LA KINGS NEWS CLIPS 6/18-23/10

Transcription

1 LA KINGS NEWS CLIPS 6/18-23/10

2 FROM LAKINGS.COM RICH HAMMOND ARTICLES ON LAKINGS.COM AND LA KINGS INSIDER And the winner is Posted by Rich Hammond on 23 June 2010, 9:21 am The NHL Awards will be handed out tonight in Las Vegas, with the Kings Drew Doughty as a finalist for the Norris Trophy, along with Chicago s Duncan Keith and Washington s Mike Green. I tend to think Keith will take home the award, but I also believe Doughty got more and more support as the season went along, particularly after the Olympics. Over at NHL.com, three pundits weighed in on who should take home the Norris. In other categories, the Hart Trophy will go to Pittsburgh s Sidney Crosby, Washington s Alexander Ovechkin or Vancouver s Henrik Sedin. The Vezina Trophy will go to New Jersey s Martin Brodeur, Phoenix s Ilya Bryzgalov or Buffalo s Ryan Miller. The Calder Trophy will go to Colorado s Matt Duchene, Detroit s Jimmy Howard or Buffalo s Tyler Myers. The Lady Byng will go to Detroit s Pavel Datsyuk, Dallas Brad Richards or Tampa Bay s Martin St. Louis. The Selke Trophy will go to Datsyuk, Vancouver s Ryan Kesler or Pittsburgh s Jordan Staal. The Jack Adams will go to Colorado s Joe Sacco, Phoenix s Dave Tippett or Nashville s Barry Trotz. The awards show will be on Versus starting at 4:30 p.m. Pacific. 6 Comments Development camp, etc. Posted by Rich Hammond on 22 June 2010, 7:11 pm The Kings developmental camp, always a highlight of the summer, is scheduled for a June 30 start. That s a Wednesday, and it s also a couple weeks earlier than usual. In the next couple days, I should have a complete schedule and hopefully the names of participants (which usually includes most of the team s recently-made draft picks). As usual, it will be held at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. Also, congrats to Cammi Granato, who was selected for the Hockey Hall of Fame today. Granato has ties with the Kings, as she was the team s radio color commentator for the season. She s also the wife of former Kings forward Ray Ferraro and the sister of former Kings forward Tony Granato. 22 Comments Labor peace/salary cap Posted by Rich Hammond on 22 June 2010, 1:12 pm The NHL Players Association today exercised its right to extend the current collective-bargaining agreement for an additional year, meaning that the NHL will have labor peace until at least the summer of The players also voted for the five-percent growth of the salary cap for next season, meaning that the cap ceiling should be approximately $59 million, up from last season s $56.8 million. Kings schedule released Posted by Rich Hammond on 22 June 2010, 9:26 am The Kings schedule has been released. As expected, the season will start with back-to-back road games against Vancouver (Oct. 9) and Calgary (Oct. 10) and the home opener will be Oct. 12 against Atlanta. The Kings will host Eastern Conference teams Atlanta, Carolina (Oct. 20), New Jersey (Oct. 30), Tampa Bay (Nov. 4), N.Y. Islanders (Nov. 13), Florida (Dec. 2), Philadelphia (Dec. 30), Toronto (Jan. 10) and Boston (Jan. 24).

3 The Kings Eastern Conference road games will be at Buffalo (Nov. 19), Boston (Nov. 20), Ottawa (Nov. 22), Montreal (Nov. 24), Pittsburgh (Feb. 10), Washington (Feb. 12), Philadelphia (Feb. 13), N.Y. Rangers (Feb. 17) and N.Y. Islanders (Feb. 19). The Kings play 10 consecutive road games from Feb. 1 to Feb. 23, although the last of those games is in Anaheim and, given the break between the Feb. 5 game at Calgary and the Feb. 10 game at Pittsburgh, it s reasonable to assume the Kings will be able to spend at least two days at home in the middle of that trip. That s sort of an odd road trip. The longest homestand is an eight-game stretch from Dec. 30 to Jan. 15. October has four home games and seven road games. November has six home games and six road games. December has seven home games and seven road games. January has 10 home games and three road games. February has three home games and 10 road games. March has eight home games and six road games. April has three home games and two road games. That s a pretty fair split, although the Kings will want to be in good shape heading into that tough February stretch, which also includes four sets of back-to-back games. The complete schedule follows below KINGS SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES PACIFIC) Oct. 9 at Vancouver, 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at Calgary, 5 p.m. Oct. 12 Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15 Vancouver, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20 Carolina, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at Phoenix, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Colorado, 6 p.m. Oct. 25 at Minnesota, 5 p.m. Oct. 27 at Chicago, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Dallas, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30 New Jersey, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 Nashville, 1 p.m. Nov. 11 Dallas, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 Columbus, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at Buffalo, 4:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at Boston, 4 p.m. Nov. 22 at Ottawa, 4:30 p.m. Nov. 24 at Montreal, 4:30 p.m. Nov. 27 Chicago, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at Anaheim, 7 p.m. Dec. 2 Florida, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 Calgary, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at Detroit, 4 p.m. Dec. 16 at St. Louis, 5 p.m. Dec. 18 at Nashville, 5 p.m. Dec. 19 at Chicago, 4 p.m. Dec. 21 at Colorado, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 23 Edmonton, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 26 Anaheim, 6 p.m. Dec. 27 at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29 at Phoenix, 6 p.m. Dec. 30 Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 1 San Jose, 6 p.m.

4 Jan. 3 Chicago, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6 Nashville, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8 Columbus, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 Edmonton, 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at Dallas, 5:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at St. Louis, 5 p.m. Jan. 20 Phoenix, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at Phoenix, 5 p.m. Jan. 24 Boston, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at Minnesota, 5 p.m. Feb. 2 at Edmonton, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at Calgary, 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m. Feb. 12 at Washington, 9:30 a.m. Feb. 13 at Philadelphia, 4 p.m. Feb. 16 at Columbus, 4 p.m. Feb. 17 at N.Y. Rangers, 4 p.m. Feb. 19 at N.Y. Islanders, 4 p.m. Feb. 23 at Anaheim, 7 p.m. Feb. 24 Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 Colorado, 1 p.m. Feb. 28 Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 3 Phoenix, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 5 Vancouver, 1 p.m. Mar. 7 Dallas, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 9 at Detroit, 4 p.m. Mar. 11 at Columbus, 4 p.m. Mar. 13 at Dallas, noon. Mar. 15 at Nashville, 5 p.m. Mar. 17 St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 19 Anaheim, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 21 Calgary, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 24 San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 26 Colorado, 1 p.m. Mar. 29 at Edmonton, 6 p.m. Mar. 31 at Vancouver, 7 p.m. Apr. 2 Dallas, 1 p.m. Apr. 4 at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Apr. 6 Phoenix, 7:30 p.m. Apr. 8 at Anaheim, 7 p.m. Apr. 9 Anaheim, 7:30 p.m. Kings vs. Canucks, again Posted by Rich Hammond on 21 June 2010, 3:34 pm According to this story on NHL.com, the Kings will open their season with a set of back-to-back road games against Vancouver and Calgary. The Kings will play the Canucks on Saturday, Oct. 9, then play the Flames on Sunday, Oct. 10. The Kings home opener will be Tuesday, Oct. 12, against Atlanta. A note on the first game. Plans have been in place, for a while, for the Kings and Canucks to play the season opener against each other. This will be the 40th anniversary of the Canucks inclusion into the NHL, and the Canucks first regular-season NHL game was against the Kings, on Oct. 9, The Kings won 3-1. In this year s season opener, the Kings are planning to wear vintage uniforms, similar to the ones they wore in that 1970 game. If you click this link, the

5 jerseys look very similar to the first purple jersey shown (No. 29). I m not aware of exactly how many times the Kings will wear those jerseys next season. I ve heard it might be three or four times. 60 Comments Preseason schedule announced Posted by Rich Hammond on 21 June 2010, 1:38 pm The Kings have announced their 2010 preseason schedule, which will include two games at Staples Center, one game in Anaheim, one in Denver, one in Phoenix and the traditional Frozen Fury game in Las Vegas against Colorado. Here s the schedule Wednesday, Sept. 22 at Colorado, 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23 at Phoenix, 7:05 p.m. (split squad) Thursday, Sept. 23 vs. Phoenix at Staples Center, 7:30 p.m. (split squad) Tuesday, Sept. 28 vs. Anaheim at Staples Center, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 vs. Colorado in Las Vegas, 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3 at Anaheim, 5 p.m. Tickets for the two games at Staples Center will go on sale on Aug. 3. Tickets for the Frozen Fury game are on sale now and can be bought by clicking here. 19 Comments Busy week Posted by Rich Hammond on 21 June 2010, 11:08 am There will be plenty to dissect and discuss this week Beyond the obvious, the NHL Draft on Friday and Saturday at Staples Center, the NHL awards will be handed out on Wednesday in Las Vegas, and of course Drew Doughty is a finalist for the Norris Trophy at the end of his second season. Also, the NHL will release its schedule tomorrow morning and we ll soon find out the Kings preseason schedule. I m also expecting to have, in the next day or two, the official rundown of the Kings developmental camp, which will take place fairly soon after the draft. Then, finally, there s the informal countdown on whether the Kings will reach a contract-extension agreement with Dean Lombardi and/or hire John Stevens as an assistant coach. It s definitely one of the bigger weeks of the offseason, but it should be fun! 28 Comments New assistant coach? Posted by Rich Hammond on 19 June 2010, 1:00 pm Reports have indicated that the Kings are prepared to hire John Stevens as an assistant coach to replace Mark Hardy. It s far from surprising, given that Stevens is an experienced coach with previous ties to Terry Murray and some of the other members of the Kings staff. Stevens was fired 26 games into this season as head coach of the Flyers, who of course went on to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. If Stevens comes aboard, it would be one of those strange coincidences in sports. After Ken Hitchcock was fired as Flyers coach in 2006, Stevens took over and retained Murray as an assistant coach, and Murray stayed for one more season before taking the Kings job. Now, just a couple years later, Stevens could end up as an assistant under Murray. With the Flyers, Stevens developed a reputation as a nice-guy coach whose teams couldn t get it done in the playoffs.

6 So what s holding it up? As previously written, nobody on the hockey-operations side of the Kings can have a contract longer than Dean Lombardi s contract, and Lombardi s current contract is set to expire next summer. There have already been multiple meetings/conversations about an extension, but so far nothing has come of them, and there is real concern (stated privately) that if an extension is not reached soon, some members of the organization might seek jobs elsewhere. It seems likely that this will all get sorted out this week, but one can never predict. 99 Comments Draft feature/quiz Posted by Rich Hammond on 18 June 2010, 6:22 pm It s hard to believe that the first round of the NHL Draft is only a week away, but it should be a good time. To start to set the table for the draft, on LAKings.com, I have a feature about the Kings philosophy going into this year s draft, as opposed to recent years, and the Kings also put together a brief quiz to test your team draft knowledge Dean of the Draft Kings entry draft quiz #1 37 Comments Blake calls it a career Posted by Rich Hammond on 18 June 2010, 1:13 pm Rob Blake announced his retirement today after 20 NHL seasons. Blake, 30, ranks fourth all-time among Kings in games played (805), 11th in goals (161), seventh in assists (333) and seventh in points (494). Click here to see all of Blake s career stats, including his stints with Colorado and San Jose. Blake is a former Kings team captain and the only Norris Trophy winner in franchise history. Here s the story from today Rob Blake Retires Also, NHL.com and the Kings put together an interactive timeline of Blake s career, which can be found by clicking he

7 Top Prospects At TSC on Thursday 2010 NHL Draft Prospects Youth Clinic from 10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. is open to the public LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Kings and the Toyota Sports Center (TSC), in conjunction with the National Hockey League, will host six prospects tomorrow morning, Thursday, as part of the special 2010 NHL Draft Prospects Youth Clinic leading up to this weekend s NHL Entry Draft at STAPLES Center. The event, which is scheduled to take place from 10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m., is open to the public and people are encouraged to attend and to watch from the stands at TSC. Media attending the event can interview the participants during the Clinic, which will feature 30 local youth hockey players. The prospects are expected to arrive at 10:30 a.m. Tyler Seguin, Taylor Hall, Brett Connolly, Erik Gudbranson, Cam Fowler and Long Beach native Emerson Etem -- all expected to be first round selections in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft are expected to participate. Former Kings forwards/current Kings broadcasters Jim Fox and Daryl Evans are slated to participate, and Willie O Ree will lead a goals-setting discussion with the participants. Bailey, the club s mascot, will also be featured. In addition, the NHL will host a Top Prospects Media Luncheon later that day at the Target Terrace at LA Live. The Media Lunch is from 12:30 1:30 p.m. and media availability with the prospects is from 1:30 2:30 p.m. The 2010 NHL Entry Draft takes place at STAPLES Center on Friday, beginning at 4 p.m., and on continues on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m.

