburgh before being traded to the Kings in March, 1997. "I think when you draft players, you project them to what they might be, and I think they've become what they were expected to be," said O'Connell. "Jozef is a fifty, sixty or seventy-point guy who is strong along the boards and has good vision." "Glen is a player who is going to score goals for you," O'Connell added. "He's fast, he's strong in front of the net, he has good reach and battles hard. He's an excellent skater with an excellent shot. They're going to be big parts of our team." The Bruins certainly took note of how these two players performed in the playoffs last season. "They had an exceptional series," O'Connell said. "They both showed up and played very hard in the playoffs, which is always a concern. I know their character. They're good teammates and I think they'll fit in well with what we have here." The Bruins' players said that they would miss their former team captain, but welcomed Stumpel and Glen Murray as players who could immediately jump in and help their team. "I think it's a great deal," said Bruins' forward Bill Guerin. "I'm sorry to see Ally and Mikko go, but we're getting two pretty darned solid guys. Glen's on fire. He's having a terrific start. And Jozef is definitely going to help us out in the middle." "I didn't think it would happen this quickly," added Guerin. "I didn't think it would happen even close to this quickly." "Obviously we would have loved to have Jason back, because he is such a good player, a great player," Guerin said. "But I'm happy that he got his wish and he's going to be playing. He's such a great young player, it's important that he's playing. I'm glad things worked out for him." "And I'm sure Mikko will enjoy a lot of success out there," he added. "I think he'll thrive in the West. It's a different style game and he'll be able to play a lot more." Bruins' winger Brian Rolston emphasized that Stumpel will help fill a big hole down the middle. "This is going to take a lot of pressure off Joe [Thornton], adding a center like Jozef Stumpel," Rolston said. "And we're getting a great scorer in Glen Murray. Obviously this shows Mike [O'Connell] is definitely committed to winning and wants us to get off to a good start." "Obviously first and foremost, we wanted Alley back," Rolston elaborated. "He was our teammate and our captain. But the way things happened, this is the business of hockey, and we got two good players. I think it's going to be good for our team. Alley wasn't available to use, now these two guys are. I think it's going to be great. Both guys are proven NHL performers, really good players. I'm really excited we have them." Bruins' defenseman Don Sweeney was with Boston when Stumpel and Murray broke in with the Bruins. "With both, the upside was they were young and really talented players," said Sweeney. "But they were kind of trying to find their way at the time, trying to find the ice time to become the sort of players they are now. Both have come into their own, as different kinds of players. Glen has become a classic power forward who can really shoot the puck. He played really well in the Colorado series I watched last year. And Jozef is a real playmaker." "This gives us another playmaking center," added Sweeney. "The ripple effect left by Ally's void was being felt by a lot of guys, not just with what Ally brought to the table. Without him, Joe's playing with different people, Billy [Rolston] and Sammy [Sergei Samsonov] are playing with different people, Rollie is. Now we're back to where we were. Given the fact that we didn't have Ally, it's an upgrade." "Are we going to miss [Allison]? Of course," Sweeney concluded. "But these two guys step in and, to be honest, it sounds like it could be a win-win deal for both sides." Even Allison said that both teams got a lot out of the trade. "I think this worked out for both sides," Allison said. "They got two great players in Stumpel and Murray, and LA is happy with acquiring myself and Mikko. I think it worked out great." "New" Bruins Happy To Return ---------------------------- Stumpel and Glen Murray were surprised by the deal, but are looking forward to returning to Boston. "It's good to be back, I'm looking forward to it," said Glen Murray. "The last time I was here I was a lot younger. I've got experience now, so I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be fun. It was kind of a shock at first, but I'm really excited now. It's weird how things happen." "I think I can score more than when I first came here," he added. "I think my all-around game has definitely improved, probably one hundred percent since I've been here." "I can actually get around a little better now and I know the game a little better," he concluded. "I've been in the league ten years now. I had a great experience when I was here the first time. I'm looking for an even better experience this time." Stumpel expressed similar feelings about returning to the Bruins. "I didn't expect it but things happen and I'm happy it's Boston," said Stumpel. "They have a good team and it's going to go good." "I'm looking forward to having a great season and being a Bruin again," he added. "At least I know some people around here and I'm excited." Kings Fill A Big Hole --------------------- One question being asked is if the trade really is a win-win deal for both teams. If you ask the Kings, they certainly believe that Allison, who is 6-4, and weighs 215 pounds, fills a big hole in their lineup, a true, number one center, something they have not had since Wayne Gretzky last skated in a Kings' jersey in 1996. "We have acquired a premier first-line center, one of the top players in the game," said Taylor. "His best years are ahead of him and we