The Los Angeles Kings announced today that head coach Terry Murray has been relieved of his duties and that Kings assistant coach John Stevens shall act as interim head coach.

By Chris Van Deusen

It seems the Los Angeles Kings decided that it was time for a changing of the guard. On the eve of their four-game road trip, the Kings have decided to fire their head coach Terry Murray. After a disappointing homestand where the team lost five out of their previous seven games, Kings management made the call. For the time being, assistant coach John Stevens will assume the role of interim head coach.

Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi spoke to the press during a conference call shortly after the announcement of Murray’s dismissal.  ”We hadn’t been playing up to expectations. The last homestand was the end, but there wasn’t one glaring moment. It built up,” said Lombardi. The Kings’ GM also added “Last year we had some sketchy periods too…” and that Murray’s work ethic and focus never changed, that he never quit trying, but this year the expectations were higher. The expectations of this year made things more about results than the team finding “victories within losses.”

Photo Courtesy LA Times

It is unknown at this time how long Stevens will serve as interim head coach. Stevens is unlikely to keep the position for long though since he shares a very similar coaching style with Murray. Lombardi would not go into detail on his list of possible coaches, preferring not to tip his hand and simply state “it’s fair to say it’s a very short list.” Three names that seem to top the lists of speculators are Darryl Sutter, Tony Granato, and recently-fired Anaheim Ducks’ head coach Randy Carlyle. It should be noted, however, that the Kings have stated they are unlikely to go after Carlyle.

While it is never a good sign when a team fires their coach, it seems it was time to part with Murray. For a team that has expectations of being a Stanley Cup contender, ranking 30th in scoring is unacceptable. While some of the blame does need to be focused towards the players, it is also the coach’s job to right the ship, no? Things are not alright in the kingdom when there are unnamed texts stating they’re dead.

Sadly, many will forget the good that Murray did do for the Kings. He led the Kings to the playoffs the last two seasons, with that first season being their latest appearance since 2003. Top-Line centerman Anze Kopitar was molded into the great two-way player he is today under Murray’s teaching. While we haven’t seen it lately in more than just flashes, Murray is credited with establishing the great defensive structure the team is known for.

Murray began coaching with the Kings in the 2008-09 season and held a regular season record of 139-106-30. Among the Kings’ all-time coaches, his win total ranks third, fourth in games coached at 275, and first in winning percentage at .560. Murray was just one win away from his 500th career win.

Chris Van Deusen
NHLHS Los Angeles Kings Correspondent
Twitter – @TheCrazyWhls

By Jeff Quirin
NHL Hot Stove Associate Editor

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Did you miss NHL on the Fly this week? Couldn’t catch all the games? Well, if you love goal scoring, NHL Hot Stove has you covered. Here are some of the best finishes of the first week of NHL action in the 2011-12 season.

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Number Five

Anze Kopitar (LA Kings) with a great forehand backhand move to beat Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres) after a pretty cross ice pass.

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Number Four

Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning) rifles his 300th career goal past good friend Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins) on a breakaway.

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Number Three

Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins) with a terrific partial breakaway move to beat Ilya Bryzgalov (Philadelphia Flyers).

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Number Two

Claude Giroux (Boston Bruins) attacks Tom Thomas (Boston Bruins) with a brilliant backhand forehand marker.

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Number One

Brad Richards (New York Rangers) roofs the puck over Jonas Hiller (Anaheim Ducks).

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Just had to throw one more in for good measure. Welcome back to the NHL Mr. Lombardi.

Matthew Lombardi (Toronto Maple Leafs) beats Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens) for a shorthanded goal. His first goal after missing virtually all of the 2010-11 season with a concussion.

The O2 World arena in Berlin, Germany played host to the Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres on Saturday as part of the 2011-2012 Season’s opening weekend. The Kings looked to carry the momentum from yesterday’s game in Stockholm into Berlin, but it seems the Buffalo Sabres had other plans.

Any momentum the Kings had ran right into a wall.

Luke Adam put the Sabres on the scoreboard twice within the span of 2:20 early in the second period. Adam’s first goal came from a quick wrist shot over Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier’s glove while the second goal was a tap in on a pass from Thomas Vanek. The Sabres’ other two goals came from Paul Gaustad and Drew Stafford.

The Kings attempted to mount a comeback in the third period, but it would prove to be too little too late against a Sabres team who spent much of the game driving hard at Bernier between the pipes. All four Sabres goals came from between the circles, an area the Kings defense usually excels at clearing out. Both of Adam’s goals were direct results of the Kings not clearing players from in front of Bernier. While it should be noted that it is only the second game of the season, the Kings would be wise to quickly resolve their coverage issues. Lack of consistent defensive coverage cost the Kings several games last season.