8 Kings Announce Development Camp Plans LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Kings will host their annual Development Camp at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo next week with all camp participants taking the ice for practice and games from June 30 through July 2. The Development Camp roster (listed below) includes both players in the system and players who have been drafted but not signed by the team. The full roster of Development Camp participants will skate in El Segundo just five days after the Kings and the NHL host the 2010 NHL Draft at STAPLES Center on June This will give Kings fans the unique opportunity to watch several new prospects in Los Angeles just days after they were drafted. All scheduled on-ice practices for Development Camp are open to the public at no charge. This year s schedule is listed below. In addition to the prospects the Kings will select during the 2010 NHL Draft, the following players are also scheduled to take part in this year s Development Camp: *Participants, dates and times subject to change Defensemen: Andrew Campbell third round (74th overall) in 2008 Nicolas Deslauriers third round (84th overall) in 2009 Thomas Hickey first round (4th overall) in 2007 David Kolomatis fifth round (126th overall) in 2009 Patrick Mullen free agent signing, 2009 Jake Muzzin free agent signing, 2010 Colten Teubert first round (13th overall) in 2008 Forwards: Justin Azevedo sixth round (153rd overall) in 2008 Kyle Clifford second round (35th overall) in 2009 Robbie Czarnik third round (63rd overall) in 2008 Nic Dowd seventh round (198th overall) in 2009 Corey Elkins free agent signing, 2009 Bud Holloway third round (86th overall) in 2006 Ray Kaunisto free agent signing, 2010 Dwight King fourth round (109th overall) in 2007 Brandon Kozun sixth round (179th overall) in 2009 Trevor Lewis first round (17th overall) in 2006 Oscar Moller second round (52nd overall) in 2007 Jordan Nolan seventh round (186th overall) in 2009 Michael Pelech sixth round (156th overall) in 2009 Garrett Roe seventh round (183rd overall) in 2008 Brayden Schenn first round (5th overall) in 2009 Joshua Turnbull fifth round (137th overall) in 2007 Linden Vey fourth round (96th overall) in 2009 Goalies: Jean-Francois Berube fourth round (95th overall) in 2009 Martin Jones free agent signing, 2008 THE ON-ICE SCHEDULE FOR DEVELOPMENT CAMP: Wednesday, June 30: Group A Practice, 8:00-9:00 a.m. Game 9:15-10:15 a.m. Group B Practice, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 1: Group B Practice, 8:00-9:00 a.m. Game 9:15-10:15 a.m. Group A Practice, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, July 2: Group A Practice, 8:00-9:00 a.m. Game 9:15-10:15 a.m. Group B Practice, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

9 Kings Entry Draft Quiz No. 5 Tuesday, / 7:11 PM / News Answer the next five questions about the Kings NHL Entry Draft. Check back for the next set of questions on Wednesday. 1) Who was the first player ever selected by the Kings? Rick Pagnutti Gary Crosby Blair MacDonald Dale Hoganson 2) What future two-time 50-goal scorer did the Kings select in 1983? Kevin Stevens Garry Galley Jari Kurri Martin Gelenas 3) How many first round picks did the Kings have from ? ) What future Cy Young Award winning pitcher did the Kings select in the 1984 Draft? Greg Maddux John Smoltz Tom Glavine Bartolo Colon 5) What veteran NHL defenseman did the Kings acquire on Draft Day in 2004? Radek Bonk Stephane Quintal Philippe Boucher Doug Bodger

10 Q and A with Steve Greeley By Kim Mueller LAKings.com sat down with Kings pro scout Steve Greeley as the team prepares for the 2010 Entry Draft. LAKings.com: As a Pro Scout, what is your role the weeks leading up to the draft and at the draft itself? Greeley: As we approach the Draft, I really focus my attention on my player lists and making sure that I am prepared to speak internally at a moment s notice on players that are part of other organizations. Draft day is the biggest day of the year for the amateur scouting staff led by Mike Futa and Mark Yannetti. While I do not have direct responsibilities in terms of who we select, I do need to be prepared for all trade scenarios. With the pro scouting staff, it is crucial that, along with Rob Laird and Alyn McCauley, I am fully prepared to dissect the other 29 NHL team s active rosters and depth charts. As we see every year at the draft, both minor and major trades come out of nowhere as teams jockey for drafting position. The pro scouting staff has spent the season watching NHL and AHL games with a focus on learning as much as possible about every player in the league. When a trade scenario does present itself, it is imperative that we are prepared to speak with both Dean (Lombardi) and Ron (Hextall) on the ins and outs of the players involved in the trade discussions. Rob, Alyn and I prepare for the Draft in the same way that we prepare for July 1 and the beginning of the Unrestricted Free Agency period by making sure we have not left any stone unturned and that we can advise Dean and Ron with every bit of information and insight we have been able to gather on players from across the NHL and AHL. LAKings.com: This is the first time the Kings have hosted the draft. Do you think having Los Angeles as the host city is an advantage to the Kings draft picks this season? Greeley: I am not sure if there is an advantage to being drafted by the host city, but our picks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft will certainly be receiving quite a bit of local media attention. The STAPLES Center will be full of passionate Kings fans and the players we select will notice right away that LA is in fact a hockey town and a city where the fans care a great deal. Anyone that watched our series against Vancouver understands that LA is not only a great hockey city, but a city that is hungry to win. It is an especially fun experience to be drafted by the host organization because the local fans will welcome the picks with enthusiastic applause, and that s a memorable moment for an 18/19 year old player. The players will have a day or two to enjoy being drafted, but then in true Dean Lombardi and Ron Hextall fashion, the future Kings will be back in the gym and working toward making an impression at their first NHL Development Camp in July at the Toyota Sports Center. Being drafted is an honor, but it is not a guarantee that the players will have an NHL career. Right after shaking hands with the staff on the draft floor, our selections will meet Mike O'Connell, Mike Donnelly and Nelson Emerson who are in charge of our player development. This relationship will be crucial to the players success and one that cannot start too early. LAKings.com: Los Angeles has not picked this late in the draft (19th) since they chose left wing Alexander Frolov (20th overall) in How does the strategy change when you are not one of the top 10 teams in the draft order? Greeley: Traditional draft strategy is similar from team-to-team. The phrase "draft the best available player" is a common saying amongst upper management in any organization. Obviously, the further back you go from No. 1 overall, the less likely the player you select will have an immediate impact in the NHL. More often than not, a player selected outside the top two, will head to college, back to Junior hockey or back to Europe before embarking on their NHL careers. The past three seasons, we have been sitting in the front row on draft day which is nice because you are getting a high-end prospect, but it also means that your team finished in the bottom five of the league. This year is quite different, we do not pick until No. 19 which means that we have had our best season since Dean took the reigns. LAKings.com: The Kings are entering their fifth season under the direction of General Manager Dean

11 Lombardi. In your opinion, where do the Kings stand in their rebuilding phase? Greeley: We are certainly making progress. As I touched on earlier, when we sit down at our draft table in the STAPLES Center on Friday night, we will be the furthest from the podium since Dean took control of the Kings and that is a sign that we are heading in the right direction. There were some bright spots this year for the organization: five of our players played in the Olympics, we made the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and the Manchester Monarchs had an impressive playoff run. Dean has the staff analyze the player charts and lists leading up to the draft, and every year it seems as though we have fewer needs. That doesn t mean that our "holes" or "needs" are less important, but it does mean that through Dean and Ron's leadership, we are successfully addressing issues that needed fixing and becoming a more complete organization in regards to player personnel. Dean has done a great job of getting everyone on the same page. I have admired the fact that there are no shortcuts in this organization. It was a great moment when we clinched a playoff spot, but we certainly are not content or satisfied with that achievement. The Vancouver loss is something that not only our players have to learn from but also our scouts. LAKings.com: This is your first draft in the role as a Pro Scout as you were an NCAA Scout for the previous three seasons. How is this draft different for you than previous drafts? Greeley: This year, I will have more responsibility at the draft table. If any trades are to be offered to us, as a member of the pro staff, I will need to be prepared to give my opinion on the spot. It s an exciting experience. We have spent all year watching games and scouting players, making sure we are learning something every time we walk into an NHL or AHL arena, and this is the time of year when we are given the opportunity to put all of that work to good use. For the pro staff, we take a backseat to the amateur staff at the table, but we do know that at anytime, the phone could ring with a GM from another organization making an offer. When that phone rings, we must be prepared for anything.

12 Former Kings Broadcaster Granato Elected to Hall of Fame TORONTO (June 22, 2010) - Bill Hay, Chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame s Board of Directors, Jim Gregory and Pat Quinn, Co- Chairmen of the Hockey Hall of Fame s Selection Committee, announced today that Dino Ciccarelli, Cammi Granato and Angela James have been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Player Category. In the Builder Category, Jimmy Devellano and the late Daryl "Doc" Seaman was elected. The vote took place today at the annual meeting of the Selection Committee in Toronto. Granato served as the Kings Radio Color Analyst on Kings radio broadcasts with play-by-play partner Nick Nickson for the season. (Kings Broadcast History) "The Hockey Hall of Fame is proud to welcome these five hockey legends as Honoured Members," said Jim Gregory. "Their contributions to the game of hockey are well documented and their election to the Hockey Hall of Fame is richly deserved." A native of Sarnia, Ontario, Dino Ciccarelli played four seasons for the London Knights setting a team record for goals with 72 in An undrafted free agent, he made his debut with the Minnesota North Stars in , played nine seasons with the Stars, leading the team in scoring five times. Overall, he played 19 NHL seasons with five teams recording 608 goals and 592 assists in 1,232 games played. "This is a tremendous honour that I will cherish for the rest of my life," said Ciccarelli. "I really appreciate the support of my coaches, the fans and mostly importantly my family throughout my 19 year career." Cammi Granato was ECAC Player of the Year three consecutive seasons from , while playing for Providence College. She then played in Canada for the Concordia Stingers, helping that team to three Quebec titles. Granato was also a 15-year member of the U.S. Women s National Team beginning in 1990 and led Team USA to the gold medal in the 1998 Winter Olympics. "I dreamed of being in the NHL my entire life and this certainly makes up for those dreams," said Granato. "Being amongst the first women to play at college and later at the Olympics, it certainly was worthwhile being a hockey pioneer". Toronto native Angela James starred in the 1970 s and early 1980 s in the Central Ontario Women s League and was the league s leading scorer for eight seasons and MVP on six occasions. A medalist in 12 National Championships, she was MVP in eight of them. Angela has also won four world championship gold medals (1990, 1992, 1994 and 1997). "On behalf of everyone in women s hockey, I am truly honoured," said James. "As a kid I went to the Hall and was in awe of those who had been inducted. I am delighted to to be able to join them." In the Builder Category, long-time Detroit Red Wings executive, Jim Devellano and posthumously a founding owner of the Calgary Flames, Daryl "Doc" Seaman were honoured. "I d like to thank the Selection Committee for naming me," said Devellano. "This game is all about the people and since Lynn Patrick gave me my first break I ve been fortunate to be associated with great people." The 2010 Induction Celebration will be held on Monday, November 8, 2010 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. For more information regarding the 2010 Induction Weekend/Celebration, visit About HHOF: Established in 1943, the Hockey Hall of Fame is a museum and place of entertainment offering state-of-the-art exhibits, multimedia presentations and educational programming from its premises at Brookfield Place, Toronto, Canada where its operations have flourished since June Its mandate is to recognize and honour the achievements of individuals who bring special distinction to the game of hockey, and to collect, preserve and exhibit objects, images and resource materials connected with the game as it is played in Canada and throughout the world.

