LA KINGS NEWS CLIPS 8/27-31/10

Transcription

1 LA KINGS NEWS CLIPS 8/27-31/10

2 FROM LAKINGS.COM RICH HAMMOND ARTICLES ON LAKINGS.COM AND LA KINGS INSIDER Info on invited prospects Posted by Rich Hammond on 30 August 2010, 5:04 pm Here s some info on the six players invited to the Kings rookie camp RILEY BRACE An 18-year-old left winger who totaled 17 goals, 19 assists and 26 penalty minutes in 66 games with Mississauga St. Michael s of the OHL. It was his second junior season. ZACH HARNDEN A 20-year-old right winger who totaled 24 goals, 36 assists and 75 penalty minutes in 65 games with Kingston of the OHL. He has completed his junior eligibility. JOHN KEMP A 23-year-old forward (and native of Arcadia) who totaled eight goals, 20 assists and 10 penalty minutes in 37 games as a sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. SAMUEL GROULX A 20-year-old defenseman who totaled 14 goals, 29 assists and 69 penalty minutes in 66 combined games with Quebec and Victoriaville (QMJHL). It was his third full junior season. DYLAN KING A 20-year-old defenseman who totaled two goals, eight assists and 172 penalty minutes in 68 games with Sault Ste. Marie (OHL). It was his third junior season. GARRETT ZEMLAK A 21-year-old goalie who had a record, a 3.11 goals-against average and a.909 save percentage in 57 games with Price Albert (WHL). He also played three games for Charlotte of the ECHL with a 2.15 goals-against average. Harden, Groulx, King and Zemlak also participated, as invites, in Kings development camp in July. Rookie camp roster/schedule Posted by Rich Hammond on 30 August 2010, 3:44 pm The Kings have announced the schedule for their rookie camp, which precedes regular training camp. The camp will run from Sept in El Segundo and then will be followed by games on Sept against Phoenix Coyotes prospects in Glendale Ariz. First, here s the list of participants: FORWARDS: Riley Brace, Kyle Clifford, Robert Czarnik, Corey Elkins, Zach Harnden, Ray Kaunisto, John Kemp, Dwight King, Brandon Kozun, Andrei Loktionov, Jordan Nolan, Michael Pelech, Brayden Schenn, Tyler Toffoli, Linden Vey, Jordan Weal. DEFENSEMEN: Nicolas Deslauriers, Johan Fransson, Samuel Groulx, Thomas Hickey, Dylan King, David Kolomatis, Patrick Mullen, Jake Muzzin, Colten Teubert. GOALTENDERS: Jean-Francois Berube, Martin Jones, Garrett Zemlak. (Note that Brace, Harnden, Kemp, Groulx, King and Zemlak are invited to the camp on tryouts.) The prospects will practice at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo on Sat., Sept. 11 (as part of Hockey Fest), Sun. Sept. 12, and Mon., Sept. 13, from 10 a.m.-noon and from 4-5 p.m. Saturday s session will requite a ticket to Hockey Fest. The other two are open to the public at no charge. Then they will play in Arizona on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m., and Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m. I will be attending/covering both of those games.

