The Los Angeles Kings added five players to their organization this weekend at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Playing as hosts to the other respective 29 teams in the NHL at Staples Center, Dean Lombardi and his peers in the front office made sure to be active, racking up four trades to move ahead in order to snag three of their five prospects. The NHL draft is a bit different from those of other professional sports leagues, where immediate impact of the player drafted is seen quite often. With the majority of the draftees continuing their careers at the collegiate level, or on the junior hockey stage, it is very difficult to predict the outcome of the selections. Teams rarely base their picks based on position, since growth and maturity to the NHL is such a long, difficult process. The best player on the board will be taken, especially past the first round. The Kings have the money to spend on a premiere left winger during the off-season, so building the defense with use of their first pick in Derek Forbort (Right) was a very sensible selection. Below I’ll have notes on Derek Forbort and the other four draft selections for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Dean Dealing: Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi was active in the trade market this weekend, making four trades. Three of the deals allowed the Kings to move up on the board in order to make selections. Another trade gained a third round selection for the Kings in the 2012 Entry Draft. Here’s a quick run-down on the transactions:
*Kings trade 19th and 59th overall picks to Florida for 15th overall pick
*Kings trade 49th and 109th overall picks to Colorado for 47th overall pick
*Kings trade 79th overall pick to Toronto for a third-round selection in 2012 NHL Entry Draft
*Kings trade 169th and 199th overall picks to Atlanta for 148th overall pick

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Derek Forbort – 1st Round, 15th Overall
United States Development Team
Defense – 6’5″ 198
The Kings already have a young core of defensemen. Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson are thriving and developing into premiere players with the help of the veteran presence with the big club. Forbort is only 18 years old, but there is no reason to rush his progress. With 2007 1st round selection Thomas Hickey still developing in Manchester with the Monarchs, both players won’t be ready for the stage in Los Angeles until Johnson and Doughty become young veterans. The upside of the defense outlook for the Kings future is sky high. Not to mention, Forbort will be attending North Dakota to play for the Fighting Sioux, Matt Greene‘s alma mater. I’d expect a lot of dialogue and advice coming from Greene, which is spectacular for Forbort’s experience at North Dakota. I love the pick, and so does The Hockey News, who tweeted the following: “L.A. trades 19th, 59th picks to FLA for 15th, take D-man D. Forbort. Kings could have league’s best blueline in 5 years.” What can’t you not like about this selection?
Grade: A
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Tyler Toffoli – 2nd Round, 47th Overall
Ottawa 67′s of the Ontario Hockey League
Center – 6’0″ 178
The Kings acquired Toffoli by jumping up on the board. LA’s 49th and 109th overall selections were traded for Colorado’s 47th pick. Coming off of his second season with the Ottawa 67‘s, Toffoli recorded 79 points with 37 goals and 42 assists. Not a big player, but is said to make up for it with his effort. A two way offensive threat with a quick release and superb accuracy, Toffoli knows how to read the ice and has showed his ability to create and finish plays.
Grade: B-
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Jordan Weal – 2nd Round, 70th Overall
Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League
Center – 5’10″ 162
Weal is the only player the Kings didn’t make a move up on the board to acquire. Coming off of his second season with the Regina Pats, Weal recorded 102 points with 35 goals and 67 assists. Touted by scouts as a player who “beats the odds” with his small stature, Weal led the Pats in points as their smallest player. His playing style is compared to that of Jason Blake, with his great movement in the offensive zone and the ability to finish plays with flare. Another small center taken, but has showed his ability to make that a non-issue.
Grade: B
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Kevin Gravel – 5th Round, 148th Overall
Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League
Defense
6’4″ 185
An 18 year old defenseman with a season in the NAHL and USHL respectively, Gravel is a stay-at-home defenseman but also has shown glimpses of offensive ability. There’s no question he needs plenty of work, growth, and experience. His name probably won’t pop up with Kings fans for a few years to come. Gravel is said to be great with his stick in the defensive zone, along with his quick foot movement and quick instinct with the puck.
Grade: B-
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Maxim Kitsyn – 6th Round, 158th Overall
Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the Kontinental Hockey League
Left Wing
6’2″ 194
The Kings traded their 169th and 199th picks to the Atlanta Thrashers to move up to 148 and snag Kitsyn from the board. At 19 years old with two years of experience in the KHL, Kitsyn and his agent are in the works of backing out of the remaining three years of his current contract with Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Kitsyn hopes to play major junior hockey next season. Ranked 6th overall among European skaters, Kitsyn’s fall in the draft was due to his rough season in the KHL. Out for two months with an injury, Kitsyn only recorded one goal and one assist in 21 games.
Grade: C

