Notes Archive

KINGS NOTES...

By Gann Matsuda

9.30.99
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings released their 1999-2000 opening
night roster.
 
Notables include defenseman Philippe Boucher starting the season on
injured reserve, left wing Dan Bylsma making the team and defenseman
Mattias Norstrom being missing while he continued to negotiate a new
contract with the Kings.
 
With Boucher on injured reserve, the Kings are down to the
league-mandated 23 players.
 
The following is the Kings' opening night roster:
 
 #  PLAYER            POS  HT   WT     PLACE OF BIRTH      BIRTHDATE
====================================================================
 2 KABERLE, Frantisek  D  6-1  185     Kladno, Czech Rep.    11/8/73
 3 GALLEY, Garry       D  6-0  202     Montreal, Que.        4/16/63
 4 BLAKE, Rob          D  6-4  227     Simcoe, Ont.         12/10/69
 5 BERG, Aki           D  6-3  220     Turku, Finland        7/28/77
 6 O'DONNELL, Sean     D  6-3  235     Ottawa, Ont.         10/13/71
 7 McKENNA, Steve      LW 6-8  255     Toronto, Ont.         8/21/73
 9 TSYPLAKOV, Vladimir LW 6-1  210     Moscow, Russia        4/18/69
10 AUDETTE, Donald     RW 5-8  184     Laval, Que.           9/23/69
11 BLAKE, Jason        C 5-10  185     Moorhead, MN           9/2/73
12 TUOMAINEN, Marko    RW 6-3  218     Kuopio, Finland       4/25/72
15 STUMPEL, Jozef      C  6-3  225     Nitra, Slovakia       7/20/72
20 ROBITAILLE, Luc     LW 6-1  215     Montreal, Que.        2/17/66
21 SMOLINSKI, Bryan    C  6-1  208     Toledo, Ohio         12/27/71
22 LAPERRIERE, Ian     C  6-1  201     Montreal, Que.        1/19/74
23 JOHNSON, Craig      LW 6-2  200     St. Paul, MN           3/8/72
26 BRENNAN, Rich       D  6-2  205     Schenectady, NY      11/26/72
27 MURRAY, Glen        RW 6-3  225     Halifax, Nv. Sc.      11/1/72
29 CHARTRAND, Brad     RW 5-11 191     Winnipeg, Man.       12/14/74
33 PALFFY, Ziggy       RW 5-10 180     Skalica, Slovakia      5/5/72
42 BYLSMA, Dan         LW 6-2  212     Grand Haven, MI       9/19/70
43 *BOUCHER, Philippe  D  6-2  221     St-Apollinaire, Que.  3/24/73
44 MODRY, Jaroslav     D  6-2  215     Ceske-Budejovice, CZE 2/27/71
35 FISET, Stephane     G  6-1  215     Montreal, Que.        6/17/70
 1 STORR, Jamie        G  6-2  195     Brampton, Ont.       12/28/75
 
* - Injured Reserve



9.29.99
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have assigned
right wing Jason Podollan and left wing Bill Huard to the Lowell Lock
Monsters of the AHL and center Len Barrie to the Long Beach Ice Dogs of
the IHL.
 
Barrie was slated to fill the number 4 center position with center Jason
Blake out of the lineup as he recovers from knee surgery.  This must
mean that Blake's recovery is going along better than expected and that
he is expected to be able to play this Saturday when the Kings open the
season at Nashville.
 
If Blake is not ready, they could also use Brad Chartrand at center.
 
The Kings now have 24 players on their roster and must get down to 23
players by Thursday.  They may actually carry 22 players on their
roster, however, so that they can make sure that their players are
actually playing, somewhere.



9.27.99
Late Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that centers Nathan
Lafayette and Eric Belanger, along with right wing Scott Barney, were
assigned to the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL.
 
The Kings also assigned right wing Scott Thomas to the Long Beach Ice
Dogs of the IHL.
 
The Kings also announced that they have released defenseman Paul Dyck.

Earlier on Monday, the Los Angeles Kings claimed defenseman Rich Brennan 
from the Nashville Predators in the NHL Waiver Draft, held this morning.
 
Brennan, 26, appeared in 24 games with the New York Rangers last season,
scoring a goal and three assists with 23 penalty minutes.
 
He also played in 47 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL last
season, scoring four goals and adding 24 assists for 28 points and 42
penalty minutes.
 
In 37 career NHL games with Colorado, San Jose and the Rangers, Brennan
has two goals and five assists for seven points and 25 penalty minutes.
 
Brennan, who was signed as a free agent by the Predators on September
23, stands 6-2 and weighs 205 pounds.  He was originally drafted by the
Quebec Nordiques in 1991.
 
According to the Kings, Brennan is an offensive defenseman who was
acquired strictly for added depth.
 
The Kings did not lose any players in the waiver draft.



9.25.99
The Los Angeles Kings have a glut of right wingers and they relieved
some of the overcrowding on Saturday, announcing that they have assigned
Pavel Rosa to the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the International Hockey League.
 
Rosa, 22, scored 4 goals and 12 assists for 16 points in 29 games with
the Kings last season.  At Long Beach, he scored 17 goals and 13 assists
for 30 points.
 
With Ziggy Palffy and Glen Murray filling the top two spots on the Kings'
scoring lines, Rosa, known as a goal-scorer, was a victim of the numbers
game.
 
The Kings now have 32 players remaining on their 1999 pre-season roster,
21 forwards, 9 defenseman and 2 goalies.

On Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have assigned
defenseman Jere Karalahti to HIFK Helsinki of the Finnish Elite League.
 
Karalahti, 24, has been unable to get this visa application approved so
he can enter the United States due to his previous drug-related charges.
 
Once his visa application is approved, Karalahti will report to the
Kings.
 
In other news, Sean O'Donnell scored in overtime to give the Kings a 4-3 
win over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Friday night.
 
The Kings also got goals from Vladimir Tsyplakov, Craig Johnson and Luc 
Robitaille.
 
