KINGS NOTES...
By Gann Matsuda
5.27.99 "All right children. Can you say "about face?" I knew that you could! After being billed as a very strong prospect, even as recent as a few weeks ago, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they will not offer a new contract to forward Matt Zultek, a 1997 draft choice. Zultek will re-enter the NHL draft and will be available for the June draft. The Kings will get the fifteenth pick in the second round of the June draft as compensation. The Kings sure did a quick 180 on this one. Zultek scored the overtime goal last Sunday to give the Ottawa 67's, the Memorial Cup championship. However, the "book" on him right now is that his isn't playing up to this 6-3, 218-pound size. "Matt hasn't developed like we thought he would the last two years," Kings' Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor said. "We feel we'll get a prospect as good as or better than Matt Zultek with the 43rd pick." But what should concern Kings' fans is whether they should believe Taylor or not. After all, weren't the Kings praising Zultek's play not so long ago? Sure seems like they're contradicting themselves now. I wonder if the Kings are giving up on Zultek too soon. Couldn't further time in junior hockey (or the AHL) help him develop? And of course, this whole thing brings up the possibility that the Kings are pinching pennies at the expense of the development of their prospects. In other prospect-related news, Taylor told reporters that he is trying to get 1997 draft pick Richard Seeley (defenseman) signed to a contract. He must be signed by Jun 1 or he too will go back into the draft. "We're negotiating with Richard and hope to have him signed by June 1," Taylor said. "I think we have a chance there." There has been little movement regarding defenseman Aki Berg and prospective defenseman Jere Karalahti. Taylor also said that he has interviews John Van Boxmeer, head coach of the Long Beach Ice Dogs for the Kings' head coaching position. No decision is near, though.5.26.99 On Wednesday, the New Jersey Devils announced that they have hired former Los Angeles Kings' head coach Larry Robinson as an assistant coach. Robinson returns to the Devils after four seasons in Los Angeles. Robinson was an assistant coach with the Devils for two seasons from 1993 to 1995. New Jersey won the Stanley Cup in the 1994-95 season. As much as Robinson had worn out his welcome with the Kings, he was welcomed back with open arms by the Devils. "Anytime you have an opportunity to add someone like Larry Robinson to your organization, you have to take advantage of it," Devils' general manager Lou Lamoriello said. "Larry was such a positive influence with our players during the two years he was here, and we look forward to bringing his experience and knowledge back to New Jersey." Robinson was a Devils assistant during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. He was seen as a buffer between head coach Jacques Lemaire and the players but left after New Jersey captured the Stanley Cup in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign. "I think the one thing I missed most being a head coach was I didn't have the time to spend doing the thing I like the most--teaching the players, Robinson said. "I feel between the two of us, with Slava [Fetisov] and Jacques Caron [both are Devils' assistant coaches], that we can bring a championship back to New Jersey." "We need all the help that we can get," said Devils' head coach Robbie Ftorek, also a former Kings' head coach. "Larry has won as a player, as an assistant coach and someday he will win as a head coach." 
5.16.99 The Los Angeles Kings lost ground in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft when the Chicago Blackhawks won the draft lottery on Sunday. The Kings went into the draft lottery with the seventh overall pick in the first round, but slipped to eighth with the 'Hawks winning the lottery. The 'Hawks held the eighth pick overall prior to the lottery. The following is the first-round draft order: 1. Tampa Bay Lightning 2. Atlanta Thrashers 3. Vancouver Canucks 4. Chicago Blackhawks 5. New York Islanders 6. Nashville Predators 7. Washington Capitals 8. Los Angeles Kings 9. Calgary Flames 10. Montreal Canadiens 11. New York Rangers 12. Florida Panthers (conditional to Vancouver) 13. Edmonton Oilers 14. San Jose Sharks 15. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 16. Carolina Hurricanes 17. St. Louis Blues 18. Pittsburgh Penguins 19. Phoenix Coyotes 20. Buffalo Sabres 21. Boston Bruins 22. Philadelphia Flyers 23. Chicago Blackhawks (from Detroit) 24. Toronto Maple Leafs 25. Colorado Avalanche 26. Ottawa Senators 27. New Jersey Devils 28. Dallas Stars 5.12.99 Ask and ye shall receive Kings' fans... On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have reached a two-year affiliation agreement with the Lowell Lock Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Kings also have an option to extend that agreement. The Kings will assume control of all aspects of Lowell's hockey operations, including hiring their head coach and coaching staff. They will also place twelve prospects on Lowell's roster for the 1999-2000 season. The New York Islanders have a partial affiliation agreement with Lowell, and will fill the remainder of the roster. Beginning with the 2000-2001 season, the Kings will be the Lowell's only affiliate and will be responsible for filling the entire roster. "This new agreement is a big step forward for the Kings organization," said Kings' Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor. "We have been looking for an affiliation opportunity that allows us to control the hockey operations and oversee the coaching staff, which I believe is critical to our plan of building a top-flight development system." "We are excited and very optimistic about our new agreement," said Lowell Executive Vice President Tom Rowe. "The Los Angeles Kings organization is dedicated to building itself into a Stanley Cup contender and we look forward to being a major part of that process. We'll work closely with Dave Taylor and his staff to prepare their top prospects for a successful career in the National Hockey League." The Kings also announced that they have ended their affiliation agreement with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. This is the BEST news to come out of the Kings in a very long time. Apparently, a number of factors changed dramatically over the past few months...back then, the word I was hearing was that no AHL franchises were interested in new affiliation agreements or they were already tied into such agreements. In any case, this is a HUGE step in the right direction for the Kings. 5.6.99 On Thursday, the NHL announced that they will hold their annual draft lottery on Sunday, May 16, to determine the order of selection for the first twelve picks at the June 26 NHL Entry Draft in Boston. The 11 teams who missed the playoffs (or the clubs who acquired their first-round picks), including the Los Angeles Kings, will participate. The expansion Atlanta Thrashers will also participate. The weighted lottery system limits teams from moving up more than four places. With the Kings ending the season ranked 22nd overall in the NHL standings, thet could get the third overall pick in the draft if they win the lottery. The Los Angeles Kings announced that right wing Glen Murray underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue from his left shoulder on Thursday. Kings' team physician Dr. Ronald Kvitne of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic performed the surgery. Murray will begin rehabilitation immediately and is expected to make a full recovery. I was wondering why Murray was getting treatment on his upper body as well as his knee in the trainer's room after games. So apparently, he was banged up more than just his knee. That says something more about why he wasn't productive at all after coming off rehab for his knee injury...it wasn't just his knee that was the problem. 5.4.99 The Los Angeles Kings announced on Tuesday that goaltender Stephane Fiset underwent successful hernia surgery on Monday to repair a tear in his left abdominal wall. Dr. Craig Smith, a surgeon at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, performed the surgery. Fiset will begin rehabilitation in about three weeks and is expected to make a full recovery. The Kings stated that the surgery was not related to the groin injuries that kept Fiset out of twenty-three games this season with the Kings. Roger Phillips reported in THE SPORTING NEWS (May 3, 1999) that the Los Angeles Kings have until June 1 to sign 1997 draft choices Matt Zultek (left wing) and Richard Seeley (defenseman) or they will go back into the draft. The Kings have announced that they have decided not to sign 1997 selections Konrad Brand and Jeff Katcher, both defensemen. Both will go back into the draft.
