It’s no real shock that Alexander Frolov will not be a Los Angeles King next season. His time with the team is over. Here, Gann Matsuda of Frozen Royalty gives his take on the enigmatic winger and his possible destination.

COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS: Winger Alexander Frolov likely has a little over five weeks left with the Los Angeles Kings before heading elsewhere to continue his playing career…this should come as a surprise to no one.

LOS ANGELES — For all of you Alexander Frolov fans out there, I regret to inform you that his days with the Los Angeles Kings are very, very likely over.

On May 26, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi appeared on Neilson and Chase In the Morning on Edmonton Sports Radio Team 1260 in Edmonton, Alberta. When asked about Frolov, Lombardi said that he was not optimistic about being able to re-sign the enigmatic winger.

“When you talk about building today, it’s certainly different from prior to the lockout,” said Lombardi. “You really get tied in with, ‘Do you like the player?’ Yes, but do you like him at ‘X’ price? Because you now have to get the right price, if you’re going to be able to keep your core together. So would we like to keep him? Yes, but if the price is prohibitive and maybe would prevent us from filling other holes and making sure we keep [defensemen Drew] Doughty and [Jack] Johnson and all these kids coming through, then you have to walk away.”

“I’m not too optimistic, given what he’s looking for,” added Lombardi, who went on to say that Frolov’s salary demands exceed his actual value in the National Hockey League, but added that one cannot blame a player for being attracted by the ungodly sums of tax-free money that the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia is throwing at players, and you can bet that the KHL is doing whatever it can to get Frolov to play back home.

One thing that Lombardi’s comments on the Edmonton radio show revealed was that nothing has changed since earlier in the season in terms of his stance on Frolov or in terms of the salary Frolov is seeking from the Kings and, presumably, other NHL teams that might be interested in his services when he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

In fact, it appears that Lombardi has not budged one bit from his position held earlier in the season.

“Our problem under this new system [with the salary cap], is OK, I can’t pay you as a forty-goal scorer,” Lombardi said in a January 2010 interview with Frozen Royalty (see “Alexander Frolov Creates Dilemma For Dean Lombardi). “I’m not sure I can pay you as a thirty-goal scorer. I like you, even if you stay the same, I think I can win a [Stanley] Cup for you in this role. But if a player has to get X amount of dollars, he has to fill [the] role [that fits that dollar amount].”

“That’s the quandary as a manager—there was an article today about all the guys making $9 million,” Lombardi elaborated. “If you’re making $9 million you have to be the leader, you have to carry the ball, score—you have to be everything.”

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty.

The Kings skated into Dallas Friday night to face an aggressive Stars team that is fighting to cling to any hopes of a playoff berth. Tonight’s affair was pretty evenly matched throughout; With both teams producing solid play on both ends of the ice, and solid goaltending from both Jonathan Bernier and Marty Turco. Shots (27) and goals (1) were even at the end of regulation, and lasted into a 6-round shootout to see Jarret Stoll claim the extra point for the Kings. Jonathan Bernier, who started in place of an absent Jonathan Quick, played an outstanding game, and was able to hold his own after allowing a 3rd period goal to Dallas. Bernier, a highly touted prospect, backed up that claim tonight; But will be reassigned to the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League as Jonathan Quick re-joins the Kings. Newly acquired Fedrik Modin continues his resurgence with the LA’s only regulation goal, on a nifty re-direction that beat Dallas’ Marty Turco on a first period power-play. Below are my notes on tonight’s game:

Notes on the game:
– Great recovery on Dustin Brown‘s part to chase down a muffed pass from Alexander Frolov. Not only was he successful in retaining offensive zone presence, but slowed down, walked the puck in, and put a shot on net. Not a howitzer, but the right idea, which led to a goal.
– Fredrik Modin had an impressive game, yet again. With three solid scoring chances, he capitalized on one. His finest attributes are controlling the puck down low, and using his body in front of the net. Tonight, he did just that; Re-directing Dustin Brown‘s shot to beat Marty Turco.
– On Dallas’ 3rd period marker, Richard Clune and Jeff Halpern got caught chasing, and staring at the puck up top. Dallas capitalized on the over-committed Kings players high in the zone, eventually finding Brendan Morrow open on the back-door to beat Jonathan Bernier.
– After tonight, I’d like to see Peter Harrold take some playing time from Randy Jones. Jones had an awful game. Too many times Jones stood still with the puck, allowing defenders to close passing lanes, and shutting down offensive flow. His play in the corners has been terrible as well, concentrating more on the pressure from the oncoming hit, than making a play on the puck. This isn’t anything new with Jones, who has had Kings fans pulling out their hair with play like this on a regular basis.
– Jonathan Bernier‘s performance was quite spectacular tonight. However, I’m disappointed in Terry Murray‘s decision to sit Erik Ersberg. I felt it was a slap in the face to the current back-up goaltender, one who will be dressing come the playoffs. This has nothing to do with who I think is a better goalie, but how to manage a player who can become the team’s backbone in an instant; in the playoffs. I think it’s safe to say Bernier will be on the Kings roster come next season.

Your thoughts on the game? What did you think of tonight’s 2-1 victory? Impressed with Bernier? Frustrated with Jones? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

It was like a game of NHL 2010 on Rookie Mode as the Los Angeles Kings notched six goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Staples Center last night. Alexander Frolov had a monster game with four points (1G, 4A) and newly acquired Fredrik Modin (1G, 1A) also had a great game. Incidentally, the conditional 7th round pick the Kings gave up for Modin only happens if the Kings win the Stanley Cup. I guess we’ll be hanging onto that pick!

Alex’s Post-Game blog on the win.

With the Olympic break finally over, the playoff push for the LA Kings begins. In this new installment; how the Olympics experience impacts the players, trade deadline fodder, exclusive coverage of the Stars game from Dallas correspondent Chris Bond and a special “international” shoutout.

Nearing the crucial games that will be documented as the “playoff-stretch”, I’m taking a look at each player on the Kings roster and evaluating them with a grade on their performance thus far. A roster that has worked together to post a 37-20-4 record (78 points) at 5th place in the Western Conference has to be doing something right, Right? Which players have contributed most? Which players have disappointed? In Part 3 of a 3-Part series, we’ll take a look at the forwards of the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings have tallied 185 goals so far, which ranks them 4th in the Western Conference and 6th in the NHL. The production from this offense has been a big contributor to the Kings success this season.