Robitaille's goal came on the power play, giving the Kings a power play 
goal in every pre-season game so far.
 
Center Bryan Smolinski added two assists.
 
The Avalanche had 14 veterans in the lineup, including goalie Patrick 
Roy, who played two periods in his first game back after suffering a hip 
injury.
 
The Kings outshot the Avs, 34-27, again holding an opponent under 30 
shots on goal.



9.24.99
On Friday, the National Hockey League released the protected/unprotected
lists for the waiver draft, to be held on Monday.  The following is the
list for the Los Angeles Kings:
 
PROTECTED
=========
Donald Audette, Aki Berg, Rob Blake, Garry Galley, Craig Johnson, Ian
Laperriere, Steve McKenna, Jaroslav Modry, Glen Murray, Mattias
Norstrom, Sean O'Donnell, Ziggy Palffy, Luc Robitaille, Bryan Smolinski,
Jozef Stumpel, Vladimir Tsyplakov, Marko Tuomainen, Marcel Cousineau,
Stephane Fiset
 
UNPROTECTED
===========
Philippe Boucher, Dan Bylsma, Bill Huard, Nathan Lafayette, Dave
MacIssac, Jan Nemecek, John Thomas, Mike O'Neill



9.21.99
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Kings released left wing Chris Lindberg, who
requested the release so he can play at Zurich of the Swiss National
League.
 
The Kings now have 33 players in camp, 22 forwards, 9 defensemen and 2
goalies.

Are the Los Angeles Kings worried about starting the season with a
seven-game road trip?  Not one bit.  In fact, the Kings believe the trip
will help build team chemistry.
 
"We think the road trip is going to be a positive for us," said Kings'
head coach Andy Murray.  "We could look at the negative side, saying
that this is going to be a real tough road trip for us.  I prefer to
look at the positive side.  We're going to spend a lot of time together,
we're going to get to know each other."
 
"What we're trying to instill here is work ethic and accountability,"
Murray added.  "You've got to be accountable to your teammates.  You've
got to be able to look around the dressing room after the game and say
that I worked hard for my teammates."
 
Let's see if this attitude translates into wins after the road trip...
 
Kings' defenseman Mattias Norstrom met with Kings' Vice President and
General Manager Dave Taylor on Monday.  They did not discuss terms of a
new contract, however.  Apparently, it was little more than a "clear the
air" type of meeting.
 
Both sides are still quite a ways apart.  Norstrom and his agent, Don
Meehan, have reportedly offered to sign a one-year deal valued at $1.3
million, but the Kings rejected the offer.
 
Kings' players such as Rob Blake and Luc Robitaille have expressed
frustration that Norstrom is not yet signed.
 
Sacha Terrill has a good article on the Norstrom situation in today's
edition of the DAILY BREEZE.  You can read it on the web at:
 
http://www.dailybreeze.com/content/bls/nmkings21.html

Also, here's a link to my Game Report of Monday's 8-1
victory over Anaheim.



9.19.99
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings announced their latest round of
training camp roster cuts.
 
The Kings assigned defensemen Sean Blanchard, Peter Hogan and David
MacIssac, centers David Hymovitz and Donald MacLean and right wing Greg
Phillips to the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL.
 
Assigned to the Long Beach Ice Dogs (IHL) were defenseman Jan Nemecek
and goalies Marcel Cousineau and Mike O'Neill.
 
The Kings also reassigned center Justin Papineau to his junior team,
the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League.
 
The Kings now have 34 players remaining on their 1999 pre-season roster,
23 forwards, 9 defensemen and 2 goaltenders.



9.17.99
One down, one more to go...
 
On Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have signed
restricted free agent right wing Jason Podollan to a new contract. 
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
 
Podollan, 23, is expected to play in tonight's pre-season game against
the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.
 
Acquired by the Kings in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on March
23, 1999, Podollan appeared in 10 games for the Kings last season.
 
Last season, Podollan was leading the AHL in goals (42) for the St.
John's Maple Leafs at the time of the trade.  He also played at Long
Beach in the IHL, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points in 8 games.
 
He also played in 3 playoff games for Long Beach, scoring a goal and two
assists.
 
Podollan, who stands 6-1 and weighs 215 pounds, was drafted 31st overall
by the Florida Panthers in the second round of the 1994 draft.
 
"We are pleased to have Jason under contract," said Kings' Vice
President and General Manager Dave Taylor.  "We look forward to him
competing for a spot on our roster."
 
Now if only the Kings could get Mattias Norstrom signed...

Also on Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that center Jason Blake
underwent successful surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.
 
Blake is expected to be out of the lineup for approximately
three-to-four weeks.  He will begin rehabilitation immediately and is
expected to make a full recovery.
 
Dr. Ronald Kvitne of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic performed the
surgery.



9.16.99
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that center Jason Blake
will undergo surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.
 
The surgery is expected to be scheduled for Friday. Dr. Ronald Kvitne of
the Kerlan-Jobe Othopaedic Clinic will perform the surgery.
 
Blake, 26, injured the knee during training camp scrimmages last week. 
He is expected to be sidelined for about 3-4 weeks.



9.14.99
Garry Galley scored with just five seconds remaining in the overtime
period to lift the Los Angeles Kings to a come-from-behind 3-2 win over
the Colorado Avalanche in pre-season action at the Great Western Forum
on Tuesday night.

For the full version of Scribe's Report, click here

In other news, the Kings have announced their second round of training
camp roster moves.
 
Assigned to the Lowell Lock Monsters (American Hockey League)
 
Kevin Baker - Right Wing
Trevor Gillies - Defenseman
Richard Seeley - Defenseman
Kevin Bolibruck - Defenseman
 
The Kings also assigned left wing Kip Brennan to his junior team
(Sudbury Wolves, Ontario Hockey League).
 
The Kings now have 44 players remaining on their 1999 pre-season roster
(27 forwards, 13 defensemen and four goaltenders).