3 Face time for Schenn Posted by Rich Hammond on 30 August 2010, 2:09 pm Kings prospect Brayden Schenn is one of 23 players who will participate in a photo shoot Wednesday in Toronto, with the photos designed to be used for upcoming trading card and memorabilia launches. It s called the 2010 NHLPA Rookie Showcase, so it seems as though at least someone out there likes Schenn s chances of making the Kings this season. The other prospects included are: Taylor Hall (EDM), Tyler Seguin (BOS), Nazem Kadri (TOR), Jordan Eberle (EDM), Kyle Beach (CHI), Jonathon Blum (NSH), Joe Colborne (BOS), Scott Glennie (DAL), Erik Gudbranson (FLA), Calvin de Haan (NYI ), Zach Hamill (BOS), Ryan Johansen (CBJ), Jacob Markstrom (FLA), Ryan McDonagh (NYR), Chet Pickard (NSH), Jordan Schroeder (VAN), Kevin Shattenkirk (COL), Jeff Skinner (CAR), Magnus Svensson Paajarvi (EDM), Tomas Tatar (DET), Mattias Tedenby (NJ), and Mats Zuccarello-Aasen (NYR). Remember, as noted a couple months ago, that Dean Lombardi said Schenn s contract is structured in such a way that he wouldn t have a huge salary-cap hit if he made the Kings this season. I don t yet know what the exact figure would be, but that fact can t hurt Schenn s chances of making the roster as a fourth-line center. Mitchell feature Posted by Rich Hammond on 30 August 2010, 11:44 am As promised a couple days ago, here s the feature I did on new Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell for LAKings.com, in which Mitchell goes more in-depth about his recovery from concussion symptoms and the new perspective it has given him. Thanks for reading! Hockey Fest update Posted by Rich Hammond on 27 August 2010, 3:09 pm Best wishes to Bernie Nicholls, whose mother is scheduled to undergo heart surgery. Nicholls had been scheduled to participate in the Kings Hockey Fest on Sept. 11 in El Segundo, but former Kings defenseman Jay Wells has been added to the event and will participate in the Life of a King panel with Jim Fox, Luc Robitaille and Marty McSorley. The Kings also announced that Nick Nickson will host a panel called Winning Culture with current Kings who have played in the Stanley Cup Finals. Those panels, plus the State of the Kings panel with management, the Kids Press Conference and a pep rally with players highlight the event, which will also include fundraising activities for organizations related to 9/11. More information can be found by clicking here. Numbers game Posted by Rich Hammond on 27 August 2010, 12:09 pm At the end of a follow-up interview with Willie Mitchell today, I asked him the question that seems to be predominant in a lot of fans minds whenever a free agent signs: what number will he wear? Mitchell wore No. 8 in Vancouver, but that s sort of taken by a 20- year-old Norris Trophy candidate. Mitchell said his favorite number to wear has always been 2, which is also taken (Matt Greene). He said that while he follows the tradition of a defenseman wearing a single-digit number, he doesn t like 6, or 9, and indicated he would stay away from 4 out of respect for what Rob Blake did for the organization. I suggested 22, but Mitchell said he would think about a number that held some significance to him. There s your hard-hitting news for the early afternoon I got a lot of good stuff from Mitchell about his recovery, so that should make for a good story in the near future. Mitchell Out To Prove He's Healthy After missing much of the season due to concussion symptoms, the physical blueliner is out to prove he's healthy in LA Monday, / 1:11 PM / News By Rich Hammond Willie Mitchell suddenly, and unfortunately, had plenty of spare time. Forced out of action in January by a concussion, Mitchell spent parts of his days in a hyperbaric chamber, receiving oxygen therapy in a tube that left him with few entertainment. options beyond watching DVDs or listening to music. One day, Mitchell grabbed a motivational speaker s CD that had been collecting dust in his house, one titled "The Maverick Mindset." Mitchell listened, and the timing couldn t have been better, as it provided a framework for his eventual return to the NHL.