are pleased to have acquired him at this stage of his NHL career." "What is appealing about Jason, and why he was probably our first choice, is his combination of size, skill and ability as well as the fact he is only twenty-six years in age," Taylor explained. "We really wanted to add a dominant player at center and one of the top young players in the game and that's what we feel we've added with Jason." "We have a top-notch player joining us," Taylor added. "We'll see what the future brings. He brings a lot of character and a lot of leadership." Indeed. Allison was the Bruins' captain prior to his contract dispute, and is reported to be a strong, positive influence in the dressing room. Taylor also emphasized that this trade did not impact any of the Kings' younger players or prospects in their system--they do not want to trade away their young talent. "That has always been our goal," he said. "To build through the system." Kings' head coach Andy Murray now has the legitimate, top-line center that he has not had in his two-plus seasons with the Kings. "This is an exciting time for the Los Angeles Kings," said Kings' head coach Andy Murray. "We liked the players we gave up, they were both quality people. But we have a chance to be everything we've set out to be, a contender for the Stanley Cup." Andy Murray watched Allison during practice while he played on a line with Palffy and Deadmarsh. "They could be an effective group," said Andy Murray. "Ziggy and Jason are both good with the puck. They can beat people one-on-one. Adam is the type of guy that can work the corners and go to the net." Allison will be in the lineup on Thursday at Tampa Bay, but he said that playing for the Kings so quickly will not be easy. "I have to get used to my teammates and get used to a new system," Allison said. "It's going to take a little bit. Hopefully, they bear with me and I figure it out sooner." Trade Analysis -------------- Both teams certainly had to give up a lot to get what they wanted. Nevertheless, both were pleased with the results, and knew that they were not going to get what they wanted at a bargain price. "I think in any process of negotiations, they say it's a good deal when both parties are satisfied," said Andy Murray. "I think in this case, both recognize what they're giving up--quality people and quality players. And both recognize that there's a price to make a deal like this." As for the impact of this trade, the Bruins certainly improved their team for the short-term, given the fact that Allison would never play for them again. They added a good, second-line center in Stumpel, who will take some of the pressure off Thornton, and Glen Murray will add a bit more scoring from the right side. But the Bruins also take on two question marks. Will Stumpel and Glen Murray show up and play hard every night? Or will they disappear for long stretches as they have with the Kings? Only time will tell if Stumpel and Glen Murray provide what the Bruins are expecting. For the Kings, the loss of Glen Murray, who is off to the best start of his career, might be felt for some time. He was on fire to start the season, and was the team's best player until the trade. Certainly, newly-acquired left wing Mikko Eloranta is probably a third-line winger, at best. In fact, Glen Murray seemed to have finally put everything together--physical play, hard work, and consistent offensive production--everything a team needs from a power forward. But Glen Murray's history of disappearing for weeks on end, even when he was on the ice in games, still haunts him. Nine games into the new season is not enough to prove that he has finally figured out that he has to show up every night and play hard on every shift. Stumpel deserves the same criticism as Glen Murray, only more harsh. When he is playing well, he can be extremely effective, a true impact player. But he often disappears for months on end, not just days or even weeks. He has also been plagued by one injury after another, and like Glen Murray, often does not use his size and strength to his advantage. And when he fails to do that, he is completely ineffective. Another knock on Stumpel's game is his unwillingness to shoot the puck, which has gotten increasingly worse during his time with the Kings. He has a great shot, but almost never uses it, choosing to pass instead to set-up his linemates. Although he is an excellent playmaker, the book on Stumpel is that he virtually never shoots the puck, and the word has gotten out around the league. Teams now cheat on Stumpel, taking away a lot of the passing lanes, knowing he won't shoot the puck. When this happens, Stumpel either holds the puck too long and gets checked off the puck, or he tries to force a pass that winds up being knocked away or intercepted. In his first season with the Kings, Stumpel was tenth in the NHL in scoring, with 21 goals and 58 assists for 79 points, and was a threat to score, as well as set-up his linemates. But since then, he has been mostly a big disappointment. As such, the acquisition of Jason Allison could not be a more dramatic upgrade for the Kings. Indeed, the most important aspect of this trade is that the word around the NHL--just about everyone who has watched him play for any length of time agrees that Allison is a stud who is already a star, and is right on the edge of attaining superstar status. When was the last time the Kings had such a player? Allison is a physical player who is highly-skilled, not the big, gritty, but talent-deficient forwards the Kings have been known to acquire in recent years. Allison combines grit with great skill, and already, he leaps ahead of Stumpel. Add to that good defensive play, the fact that he was fifth in the NHL in scoring last