13 LAKings.com's Schedule Notes Tuesday, / 1:20 PM / News With the LAKings schedule released today, LAKings.com takes a look at the schedule in depth and below are the notes on the Kings slate. By Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Home Away By Month October November December January February March April Home Away Number of Games by Conference/Division Vs. Western Conference (64 Games) Pacific Division (24 Games) Northwest Division (20 Games) Central Division (20 Games) Anaheim: 6 (3 home, 3 away) Calgary: 4 (2 home, 2 away) Chicago: 4 (2 home, 2 away) Dallas: 6 (3 home, 3 away) Colorado: 4 (2 home, 2 away) Columbus: 4 (2 home, 2 away) Phoenix: 6 (3 home, 3 away) Edmonton: 4 (2 home, 2 away) Detroit: 4 (2 home, 2 away) San Jose: 6 (3 home, 3 away) Minnesota: 4 (2 home, 2 away) Nashville: 4 (2 home, 2 away) Vancouver: 4 (2 home, 2 away) St. Louis: 4 (2 home, 2 away) Vs. Eastern Conference (18 Games) Atlantic Division (7 Games) Northeast Division (6 Games) Southeast Division (5 Games) New Jersey: 1 (1 home) Boston: 2 (1 home, 1 away) Atlanta: 1 (1 home) NY Islanders: 2 (1 home, 1 away) Buffalo: 1 (1 away) Carolina: 1 (1 home) NY Rangers: 1 (1 away) Montreal: 1 (1 away) Florida: 1 (1 home) Philadelphia: 2 (1 home, 1 away) Ottawa: 1 (1 away) Tampa Bay: 1 (1 home) Pittsburgh: 1 (1 away) Toronto: 1 (1 home) Washington: 1 (1 away) Longest Homestand: Eight games: Dec. 30 through Jan. 15 vs. PHI, SJ, CHI, NSH, CBJ, TOR, STL, EDM over 17 days. Longest Road Trip: 10 games: Feb. 1 through Feb. 23 at MIN, EDM, CGY, PIT, WSH, PHI, CBJ, NYR, NYI, ANA over 23 days. Back-to-Back Games:13 times Sat. Oct VAN Sun. Oct. CGY Wed. Oct. 20 vs. CAR Wed. Oct. CHI Fri. Nov. BUF Sat. Dec. NSH Sun. Dec. 26 vs. ANA Wed. Dec. PHX Mon. Jan. DAL Tue. Feb. MIN Sat. Feb. WSH Wed. Feb. CBJ Wed. Feb. ANA Fri. Apr. ANA Thu. Oct. PHX Thu. Oct. DAL Sat. Nov. BOS Sun. Dec. CHI Mon. Dec. SJ Thu. Dec. 30 vs. PHI Tue. Jan. STL Wed. Feb. EDM Sun. Feb. PHI Thu. Feb. NYR Thu. Feb. 24 vs. MIN Sat. Apr. 9 vs. ANA

14 Kings Announce Schedule Tuesday, / 12:05 PM / News The Los Angeles Kings will open the season with a two-game road before hosting the Atlanta Thrashers (Oct. 12), Vancouver Canucks (Oct. 15) and Carolina Hurricanes (Oct. 20) at STAPLES Center as part of a three-game homestand, the Kings and the NHL announced Tuesday. The Kings will open the season on the road at Vancouver (Oct. 9) and at Calgary (Oct. 10). Individual ticket information for all Kings games at STAPLES Center will be go on sale later this summer. Group tickets and the Kings Plan for Every Fan are now available for purchase by calling KINGS-LA ( ) and by visiting LAKings.com. The Kings television and radio schedules will be announced later this summer as well. The club s preseason schedule was released yesterday. The Kings play 11 games in October, including four at home. After playing the Canucks in Vancouver to start the season, the Kings will host them at STAPLES Center on October 15 as part of a re-match from last year s NHL Stanley Cup Playoff series. In November, the Kings open with four home games as part of a five-game homestand. The Kings also that month host the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks on November 27. The month of December features 14 games, the most the Kings will play in a month (March also features 14 games). On December 26, the Kings host the Ducks for the first time. The first seven games in January will be at STAPLES Center and six of the contests are against Western Conference clubs. January also features games against the Toronto Maple Leafs (January 10) and the Boston Bruins (January 26). In February the Kings will play 13 games including 10 on the road. The month kicks-off with a three game road trip to Minnesota, Edmonton and Calgary, then the NHL All-Star break occurs, and then the Kings leave for a six-game road trip on the East Coast which begins at Pittsburgh on February 10 and ends against the New York Rangers on February 19. Upon returning home, the Kings play at Anaheim on February 23 before starting a six-game homestand which closes out February and begins March. During the final two months of the regular season March and April the Kings play 11 games at home compared to eight games on the road. Over the club s final 22 games, 14 of them are at STAPLES Center. The season ends with a home-and-home two game set against the Ducks, April 8 at Honda Center and April 9 at STAPLES Center.

15 Draft Entry Quiz No. 4 Monday, / 8:34 PM / News By Jeff Moeller Answer the next five questions about the Kings NHL Entry Draft. Check back for the next set of questions on Tuesday. 1) Which of the Kings goalies below was NOT drafted by the Kings. Jonathan Bernier Jamie Storr Kelly Hrudey Jonathan Quick 2) Which Kings center, who ranks in the club s top-10 for scoring in that position, was not drafted by the Kings Anze Kopitar Bernie Nicholls Butch Goring Juda Widing 3) Which past or current Kings broadcaster was selected by the Kings in the first-round of the NHL Entry Draft Mike Allison Daryl Evans Jim Fox Brian Engblom 4) Which player was not drafted by the Kings in the 1999 Draft? George Parros Noah Clarke Alexander Frolov Frantisek Kaberle 5) Which former first round pick by the Kings never played in an NHL game for the club? Olli Jokinen Denis Grebeshkkov Lauri Tukonen Jens Karlsson

16 Draft Day Memories with Alyn McCauley By Jeff Moeller Jeff Monahan contributed to this story LAKings.com continues its Draft Day Memories series with an interview with former NHLer and current Kings scout Alyn McCauley. LAKings.com: Take us back a year ago at this time when you were first signing up for this gig as a Kings scout and the draft in an unofficial manner. Talk about the decision you made to join the Kings staff about 12 months ago. Alyn McCauley: Well I was at my home business when Ron (Hextall) gave me a call and said he was interested and I jumped at the chance to join an organization that I knew was up and coming, Being my first experience aside from the playing in the NHL, there was a lot of learning that went on over the last year. Things are different than I expected as a player, behind the scenes, but overall, it was a very good year, for me anyway in what I was able to learn and take in. It was a very enjoyable year and I look forward to myself growing as a scout in my position. LAKings.com: Talk a little bit about what your role is at the draft in LA this week. Obviously amateur scouts and the drafting of amateur players is the key but from a pro end, talk about when the potential for trades come up and maybe you are asked for your opinion. Maybe just talk about what your role is this week. Alyn McCauley: Certainly there s always the possibility a team wants to move up or down in the draft and make a deal. Over the course of the year watching the amount of hockey and taking the notes that I did, you try to get to know these players in as much depth as you can take from being there as a spectator and a scout and trying to figure out if this is a player that we either want or don t want on our team. But with the work people have done in the past with drafting players that are of high value and are probably in high demand, I m sure the phone will be ringing and people will be curious to know who is available from our spot. Drafting 19th, or later in the first round than we have in the last few years, it s a good thing, but I don t think there will be as many inquiries into that pick as last year with the fifth overall pick. I mean, there s a lot of value in that player and not to say we can t find someone at 19 but it doesn t carry the same weight. So what I have done over the course of the last year getting to know the players as well as I have, that s where my skills or my knowledge will come into play and I may sit there and have a lot to give via notes. LAKings.com: Can you kind of take the fans inside the Kings conference room leading up to the draft and long meetings? Just talk a little bit about, from your perspective, what happens in that room; the discussion, the debate, watching video, talking players, etc. Alyn McCauley: Your team is always evolving and changing as the salary cap certainly brings a different element to it, so you re trying to at times look through a crystal ball as far as, okay this guy is a free agent and maybe he s going to test the waters and go somewhere else and how does that affect us? Who s available? Who are some of these up and younger guys coming so you re always trying to ice the best team that you can. I mean I certainly know first hand how a player s change of scenery can make a direct influence on how well and what they do on the ice. My move from Toronto to San Jose moved me from really a 4th line center to a 3rd or possibly a 2nd line center. So you re trying to sometimes guess and get those guys who kind of surprise you a little bit. A little bit like a stock market, I would say, you re trying to get that guy on the upswing and making sure you don t get a guy just before he starts to decline or fall off a cliff. LAKings.com: Last two questions: you of course were drafted in 1995, 79th overall by New Jersey. What do you recall the most from the day you were drafted into the NHL? Alyn McCauley: Relief. You dream as a kid about making it and then you re working so hard towards being an NHL player, and that s your ultimate goal. But that s not the finish line, because then you have to prove your worth and continue to develop and then hold a position once you are able to secure a spot in the NHL.When I finally heard my name I was relieved and excited. New Jersey had actually just won the Stanley Cup the year before, they of all teams. After being drafted, they throw their draftees a little party, the Stanley Cup was there and I had my parents there. So it s exciting to go through that process, and you never know if that s going to be the end of the road, and luckily for me it wasn t, but that was a very exciting time and I was able to spend it with people who had supported me all along and essentially made that possible. LAKings.com: And finally, obviously you know that every player is different and every team is different, but based off your experiences, what's the best piece of advice you could give to a kid who is going to get drafted this week at STAPLES Center? What would you tell that kid if you had a minute with him? Alyn McCauley: To try to relax. I mean you really don t know, Hall and Seguin will probably go 1-2. But after that it s up in the air. I wish that I had kind of taken it in a little bit more. It s always easier said than done, but to just try and relax and just enjoy the moment. There are a lot of fun things that lead up to draft Jay McKee, who went in the first round, was my roommate while we were out in the draft in Edmonton, we went to the Edmonton mall, we actually bungee jumped. I just wish I had enjoyed a little bit more leading up to it. I certainly did once my name was called and I could sigh and breathe again. But take it in and enjoy it because it s something that a kid will never experience again and they worked so hard to get there so they should enjoy it.

17 Preseason Schedule Announced Monday, / 4:30 PM / News LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Kings today announced their preseason schedule for the NHL season. The Kings are currently scheduled to play six games overall -- including two at STAPLES Center on September 23 versus the Phoenix Coyotes and September 28 versus the Anaheim Ducks. Click here for the preseason schedule. In addition to the two home games at STAPLES Center, the Kings will host the Colorado Avalanche at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on October 2, and the Kings will travel to Colorado on September 22, Phoenix on September 23 (as part of a split-squad game) and Anaheim on October 3. The NHL Regular Season schedule will be announced tomorrow, Tuesday. The club s first day of training camp will be released later this summer. Tickets for the two Kings preseason games at STAPLES Center will go on sale on Tuesday, August 3. Tickets are currently on sale for the game in Las Vegas. For all Kings ticket information, call KINGS-LA ( ) and visit LAKings.com Preseason Schedule Date Visitor Home Time (PT) TV Network/Results WED SEP 22, 2010 KINGS Avalanche 6:00 PM THU SEP 23, 2010 Kings Coyotes* 7:05 PM THU SEP 23, 2010 Coyotes Kings* 7:30 PM TUE SEP 28, 2010 DUCKs KINGs 7:30 PM SAT OCT 2, 2010 Avalnche KINGs** 6:00 PM SUN OCT 3, 2010 Kings Ducks 5:00 PM The Kings and Avalanche will renew their preseason rivalry Frozen Fury in Las Vegas on Sept. 22. * There will be 2 games played on Sept 23, 2010 using a Split Squad in L.A. & Glendale ** Las Vegas - MGM Grand

18 Kings Entry Draft Quiz No. 3 Sunday, / 8:02 AM / News By Jeremy Zager - LAKings.com Staff Writer Answer the next five questions about the Kings NHL Entry Draft. Check back for the next set of questions on Monday. 1) This 2006 Kings draft pick had six game-winning goals in the playoffs for Manchester this season. Bud Holloway Trevor Lewis Oscar Moller Gabe Gauthier 2) This 2009 draft pick made his NHL debut in Vancouver Nov. 26, 2009 Andrei Loktionov Alec Martinez Brayden Schenn Brandon Kozun 3) This former draft pick is the youngest player to have ever played for the Kings. Aki Berg Drew Doughty Jamie Storr Larry Murphy 4) What team originally selected Michal Handzus in 1995? St. Louis Blues Philadelphia Flyers Phoenix Coyotes Chicago Blackhawks 6) Rob Scuderi was drafted by Pittsburgh in 1998 after a four-year stint at what college? Miami (of Ohio) Boston College Princeton University of Michigan

19 Q&A with Ryan Smyth Draft Day Memories Ryan Smyth was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first-round (6th overall) of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He recently reflected on those moments and answered the following questions from MLBPlayers.com: LAKings.com: What was it like for you as the draft was approaching? Ryan Smyth: I had some pre-draft meetings with the Oilers, but to me it didn t seem like they were that interested in taking me. They were excited about me as a player, but I really got the sense that Tampa Bay was really intrigued by me. You had the Espositos there then and they seemed really excited. They had me in meetings, asked me a bunch of questions, and told me that if I am available when they pick that they are going to take me. They had the eighth pick. Deep down inside, though, I kept telling myself how nice it would be to be an Oiler. I grew up in Banff and they were my favorite team. The Oilers took me sixth overall and I was ecstatic. I will never forget it. It was a big day for me and for my family. It was the thrill of a lifetime. Glen Sather, who had five Stanley Cups, was heading things up so I was pretty intrigued. LAKings.com: Just how excited was your family that you would have the chance to play so close to home? Ryan Smyth: The draft that year was held in Hartford, and my brother was drafted by the Hartford Whalers two years before that, so we had some family history in that city. When I got drafted, my family was overwhelmed. They were excited that I would be close to home for sure, and growing up my mom and dad were actually Flames fans. They had Calgary season tickets and there was a little fun in-family controversy but overall they were excited for me. LAKings.com: You went on to play three NHL games during the season. What was that like? Ryan Smyth: It was a tough thing then because of the lockout situation that had occurred in hockey. But my first NHL game was against the Los Angeles Kings at the Forum. That was very special. I lined up against Wayne Gretzky during my first shift. I only played 10, 11 minutes that night but it was just so exciting to play against my childhood hero Wayne Gretzky, who was a King then. Now being a King myself is pretty cool. LAKings.com: Have you followed and gotten to know many guys well from that 94 draft? Ryan Smyth: I had the opportunity to play with many of the guys at the World Championships over the years but going back to juniors I played a lot against Jeff Friesen, who went to San Jose 11th overall. Jeff O Neill was picked close to where I was picked and we had played together in World Juniors. I always kept an eye out for these guys and others. LAKings.com: And finally, you suffered an injury recently at the World Championships this summer. Can you talk about that and what that means to the upcoming season? Ryan Smyth :I played in an exhibition game and in a tournament game. I rolled my ankle in practice the next day near the post while going to the net. There are no side effects or pain for the long term. It healed up great and if we were playing today, I would be playing.