4 "It's funny how it was sitting on my countertop and I never touched it," Mitchell said. "Then something like this happens to you, and it's like, `Well, I've got time to kill in this chamber, so I'm going to listen to it.' It was probably one of the best things I've ever picked up in my life, in terms of it being a life lesson but also in being an athlete like I am. A lot of it was talking about controlling the things that you can control and not worrying about all the external factors that ultimately, at the end of the day, you have no bearing over." The message helped bring calm and clarity to Mitchell. He stopped worrying about how his teammates would fare without him, stopped stressing about his recovery and, as much as possible, stopped wondering whether he would ever play hockey again. It has all worked out well so far, and Mitchell took a big step last week when he signed a two-year contract with the Kings. Mitchell figures to be a huge part of the Kings defense when they open the season on Oct. 9 against the Vancouver Canucks. The irony isn t lost on Mitchell, given that his last game was in a Vancouver uniform, on Jan. 16. It, and his season, ended after he was smashed head-first into the end boards by Pittsburgh s Evgeni Malkin, and Mitchell began suffering concussion symptoms. Days turned to weeks, which turned to months, and Mitchell s condition didn t improve. While he stops short of saying he fell into depression, Mitchell said that not until he listened to the CD did he start to get himself into the proper mindset for a recovery. "When you have a concussion, obviously you get hit in the head and you have a headache," Mitchell said. "The toughest thing about it as that you care a lot -- which I do, I love hockey -- and you want to help your team out. So what do you do? You stress, and therefore what does that give you? A headache, and that's the one thing you're trying to overcome. So it's just about controlling the things you can control. What I could control during that whole process were the things I was doing to get healthy. The rest of those things, I had absolutely no control over." Now, the 33-year-old Mitchell has something else he can focus on: proving to doubters that he s healthy, that he can play the same hard-nosed style that allowed him to become one of the most respected defensemen in the NHL. Surely, Mitchell s life would be easier had he remained healthy last season, which made it more than a bit curious when, during his introductory conference call after signing with the Kings, he repeatedly referred to the concussion as "a great learning experience." "I think it's going to be a blessing in terms of my performance on the ice," Mitchell said. "Sometimes you might think, `Oh, what was my defense partner doing there?' or `What were we doing there?' At the end of the day, I've got no control over that. All I have is control over what I'm doing on the ice. If you worry about other things, I think you expend more of your energy away from what you should be doing. If you worry about the things you're doing, you become a better hockey player." Mitchell wouldn t seem to have much room for improvement. The fact that he s rarely seen on highlight packages is actually a testament to his success. Mitchell is the type of defenseman who should thrive under coach Terry Murray s system. He s big (6-foot-3, 208 pounds), reliable, consistent and, in the view of general manager Dean Lombardi, has underrated puck-movement skills. Players such as Mitchell rarely become household names, though. In 586 games with New Jersey, Minnesota, Dallas and Vancouver, he totaled 19 goals and 100 assists. Mitchell s value, however, is not measured by his own statistics. "My game is much different than a lot of people see, in the sense that a lot of what I do hopefully goes unnoticed," Mitchell said. "Sometimes it goes unnoticed, but what I do is play against the best players in the world and keep them off the scoresheet. That's what I do. I've done that my whole career. I take a lot of pride in that. I love that challenge. "If I can keep, say, Joe Thornton off the score sheet -- and that's tough to do, obviously, when you're in power-play situations -- but if I can keep him off the score sheet at even strength, in 23 minutes, 24 minutes, I like our team's chances. If I can keep a 40-goal scorer off the score sheet, I consider that to be like scoring 40 goals." Whether he ends up being paired with Drew Doughty or Jack Johnson -- the two most likely options, heading into training camp -- Mitchell will play a significant role in the Kings stated goal of improving their 5-on-5 scoring margin.

