What a morning for those of you who were following us on Twitter. For those of you who aren’t as easily distracted as I when it comes to news about the Los Angeles Kings, a rumor started this morning that the Kings had traded Jack Johnson and the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft to the Anaheim Ducks for Chris Pronger.

Now, I called B.S. on this one the minute I heard it but then the inter-webs exploded. Andy Strickland, who has ties to Pronger, reported that the deal was done and then retracted it. Then The Score, who is very reliable, also reported it was a done deal. This set off hundreds of re-tweets and a collective grown from Kings fans. I spoke with someone at the Kings who hadn’t heard anything about it. A deal like that would have trickled its way through the organization like wild fire.

While even I questioned my judgement, in my heart of hearts I knew it couldn’t be true. Chris Pronger is a great defenseman but sending Jack Johnson and the #5 is a ridiculous overpayment and is opposed to what Dean Lombardi has been trying to build. Since Pronger was traded in Anaheim, Kings fans have developed a nice bit of hatred for the 6’6″ defenseman. Some have speculated that this was a three-way deal for Vincent Lecavalier but trades like that only happen in NHL ’09 and on hockey rumor sites.

So, Kings fans, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Jack Johnson will not be a Duck and Chris Pronger will not be a King. All is well with the world. The Kings are still picking at #5 and we still need a scoring winger.

Had the deal gone down, what would you think?

If the excellent three-part interview with Terry Murray kept you wanting more, Gann Matsuda at Frozen Royalty has compiled the audio as well.

Listen on Frozen Royalty

A little late to the part here it seems, but here’s part three of Gann’s interview with Terry Murray. Check it out!

LOS ANGELES — The 2008-09 Los Angeles Kings placed a heavy load of responsibility on a roster laden with young talent at key positions. Predictably, the results were somewhat mixed and Kings head coach Terry Murray talked about a few of his key, young players in a recent interview.

Starting on the upside, goaltender Jonathan Quick did not start the season with the Kings, but after being recalled on December 16, 2008 and then winning the starting goaltender job after Jason LaBarbera was sent packing to the Vancouver Canucks on December 30, he showed that he just might be the answer in goal that has, outside of Rogie Vachon and Mario Lessard, eluded the Kings for most of their existence.

Quick (photo at left) played in 44 games, earning a 21-18-2 record, a 2.48 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and four shutouts—all impressive numbers on a team that ended the season three games below the .500 mark.

“I thought Jason played good for us, but at the end, I think he wishes he had played better for us,” said Murray. “That certainly was a comment he made to me as he was on his way to Vancouver [on the day he was traded]. We talked in the office. He certainly wanted to have contributed more and be a better player for the LA Kings and it just didn’t seem to work out. Unfortunately, that’s kind of the way things go sometimes.”

Read the Rest on Frozen Royalty

It’s a long off-season for Los Angeles Kings fans so when Keith and Chris needed some LA Kings hockey, the sought it out at the Toyota Sports Center.

Part 2 of Gann Matsuda’s exclusive interview with Terry Murray.

LOS ANGELES — For the Los Angeles Kings to be an improved team in the 2009-10 season they are going to have to generate a lot more offense than the 2008-09 Kings did while building on their much-improved defensive play.

A major factor in whether or not they will be successful towards that end will be their off-season conditioning and strength program, something Kings head coach Terry Murray cannot stress enough.

“[I hope] this off-season does great things for the players we have in our organization, meaning that the off-season program, the commitment to doing things so that you’re going to mature physically and come into the training camp totally ready, physically strong, confident and just build from that solid foundation that you’ve put in place through hard work in the summertime,” Murray explained.

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty

Part one of Gann Matsuda’s exclusive interview with Kings head coach Terry Murray. Really good stuff from Gann that’s a must read for Kings fans.

LOS ANGELES — With the Stanley Cup Finals in full swing, it has now been close to two months since the 2008-09 season ended for the Los Angeles Kings, who missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. Over that period. Kings head coach Terry Murray has certainly had time to reflect on his first season with the team, especially their improved defensive play.

