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The Kings have mutually parted ways with their 5th round selection from the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. This, for a 5th round selection in this summer’s 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Andrei Loktionov requested a trade last week, Dean Lombardi cooperated.

It all comes full circle.

The Kings’ Russian prospect has been traded to the New Jersey Devils, who the Kings defeated in last season’s Stanley Cup Finals series. Loktionov, who played 39 regular season games and made two playoff appearances with the Kings last season, was nixed from the list of players and personnel to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup after last season’s success.

So, all you have to remember of Andrei Loktionov‘s time in a Kings uniform, is a player that fell victim to a roster too heavy in depth to provide the 22 year-old native of Voskresensk, Russia a true opportunity to blossom at the NHL level.

Now there’s a positive way to say goodbye.

Loktionov spent stints of three seasons in a Kings uniform, but skated most with the AHL‘s Manchester Monarchs. There was just no room for him here. The Kings are healthily and heavily platooned at Andrei Loktionov‘s position, with Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, and Jarret Stoll locking up the centerman positions on the first three lines for years to come.

And you already know Loktionov has no business being a fourth-liner.

It’s not so much that Andrei Loktionov couldn’t fit in at his natural center position, but he wasn’t valuable enough working elsewhere. Terry Murray experiemented with Loktionov at the wing position during the 2010-2011 campaign, but results were unsatisfactory.

And that really spelled Loktionov’s fate with the Kings, or at least foreshadowed it. Another problem with his fit in this organization was that the Kings have a number of versatile forwards who could be used in different roles/positions that were clearly a better option than Loktionov.

A lot of it had to do with size, and as it ultimately comes to; production.

Andrei Loktionov played a total of 59 regular season games with the Kings over the course of three years, and two in the postseason last spring. In that time, the young Russian potted seven goals and seven assists for 14 points.

May I compare him to a lesser Ryan Smyth? Loktionov never queued a red-light from more than three feet outside of the crease in his time with the Kings.

If you see Andrei Loktionov, you’ll find him inside – regardless of the uniform.

Long Island strut

Phoenix on the Boards

Andrei on his toes

Follow up in Columbus

Capitals-izing

Crowning Beantown

Everyone remembers their first

You’d be wrong not to acknowledge the most awkward interview ever.

The kid was probably sh*t scared of Daryl Evans’ suspenders

Andrei Loktionov has spent the entire season in the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs. After starting the season as one of Manchester’s top scorers during the NHL lockout, he’s simmered down and currently has 22 points for seven goals and 15 assists through 37 games.

He’s seen his last days in New Hampshire, but not in the AHL. Loktionov has been assigned to the Albany Devils through the trade, the New Jersey Devils‘ AHL affiliate.

Adios, Andrei

The Kings are in Tennessee Thursday night for a date with the Nashville Predators.

Episode 178 KingsCast TV: What’s the deal with Mike Richards? – HERE
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The hockey offseason continues with another compilation of the best “See Ya!” segments from Season 3 of KingsCast (2011/2012). Say goodbye to players such as Ethan Moreau, teams like the Vancouver Canucks & New Jersey Devils and much more! Presented in official KingsCast Los Angles Kings fashion with the popular, long running comedy segment.

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For an accomplishment you’ll celebrate for a lifetime, the first week’s been quite the thrill.

The Kings’ first Stanley Cup in the franchise’s 45-year existence has called for a slew of celebrations the past seven nights, and that still doesn’t do the award justice – not even close.

And talk about the spotlight, they own it. Stemming from the parade celebration, to the appearances on numerous TV shows and dialogue with the President, the attention and respect has never been higher.

Many more perks in between. Like getting drunk, getting sh*tfaced, and also getting real f*cked up. This, on the regular. This, much deserved.

The majority of the team has taken some time with the Cup in Las Vegas, having top run of any night-club of their choosing straight up to tomorrow’s NHL Awards Show.

Because it feels like this

You’re talking about the Draft?: And it hits Kings fans in the face this time around, the 2012 NHL Draft slated for this weekend in Pittsburgh. Usually, well most of the time, the NHL Draft was something to look forward to for this franchise, another glimmer of hope in drafting the next prospect to push the Kings to the top.