5 Mitchell chuckled at the discovery that he, at 33, is the Kings oldest defenseman -- now that Sean O Donnell has moved on to Philadelphia -- and the Kings will particularly rely on Mitchell during the first month, while Matt Greene recovers from shoulder surgery. For the past two seasons in Vancouver, though, Mitchell served as an alternate captain, so he figures to become part of the Kings leadership group, if only informally. "I've been fortunate to be around some great, great minds in the game," Mitchell said. "I was coached by Jacques Lemaire, by Larry Robinson, and I thank God that I was lucky enough to listen to those guys. They're great, great minds. I played with Scotty Stevens and (Scott) Niedermayer, and I think I learned a lot of things from those great players and great minds. I hope to maybe help out in that capacity a little bit with some of the young players on this team." Mitchell s decision to join the Kings was not a hasty one. Although his concussion symptoms cleared up in mid-june, Mitchell told his agent to remain on the sidelines when the free-agency period began on July 1. When defensemen such as Paul Martin, Dan Hamhuis and Anton Volchenkov signed big, multi-year contracts, Mitchell waited. He wanted to be confident, confident that he wouldn t be putting his health at risk and confident that he was choosing a team for the correct reasons. Not until August did Mitchell, at his own choosing, start something of a league-wide tour. He reportedly visited San Jose, Vancouver and Washington, in addition to the Kings, and put himself through workouts to demonstrate that he was ready to play. And while Mitchell, a British Columbia native, speaks well of his time with the Canucks, but had high praise for his meeting with the Kings. "The opportunity to play with a couple of the young defensemen, who are great up-and-coming players, is exciting," Mitchell said. "I think that's a great fit. I think there are some things that I can do on the ice to help evolve their games, and I think the things that they can do on the ice will actually help evolve my game. I just turned 33, but whoever you are -- player, coach, GM -- you never stop learning. "There are a lot of good fits. That, to me, was really intriguing. I met Tim Leiweke and heard about their commitment to the organization and what they want to do, and win. That, to me, is really exciting." Mitchell knows that many eyes will be on him, watching to see if he s still the same player, watching to see his reaction when he takes that first big hit. But if this year taught Mitchell anything, it s that he can t control what other people think. When Mitchell returns to the ice, his focus will be on himself, and applying the lessons he learned from being away from the game for so long. "You take your health for granted," Mitchell said. "You take everything for granted. In life, sometimes, it's not until you're pushed into a corner or dealt a tough situation You don't learn things in life when things are going well. You only learn when things aren't going as planned. That's when you learn the most in life. I think this experience was one of the best learning experiences of my life. Early on, it wasn't the best situation, that's for sure, but it turned out to be one of the best learning experiences."

6 Annual Rookie Camp Slated to Begin Sept. 11 Monday, / 5:00 PM / News The Los Angeles Kings Monday announced their roster and practice schedule for the club s annual Rookie Camp at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. The three-day Camp begins on Saturday, September 11, and concludes on Monday, September 13, before the club travels to Phoenix. On-ice practice sessions on Sunday (September 12) and Monday (September 13) are open to the public at no charge while the on-ice practice sessions for Saturday (September 11) requires a ticket for the LA Kings Hockey Fest 10 event which takes place that same day (Hockey Fest ticket details are below). Kings Rookie Camp will conclude with two rookie games against Phoenix at Jobing.com Arena. The first game is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14, at 6 p.m. while the second game is scheduled for Wednesday, September, 15 at 2 p.m. Both games are free and open to the public. LAKings.com beat writer/columnist Rich Hammond will be on hand to cover both games in Phoenix. He ll also be filing reports all week long during Rookie Camp. Among those expected to participate in this year s Kings Rookie Camp are: Among those expected to participate in this year s Kings Rookie Camp are: Kyle Clifford Second round pick (35th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft Nicolas Deslauriers Third round pick (84th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft Thomas Hickey First round pick (4th overall) in 2007 NHL Entry Draft Ray Kaunisto Signed by the Kings as an unrestricted free agent (Mar. 31, 2010) Jake Muzzin Signed by the Kings as an unrestricted free agent (Jan. 4, 2010) Brayden Schenn First round pick (5th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft Colten Teubert First round pick (13th overall) in 2008 NHL Entry Draft Tyler Toffoli Second round pick (47th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft Jordan Weal Third round pick (70th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft PRACTICE AND GAME SCHEDULE FOR KINGS ROOKIE CAMP (Subject to change): Sat., Sept. 11: On-ice practices from Noon; 4-5 p.m. Sun., Sept. 12: On-ice practices from Noon; 4-5 p.m. Mon., Sept 13: On-ice practices from Noon; 4-5 p.m. KINGS ROOKIE CAMP ROSTER (Subject to change): Forwards: Riley Brace^ Kyle Clifford Robert Czarnik Corey Elkins Zach Harnden^ Ray Kaunisto John Kemp^ Dwight King Brandon Kozun Andrei Loktionov Jordan Nolan Michael Pelech Brayden Schenn Tyler Toffoli Linden Vey Jordan Weal Defensemen: Nicolas Deslauriers Johan Fransson Samuel Groulx^ Thomas Hickey Dylan King^ David Kolomatis Patrick Mullen Jake Muzzin Colten Teubert Goaltenders: Jean-Francois Berube Martin Jones Garrett Zemlak^ ^ On tryout

7 Q & A with Matt Greene Monday, / 1:14 PM / News LAKings.com: Last year you experienced Hockey Fest for the first time. How was the experience for you? Greene: It was great. It was awesome. It was a fun experience. It is always good to mingle with the fans, and in this case it is a different experience. During the season you are stressed with the winning and the losing, so to do this before the season is good for us. It s the summer time and you get to answer some questions people have. The fans get excited about it and we as players get excited about it too. It will be great to see so many people turn out for this to help kick-off the season. The guys on the team are excited to get the season started and this event helps everyone think hockey. LAKings.com: This year s Hockey Fest will feature a club that is coming of their first playoff run since How does that change this year s event? Greene: This event is a great way to help spring board into this season. Last year I think we got a lot of people around here excited about us. We want to keep that excitement going. As far as the attendance it all comes down to how we play on the ice. You can t have a million gimmicks to try and get people to watch you play. A good product has to be delivered and that is what we plan on doing. LAKings.com: Last summer you spent some time taping special newscaster-style, fun Hockey Fest videos. Do those clips help show people your personality off the ice? Greene: I think so. I am always up for that. In the summer time I am all about having fun. I probably enjoy some of the lighter types of things more than the average guy. I like having a good time and when those situations arise, I am down for that. LAKings.com: Hockey Fest this year will also feature the two new Kings, Willie Mitchell and Alexei Ponikarovsky. What can you tell Kings fans about the club s newest acquisitions? Greene: From what I know, both guys are great guys. They obviously both accomplished a lot on the ice over their careers, and that speaks for itself. They have been in this league for a long time and I think they are excited about playing here. You want guys, especially guys in high demand, like that on your team, you want those guys to want to come here. I think they saw from afar what we have going on here. They will help us win and help us be a team that is special. Kings Announce Game Time Change Friday, / 7:22 PM / News The Los Angeles Kings have announced the following time change to the club s regular season schedule: --The Kings host the Nashville Predators on Saturday, November 6. Game time is now 7 p.m. (not 1 p.m. as originally scheduled). Jay Wells Added to Hockey Fest '10 Friday, / 12:46 PM / News LOS ANGELES The Kings have added a fourth speaker series Winning Culture -- to next month s LA Kings Hockey Fest 10 event and the club has made a change in programming as former Kings defenseman Jay Wells will now be featured in the Life of a King speaker series, the Kings announced Friday. Winning Culture will feature several current Kings players who have participated in the Stanley Cup Finals. It will take place from 3:30 4:30 p.m. and be hosted by Kings radio play-by-play broadcaster Nick Nickson. Life of a King will now feature Wells, Luc Robitaille and Marty McSorley from 1:30 2:30 p.m. (new time). Bernie Nicholls, who was originally scheduled to participate in that speaker series, is not able to attend Hockey Fest due to personal reasons. The Kings wish Bernie and his family the best during these times as his mother is set to undergo heart surgery, said Robitaille, the Kings President of Business Operations. Jay, who played with the Kings for nine years, was invited to participate in Hockey Fest several weeks ago and we are looking forward to featuring him in this speaker series.