FORWARDS

DUSTIN BROWN #23
GRADE: B
SYNOPSIS: Dustin Brown has had a solid season for the Kings, bringing his high intensity, physical play whenever he’s on the ice. Brown has been impressive on the forecheck, utilizing his speed and strength to create offensive zone posession. With 15 goals and 27 assists, Brown has been a key contributor, but there are still some flaws. I like to see Brown make the dump & chase work for the Kings with his heavy pressure down low, but often find myself frustrated when he enters the zone with the puck. Too often Brown is fancy with the puck with his through the legs deke, and still has an issue with missing the net with his shots. Bottom Line: You can always count on Brown to make a presence physically, but he’s had issues with the puck. A couple of scoring droughts have lowered Brown’s point totals, but his leadership on and off the ice is crucial to the team.

ALEXANDER FROLOV #24
GRADE: C-
SYNOPSIS: I’ve been frustrated with Frolov’s play all season, which I see as having a lack of heart and intensity. Whether it’s giving up on the back-check, or skating circles without the puck, Frolov has been a huge disappointment. The guy has skill, and his 13 goals and 27 assists is sub-par for a player with his capability. Frolov has made plenty of bad decisions, namely his constant wrap-arounds, and has shown his inability to occupy the front of the net. Bottom Line: Frolov has been the center of trade rumors this year, and there’s still a chance he could be dealt after the Olympic break. Frolov, even with his lackluster style of play, has the ability to create points for the Kings as they stride toward the playoffs.

MICHAL HANDZUS #26
GRADE: B+
SYNOPSIS: Handzus, with 33 points this season, has been a solid contributor up front for the Kings. Not a flashy forward, but extremely versatile. Handzus has shown he is capable of winning face-offs, scoring from the top of the circles, and creating traffic in front of the net. #26 is a veteran who can center a wide variety of wingers. Handzus’ smart play has worked well with the various line combinations Terry Murray has drawn up. Bottom Line: An essential part of the Kings offense, Handzus rarely makes costly mistakes. Whether it’s his puck control down low, his body in front of the net, or his shot selection from the top of the circles, his intelligence on the ice meshes well with his line-mates.

RAITIS IVANANS #41
GRADE: C-
SYNOPSIS: Ivanans is on the roster for one reason; To be the enforcer. If there’s a player who’s going to drop the gloves, look to Raitis. Even though it’s not his function on the ice, Ivanans has yet to record a point, which is troubling at 54 games played. My main problem with his play is the stupid retaliation I’ve seen from him this season. I have no problem with him dancing when necessary, but it’s been a recurring instance where Ivanans takes a revenge penalty that hurts the team. Bottom Line: Ivanans has a spot on the roster to have the back of his skilled teammates. #41 needs to be a little smarter when choosing to stick up for his team, and make sure he isn’t a burden to their success.

ANZE KOPITAR #11
GRADE: A-
SYNOPSIS: Kopitar had a stunning start to the season, even leading the NHL in points for a period of time. The hot start was quickly crushed with a lengthy stretch of games where Kopitar failed to produce. However, he regrouped to again become an offensive force for the Kings. I believe his slump was in part to pushing too hard. #11 never stopped working, but just couldn’t catch a break. He never left his game, but over-did it at times. Once he was able to settle down, and had healthy surroundings, he’s become the vastly improved player we saw at the start of the season. Bottom Line: Kopitar’s skill has been coupled with his revamped strength this season to create a player who is on the verge of being a superstar. A long stretch into the playoffs will only help Kopitar’s process of maturing and growing into an elite NHL player.

OSCAR MOLLER #9
GRADE: B
SYNOPSIS: I, for one, didn’t expect much out of the young Swede this season. I figured Moller would get shut-down because of his size. Yes, I judged, but you can’t deny that was the story last season. Now, he hasn’t been putting up the points, but he’s not afraid to go into corners and fight for the puck. I like to relate him to a mosquito. Small, but extremely bothersome. Moller uses his speed to disrupt the opposition. Does he always win the battles? No. But he distracts the flow of his counterparts. Bottom Line: Moller is annoying to the opposition. He doesn’t scare them, he bothers them. This is what allows him to create turnovers down-low utilizing his small stature and quick feet.

TEDDY PURCELL #54
GRADE: D+
SYNOPSIS: Late decisions, and bad ones. That can describe Purcell’s season so far. Teddy had a semi-promising ending to last season, but has completely flopped this year. 3 goals and 3 assist through 41 games, Purcell has been awful. There hasn’t been one positive to his play. At times he looks lost, and at other times he just looks bad. Bad passes, bad shot selection, poor puck control down-low, I’ll stop now. Bottom Line: I’ve just about given up hope with Purcell. Will he be a factor down the stretch? I don’t think so. A part of me wants to have some faith in him, but there’s been no reason to build it.

BRAD RICHARDSON #15
GRADE: B+
SYNOPSIS: Boy, talk about an impressive player coming from nowhere. Richardson, who was pointless for a long stretch at the start of the season, began to blossom into a key forward. The guy just works hard. Always hard on the forecheck and backcheck, Richardson works for his points. He’s provided a spark to the offense with his work ethic, and has earned every single one of his 21 points. Bottom Line: A young winger like Richardson who takes pride in hustle, he can create big plays for the Kings down the line. No question he’ll be a factor in plenty of games, and his intensity will be a great fit come playoff time.

WAYNE SIMMONDS #17
GRADE: A
SYNOPSIS: There’s no question Simmonds play has led him to become a fan favorite. A forward who mixes in a bit of everything when on the ice, he has posted 35 points. Simmonds physical play on the forecheck and ability to fight make him even more of a threat. His speed allows him to beat the opposition to the puck. His long, fluid stride helps as well. Bottom Line: In only his second season, Simmonds has been a huge surprise. A player who is still developing, only expect to get more results from Simmonds for the rest of the season and beyond.