9.11.99
Aki Berg scored just 21 seconds into the first period and Stephane Fiset
stopped all 19 shots he faced to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-0
shutout preseason win over the Phoenix Coyotes at the MGM Grand Garden Arena 
in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
 
The Kings also got goals from Craig Johnson, Dan Bylsma and Len Barrie.
 
The Kings used a considerable number of players with NHL experience,
including Rob Blake, Luc Robitaille, Jozef Stumpel, Ziggy Palffy, Sean
O'Donnell and others.
 
On the other hand, the Coyotes barely had anyone with experience for
NHL-caliber talent on the ice.
 
So...you had a fairly experienced Kings' lineup facing a very
inexperienced Phoenix lineup.  And from the opening face-off, the Kings
dominated.
 
The Kings were aggressive on the forecheck, creating turnovers.  They
were also quite solid in their own end, limiting the Coyotes to just six
quality scoring chances.
 
On the offensive end, the Kings got plenty of good scoring
opportunities, 19 in all, on 39 shots.
 
And all of the Kings' goals were scored either because the Kings were
driving hard to the front of the net, either on the rush or because they
had one or more forwards mucking it up in front.
 
Some observations...
 
Jozef Stumpel already looks better than he did last season.  He
certainly has more strength on the puck than he did last year.
 
The line of Robitaille - Stumpel - Palffy didn't get on the scoreboard
in this game, but they are passing the puck well and they were
controlling it along the boards while getting good scoring chances. 
This line just might be real dangerous.
 
Berg definitely looks like he's much more prepared to make an impact in
the NHL now.  His added bulk is already helping him as he's throwing his
weight around.
 
Frantisek Kaberle looked pretty decent out there in this game.  He was
having a lot of trouble in the one-on-one defensive drills I watched a
few days ago at training camp.  He looks like he can handle the puck
quite well and knows what to do on the power play.  However, I question
whether or not he can really handle the more physical style of the NHL. 
He just doesn't have the strength or size to do it yet.
 
Should be interesting to see what the Kings (especially with different
players in the lineup) look like against Colorado on Tuesday...



9.10.99
On Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced their first cuts from their
1999 Training Camp.
 
Sent to their respective teams in Canadian juniors are:
 
Cory Campbell, Goalie (Belleville Bulls, OHL)
Brian McGrattan, Right Wing (Sudbury Wolves, OHL)
Joe Rullier, Defenseman (Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL)
Alexey Volkov, Goalie (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL)
 
OHL = Ontario Hockey League
QMJHL = Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
 
The Kings also released left wing Dmitri Leonov, defenseman Reid
Simonton and left wing Jimmy Roy.
 
The Kings now have 49 players left on their training camp roster,
including 29 forwards, 16 defensemen and 4 goalies.



9.7.99
My days spent at the Los Angeles Kings' training camp are over for this
week (some of us do have to work), so I won't have any first-hand
reports from camp until next week.
 
And as of this writing, I haven't heard anything from the Kings
regarding defenseman Mattias Norstrom.
 
But...as I reported on Sunday night, Roger Phillips, beat writer
covering the Kings for the LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM and THE DAILY NEWS
will be leaving his position in about two weeks to take a position with
the OAKLAND TRIBUNE covering the San Jose Sharks.
 
This move was one made with his family in mind and he really would
prefer to stay down here covering the Kings, if he had a choice.
 
Some of you have posted comments and well-wishes publically on the chat
area on Ron Beale's LA Online Kingdom  and
some of you have commented via e-mail.
 
I have forwarded most of the comments to Roger (I accidently deleted
some of comments sent to me via e-mail...sorry!) and he was so moved
that he has asked me to forward a response to all of you.
 
Here is his response, unedited...
 
-----------------------
 
I was very touched to read the comments. It is not often that L.A.
sportswriters -- especially those of us not at the Times -- get to have
our efforts validated by the readers. Those comments were the nicest
feedback I have ever had from readers in 17 years as a sportswriter.
 
I have been covering the team since 1988, and traveled full-time for the
first time last year. I have tried to be balanced, objective and fair in
covering the Kings, and I have loved covering the team, even when the
team stank, which was much of the time. L.A.'s fans deserve a winner,
and maybe the team is finally on the right track. I happen to think the
Kings have the potential to be the most important franchise in the NHL,
in terms of the attention a Stanley Cup in Los Angeles would bring to
the league. Maybe it will actually happen in our lifetime.
 
I have loved covering the Kings and considered it my dream job. But I
have a 4-year-old son with autism and for the past year have been living
apart from him and my wife because he is in a special program in
Northern California. Covering the Sharks is an opportunity I can't pass
up, but in a few years, if the opportunity is there, it's possible I
will try to return to Los Angeles to cover the Kings.
 
In the meantime, I wish the best to the Kings' fans, who remain faithful
through all the hard times: mediocre teams, overpriced tickets, playoff
ticket deposits held when the team is 30 points out of a playoff spot,
No. 1 draft choices bungled or traded, Anthony Robbins, Zhitnik to
Buffalo, Sydor to Dallas, Denis Tsygurev, etc. etc.
 
Thanks for your kind words. I hope the Kings have a great year for their
fans.
 
Roger
 
------------------------
 
As I said in my last report, let's hope Roger Phillips does make it back
to town to cover the Kings.  Maybe by that time, the Kings will be a
winning team!

For those of you interested in checking out the Los Angeles Kings at
training camp, the following is their schedule:
 
Date     Time                   Activity
----------------------------------------
9/8      10:15 AM - 12:15 PM    Team C Practice
         12:30 - 2:30           Teams A & B Scrimmage

9/9      10:15 AM - 12:15 PM    Team B Practice
         12:30 - 2:30           Teams A & C Scrimmage
 
9/10     10:15 AM - 12:15 PM    Teams B & C Scrimmage
         12:30 - 2:30           Team A Practice
 
9/12     10:15 AM - 12:15 PM    Group Purple & White Scrimmage
         12:30 - 2:30           Las Vegas Squad Practice
 
9/13     10:15 AM - 12:15 PM    Group A Practice
         12:30 - 2:30           Group B Practice
 
9/15     11:15 AM - 1:15 PM     Group A Practice
         2:30 - 4:30            Group B Practice
 
9/16     10:15 AM - 12:15 PM    Group A Practice
         12:30 - 2:30           Group B Practice
 
After the 16th, there is nothing but pre-season games, game-day skates
and practices at the Great Western Forum.
 