Photo Via Getty Images

Anze Kopitar, however, did prove to be the one highlight of the game for the Kings, scoring both goals. If there was any doubt about his performance this season after recovering from a broken leg last year, it is now gone. Kopitar recorded three goals and an assist on the Kings’ European trip.

While he has not recorded a goal yet, defenseman Drew Doughty is showing signs that he is ready to compete this season. Saturday’s game saw him with several close attempts on Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller and logging over 28 minutes on the ice.

Europe bids farewell to the Kings as they are now on their way back to the United States – but not home. Two more road games await the team when their plane lands at Newark. The Kings will have the next few days to practice before taking on the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

Chris Van Deusen
NHLHS Los Angeles Kings Correspondent
Twitter – @TheCrazyWhls

With less than a minute left in overtime Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jack Johnson scored on a power play to lead the Kings past the New York Rangers by a score of 3-2. Johnson tallied the game winner after receiving a swift pass from the Kings newly acquired center Mike Richards.

The Kings started their 2011-2012 season overseas by facing the Rangers in Stockholm, Sweden on Friday. While the team wore their home jerseys, they were far from being the home team. The sold-out arena fully supported the Rangers mainly to support goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, a living legend in Sweden. While it may have been a home crowd for Lundqvist, he had to share the spotlight with a King.

Kings center Anze Kopitar put his team on the board first halfway through the first period and silenced any doubts about overcoming last season’s ankle injury. While in the Rangers’ zone, right-winger Justin Williams capitalized on a turnover and fed the puck to Kopitar, who rifled it past Lundqvist. Kopitar would continue on to play a solid two-way game with multiple chances and eventually snagging an assist in Johnson’s overtime goal. It appears the “Slovenian Superstar” is picking up right where he left off last season before his injury.

While the Kings dominated most of the first period, setting quite an impressive tempo for them compared to last season, the Rangers regrouped and tied the game five minutes after Kopitar scored. Rangers’ captain Ryan Callahan was able to cash in on a bad-angle shot, beating Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick who wasn’t square with his post.

Photo Via JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images

The second and third periods saw a much different game however as both coaches began the chess match of line-swapping. Both teams took to their strong defensive games until halfway through the third period, Marian Gaborik put the Rangers up 2-1 with a shot from just outside the crease. Richards would tie the game for the Kings with under five minutes left in regulation with a center-line drive that has only further excited Kings fans to see how he’ll fit in this season. He would earn his first goal and assist as a King in his first game as a King.

Johnson would earn the game-winning goal in overtime while on the power play. Rangers’ defenseman Ryan McDonagh opened the door for the Kings at a critical moment when he was called for holding. While the game winner was scored on the power play, the Kings still need to tweak their power play system. Going 1 for 4 on the power play seems to show signs of last season’s issue of having trouble with special teams scoring.

The Kings traveled to Berlin, Germany directly after the game in order for Saturday’s game. Awaiting the Kings in Berlin are Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres.

Chris Van Deusen
NHLHS Los Angeles Kings Correspondent
Twitter – @TheCrazyWhls

The first day of camp is in the books for teams across the league but there is an asterisk on the page for the Los Angeles Kings. Star Defenseman Drew Doughty did not show up for training camp.

By Chris Van Deusen

Holdout. That single term sends shivers down a fan’s spine when heard. It was the term that Los Angeles Kings fans feared when contract negotiations seemed to stall between prized defenseman Drew Doughty and the Kings over the summer. While technically, Doughty is not a holdout but a Restricted Free Agent, his absence from training camp brands him as a holdout to fans. While Anze Kopitar and the rest of the Kings descended on the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo for the first day of camp, Doughty remains without a contract.

General Manager Dean Lombardi addressed the press Friday afternoon and shed some light on the situation between himself and Doughty’s agent, Don Meehan. After several offers were rejected by Doughty & Meehan, Lombardi stated that the Kings have provided Doughty with the best contract they will offer. While exact numbers were not given, the deal would range from six to eight years with an average pay of $6.8 million.

Doughty may want to consider his options quickly however due to the fact that the $6.8 million contract will lose value with each passing day. An NHL contract pays for 275 days of work so each day Doughty misses out on camp, he will also be missing out on roughly $25,000. That is some incentive to sign! In an interview with Rich Hammond of Kings Insider, Lombardi mentioned that while camp has started and the focus needs to shift to the team, he is confident Doughty will sign in the near future.