Indeed, when Murray took the reins of the Kings, one of the first things he said when he was introduced at a press conference in July, 2008 was that the Kings needed to cut down on goals against and it was clear from day one of training camp that defense and checking would be emphasized.

“That was the main focus coming into the first day of training camp when we met as a big group,” said Murray. “I talked to the players about the focus of the training camp and the priority was to cut back on scoring chances and cut back on goals against. The players gave tremendous focus and commitment to that.”

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty & HockeyTalk.biz

I recently finished off the gathering pile on my nightstand of hockey books that have interested me. It’s a crapshoot when it comes to books about hockey as I’ve stopped reading quite a few that were absolutely terrible. However, the offseason is a long one and there are quite a few interesting hockey reads out there. Here’s a few of my favorites:

Saving Face: The Art and History of the Goalie Mask by Jim McRae, Jim Hynes & Gary Smith – I picked this one up at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on my last trip to Canada and couldn’t put this one down. I’ve always been a fan of the artistic license taken with goalie masks. I’ll never forget seeing the famous Gary Cheevers’ (who also wrote the forward to the book) mask on a hockey card when I was growing up. This book takes you through the first time a goaltender wore a hockey mask up to today. It’s truly amazing to see the personality of a goaltender come through. I highly recommend this book for the serious hockey enthusiast.

King of Russia: A Year in the Russian Super League by Dave King, Eric Duhatschek – I remember when I heard Eric Duhatschek on XM 204 promoting this book last year. I knew I had to have this book. Former coach of the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, Dave King became head coach of the Russian Super League’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk the year after the lockout. This book takes you through the back dealings of the Russian hockey system with a touch of hilarity. It’s an almost day by day account of Dave King’s days with the team. It’s a deeply insightful book that give you a take on the Russian hockey fan, the towns and the players. I couldn’t put this one down!

Thunder And Lightning: A No-B.S. Hockey Memoir by Phil Esposito & Peter Golenbock – Folks you’re in for a real treat with this one. Hall of Famer Phil Esposito is not just a great hockey player, he’s one hell of a personality. This takes you through Espo’s famed career as a Blackhawk, Bruin and Ranger, all the way up to his tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s not afraid to call out the people who have pissed him off throughout his career and his insight into his firing from the Lightning is laugh out loud. It’s exactly what you’d expect from the guy we listen to on XM everyday. It’s not about the philosophy of hockey, it’s about Phil by Phil.

The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association by Ed Willes – I’ve always been a fan of the old Jets, Oilers, Whalers and Nordiques which is why I picked this up initially. However this is the story of a league that was put together by two guys who didn’t know much about hockey but managed to leave their imprint on it forever. This book is packed with the “juicy bits” that make this read particularly enjoying. Hear stories about the real Hanson brothers, Gordie Howe playing with his son and the infamous signing of Bobby Hull.

The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team by Wayne Coffee – If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve already seen the movie Miracle but this is the definitive story behind the team that Herb Brooks built. Defeating the Russians to win the gold was no easy feat and this book takes you through the rigors of training, the tough defeats and the building of a family. The 1980 US Olympic team will live forever in the hearts of all Americans. This is a great book for the casual hockey fan as well.

So there’s your assignment. You have all summer to read these and write a full report. What do you think about these books? Do you have a favorite you’d like to share? Leave it in the comments section and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

The long off-season continues for Los Angeles Kings fans as we watch playoff hockey that doesn’t include…well…us. So as we peruse the internet we thought we’d share with you some of our favorite sites we like to take a look at.

Sites for Kings Fans

The Online Kingdom – The Online Kingdom has been around for a long time. The site started as an email list and became the site that it is through the hard work of many. Check out the Roundtable for intense debate year-round.

Inside the Kings – Started by Daily News reporter Rich Hammond, Inside the Kings is the source for up to the minute news and interviews on the LA Kings. No one has better access to the organization than Rich.