Take a quick look to the left of the screen; If you can bear to. It was that close. That close. But what good would harping on Roberto Luongo‘s last-ditch effort to stop a re-directed shot from the point do? Hard not to, but not necessary; as we saw a very impressive Kings performance. What a great opportunity to steal a game. Today, I don’t find myself quite as upset as I thought I would with a game 1 loss. Truth is, there were many good things to come from the Kings last night. From Jonathan Quick‘s spectacular play, to sound coaching from Terry Murray, you’ve got to believe they can rebound from a tough loss. Below I’ll share a few thoughts on where the Kings stand going into Game 2:

On Jonathan Quick:
The goaltender situation had me worried going into the playoffs. Jonathan Quick looked shaky, flat, fatigued. We had an under-played backup in Erik Ersberg, and thoughts of the playoff goalie shuffle ran through my head. Well, look who showed up last night. Jonathan Quick stood on his head. 41 saves, and cutting off a 1st period Vancouver ambush kept the Kings in the game. Quick will last the entire series, and will be a deciding factor in the result.

On Ryan Smyth:
The Vancouver defense had Smyth on target all night. Playing to keep him away from the front of the net, they took it to him physically. Smyth got handled in the corners all night long, but that’s not his game. If someone on this team wants the Cup, it’s Ryan Smyth. His passion showed in the hits he took last night.

On Who Stood Out:
Randy Jones saw plenty of ice time last night, and played well. He continued to move his feet with the puck, didn’t cough up the puck very often, and played the body. Michal Handzus had an outstanding game. He seemed to be in the vicinity of the puck all night. Leading the Kings in shots, and almost burying a game-winner in overtime, Handzus continues to be reliable. Fredrik Modin didn’t shy away from shooting the puck, and scored a goal in his trademark spot; in front of the net.

On Who Didn’t:
Anze Kopitar was surrounded all night. Vancouver’s defense did an impressive job containing Kopitar, rarely giving him much room with or without the puck. Justin Williams hasn’t looked great since his return from the injury, and failed to contruct any chances on the 1st line. Drew Doughty didn’t disappoint, but may have lost his head a bit. The intensity was good to see, but can’t cross the line to grant a power-play to Vancouver.

On Terry Murray:
Terry Murray coached a solid game last night. He didn’t so much concentrate on the match-ups as he made sure the entire dressed roster got their legs into the game. As much as I was pleased with this, I’m afraid he may hold back in Game 2. A few changes could be made in his strategy now that the Kings are down a game.

The Kings entered today’s regular season finale in Colorado with nothing more to do than ensure positive vibes heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Mission accomplished. With their 2-1 Overtime victory, the Kings await the start of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Vancouver Canucks, coming off of an all-around solid performance. Backup goaltender Erik Ersberg got the call in the finale and impressed. With 31 saves, Ersberg may have strengthened head coach Terry Murray and the rest of the organization’s confidence in him entering the postseason. A solid defensive showing held the Avalanche to only one goal, while a poised offense tied the game late; And carried that momentum to clinch the victory in overtime. Below are my notes on today’s regular season finale:

Notes on the game:
– Let me reiterate on Erik Ersberg‘s strong performance. Quite comforting, especially with starting goaltender Jonathan Quick looking shaky in his recent starts. Look for Terry Murray to trust Ersberg if Quick struggles early in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
– As for Colorado’s only goal, you could argue a whistle should have been blown to stop play. Ryan Stoa shot from the top of the right circle and was able to crash the net to bury his own rebound. Can’t really blame Ersberg on this one.
– Another third period comeback results in another victory. This offense has consistently showed the ability to utilize poise and patience facing late-game deficits. Matt Greene‘s decision to put the puck on net was perfect. Jarret Stoll, parked in front of the net, was able to deflect the shot to beat goaltender Craig Anderson to tie the game with only 4:32 remaining.
– The Kings beat Craig Anderson in overtime as Dustin Brown, with great positioning, was able to score on a close-range rebound off of a Drew Doughty shot. The Kings continue to show their force in front of the net, capitalizing on outside shots.
– The Kings (6) will face the Vancouver Canucks (3) in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Keep posted here at Kingscast for a series preview.