It doesn’t mean, certainly, that there isn’t going to be dialogue. The point is that missing days of work has to now factor into this negotiation. There’s no doubt in my mind that this kid is going to play here and play here a long time. But now, like I said, missing a day of work has to be factored into this. It’s no different than any other player. The lines of communication are certainly open. There was a cordial discussion last night, and that’s it.

The real question isn’t when will Doughty sign, but why hasn’t he? Throughout his career with the Kings, Doughty has expressed how he loves being a King and grew up wanting to play for the team. So why hasn’t Doughty signed yet? The answer most people jump to first is money. While money is definitely part of the equation, it cannot be the entire answer. If that was the case, Doughty & Meehan would not have rejected the nine year $61 million offer the Kings presented them. A contract of that size would have kept the young defenseman a King for many years to come and made him the highest paid King. The dollars were there for Doughty.

Los Angeles Kings Drew Doughty

This brings in contract length, which seems to be the sticking point. While nothing official has been issued by Meehan, it seems the agent is looking for a five year contract. A contract of this length would see Doughty due for a new contract when he would be eligible for unrestricted free agency. The Kings are looking to avoid a five year deal in order to not face the nightmare that would be Kopitar and Doughty hitting UFA status at the same time.

While it is expected that Doughty will sign before the season starts, it would be wise for both sides to look at the damage being done here. What is shaping up to be a favored cup contender is now short a key member of its core. Fans are already vocal on the subject and each day Doughty misses camp the voices will only get louder. This is dangerous waters for Doughty’s image and it would be wise of Meehan to not prolong the issue, especially if a more sinister theory behind his tactics is actually true.

This is not a case of the Kings trying to lowball a player. The team offered years and top-dollar prices, both being sought-after by Doughty. The Kings want Doughty around for years and the young player claims he wants to stay. Now is the time to see if Drew Doughty truly has the heart of a King.

Chris Van Deusen
NHLHS Los Angeles Kings Correspondent
Twitter – @TheCrazyWhls

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Creative Editor

A article from Dan Gross of The Philadelphia Daily News / Philly.com was published yesterday insinuating that the Philadelphia Flyers dealt both captain Mike Richards and Jeff Carter due to their partying lifestyles. 

Two unnamed Flyers reportedly told Gross that Richards and Carter refused to join in on head coach Peter Laviolette’s challenge to his players.  The substance of the “Dry Island” invitation was for the players to commit to not drinking alcohol for a full month.

Paul Bereswill / Getty Images

According to Gross, the players were to write their numbers on a board in the locker room to dedicate themselves to the cause – and in affect, also to their teammates.

It is estimated that there were six different occasions in which Laviolette implemented the initiative since his arrival as coach midway through the 2009-10 season.  

Curiously, numbers 17 (Carter) and 18 (Richards) were absent from the board on every one of those requests.  In a position to show a real and true leadership – even in an off-ice situation – both failed the test.

The local media’s long-standing view from the microscope into the social lives of the pair dates back to the days when Scottie Upshall and Joffrey Lupul still played in the City of Brotherly Love.  When Upshall and Lupul were eventually sent packing, team management had to have hoped that Carter and (especially) Richards would mature into the leaders they had envisioned.

While the “Dry Island” situation in itself seems like a great story, the crux of the respective depatures of both Richards and Carter is the lack of direction exhibited by the duo.  

The unnamed players claimed that the decision to not participate in Laviolette’s appeals disenchanted the front office regarding the pair, as well as worrying teammates about their drinking habits.

After such a promising start to the campaign - in which the Orange-and-Black battled the Vancouver Canucks for the overall NHL points lead - the year came to an abrupt and disquieting conclusion.

There was obviously something askew in the locker room as the Flyers struggled during the latter portion of the regular season and playoffs.  During player interviews you would get the standard “We just have to do this better and that better”, but the feeling was that of attempting to cover up deeper problems in the room that were the real difficulties.

Don’t expect Flyers’ management to ever admit just how much the skipping of the “Dry Island” opportunities played a part in the dealing of both Richards and Carter.

GM Paul Holmgren maintained yesterday that the trades were just good hockey moves, and gave Gross the following quote:

“As far as Mike and Jeff are concerned, we made two good hockey trades that will better suit us now and for the future.  Columbus is happy, L.A. is happy, and the Flyers are happy with the deal.”

From every report, all of upper team management (yes, Ed Snider included) met and was involved in the decision to move Richards and Carter.

As a matter of fact, it’s kind of a funny coincidence that Laviolette’s challenge was called “Dry Island” by the players.  It’s almost as if the pair was “voted off the island”, akin to a reality show like “Survivor”.