20 Draft Day Memories with Jonathan Bernier By Jeremy Zager - LAKings.com Staff Writer LAKings.com: Discuss your draft experience in 2006 at Vancouver. Were you nervous? Overwhelmed? Or was it what you thought it would be Bernier: I was a little bit, but my brother (Marc-Andre) was drafted a few years before me (second round, 60th overall, by Vancouver in 2003) and told me what to expect. I was a little surprised to be drafted by the Kings, but it was exciting for sure. LAKings.com: You were one of the highly touted prospects going into the draft. How much attention was on you leading up to draft day? Bernier: There was some attention, but to be honest I really put pressure on myself. I wanted to be THAT guy and I wanted to get drafted high. I put pressure on myself to be picked early in the draft. LAKings.com: How did you feel about being the first goalie drafted that year? Bernier: It was great, but my focus to be honest was to make it to the NHL. The draft was just getting my foot in the door. I knew there was a lot more. But it was definitely a reward for my hard work. LAKings.com: You mentioned you were a little surprised the Kings drafted you. Did you have a clue as to where you were going to get picked and to which team? Bernier: I wasn t sure what team, but I knew I was going to get picked in the first round, maybe between the eighth and 15th spot. I knew I wasn t going that much higher than that. I think for me it was a really good fit to get picked by the Kings. LAKings.com: Since 2006 what s been the biggest adjustment to playing at the professional level? Bernier: The first thing that comes to mind is living on your own; that s a big step from playing at the junior level. And playing professionally you get paid to play hockey and you really have to come to the rink every night and perform your best. LAKings.com: You had a great season in in Manchester and in your few games here in L.A. What are your expectations going into ? Bernier: I would love to make the Kings team obviously. I want to be on that roster and hopefully, if I make it, prove what I can do. I know it s not going to be easy though. I will be a long grind, but I m ready for the challenge. Jonathan Bernier was selected by the Kings in the first round (11th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He posted a regular season record with the Manchester Monarchs (AHL) this past season with a 2.03 goals-against average,.936 save percentage and nine shutouts. Among AHL netminders he ranked: first in save percentage, shutouts and saves (1,707); second in goals-against average and third in wins and minutes (3,424). Bernier was named AHL Goaltender of the Year, an AHL First-Team All-Star and was the starting goaltender for Team Canada at the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic. He was named AHL Player of the Week Jan. 31 and AHL Goaltender of the Month for October. Bernier was also 10-6 with a 1.81 goals-against average,.939 save percentage and three shutouts in the playoffs with Manchester, leading the Monarchs to the AHL s Eastern Conference Finals. In three games with the Kings in Bernier was with a 1.30 goals-against-average,.957 save percentage and one shutout. He recorded his first career NHL shutout March 30 at Nashville (Kings won 2-0), becoming the youngest Kings goaltender to record a shutout (21 years, 235 days).

21 Kings Entry Draft Quiz No. 2 Saturday, / 7:52 AM / News By Jeremy Zager - LAKings.com Staff Writer Answer the next five questions about the Kings NHL Entry Draft. Check back for the next set of questions on Sunday. 1) Which player was selected in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. (hint: it was the 13th overall pick in the draft.) Dustin Brown Scott Parse Alexander Frolov Anze Kopitar 2) Which player was NOT a selection of the Kings 1994 draft class Matt Johnson Vitali Yachmenev Jamie Storr Aki Berg 3) This King was drafted in 1997 (third overall) and has also played with the NY Islanders, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames and NY Rangers Joe Corvo Olli Jokinen Sean Avery Michael Cammalleri 4) This former Kings pick has the most points by a defenseman in team history? Steve Duchesne Rob Blake Drew Doughty Lubomir Visnovsky 6) This Kings front office member was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1985? Dean Lombardi Mike O Connell Ron Hextall Bill Ranford

22 Kings Entry Draft Quiz No. 1 Friday, / 7:23 PM / News By Jeremy Zager - LAKings.com Staff Writer Answer the first five questions about the Kings NHL Entry Draft. Check back for the next set of questions on Saturday. 1) Brad Richardson was a Draft Day trade acquisition from which team Anaheim Ducks Pittsburgh Penguins Calgary Flames Colorado Avalanche 2) All of the following were first round picks of the Kings EXCEPT Oscar Moller Thomas Hickey Jonathan Bernier Anze Kopitar 3) All of the following were Kings draft picks in 2009 EXCEPT Brayden Schenn Kyle Clifford Colten Teubert Brandon Kozun 4) This draft pick (Kings first pick 11th overall in 2006) won his NHL debut against the Anaheim Ducks in Jonathan Bernier Jonathan Quick Jamie Storr Jeff Zatkoff 5) The Kings have held the No. 2 overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft three times. Drew Doughty was one of those picks. Who were the other two? Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake Jim Fox and Alexander Frolov

23 Jimmy Carson and Jamie Storr Doug Smith and Jimmy Carson Dean of the Draft GM Dean Lombardi and Co-Scouting Directors Michael Futa and Mark Yannetti have nine picks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft By Rich Hammond For a team attempting to find success in the NHL, progress is often difficult to measure in a tangible way. In recent years, fans have wondered, "Are the Kings getting close?" Actually, they re getting further away, and that s perhaps the best indication of progress. At the NHL s annual entry draft, each team has a table on the arena floor, and the tables are organized by draft order. Teams with the first few picks are closest to the front, while the Stanley Cup winners get to enjoy the view from the back of the pack. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, when they picked fourth, second and fifth overall, respectively, the Kings were close enough to land a paper airplane on the stage. This year, it s different. The NHL Draft will be held June at STAPLES Center, and for the first time in four years, the Kings don t figure to give much face time on Versus. The Kings -- barring a trade -- will make their first pick at No. 19, their latest appearance at the podium since they took Alexander Frolov at No. 20 in the 2000 draft. "From our standpoint, it s kind of nice," said Michael Futa, the Kings co-director of amateur scouting. "We ve got some hard work to do, but it s the first time, certainly since I ve been involved, that we haven t been a first down from the steps (of the draft stage). So it s something different for us. It s something we re certainly proud of." The Kings have nine picks in the draft, one in the first round, two in the second round (No. 49 and No. 59), two in the third round (No. 70 and No. 79) and one each in the fourth (No. 109), fifth (No. 148), sixth (No. 169) and seventh (No. 199) rounds. Futa recently said that the Kings have "kind of ironed out about seven or eight guys that we really feel are going to be available in the area we re picking," and the staff has spent recent weeks doing exhaustive video review and face-to-face interviews. It s no stretch to say that the Kings attempt to build through the draft, under general manager Dean Lombardi, has been done in stages, and it certainly has fit within Lombardi s stated strategy to build the team from the back end. In 2006, Lombardi s first draft, the Kings took goalie Jonathan Bernier with the No. 11 pick. The next two drafts netted defensemen, Thomas Hickey at (No. 4) and Drew Doughty (at No. 2) in the first round. With the defensive side of the reserve list flush with young talent, the Kings looked up front last year and took center Brayden Schenn with the No. 5 overall pick. This year? It is presumed, given that 5-on-5 scoring looms as a potential short- and long-term weakness, that the Kings will pick a forward with the No. 19 pick, but it s all but impossible to predict who will be available when the Kings are on the clock. Mock drafts present some interesting options. NHL.com s experts have the Kings potentially looking at a pair of KHLbased Russian forwards, Vladimir Tarasenko and Evgeny Kuznetsov, while others have mentioned Canadian junior winger Jeff Skinner and Minnesota high-school center Brock Nelson. Might the Kings add a local player to the fold? Long Beach native Emerson Etem might be available, although he s considered by some to be a top-10 prospect, while Gardena native Beau Bennett, a former Junior King, has been tabbed in one online mock draft.

24 Making an accurate prediction on any mid-to-late first-round pick is always difficult, but it s complicated this year, Futa said, by the overall depth beyond the first few picks. The consensus is overwhelming that Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin will be the first two picks, but after the first few picks, there s little agreement. For instance, it wouldn t be a surprise to see a player such as Tarasenko get picked anywhere from No. 10 to No. 20. "This year, I honestly think that once you get past the first three or four players," Futa said, "there s going to be such a variety of players and lists, with people sorting through the Russian factor and different things, Europeans and stuff. So it s not out of the realm of possibility that we re getting a guy who we have ranked seventh or eighth on our list (at No. 19). We feel good about that, when it has happened in the past. "This year, you always take a look at some of these publications, and I ve never seen such a variety, so much difference of opinion on players. Again, there s a lot after that first, initial group. That doesn t mean there s not going to be some stars in the secondary group. It s just a very common group, and you really have to do your homework to try to get that gem. There are a lot of different things that these kids bring to the table that give them better opportunities than others, I would say." The thought that the Kings certainly will take a forward at No. 19 might be too simplistic. After all, it s unlikely that this year s draftee would crack the NHL lineup this October, and by the time he is NHL-ready, the Kings needs might have shifted. Also, Lombardi is somewhat well-known for not following convention in the draft and, in a recent radio interview, Lombardi cautioned against presuming that the Kings would only look at forwards simply because top-level scoring is an immediate need. "I think, whenever you re dealing with 18-year-olds, it s the standard line. It s the best available player," Lombardi said. "It certainly is a cliche, but when you re dealing with 18-year-olds, that s the way it is. If you get trapped into drafting by position, in most cases that kid isn t going to be ready right away, and your needs could change. The term you usually like to use is `asset value, and that s the best player. The only time, traditionally, that you go by position if you ve got two players that you value the same. "Let s say you can t decide if they should be one slot above or below. Then you might look at position, and which position is more valuable in the marketplace. Traditionally, that s on defense, so you might shade that way, because most hockey people figure that they have a bigger impact on winning. But other than that, it s the best player." By the time the first round starts, the team at the Kings table, toiling in relative anonymity near the middle of the arena floor, will have been well-schooled. In the weeks leading up to the draft, Lombardi drills his team, led by Futa and fellow co-director Mark Yannetti, on various scenarios. Given that the Kings pick at No. 19, and not in the top five as they have in the past three seasons, there are plenty of scenarios. "Mark and myself, we pull the pieces together and respect the opinions of the area (scouts)," Futa said. "We know that at the end of the day, it s going to be us who makes the finishing touches and makes those picks. Then we do different practices with Dean, in terms of moving up or moving down, different scenarios so that there are no surprises when you get to the draft. "Is there a certain player that you feel is worth having? We have those extra picks that Dean always seems to provide us, and that helps if you feel the need to move up." Life in the middle of the draft floor might be a little more complicated, but the Kings won t be complaining about the seating arrangement.