8 Wells played in 604 regular season games for the Kings from He ranks fourth on the club s all-time list for games played by a defenseman and ninth overall, and he ranks third all-time in penalty minutes with 1,446. In 1,098 NHL games with the Kings, Flyers, Sabres, Rangers, Blues and Lightning, Wells, a tough stay-at-home defenseman, recorded 263 points (47-216=263) and 2,359 penalty minutes. He also played in 114 career playoff games. The Kings have also announced a time change for one of the other two slated speaker series. Kids Press Conference will feature several current Kings players and children of all ages can ask their questions directly to the participating players. Kings Vision host/fs West reporter Heidi Androl will host (it will now take place from 11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m.). The fourth spearker series, State of the Kings will kick-off the event. It features Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi, Kings Vice President/Assistant General Manager Ron Hextall, Kings Vice President/Hockey Operations and Legal Affairs Jeff Solomon, and Kings Head Coach Terry Murray as they take questions from fans from 9 10:30 a.m. Kings radio color commentor Daryl Evans will host. LA Kings Hockey Fest 10 takes place on Saturday, September 11, at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. The one-day event, which takes places from 9 a.m. 7 p.m., will culminate with a special Pep Rally featuring the Kings players and all Hockey Fest participants at 5 p.m. on the (covered) NHL ice rink. Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Miller will host the Pep Rally. Tickets cost $15 for Kings Season Ticket members and for Partial Plan and Group Leaders by calling KINGS-LA ( ). Tickets for the general public cost $20 and be can purchased by visiting LAKings.com/hockeyfest2010. Only 2,000 tickets total are available for purchase. The second annual event will feature special Q&A and autograph sessions with Kings players, coaches, alumni and hockey dignitaries, in addition to Kings merchandise including merchandise discounted at 40 percent -- and hockey memorabilia being available. Also, with this year s Hockey Fest being held on September 11, the Kings Care Foundation will be hosting special fundraising activities at the event to benefit local organizations affected by the tragic events of September 11, More details to come. Kings in the news Check out members of the Kings Ice Crew when they participate in the new show Ultimate Gamer on SyFy on Thursday, September 2. The show runs from 8 9 p.m. (PT). Willie Mitchell was the guest of the Bill Watters show Thursday Aug. 26 in Toronto on AM 640. Jim Fox will be the guest of the XM HomeIce Radio Show on Sept. 2 at 2:05 p.m. (PT) as they preview the club and the upcoming season. Here is sound from a radio interview Thursday featuring Ron Hextall on the Fan 590 in Toronto: FYI Sirius Radio Thursday replayed Heidi s Kings Vision interview with Ron Hextall during one of their morning shows. Luc Robitaille s son, Steven, will be a guest on ESPN 710 on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 3:25 p.m. as he talks about his leading role in the new movie Pirahna. Bob Miller will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the New Directions for Youth Spirit of Hope Awards Gala on September 30 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. New Directions for Youth has been serving at-risk and foster youth for nearly 35 years. For more information, visit LAKingsHockey 1. Today in #LAKings History Former Kings right winger Lowell MacDonald is born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia about 18 hours ago via HootSuite Cardmembers have exclusive opp to score #LAKings tix before general public! Details: 12:00 PM Aug 27th via HootSuite 3. Today in #LAKings history: 93 -McSorley traded to the Pens for Shawn McEachern Is McSorley the Kings best enforcer ever? 8:16 AM Aug 27th via HootSuite

9 LATIMES Helene Elliot Kings announce rookie camp roster, schedule August 30, :57 pm The Kings announced their roster and practice schedule for their annual rookie camp, to be held Sept. 11, 12 and 13 at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. The camp will end with two rookie games at Glendale, Ariz., on Sept. 14 and 15. On-ice practice sessions Sept. 12 and 13 will be open to the public at no charge but the on-ice practice sessions for Sept. 11 will require a ticket for the Kings Hockey Fest 10. Among those expected to participate in this year s rookie camp: Kyle Clifford Second-round pick (35th overall) in the 2009 entry draft. Nicolas Deslauriers Third-round pick (84th overall) in Thomas Hickey First-round pick (fourth overall) in Ray Kaunisto Signed as an unrestricted free agent (March 31, 2010) Jake Muzzin Signed as an unrestricted free agent (Jan. 4, 2010) Brayden Schenn First-round pick (fifth overall) in Colten Teubert First-round pick (13th overall) in Tyler Toffoli Second-round pick (47th overall) in Jordan Weal Third-round pick (70th overall) in Schedule for the rookie camp (subject to change): Mon., Sept 13: On-ice practices from 10-noon; 4-5 p.m. KINGS ROOKIE CAMP ROSTER (Subject to change): Forwards: Riley Brace^ Kyle Clifford Robert Czarnik Corey Elkins Zach Harnden^ Ray Kaunisto John Kemp^ Dwight King Brandon Kozun Andrei Loktionov Jordan Nolan Michael Pelech Brayden Schenn Tyler Toffoli Linden Vey Jordan Weal Sat., Sept. 11: On-ice practices from 10-noon; 4-5 p.m. Sun., Sept. 12: On-ice practices from 10-noon; 4-5 p.m. Defensemen: Nicolas Deslauriers

10 Johan Fransson Samuel Groulx^ Garrett Zemlak^ ^ On tryout Thomas Hickey Dylan King^ David Kolomatis Patrick Mullen Jake Muzzin Colten Teubert Goaltenders: Jean-Francois Berube The Kings Hockey Fest, condensed to one day this year even though last year's inaugural event seemed to be a success, will take place Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Toyota Sports Center. Tickets cost $15 for season ticket holders and partial plan and group leaders. Tickets for the general public cost $20 can be purchased by visiting LAKings.com/hockeyfest2010. The event will feature question-and-answer sessions and autograph sessions with Kings players, coaches, alumni and hockey dignitaries. Kings merchandise will also be available. Martin Jones Reggie Bush scandal costs USC more hardware and prestige JERRY CROWE August 26, :55 p.m. Kings captain Dustin Brown, on his life motto, tells Sporting News Today: "Life is too short to be ticked off."