Defenseman Chris Pronger, who is likely to be named the next Flyers’ captain, gave this quote two weeks ago on the “Mac and Noodles Show” (Scott MacArthur and Jamie McLennan)  on Toronto’s TSN Radio 1050:

“With the way we exited the playoffs last year, and our owner coming out and asking to get a goalie, that puts a little bit of cash restraints on the team with respect to the salary cap.  Moves have to be made.  In order to free up money, you have to give up good players, and we obviously did that in both Mike (Richards) and Jeff (Carter).

Both of those guys are obviously going to be sorely missed.  They were a big part of the Flyers for a number of years, and hopefully we don’t miss them too much this year.”

Pronger is correct, the talents of both Richards and Carter will be missed.  But in the long run - as well as the short - it may just facilitate a team growth that could push Philadelphia over the top.

A Second Chance for Richards?

As the organization patiently awaited Richards’ metamorphosis into a modern-day Bobby Clarke, it became more evident as time passed that he would never be comfortable in that role.

Nick Laham / Getty Images North America

The move to Los Angeles for Richards could actually be a blessing in disguise.  It appeared that his development as both a player and leader had hit a wall here in Philadelphia, so a change of scenery may be a good thing.

Despite playing in 81 games – much with a wrist injury that required surgery following the season – Richards finished with the least amount of goals (23) since the 2006-07 campaign.  In 11 playoff contests, he managed just a single goal and seven points.

He seemed bored during post-game interviews, often murmuring under his breath about the “same old questions” while the team he was supposed to be guiding continued in a tailspin toward its ultimate destruction.  Richards appeared to long for that one bloated silent pause when the questions stopped for but a brief moment, so that he could make a quick getaway from the inquiries.

Richards’ relationship with the Philly media was tenuous, at best, so it may not be a fluke in the timing of the release of Gross’ story.  There is a press conference scheduled for tomorrow to introduce the Kenora, Ontario-native to the Los Angeles media.

The City of Angels does have its share of temptations, and some on a much grander scale than what is found here.  At just 26 it’s hard to say if this is a make-or-break stage of Richards’ career as he heads into what should be his most-productive years. 

But needless to say it would bode well for him to concentrate on hockey. 

Helping an ever-improving Kings’ squad attain the next level of success may assist in repairing his somewhat damaged reputation.

L.A. can sometimes be an unforgiving town, but hockey does not garner the large-scale interest seen in Philly.  It is not the most-popular professional sport in the city, but hockey’s popularity would be on an even lesser scale in Los Angeles. 

With the Lakers, Dodgers, the beach, the ocean, and some of the afore-mentioned other temptations to sidetrack interest, the Kings are much lower on their city’s measure of adoration.

The Kings are also blessed with a very good captain in Dustin Brown – as well as a nice cast of forwards which includes Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams, Simon Gagne, and Dustin Penner - Richards may not see the same amount of all-encompassing attention that he received from the media in Philadelphia.

There will be some familiar faces for Richards in L.A. in which to help him get acclimated.  The Kings are affectionately called ”Flyers West” in the Philadelphia area:  

• GM Dean Lombardi and his assistant, legendary Flyers’ goaltender Ron Hextall, came from Philly to help rebuild the Kings.  They are doing a fantastic job in turning the franchise around. 
• Head coach Terry Murray is a former Flyer and Flyers’ coach, and assistant John Stevens was Richards’ head coach with the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms (when they won a Calder Cup championship in 2005), as well as with the Flyers.  
• Gagne is a former teammate in Philadelphia, and Williams played for the Flyers, as well.  

Star defenseman Drew Doughty was even a teammate during Team Canada’s Gold Medal run at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

The dealing of Richards was one of the more surprising moments in a summer of Holmgren’s overhauling of Philadelphia roster, providing something of a second chance for the now former-Flyers’ captain to prove the club wrong for giving up on him.

Maybe the perfect ending for a script of the 2011-12 campaign would be a Flyers-Kings meeting in the Stanley Cup Finals.  In that scenario, the absolute opportunity to deliver the last and decisive word would be hanging in the balance. 

Far-fetched?  Just remember, we are talking about Richards going to a team that plays in Hollywood.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By Brandon Macdonald
NHL Hot Stove Editor

It’s been a bit of a tumultuous career for former fourth overall draft pick Benoit Pouliot. After being selected by the Minnesota Wild fourth overall in 2005, which is now known as one of the best draft classes in the history of the NHL, things haven’t gone the way expected for Pouliot. 2005 featured the likes of Sidney Crosby, Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, Carey Price, Devin Setoguchi, Anze Kopitar and Marc Staal.