season (36 goals, 59 assists, 95 points), and has been among the NHL's top fifteen scorers in three of the past four seasons, Allison jumps even farther ahead of Stumpel. As a better playmaker and harder-worker than Stumpel, Allison should create even more opportunities for Palffy, who now has an even greater chance of topping his 38 goals, 51 assists and 89 points from last season. In short, Allison should improve the Kings' first line by leaps and bounds. Allison looks even better when you put him on the power play, where the Kings had been struggling until they scored four power play goals on four opportunities on Tuesday at Columbus. The addition of Allison could very well take the Kings' power play to a level the Kings have not seen in recent memory. Last season, Allison contributed either a goal or an assist on 68.8% of the Bruins' successful power play opportunities, the highest rating among all NHL players. Allison had 11 goals and 33 assists for 44 points on the power play in 2000-01. And to top it all off, Allison is a leader in the dressing room, as evidenced by the fact that he was the Bruins' team captain. In stark contrast, Stumpel was never considered one of the Kings' team leaders. And in waking up at 3:30 AM and jumping on a 6:30 AM flight so that he could practice with the Kings in Tampa, Allison showed the kind of character the Kings need from a first-line player. In the long-run, this deal looks even better for the Kings. At 26 years of age, Allison is in his prime, is still fairly young, and is only going to get better. He will be a franchise player the Kings can build around. Equally important, when his contract expires, he will be 29 years old, still ineligible for unrestricted free agency. In the final analysis, the Kings could be hurt in the short-term by the loss of Glen Murray. But given Murray's downside and the fact that Stumpel is not even close to being in the same class as Allison, the Kings made a very good move by making this deal.
10-24-01 The Los Angeles Kings have officially announced the trade in which they have acquired center Jason Allison and left wing Mikko Eloranta from the Boston Bruins, in exchange for center Jozef Stumpel and right wing Glen Murray. Allison, a contract holdout with Boston, was signed to a three-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed by the Kings, but sources report that the deal is valued at $20 million. He will earn $5.5 million this season, $6.5 million next season, and $8 million in the last year of the deal. Allison, who is 6-4 and weighs 215 pounds, was fifth in overall scoring last season (not fourth, as reported earlier), with 36 goals and 59 assists for 95 points in 82 games. He was the leading scorer for Boston in three of the last four seasons. Allison, who was the Bruins' captain, has averaged 27 goals, 47 assists, and 74 points during his time at Boston, and was among the top fifteen scorers in the NHL in three of the past four years. "We have acquired a premier first-line center, and a young, exciting player in Jason Allison," said Kings' Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor. "Looking back at this summer's available players, we felt Jason's size and skill, combined with the fact that he is only twenty-six years of age, made him one of the top centers available. His best years are still ahead of him, and we are pleased to have acquired him at this stage of his NHL career." Allison was originally drafted in the first round (17th overall) by the Washington Capitals in the 1993 NHL entry draft. He spent four seasons with the Caps before being dealt to Boston, along with goaltender Jim Carey, forward Anson Carter and the Capitals third-round choice in 1997, in exchange for goaltender Bill Ranford, center Adam Oates and right wing Rick Tocchet on March 1, 1997. In 387 career NHL games with the Capitals and Bruins, Allison has scored 112 goals and 211 assists for 323 points while racking up 275 penalty minutes. Allison suffered a ligament injury to his left hand in February, 2000, and missed the majority of the 1999-2000 season while recovering. Eloranta is twenty-nine years old. The 6-0, 200-pound left winger set career-highs in goals (12) and points (23) in 62 games last season. Originally drafted by the Bruins in the ninth round (247th overall) of the 1999 NHL entry draft, Eloranta has played in five games this season and has no points and two penalty minutes. In 117 career games with the Bruins, Eloranta has 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points and 76 penalty minutes. The Kings had to give up talent in this deal...two players who were important to the team. "We appreciate the contributions that Jozef and Glen made to our organization and to our fans during their time with the Kings," said Taylor. "Both players are quality individuals and we wish them the best of luck in the future."
The Boston Bruins made it official, announcing the trade that sent center Jason Allison to the Los Angeles Kings for center Jozef Stumpel and right wing Glen Murray. Stumpel and Murray are expected to join the Bruins in Boston for practice on Thursday, and will be in the lineup Thursday night when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs. "In exploring a trade for Jason we wanted to receive players who would help our team immediately and step into one of the top two lines on our club," said Bruins' General Manager Mike O'Connell. "We accomplished that in acquiring two players that would be among the top six forwards on any team in the NHL. I have known both of these players since they came into the league and coached both of them in Providence early in their careers. I have seen them develop and I believe that we have made our team better with this trade."
