 |
|
|
|
|
| Contact Home AHL ECHL About Us Radio Josh's Column Kevin Greenstein Audio Europe | |
|
FROM KINGS MEDIA RELEASES Photos Courtesy LA Kings/Bernstein Associates
ROENICK FEATURED ON HOCKEYTALK AUDIO!
KINGS SIGN ALEXANDER FROLOV MILLER AND BROWN JOIN OLYMPIC HOPEFULS
By Josh Brewster Jeremy Roenick, at $4.94M and Luc Robitaille, at $1M, represent first-ballot Hall-of-Famers in a few years. This season, they represented the downfall of the Los Angeles Kings, and Dave Taylor’s, as well. Taylor will wind up somewhere, for sure, but all the little birds who circulate around the Kings’ Staples Center home have been singing the rumor that the King legend’s exit was a certainty. Rumor no more. The little birds are right. Taylor was fired this week. First, the respect due: Taylor has assembled a solid development system in Reading (ECHL) and Manchester (AHL). His recent picks of Dustin Brown and Mike Cammalleri have proven astute; Lubomir Visnovsky and Alex Frolov provide long-term hope. Taylor also committed to Mattais Norstrom, which proved to be a good move, especially with the departure of Norris trophy-caliber defenseman Rob Blake. But one of the key problems with the Kings has been Taylor’s inability to decide on a nucleus. A nucleus is generally considered to be one player at each position who represents the franchise come hell or high water for a period of four, five, six years or more. All quality franchises have a solid nucleus. Taylor’s itchy trigger finger has led to many moves that probably didn’t need to be made. Certainly, he has made some good ones, and in the cases of Jason Allison and Adam Deadmarsh devastating concussions nullified the effect of the deals. But Taylor’s volume of activity is what cost him his job, because amidst the wheeling and dealing, there was potential for a nucleus. Potential which was never allowed to develop with so much turnover. Who Should Have Been the Nucleus: D: Mathieu Schneider and Rob Blake or Mattais Norstrom G: Manny Legace F: Olli Jokinen, Glen Murray, Alexander Frolov Not one of the above players should have ever been shown the door. We’ll allow an “or” in the case of Rob Blake. His salary damands and other issues made clear that he was going to move. The “Old” NHL had grown too bloated, even for Phil Anscheutz’s guy, Tim Leiweke. What this means is that if you consider what should have been the main core of Taylor’s clubs—even to this day, even considering the lockout—then some of the current supporting characters look real good, like Craig Conroy, Mathieu Garon, Mike Cammalleri, Mark Parrish, Eric Belanger, Joe Corvo and Lubo Visnovsky. Whether my picks are the right ones for the nucleus is beside the point...figure out your own Kings’ nucleus that “should have been.” Here are some of Taylor’s moves, the good and the bad: Bust of Note: Injuries to Jason Allison horrible effect on club; traded for Glen Murray, whose star continued to rise in Boston. Bad Trade: Sean Avery and Maxim Kuznetsov for Mathieu Schneider. Bad Trade: Jason Blake sent to Islanders for a conditional pick. Good Trade: Derek Armstrong from NYI for a conditional pick. Good Trade: Glen Murray from PIT for Eddie Olczyk. Good Move: Craig Conroy acquired from CAL in 2004 (deal effective after lockout). Bad Move: Allowing Anson Carter to sign with Vancouver as a free agent this year; Carter goes on to score over 30 goals. In fairness, he busted in LA, but that was the “Old” NHL. Another Bad Move this Year: Martin Straka allowed to walk away to New York. Bad Move: Allowing goalie Manny Legace to leave (DET) as a free agent. Depth problems in net followed this bad 1999 move. Bad Move: Jeremy Roenick signed Summer 2005 for 4.9M, Luc Robitaille’s last season in LA should have ended before Christmas. Two key roster spots botched, sacrilegious to mention it in Luc’s case, but this experiment should have ended earlier, and AHLers should have been brought in, in place of these hockey legends. Unbelievable that we’re mentioning it, but that’s the way it went for the Kings. Both of these guys were underachievers this year. Tough pill for Taylor to swallow, watching JR and Luc have such a tough go of it in the “New” NHL, but that’s exactly what happened.