RYAN SMYTH #94
GRADE: A
SYNOPSIS: Smyth is hands-down the best off-season acquisition for the Kings. He’s had such a big impact on the team both on and off of the ice. Smyth has managed to tally 19 goals and 19 assists even being out for over a month. His presence in front of the net is a key factor on the PP. Knowing where to be on the ice at all times, Smyth makes his line-mates better. He gives his teammates confidence when putting the puck on net or down low, knowing Smyth will be scrapping for possession or a deflection. Bottom Line: There’s no doubt Smyth will be an important factor down the stretch. Not only is his play crucial to the team, but his experience as well. Smyth went to the Stanley Cup Finals with Edmonton in 2006.

JARRET STOLL
GRADE: B-
SYNOPSIS: Stoll has fought back from numerous injuries this season to put together a solid overall performance. With 12 goals and 23 assists, Stoll has backed up his success in the face-off circle with production in the offensive zone. A key part of the PP, Stoll moves to the blue-line because of his shot. You have to be impressed with the embattled forward fighting through injuries and still bringing a strong performance to the ice. Bottom Line: Stoll’s biggest contributions to the team will be face-offs in the O-Zone and to continue to pose a threat from the blue-line on the PP.

When you talk of the Los Angeles Kings, you no longer have to utter the words “Wayne Gretzky” in the same sentence. Despite a horrendous first period, the Kings beat the Detroit Red Wings at another 1PM’er to break the franchise record of consecutive wins with 9 in a row. Jonathan Quick is one win away from breaking Mario Lessard’s all-time wins in a season by a Kings goaltender. The Kings now sit alone as fourth in the Western Conference with 75 points.

When you sit-down with Dean Lombardi, you’re in store for a very sizable interview. And Gann Matsuda of Frozen Royalty knows that better than most. Here is part three of his exclusive sit-down with LA Kings GM Dean Lombardi. Check it out!

LOS ANGELES — Since the 2002-03 season, winger Alexander Frolov has been a top six forward for the Los Angeles Kings. A highly-skilled player, Frolov has a definite scoring touch, good hands, and he can pass the puck as well as anyone. The 27-year-old native of Moscow, Russia is also strong along the boards and in the corners and has an uncanny ability to protect the puck once he gets it.

The 6-3, 208-pound winger, who was selected by the Kings in the first round (twentieth overall) in the 2000 National Hockey League Entry Draft, had his best seasons in 2006-07 (35 goals, 36 assists for 71 points) and 2008-09 (32 goals, 27 assists for 59 points). In his six seasons in the NHL prior to the 2009-10 season, Frolov has scored twenty or more goal in each season, except for the 2002-03 season (fourteen goals), his rookie year.

Frolov has displayed flashes of brilliance, but has been an enigma throughout his career because it is evident that he is capable of reaching another level, but does not seem to have the mental makeup to play at that level, night in and night out.

But is Frolov really that good? Is he skilled enough to be a forty-goal scorer?

At this point in his career, Frolov’s aggravating knack to be the best player on the ice in several games only to completely disappear for another stretch of games indicates that the answer to that question is a fairly resounding “no.”

Indeed, expectations for Frolov were probably too high to begin with.

“I think the first premise, that he should be a forty-goal scorer—he had those thirty-goal years, but don’t forget, there’s a big difference between being a thirty-goal scorer on a contender and a thirty-goal scorer on a bad team,” Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi said during a recent interview. “That’s the first thing you want to be careful of.”

“When you’re building, you ask [yourself], where does he fit on a good team? When he’s young, yeah, he could be a forty-goal scorer,” Lombardi added. “But those thirty-goal years, I’m not sure they translate into forty [on a contender]. Actually, the guy who’s a 25-goal scorer on a contender, often times, is a better player than a thirty or 35-goal scorer on a bad team.”

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty.

Jon Moncrief of the Los Angeles Kings Examiner stops by to talk Kings hockey. Tune in as he gives us an exclusive inside perspective on Frolov, Kopitar, Smyth, possible trades, team needs and much more. Great interview from a passionate and knowledgeable hockey journalist.

Read Jon Moncrief here.

Guest blogger Alex Kinkopf joins us again to break down the upcoming month of Kings Hockey.

January presents the Los Angeles Kings with 14 games; and, with a look at the schedule, the results will play a large factor in the outcome of the season as 9 games feature Western Conference opponents. Staples Center will play host to eight of the fourteen contests, a great opportunity for the Kings to take advantage of home ice. The Kings currently stand at 3rd in the Pacific and 8th in the Western Conference with 49 points.

Ovie and the Washington Capitals welcome 2010:
Los Angeles will kick off the new year as host to a team that sits in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. A tough opponent indeed, but all of the pieces are in place for a victory to inject a boost of momentum into this young, injury bugged club. Washington, led by Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom are coming off of losses to Carolina and San Jose. Expect the guys to come out hard in front of a home crowd in an effort to shut down the poster-boy of the NHL and start 2010, and more importantly, this month right.

Seven Game Home-stand:
Starting on the 7th against Detroit and ending on the 21st against Buffalo, the Kings have their longest home-stand of the season. A wonderful opportunity for the team to get back on their feet in the comfort of their home building. However, the opponents don’t provide Kings fans much comfort. We see the Western Conference leading Sharks twice, a Red Wings team that is close in the rear-view mirror standings-wise, and a team in Buffalo who is holding their own with a 3rd spot in the Eastern.

Five Game Road Trip:
This month ends with five consecutive matchups on the road. Tough opponents yet again including Detroit, Boston, and the Eastern leading New Jersey Devils with a couple of no-excuses stops in Toronto and Columbus against a couple of struggling teams.

Saturated with San Jose (left):
Arguably the most important three games the month of January has to offer for Los Angeles. Twice at home, once at the Pavilion, the Kings will be meeting a surging division-foe that is suddenly 10 points ahead of the Kings in the standings as well as current leaders of the Pacific Division and Western Conference. If Los Angeles wants to pose any threat as Pacific Division champs, two of these games must be regulation victories.