The following are the rosters for each "team."  Please note that after
their first exhibition game on the 11th, the Kings will make their first
roster cuts.  As such, there will no longer be Teams A, B and C.  Groups
A and B will be put-together by the coaches after that first pre-season
game.
 
Team A
======
 
FORWARDS
--------
58 Kevin Baker
19 Len Barrie
29 Brad Chartrand
28 Bill Huard
33 Ziggy Palffy
20 Luc Robitaille
60 Jimmy Roy
48 Andrei Shefer
15 Jozef Stumpel
32 Scott Thomas
 
DEFENSEMEN
----------
4 Rob Blake
56 Joe Corvo
64 Paul Dyck
62 Trevor Gillies
*14 Mattias Norstrom
66 Reid Simonton
 
GOALIES
-------
34 Marcel Cousineau
31 Mike O'Neill
 
Team B
======
 
FORWARDS
--------
 
10 Donald Audette
42 Dan Bylsma
49 David Hymovitz
24 Nathan Lafayette
45 Donald MacLean
57 Brian McGrattan
7  Steve McKenna
27 Glen Murray
61 Greg Phillips
21 Bryan Smolinski
 
DEFENSEMEN
----------
 
5  Aki Berg
59 Peter Hogan
63 David MacIsaac
54 Jan Nemecek
6  Sean O'Donnell
41 Richard Seeley
 
GOALIES
-------
 
35 Stephane Fiset
36 Alexey Volkov
 
Team C
======
 
FORWARDS
--------
 
11 Jason Blake
39 Kip Brennan
23 Craig Johnson
22 Ian Laperriere
53 Chris Lindberg
47 Justin Papineau
37 Jason Podollan
55 Pavel Rosa
9  Vladimir Tsyplakov
12 Marko Tuomainen
 
DEFENSEMEN
----------
 
40 Sean Blanchard
65 Dion Darling
3  Garry Galley
2  Frantisek Kaberle
8  Jere Karalahti **
44 Jaroslav Modry #
46 Joe Rullier
 
GOALIES
-------
51 Cory Campbell
1  Jamie Storr
 
Injured: 38 Scott Barney, 43 Philippe Boucher
 
*  - Unsigned, not in camp
** - Not in camp yet
#  - Temporarily assigned to Team A to fill Norstrom's spot



9.6.99
Not much new from the Los Angeles Kings' training camp today.  Mattias
Norstrom still isn't signed and head coach Andy Murray continues to put
the team through up-tempo, high-energy, intense practices with drills
that have game situations firmly in mind.
 
I did have a chance to catch up briefly with defenseman Aki Berg, who
returned to the Kings after playing last season in Finland.
 
"I'm happy to be back," Berg said. "I'm excited that the [new] season is
coming."
 
Berg talked about the experience he gained by playing in Finland.
 
"I had a good season with TPS," he said.  "I had a lot of ice time...I
had a good year.  I had lots of power play time last year and it gave me
a lot of confidence."
 
Berg was also asked about reports that he was a tough guy in the Finnish
Elite League.
 
"I had a lot of penalties last year, 157 minutes in 48 games," Berg said
with a smile.  "There were no fights but every time I hit someone, every
time the referee saw me coming, he put his hand up."

And by standing next to him, it's easy to see that Berg is a bigger man
than he was two seasons ago.
 
"I've worked with the weights, I'm in much better shape than I was last
time I was here," Berg said.  "I trained so hard [this past] summer.  I
have to be ready for this year."
 
Berg also said that he's very happy to be back.
 
"The NHL is the best league in the world," Berg said.  "[His contract
dispute] all happened last year.  That's all over now.  It's a new year
now.  I like being here."



9.5.99
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings opened their 1999-2000 training camp at
Iceoplex in North Hills.
 
And for many of the players, including the veterans, they've never been
worked so hard on the opening day of camp in their lives.
 
"It was pretty hard for the first day," right wing Ziggy Palffy said. 
"You have to get into it.  Your legs might not be into it yet.  It's
going to be better in another two or three days."
 
But while Palffy understated the tough practice regimen, Kings' captain
Rob Blake, who has played for new head coach Andy Murray before,
explained it all.

"We got more out of a two-hour practice than we ever have," Blake said. 
"I think most of the guys here will say that."
 
"He's putting his style, his stamp of his system that he wants, right
from day one," Blake continued.  "I don't remember ever working on the
power play on the first day of training camp.  But he set it up right
away."
 
Indeed.  Each drill the players went through had definite game
situations in mind and Blake was absolutely correct about his new coach
putting his mark on the team.
 
"The practice was good, there was a lot of tempo," said Kings' Vice
President and General Manager Dave Taylor. "Andy is getting his message
across, the type of work ethic he expects this year, the discipline he
expects in practice.  The players responded well.  There was a lot of
high-tempo, movement of the puck and skating."
 
"We practiced very hard.  I don't know that these players have practiced
that hard before," said Kings' head coach Andy Murray.  "This is the way
we want to practice all year.  During the regular season, obviously, you
can't practice for two hours that hard. But if we're on the ice for 45
minutes or we're on for 30 minutes or 25 minutes, we're gonna go as hard
as we can because when you play the game, you don't have situations
where you can coast out there."
 
"We've got to be a hard-working team," he added.  "We know that our
conference is a tough one and for us to be successful, we've got to be
hard-working hockey club."
 
"I think by watching practice today people saw that it was a matter of a
coach trying to put his stamp on a hockey club, saying 'this is the way
we're going to do it, this is how hard we're going to work,'" said Andy
Murray.  "That was one of the reasons, to put our stamp on the team as a
coaching staff to say that this is how we want to do it."
 