11 Fabulous Forum Debbie Goffa L.A. Kings prove fights are forever August 26, :20 pm The Kings this summer have proven they haven't forgotten the past or what makes so many hockey fans stand and cheer. Fights. The Fight Club is a new online diversion that features videos of historic (or at least memorable) Kings' drop-the-gloves battles. Of course, Marty McSorley is there (see video above) -- maybe the best on-ice fighter the Kings have had. Jay Miller is on the list too. Miller first became known as an enforcer in the season while playing for the Boston Bruins. That season he collected 178 penalty minutes in only 46 games. He outdid himself two seasons later when he had 304 penalty minutes in only 78 games. In January 1989 the Kings traded for him. Miller retired after the season but racked up 865 penalty minutes in four seasons with the Kings.

12 King's ransom for Mitchell Blueliner sad to go but two-year, $7m deal with L.A. helps By Jason Botchford, The Province August 26, 2010 A bittersweet Willie Mitchell said his decision to sign with the Los Angeles Kings wasn't easy. It should tell you everything about how much he wanted to stay in Vancouver. Because, really, he didn't have a decision at all. Not after L.A. GM Dean Lombardi, drooling for defensive help since June, baited his hook with a king's ransom. It's not that Mitchell isn't worth the two-year, $7-million-US deal he signed with L.A. He can be when he's healthy. It's that Mitchell negotiated this deal despite being out since Jan. 16 with his third concussion and with lingering fears about the possibility of concussion No. 4. The Kings, who had cap space to burn, went all in to get themselves a player viewed by some as a pricey, and risky, lottery ticket. The Canucks couldn't afford the ante. "Who's kidding who? Everyone knows I love playing in Vancouver," Mitchell said from UBC where he skated Wednesday with his former Canucks teammates. "I wish that the economics of the game didn't get in the way of it. It was unforeseen circumstances I got hit in the head like that. I had a lot of fun in the organization. "The economics of the game got in the way of a lot of things. That's just the situation. Did the Vancouver Canucks or Willie Mitchell foresee me getting hit on Jan. 16 and this happening? No, we all didn't. "They had to make adjustments along the way. And myself as a hockey player did." The Canucks' adjustments came in early summer when GM Mike Gillis acquired expensive blueliners Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard. Weeks later, when Mitchell felt he was ready to come back, the Canucks didn't have the cap space to talk about much more than a one-year deal in the $2-million range. "There was nothing easy about this, that's for sure," Mitchell said. "I was very fortunate that there were very good teams interested in my services. "I felt [L. A.] was really, really interested in what I could bring to the team. I felt they were very excited to bring me down there." A brutal, unpunished Evgeni Malkin hit in January cruelly forced Mitchell to miss the rest of the season with a severe concussion. The injury was expected to curb demand for Mitchell and pinch the money being offered. It did neither. Surprised? "I'd tell you 'no' because I'm a competitor," Mitchell said. "I'd like to think I do a pretty good job out on the ice. I'd like to think I'm a reliable hockey player. I've played my best hockey of my career probably in the past four years here. "I actually think I've probably got better as a player. In Years 3 and 4 in Vancouver I started to evolve my game. I started to become a better offensive player. "It was very flattering to have the interest." Mitchell started skating again in July and worked out for four teams, the Canucks, Kings, San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals. He said there were times during his recovery when he wondered if he'd play again. "I'd be lying to anyone if I said I didn't feel that for a little bit," Mitchell said. "But then you start gradually getting better and you see that carrot and that light at the end of the tunnel. You're like, 'OK, things are back.' "You talk to anyone who has been through that experience like me and, of course, you have that thought run through your mind for a little bit. But negative energy can kill you. "To be honest with you, when I left all the pressures of not being there for my teammates in the playoffs just because physically I couldn't. Or the pressures of the media, the coaches and all that stuff, that's actually when I started to heal the quickest. "That's when I knew things were going to be good again."