Erik Ersberg:
I’d like to see Erik Ersberg get a couple of starts in January, and expect him to get the call. As I mentioned in my last post, I think a key part to building his comfort and confidence is to put him in goal in front of the home crowd. Terry Murray was quoted as saying “Quick gives us the best chance to win at home” earlier in the year. That may be true, but I’m not completely on board with his statement. I could harp on this forever but here’s how I see it: Quick is a 2nd year goalie tied for the league lead in starts. Fatigue is bound to set in at some point, he’s tabbed to play in the Olympics (as a backup), and it’s vital to keep your starting goalie fresh. This may not be an issue to some, but developing your backup goaltender, and keeping your 1st stringer fresh throughout the season can eventually.. well, save your season.

Final Thoughts:
Jarret Stoll’s return from a groin injury is much anticipated, especially in the face-off circle. Will this be the month we find a winger who can mesh nicely with Kopitar and Smyth? I expect the Brown experiment to last a few more games to see how things work out. Purcell as their line-mate looks all but finished. I don’t expect Lombardi to make a trade in the near future to replace Williams’ absence, rather as a trade-deadline deal if the transaction is plausible. There’s no question we’re struggling to find a working option, but more time is needed to find the guy who can step up, and Dustin Brown may be that guy.

How do you Kings fans feel about the possibility of a trade to fill Williams’ hole? Sooner or later? Any possible transactions floating through your heads? Let’s hear it!

The Los Angeles Kings lose one in Vancouver last night and win one tonight in another back-to-back. With Jarret Stoll, Wayne Simmonds, Ryan Smyth, and whoever else out of the line up, the Kings had to lose another key player in tonight’s game. Jack Johnson “took one off the ankle” in the first period and was basically out for the rest of the game. Just great. It’s no secret the roster has been slowly picked off by the injury monster, and tonight was no different. The Kings faced the Edmonton Oilers with a win to go into Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames still atop the West.

The rock for the Kings has been Jonathan Quick all the way. Erik Ersberg sat out this back-to-back but I felt quite comfortable with Terry Murray going with the number 1 goalie for these important games before the 8-day rest. On a personal note, I missed last night’s game because, for some reason, I was recording the “wrong feed.” Apparently there were two feeds coming through from Vancouver and I was on the one with horrible audio and no video. I don’t even want to go into the logistics of what in the hell was going on there, but I ended up not watching the game at all. Just as well; all reports led to the conclusion that the Kings laid a rotten egg in a 3-1 loss. Gross.

On the other side of “gross,” Brad Richardson had a great game notching a goal and an assist with a line mate who was equally having a great game in Dustin Brown. Speaking of, it definitely looked like Brownie was hurting after he scored his goal. Slamming into the boards when you’re horizontal usually doesn’t produce a good result, but he got up and was back on the ice as soon as he could. He had great chemistry with Richardson and I’m starting to see a glimpse of maybe why the Kings traded a second round pick to acquire the latter.

I’m glad Raitis Ivanans went at it with JF Jacques, but, man, a 2, 5, and 10? See ya later, Raitis. Hope that locker room keeps you company. Someone who actually stayed on the bench the entire game was Corey Elkins making his NHL debut. The consensus? He’s a rookie kid. No one should be surprised by this non-revelation and I’m positive he’ll be better in his next game. With having so many kids in the lineup, the shorthanded roster spread out the minutes with Matt Greene making a big showing with six registered hits and seemingly getting under the skin of Dustin Penner. Sheldon Souray and Ryan Potunly tied up the game with one goal each, but veteran Sean O’Donnell closed out the game with the winner from the point.

This current swing through Western Canada isn’t breaking down doors; one win and one loss is decent and I’m content so far. The Kings were due for a loss and having it come against the Vancouver Canucks doesn’t break my heart in the least bit. They always find a way to stick it to the Kings, so I’m fine with just moving along. They have one more game before this long Christmas break and I’m thinking that I should take a screen shot of the standings because you never know how long something like this can last.

Go Kings!

Another injury? That’s right, folks, you heard it right. Jarret Stoll now has a groin injury which he suffered last night. This should make for a fun road-trip! The Kings looked flat last night in Vancouver and could definitely use a bit of a break. With Stoll out, who centers the second and third line?

So I’m starting to get sick and can’t focus for long stretches, thus I will keep this short and sweet. We all love bullet points, correct?

• The Los Angeles Kings gain another two points over the Phoenix Coyotes in a 3-2 shootout victory on Thursday night. As of this morning, the Kings are a mere two points shy of the Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks. The Kings play the Dallas Stars tonight and another victory will bring the sort of happiness to the hearts of Kings fans that is not very often felt.
• Oscar Moller scored his first goal of the season on the sweetest shot over Ilya Bryzgalov’s left shoulder. Just to illustrate how awesome Moller is, he wasn’t on the ice for more than 7 minutes the entire game! 6:49 to be exact.
• Jack Johnson‘s goal from the high slot was almost a heart breaker, but he got the lucky bounce back right to him to get his third of the season (once again) over Bryzgalov’s left shoulder.
• In the longest shootout in Kings history, only two Kings scored while Jonathan Quick was the wall on the other side of the rink.
• I must admit, Alexander Frolov is making himself noticed on the first line creating his own chances and grinding it out, but I will also say that the first line lacks the spark from the beginning of the season. I think everyone sees that, but there’s no mistaking this current first line can notch some points.
• This has to have been the most exciting game against the Coyotes in recent memory. I wasn’t bored in the first 10 minutes of the game and it was a nail biter to the end.

In another back-to-back the Los Angeles Kings win one and drop the other over the American Thanksgiving holiday. On Wednesday they won against the Edmonton Oilers (3-1) but lost to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday (4-1).

Since this weekend has altered my schedule a bit, I’m going to go back to the quick bullet-point style that I find so useful on this type of occasion. I hope everyone has had a great 4-day weekend because I definitely have.