ESPN is reporting that the Los Angeles Kings have traded center Jozef Stumpel and right wing Glen Murray to the Boston Bruins in exchange for center Jason Allison and left wing Mikko Eloranta. Allison, who has been a contract holdout with Boston, was reportedly signed by the Kings to a three-year deal valued at $20 million. He will earn $5.5 million this season, $6.5 million next season, and $8 million in the last year of the deal. Allison is twenty-six years old. He was fourth in the NHL in scoring last season, with thirty-six goals and fifty-nine points.
10-23-01 On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have activated right wing Nelson Emerson from injured reserve. Emerson suffered a concussion on September 29, during a pre-season game against the Colorado Avalanche. To make room on the roster, the Kings assigned forward Jaroslav Bednar to the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. The Kings also announced that defenseman Mattias Norstrom, who is recovering from torn rib cartilage, is expected to play tonight at Columbus.
10-22-01 On Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have hired Brian Putnam as an NCAA College Amateur scout. Putnam, was an Assistant Coach with the University of Connecticut Huskies (2000-01). Prior to his position with the Huskies, Putnam also worked as an Assistant Coach with Colby College (1998-2000). Putnam played for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats from 1992-97, and was a member of the team that won the Hockey East title in 1997. He is a native of Potsdam, New York.
10-17-01 Late Wednesday night, it was revealed that Los Angeles Kings' defenseman and team captain Mattias Norstrom could be out of the lineup for awhile. Norstrom, who suffered what was thought to be bruised ribs during the first period of Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, has torn cartilage in his rib cage and could be out at least two weeks. "I kind of over twisted and I ripped some cartilage in my rib cage on the right side," Norstrom explained. "Right away, I felt two pops and from then on it's been a little hard to move around in general." Norstrom threw a check on Lightning forward Brad Richards behind the Kings' net, and wound up getting the worst of it. "Usually you get hurt when someone hits you, but this time it worked the other way around," Norstrom said. "I hit him and got hurt. I've got to work on that." Norstrom is going to be fighting this injury for some time, but plans to return to the lineup as soon as possible. "It's day to day, week to week," Norstrom said. "But the pain is going to be around for months. I'll probably feel it for the rest of the year, but I am going to get back as soon as I can." "I think with an injury like this, you can't wait until you're 100%," he added. "But it's got to feel good enough to where you're able to take a blow to the rib cage. Right now, there's no way I can do that." "I try to show up every night. But, unfortunately, when you run into something like this, it makes it impossible. If there was any way I could play, I would. But there's no way right now."
10-16-01 On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings officially announced that they have recalled defenseman Jason Holland from the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL, and have placed defenseman Andreas Lilja on injured reserve, retroactive to October 14. Lilja suffered a left knee sprain during a conditioning assignment at Manchester last week. Holland, 26, played in three games at Manchester, before being recalled. Holland, who is 6-3, and weighs 210 pounts, was signed as a free agent on August 30, 2001. He will wear jersey number 53.
The Los Angeles Kings are off to a very slow 1-3-1 start this season, primarily because of a plethora of defensive breakdowns, a few soft goals allowed by goalie Felix Potvin, and also because of an offense that has been misfiring. Given all that, the time could not be worse for the injury bug to hit the Kings, especially their defensive corps, but the Kings just might have been hit very hard. Defenseman Aaron Miller has suffered what could be a serious wrist injury. Although there has been no word on his condition, the injury is very similar to the one he suffered at the end of last season. At that time, he missed most of the last four weeks of the regular season. Defenseman and team captain Mattias Norstrom suffered bruised ribs on Saturday against Tampa Bay, and is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against Washington. Defenseman Andreas Lilja, who was sent down to the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL on a conditioning assignment, suffered a knee injury while playing for Manchester. He has returned to Los Angeles to be examined. There has been no word on the extent of Lilja's injury, other than that he has been placed on injured reserve. In any case, the Kings are not encouraged about his condition. "It's not good, from what I understand," said Kings' head coach Andy Murray. "They have to do some testing [on Monday]." The Kings may also lose winger Adam Deadmarsh, who took a slap shot off his foot on Saturday. Deadmarsh, who missed all of training camp with a groin injury, did not practice on Monday. He hopes to play on Tuesday, but is a question mark. The Kings have recalled defenseman Jason Holland from Manchester. He will replace Lilja on the roster. On the bright side, the Kings report that winger Nelson Emerson, who suffered a concussion during a pre-season game on September 29, is improving, and could return to the lineup soon. When the Washington Capitals skate into Staples Center on Tuesday night, they will do so without superstar forward Jaromir Jagr, who continues his recovery from a knee injury.