Frozen Royalty – Recently inducted into the Professional Hockey Writers Association, Gann Matsuda started this blog to expand his coverage of the LA Kings. Gann has been blogging for HockeyTalk.biz on a regular basis. It’s a great blog to read, particularly after home games. Gann has been posting post-game audio interviews with players and coaches after each game.

A Queen Among Kings – Connie Kim’s blog about the LA Kings is peppered with hilarious commentary about her favorite team. Connie likes to fixate her attention on one obscure player each season to gush about and frequently brings interesting signs to games. Connie is also a co-host with KingsCast (check her out on Overtime here).

Sites for Hockey Fans

Hockey’s Future – We’d be remiss not to mention Hockey’s Future as they are our first source for information on Kings prospects. If you’re looking for information on your favorite prospect, this is the source.

The Hockey Card Show – This show is about a fan’s love for hockey cards. But that’s not what makes this show so hilarious. The two hosts do a great job mixing booze, hockey and hilarity.

Hockey T Shirt.net – Another great find. This show takes a look at some of the cool hockey-related t-shirts out there. Again, the two hosts here are funny as hell Pittsburgh Penguins fans who loathe Alex Ovechkin. Check them out wearing a KingsCast shirt here.

The Hockey Zen – The Hockey Zen is a new hockey social networking site on the scene. While still new and building its member base, this is going to be a great site for the hockey fan. It’s not yet well represented by Kings fans, so point your browsers over and sign up. They also have a video blog called Hockey Zen TV that’s worth checking out.

Spector’s Hockey – Spector’s Hockey is the only place to go for the latest hockey rumors. Written by Lyle Richardson, he takes the rumors from all of the sources on-line and print and gives his color commentary on them. This is the one and only hockey rumor source I check daily.

Kukla’s Korner – Kukla’s Korner is a great blog network that gives you perspective on all teams league-wide. If you haven’t heard of Kukla’s Korner, you likely just joined the internet.

Got a site we missed? Add it to the comments section or tell us on Twitter. Yes, it’s highly possible we haven’t come across your hockey blog yet but we’d like to!

King LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract with forward Dwight King, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced Thursday. King was the club’s fourth-round selection (109th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

“Dwight King is a big power forward with lots of raw talent,” said Ron Hextall, the Kings Vice President / Assistant General Manager.

King, 19, recently finished the 2008-09 season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he recorded 60 points (25-35=60), 51 penalty minutes and plus-9 rating in 64 regular season games. Of his 25 goals, four were scored short-handed (ranked first on the team) and eight were scored on the power-play (ranked second on the team). His 60 points ranked third on the club. The Hurricanes advanced to the 2009 WHL playoffs and in 11 postseason games, King, a 6-3, 218-pound native of Meadowlake, Saskatchewan, totaled eight points (1-7=8; ranked second on the team), two penalty minutes and plus-1 rating, with his seven playoff assists pacing the team.

King, the brother of St. Louis Blues prospect D.J. King, recorded 69 points (34-35=69), 56 penalty minutes and a plus-21 rating in 72 regular season games with Lethbridge in 2007-08 while finishing third on the team in scoring. In addition, he tied for the team lead with 34 goals and 12 power-play goals while earning the title as Hurricanes Best Defensive Forward. During the 2008 WHL playoffs, King totaled 14 points (8-6=14), 12 penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating in 19 postseason games.

King, who won a gold medal as a member of Canada’s 2006 U-18 Junior World Cup team, recorded 44 points (12-32=44), 39 penalty minutes and a plus-8 rating in 68 regular season games with Lethbridge in 2006-07. The Hurricanes first-round selection in the 2004 WHL Bantam Draft was also a member of Team Western at the 2006 and 2005 World U-17 Hockey Challenges.

Per LAKings.com

KingsCast Take: The Cup is ours!!

The creators of the KingsCast Hockey Podcast take you behind the scenes for a rare look at what it takes to create the show by LA Kings fans, by LA Kings fans.