"I'm obviously very pleased with the intensity of our players and their
willingness to pick up on some new drills and some principles we're
trying to implement with our hockey club," added Andy Murray.  "I
thought the execution for the very first practice was good.  We looked
like a pretty good hockey club on September 5."
 
The new head coach also realized that his players would need a little
time to adjust.
  
"I think at first, it was a matter of 'what's going on here,'" said Andy
Murray.  "But I think they enjoyed it.  The smiles on their faces, the
taps on the pads, the guys coming in after practice saying they'd never
worked this hard before yet having fun."
 
Coach Murray also discussed his practice drills and his goals.
 
"You notice that we didn't do a lot of straight skating drills.  We did
that little bit of a skate at the end but even that one was a tactical
drill because we had the players skating the patterns that they skate in
the games," he explained.  "Everything we did today was team-play
oriented so we're not only getting conditioning.  I think when you do a
drill in the limited ice time we have, you have to have a technical
element, you have to have a tactical element and you have to have a
conditioning element.  I felt all of our drills showed that today."
 
"If you looked at it, we worked on breakouts, we worked on our neutral
zone re-group, we worked on our power play, we worked on our defensive
zone coverage, all in the first practice with new, fairly complicated
drills that these players hadn't seen before and I thought the execution
was pretty good," elaborated Andy Murray.  "I'd like to see it against
another team but I thought for the first practice, we looked pretty
good."
 
Coach Murray also introduced the players to the "second whistle" at the
end of drills.  At the sound of two quick whistles, the players must
skate back to the huddle to start the next drill. The last player to
reach the huddle (except the goalies) must skate a lap around the rink
at full speed.
 
The coach explained that this isn't meant to punish players.
 
"We want to play hard this year, we want to be intense," said Andy
Murray.  "That's what it's all about.  There's no optional effort in the
game of hockey so we can't have that in practice.  When a drill is done,
we're ready to move on to the next one.  I want to keep the intensity
level up.  It's not something we do to punish players and make fun of
them.  It's something we do to build up team morale and team spirit and
it also allows us to add at least one or two more drills in the practice
because the time just moves that much faster."
 
"I think it's just a matter of trying to pick up the intensity level of
our practices," he added.
 
And then the coaches' humorous side came out, when he talked about how
one of his players ran into him accidently during a drill.
 
"I think the players enjoyed [the practice session]," he said.  "They
enjoyed trying to catch someone down at the far end of the rink and I
made sure that Lennie Barrie, the player who hit me in that one drill,
was the last guy at the one end there."
 
Barrie had to skate a lap after that drill.
 
Coach Murray has also designed his drills to challenge his players to
think at all times when they're on the ice.
 
"If you look at some of the drills, they were a little confusing but the
thing they make you do is that they make you work, but you have to think
at the same time," Blake said.  "There's a lot of coaches who give you a
drill where you just take the puck down the ice and shoot it.  There's
no thinking involved whatsoever.  Here, [Andy Murray is] using game
situations where you have to find a forward over here and if there's a
guy in that lane, you've go to go another way.  You're always thinking. 
That's what happens in games, it's never straight down the boards. 
There's got to be a play made and you've got to think to be effective 
Most of his drills involve that."
 
"It's something that when you have to do a drill you have to think about
what you're doing as well," said Andy Murray.  "We need that read and
react on the part of our players for us to be successful."
 
One interesting note about training camp is that unlike most NHL teams,
the Kings will not scrimmage until Wednesday, their fourth day in camp.
 
"I'd have to go back to the 70's when training camps were longer when we
would do practices before we actually got into scrimmages," Taylor said. 
"But the last few years, I don't remember coming into camp without
getting into scrimmaging right away."
 
"If you scrimmage right off the bat, it would be a matter of players
maybe playing with some of the bad habits they've had in the past," said
Andy Murray.  "We want to show them how hard we have to work.  We wanted
also to establish a lot of team play.  You saw us working on the power
play, breakouts and defensive zone because we want to see our players in
the scrimmages later on in the week and see how they have adjusted and
picked up our system of play because hockey intelligence is just as
important as hockey ability."
 
"We want to see how our players adapt to our system of play that we're
implementing and what we might see in the scrimmages," he elaborated. 
"The other reason is that exhibition games start Saturday night.  We're
going to be into the pre-season and you just can't buy these days back
where you can work on your team play system.  It's not like football
where you have a month to get ready."
 
Blake simplified what Murray said.
 
"He's gonna teach us for three days," Blake said.  "The guys who can
remember those things and show them in the scrimmages and exhibition
games, those are the guys who really want to play."
 
One very interesting drill that Coach Murray put all three squads
through was what he calls the "Bill Drill."  He puts both nets in the
same right face-off circle and pitted two pairs of players in a battle
for the loose puck.  Pairs had to battle for the loose puck while trying
to score and with everything happening in such a closed-space, things
got quite physical and the players ended up having to do a lot of
skating.
 
"I've probably borrowed a lot of these drills from other coaches, but
it's one that I've always done," said Andy Murray.  "It's a
confined-area game.  It shows you how strong players are on the puck,
how they compete against each other in confined areas.

"That's his disguised skating drill," Blake said.  "It's hard work, but
it puts the guys together."
 
"That's a good drill because playing in the corners is the same thing,"
Palffy said.
 
"To win the game of hockey, it's one thing to have great open-ice
scoring ability and technical ability, but you've got to first be able
to get the puck," explained Coach Murray.  "We've got to have players
who can get into those battle situations and are just determined to
win."

Overall, Andy Murray was pleased with what he saw.
 
"I liked them all, I thought they all worked hard," he said. "I thought
everybody put a lot of energy and enthusiasm into the practice and it's
not only the players who have fun when they work that hard, but it's
great for the coach.  I don't want to step on the ice and have a flat
practice.  My job is to make sure that the players are energized,
enthused and ready to go and practice."
 
"The players play the games, my job is to drive them, to push them, to
be enthusiastic, to make sure they work as hard as they can in practice
because when it comes to the games, my influence is very small, added
Andy Murray.  "They're the ones who have to carry the games.  My job is
done in practice."
 