10-10-01 On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have loaned defenseman Andreas Lilja to the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL for conditioning purposes. Lilja, 26, has not played this season in the Kings' first three games of the season. Lilja remains on the Kings' 23-man roster.
10-8-01 On Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have recalled right wing Rob Valicevic from the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL, and have assigned forward Randy Robitaille to Manchester. Robitaille appeared in both of the Kings' games this season. Valicevic played in one game with the Monarchs. He will wear number 38.
10-7-01 On Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have activated winger Adam Deadmarsh from injured reserve, and he is expected to play tonight when the Kings host the Minnesota Wild. To make room on the roster, right winger Scott Thomas was assigned to the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. Deadmarsh was placed on injured reserve on October 2, retroactive to September 19, due to a groin strain.
10-6-01 Prior to Thursday's game against the Phoenix Coyotes, former Los Angeles Kings' superstar Wayne Gretzky would not commit to when he would agree to have his jersey number retired by the Kings. But Gretzky did say that it would happen. "One day it will happen, and I don't mean that to be egotistical," said Gretzky, the current managing partner of the Coyotes. "I just think that at this point in time, last year was a hard year," added Gretzky, who is also the general manager for the Canadian Olympic hockey team. "And this year, with what's happened, and what's taken place, we have the Olympics coming up...eventually, we'll get to it." Gretzky also tried to allay concerns that he did not want the Kings to have his number retired. "I loved playing here, it's the greatest place," Gretzky said. "I'm so proud that I was an LA King. And I always tell people that I won four Stanley Cups. Yet, when people ask me, 'what was the greatest time in your life in hockey,' I tell them that it was the year that the LA Kings went to the Stanley Cup Finals--that was the proudest I've ever been of a hockey team in my life." "So one day it will happen," he added. "We'll figure out when it will be. But it will happen one day." The Kings are wearing a logo on their jerseys this season to honor Ace Bailey and Mark Bavis, members of the Kings' scouting staff who were aboard United Airlines Flight 175, the second plane to crash into the World Trade Center on September 11. The logo is the letters, "AM," in the design of an American flag. One of the stars on the flag is in the shape of the Canadian Maple Leaf, in recognition of the fact that Bailey was a Canadian. The Kings also honored Bailey and Bavis during a pre-game ceremony. For the Kings' players, going through training camp, and even playing their first game of the regular season, it is evident that dealing with the loss of Bailey and Bavis is still tough. "You've got mixed emotions," said Kings' center Bryan Smolinski. "You are trying to remember everything, to remember how Ace and Mark were and at the same time, you have a job to do." Smolinski also said that Kings' fans really came through when the time came to sing the National Anthem. "I think it was the first time I really heard a building sing the national anthem pretty loud," Smolinski said. "You go up to Canada, they take pride in it. It was really gratifying to see everyone come together and sing it." Injury Update... Kings' winger Adam Deadmarsh who did not play in any pre-season games and missed the first game of the regular season, will be activated from injured reserve and will play on Sunday when the Kings host the Minnesota Wild. Deadmarsh, who continues to recover from off-season wrist surgery, suffered a groin strain during training camp. "That feels fine now, but we didn't want to take any chances," Deadmarsh said about the groin injury. "The wrist isn't all the way back, that still is going to take awhile. But I can play with that. I just want to get back in there." Kings' right wing Nelson Emerson, who is suffering from a concussion, is improving, but will probably miss at least the next three games. But when Emerson returns, he will probably find that he has lost his position on a line with Smolinski and Glen Murray, because of the performance of that line with Steve Heinze on left wing. The original plan was to play Emerson on left wing. This line was very successful in shutting down the opposition's top line during the playoffs last season. But with Heinze, that line scored both Kings' goals on Thursday, combined for six points, drove to the net and played a gritty, physical style. "It looked like a pretty good fit," said Kings' head coach Andy Murray about the line. "It's unfortunate for a guy like Nelson, who played pretty well with them last season." "But we have to deal with the present and what's going on, and if there's production and effort, then you have to recognize it," he added.