Now that it’s happened, and it’s still so damn fresh, this annual commencement of the NHL‘s new youth will be in the back of most Kings fans’ minds.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t important, however. The Kings truly built the core of this season’s club through the draft, twelve players to be exact. Don’t expect this year’s draft to be too exciting anyway, the Kings have seven picks, with only one in the first round – that being the last selection.

At least draft analysis hasn’t been the centerpiece to writing this time around. There’s something new, one of the perks.

To say the least, I don’t even see Dean Lombardi acting on a draft-day trade, unless it’s in the later rounds, and very favorable to the Kings. Highly unlikely all together.

Got the Cup

But where’s the puck?: It’s always nice to keep a few artifacts from such a great moment, such as the puck used up to the final horn in the Kings’ Cup-clinching Game 6 affair. It’s bears little value in comparison to the Kings victory, but still makes for an intriguing mystery.

Is this Chris Pronger -esque?

The extremely mild issue of the lost puck has been studied quite well, honing in on Patrick Elias as being the biggest, and only suspect in the “puck-gate”. Elias, who has a very good reputation in the league, and could even be considered one of the classiest players in the game, is a surprising player to see do this.

Who knows, and that puck has no forgiven owner – it’s fair game. It’s just unfortunate for it not to be in the right hands. Whatever the reason Elias took it for, and what he did with it, I’m betting it wasn’t solely for spite, if at all. He’s been there before, he’s lost there before.

It’s somewhere.

Three cents for a priceless moment

Copper charm: Back in August, hockey caught the attention of Staples Center for another year of NHL play. In preparation for what would be the most magical season in franchise history, a little luck was thrown into the mix as the Stape’s floor was given a coat of paint and a few layers of frozen water.

No one knew it would happen, but at the time, some charm was given to the Stanley Cup dream.

Three pennies were buried underneath the ice-sheet, directly under the center-ice dot.

Luc Robitaille, who spent 14 of his 19 seasons in the NHL in a Kings uniform, placed a penny dated from 2002, the year he won his only Stanley Cup Championship, albeit with the Detroit Red Wings.

Bailey, who is known to be a dedicated Indianapolis Colts fan, placed a penny dated from 2006, the year the Colts won the Super Bowl.

There was one more copper disc added to the mix before the floor was frozen over. This, a penny from 1893, the year in which the Stanley Cup was first awarded.

I’m not one for superstition, but this time around, the effort to grace this historically struggling franchise with some luck certainly paid off. And it was pretty cheap, too.

The heart of it

The celebration of it

The real taste of it

The ‘hats-off’ to it

The times with it

For that historic run, the top moment of it

The ‘f*ck yeah’ of it

The holding of it

The local call of it

The beauty of it.

LAK-NJD GAME 6 RECAP in Episode 169 HERE
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The Los Angeles Kings have won the Stanley Cup! It was bedlam at Staples Center last night and the LA Kings were on top of their game…all game. In this episode we talk about the game against the New Jersey Devils, the Stanley Cup and bring you another edition of See Ya! Kings fans, how are you feeling right now?

Music brought to you by the Graveyard Bandits

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If you expected it to come easy, you may have lost grasp as for what this team is playing for.

It could be a bit troublesome to keep the head up, but it really shouldn’t be.

The Kings’ near-perfect postseason success has spoiled us to the utmost degree.

They’ve written one of the most historic playoff runs in sports history to get to this point, which still sees them in a situation that finds them on top in a Stanley Cup Final series that many wouldn’t even imagine this club partaking in.

So it’s time to stop being the ‘under-dog’.

That label comes with a history of struggle, the Kings have surpassed that. What they’re dealing with now is new-found struggle, losing two consecutive games for the first time this postseason, and allowing the New Jersey Devils to breathe life into this series.

For the love of anything, suffocate it. End it.

Pick it up, finish it up

Similar to how thinking too much can kill you, over-analyzing things can bury you.

It’s Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

How about watching it happen.

Go Kings.

LAK-NJD GAME 5 RECAP in Episode 168 HERE
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It’s Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final and the Los Angeles Kings were looking to finish it in New Jersey. It didn’t happen. For hockey fans: we have a series! For Kings fans: oh, why me!? In this episode we break down the game and give you our Top 5 reasons why the New Jersey Devils will win the Stanley Cup.