• Matt Greene got his first goal of the season, which was also the game-winning goal against the Oilers. It was a pass out to the point and a lob to the goalmouth that beat Jeff Deslauriers over his shoulder.
• The Andrei Loktionov experiment halted to a standstill with a dislocated shoulder at the end of the game against the Oilers, which is completely unfortunate for him and the team.
• Thank you, Patrick O’Sullivan.
• The Kings were atrocious in the faceoff circle at 42% and 38%, respectively. A certain number 28 needs to get back in the lineup ASAP.
• I’ve actually liked Teddy Purcell‘s play in these two games on the top line. He’s not the greatest replacement but I think he’ll be an adequate stand-in while not adding too much in terms of offensive production. It’s a shame Terry Murray is changing it up again by putting Alexander Frolov back on the left wing.
• Michael Handzus took out Ales Hemsky and he is now out for the rest of the season with shoulder surgery.
• The other rookie experiment of Brayden Schenn took only one game as well. He was signed to a one-game contract and will not be returning to the lineup for tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
• The Vancouver Canucks presented a much harder challenge to the Kings than the Oilers on Thursday and they fell 4 to 1. Roberto Loungo was the wall for the Canucks and Jonathan Quick was playing well until the third period with a collapse of three goals against. The last goal was by Kyle Wellwood who is such a great player he hit the post before scoring in the empty net. Great job, guy.
• The player of these two games was definitely Wayne Simmonds. He had the most jump of everyone and was the only to get a goal in both games.

That’s all I got, folks. Thanks for stopping by. I truely appreciate it! Also, please check out the new episode of KingsCast titled Injury Bugged.

The Los Angeles Kings dropped another game and upped the number in the loss column on Saturday when the Calgary Flames and their fans came to Staples. The ending score of 5-2 basically described the play on the ice especially the first goal of the game by Jarome Iginla just 13 seconds in. Fantastic. The two goals scored by Drew Doughty and Alexander Frolov were the only real highlights of the game. They were scored with less than a minute in between them, but other than that, once again, the scoreboard reflected the play on the ice.

Overall there’s not too much to say about this game since there wasn’t any improvement in any aspect really. Frolov was put back on the first line and absolutely nothing changed. Surprised? I think not. Ryan Smyth is probably gnashing out his teeth with every game he’s sitting out. With Justin Williams still playing solidly and Anze Kopitar‘s play at a standstill, no one here is questioning the x-factor. C’mon Captain Canada!

(LAKings.com)

I’m sure that was nice.

The Kings return to Los Angeles after a decent 3-2 road trip, lose a couple of top players to injury and are battle tested against an Eastern Conference power. How is this team going to respond to its first taste of adversity?

It is very clear that Anze Kopitar needs Ryan Smyth. The Los Angeles Kings hosting the Philadelphia Flyers was one I knew would be a feisty battle to the end. I can retrospectively say this was probably the worst game for Smyth to be out of the lineup because the Flyers came to Staples Center and left with a bashing victory. This game was wide open due to missed passes and subsequent turnovers, and the Flyers were all over the place pouncing on loose pucks and misreads by the Kings.

The first 10 minutes of the game were north-south to the max. The feeling out process for teams in different conferences takes a bit of time, and thankfully the Kings were the first to gain control. Jarret Stoll was able to score off a sharp angle on Brian Boucher for the first goal of the game. (I seem to remember Boucher letting in a similar goal last season when they faced the San Jose Sharks.) The second period went back to neither team dominating causing an overall manic feel and the third was flat out frantic. The 5-on-3 advantage the Kings had should have slowed the game down drastically in their favor, but it was just about the worst man-advantage I have ever seen. The Kings couldn’t get the puck past the offensive blueline let alone set anything up. The Flyers were aggressive all around and the 2-man advantage expired with nothing to show for it.

Let me make it clear that Alexander Frolov doesn’t belong on the top line. I’m not saying he played terribly; I’m merely saying Frolov is best served on, at most, the second line. He was supposed to up his game and compliment Kopitar and Justin Williams on the first line, but nothing changed for Frolov. He looked the same and I’m not sure what to say other than there will be a different left wing on that line Saturday against the Calgary Flames. Williams, on the other hand, had a strong showing with 8 total shots on net. Kopitar had 6 shots while Frolov had only 1. As a team, the Kings landed 39 shots on the Flyers goaltender with Jonathan Quick seeing just 20.

This was a high hitting game and I was mildly impressed with some players and not with others, as is usually the case. In this particular game, Teddy Purcell stepped up his visibility a touch while Davis Drewiske did not. I’m not going to strategically analyze their play for this one game; rather, I’m just going chock it up to playing in modified lines against a team they are unfamiliar with. (Let me know when that line gets old.)

The incredible high/low light of this game was the rolling puck parallel to the Flyers’ blueline that could have led to the Kings tying goal with just seconds left in regulation. The insanity at the end of the game could have tilted just one degree in favor of the Kings, but it predictably didn’t and the large “L” loomed upon them on the stats sheet. That, my friends, is the definition of heartbreak.

Twitter me up!

In the third back-to-back of this young season, the Los Angeles Kings lost to the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks in shootouts and yet they find themselves back at the top of the Pacific Division. Odd, I know; but sometimes weird occurrences just happen. Even though the Kings were not the victors in either game, they were both great to watch. There were hit posts, rush plays, and surprise contributions all over the place. In any other year, these are two teams the Kings usually lose to, but this season is, once again, proving they are on a constant uptick.

While viewing the game on Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks, I did not realize how much their roster had changed until I saw the lineup. Gone are Christian Ehrhoff and Jonathan Cheechoo; in are Dany Heatley and Manny Malhotra. The make up of their team seems to have remained the same but the difference in this equation is a better Kings roster. That being said, the Kings dominated the first period while the Sharks came back in the second, and the teams battled it out all the way to the shootout. My question here is, “Why was Alexander Frolov left out of the top three shooters?” He had the only Kings goal of the game and was grinding it out as much as the other players, so your guess is as good as mine. It also must be noted that he was left out of the top three shooters against the Canucks as well.

Jonathan Quick played both games and looked solid while Sharks’ Evgeni Nabokov and Canucks’ Andrew Raycroft looked just as steady. First off, who knew Raycroft could still play! He was hit with 31 shots while Quick had just 15 sail his way. Second, did the Kings not realize that Nabokov was going to stop every shootout shot that went directly towards his chest? I don’t get the logic used by the players; subsequently, the Sharks left the arena with two points.

This picture’s purpose is solely to show how ridiculous/awesome Bailey is.

Points of interest:

• Scott Parse notched his first NHL goal of his career and has made quite the statement.
• Anze Kopitar is still among the league leaders in point production.
• Hockeywood, L.A. is growing nicely and every Kings fan should check it out!