After the names Crosby, Ryan and Johnson were called to the podium, it came time for Pouliot to join his first NHL club. After spending parts of three seasons with both the Wild and their AHL affiliate club the Houston Aeroes, Pouliot only sniffed at the NHL during that time. His fourth year in the league started slow and after only posting four points in 14 games, Pouliot was dealt the Montreal Canadiens for Guillaume Latendresse, a fellow 2005 draftee. Both players were having a hard time making a name for themselves with their respective teams and the trade was expected to relieve the pressure.

While Latendresse went on to score 25 goals in his 55 games with the Wild — he only played in 11 contests this past season due to injuries — Pouliot did not have the same success with the Habs, scoring 15 goals in 39 games. His first full season under the watchful eye at the Bell Centre, Pouliot only scored 13 goals for 39 points in 79 games.

The Canadiens did not put in an offer to the 24-year-old Ontario native before July 1st. That’s when the defending champions decided to step in and offer Pouliot a one-year contract worth $1.1 million dollars. It seems to be a long shot for the Bruins, but with the depature of Michael Ryder to the Dallas Stars (2 years/$3.5 million per) the team needed to fill a void on the right wing. Pouliot will likely get third line minutes alongside Rich Peverley and Tyler Seguin.

With all the massive contracts signed on day one of the free agent frenzy, Chiarelli can be commended for not going out and spending a giant chunk of the teams cap space on a depth player. The Bruins are deep with young talent with Jordan Caron and Jared Knight, both are expected to contend for roster spots next season. Pouliot will be pushed in order to get playing time, with the third line being his only real option at minutes.

The 2009 season — split between the Wild and Canadiens – was Pouliot’s best year with 17 goals for 28 points. Ask Pouliot and he would say his best is yet to come, but ask critics and they would mention it’s only downhill from here.

Looking back, the Wild are likely kicking themselves for missing out on so many current NHLers from that draft, Nashville Predators forward Patric Hornqvist was the last pick in the draft that year, he has 53 goals in two full NHL seasons, not a bad selection.

It’s always a tricky move to replenish the roster with division rival’s castaways, but with only $1 million being spent on Pouliot, it could turn out to be a real steal for the Bruins, or the signing could turn out to be a complete flop and Pouliot may spend more time in the press box than on the ice.

Brandon Macdonald
NHLHS Editor
bmacdonald@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter @bMacdonald8

Going into the draft, many people across Los Angeles didn’t expect the Los Angeles Kings to make many headlines. Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi mentioned on several occasions that the draft was not a high priority to him, citing it didn’t seem to be a “deep draft.” Little did people know that the Kings would make probably the biggest news of the summer so far, and it would regard trades rather than drafts.

The Kings made three trades this week. One trade was typical of an NHL draft day while the other two were a surprise to everyone. Let’s take a look at each trade and see how these deals impact the Kings, shall we?

Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, and a 2012 second-round draft pick for Flyers’ Mike Richards

Photo Courtesy of Bridget Samuels

Unless you’ve been living under a rock since Thursday, you probably already heard the news. The Kings traded the favored prospect Brayden Schenn, fan-favorite Wayne Simmonds, and a 2012 second-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Captain Mike Richards and forward Rob Bordson. This trade came as a shock to most people, especially in Philadelphia where they saw Jeff Carter traded away merely hours before. Even Richards was surprised to hear of his move to L.A.

“Yeah, I was very shocked when I got a call in the early afternoon from my agent. He just kind of gave me the rundown on what he knew. As the afternoon progressed, I started hearing a little bit more and more, and then I ended up actually reading it on the Internet before I was able to get the confirmation from my agent about it.”

The trade for Richards drew a mix of emotions from Kings fans across the city. Many were sad to see Simmonds leave while others were shocked to hear that their top prospect was traded. While it is always sad to see a fan favorite go, this is a huge trade for the Kings. The Kings now have a true second-line center.

The center position has been a slight issue for the Kings this post-season, wondering who will center what line. Will Michal Handzus return next season? Will Trevor Lewis center the fourth-line again or will he move up to third and let a prospect like Andrei Loktionov earn a spot? Acquiring Richards helped answer some of these questions. In all likelihood, the Kings will start the season with Anze Kopitar, Richards, and Jarret Stoll as the top three centers. Now that sounds pretty, right?

Richards may not be a 50 goal scorer, but he is very talented to say the least. The Kings desperately need a boost to the offense and Richards can provide that. He can be considered a sure bet for 25 goals when you take in the fact that his best year ever was under the coaching of Terry Murray. Known as a player who gives his all and hits like a freight train, there is no question that he will fit in nicely with the Kings. As captain of the Flyers, Richards is a playoff performer and the exact type of player the Kings need right now. The Kings are expected to push beyond the first round of the playoffs next season. Additions to the team like this will help surpass those expectations.