10-3-01 With opening night just hours away, the Los Angeles Kings are no longer worried about what players are going to make the team, and who will be sent to the minors. Instead, they are now focused on keeping the ultimate goal firmly in mind. "We know we won one [playoff] round, and went to seven games in the second, but still, it's a little bit away from winning the Stanley Cup, and that will be our goal right from day one," said Kings' winger Kelly Buchberger. And with a noticeable lack of big-name offensive stars up front, the Kings are emphasizing strong team play to compensate. "We're more about team than names," said Kings' head coach Andy Murray. "We all about a group of individuals pulling together for a common goal. Other teams may have some big names. We just want to be a big-name team." "We think we're pretty well-balanced," Murray added. "We don't have what most people on the outside would [call] that bona fide star player. In some ways, that maybe lends itself to creating a situation where we have to be more of a team. We have to have everybody contributing to be successful." One of those "no-name" players said that sentiment explains a lot about why he was named the team captain on Sunday. "I'm not [a star] player," said Kings' defenseman and team captain Mattias Norstrom. "That's maybe the whole purpose of why I became captain, because I represent what our team has become now." "Sure, we have an all-star player in Ziggy Palffy, but the rest of our team is kind of a group thing. For sure, a player like myself as captain really emphasizes that." So far during the pre-season, the Kings' coaching staff has been pleased with the way the team has come together and has dedicated themselves to the new season. "I think our major strength is our work ethic and our attitude--the fact that we play hard every night," Murray said. "We may not win every hockey game, but what we expect is that our players work hard." The Kings know that they are without left wing Luc Robitaille, who scored thirty-seven goals and contributed fifty-one assists for eighty-eight points last season, before signing with Detroit during the summer as an unrestricted free agent. But the players know that they have to find a way to make up for the loss of Robitaille's points. "I don't think you can replace a guy like Luc Robitaille," said Kings' defenseman Aaron Miller. "It's going to take three or four guys to step up and play better hockey. I think a lot of guys are going to put up a lot more points to make up for a guy like Luc." But perhaps the biggest way the Kings hope to make up for a possible decline in offensive production is by playing better defensively. "We obviously lost some goals in Luc Robitaille, and we have to make up for that," Murray said. "But more importantly, we want to be better defensively this year than we were last year." "We have to remember what made us successful last year was playing good defense," said Kings' goalie Felix Potvin. "That's how we have to start this year." Make that better defense and strong goaltending. "We have to be better defensively," Murray explained. "We looked at our last twenty-three games [last season] and we played superb defense, and got great goaltending from Felix Potvin. When we have those two ingredients together, our chances of winning are not bad. "It's overall team defense, and Potvin was a big part of that," Murray added. "We were good for Felix Potvin last year, and he was certainly good for us. He made a lot of big stops when he had to." "[Potvin] was the major reason we had the success last year," Miller said. "He played fantastic. We had a lot of confidence playing in front of him." "You have to have good goaltending at all times," said Murray. "They say that goaltending is 99.9% of the game when you're winning, and 100% when you're losing, so we've got to make sure we have solid goaltending." With their added depth on defense and with Potvin looking strong in the pre-season, the Kings have an air of confidence going into the new season. "It was just more of what we did last year," Kings' center Ian Laperriere said. "When Felix came here, we knew he had playoff experience and that told us management really wanted to win. He made some stops early and we saw that we could do this. You had the same feeling all through training camp. We don't want to stop at the second round this year." "We feel we've got some momentum going into the season after our post-season last year," Murray said. "We've had a great pre-season, going 5-1 in our exhibition games. We're really looking forward to the season. We battled the Avalanche, but we're probably the only group of people here who weren't satisfied. We wanted to beat them and move on. We'd like to do that this year." "In the past, there had been good seasons, but they were always followed by a huge let down," Murray added. "That is no longer acceptable. There was never any momentum. Now we have some." The experience gained from last season's playoff run is already helping the team. "Last year, we learned what it takes," said Kings' center Bryan Smolinski. "You learn a new level of sacrifice. You learn that it's not going to happen automatically again, but when you see guys step out of themselves to become incredible players, it's amazing." "Last year was difficult at first, but we got on track at the right time," said Kings' defenseman and team captain Mattias Norstrom. "We learned a lot about ourselves and what it takes to win." Left wing Craig Johnson was impressive in the pre-season, after having missed most of the 2000-01 season with a severed flexor tendon, a freak injury he suffered right after scoring a goal on December 26, 2000, against the San Jose Sharks. The injury was almost career-threatening, but Johnson has come back stronger than ever. "I think Craig Johnson's playing unbelievable," said Murray. "If Craig Johnson can play like this in the regular season, we'll let all our players miss a half a year and come back." "He's playing with a lot of hunger," Murray added. "He's bigger, stronger. He's on top of the puck. He's making plays with the puck. It will be a challenge for Craig to try to sustain this level because he's playing truly outstanding hockey right now." The Kings are also looking for big things from a certain second-year center who scored what was probably the biggest Kings' goal in eight years. "A player we're looking for a big year from is Eric Belanger," Murray explained. "He made our hockey club last year when Jozef Stumpel held out. He's a guy who has a lot of speed and is tenacious on the puck. He's going to be a lot of fun to watch this year." On the downside, right wing Glen Murray, who has yet to show up for training camp, mentally, anyway, is still lost. Andy Murray criticized Glen Murray's play during the pre-season, which included questioning his desire to stay with the Kings. "He never said that to me," Glen Murray said. "He knows and everyone knows that I want to stay in LA I want to play for this team. I'm not sure where those comments came from, but I'm ready for the season." As the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. The time has come for Glen Murray to back up his words with actions...or start packing his bags. Injury Update... Right wing Adam Deadmarsh is not expected to play against Phoenix on Thursday (groin strain).