The Los Angeles Kings have extended their win streak to four as they steamrolled the Columbus Blue Jackets last night at Staples Center. Anze Kopitar expanded his NHL scoring lead over Alexander Ovechkin by 4 points. Check the vid for highlights!

Post game interviews by Gann Matsuda on Frozen Royalty

This weekend saw the Los Angeles Kings on their second back-to-back in this young season and I can’t decide who has been the star of these past two games; wait, I can, but Jarret Stoll needs props. Stoll has scored his 3 goals in the last two games and has been effective in the faceoff circle and on the forecheck. On the other hand, Anze Kopitar now leads the league in both goals and points, 10 and 21, respectively. Obviously Kopitar is the player of the weekend, week, and month! He’s been an absolute stud for the Kings and I couldn’t be happier.

Last night the Kings faced the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second time this season where they fared quite a bit better winning 6-2. The story of the game was Jason Chimera getting up ended by Rob Scuderi. Scuderi went to deliver what looked like was going to be a hip check but ended up actually clipping Chimera right in the knees. It was definitely low but it wasn’t an intentionally dirty hit. Unfortunately, Chimera looked like he got his head throttled back as he flipped over, but I honestly can say Scuderi wasn’t intending for that to happen, which I’m sure is something we all can agree on. Many people will have an opinion, so have at it. Or not.

By the way, the punch to the back of Alexander Frolov‘s head was REALLY not needed. You can be frustrated, Chimera, but let’s leave the punching off the ice. Speaking of Frolov, this weekend he notched two goals and two assists, and I can only hope that he has officially been let out of the doghouse with his production. You really couldn’t have asked for more from Frolov in last night’s game; perhaps he could have stayed on his feet more against Phoenix, but Fro isn’t perfect so I can’t hate.

Ryan Smyth continues to be his beastly self logging big ice time and making sure his presence is felt by the opposition. He was on the Fan590 on Friday and was asked about the upcoming Olympics. I don’t think anyone is surprised that he was honored by the invite and would love to be a part of Team Canada.

The difference between this game and Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Coyotes is that the Kings beat the Jackets handedly while they were on the verge of another collapse against the Coyotes. This was a 5-3 win for the Kings but, let’s be honest, it could have resulted in another OT stint or just a straight up loss. Instead the Kings readjusted themselves and finished the game with two more points.

Dustin Brown and Jarret Stoll were the highlights of this game. Brownie had over 21 minutes of TOI and had two goals. One was an empty netter, which neither the team nor he really needed. It appeared that he was just skating toward the Coyotes’ empty net with no real intention to finish the game off with a pompous gesture. I’m not even sure the puck slid past the goal line before time ran out, but I would have still been happy if it wasn’t counted. Stoll had two goals, 18 minutes of TOI, and a respectable 50% win in the faceoff circle.

Some more tidbits to chew on:

• Jonathan Quick is currently tied for first in the NHL in wins. He has 8 wins, as do Craig Anderson and Marc-Andre Fleury.
• Drew Doughty lead the team in ice time for both games: 27:38 against the Coyotes and 23:34 against the Blue Jackets.
• The most invisible player on the ice has been Teddy Purcell. What is the issue there?

Last night the Dallas Stars stepped into Staples Center for the first time this season and I was pretty confident the Los Angeles Kings were going to finish the game with the W. All signs pointed to the victory but having to get the win in overtime rendered me speechless. I’m actually unsure of what to say about this game, but I’ll try to get something out.

If games were only 40 minutes long, I’d say with 100% confidence that the Kings played their best hockey. Alas, they are 60-minute contests and, for this game, the Kings played their usual up and down, inconsistent hockey. The modified lines looked decent and actually performed wonderfully… but only for 40 minutes. It’s a bit difficult to compliment the team on how they made the Stars looks like fools when they themselves didn’t hold on to their level of play. This is definitely a bittersweet reflection.

The good: Anze Kopitar owning this game… well, the first two periods of the game by getting his first career hat trick. He is turning into the player management knew he could and has definitely been earning his paycheck. He completely controlled the game as he scored like a madman. As of today, he’s tied with a certain Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals in points (8G, 8A and 9G, 7A, respectively).

(LAKings.com)

The Kings were looking fantastic going into the third period, but their hopes were fading as they watched the Stars tie up the game 4-4 forcing the game into OT. Heart breaker. I hardly have the stomach to comment on the third period, but I was happy when Michal Handzus killed the Stars just 55 seconds into OT. His slapshot blasted past Alex Auld and the game was done. I’m very happy that overtime ended in the Kings’ favor but the two points don’t make up for the poor third period performance. I honestly wondered why Terry Murray pulled Quick at the end of the second period with just 2.7 seconds left in the game when they were up 4-1, but I definitely understood the reasoning 20 minutes later.

The Bad: First off, one thing I can’t understand is why Brad Richardson is on the ice during important times in the games. Last night, he was on the ice with just a few minutes in regulation, which is exactly the opposite of what I’d expect! Secondly, Jonathan Quick letting in the goals he did; I’m just in a little bit of shock.

The Needs to Improve: Teddy Purcell received 12:31 of ice time and ended at a minus 1. I’m sure the improvement will explode sometime this season, so I’ll continue to wait. To address Alexander Frolov; his play was fine. I honestly didn’t think he was any better or worse than before he was benched. I have zero words of wisdom for these two players. Just… focus?

Keith and Chris discuss the longest road trip of the season, talk about the Alexander Frolov situation, show some exclusive footage from the Stars game courtesy of our official Dallas correspondent and throw out the burning question of the day. Unpack your bags, KingsCast is back!

Firstly, my apologies for the delayed post. My only excuse: Life is getting in the way.

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Currently the Los Angeles Kings are sitting 8th in the Western Conference with 10 points and are 3rd in the Pacific Division. With 9 games in I’m neither ecstatic nor depressed with the results; the Kings are showing that they can compete and that they can take a nosedive at any moment. This was the end of their longest road trip of the year and it just may be the start of something great.

On Saturday evening, I had the unfortunate occurrence of accidentally seeing the score of the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets while watching another game. Too bad Leafs TV is really good about keeping you updated around the league. The Toronto Maple Leafs started their game at 4:00 pm PST; I saw the Kings were down 4-1 around the middle of the 3rd period of the Leafs game, and (since the games began at the same time) I knew the Kings were going to lose the game. How utterly deflating. There is absolutely nothing that can salvage the feeling of already knowing the outcome of a game, especially when it’s in favor of the other team.