Kings 1 Dallas 0 New Raw Audio with Jeremy Roenick, Mike Cammalleri, Bill Guerin, Dave Tippett and Brendan Morrow.
The Western Conference is heating up in the home stretch...the Kings are fighting for their playoff lives. Jeremy Roenick scores game's only goal to dump Stars. Nothing but divisional and conference games the rest of the way, folks.
Also: Cammalleri Nets 20th vs. Wild, Emerges as Key King
RAWDIO! RAW AUDIO
"More than anything, everyone on this club wants to make the playoffs," said the 23 year old from Richmond Hill, Ontario, who has electrified the Kings offense with his relentless efforts. In his first 118 NHL contests, he has posted 33 goals, totaling 65 points.
The way he beat Manny Fernandez for his milestone twentieth goal was vintage.
Dan Tjarnqvist’s hooked Cammalleri while on a breakaway in the first period. Never one to quit on a play, the 5'9', 185 dynamo roofed the puck past Fernandez, from his knees.
While Pavol Demitra and Alex Frolov sat out due to injuries suffered at the Olympics, Cammalleri filled their elite roles smoothly.
Cammalleri averages 15:54 TOI, with a faceoff % of 53.28. An impressive 136 shots in his first 58 contests bodes well for his NHL future.
RAW AUDIO FROM THE LOCKER ROOM - LISTEN ONLINE:
LISTEN TO THE POST-GAME INTERVIEW
More post-game interviews:
Kings' CRAIG CONROY
MARIAN GABORIK of the Minnesota Wild (2 goals vs. LA in the loss)
PHOTO OF MICHAEL CAMMALLERI COURTESY LA KINGS
December
16, 2005: One of the NHL's underrated rivalries Click on the Player's Name to Listen to "Rawdio," unedited, raw audio clips from the Kings/Ducks game, Dec. 16
The Kings went on quite a tear early in the season, while the Ducks struggled to find their way early. Since the clubs last met, Sergei Fedorov was sent packing, leaving the young Andy McDonald (32GP, 22Pts) as the number one center, yet the Ducks responded well, and have gone 6-3-1 in their last ten games leading up to the matchup with the Kings. As for the Kings, Pavol Demitra (39 points in 37 games) has paced the Kings to an 18-13-1 record coming into the game.
Season Series so far: 1-0 LAK (Kings 3, Ducks 1 at Staples Center) Friday, Dec. 16 at Pond: 2-0-1 LAK (Kings 4, Ducks 3 in shootout)
Pavol Demitra and Alex Frolov scored in the shootout to lift the Kings, who trailed 3-2 in the third period, to a shootout win over the Ducks.
RAW AUDIO - CLICK THE NAME TO LISTEN!
LOS ANGELES
ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS:
Wings Remind Kings that Talk is Cheap BY JOSH BREWSTER from NHL QUICK SHOTS Tuesday, November 29, 2005 – LOS ANGELES, CA -- They haven't lost two in a row yet this season. Their 33 points in 25 games played is good enough for second place in the Western conference. In first, their nemesis, the Detroit Red Wings. You might think that Monday night in Los Angeles would have been a great chance to give their best effort against the league's elite. After all, you have to beat the bully before you become the bully, right? King Jeremy Roenick was blunt. "We (expletive deleted) the bed all over the place and it goes right down the line…starting with myself," Roenick said in disgust. The Kings haven't beaten Detroit since Oct. 12, 2001. Monday night in LA, they looked like the injury-plagued Kings of the 2002-04: Running around, poor communication, clumsy passes. The Wings, on the other hand, were like a well-oiled machine, their trademark passing game taut as a drum. Each time a King went for the puck, he could bet that at least one, if not two Detroiters, were on the scene to win yet another in a long line of battles. The Kings won few battles on this night, and sank to the Wings, 5-2. "They're a first-class team, don't get me wrong," said Roenick. "They move the puck extremely well. When you're chasing their puckhandling around, their playmaking, it gets a little bit helter skelter out there and that's where they kill you." As for the Wings, they could sense that the Kings, who came out of the gate—inexplicably—a step slower, had perhaps read or heard too many glowing reviews of their excellent start this season. "We know what the standings were. We listen to their TV show," confided Detroit Coach Mike Babcock. "They were saying that they used to measure themselves against the Wings and now they think they're as good or better," Babcock continued, and trailed off, with a shrug. Babcock is allowed to have a smug moment. His Wings are 2-0-1 against the West's second best club. "We got six points in the series and they got one," Babcock noted. The Kings meet the Wings again Thursday, March 9, 2006, in the clubs' last meeting of the season. A barometer of a club's effort is the traffic that they are able to generate in front of the opposition's net. On Monday against the Wings, the Kings intimidated no one. What's worse, they failed to get enough shots through the Detroit defense on Jimmy Howard, former Maine Black Bear and current AHL goalie with Grand Rapids. It was Howard's NHL debut, and the Wings saw to it that he didn't see too many rebounds. "The guys played tremendously in front of me," said Howard, drafted by the Wings in 2003. "They cleared out a lot of second and third chances and when they do that, it makes the goaltenders life really easy back there." As for Roenick, there's no excuse. "I don't think we got pucks to the net to take
advantage," he explained. "We've got to get the puck to the net and have guys
taking a beating in front of the net to score goals. We haven't done that the
way we should lately."
