The summer winds down as LA Kings fans get anxious. Keith and Chris break down the Willie Mitchell signing, talk about the “D” in a new segment called ‘Get Defensive,’ take your questions from FaceBook and say goodbye to some old friends in “See Ya!” fashion.

The summer for the Los Angeles Kings has been one of the slowest in history. In this episode we talk about the signing of Alexei Ponikarovsky and the many players that have worn the 27 in the past. We also discuss the team moving into next season, look at some crazy Kings schwag on the market and say “See Ya” to a few former players.

Shot over 15 days, this documentary/short film captures the up and down roller coaster ride of the Ilya Kovalchuk saga with the Los Angeles Kings.

In the second round, Dean Lombardi traded the 49th and 109th pick to the Colorado Avalanche to choose center Tyler Toffoli from the Ottawa 67′s of the Ontario Hockey League with the 47th overall pick. While Toffoli is listed as a center, at 6’0″, 181 pounds, he could easily be transitioned to a wing role with the Los Angeles Kings. In 65 games with Ottawa, Toffoli posted an impressive 37 goals and 42 assists for 79 points.

Los Angeles Kings co-director of amateur scouting Mike Futa told Rich Hammond:

“My scout from Owen Sound is his head coach, the same guy who was the guy on Wayne Simmonds. There’s always that tributary that leads back to the right river. He coaches him in Ottawa, and he said this kid is just scratching the surface, when you start to look at the intangibles and the work ethic. I’m assuming that’s why he dropped to where we got him. We were thrilled to get the guy. His hockey sense is off the charts. He’s an exceptional goal scorer, great nose for the net, and he’s just a young kid who is still just getting it, as far as the conditioning.”
Courtesy of LA Kings Insider

As Dean Lombardi shifts the Los Angeles Kings out of re-building, he’s starting to take some longer term “projects”. In Toffoli, his conditioning is something of an issue at this point. Then again, so was Drew Doughty’s back in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. However, Lombardi is known to challenge prospects and get terrific results (note that Doughty’s nickname “Doughnuts” has now changed to “Dewey”).

Long-term Toffoli is going to have to work on his skating and conditioning to crack the big club. Expect Tyler to head back to Juniors for a couple of years with another year in Manchester. The kid seems to be determined and have a good heart. If he can continue to get better, we’ll have a nice prospect on our hands.

Interesting note, according to NHL.com, is that Toffoli’s favorite book is Twilight. Could be worse….

Keith’s Take: It’s a kid who lacks conditioning in an organization that focuses on it. Given the strength of our development system, I don’t think this will be an issue for long. Long-term I see Toffoli on a wing in the top-six for Los Angeles. Grade: A-

Chris’ Take: The Tyler Toffoli pick adds continued depth to a system chalk full of centers, 6 ft tall, under 200lbs, who have decent stats, average skating ability and may or may not be good someday. Grade: B-

E.J. McGuire on Tyler Toffoli:

Daryl Evans Interviews Tyler Toffoli (via Kings Vision)

Other Picks:
1st Round Pick: Derek Forbort

I doubt there was any Kings fan who walked into Staples Center on Friday night for the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft expecting Dean Lombardi to draft a defenseman. With a lack of pure-scoring wingers in the system, no mock draft had Lombardi taking a blue-liner. But, in typical Dean Lombardi fashion, he went the other way trading up four spots to draft 6’5″ defenseman Tyler Myers Derek Forbort from the US Development Program.

International Scouting Services had Frobort ranked 10th overall and when he dropped, Lombardi knew he had to trade up to get his guy. Frobort had an impressive Under-18 World Championship scoring two assists and posting a plus-nine rating. Many scouts said that Derek Forbort has the most talent of any prospect in the draft.

Minnesota native Derek Forbort is known as a strong smooth-skating two-way defenseman whose offensive game is just starting to develop. In 26 games in the US National Development program, Forbort had four goals and ten assists for 14 points with 26 penalty minutes. Forbort himself states that he tries to model his game after Chris Pronger. Forbort will start the 2010-2011 season in the NCAA at the University of North Dakota (a development powerhouse).

Dean Lombardi stated that Forbort’s two to three years away from making the big club. If he continues to develop, there’s no telling where Forbort’s ceiling is. With a very stocked farm of defenseman, this allows Lombardi to deal from a position of strength when it comes to acquiring offensive-minded wingers.

One of the startling facts about Derek Frobort is his favorite “pump-up song” according to NHL.com is Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror. Ummm, all right.

Keith’s take: I love this pick. Sure it wasn’t California native Emerson Etem or another winger with top-six potential but this guy has such a potential to be a stud. If he develops his offensive game and his toughness, the Kings will be even harder to play against. He loses a point due to his choice of “pump-up” song. Seriously? Man in the Mirror?Grade: B+

Chris take: We should have taken 6’7″ Tyler Myers two years ago instead of Colten Teubert. We didn’t. Now we get Tyler Myers 2.0. I’ll take it. Grade: A-

Heidi Androl of the Los Angeles Kings talks with the newest Kings Derek Forbort:

Post-draft press conference:

The 2010 NHL Entry Draft took place at Staples Center and the Los Angeles Kings traded up to grab 6’5″ defenseman Derek Forbort. In this show, Keith and Chris talk about the draft experience, upcoming free agency and interviewed a few Michal Jackson fans about hockey. Your thoughts about the draft?

Read Alex’s post-draft blog on all of the new Los Angeles Kings prospects here.

With the 2009/2010 NHL season now officially complete, KingsCast continues it’s offseason programming with a brand new episode of collected material from the past year. Unreleased interviews with players, media, fans and colleagues, cut segments, behind the scenes looks and stuff too risque for prime time. Enjoy!

Not necessarily earth-shattering news but LA Kings forward prospect Geordie Wudrick and defenseman Niclas Anderson were not signed by the Kings and are no longer part of the organization. Following the announcement, Kings Nation let out a collective “Who?”.

Drafted in the 3rd round (88th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Geordie Wudrick as a tough 6’4″ winger who became a fringe fan favorite in his first development camp. Injury kept Wudrick out of training camp this past season however. With the emergence of Wayne Simmonds, Kyle Clifford and Brayden Schenn, there’s not much of the future for Wudrick in the organization. Wudrick is now eligible to be drafted this year. I wonder where he goes.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Niclas Anderson beside a few grainy photos on Google. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Anderson has stayed in the Swedish Elite League to hone his skills. Given the defensive depth in Los Angeles, there was no place for Anderson in the lineup. It’s another Dave Taylor/Al Murray draft pick gone awry.

Let’s face it, if you bet against these guys at a sportsbook, you wouldn’t be walking away with any money. I know there’s a few of you out there who thought Wudrick could be a Dustin Brown type but it ain’t happening with the Kings. We have enough depth in the organization that we can live without him. As for Anderson, does anybody really care?

It’s the summer guys, what kind of news were you expecting?

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.

When Dean Lombardi drafted Kyle Clifford in the second round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he was clearly looking for a big physical presence that had been lacking on the team. But this year with the Barrie Colts of the OHL, Clifford tallied 28 goals, 29 assists and 111 penalty minutes. It looks like the Kings have a hell of a prospect on their hands. Here’s a great video of some of his fights this year.