At first I was upset that I saw the score, and then I was irritated that the Blue Jackets got 4 pucks past Jonathan Quick. Needless to say, I was not very enthusiastic watching the game later. There’s something about watching a game knowing your team is going to lose that is very unappetizing. It might have led to my falling asleep at times. That being said, the Kings didn’t look THAT bad. In my zombie-like state, I didn’t think they played worse than some of their other losses. With that, I’m done with this recap.

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For the game I was actually awake and excited for, the Kings decided to bounce back and play like a coherent team yesterday against the Dallas Stars. They won 4-1 to the relief of everyone and proved they can play hockey like professionals. Everything about this game was better than their previous game and capped off this road trip very nicely. They were over .500 in the faceoff circle (thank you Jarret Stoll), ceased taking sloppy penalties for 60 minutes, and collapsed around their own net protecting the goalie.

Going into this game, Bob Miller and Jim Fox mentioned that the top line of Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar, and Justin Williams had a combined 29 points in the first 8 games. After they picked up another 6 points against the Stars, the top line is sitting pretty with 35. Okay people, I’m fully on board with the Smyth Train. Williams? I’m getting there. Also I’m over Marty Turco. I don’t quite understand the love affair people have with him. I’ve witnessed far too many meltdowns to have any confidence he’s going to stop enough pucks to win games for his team. Am I being too critical? I think not, but let me know what you think!

Also Alexander Frolov is on the hot seat. After the poor performance against the Blue Jackets, Frolov was benched for being a turnover machine while also falling down at inopportune times causing goals against, among other things. Rich Hammond of LA Kings Insider posted a transcript of his conversation with Frolov about what happened between him and the coaching staff. Per Hammond: here’s what Terry Murray had to say and here’s what Dean Lombardi said.

Decide for yourself what really is going on. I personally believe if he doesn’t shape up and sign a contract Lombardi-esque, he’s going to be sent off to wear a stranger’s crest. I will subsequently be heart-broken, but that’s only if nothing else negative comes out of this situation.

The man-crush began at my first Frozen Fury. It was 2002; at the time I was focused on having Jason Allison for a full year (uh, yeah, didn’t happen as I planned to say the least) and excited about him playing with Ziggy and Deader for 82 games. I liked our chances to go deep in the playoffs and I think the Kings were even picked by Darren Pang to win the Stanley Cup. And last but not least, the Kings don’t produce too many top prospects. Watching one turn Patrick Roy around like he was Robb Stauber made me salivate. Alexander Frolov arrived with a bang for me that night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Even watching him play for his entire NHL career I never understood what a guy like Frolov can be until I read The Game by Ken Dryden (an aside, if you haven’t read this book, get it now. Stop reading, go order and then come back to finish) who describes Bob Gainey as, I’m paraphrasing, one of the most talented guys on the Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s. When you’re playing with countless Hall-of-Famers that’s a bold statement. Dryden goes on to say Gainey knew his place, knew the team had enough scoring, and subjugated his game to a shutdown winger. His selflessness helped the Habs win five (5) Stanley Cups and saw Gainey receive the Frank Selke trophy along with being tagged the worlds best all-around player by Anatoli Tarasov, a Soviet National Team Coach.

By no means am I calling Alexander Frolov a winger equivalent to Gainey. A distinction of that magnitude needs to be earned with playoff success. However, it is with this insight about Gainey that makes me believe Frolov is an untouchable and should never wear the jersey of another NHL team. If he leaves to return to his native Russia, so be it but all his prime years in the NHL should be in LA. Frolov has the type of skill required to be an exceptional checker, just like Bob Gainey. Fro is an exceptional scorer capable of close to point-a-game status. However, his big body and his work in the trenches and down low make him perfect for the role he currently inhabits, on the third line with Handzus and Simmonds. He’s a prototypical shutdown winger.

For the Kings to be a Stanley Cup contender they need a line to play as a shutdown group against their opponents best line; that’s common knowledge. While hard-nosed players can achieve this shutdown role, skill players take the role to another level. Bob Gainey, Pavel Datsyuk, Jere Lehtinen, and Rod Brind’amour are prime examples. Not only do they shutdown the other team’s top line, they make the top line play defense. This role, of shutdown winger with top-flight NHL scoring talent is exactly the role Frolov should play for the Kings.

While I think highly of Alexander there are some who do not share my opinion. The main criticisms leveled at the big Russian have been a lack of scoring consistency and a propensity to “disappear.” Putting Frolov in the role of a third-line left winger who receives power play time removes the concern about scoring consistency. As for the criticism he disappears on the ice from time-to-time, there’s no easy solution for it. It’s partly maturity, partly a better team, and partly an attitude. Watching him play, it seems this specific criticism was mostly unfair; he was never going to carry the team offensively. He was never going to excel playing against an opposing team’s top checkers. He’s just not that type of player. In his role on the shutdown line both the problems his critics point to are less meaningful, if they exist at all.

Successful teams are built on players finding a place they fit, playing their role, and being professional. Anze Kopitar is a prototypical first-line center. Dustin Brown is a power forward who hits everything he can. Jack Johnson is at times a fourth forward and at other times a mean and nasty man who wants to hurt people. Each has a role on the team, each has a place they fit in the foundation of a team. When the foundation is complete a team can begin the movement toward honest Stanley Cup contention. Frolov is a major piece of this foundation, as necessary as Kopitar, Quick, Doughty, Brown, and Johnson. The Kings need to re-sign and keep him in LA for as long as he’s willing to stay a King, even if he has a wacky wardrobe.

That’s where I see Alexander Frolov. Where do you see him? Is he a guy perfect for a flip based on some glossy stats? Should he be part of the core of this young Kings’ team?

This is the first guest blog from Sam Aronoff on KingsCast. Follow him on Twitter

I was only able to watch the second half of this game last night and from what I saw it looked like the game against San Jose on Tuesday night. The Kings had a substantial lead, took some penalties, allowed the opposition to score PP goals, and then finished off the game by scoring a few more to seal the deal.