For those who have said a first round match-up between these two teams would be boring, you’re wrong. Both teams played well on each end of the ice, maintaining a fast pace and playoff-like atmosphere. The Phoenix Coyotes have certainly proved their surprising 4th place season with consistently solid play here at the end of the season. With 1 point earned in the shootout loss, the Kings bumped themselves up to 5th place in the Western Conference with 98 points. If the regular season were to end today, the Los Angeles Kings would face-off against the Phoenix Coyotes in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Former Kings goaltender Jason LaBarbera had a solid outing with 22 saves, and Jonathan Quick looked sharp in net stopping 25 Phoenix shots. Two young defensemen stepped up for the Kings tonight; literally. More on those d-men below along with my notes on the game:

Notes on the game:
– Both Kings goals came via aggressive offensive defensemen tonight. First, with Drew Doughty‘s spectacular split of two Phoenix defensemen who walked in alone on Jason LaBarbera and beat him to the far side. Note, Doughty risked the rush knowing Justin Williams was back on the play to cover. Williams fed Anze Kopitar up the sideboards, who saw the streaking Doughty, and led him perfectly to eventually score the 1st Kings goal.
– As for Jack Johnson‘s goal, it was almost impressive. Johnson caused the turnover, and finished the transition of that turnover with a goal. After winning the battle with two Phoenix defensemen, Johnson cleared the puck to an open Ryan Smyth in the neutral zone. Johnson caught up to the play, went straight to the net after reading Smyth’s fake shot, and capitalized on Smyth’s pass with a goal.
– Phoenix’s two regulation goals came off of face-off wins. First with Wojtek Wolski winning the puck in the corner, and feeding an open Matthew Lombardi who beat Quick from close range. The second goal came off a point-shot off of another face-off. Zbynek Michalek‘s point shot was deflected by Taylor Pyatt and beat Jonathan Quick with just under 6 minutes remaining.

In what was a stunning comeback victory on the road, the Kings showed their poise and perseverance fighting back from a couple of three goal deficits to earn a shootout victory. Moments prior to Anze Kopitar‘s back-handed drag shootout winner, the Anaheim Ducks were officially eliminated from playoff contention. The Colorado Avalanche buried any of Anaheim’s hopes by clinching a spot of their own with a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. You’ve got to be impressed with the capability of this young roster to rebound being three goals down to earn a victory. Jonathan Quick‘s play? Not so impressive. Quick has shown signs of fatigue, and just hasn’t been nearly as sharp as he was earlier in the season. More thoughts on the goaltender below. With tonight’s victory, the Kings bump up to the 6th seed in the Western Conference. With 97 points, the Kings are only one point behind the 5th seed Nashville Predators, and have a game in hand. It’s safe to say Los Angeles is safe from falling to the 8th seed, as the final push could very well have the 5th, 6th, and 7th seeds jumble around quite a bit. Below are my notes on tonight’s game, as well as video of Anze Kopitar’s highlight reel shootout winner on Ducks goaltender Curtis McElhinney:

– It’s quite obvious to say Jonathan Quick has looked flat in net for a while now. If there’s one thing contributing to this, it’s fatigue. I’ve stressed this all season long now, and we’re seeing the results. Another possibility? Jonathan Bernier‘s footsteps. I am a believer that Quick may have a little more pressure on his shoulders now that Bernier has impressed the big club. Quick now not only has to perform well as the playoffs rapidly approach, but has a statement to make for training camp next season. This is your fault, Terry Murray.
– Even with Quick’s sub-par play, Anaheim earned most of their goals. Bobby Ryan showed great puck control and patience on a 1st period power-play to find a wide-open Jason Blake who opened the scoring.
– As for Anaheim’s second goal, Teemu Selanne simply beat Sean O’Donnell. Anaheim’s third tally came thanks to a flat-footed Randy Jones, who fumbled the puck behind the Kings net. Bobby Ryan jumped on the puck, and ended Jonathan Quick‘s night.
– If the comeback wasn’t impressive enough, the Kings showed strong effort and skill on all four regulation goals. Starting with Dustin Brown, who muscled his way to the net and recovered his own rebound to put the Kings on the board. Alexander Frolov used his strength to get to the front of the net as well, burying a rebound courtesy of Dustin Brown.
– You say comeback, I say Justin Williams. Wow. If there was one player to fuel the the third period for the Kings, it was Williams. Scoring the Kings third goal, Williams moved cross-ice as he entered the slot, turned toward the net, and held on to the puck to beat a helpless Curtis McElhinney. Williams was also the key to Michal Handzus‘ game-tying goal. Entering the zone with the puck on the side-boards, Williams fed a streaking Handzus who received the pass in the slot and scored thereafter.
– As for Anze Kopitar‘s game-winner. Man, oh man. We’ve seen it many times before, but it never gets old. Check it out below.