25 Rob Blake Retires Friday, / 2:00 PM / News SAN JOSE San Jose Sharks defenseman and team Captain Rob Blake today formally announced his retirement from the game of hockey, following 20 remarkable seasons in the National Hockey League. A Norris Trophy winner in 1998 with Los Angeles (finalist in 2000 and 2002) and a Stanley Cup champion in 2001 with Colorado, Blake will be remembered as one of the finest offensive defenseman to ever play the game. He finishes with 777 NHL points (240 goals, 537 assists) which places him 18th all-time among all NHL defensemen. His 240 goals rank tenth all-time and his 136 power play goals place him third all-time among blueliners. In 1,270 NHL games (20th all-time among defensemen) with Los Angeles, Colorado and San Jose, Blake fired 3,896 shots, the fourth-most attempts by any NHL rearguard. Among active NHL defensemen at the conclusion of the season, only Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios had posted more career points than Blake and no active blueliner had scored more career goals. Blake is one of only 24 players in hockey history to join the Triple Gold Club, winning a World Championship (Canada, 1994 and 1997), Olympic Gold Medal (Canada, 2002) and the Stanley Cup (Colorado, 2001). Blake became the 11th member on Feb. 24, 2002 with Team Canada s Olympic Gold Medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. I was very fortunate to play 20 years in the NHL, said Blake. I would like to thank Doug Wilson and the San Jose Sharks for allowing me this opportunity to say thank you to the teammates and organizations that have helped make this a very memorable journey. I also want to thank my family for all of their support throughout my career. Blake, 40, spent the past two seasons in San Jose and was named team Captain on Sept. 30, In 143 games with the Sharks, he posted 75 points (17 goals, 58 assists) along with 170 penalty minutes and was a plus-29. He picked up his 500th career assist as a member of the Sharks on Jan. 9, 2009 at Edmonton. On March 23, 2010, he became just the third defenseman in NHL history over the age of 40 to collect three assists or more in a single game (Tim Horton and Carl Brewer). What Rob Blake has accomplished over the course of his hockey career speaks for itself, said Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson. The standard that he helped bring into our dressing room will be felt by our organization and players for years to come. Rob is a prime example of what is great about the game of hockey the best players never act like they are bigger than the game. He had the ability to lead in the dressing room not only because of his elite skill level but also because his blue-collar heartbeat allowed him to relate to and earn the respect of all of his teammates. Rob is not only a tremendous player but a tremendous person and we congratulate him, his wife Brandy and their family, on a remarkable career. In addition to his Stanley Cup win in 2001, Blake also appeared in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals with Los Angeles against the Montreal Canadiens. In 146 Stanley Cup Playoff games, he posted 73 points (26 goals, 47 assists), tied for 25th best all-time among defensemen. His 436 shots from the blueline rank fifth all-time in postseason play. The Simcoe, Ontario native was originally selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round (70th overall) of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. He was selected for the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1991 and appeared in seven All-Star games (1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004). Blake was recognized with the NHL s highest honor for a defenseman in 1998, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and was also a finalist for the award in 2000 and In addition, he was named NHL First Team All-Star in 1998 and NHL Second Team All-Star from Blake has also had an illustrious International career outside of the NHL. He has represented Team Canada in the Olympics three times (1998, 2002 and 2006) and appeared in five World Championships with Canada (1991, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999). Blake was selected for Team Canada for two World Cup of Hockey tournaments (1996, 2004) but did not play in 2004 due to injury. FOR A TIMELINE OF ROB BLAKE S CAREER LOG ONTO

26 MORE FROM DRAFT CENTRAL ON LAKINGS.COM PODCAST WITH JACK FERREIRA 2004 NHL DRAFT PHOTO GALLERY DRAFT WALLPAPER 2006 NHL DRAFT PHOTO GALLERY 2007 NHL DRAFT PHOTO GALLERY 2008 NHL DRAFT PHOTO GALLERY PODCAST WITH BILL RANFORD DRAFT RANKINGS 2009 NHL DRAFT PHOTO GALLERY KINGSVISION VIDEOS: : Scout Brent McEwen Draft Preview : Scout Denis Fugere Draft Preview : Scout Tony Gasparini Draft Preview : Scout Todd Woodcroft Draft Preview : GM Dean Lombardi Draft Preview : Nelson Emerson on the Draft : Mark Yannetti Draft Analysis : Michael Futa Draft Analysis : Tony Gasparini on the Draft in LA : Denis Fugere on the Draft in LA TODAY IN KINGS HISTORY: JUNE Kings coach Bob Pulford was named the winner of the NHL's Adams Trophy as Coach of the Year. Pulford is the only coach ( Coaches' Photo Gallery) in Kings history to win the award (Kings all-time coaches). Pulford is second in Kings history behind Andy Murray in wins (178), games (396) and standing points (424). Interestingly, he was involved in the most tie games in Kings history (68). [Back] Hockey Hall of Fame announced its newest members: former King Marcel Dionne (Kings all-time scoring), Bob Gainey, Lanny McDonald and veteran Woody Dumart. Dionne, third on the career list at the time with 731 goals and 1,040 assists for 1771 points, was picked in the first round (2nd overall) by Detroit in Dionne played four seasons with the Red Wings before coming to Los Angeles in [Back] Kings acquired Ziggy Palffy, Bryan Smolinski, Marcel Cousineau (Kings All-Time Trades) and a draft pick from the NY Islanders (Daniel Johansson) (Kings all-time draft), in exchange for Olli Jokinen, Josh Green, Mathieu Biron and a draft pick (previously acquired, Los Angeles selected Daniel Johansson). Pallfy tallied =340 in 311 games with the Kings from ; Smolinski tallied =191 in 295 games from and Cousineau posted a mark in five games with Los Angeles Click for larger photo

27 Los Angeles traded forward Mike Cammalleri and the 48th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft to the Calgary Flames for Calgary's 17th overall pick in the 2008 Draft and their second-round pick in the 2009 Draft (Kings All-Time Trades). L.A. then dealt the 17th and 28th overall picks in the 2008 Draft to the Anaheim Ducks for Anaheim's 12th overall pick in the 2008 Draft. Finally, the Kings traded the 12th overall pick in the 2008 Draft to the Buffalo Sabres for the 13th overall pick (Colten Teubert) and Buffalo's third-round pick in the 2009 Draft. The Kings ( Draft Party) had two first-round picks in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft ( 2008 Draft: Pt. 1 Pt. 2). They selected defenseman Drew Doughty with the second overall pick ( 700K ) and then took defenseman Colten Teubert ( with the 13th overall pick after a three-way deal with the Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks, then another deal with the Buffalo Sabres (Kings All-Time Trades). ( Draft Day Photo Gallery) [Back] The Los Angeles Kings selected Jimmy Carson (Kings all-time scoring) with the second overall pick in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. Carson scored =219 in 219 games with the Kings. For his career, Carson tallied =561 in 626 games with the Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks and Hartford Whalers. He would play in the NHL All-Star Game in 1989 after being traded (Kings All-Time Trades) to Edmonton with Martin Gelinas, Los Angeles' 1st round choices in 1989 (later traded to New Jersey New Jersey selected Jason Miller), 1991 (Martin Rucinsky) and 1993 (Nick Stajduhar) Entry Drafts and cash for Wayne Gretzky, Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley on Aug. 9, Kings selected Dustin Brown, Brian Boyle and Jeff Tambellini (Kings all-time scoring) with their three first round picks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Brown would lead the Kings in goals with 33 during the season while leading the NHL in hits, Boyle made his NHL debut on Feb. 2, 2008 and scored his first NHL goal against Martin Brodeur; Tambellini would be traded (Kings All- Time Trades) to the NY Islanders with Denis Grebeshkov for Mark Parrish and Brent Sopel, on March 8, 2006, after appearing in just four games with the Kings The Kings exercised their option to buy out the contract of goaltender Dan Cloutier (Kings all-time goalies), acquired (Kings All-Time Trades) forward Brad Richardson from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for the Kings' second second-round pick (61st overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. And made seven picks (Rounds 2-7) during the second day of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. They took defenseman Vjateslav Voinov (32nd), forward Robert Czarnik (63rd- 700K), defenseman Andrew Campbell (74th- 700K), forward Geordie Wudrick (88th- 700K), forward Andrei Loktionov (123rd), forward Justin Acevado (153rd) and forward Garret Roe (183rd) in a very busy day for the Kings. [Back] Kings selected defenseman Alex Zhitnik (Kings all-time scoring) with their 82nd overall pick in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Zhitnik tallied 26-81=107 in 170 games with the Kings from The Kings had no first round pick in the draft, but selected Gu Leveque in the second round (42nd overall).leveque played only 17 NHL games, all with the Kings, spending most of his career in the OHL and IHL Kings Hall of Famer Peter Demers was inducted into the Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society (PHATS) Hall of Fame. Demers was the Kings trainer from 1972 to 2006, during which he never missed working a Kings' game, a streak of 2,632 consecutive regular season Kings and NHL contests. Demers began his career in 1965 with the AHL Rhode Island Reds before spending three years with the Kings AHL-affiliate Springfield Kings. ( Demers Photo Gallery) [Back] The Kings signed free agent center Marcel Dionne (Kings all-time scoring), who had spent the first four seasons of his career with Detroit. As part of the NHL free agency rules the Red Wings were due compensation for Dionne, so the Kings sent Dan Maloney and Terry Harper and Los Angeles' 2nd round choice (later traded to Minnesota who selected Jim Roberts) in 1976 Amateur Draft to the Red Wings and acquired defenseman Bart Crashley in the deal (Kings all-time trades).

28 KINGS IN THE NEWS: Luc Robitaille will be presenting the Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward) at the 2010 NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Kings Vision / FS West host Heidi Androl on Wednesday will serve as the NHL Awards Red Carpet Correspondent as part of the awards show on Versus. In addition, on June 26, she will be working on the draft floor covering the NHL Draft for NHL Network along with Dan Pollard, who will be hosting, and Craig Button and Bob McKenzie, who will serve as Analysts. On Monday, June 28, at 5 p.m. (PT), Kings Ransom, a film that documents one of the most shocking trades in sports history, will be aired. This hour-long feature, the first of the critically-acclaimed ESPN "30 for 30" series, was screened at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and recounts the deal that sent the NHL s brightest star, Wayne Gretzky, from Edmonton to Los Angeles in The documentary includes interviews with Gretzky s wife, Janet Jones; his father, Walter Gretzky; the club owners who made the deal and Edmonton journalists who covered the trade. LAKingsHockey 1. Come to "Daryl Evans Intermediate Series" Thursday, July 1 at 8:00 pm until <br />Thursday, July 22 at 9:00 pm... about 19 hours ago via Facebook 2. The #LAKings have released the schedule...download it into outlook or check out our desktop wallpapers. about 21 hours ago via HootSuite 3. Come to " Ice Crew Auditions" Saturday, July 10 at 8:30 am until <br />Sunday, July 11 at 3:00 pm... about 21 hours ago via Facebook 4. Lee Hacksaw Hamilton previews the #NHLDraft hosted by the #LAKings tonight between 6-7 pm on #XX1090 in San Diego. 4:22 PM Jun 21st via web 5. #LA #NHLDraft #NHLtweetup for Day 2 of the draft from Complete details to follow. (cc... 2:53 PM Jun 21st via HootSuite 6. Today in Kings history: 6/21/86 - The Kings selected Jimmy Carson with the 2nd overall pick in the '86 NHL Entry :16 PM Jun 21st via Facebook 7. Former #LAKings captain Rob Blake set to announce his retirement at 11 a.m. Video here:

29 latimes.com/sports/la-sp-elliott-nhl-prospect ,0, column latimes.com HELENE ELLIOTT / ON THE NHL Emerson Etem is on the verge of living his NHL dream Swift right winger with knack for scoring is likely to go earlier in entry draft than any California-born-and-trained player before. He's steadfastly pursued his goal despite skepticism and racial taunts. Helene Elliott 5:25 PM PDT, June 21, 2010 Emerson Etem knew where he wanted to go, never flinching at the difficulty of his unconventional journey. As he moved from roller hockey at the Long Beach YMCA to ice hockey, from local leagues to famed Shattuck St. Mary's prep school in Minnesota, from the U.S. National Team Development Program to the rugged world of junior hockey in Medicine Hat, Canada, he went to extraordinary lengths to pursue his dream. Most remarkable was the 2 ½-hour trip he made every day the last four summers from Long Beach to Venice to train with T.R. Goodman, fitness guru to a galaxy of NHL stars. To get there, Etem (pronounced EEE-tem) rollerbladed four miles, took two trains, transferred to a bus and rollerbladed the final half-mile. After a grueling, three-hour workout, he did it all in reverse. "It's a humbling experience," said Etem, who turned 18 last week. "I'm fortunate to be in a situation that kept me humble." He has earned the right to brag a little. Actually, a lot. Etem, a swift right winger with a knack for scoring goals, is ranked eighth among North American skaters for the NHL entry draft, which will be held Friday and Saturday at Staples Center. After factoring in goalies and European players, he's likely to be chosen by the middle of the first round. That would be the earliest selection of a California-born-and-trained player, a distinction now held by Jonathon Blum of Rancho Santa Margarita, chosen 23rd by Nashville in "It's been a central part of our life the last 10 years," said his father, Rick, an avionics engineer for Boeing. "Prior to those 10 years, I guess I would have never thought it possible." The quality of Etem's wrist shot is undisputed after he led Western Hockey League rookies last season with 37 goals. Shaun Clouston, Medicine Hat's associate coach, said Etem has top NHL speed and much more. "He also has an understanding of what it takes to get there," Clouston said. "The thing that might be even most important is his belief. He believes that he's going to be a player and I think when you have that belief that's probably what's going to happen." Whatever his draft number, it will be a sweet moment for Etem, who has overcome not only skepticism shown players from non-traditional hockey breeding grounds but racial taunts because his father is white and his