Photo Courtesy of Bridget Samuels

“What about Schenn & Simmonds?!” people yelled. While the loss of these two players stings, the trade makes good hockey sense. It cannot be denied that Simmonds was a favorite amongst the Kings and many saw him as a member of Lombardi’s “core” to build the team around. Unfortunately, it was most likely Simmonds’ performance last season that got him traded. Compared to the 2009-2010 season, the right-winger took a step backwards last season. With Kyle Clifford already proving he can play the same gritty style he is known for, Simmonds became replaceable. It is never good to become replaceable on a team when the prospect pool is as deep as it is for the Kings.

In regards to Schenn, the young prospect had not yet been promised a spot on the Kings roster, therefore we don’t even know if he would have played next season. Yes, there is always the chance that Schenn could go on to be an explosive talent for the Flyers. To those that are worried of this happening, remember the following fact. Since the day he was drafted, Schenn has been touted as possibly becoming “the next Mike Richards.” Yes, the same Mike Richards that is now a King.

Richards will also be a King for a long time as well. The Kings will inherit his nine year contract with a cap hit of $5.75 million. Considering the talent, this is a great deal. After adding this contract to the pile, the cap money spent for the Kings now sits at $53.6 million. Bordson’s contract will have no impact as the Kings fully intend to cut him loose. Sitting well under the new cap limit of $64.3 million, the Kings still have plenty of space to sign Drew Doughty and the other Kings contracts that are due. The numbers only improve if or when Ryan Smyth and his $6.25 million contract move to Edmonton. About that Smyth trade…

“Smythgate” ends with Ryan Smyth to the Edmonton Oilers for Colin Fraser and a 2012 seventh-round draft pick.

As discussed in a previous NHLHS article, Smyth has decided he would like to be traded to the Edmonton Oilers for the final year of his contract. While the Kings were reluctant to let “Captain Canada” go, Lombardi went to work on setting up a trade. What seemed to be a done deal however, had fallen apart and was deemed dead early Saturday afternoon.

On Friday night it appeared that Smyth would get his wish in exchange for a fourth round draft pick and a winger by the name of Gilbert Brule. It appears Brule was added to the trade by Edmonton in an attempt to offset some of the cost they would inherit in Smyth’s $6.25 million contract. This addition of Brule seemed to be the wrench that has been thrown into the gears of getting this trade approved.

Photo Courtesy of Bridget Samuels

The Kings had no intention of keeping Brule. This trade was being pushed by the Kings in order to free up the $6.25 million in cap space and to help Smyth return to Edmonton. Why was Brule such an issue for the Kings? The injury-prone Brule is listed as injured with a concussion and therefore unable to be traded or waived. Both sides seem to be arguing the fact of Brule’s status, but as of Saturday afternoon, Lombardi stood by his statement given to Rich Hammond, about the trade not being finished:

“It makes no sense for me to lose this player and lose the flexibility. I need to replace him. That’s where it broke down. When it was clear that I couldn’t do what I needed to do with that player I’m taking back, then it’s not what the deal was based on, in any stretch of the imagination, and it certainly doesn’t make any sense for me.”

The question was then what becomes of Smyth? Lombardi said he would keep looking for a possible trade but the doors seemed to slowly be closing on a few leads. On Friday, there was the possibility that Smyth could wind up with the Calgary Flames. This is no longer an option however since the Flames made moves of their own and resigned Alex Tanguay. As if there weren’t enough twists and turns in this trade, the final deal would come from Edmonton.

Both teams finally came to agreement on terms and Smyth will now be traded to the Oilers for Colin Fraser and a 2012 seventh-round draft pick. No, seriously. He has! As of right now, it has not been confirmed if the Kings plan on keeping Fraser. With one year left on his contract, Fraser only has a cap hit of $825,000. Match this with the fact that he only totaled three goals & two assists last season and you can bet the Kings will either waive or buy-out his contract.

With a heavy-heart, the Kings bid farewell to the beloved Captain Canada. If the next season does prove to be Smyth’s last, may he retire on a high-note with the team he started with.

Kings trade 2012 third-round & 2011 sixth-round draft picks to Nashville Predators for 2011 third-round pick.

Finally, a trade that would seem expected from draft day. In a move to get a 2nd third-round pick in this year’s draft, the Kings traded their 2012 third-round & this year’s sixth-round picks to Nashville. Lombardi made the move to get another prospect and with it he snagged the 82nd pick in Nick Shore, an 18-year-old from the University of Denver.

The Kings still need to fill a few gaps in the roster, but within the span of about three days they took large steps towards filling those gaps in the crown with gems. With trades like these, one can only wonder what free agency has in store for the kingdom.