13 Mitchell deemed fit for a King Los Angeles signs Canucks defenceman to inject experience, toughness on their blue-line By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun August 26, 2010 Defenceman Willie Mitchell will be at the Vancouver Canucks' regular-season opener Oct. 9 at Rogers Arena. He just won't be wearing a Canucks uniform and that will feel strange. "It's going to make it easy for my family and friends, that's for sure," Mitchell joked on a conference call Wednesday a few hours after he signed a two-year, $7-million deal with the Los Angeles Kings. "That should be interesting. My wife looked that up before I did. It will be fun, there will be a lot of energy, a lot of emotions... I hope I get the colours right on the first night." The Kings, Vancouver's first NHL opponent 40 years ago, visit the Canucks on Oct. 9 in the regular-season opener for both teams. Mitchell's decision came after he had auditioned for at least four NHL teams, including the Canucks, who were all seeking confirmation that he had fully recovered from a season-ending concussion suffered way back on Jan. 16 when he was slammed into the end boards by Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. The Kings gave Mitchell something other suitors were reluctant to do. They not only offered him a two-year deal, they gave him the same salary -- $3.5-million a year -- that he had collected in his four seasons as a Canuck. Many felt Mitchell, 33, would have to sign a one-year, bonus-laden contract and prove he was over the concussion. The Kings were willing to roll the dice on a player they see as a significant addition to a back end that includes youngsters Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson. Ron Hextall, the Kings' assistant general manager, said he sees Mitchell in a shutdown role alongside Doughty, the talented Norris Trophy finalist. "I do envision him being with Drew Doughty," Hextall said in an interview with the team's website. "In the end it's the coach's decision, but that's kind of where we see him playing against the [Ryan] Getzlafs and the top centres and top lines on other teams. "He is the perfect fit for our hockey club. We really think we have taken a step in the right direction. We needed size on the back end, we needed a shutdown guy on the back end." Mitchell, a native of Port McNeill on Vancouver Island, acknowledged it will be tough leaving the NHL club he grew up watching, but said a recent visit to L.A. convinced him that the Kings were the right fit. "There are things that happen in hockey and in life that are unexpected... and they had to do the things they needed to do," he said of the Canucks. "I enjoyed my time in Vancouver." "I really felt they [the Kings] believed in me as a player and that is where you want to be as a player, somewhere you feel they believe in you. I got the feeling they felt I'd be a really good fit. And for me, personally, it was a chance to obviously be part of a young and up and coming team that has a lot of good things going on. Hopefully, I can fit in with that and use some of my experience in the league and get the team to another level." Some Canuck followers had held out hope that Mitchell might be re-signed by Vancouver. But essentially his time here was done when the team traded for Keith Ballard and then signed free-agent defenceman Dan Hamhuis. In four seasons with the Canucks, Mitchell logged 264 games. He scored 10 goals and added 48 assists but his real contribution came in the defensive end. Mitchell was Vancouver's shutdown defenceman, the guy asked to shadow the opposition's top forward. It's exactly what he will be asked to do again this year in Southern California.