10-3-01 With the 2001-02 season just a few days away, the Los Angeles Kings took a big step towards getting their opening night roster set, not to mention their team leadership. On Sunday, the Kings named defenseman Mattias Norstrom as their new captain, succeeding former Kings' defenseman Rob Blake, who was traded to the Colorado Avalanche last season. The assistant captains (on a rotating basis) will be defenseman Mathieu Schneider, and forwards Bryan Smolinski, Kelly Buchberger and Ian Laperriere. Norstrom, who is the Kings' thirteenth captain (he will be the twelfth player to be named captain because Wayne Gretzky gave up the captaincy temporarily during the 1992-93 season when he was injured), was surprised by the move. "I was a little surprised," Norstrom said. "We have a lot of outstanding guys who could have been named captain." "I think one really important thing for me is not to change too much because they chose me as the captain for the way I've been before, the way I approach the game, so I won't change much at all," Norstrom added. "I think it would hurt me to change the way I am in the locker room or on the ice." Norstrom's teammates wholeheartedly endorsed the move. "I'm happy for Mattias Norstrom," said Laperriere. "He's wearing the 'C' right now, and he deserves it. He's a great leader." "He's not the most vocal guy in the room, but if he's got something to say, he will," Laperriere added about Norstrom. "But he shows up every night, and that's what we need from our captain. I look up to him, and everyone else does, too." Indeed. Kings' head coach Andy Murray feels the same way about Norstrom that his players do. "We have a lot of good candidates for captain, and in Mattias Norstrom, we feel we have a player who exemplifies everything we want a Kings player to be," said Murray. For Norstrom, being the captain will mean on-the-job training. "It's new for me, so it's going to be a learning experience," he explained. "I have to learn what it's all about to be a captain. Hopefully, after that, you feel comfortable in the role and you find out what you bring to the team as captain." Norstrom is certainly not the most vocal leader in the dressing room, but Laperriere can certainly handle that responsibility. "I'm pretty vocal in the locker room, just ask my teammates," Laperriere said. "I try to get everybody ready--to make sure we're all ready when the puck drops. If I have something to say I will. I think that's what they like about me as a leader, that I'm very vocal in the locker room, and I do my job on the ice, too." "They just want me to be the same, off and on the ice, they don't want me to change anything," Laperriere added. "I'm just going to try to lead by example like I think I've been doing." And like Norstrom, Laperriere takes a lot of pride in being named one of the team's leaders. "I'm very proud, I'm honored to wear the 'A,' Laperriere said. "They could have picked a lot of guys in our locker room who could've worn the 'A,' so I'm proud of it." And Laperriere is already thinking about what he wants to tell his teammates about how they need to play. "We're going to have to be desperate, like we were the last twenty games last year and the way we played in the playoffs," he said. "It's more fun to play that way, and that's the way we're going to have to do it." From Veteran Leadership to Young Prospects ------------------------------------------ Kings' rookie forward Jaroslav Bednar continues to impress in training camp, and in pre-season games. "He started out a little bit slow in camp, and I think that's to be expected," said Kings' assistant coach Dave Tippett. "This is his first experience playing on the smaller ice surfaces in the NHL, and he's coming over to a whole new world." "The first couple of days was a real adjustment for him, but the last couple of games, he's been a real pleasant surprise for us," Tippett explained. "He seems like he's picking up the speed of the game, and we're seeing the skill that we heard about, as well as his skating. He's a deceiving skater. He's very shifty." Bednar looked almost completely lost early in training camp scrimmage games, and in the Kings' first two pre-season games. He was having a hard time adjusting to the speed and physical play that characterizes the North American style of hockey. But after the first two exhibition games, Bednar seemed to have it all figured out. He was skating well, taking hits to make plays, and creating scoring chances for himself, and for his linemates. Bednar now appears to be a lock to make the Kings' opening night roster. The Kings must now pare their roster down to twenty-three players, before opening night, and they certainly have some tough decisions ahead. Glen Murray: Odd Man Out or On His Way Out? ------------------------------------------- After coming to the Kings' training