KINGS AGREE TO CONTRACT TERMS BRAD NORTON RELEASED FROM TRAINING CAMP LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with unrestricted free agent Ken Belanger, Kings President, Hockey Operations/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. In addition, the Kings and Taylor have announced that defenseman Brad Norton, who had attended Kings Training Camp as a non-roster invitee, has been released. The Kings currently have 29 players in camp (see roster below/attached). Belanger, 31, has been in Kings Training Camp as a non-roster invitee. The 6-4, 220-pound native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, last played in the NHL for the Kings during the 2002-03 campaign and collected 17 penalty minutes in four games before he suffered a concussion that caused him to miss the remainder of the season. He appeared in 43 games for the Kings during the 2001-02 season and recorded two points (2-0=2) and 85 penalty minutes. During the 2004-05 season, Belanger appeared in one game for the Adirondack Frostbite (UHL) and had five penalty minutes. He was originally selected by the Hartford Whalers in the seventh-round (153rd overall) in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft and has accumulated 23 points (11-12=23) and 688 penalty minutes in 243 career NHL regular season games with the Kings, Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
KINGS AGREE TO CONTRACT TERMS WITH CENTER ANZE KOPITAR SELECTED BY THE KINGS AS THE 11TH OVERALL CHOICE IN THE 2005 NHL ENTRY DRAFT, THE NATIVE OF SLOVENIA SIGNS MULTI-YEAR DEAL WITH LOS ANGELES Sept 6 2005 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a multi-year entry-level contract with center Anze Kopitar -- the club’s first-round selection (11th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft -- Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Kopitar, 18, is expected to make his Kings debut during this week’s “Pacific Division Shootout,” a four-team rookie tournament hosted by San Jose from September 7-11. “We are definitely very happy to have this deal done with Anze and we are looking forward to seeing him compete this week and during our training camp later this month,” said Taylor. This past season, Kopitar collected 49 points (21-28=49) and 26 penalty minutes in 30 games with Sodertalje of the Swedish Junior League. The 6-2, 210-pound native of Jesenice, Slovenia, also finished the season with a plus/minus rating of plus-29. In addition, Kopitar appeared in five games with Sodertalje of the Swedish Men’s League (5 GP, 0-0=0, 2 PIM), represented Slovenia at the 2005 World Junior Under-18 Championships (5 GP, 6-5=11, 14 PIM) and played for Slovenia at the 2005 World Championships (6 GP, 1-0=1, 2 PIM). Prior to the NHL Entry Draft this past July, Kopitar was rated by Central Scouting as the number one European skater, and both The Hockey News and Red Line Report ranked him as the sixth best Draft-eligible prospect. Kopitar is expected to re-join Sodertalje (Swedish Men’s League) in time for the start of their 2005-06 season. “We are aware of Anze’s desire to play at least one more year in Europe this coming season,” said Taylor. “He has a very good development situation in Sodertalje and it is quite probable he will be assigned back to Sweden.” Kopitar is also one of eight first-round selections scheduled to participate in the club’s 2005 training camp, which begins on Tuesday, September 13, at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. Other first-round selections on the Kings training camp roster include: Jeremy Roenick (Chicago’s 8th overall selection in 1988); Alexander Frolov (Kings’ 20th overall selection in 2000); Tim Gleason (Ottawa’s 23rd overall selection in 2001); Denis Grebeshkov (Kings’ 18th overall selection in 2002); Dustin Brown (Kings’ 13th overall selection in 2003); Jeff Tambellini (Kings’ 27th overall selection in 2003); and Lauri Tukonen (Kings’ 11th overall selection in 2004). KINGS ACQUIRE NINE-TIME ALL-STAR CENTER JEREMY ROENICK KINGS ALSO RECEIVE A THIRD-ROUND CHOICE IN 2006 NHL ENTRY DRAFT IN EXCHANGE FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS AUGUST 4, 2005 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have acquired center Jeremy Roenick and a third-round selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for future considerations, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today.  Roenick, 35, is a nine-time NHL All-Star who has scored 40 or more goals four