30 mother is African American. "I want to set a good example," said Etem, a Kings fan who has been mentored by Kings winger Wayne Simmonds, one of the few black players in the NHL. "It doesn't matter where you're from. Just keep focused and work hard. You can achieve anything." He's the youngest child of Rick, who played tennis and rowed at the Naval Academy, and Patricia, who made the 1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympic rowing teams. His brother, Martin, and sister, Elise, are elite rowers, but hockey was always his passion. "Emerson has always put himself in places of high risk in terms of you really can't afford to fail, and he's excelled. I think that's how you get where you want to be," Patricia Etem said. "What I imparted to my kids, I think, was if you want it and you want it at the level you're dreaming it, you have to go beyond. You have to be the one to envision what that 'beyond' is." That meant leaving home at 14 to attend Shattuck St. Mary's, which has polished the talents of Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Kings defenseman Jack Johnson, Zach Parise and other standouts. Etem saw Crosby while watching his brother in a tournament there and Shattuck became part of a meticulous plan to pit himself against ever-better competition. "He's done a good job in that area," Rick Etem said. "That wasn't something that we coached him on." Making the prep team as a sophomore, as Crosby and Johnson had, boosted Etem's confidence and helped silence the California surfer jokes. "My name wasn't on the map or out there at that point," he said. "I think in the end I proved a lot of people wrong." From there he moved to the U.S. development program, based in Ann Arbor, Mich. What he heard there was even worse. An opposing player used a racial slur against him. Etem responded in the best possible way. "I scored a lot of goals," he said. "We beat them in a playoff series in the first round." Etem passed a different test last season in Medicine Hat, a town of about 62,000. The schedule was demanding 72 games, plus exhibitions and playoffs and the competition tougher than anything he had faced before, but he thrived. "He's very focused," Clouston said. "I believe he's got an intelligence that is noticeable on and off the ice." Soon he will live his dream and share it with anyone who has ever pursued an unlikely goal with body and soul. "Going into the year I wanted to be the first overall pick, but obviously that's not going to happen," he said. "But I like to set high standards for myself. I'm ranked eighth right now. I feel I should be at the top. At the same time, this is only the first step of my career and my goal is to be the best out of this draft." helene.elliott@latimes.com twitter.com/helenenothelen Copyright 2010, The Los Angeles Times

31 latimes.com/sports/la-sp-nhl-draft-charticle ,0, story latimes.com NHL DRAFT There's no bad No. 1 choice between these two prospects Tyler Seguin and Taylor Hall seem the best of the bunch at the NHL draft. The Edmonton Oilers will pick first Friday at Staples Center, and the draft could have a real California feel. By Helene Elliott 7:05 PM PDT, June 22, 2010 Will it be Tyler or Taylor who is called on stage first on Friday at Staples Center when the NHL holds its annual entry draft? The honor of being the first pick could go to center Tyler Seguin, ranked No. 1 by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, or to left wing Taylor Hall, who held the top spot in the midterm rankings and was No. 2 at season's end. Neither choice would be a bad one. After that, a flock of big defensemen should draw a lot of attention. The first round begins at 4 p.m. Friday. The second through seventh rounds will be held Saturday. Edmonton has the first pick, followed by Boston (with a pick acquired from Toronto), Florida, Columbus and the New York Islanders. The Ducks will pick 12th and 29th in the first round; the Kings have the 19th pick. Here's a look at the likely top five. Taylor Hall, left wing Central Scouting has him No. 2, but there's a good chance he will go first. Quickness, acceleration, skating, desire this 6-foot-1, 185-pound winger has it all, including an unprecedented two MVP awards at the Ontario Hockey League's Memorial Cup tournament and back-to-back championships. He had 40 goals and 106 points in 57 OHL games this season and shared the league scoring lead with Seguin. He's strong and tough to knock off the puck. Tyler Seguin, center He could be No. 1 without much argument. Seguin, 6-1 and 172 pounds, beat out Hall to win the OHL's outstanding player award last season and shared the league scoring lead with Hall. Seguin is a skillful playmaker and the kind of center who makes his linemates better. Being a center and shooting right-handed will enhance his value and could make him No. 1. Erik Gudbranson, defenseman His size 6-4 and 195 pounds and right-handed shot make him attractive to scouts whose teams want to build from the defense out. He is also tough and won't back down from anyone. Seen as a potential franchise defenseman, he has been compared to Philadelphia's Chris Pronger and Toronto's Dion Phaneuf. In a good way. Cam Fowler, defenseman

32 A native of Canada who grew up in Michigan, he played for the U.S. and won a gold medal at the 2010 World Junior Championships and the 2009 under-18 World Championships. He's 6-1 and 190 pounds and probably hasn't finished growing. A good skater with good vision and the potential to be a top-four defenseman. Brandon Gormley, defenseman Considered reliable and steady rather than flashy, he's likely to be the first player chosen from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He has good size at 6-2 and 187 pounds and is solid at both ends of the ice. He might not be a franchise player but is the kind of defenseman every team needs for stability and coaches love. California dreamin' It's the perfect moment for the NHL to stage the draft in California for the first time. Several California-bornand-trained players figure to be claimed in the early going. Here are some names to know: Emerson Etem A left-handed shooter who plays the right side, the Long Beach native is ranked No. 8 among North American skaters by Central Scouting. "I set high standards for myself and my mind-set is playing in the NHL next year," said Etem, who went from Shattuck St. Mary's prep school to Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League and scored 37 goals last season. Beau Bennett The right wing from Gardena is ranked No. 32 by Central Scouting. He led the British Columbia Hockey League in scoring last season with 120 points in 56 games. "I definitely got challenged to a lot of fights throughout the year because I was from California. That's part of the game," he said. Like Etem, he first played roller hockey before switching to the ice. He grew up a Kings fan, but his loyalty was tested when he was coached at the bantam and midget level by Ducks assistant coach Newell Brown. "I still am a Kings fan, but I cheer for the Ducks as long as they're not playing the Kings," Bennett said. Jason Zucker The forward from Las Vegas is ranked No. 51. At age 10, he moved to L.A. and played two seasons for the L.A. Hockey Club. Jacob Fallon The speedy winger whose hometown is Riverside shoots left-handed and is ranked No. 68. He played for the L.A. Selects. Taylor Aronson Ranked No. 88 and from Placentia, he is a former Junior Kings defenseman. He played for Portland of the Western Hockey League last season. helene.elliott@latimes.com twitter.com/helenenothelen

33 Copyright 2010, The Los Angeles Times latimes.com NEWSWIRE Cammi Granato, Angela James, Dino Ciccarelli named to Hockey Hall of Fame Pat Quinn is fired as coach of the Oilers, to replaced by Tom Renney. Staff and wire reports 11:09 PM PDT, June 22, 2010 Dino Ciccarelli was the only former NHL player elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of 2010, but he will be joined in the players' category by two pioneers of the women's game. Ciccarelli, who began his career with the Minnesota North Stars and played for five teams over 19 NHL seasons, scored 608 goals and 592 assists in 1,232 games. Also elected was Cammi Granato, who led Team USA to the gold medal in the 1998 Winter Olympics, the first Games that included a women's hockey tournament. The other women's pioneer elected was Angela James, who starred in the 1970s and early 1980s in the Central Ontario Women's League and was the league's leading scorer for eight seasons and the MVP six times. -- Helene Elliott The San Jose Sharks are cutting ties with goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. Nabokov has been one of the top goalies in the league the past few years, winning an NHL-best 131 games over the past three seasons. --- Pat Quinn was removed as coach of the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday after his team finished with the worst record in the league in his first season. He was replaced by Oilers assistant Tom Renney, who will be running his third NHL team. --- The NHL Players' Assn. is extending its current collective bargaining agreement with the league through the season. The decision to stretch the agreement for another season was made during the union's executive board meeting on Tuesday. The CBA was originally set to expire after the upcoming season, but the players' association exercised its right to extend it for a seventh year.

34 The Fabulous Forum The who, what, where, when, why and why not of L.A. sports «Previous Post The Fabulous Forum Home Next Post» Kings announce six-game exhibition schedule June 21, :15 pm The Kings announced their exhibition schedule Monday, and it will include their annual trip to Las Vegas to play the Colorado Avalanche. The NHL will announce the season schedule Tuesday. The Kings will start the season on the road and play their home opener Tuesday, Oct. 12. Date Opponent City Venue Time (Pacific) Sept. 22 Avalanche Denver Pepsi Center 6 p.m. (previously listed at 7) Sept. 23* Coyotes Phoenix Jobing.com Arena 7:05 p.m. Sept. 23* Coyotes Los Angeles Staples Center 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 Ducks Los Angeles Staples Center 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 Avalanche Las Vegas MGM Grand 6 p.m. Oct. 3 Ducks Anaheim Honda Center 5 p.m. *Split-squad game -- Helene Elliott John Stevens, former Flyers coach, remains Kings' top choice for assistant coaching job June 18, :50 pm John Stevens is the Kings choice to fill the assistant coaching vacancy created when Mark Hardy resigned, and his hiring could be announced next week, an NHL source confirmed Friday. Stevens was fired by the Philadelphia Flyers in December after the team had a weak start. The Flyers went on to win the Eastern Conference title but lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup final. Key Kings executives know him well. Kings Coach Terry Murray, previously part of the Flyers coaching staff, worked with Stevens in Philadelphia, and Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi and assistant GM Ron Hextall are familiar with him from their past employment in the Flyers organization. Next week could also bring a contract extension for Lombardi and his staff. Lombardi has one year left on the deal he signed in 2006 and he s coming off his most successful season so far. The Kings made the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and made significant progress in a long and tortured rebuilding process, stockpiling young talent at the NHL and minor-league levels. -- Helene Elliott

35 Rob Blake ends NHL career; former King praised as 'elite-level player' with 'a blue-collar heart' June 18, :31 pm Rob Blake officially ended an NHL career that began more than 20 years ago with the Kings, announcing his retirement Friday during a news conference in San Jose. Blake, who turned 40 in December, played 1,270 NHL games, including 805 with the Kings. While in L.A., he was a four-time all-star, a key member of the 1993 team that lost to Montreal in the Stanley Cup final and won the Norris Trophy as the NHL s best defenseman in He remains the Kings leader among defensemen in games played (805), goals (161), assists (333), points (494) and power-play goals (92). Among all Kings players, he ranks fourth in games played, seventh in assists, seventh in points, fourth in penalty minutes (1,231) and fourth in power-play goals. "I have very fond memories of L.A.," said Blake, the Kings fourth-round pick and 70th overall in "I was fortunate they gave me an opportunity to play. My first partner was Larry Robinson. I played with Tony Granato, Wayne Gretzky, Marty McSorley and had an opportunity to learn so much." He ended a distinguished career with 240 goals, 537 assists, 777 points and 1,679 penalty minutes -- and a Stanley Cup championship with Colorado in He also won an Olympic gold medal with Canada in 2002 and a world championship in "He s an elite-level player, but he s got a blue-collar heart," Doug Wilson, the Sharks general manager, said during a news conference attended by several current Sharks. Also in the audience were Granato, former Kings teammate Glen Murray and Kings development executive Nelson Emerson, Blake s teammate at Bowling Green and with the Kings. Joe Sakic, Blake s teammate in Colorado, offered a video tribute that praised Blake s contributions to the Avalanche s success. Blake, the Sharks captain last season, said that as the season evolved he knew his career was winding up. Though he said he was in good shape and felt fine, it just seemed like the right time to retire. I ve enjoyed the 20 years, but it s time to move on to a new step, he said. He said he hopes to be involved in hockey again but has no immediate plans beyond spending time with his wife, Brandy, whom he met while playing in L.A., and their two young children. I envision being in the game many more years, said Blake, who has long had a home in Manhattan Beach. Despite the memorable hip checks he dished out -- he was one of the league s best in his prime -- and his skills in quarterbacking the power play, he s despised by many Kings fans because of the circumstances surrounding his two departures from the team, in 2001 and again in the summer of He was loudly booed each time he returned with the Sharks the last two seasons, but did he really deserve that treatment? To recap: Blake was poised to become a free agent in the summer of Distracted by contract talks, he briefly relinquished the captaincy before the season began and after the Kings had given him a take-itor-leave-it offer. He was seeking $9.6 million annually, which the team resisted paying, saying it would have been a quarter of the payroll; the Kings were offering slightly more than $7 million a year. Then-General Manager Dave Taylor made a last-ditch attempt to sign him, but Blake remained determined to test free agency for the first time. Kings ownership then told Taylor to trade Blake rather than letting him walk away with no return. The team dealt Blake and Steven Reinprecht to Colorado for Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron

36 Miller, Jared Aulin and first-round draft picks in 2001 and Blake went on to win the Cup with the Avalanche and re-signed with the team, playing four more full seasons. He returned to the Kings for the season and became a mentor to the young players, even taking Jack Johnson to live with him and his family. Hip surgery in the spring of 2007 slowed Blake considerably and, knowing his time to win the Cup again was limited, he left after the season for San Jose, thinking the Sharks were closer to a championship than the Kings were. Blake played each of the last two seasons under one-year contracts; the Sharks were upset in the first round of the playoffs in 2009 and lost to eventual champion Chicago in the West finals this season. The Kings haven t said anything about retiring his number or otherwise honoring him soon, but they probably will in a few years, and they should. Blake left the first time because he wanted to test free agency, which came later in a player s career under the old collective bargaining agreement than it does now. The Kings wouldn t pay him what he wanted, and he left and won the Cup. So did Luc Robitaille. Blake left the second time because he thought the Sharks were closer to winning the Cup than the Kings, who were then in the early rebuilding stages. He didn t win the Cup in San Jose, but it s not his fault Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley develop hollow spaces where their hearts should be once the playoffs begin. His current and former teammates respected him -- Robitaille offered this tribute -- and in a sport where the team ethic means so much, that says a lot. -- Helene Elliott Former King Rob Blake announces retirement from NHL June 18, :59 am San Jose Sharks captain Rob Blake, who played 14 of his 21 NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, announced his retirement after at a news conference Friday in San Jose. Blake joined the Kings in the season and was named to the NHL All-Rookie team in after scoring 46 points. One of the top defensemen in the NHL, Blake served as team captain from 1996 to 2001 and won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman after the season. Blake was traded to the Colorado Avalanche during the 2001 season but returned to the Kings as a free agent before the season. He played two more seasons with the team before moving on to the San Jose Sharks. He ranked eighth on list of the 10 greatest L.A. Kings of all time, as chosen by readers of latimes.com/sports. Blake, who won an Olympic gold medal with Canada in 2002, is 10th on the career list with 240 goals as a defenseman. He has 537 assists, 777 points and 136 power-play goals, the third most by an NHL defenseman (Ray Bourque has 173 and Al MacInnis 166). -- Chuck Schilken The Associated Press contributed to this report.

37 FROM THE DAILY NEWS Ex-Kings star Blake retires with San Jose By The Associated Press Posted: 06/18/ :50:29 PM PDT Updated: 06/18/ :11:57 PM PDT SAN JOSE - Early in his 20th season, Rob Blake realized that this would be his final one as an NHL player. Even as he performed at the level of a player younger than his 40 years, helping the San Jose Sharks reach the Western Conference final, he didn't waver. Blake made his decision official on Friday, announcing his retirement from a career that will most likely end at the Hockey Hall of Fame. "I knew it was the right time. I have no regrets," he said. "I understood it was time to move on." Blake leaves the game on his own terms, still able to play at a high enough level to compete in the NHL and healthy enough to do it for another year if he had wanted. But he also knew he was not longer quite the same player he was a decade ago. "I know I had slowed down in different aspects," he said. "When you've played at a certain level and can't accomplish some things.... I would watch video and I'd see I was a step slow there. A lot of people might not see it, but I knew inside." Blake had a decorated career, helping the Los Angeles Kings advance to the Stanley Cup final in 1993, winning the Norris Trophy for the Kings as the league's top defender in 1998, hoisting the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2001, and earning an Olympic gold medal for Canada in He helped San Jose post the top regular-season record in the West in each of his two seasons with the team but was unable to get the Sharks to their first Cup final. The Sharks were swept by eventual champion Chicago in this year's West finals. "He's an elite level player but he has a blue-collar heartbeat," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said. "It's been a privilege and an honor to have Rob Blake play for this hockey team. Going forward we're going to reap those benefits." Blake took over as captain in San Jose this past season, providing a steady hand and setting a professional example that helped the Sharks reach the second Western final in franchise history. Teaming with Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Blake had seven goals and 23 assists in 70 games and was one of the team's most reliable defenders. He added a goal and an assist in the playoffs. "We're all a little disappointed that you decided to retire," coach Todd McLellan said in a phone call during the news conference. "We'll miss your professionalism around the locker room. When you came in and joined the Sharks family you set some standards on and off the ice that are second to none." Teammates Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Evgeni Nabokov and Devin Setoguchi came to the news conference to honor Blake. Former teammates Tony Granato, Glen Murray and Nelson Emerson also were on hand, while Joe Sakic sent a video message, and Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson also called in to praise Blake.

38 Blake said his immediate future involves returning to Southern California to spend time with his wife and two children. He said he will stay away from hockey until about Christmas but would like to get back into the game then, possibly as a scout or an announcer. Blake's departure is the first of what could be many key changes on the Sharks before next season. Marleau, the team's leading goal scorer last season, and Nabokov, the starting goaltender, are both eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. The team also will need to pick a new captain, with Thornton, defenseman Dan Boyle and forward Joe Pavelski among the possibilities. "There's a lot of different choices there," Blake said. "We've always said the past couple of years that it's a leadership group. One person will wear the 'C.' That's the history of the game. But it's evolved into a group of leaders." Blake grew up on a farm in Ontario, never envisioning what his career would entail. He played college hockey at Bowling Green and was a fourth-round pick by Los Angeles in He came up late in the season after finishing his college career. His first goal as an NHL player came in the playoffs against Calgary. Blake was a key cog for a Kings team, led by Wayne Gretzky, which lost in five games to Montreal in the 1993 Stanley Cup final. Blake replaced Gretzky as captain in Los Angeles in 1996 and was traded in February 2001 to Colorado. He had six goals and 13 assists that postseason for the Avalanche, leading them past New Jersey in seven games for championship. He returned to Los Angeles in 2006 as a free agent and then left to join the Sharks in Blake leaves the game 10 th on the career list with 240 goals as a defenseman. He finished his career with 537 assists and 777 points. His 136 power-play goals are the third most by an NHL defenseman, trailing only Hall of Famers Ray Bourque (173) and Al MacInnis (166).

39 FROM THE EXAMINER JON MONCRIEF Kings host NHL Draft and events next week June 17, 11:37 AM Los Angeles Kings Examiner Jonathan Moncrief For the first time in their 43 year history, the Los Angeles Kings are hosting the National Hockey League's Entry Draft. It'll be held next week at Staples Center, on Friday and Saturday June 25 and 26, and admission is free to the public. Click here for details on how to get tickets for the two days. But there is much more going on for hockey fans to observe and take in during the event then simply the calling out of the names of future NHL stars. On Friday, the first round of the draft will be conducted between 4-7 PM local time, and will air nationally on both Versus in the United States and on TSN in Canada. The remaining six rounds of the draft will be conducted on Saturday inside the home arena for all Kings games beginning at 10 AM. But before the draft begins on Friday, the doors to Staples Center will open at 2PM and fans will have an opportunity to see all of the NHL awards up close and personal. Many local fans had the chance to do so last year during Hockey Fest '09, except for one award that was conspicuously absent - Lord Stanley's Cup. Well on Friday, Kings fans and hockey fans in Southern California can view hockey's holy grail in the Budweiser Lounge (formerly known as the Royal Room) between 2-3:30 on Friday; seating inside the arena for the first round begins at 3PM. Fans can also have pictures taken up the Stanley Cup as well! Additionally, there will be events happening outside the arena in the LA Live area all day from noon through 9PM. There will be games and hockey inflatables, radio shows around the country doing live broadcasts, and a beer garden, as well as other tents with NHL partners. So if you love hockey (and I know you do because it's mid-june and you are reading this), I'll see you at Staples next week for the 2010 NHL Draft! Oh, and a reminder that the Kings will select 19th overall in the first round this year - and hopefully 30th next year... ********************* A reminder that there is still time to purchase tickets and/or make donations to Saturday's Castle in the Clouds event. To read more about this event, click here to read the piece I wrote about it last week. It's happening at the Playboy Mansion, and the Kings Ice Crew will be there as your hosts. For more information about the event, click this website today.

40 FROM FROZENROYALTY.NET GANN MATSUDA 2010 NHL Entry Draft: LA Kings To Select 19th In The First Round LOS ANGELES Just about every year at the National Hockey League Entry Draft, there are one or two players who stand out above all the rest, considered to be the top prizes in that year s draft class. Indeed, the 2010 class is no exception, with forwards Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin considered to be the cream of the crop. Hall and Seguin are locks to be selected with the first and second picks (Edmonton has the first selection and Boston owns the second overall pick) at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, which begins with the first round on Friday, June 25, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles (4:00 PM PDT). After that, the draft is often one big crapshoot in terms who gets selected after that, and that will be the case once again this year. Depending on what scouting report or mock draft you prefer, we could see names such as forwards Brett Connolly, Mikael Granlund, Vladimir Tarasenko, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nino Niederreiter and Southern California native Emerson Etem, along with defensemen Erik Gudbranson, Cam Fowler, Brandon Gormley and Mark Pysyk, go up on the board not long after Hall s and Seguin s names wind up at the very top. Even a goalie such as Calvin Pickard or Jack Campbell could find themselves selected in the first round, even though goalies tend to be selected later in the draft. Much to the delight of their fans, the Los Angeles Kings do not have a high, first round pick for a change, thanks to their sixth place finish in the Western Conference standings, qualifying them for the post-season party for the first time since The Kings hold the 19th overall selection in this year s draft, meaning that, barring a trade, they will be choosing the best player available is when their time on the clock comes around. So who are the Kings looking at for the 19th overall pick? Only Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi and his hockey operations staff knows for sure. But with his reputation for being a bit of a maverick at the draft table, there are a myriad of possibilities. Since just about anything could happen by the time the 19th overall selection comes around, here s a look at some of the prospects (in no particular order) who could be available when the Kings time on the clock comes around on Friday: Dylan McIlrath, Defenseman, Moose Jaw Warriors, Western Hockey League (WHL) McIlrath is a 6-4, 215-pound native of Winnipeg, Manitoba who scored seven goals and added 17 assists for 24 points with 169 penalty minutes. A physical, stay-at-home defenseman, McIlrath has a definite mean streak and can drop the gloves when needed. He will need to work on his skating, quickness and puck-handling before cracking an NHL lineup, however. Ranked 17th among North American skaters by the NHL s Central Scouting Bureau, McIlrath will not likely be the best player available when the Kings time on the clock comes around on Friday, but he could fill a need, as the Kings lack physical, stay-at-home defenseman with a mean streak in their system, outside of defenseman prospect Colten Teubert, who was selected by the Kings in the first round (13th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Ryan Johansen, Center, Portland Winterhawks, WHL Johansen scored 25 goals and tallied 44 assists for 69 points in 71 games with the Winterhawks this past season. The 6-3, 188-pound native of Port Moody, British Columbia also played in the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects game. Possessing good puck skills and ice vision, he is a skilled playmaker and has the strength and size to potentially develop into a power forward. Johansen is ranked tenth among North American skaters by CSB, but could drop down in the draft, perhaps low enough for the Kings to get him.