camp in the best shape ever, right wing Glen Murray has been a major disappointment. The Kings were expecting Glen Murray to provide strong two-way play, and anywhere between thirty and forty goals. "We can expect more than eighteen goals from Glen Murray," said Andy Murray early in training camp. "I think Glen Murray can score thirty-seven goals himself." And Glen Murray seemed to want the challenge his coach placed so firmly on his shoulders. "This is the first time they've counted on me like this," said Glen Murray. "I look forward to the challenge. I hope [I can live up to those expectations], knock on wood." But Glen Murray has done virtually nothing in any of the Kings' pre-season games. He has been held without a goal, and even in the Kings' final pre-season game, a 4-1 win at Colorado, Glen Murray was not only held off the scoresheet, but he did not record a shot on goal or even a hit. And Andy Murray is very disappointed. "I've challenged Glen, but he has been a disappointment and we need him," lamented Andy Murray. "He hasn't been sharp." Because of his veteran status and contract, Glen Murray will undoubtedly be on the Kings' opening night roster. But the Kings' coaching staff and management are very disappointed. He may just find himself a healthy scratch when the Kings open the season against the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday at Staples Center. Or, Glen Murray could find himself on the trading block in short order. Glen Murray has all the tools to be a great player. But like the last two seasons, he disappears often--he just does not show up for every game, night in and night out. In fact, he will often be missing-in-action on the ice for weeks on end. If Murray is incapable of figuring out what his problem is, perhaps it is time for the Kings to cut their losses and send him packing. Kings End Pre-Season With Win ----------------------------- Laperriere, Steve Heinze, Ziggy Palffy and Bednar each scored goals, and Felix Potvin stopped thirty-one shots, to lead the Los Angeles Kings to their fourth straight victory, a 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in pre-season action at the Pepsi Center in Denver on Monday night. Milan Hejduk scored the only goal for the Avalanche. Patrick Roy took the loss in goal for Colorado, stopping twenty-one shots. Although the Kings were outshot, 32-25, they scored twice on five power play opportunities, while the Avs scored just once in their five power plays. Potvin put in a strong performance, making some big saves, earning the number one star of the game. The Kings ended the exhibition season with a 5-1 record, winning their last five pre-season games after losing to Anaheim in their first pre-season game.
10-2-01 On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings assigned goalie Stephane Fiset and center Adam Mair to the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL, and have placed forwards Adam Deadmarsh (groin strain; retroactive to September 19), Steve Kelly (sports hernia surgery; retroactive to September 12) and Nelson Emerson (concussion; retroactive to September 30) on injured reserve. With these moves, the Kings have reached the twenty-three man limit, and have set their opening night roster: 2001-02 LOS ANGELES KINGS TRAINING CAMP ROSTER (as of 10/2/01) Skaters ------- # PLAYER POS HT WT -------------------------------- 3 MILLER, Aaron D 6-3 200 6 LILJA, Andreas D 6-3 220 7 BEDNAR, Jaroslav C 5-11 198 8 KARALAHTI, Jere D 6-2 210 9 BUCHBERGER, Kelly RW 6-2 210 10 SCHNEIDER, Mathieu D 5-10 190 11 KELLY, Steve C 6-2 205 12 BELANGER, Ken LW 6-4 224 14 NORSTROM, Mattias D 6-2 211 15 STUMPEL, Jozef C 6-3 225 17 VISNOVSKY, Lubomir D 5-10 180 19 EMERSON, Nelson RW 5-11 180 21 SMOLINSKI, Bryan C 6-1 208 22 LAPERRIERE, Ian C 6-1 201 23 JOHNSON, Craig LW 6-2 200 25 BELANGER, Eric C 6-0 177 26 ROBITAILLE, Randy C 5-11 196 27 MURRAY, Glen RW 6-3 225 28 DEADMARSH, Adam RW 6-0 195 32 THOMAS, Scott RW 6-2 200 33 PALFFY, Ziggy RW 5-10 180 43 BOUCHER, Philippe D 6-2 221 44 MODRY, Jaroslav D 6-2 215 57 HEINZE, Steve RW 5-11 202 Goalies ------- 1 STORR, Jamie 6-2 195 39 POTVIN, Felix 6-1 190
10-1-01 On Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that defenseman Mattias Norstrom has been named their team captain, and that forwards Kelly Buchberger, Bryan Smolinski and Ian Laperriere, along with defenseman Mathieu Schneider will be assistant captains. Norstrom succeeds former Kings' defenseman Rob Blake, who was the team captain from 1996-2001. "We have a lot of good candidates for captain, and in Mattias Norstrom, we feel we have a player who exemplifies everything we want a Kings player to be," said Kings' head coach Andy Murray. Norstrom, who was named the captain on Sunday, becomes the thirteenth player to wear the captain's "C" on his jersey in Kings' franchise history.