times and 50 or more goals twice. In addition, the 6-foot-1, 196-pound native of
Boston has three 100-point seasons (1991-92 through 1993-94). “Jeremy certainly plays the game of hockey at a very high tempo,” said Taylor. “He brings a physical element to our top group of forwards, and he also brings endless energy and passion to the ice every night.” “I think the fans in Los Angeles will love the way he plays,” said Kings Head Coach Andy Murray. “He is an exceptional player and is a great competitor.” Roenick has amassed 475 goals, 645 assists, 1,120 points and 1,345 penalty minutes in 1,124 regular season games during his 16-year NHL career, and has scored 20 or more goals in 13 of his 16 seasons. His career goals and career points rank 15th best among active players. In addition, he has also appeared in 136 career post-season games with the Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks, recording 116 points (51-65=116) and 101 penalty minutes. Roenick spent the last three NHL seasons with the Flyers and finished fifth in scoring on the club with 19 goals, 28 assists and 47 points in 62 games during the 2003-04 campaign. He led the Flyers with 27 goals (his eighth consecutive season with 20 or more goals scored) and 59 points (27-32=59) while appearing in 79 games in 2002-03. He also tied for the team lead with 32 assists and eight power play goals that season. Roenick finished second on the Flyers in scoring with 67 points (21-46=67) during the 2001-02 season -- a season in which he became the fourth American-born player to reach the 1,000-point plateau. In 216 career regular season games with the Flyers, Roenick recorded 67 goals, 106 assists, 173 points and 211 penalty minutes. Roenick signed with the Flyers as a free agent in 2001 following five seasons with the Coyotes, where he recorded 141 goals, 210 assists, 351 points and 564 penalty minutes in 384 regular season games. Traded to Phoenix from Chicago in 1996 in exchange for Alexei Zhamnov, Craig Mills and a first-round draft pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Roenick ranks eighth in points, ninth in goals and 10th in assists on the Coyotes’ all-time scoring lists. Originally drafted by the Blackhawks in the first-round (8th overall) in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, Roenick also ranks high on Chicago’s all-time scoring lists with 267 career goals (7th all-time), 329 assists (11th all-time) and 596 career points (8th all-time) in 524 regular season games over eight seasons. He led the Blackhawks in scoring from 1991-92 through 1993-94 and again during the 1995-96 season. Roenick has also compiled a stellar international resume during his career. He recorded a goal and four assists in six games for Team USA, which finished as the Silver Medalists at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. He also represented the United States at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, scoring one assist in four games. Roenick was a member of Team USA at the 1991 Canada Cup where he recorded six points (4-2=6) in eight games and was named to the Canada Cup All-Star Team. He also represented Team USA at the 1991 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, leading all players with 11 points (5-6=11) in nine games. Prior to turning pro with the Blackhawks, Roenick was the leading scorer at the 1988-89 World Junior Championships with 16 points (8-8=16) in seven games for Team USA. He also appeared in seven games for the United States at the 1987-88 World Junior Championships, posting nine points (5-4=9). KINGS SIGN FORWARD CLUB’S 2003-04 LEADING GOAL SCORER AND “MOST POPULAR PLAYER” AWARD WINNER RETURNS TO LOS ANGELES UNDER LONG-TERM AGREEMENT FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2005 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a five-year contract with restricted free agent right wing Alexander Frolov, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.