41 Derek Forbort, Defenseman, United States Under-18 National Team Development Program (NTDP) Forbort, a 6-5, 198-pound native of Duluth, Minnesota, scored four goals and contributed ten assists for 14 points in 26 United States Hockey League games that his NTDP team played in. Overall, Forbort scored five goals and added 23 assists for 28 points in 65 games. Possessing a good combination of size, strength and agility, Forbort is a good decision-maker and a good passer, but needs to work on his puck-carrying skills and grit. He will attend the University of North Dakota this fall. Ranked ninth by CSB among North American skaters, Forbort is considered to be one of the more talented defensemen in the 2010 draft class, but is expected to drop lower in the first round. Stanislav Galiev, Left Wing, Saint. John Sea Dogs, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Ranked 20th among North American skaters by CSB, Galiev scored 15 goals and added 45 assists for sixty points in 67 games. In 21 playoff games, Galiev scored eight goals and tallied eleven assists for 19 points. Possessing size, speed, acceleration and solid playmaking skills, Galiev also played in the 2010 CHL Top Prospects game. Galiev has shown the ability to withstand the physical aspects of the North American game and is responsible defensively. That said, he needs to improve his strength, grit and defensive play. Jonathon Merrill, Defenseman, U.S. NTDP The pound native of Bighton, Michigan is a two-way blue liner who can play a physical game. In 22 USHL games, he scored a goal and added eight assists for nine points. Ranked 21st among North American skaters, Merrill also won a gold medal playing for Team USA in the Under-18 World Junior Championships. Austin Watson, Right Wing, Windsor Spitfires and Peterborough Petes, Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Watson is the character-type of prospect Lombardi values highly. Good on both ends of the ice, he will take a hit to make a play, even though he is not the most highly-skilled forward. Scoring eleven goals with 23 assists for 34 points in 42 games this past season with Windsor, Watson was traded to Peterborough, where he scored nine goals and added eleven assists for twenty points in ten games. In four playoff games, the 6-3, 187-pound native of Ann Arbor, Michigan scored two goals. Ranked 14th among North American skaters by CSB, Watson also played in the 2010 CHL Top Prospects game. Tyler Pitlick, Center, University of Minnesota Mankato A center with good size and offensive skills, Pitlick is known for his hands and ice vision. The 6-2, 194-pound native of Centerville, Minnesota scored eleven goals and added eight assists for 19 points in 38 games this past season, his freshman year. Ranked 18th among North American skaters, Pitlick is a solid playmaker with good hockey sense and is considered to be a pure goal scorer. Pitlick is reportedly leaving the University of Minnesota Mankato to play for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL next season. Brock Nelson, Center, Warroad High School, Minnesota Yes, a high school player could find himself as a mid-to-low first round selection. Ranked 25th among North American skaters by CSB, the 6-3, 205-pound native of Minneapolis, Minnesota is a power forward with good skating ability and a hard shot. He scored 53 goals and added 42 assists for 95 points in 31 games this past season and was a finalist for Minnesota s Mr. Hockey Award as the state s top high school hockey player. Jeff Skinner, Right Wing, Kitchener Rangers, OHL

42 Scoring fifty goals and contributing forty assists for ninety points in 64 games this past season, the 5-10, 197-pound native of Markham, Ontario helped lead the Rangers deep into the OHL playoffs where he scored twenty goals and added 13 assists for 33 points in twenty games. He also played in the 2010 CHL Top Prospects game where he was named as Team Orr s Player of the Game. Skinner, who is ranked 34th among North American skaters by CSB, is a goal scorer and plays well away from the puck. That the NHL Entry Draft is a total crapshoot after the consensus sure-fire prospects are up on the board is likely one of the biggest understatements in the hockey world. As such, do not be surprised to see Lombardi the maverick don his black cowboy hat, boots and his six-shooter and go completely off the board with his first round pick. Indeed, as stated earlier, by the time the 19th overall selection comes around, anything could happen. But no matter what, the first round on Friday should be a fun ride especially for Kings fans, who will have the opportunity to experience the draft live in Los Angeles for the first time. After the first round, the Kings have eight picks in the 2010 draft, including two picks each in the second and third rounds: Round 2 49th and 59th (from Philadelphia with defenseman Denis Gauthier in exchange for defenseman Patrik Hersley and left wing Ned Lukacevic, June 1, 2008). Round 3 70th (from the New York Rangers in exchange for center Brian Boyle, June 27, 2009), 79th. Round 4 109th Round 5 148th (from San Jose, along with their fifth round selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Tampa Bay s fourth round pick in 2008, which had been acquired previously, June 21, 2008). Round 6 169th Round 7 199th The Kings also had picks in this year s draft that were transferred to other teams via trades: The Florida Panthers traded their third round pick (63rd overall) to the Kings in exchange for Columbus fourth round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and St. Louis fifth round pick in 2009 on June 27, The Kings later traded Florida s third round pick along with right wing Teddy Purcell to Tampa Bay for center Jeff Halpern on March 3, The Kings also sent defensemen Kyle Quincey and Tom Preissing, along with a fifth round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (139th overall) to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for left wing Ryan Smyth on July 3, 2009.

43 FROM FROZEN ROYALTY.NET GANN MATSUDA First Picks In 2010 NHL Entry Draft Won t Be A Surprise LOS ANGELES With the 2010 National Hockey League Entry Draft in Los Angeles about eight days away, either Taylor Hall of the Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) or Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL are certain to be the first two overall selections in this year s draft. Seguin, the 6-1, 186-pound center from Brampton, Ontario, scored 48 goals and tallied 58 assists for 106 points with 54 penalty minutes in 63 regular season games this past season, ranking first among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau s (CSB) final rankings. Named as the recipient of the Red Tilson Award as the OHL s Most Valuable Player, Seguin is not known just for his scoring ability. Indeed, he is also considered to be the best playmaker in the 2010 draft class. Sound positionally with great ice vision, Seguin does not shy away from physical play and is a solid all-around player. Tyler Seguin (left) battles with Taylor Hall (right) during the CHL/NHL Top Prospects game on January 20, Photo: Claus Andersen/Getty Images Tyler Seguin makes things happen every time he is on the ice and he makes his teammates better, said Chris Edwards of the NHL s Central Scouting Bureau. He s a skilled forward. He s a guy that s obviously a top-line forward with all kinds of puck skills and playmaking abilities. He s an elusive guy in traffic, avoiding checks with the puck. He never stops moving on the ice, even in practice, said Whalers President, General Manager and Head Coach Mike Vellucci. He s always moving, trying to get better. That s what surprises me. Surprised by his talent and ability? No, but by how much he wants it. It all started from the first time we practiced at the start of the year. added Vellucci. He worked extremely hard in practice. [In games,] he was committed to scoring goals, or beating an opponent one-on-one, or improving his defensive play. One of the best things I can say is that Tyler is a hockey player. He s not just a player who happens to play hockey. He s an ultimate professional.

44 That is high praise, to be sure, and Seguin earned that praise for his work off the ice as well. It s not about just being a player, it s also about being a total person, said OHL Commissioner David Branch. Tyler s clearly a champion, both on and of the ice. Seguin works out on the first day of the 2010 NHL Combine in Toronto on May 28, Photo: Claus Andersen/Getty Images Tyler s off-ice work has been exceptional this season, Vellucci beamed. He s a very mature player and a mature person and that s a credit to his parents. He s always willing to help out anyone on the team or anyone that s part of the franchise. In terms of his conditioning, he s one of the most committed players I ve ever seen, Vellucci added. He strives to be the best player he can possibly be and not just in games. While Seguin was the OHL s Most Valuable Player, Hall led his team to their second consecutive Memorial Cup Championship in dominating fashion, The 6-1, 185-pound left wing, a native of Kingston, Ontario, scored forty goals and added 66 assists for 106 points in 57 regular season games this past season. He also led the OHL in scoring during the playoffs, scoring 17 goals and contributing 18 assists for 35 points in 19 games. Hall was dominant in the Memorial Cup tournament, scoring five goals and adding four assists for nine points in four games, leading all scorers. Hall is known as a dynamic player, an explosive skater who possesses elite puck-handling skills. A pure goal scorer, he is expected to contribute right away at the NHL level.

45 Taylor Hall hoists the Memorial Cup after defeating the Brandon Wheat Kings on May 23, Photo: Fred Greenslade/REUTERS via PicApp.com When you talk about Hall, you talk about quickness, acceleration and hands, said E.J. McGuire of the NHL s Central Scouting Bureau. Easily and arguably, he could have been our number one pick overall. Taylor has done it all, added McGuire. He s the reigning Most Valuable Player of the Memorial Cup tournament and has played on two medal-winning World Championship teams. If Hall has done it all and has been so dominant, why did he drop to number two behind Seguin in CSB s final rankings for North American skaters? The reason, to put it simply, is that, all things being equal, centers often have a greater impact on a line and on a game because they generally control the puck more than wingers do. The full season body of work said that [Seguin] is going to be a great player in the National Hockey League, McGuire told NHL.com. So is Taylor Hall. In our minds, other than the position, they are equal They re equal, but we can t sit on the fence, McGuire continued. We went with the right-shot center. I think they re so close. I don t think that s all being wishy-washy about it, but there may be something that a team sees that may sway them this much in order to pick one over the other.

46 Hall undergoes testing during the first day of the 2010 NHL Combine in Toronto. Photo: Claus Andersen/Getty Images Hall s head coach was critical of CSB s decision to rank Seguin above Hall in their final rankings. I m shocked, Spitfires head coach Bob Boughner told the Windsor Star. Different people see different things, but if you ve watched the way Hall s played in the second half of the season and in the playoffs, I don t know if there s a better player in junior hockey. Hall or Seguin one of the teams with that dilemma is the Edmonton Oilers, who will select first in the 2010 draft. [Hall] plays with no fear, said Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini. That s just the way he is. He s finding a way to get to the net, so I think, overall, from a scouting perspective, you have to admire that. After all that, who will be the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft? Frozen Royalty s prediction is that whichever team winds up with the first pick in the draft there are rumblings that the Oilers are entertaining trade offers from other teams, including the Boston Bruins, who have the second overall pick they will choose Hall, who is the more proven, accomplished prospect, over Seguin. But what happens after the first two picks, after Hall and Seguin are gone? For that, check back here on Frozen Royalty early next week.

47 FROM THE PRINCE ALBERT DAILY HERALD JOHN MACNEIL Kings' prospect Vey shoots for world juniors Team Canada hopeful Linden Vey of Wakaw is on top of the world. "I just walked onto the plane," Vey reported Friday afternoon before departing from the Saskatoon airport. "I'm flying out to Los Angeles right now. I'm going down there for three weeks to train." The Los Angeles Kings selected Vey in the fourth round of the NHL entry draft last June. The Medicine Hat Tigers' forward has been identified as a candidate for Canada's world junior team. He was among 41 skaters, including 24 forwards, who received invitations last week for the summer evaluation camp, scheduled for early August in St. John's, N.L. "My agent and I had been talking about it a bit," Vey said of landing a world junior tryout. "Obviously, you hope that you could have an opportunity to do that. Now that it's come, it's a good thing and I'm looking forward to the camp in August." Growing up on his family's Wakaw farm, Vey was never far from hockey, and watching the world junior tournament on TV was a Christmas tradition. "It's always been big," he said. "We've always looked forward to watching it at Christmastime. Everybody always sits around and watches the games. "I've moved one step closer to hopefully playing for the Canadian team, which would be a pretty special time." The 2011 championship in Buffalo is Vey's last shot at playing in the world juniors. He turns 19 this summer. He earned Team Canada consideration last fall when he participated in the WHL-Russia Super Series in British Columbia. But he wasn't among the players invited to Canada's final selection camp in December, just weeks before the 2010 championship in Saskatoon. Canada, with Medicine Hat coach Willie Desjardins in charge, went on to lose to the U.S. in overtime in the gold-medal game at Credit Union Centre. Saskatoon has plenty of representatives among the prospects for the next Canadian junior team. NHL first-round draft picks Brayden Schenn (Los Angeles), Jared Cowen (Ottawa) and Carter Ashton (Tampa Bay) are the Saskatoon residents bound for the summer camp. The invites also include Saskatoon Blades defenceman Stefan Elliott and forward Curtis Hamilton, both of B.C., and Kootenay Ice defenceman Brayden McNabb of Davidson, Sask. Vey, who played midget AAA with the Beardy's Blackhawks, has skated with Medicine Hat for the past three WHL seasons. He scored 24 goals in each of the past two years, and posted 72- and 75-point seasons. Vey is just under six feet and 188 pounds. He hopes to strengthen his body, and his game, with a trip to Los Angeles that's hardly a vacation. "It should be good," he said. "It'll be tough, but I've been down there a couple of times already, so I'm looking forward to it. "I think, the better shape you are in, the better you'll be able to play. I've never been the best fitness guy. I think, going down there and training there for three weeks, will definitely help that out. It's virtually all off-ice stuff. It's just working on strength and stuff like that." Medicine Hat goaltender Tyler Bunz, 18, is attending this week's Hockey Canada goaltending camp in Calgary. He's among the netminders expected to earn an invite to the world junior team's summer camp. Tigers sniper Emerson Etem and recruit Tyler Pitlick are among the forwards who have been invited to the U.S. junior team's evaluation camp, set for the first week of August in Lake Placid, N.Y. Etem and Pitlick are first-round candidates for next weekend's NHL entry draft in Los Angeles. Etem, a Californian, netted 37 goals and 65 points in 72 games this past winter in his rookie season with Medicine Hat. Pitlick, a power forward from Centreville, Minn., has dropped out of Minnesota State- Mankato University to join the Tigers for the season. The U.S. team wasn't popular with Saskatoon fans at the 2010 world juniors, but the Americans can expect a warmer welcome in Buffalo. "It'll be cool," Pitlick said. "It'll be nice to have the fans cheering for us."

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