With the Calgary Flames losing to the Chicago Blackhawks by the score of 4-1 this afternoon at the United Center, the Los Angeles Kings clinched a spot for the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. If the playoffs were to start today, the Kings would meet the 2nd seed Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. With four games remaining in the regular season, the Kings stand at 7th place in the Western Conference with 95 points. The only possible rotations as far as seeding goes are the bottom four spots. Here’s how the bottom four teams stand:
Western Conference seeding (5-8)

5. Nashville Predators: 98 points, 46 wins with two games remaining.

6. Detroit Red Wings: 96 points, 41 wins with three games remaining.

7. Los Angeles Kings: 95 points, 44 wins with four games remaining.

8. Colorado Avalanche: 89 points, 41 wins with five games remaining.

As for the remaining four games on schedule for the Kings regular season, here’s a look at the opponents.

Los Angeles Kings remaining schedule:
Tuesday, April 6th @ Anaheim Ducks – Honda Center.
Thursday, April 8th vs. Phoenix Coyotes – Staples Center.
Saturday, April 10th vs. Edmonton Oilers – Staples Center.
Sunday, April 11th @ Colorado Avalanche – Pepsi Center.

In a game in which the Kings never really played well, Saku Koivu was able to steal the game with a late 3rd period goal, and snag a win for the Anaheim Ducks with a 3rd-round shootout goal. For the second consecutive game, Koivu has recorded a game-tying goal late in the 3rd period. Anaheim, who now stands at 10th place in the Western Conference with 85 points, continue to hold on the their slim playoff hopes. The Kings remain at 7th place in the Western Conference with 95 points. Goaltender Jonathan Quick returned to the starting lineup with a solid performance; Stopping 32 of Anaheim’s 33 shots. Quick was a positive note to a Kings team that struggled tonight. This is a good sign, after Quick sat behind Jonathan Bernier for two consecutive games. Jack Johnson, who has been playing well lately, including a superb game Thursday against Vancouver, recorded the Kings only goal of the night. Below are my notes on tonight’s game:

– Solid effort from Ryan Smyth to contain a loose puck on a first period Kings power-play. Smyth, who was able to set his feet and control the puck inside the zone, fed an open Jack Johnson on the point, who released a one-timer that deflected off Anaheim’s Troy Bodie to beat goaltender Curtis McElhinney.
– I was impressed with Jonathan Quick‘s performance tonight. With two consecutive games on the bench behind Jonathan Bernier, Quick looked sharp. Able to get some rest and concentrate on practice time, it certainly showed as though it paid off. Quick has consistently showed his ability to rebound from sub-par performances, and he did so tonight; Even in a losing effort.
– With the Anaheim Ducks desperate for points as they try to maintain their stake in the Western Conference playoff race, Saku Koivu came up huge. Koivu buried a rebound while crashing the net after a shot of his own, tying the game late with only 1:32 remaining. Koivu clinched a Ducks victory beating Jonathan Quick up top to the right in the final round of the shoot-out.

If you like offense, tonight was your game. Talk about an outburst; The Kings, who have recorded six goals in their previous four games, tallied eight tonight in a route of the Vancouver Canucks. Many players have suffered from the “Olympic Hangover”, and I think it’s safe to say Roberto Luongo is a victim. With 29 shots on goal, the Kings managed to put eight of those past an elite NHL goaltender. The Kings capitalized on 2 of 5 power-play chances. Vancouver, who could very well be a 1st round opponent come the playoffs, came out flat, and the Kings took advantage. With 94 points, the Kings remain in 7th place in the Western Conference, one point behind the 6th seed Detroit Red Wings and two points behind the 5th seed Nashville Predators. Roberto Luongo has not allowed 8 goals since January 7th, 2000 against the Boston Bruins. Below are my notes on tonight’s game.

Notes on the game:
– I’m going to start here on a hot 1st period. Although getting outshot 8-7, the Kings held a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes. Dustin Brown fed a streaking Alexander Frolov for the first goal. As for the second goal, Anze Kopitar set up shop in front of the net, and was able to react to a Jack Johnson shot and score on an easy rebound. Dustin Brown scored his first of what would be a hat-trick to polish off an impressive 1st period.
– Look, Scott Parse has been putting up points the past couple of games, but failed to do so tonight. However, he may have been one of the most impressive players on the ice. His speed to loose pucks, and his physical play on the defensive end caught my eye all night. His highlight? Clearing a sitting puck in front of a helpless Jonathan Bernier, and laying a hit on a forechecking Canuck immediately after.
– Dustin Brown had his second career NHL hat-trick tonight, recording a goal in each period. Talk about coming to play. With 4 points, Brown set the tone for the offense tonight, continually going hard to the net, and finding open lanes through the neutral and offensive zone.
– Drew Doughty, once again, showed his uncanny skill on the power-play. Controlling the puck on the point with a fake shot, showing poise and patience, Doughty rung a howitzer off the post to an open Jarret Stoll who buried the rebound.
– Jack Jonhson, who had a marvelous performance, utilized great puck control up-top to feed Dustin Brown in the first period.
– As for Dustin Brown‘s hat-trick, his third goal was the most impressive. Working through two Vancouver defensemen, Brown found room upstairs to beat Roberto Luongo.
– The Vancouver Canucks failed to clinch a playoff spot tonight.