Frolov, 23, has played 156 games over two seasons for the Kings from 2002-04, and in 2003-04 he led the Kings with 24 goals and finished second in overall team scoring with 48 points (behind Luc Robitaille’s team-leading 51 points) in 77 games. Frolov placed in the top-five in goals, assists and points for second year NHL players, led the Kings in even-strength goals with 19 and was voted by the fans as the team’s Most Popular Player. Originally selected by the Kings in the first-round (20th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Frolov also was second in 2003-04 amongst all Kings forwards in shots with 168 and he was a plus-eight to rank second on the team in plus-minus amongst forwards. As a rookie in 2002-03, Frolov made his NHL debut by playing in 79 games and finished with 31 points (14-17=31), the sixth highest total that season for a first-year NHL player. He was also awarded the Mark Bavis Memorial Award as the club’s Best Newcomer/Rookie by the local media. This past season, Frolov played in his native Russia for CSKA Moscow in the Russian Hockey League and had 37 points (20-17=37) and 10 penalty minutes in 42 regular season games. He also played in six contests for Dynamo Moscow, recording three points (1-2=3) in the regular season, and in another six post-season games, Frolov had three points including two goals. In addition, Frolov played in four games for Russia at the 2004 World Cup and had two points (both assists). The 6-2, 210-pound Frolov has an extensive background in international competition. The Moscow native has played in the 2003 World Championships (he led the team is scoring) and in the 2002 World Juniors (where he led the team in goals and co-led in points while earning a Gold Medal).
KINGS SIGN ALL-STAR CENTER SLOVAKIAN VETERAN AGREES TO THREE-YEAR FREE AGENT DEAL AUGUST 2, 2005 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a three-year contract with unrestricted free agent center Pavol Demitra, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Demitra, 30, has been with the St. Louis Blues the past eight seasons and has led them in scoring in four of the last six campaigns. Ranked fifth on the Blues’ all-time scoring list with 493 points (204-289=493), the three-time NHL All-Star from Slovakia has also scored at least 35 goals on three different occasions. “Pavol Demitra is an established premier forward in the National Hockey League,” said Taylor. “He is an elite skilled player who competes on a consistent basis. His vast experience should be a real benefit to the younger players in our lineup.” Said Kings Head Coach Andy Murray: “We as a coaching staff are very familiar with Pavol, having coached against him for many years both here in the NHL and in international competition, where he is very accomplished. He will be a great addition to our offense and on our power play in particular.” Having played with St. Louis since the 1996-97 season, Demitra began his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators in 1993-94 season. The 11-year NHL veteran has amassed 519 points, 216 goals (216-303=519) and 170 penalty minutes over his 553 regular season games played with the Blues and Senators. In 66 career post-season games, all with the Blues, Demitra has 43 points (18-25=43) and 26 penalty minutes. In addition to his three 35-plus goal seasons (1998-99, 2001-02 and 2002-03), Demitra has eclipsed the 50-assist mark twice, registering 52 helpers in 1998-99 and a career-high 57 in 2002-03 en route to a personal-best 93 points as he finished sixth in overall NHL scoring. In 2001-02, he was tied for seventh in overall NHL scoring with 78 points, and during his last season with the Blues, the 2003-04 campaign, he was third in overall team scoring and second in goals, amassing 58 points (23-35=58) and 18 penalty minutes in 68 contests. He also that season finished second on the team with eight power-play goals and tied for second with five game-winning goals. During the 2004-05 season, Demitra -- who in 1999-00 was awarded the prestigious Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship -- played in his native Slovakia and recorded 82 points (28-54=82) and 39 penalty minutes in 54 regular season games with Dukla Trencin (where he began his pro career in 1992-93). Originally selected by Ottawa in the ninth-round (227th overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-0, 206-pound Demitra is a native of Dubnica, Slovakia. He was traded to the Blues by Ottawa on November 27, 1996, in exchange for Christer Olsson. KINGS SIGN FORWARD FORMER ALL-STAR HAS SCORED 174 CAREER GOALS AUGUST 12, 2005 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with unrestricted free agent right wing Valeri Bure, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Bure, 31, has recorded 400 points (174-226=400) in 621 career NHL games and has scored at least 20 goals five times – including the 2003-04 season when he recorded 22 goals -- during an 11-year NHL career. A native of Moscow, Russia, Bure