And of course, there was special attention from fans and media alike
about the new kid in town.

"I thought [Palffy] looked pretty good," said Andy Murray.  "He looked
like a 50-goal scorer to me.  He's got great offensive ability.  I think
some of our defensemen were amazed at some of his one-on-one moves. 
He's got that quickness."
 
"He's a guy that when you step on the ice, you always have to be aware
of him," he added.  "I know from coaching against him in international
hockey, you'd always tell your defensemen, 'you gotta be worried about
Ziggy Palffy.  He's gonna try to get in behind you.'  You tell them that
and he still gets in behind them."
 
"It's not too often that you get a true 40 or 50 goal scorer just over a
summer," Blake said about Palffy.  "Usually you have to do it through
the draft because not a lot of teams will give up on a guy like that. 
We're very fortunate to get him.  Another key guy is [Bryan] Smolinski. 
You'll see throughout the year, as the second-line center, he's going to 
chip in his 20-25 goals and he's going to be very reliable."
 
Murray also talked about the line of Luc Robitaille-Jozef
Stumpel-Palffy, which was teamed up throughout the first practice
session.
 
"It was just the first practice, but they were moving the puck pretty
well," he said.  "I'd like to see how [Palffy] plays against Kariya and
Selanne and some of the other guys.  But at this particular point, we're
satisfied with the first practice.  But we know that we've gotta
practice and work like this all year for us to have a chance to be
successful."
 
"At this particular point, the enthusiasm and energy that we had in our
first practice was very encouraging," he said.  "As I said though, it's
September 5.  We want to see this same energy and enthusiasm in the
playoffs next April."
 
So do Kings' fans, Andy.  So do Kings' fans.
 
As for Palffy, he's just glad to be here.
 
"It's great to be here.  It's a nice team, good players, good guys,
Palffy said.  "We just have to stick together and get ready for the
season."
 
And so far, Palffy likes the coaches' style.
 
"It's a whole new style [for me]," Palffy said.  "Every coach has a
different style so we have to learn it. It's an offensive style.  It's
good for me and good for a lot of the players who can score goals.  It's
going to be nice."
 
"But even when you're thinking offense, you've got to think more of
defense, too because one guy has to be high and two guys have to work
low," Palffy added.
 
And it was good to see Stumpel on the ice without any nagging injuries
to hamper him like last season.
 
"I'm pretty excited to get over my injuries," Stumpel said.  "Everything
feels pretty good."
 
"[Last season, I] twisted my ankle right away," he added.  "Then the hip
flexor, then my ankle again, then the hip flexor kept bothering me, then
at the end it was my knees.  I had lots of trouble last year."
 
Indeed.  Stumpel put up just 34 points last season after tallying 76 the
previous season.  The Kings will need the Stumpel of two seasons ago if
they are to have any hope of making the playoffs this season.
 
But the addition of Palffy will undoubtedly help him.
 
"It means a lot [having Palffy on the team].  Every year, he gets tons
of goals," Stumpel said.  "I'm sure he's gonna prove it over here, too. 
He's gonna help the team--an extra 40 or 50 goals."
 
When asked what he thought about having Robitaille on his left and
Palffy, a fellow Slovakian, on his right, Stumpel said, "Luc will have
to learn a little Slovakian!"
 
Defenseman Aki Berg, who finally signed with the Kings after playing in
Europe last season, is in camp and definitely looks like he's bulked up
since the 1997-98 season.
 
"[Berg is] definitely going to help," Blake said.  "We could've used him
last year  He comes back, he looks a little bigger now, a little more
in shape and he's matured.  He was a young kid here a couple of years
ago.  He's gonna play a key part in the defense this year."
 
Blake also talked more about Andy Murray and his coaching style.
 
"He's got his systems he wants to put in and he's gonna do it from day
one," Blake said.  "The guys have to buy into it.  We've had enough
changes around here and gone through enough different things that if you
don't buy into this one, I don't know what you're ever gonna listen to,
so definitely, the guys have to turn on to this right away."
 
"I see a lot of the things he's bringing from [the national team to
here]," Blake added.  "The discipline he wants to install from day one. 
A word he uses a lot is accountability. Personal accountability. Nobody
to a man was accountable last year, maybe Luc was the exception.  He was
the only guy who really stood up and played for himself last year. 
That's why this team didn't have success--you need everyone going. 
That's one thing he prides himself on, that's personal accountability. 
He's gonna make everyone here accountable and do their role."

"If you're not accountable, you're not going to be in the lineup," Blake
continued.  "He's set up a camp where guys are playing their roles.  You
play your way onto the team. That's the key thing. You have to respect
your job, you have to do your role or you're not going to play."
 
Blake also talked about Andy Murray's intensity and energy.
 
"He's very high-tempo, there's not going to be a lot of standing
around," Blake said.  "It's going to be high, up-tempo and he's going to
make you work it in every drill to get it down right.  But if you go out
and you do the stuff you're supposed to do and you do it well, you
execute the drills and get the most out of it you can have fun at it."
 
Blake was also asked if he planned to continue to be a vocal, visible
leader in the dressing room, as he was towards the end of last season.
 
"I hope I don't have to because I hope we win enough games so that's not
going to be a huge part," Blake explained.  "But if it's needed, yeah. 
Last year was a pretty good learning experience for me.  It's something
that not a lot of guys have ever really been though.  It was pretty much
a disaster from the start.  But I learned more that year than I did the
first eight years.  For me, it's something to build on."
 
Andy Murray also told reporters that the coaching staff would be looking
at the team's fitness evaluations to determine "...if we're going to
have anybody in the 'Fat Club' who's going to have to do some extra work
after practice on the bikes."
 
In other training camp news, fans who jammed Iceoplex's gallery area
were surprised to see number 27, Glen Murray, skate onto the ice for
practice.
 
Murray participated because he had just signed a new contract that
morning, a one-year deal with incentives plus two option years (the
Kings hold the options).
 