A sick slap into the net

Don’t have the time to do a better recap, but you can find your way over to these other guys and get your fill:

For a good time, call Rudy Kelly.

For a very in depth overall to the game at Frozen Royalty.

Also don’t forget to check out Hockeywood, L.A., which will open for viewing tomorrow!

By the way, did you ever think you’d see this?

Here is my short-and-sweet recap of Frozen Fury from last Saturday, September 26th where the Los Angeles Kings dueled the Colorado Avalanche. Frozen Fury X and Frozen Fury XI both ended in shootouts with the teams splitting wins, but this year the Kings managed to get the win in regulation. The game ended 5-3 with an empty netter by Wayne Simmonds with about one second left in the game.

But before I get to the game, I wanted to mention the players at Luc Robitaille’s Charity Poker Tournament held the Friday night before the game. A few observations:

• Matt Duchene was born in 1991 and is no where CLOSE to being allowed at the poker tables, but that didn’t stop him from joining the players at the tournament. If you don’t believe me, check out the picture I took with him up on facebook.
• It appeared that Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi are okay with wearing pleated pants in public.
• Anze Kopitar wasn’t looking too raccoon-eyed, so that was a nice change.
• Alexander Frolov had the girls lined up behind him. I noticed he was sans wedding ring and so did Marie!
• Jack Johnson was in a full pin strip suit and is so thick that he was like a mack truck walking around the tables.

Back to the game: overall the experience and game were up and down. The crowd walking into the Grand Garden Arena seemed more aggressively drunk than usual and the first period was worry inducing in that the Kings looked disorganized while the Aves skated with spunk. This poor showing took the life out of the not-exactly packed arena, but the noise returned when the Kings started getting the pucks past brand new Aves goalie, Craig Anderson. At the other end of the ice, Jonathan Quick wasn’t looking spectacular by any means, but this didn’t have me completely worried because of the predictability of an inevitable slow Kings start. There also was a definite lack of fights and more emphasis on actually playing like cohesive units, which caused the entire vibe of the game to be somewhat different than last year.

Standouts were definitely Jack Johnson, Simmonds, and Smyth. They were noticeable on the ice by actually being in the right spots and helping to create plays. One standout for not doing much of anything was Teddy Purcell. Talk about disappointing! Oscar Moller gets sent to Manchester and you don’t show up? Yikes. Also I didn’t EXACTLY agree with Kopitar getting first star of the entire game. Yeah, he scored on his penalty shot but didn’t stand out more than any other player. In sum, it was still good times; loved to see the excitement coming from the players and fans.

Check out the three-part video series of Overtime right here at KingsCast! Here’s the first!

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How was Vegas you ask? Ummm, it was Vegas in that nothing really has changed except more construction has occurred since I had been there one year prior. The most notable part of the weekend was the drive back to Los Angeles. There were a grand total of 4 flipped cars on the road, 3-5 randomly stopped cars along the way, 3 Deloreans on the side of the road as well, traffic up the ying yang, and 100+ degree temperatures almost the entire way back. We are flying next year, no question!

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Last update: Rich Hammond has officially started writing for the Kings at LA Kings Insider. Same content, different house.

Fears abound on Thursday evening were killed about 30 minutes ago by the completion of the Dany Heatley saga. TSN reports that he will be a San Jose Shark and that Jonathan Cheechoo, Milan Michalek, and a 2nd round pick are going back to the Ottawa Senators.

I can fully breathe a sigh of relief at this outcome now that Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll are safe (for now). I’m not sure what the rest of the day will hold as training camp starts tomorrow! I’m hoping to be there checking out the potentials for the remaining roster spots.

There are some seriously talented individuals out there who can make last year’s Los Angeles Kings look like Stanley Cup champions. Who’s ready for some hockey?

The Kings have a pretty empty fictitious trophy case. Watching the NHL Awards Show last Thursday in Las Vegas had me thinking. When was the last time the Kings actually won one of these and why does it seem like we are still so far out of this echelon of elite players/teams? Not that the Kings haven’t won any trophies. Except for the Presidents, Vezina, Selke, Conn Smythe, Jennings, Jack Adams and that Stanley Cup one, the Kings have picked up some hardware at the top NHL Level. It’s just, it’s only happened 5 or fewer times in any category. For a team that’s been around for 43 years, frequently had top draft picks and in certain era’s of management, spent money for top talent…you’d expect a list of trophies won to look more extensive then a grocery list. It’s depressing actually. 1 Calder, 1 Hart, 1 Norris, 1 King Clancy, 1 Campbell Bowl. In 43 Years. Throw in 2 Lester B. Pearsons, 3 Mastertons, 3 Lester Patricks (Yes!), 4 Art Ross’,  with 5 Lady Byngs and there you go for the major awards and trophies. Again, that’s in 43 years. The last trophy for the Kings? 11 years ago in 97-98, Rob Blake won the Norris. Wow. Oh and special thanks to Wayne Gretzky, Marcel Dionne, Butch Goring and Dave Taylor for receiving a majority of those.

The Kings need some trophies. At least a Calder Trophy. Come on, when you’re rebuilding there’s nothing more assuring than one of your Rookies winning a Calder. Maybe a Jack Adams trophy? The “Coach Who Leads the Young Team into Contention.” That’d be good. How about a Hart? Could you see a Kopitar, a Brown, maybe a Frolov walk up to the podium and receiving one of those big, heavy-looking, slightly strange Hart trophies? Ah, dare to dream. That era where the Kings are the team to beat, the Kings players are award winning studs and it’s the Kings having raging pool parties at former players mansions with a half submerged Stanley Cup. Someday, I hope. Right now this team doesn’t even feel like it’s playing in the same league as the Penguins, the Wings, and/or the Russian Superstars garnering world-wide attention. Someday. After 43 years…it’s time.

As for a reality check: with the Lakers raising yet another Championship banner up into the Staples Center rafters, does this mean they’re finally going to just go ahead and merge the Kings and Sparks sections? They’re at about the same relevancy: the Kings have their 1 Division Title, their 1 Conference Title and the 5 Retired Numbers. It kinda makes sense. However, the Sparks have actually won a couple Championships. Ouch.