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Just let it roll. Make it happen like we and the rest of the world have come to know.

Nothing more to be said right now.

Go Kings – Bring it home tonight won’t you.

One more

LAK-NJD GAME 4 RECAP in Episode 167 HERE
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The Los Angeles Kings were supposed to close it out tonight against the New Jersey Devils. But, unfortunately, we now have a Game 5 in Newark. In this episode we talk about the game, the media jumping the gun, lost chances and much more. Hang in, Kings fans, there is more hockey to be played!

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It’ll be the franchise’s 45th birthday Wednesday, and Game 4 is joining the celebration.

Tell me the stars aren’t aligned.

With an offensive outburst leading them to another win Monday night, the Kings are just one victory away from the Stanley Cup, just one win from the greatest glory to grace this franchise, something that would be quite a gift for that birth-date recognition.

The Kings keyed on the powerplay in Game 3, and exemplified perfection in doing so. They executed on both man-advantage opportunities, Jeff Carter and Justin Williams potting third-period powerplay markers to push the Devils to the brink, making them look just about as hopeless as every other opponent the Kings have seen this postseason.

Then there’s Jonathan Quick, again. Quick posted his third shutout of the postseason in stopping all 22 Devils shots. That’s just been another taste, Quick has stymied New Jersey all series long, turning away 70 of New Jersey’s 72 total shots.

The Kings see themselves in the same Game 4 situation they’ve looked at in each previous series this postseason; on home-ice, with a 3-0 series lead. This position, albeit any team or fan’s dream, has been the least successful for the Kings. They’ve gone 1-2 in these situations, including their only two losses of the entire playoff campaign.

But it’s just about one more win.

Seeing red

If the Kings don’t have absolute commanding control over New Jersey with their 3-0 series lead alone, the inside numbers certainly give their edge and dominance extreme validity. The Kings have now stopped all 12 Devils power-play opportunities, while simultaneously making Ilya Kovalchuk non-existent.

The scoring is coming from all assets, three tallies from the top-two lines and another from defenseman Alec Martinez – who has subtly been outstanding all postseason long, especially last night with his late instinct to jump in on offensive rushes.

Is it worth talking Jonathan Quick? You already know.

He’s been getting even more help as of late, because lately, sometimes the shots just aren’t getting to him. Matt Greene and Rob Scuderi combined for seven blocked shots, the defense as a whole got in the way of 12. To add to Alec Martinez‘ goal, Drew Doughty and Willie Mitchell chipped in with assists.

It’s simply coming from all cylinders, and you don’t stop that.

You can’t.

Party at Marty’s

Tough ending?: Martin Brodeur doesn’t have to play perfect just once, he has to do it four straight times. For the slew of pressure he’s been facing, and for the utter rampage this Kings team is on – with Jonathan Quick at the other end, you’ve got to come to terms with something. Even the greatest players run into a machine they just can’t handle. It’s not his fault.

Killing Jersey: Of the Kings’ six successful penalty kills Monday night, most notable was their stunting of New Jersey’s 5-on-3 opportunity in the first period. That is one of the best ways to feed into a momentum swing in this game, because it comes in one of the most difficult, inglorious fashions. If the Devils can’t solve Jonathan Quick and the Kings’ defense in that situation, in the early stages of a game they need to win, when can they?

Finish ‘em: I’m not sure what else to say, I’m not really sure why I said any of the aforementioned. This Kings club hasn’t just stunned us, but the world. It’s beyond comprehension, it’s bigger than a majority of sports history, and it’s absolutely beautiful.

They’re at home Wednesday night, Staples Center will be holding the Stanley Cup trophy in it’s bowels, and it’s one more win for the taking. But oh, is it all so much more than that.

The season’s seen tough times

Worse times

These times

There’s Davis Drewiske

John Stevens times

Lost times

Hold up – -

Tick, tack, paddywhack

Been in it since ’06, owns it six years later

LAK-NJD GAME 3 RECAP in Episode 166 HERE
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The Los Angeles Kings are one win away from the Stanely Cup as they defeated the New Jersey Devils in Game 3 of the Final. Question of the Day: Will you cry when the LA Kings win the Stanley Cup?