Chris Van Deusen
NHLHS Los Angeles Kings Correspondent
Twitter – TheCrazyWhls

By Jeff Quirin
NHLHS NHL correspondent

San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings

We came close to a Battle: LA worthy of such a title (because the movie wasn’t), but the hockey gods decided that the LA Kings should not face their local nemesis Anaheim Ducks. Instead they travel up the coast to San Jose and jump in the tank with the Sharks.

Let Battle: California begin!

During the 82 game primer, the Pacific Division rivals squared off six times. San Jose took the season series 3-1-2. Outscoring the Kings 18-13. In games where the teams combine for 6 goals or less, LA has won three of the four contests. In the barn burning affairs San Jose is two for two.

What do such figures this tell outsiders? LA better keep these games close and play to their strengths.

At season’s end, Terry Murray’s Kings boasted the NHL’s 6th best GAA (2.4) and 4th rated penalty kill (85.5%). Putting young stud defensemen Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson as well veterans Willie Mitchell and Rob Scuderi in the spotlight for this series. Their ability to control the pace of play and lock down their defensive end will determine how effective the Sharks top two lines can be.

The other factor to consider is of course Kings netminder, Jonathan Quick. The US Olympian put together a solid season. Posting 35 wins (T-9th) in 61 games (60 starts) with a 2.24 GAA (5th) and .918 save percentage (T-13th). Assuming the top two pairings keep the shots to a minimum, which they should given they were 3rd best with just 27.9/game against, Quick will just need to make the routine save. Something he has for most of the season, against San Jose at least. In 5 starts against the Sharks he has a 2.19 GAA, .910 save percentage and a shutout.

The challenge for LA comes up up front. They were the 25th rated offense this season. Averaging just 2.55 goals/game (209 overall). As if scoring was hard enough, they lost team offensive leader, Anze Kopitar, to an ankle injury. Gone are his 25 goals and 73 points in 75 games. Second leading scorer, Justin Williams, may also miss time due to a shoulder injury. The time is now for another US Olympian, captain Dustin Brown, to step up and take over the reigns on the big stage. Trade deadline addition Dustin Penner must improve on his two goals and six point pace over 19 games pace if the Kings will be able to counter the Sharks attack.

…and the Sharks will be attacking. After a turbulent first half of the season Todd McLellan settled the veteran group down and powered up to the second highest position in the Western Conference. They’re style is the yin to the Kings yang. San Jose was the league’s 6th more prolific offense. Scoring 2.96 goals/game.

Even if LA can contain the super trio of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley, another unit must step up and stop Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and Devin Setoguchi. That group of seven has combined for 182 of the Sharks 243 goals, roughly 75%.  That said, the dynamic also presents a major concern if LA strongly plays the matchups and Quick catches fire. There will be no secondary punch from the Sharks energy lines.

Defensive responsibility is also at a premium for San Jose. They finished 2010-11 with the 8th lowest shots against/game average (28.9) and 10th lowest GAA (2.54). Dan Boyle, Douglas Murray and Marc-Edouard Vlasic remain as names most know and will be counted on to eat minutes on the back end. Ian White and Jason Demers are not, but consistently hold down an average close to 20 minutes a night as well. their puck moving abilities will be key to help break LA’s sure to be tight coverage.

Last but not least is 2010 Stanley Cup winner Antti Niemi. Many chastised the Sharks for rolling the dice on a netminder who ‘earned his ring” by playing behind the Chicago Blackhawks. His second half surge has put some of those doubters back in their place. Finishing the campaign with numbers comparable to Quick. Posting 35 wins (T-9th) in 60 games, a 2.38 GAA (11th) and .920 save percentage (12th). He could be the “x factor” that carries San Jose further than exiled Evgeni Nabakov.

Who Has The Edge?

Forwards: San Jose
- Even if Kopitar and Williams were in the lineup, the top two lines of LA just don’t match up against the brute force, size, speed and skill the Sharks roll over the boards. Ryan Smyth, Jarret Stoll and Michal Handzus provide a needed veteran balance to the youg core, but are not as dynamic as the likes of Pavelski or Couture.

Defensemen: LA
- Boyle is as good as they come on the back end, but the remainder of the group leaves much to be desired when compared to the potential impacts of two very dynamic youngsters in Doughty and Johnson. Add in the cup winning experience of Scuderi and LA has the advantage.

Goaltending: San Jose
- Niemi is a Cup champion. Quick has one playoff series loss and Silver Medal earned from opening the door to the bench. Winning validates no other athlete in such a defining way than a NHL goaltender.