I think [the incentives and option years were] the biggest issue so I
think there's some upside protection built into this contract for Glen,"
Taylor added.  "If he performs well, there are some incentives in it
which can increase his pay."
 
"We have the ability to make it a three-year contract," Taylor
continued.  "Right now, I don't see any reason for us not to exercise
one of the two options next year."
 
Taylor gave as much detail as he could about the deal without going into
specifics (per club policy).
 
"There are two different salaries in the second year and it's the Kings'
option to elect them," Taylor explained.  "One is subject to revisions,
the other is not."
 
"Both sides were talking about an option on the third year," Taylor
added.  "Anton [Thun, Murray's agent,] had suggested a team option on
the second year and an additional team option on the third year."
 
For more details on the contract (salary amounts, incentive details,
etc.), read Roger Phillips' article in the LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM or
THE DAILY NEWS.
 
http://www.press-telegram.com/sports/
http://www.dailynewslosangeles.com/sports.asp
 
"We're very pleased to have Glen signed and with us for the start of
training camp," Taylor said.  "We look forward to him returning to form
as one of our top forwards."
 
"As a coach you want to have all your players on board, said Andy
Murray.  "The fact that we've added [Glen Murray] to our lineup here
today is truly outstanding.  For him, it's very necessary with his
injury-plagued season last year, I think it's very important that he's
here right from the first day getting into the system of play that we
have and it's learning the hard work that we want emphasized with our
hockey club."
 
When asked about his recovery from his torn MCL, Andy Murray said that
he has been told that Glen Murray is at 100%.
 
"The doctors have told us that he's 100%, that he's totally ready to
play, that he's in great condition," said Andy Murray.  "He's worked out
very hard this summer so from a medical perspective, the only thing that
I can go by is what our professionals tell us."
 
Coach Murray also talked about what he wants from his namesake.
 
"What we need from Glen Murray is that he is the player he was two years
ago and at the beginning of last season, not the player he was in the
last 23 games last year and I think he knows that," said Andy Murray. 
"He's been rewarded with a contract that acknowledges him and his
efforts he had the year before and in the early part of last season, not
for the way he played at the end of last year, so he has to live up to
those expectations.  We're going to be demanding of him and he knows
what his role is in the hockey club.  I've already sat down and talked
with him and he knows what he has to do for our team to be successful."
 
Taylor also briefly discussed ongoing contract negotiations with holdout
defenseman Mattias Norstrom.
 
"I'm still waiting to hear from his agent," Taylor said.  "I haven't
talked to him in a day or so.  I'm expecting a call from him today."
 
"[Norstrom] skated for a couple of days with the guys here and then I
understand he's skating with a group of guys down in Westminster,"
Taylor added.
  
There is one sad bit of news that came to light at the first day of
training camp.  Roger Phillips, beat writer covering the Kings for the
LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM and THE DAILY NEWS is leaving Southern
California for a job with the OAKLAND TRIBUNE where he will be covering
the San Jose Sharks.
 
Phillips told me that this move really isn't what he prefers to do, but
it will allow him to spend more time with his family (who live in
Northern California) while still doing the work he enjoys most--covering
hockey.
 
This is one Kings' fan who remembers the tremendous work Rick Sadowski
did while he covered the Kings, first for the now-defunct
HERALD-EXAMINER and then THE DAILY NEWS, before deciding to move onto
"greener pastures" in Denver covering the Colorado Avalanche for the
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS.
 
Sadowski was clearly the best beat writer covering the Kings while he
was here.  And in recent years, most Kings' fans seem to agree that
Phillips has earned that title, too.
 
Based on what I've already heard from numerous fans across the Southern
California area, I have no doubt that many Kings' fans will be saddended
by the loss of their favorite beat writer, but at the same time, will
wish Phillips the best in his new life in the Bay Area.
 
But there may be hope.  Phillips did tell me, "I hope to come back in a
few years."
 
Let's hope so!



9.3.99
As I suspected, the Los Angeles Kings' training camp roster that
SPORTSTICKER published on Thursday morning was quite incomplete.  Here's
the Kings' training camp roster:
 
* - Injured
 
Left Wing
=========
Kip Brennan, Dan Bylsma, Bill Huard, Dave Hymovitz, Craig Johnson, Chris
Lindberg, Steve McKenna, Luc Robitaille, Jimmy Roy, Andrei Shefer,
Vladimir Tsyplakov
 
Center
======
Len Barrie, *Eric Belanger, Jason Blake, Nathan Lafayette, Ian
Laperriere, Donald McLean, Justin Papineau, Bryan Smolinski, Jozef
Stumpel
 
Right Wing
==========
Donald Audette, Kevin Baker, Scott Barney, Brad Chartrand, Brian
McGrattan, Glen Murray, Zigmund Palffy, Greg Phillips, Jason Podollan,
Pavel Rosa, Scott Thomas, Marko Tuomainen
 
Defense
=======
Aki Berg, Rob Blake, Sean Blanchard, Philippe Boucher, Joe Corvo, Dion
Darling, Garry Galley, Trevor Gillies, Peter Hogan, Frantisek Kaberle,
Jere Karlahti, David MacIssac, Jaroslav Modry, Jan Nemecek, Mattias
Norstrom, Sean O'Donnell, Joe Rullier, Richard Seeley, Reid Simonton
 
Goalies
=======
Cory Campbell, Marcel Cousineau, Stephane Fiset, *Jean-Francois Nogues,
Mike O'Neill, Jamie Storr, Alexey Volkov
  
For those wishing to head out to Iceoplex in North Hills to check out
the Kings at training camp, they hit the ice for the first time on
Sunday, September 5.  The following is Sunday's schedule:
 
10:15 - 12:15 PM - Team A Practice
12:30 -  2:30 PM - Team B Practice
 2:45 -  4:45 PM - Team C Practice
 
The Kings will begin intra-squad scrimmages on Wednesday, September 8
when, in addition to practice, they will have two squads scrimmaging
from 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM.



9.2.99
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have signed
defenseman Aki Berg to a new contract.
 