As you may have heard earlier today, Terry Murray has decided to start Jonathan Bernier for the second consecutive game. This, with a healthy Jonathan Quick on the bench. You’d be crazy not to describe Bernier’s two starts as impressive, or even stellar. He’s a great goaltender, and has proved he is capable of shutting down NHL opponents. I’m not here to criticize Murray’s decision for tomorrow night, but to explain why I’ve been miffed at his decisions regarding the goaltender spot this entire season.

There’s always talk about fatigue hitting goaltenders late in the season. Don’t tell me Quick’s recent struggles have had nothing to do with this. He’s played 68 games, c’mon now. Here’s the bottom line folks; Terry Murray has overplayed Jonathan Quick. Now, he could have avoided this quite easily. Erik Ersberg just never saw any ice. Why? Personally, I feel Murray gauged too much on Ersberg’s early season loss at New York; His first start of the season. You could tell post-game Murray was rattled he sat his hot starter. That was the breaking point, Ersberg never earned back the trust. His starts were few and far between, and against questionable opponents.

As the season went on, you got the drift that Murray just didn’t feel comfortable playing Erik Ersberg. You might say “he didn’t need to”. Yes, he did. There are plenty of opponents Ersberg is capable of starting against. Well, this drift was all but clinched when Jonathan Bernier was called up and immediately given the start; Ahead of Ersberg. Zing. Bernier won, and in spectacular fashion. I did not agree with Murray’s decision; Completely stomped on any confidence Ersberg still had. Afterward, Bernier was sent down. Back to Quick and Ersberg.

Now, since Erik Ersberg is still day-to-day with a strained back, we’ve got Jonathan Bernier starting in place of Jonathan Quick for the second consecutive game. Now he’s starting over Quick. And why? Someone looks a little tired. I don’t completely buy Murray’s explanation on Quick needing more practice. He needs rest. Now, we’ve got this highly touted prospect who may, just may, ruffle the confidence of Jonathan Quick a bit. And who knows? Is there a chance Bernier stays with the team into the playoffs? If not, will Ersberg get a start if healthy? There’s a whirlwind of questions and speculations going on right now, I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on the goalie situation at hand.

To say this victory was huge would be an understatement. Tonight’s shutout victory snapped a 4 game losing skid, and a 7 game losing streak to the Nashville Predators. Nashville, who has claimed themselves as a force in the Western Conference, was a crucial opponent for the Kings to beat. Tonight’s matchup turned into a goaltending battle. Both Jonathan Bernier and Pekka Rinne delivered impressive performances, but Bernier came out on top for his second consecutive NHL victory. The Kings remain in 7th place in the Western Conference with 92 points. You’ve got to believe we’ll see a boost in the confidence as the Kings are on home ice for their next two games. Tonight was a prime example of how well this young team is able to adapt to disappointment. You couldn’t ask for much more than what they showed on the ice tonight in Nashville. Solid effort all around. Below are my notes on the game:

Notes on the game:
– I’m usually harsh, but Randy Jones played well tonight. And the highlight of his play tonight resulted in the Kings first goal. Jones managed to skate the puck from the blue-line to low on the side-boards, showing great puck control and patience. There, he dumped the puck behind the net to Jeff Halpern, who then turned to find an open Scott Parse. With that goal, Parse recorded his third tally in two games.
– Not only did Sean O’Donnell score tonight, but he caused the turnover that lead to the goal, feeding what turned to be strong transition through the neutral zone. Once in the offensive zone, O’Donnel jumped on a rebound off an Alexander Frolov shot, made sure he had control of the puck, and scored on a quick release.
– There’s no question that I, and the rest of the Kings fan-base are impressed with the play of Jonathan Bernier. Bernier has two victories, stopping a respective 29 shots and 34 shots in each outing, allowing only one goal. Until updates on Erik Ersberg‘s back strain are released, you have to wonder if Bernier will be on the bench come the playoffs.