Prediction: San Jose in 7
- LA is going to grind as hard as they can and force a full set of seven tilts. How efficient the Kings are in their own end will determine if the series runs short or not.

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Battle of California: Kings vs Sharks

By Stephanie Lee
NHLHS San Jose Sharks correspondent

In what turned out be one of the toughest divisions in the National Hockey League, the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings will face off for the first time in either teams history.  So what make the Los Angeles Kings scary good this year and why will the San Jose Sharks will have a tough time:

1. Jonathan Quick – For a guy whose last name is pretty much the epitome of what he is, it’s hard to watch a Kings game and not get caught solely watching him. His six shutouts and 2.24 goals against average landed him in the top ten among all NHL goalies. He only allowed five or more goals in three starts this season, and put together a seven game winning streak back in the first half of the season.
2. Justin Williams & Anze Kopitar – Both players led the Kings in goals before going down with injuries. Okay, yes Kopitar is done for the season, but he still finished the season leading the team in assists, points, +/-, game winning goals and shots on goal. Williams tallied 22 goals before his shoulder injury kept him out for the final nine games of the season. And according to coach Terry Murray, Williams might be able to return to the line up for the start of the first round on Thursday.
3. Dustin Brown – Yes, the almighty Captain. Leading the team goals (28) and hits (300), Dustin Brown knows how to score goals and do his job quite effectively. He is especially good on the penalty play, scoring seven goals and adding eight assists.
4. Penalty Kill – Los Angeles ended the season ranked 4th in penalty killing compared to San Jose’s 24th ranked penalty kill.

So, then what makes San Jose tough for the Los Angeles Kings?

1. Joe Pavelski – The man we call Joe Pa isn’t anywhere near as good as our top line, but his ten game point streak, including 12 assists makes him quite lethal. Pavelski reached career highs in just about every category this season, achieving 66 points and 46 assists with a +10 rating.
2. Logan Couture – Because if you have been following the Calder race closely, then you would know why. Although Couture is in his second season in the NHL, his twenty five games played last season still allows him to be considered for the Calder this season. He led the rookies early in the season in all categories and is second among the Sharks in goals (32), +/- (18), and game winning goals (eight).
3. Power Play - San Jose’s 68 power play goals puts them 3rd among the NHL for most goals on the man advantage but 2nd over all on the power play with 23.5%.
4. Seven 20+ goal scorers – Los Angeles only has five available players at the moment with 20+ goals, assuming Williams will be ready for action come Thursday.

In what turned out be one of the toughest divisions in the National Hockey League, the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings will face off for the first time in either teams history.  So what make the Los Angeles Kings scary good this year and why will the San Jose Sharks will have a tough time:

1. Jonathan Quick – For a guy whose last name is pretty much the epitome of what he is, it’s hard to watch a Kings game and not get caught solely watching him. His six shutouts and 2.24 goals against average landed him in the top ten among all NHL goalies. He only allowed five or more goals in three starts this season, and put together a seven game winning streak back in the first half of the season.
2. Justin Williams & Anze Kopitar – Both players led the Kings in goals before going down with injuries. Okay, yes Kopitar is done for the season, but he still finished the season leading the team in assists, points, +/-, game winning goals and shots on goal. Williams tallied 22 goals before his shoulder injury kept him out for the final nine games of the season. And according to coach Terry Murray, Williams might be able to return to the line up for the start of the first round on Thursday.
3. Dustin Brown – Yes, the almighty Captain. Leading the team goals (28) and hits (300), Dustin Brown knows how to score goals and do his job quite effectively. He is especially good on the penalty play, scoring seven goals and adding eight assists.
4. Penalty Kill – Los Angeles ended the season ranked 4th in penalty killing compared to San Jose’s 24th ranked penalty kill.

So, then what makes San Jose tough for the Los Angeles Kings?

1. Joe Pavelski – The man we call Joe Pa isn’t anywhere near as good as our top line, but his ten game point streak, including 12 assists makes him quite lethal. Pavelski reached career highs in just about every category this season, achieving 66 points and 46 assists with a +10 rating.
2. Logan Couture – Because if you have been following the Calder race closely, then you would know why. Although Couture is in his second season in the NHL, his twenty five games played last season still allows him to be considered for the Calder this season. He led the rookies early in the season in all categories and is second among the Sharks in goals (32), +/- (18), and game winning goals (eight).
3. Power Play - San Jose’s 68 power play goals puts them 3rd among the NHL for most goals on the man advantage but 2nd over all on the power play with 23.5%.
4. Seven 20+ goal scorers – Los Angeles only has five available players at the moment with 20+ goals, assuming Williams will be ready for action come Thursday.