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but various sources have reported
that the deal is a one-year contract worth about $762,000 with incentive
clauses, which probably raise the value of the contract even more.
 
Last season, Berg, 22, played in his native Finland with TPS Turku where
he scored 8 goals and 7 assists for 15 points while racking up 137
penalty minutes.
 
"Aki belongs in the National Hockey League and more importantly in Los
Angeles," Kings' Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor said. 
"We are very pleased to have him back.  He's a big, young, mobile
defender and we're excited to add him to our defensive corps."

Jim Hodges had reported in Thursday's LOS ANGELES TIMES that the 
Kings reached an agreement with defenseman Aki Berg.  You can find
the story on the web at:
 
http://sports.latimes.com/news/19990902/hko/los/000078328.html
 
SPORTSTICKER released the following training camp roster for the Kings. 
However, it does look incomplete.  For example, right wing Pavel Rosa is
missing.  Anyway, here's what Sportsticker released:
 
Goaltenders: Cory Campbell, Marcel Cousineau, Stephane Fiset,  
Jean-Francois Nogues, Mike O'Neill, Jamie Storr, Alexey Volkov 
 
Defensemen: Aki Berg, Rob Blake, Sean Blanchard, Philippe  
Boucher, Joe Corvo, Dion Darling, Paul Dyck, Garry Galley, 
Trevor Gillies, Peter Horgan, Frantisek Kaberle, Jere Karalahti, 
David MacIsaac, Jaroslav Modry, Jan Nemecek, Mattias Norstrom, 
Sean O'Donnell, Joe Rullier, Richard Seeley 
 
Left wings: Kip Brennan, Dan Bylsma, Bill Huard, Dave Hymovitz,  
Craig Johnson, Chris Lindberg, Steve McKenna, Luc Robitaille, 
Jimmy Roy, Andrei Shefer, Vladimir Tsyplakov 
 
Centers: Len Barrie, Eric Belanger, Jason Blake, Nathan  
Lafayette, Ian Laperriere, Donald MacLean, Justin Papineau, 
Bryan Smolinski, Jozef Stumpel 
 
Right wings: Donald Audette, Kevin Baker, Scott Barney, Brad  
Chartrand, Brian McGrattan, Glen Murray, Zigmund Palffy, Greg 
Phillips
 
I'll send an updated roster when I get it from the Kings.



9.1.99
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that individual tickets
for the 1999 exhibition season will go on sale starting Saturday,
September 4 at 10:00 AM PDT.
 
Tickets will be available at the Great Western Forum box office and all
TicketMaster locations.  Tickets will also be available by phone, (213)
365-3600.
 
Tickets for the September 14 game against Colorado, the Kings' final
game at the Great Western Forum, will be priced from $18.50 to $90. 
Prices for the September 20 game against Anaheim are $10.00 and $15.00.
 
In other news...
 
Jim Hodges has an article in today's LOS ANGELES TIMES about the Kings
and their contract negotiations with defensemen Aki Berg and Mattias
Norstrom, along with right wing Glen Murray:
 
http://sports.latimes.com/news/19990901/hko/los/000078014.html
 
Kings' radio color commentator Cammi Granato, captain of the gold-medal
winning 1998 United States Women's Olympic Hockey Team, has taken a
leave of absence from her broadcast duties to devote herself full-time
in order to training and playing for the United States Women's National
Ice Hockey Team in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
 
Former Kings' forward Darryl Evans will replace Granato on the Kings'
radio broadcasts.
 
Granato, who will work with the Kings on a part-time basis in the Kings'
Community Development Department, conducting clinics and working with
the Kings' community outreach programs, has had a stellar career in
women's hockey.
 
She is an eight-time member of the US Women's National Team, the
all-time leading scorer on the US Women's National Team and in women's
international hockey history.  And in 1996, she earned the USA Women's
Hockey Player of the Year Award.
 
Granato also played for the US Women's Team at the Three Nations Cup and
the World Championships in Finland last year.
 
Last season, Granato was active in Kings-sponsored women's hockey
programs, the Kings annual summer Kids Camp, hockey clinics in area
rinks and work in the community to promote diversity in hockey.
 
Granato will also do much of her training in the Los Angeles area.  She
will be using the Kings' new training center in El Segundo (still under
construction) in her training for the Olympics.
 
"I truly feel this is the right decision for me at this time," Granato
said.  "The most important thing for me is to join my teammates in
representing the United States at Salt Lake City in 2002."
 
"I've gained a wealth of experience working with both the Kings and the
National Hockey League this past season," she added.  "But in my heart I
still want to compete at the highest level, and to do that, I need to
devote all my time and efforts to my playing career."
 
The Kings are fully supporting Granato's efforts to be a member of the
2002 US team.
 
"Cammi has made a decision that the Kings fully support," Kings'
President Tim Leiweke said.  "She has made great strides as a
broadcaster and has served as an absolute resource and complement to the
Kings and the goals of our organization."
 
"We look forward to Cammi remaining involved in our organization for
years to come, so we will continue to support, assist and help provide
the resources for her to achieve her career goals," Leiweke added.
 
"The Kings have been greatly supportive of my professional goals from
Day One and I appreciate the opportunities they have presented to me,"
said Granato, who is only the second female broadcaster in the history
of the NHL.  "I look forward to continuing to work with them on
expanding the game of hockey within our communities."
 
Evans is best remembered for his game-winning goal in overtime on April
10, 1982 at the then-Fabulous Forum.  At 2:35 of overtime, Evans fired a
one-time slapshot from near the top of the right circle off a face-off
to beat Edmonton's Grant Fuhr over his right shoulder to cap a comeback
that saw the Kings down 5-0 to the Wayne Gretzky-led Oilers in the first
round of the 1982 playoffs.
 
That game, the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history, is known as the
"Miracle on Manchester."
  
More recently, Evans was the Director of Premium Sales for the Staples
Center.
 
Evans will also serve as General Manager of the Kings' new training
center in El Segundo.



link to last month's (August '99) notes