recorded a career-high 35 goals and 75 points in 1999-00, and he has scored at least 25-or-more goals three times. During the 2003-04 campaign, Bure split the season with Dallas and Florida and had 52 points (22-30=52) in just 68 regular season games with the Stars and Panthers, where he started the year. Bure began his NHL career with Montreal during the 1995-95 season, and has played with the Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Panthers, St. Louis Blues and Stars. “Valeri Bure brings a package of speed, offensive skill and experience to our line-up,” said Taylor. “We believe that he will also be a player who will really benefit from the new rule changes, and he will be a welcome addition to our power play.” “This is certainly an exciting day for myself and my family,” said Bure, who is married to actress Candice Cameron and they, with their three children, live in both Malibu and Florida. “The Kings were my first choice and I am eager to take to the ice at STAPLES Center in a Kings uniform. I am very much looking forward to being a part of this team and playing with my new teammates. Having not played last year, training camp can’t come fast enough for me.” The brother of former NHL All-Star winger Pavel Bure, the two were teammates for the World Team at the 2000 All-Star Game, and Valeri recorded assists on two of his brother’s goals in the contest as the pair combined to set a new mark for a brother combination in an All-Star Game. The brothers also played together in Florida with the Panthers during the beginning of the 2001-02 season – a season in which Valeri represented Russia for the second time in the Olympics. The 5-8, 180-pound Bure was originally selected by Montreal in the second-round (33rd overall) of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.
KINGS AGREE TO CONTRACT TERMS LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with restricted free agent defenseman Joe Corvo, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Corvo, 28, set career highs with eight goals and 25 points (8-17=25) in 72 games with the Kings during the 2003-04 season. The 6-1, 210-pound native of Oak Park, Illinois, also collected 36 penalty minutes in 2003-04. Corvo, who was originally selected by the Kings in the fourth-round (83rd overall) of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, has 37 points (13-24=37) and 50 penalty minutes in 122 career NHL games – all with the Kings.
KINGS AGREE TO MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT ALL-CCHA FORWARD WAS SELECTED BY THE KINGS IN THE FIRST-ROUND OF THE 2003 NHL ENTRY DRAFT AUGUST 15, 2005 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a multi-year entry-level contract with forward Jeff Tambellini, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Tambellini, 21, was originally selected by the Kings in the first-round (27th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, one of a club-record three first-round draft choices by the Kings that summer (Dustin Brown was selected 13th overall and Brian Boyle was selected 26th overall). Tambellini served as alternate captain and led the University of Michigan (CCHA) in points (57), goals (24), assists (33) and game-winning goals (5) while compiling 32 penalty minutes in 42 games during the 2004-05 season. The 5-11, 186-pound native of Port Moody, British Columbia, and son of Steve Tambellini – vice president of the Vancouver Canucks and a 10-year NHL veteran – received the CCHA’s Scholar Athlete Award and was selected All-CCHA First Team. In addition, Tambellini was named CCHA Tournament MVP after registering the game-winning goal for the Wolverines in their 4-2 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the CCHA Championship Game, played on March 19 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Tambellini added three more goals and five points (3-2=5) in two NCAA tournament games with the Wolverines, who saw their season end with a 4-3 setback against the Colorado College Tigers (WCHA) in the Midwest Regional Finals on March 26. Tambellini -- a three-time CCHA Player of the Week in 2004-05 (November 8, January 10 and February 21) -- registered 129 points (65-64=129) and 74 penalty minutes in 124 career games with the Wolverines.
KINGS AGREE TO CONTRACT TERMS 2004 FIRST-ROUND DRAFT SELECTION SIGNS MULTI-YEAR ENTRY-LEVEL DEAL August 23, 2005 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a multi-year entry-level contract with right wing Lauri Tukonen, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Tukonen, 18, was the Kings’ first-round selection (11th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He recorded 10 points (5-5=10) and 10 penalty minutes in 43 regular season games this past season with the Espoo Blues of the Finnish Elite League (SM-Liiga). The 6-2, 198-pound native of Hyvinkaa, Finland, also collected two points (1-1=2) while appearing in six games with Team Finland at the 2005 World Junior Championships. “We’re very pleased to have Lauri under contract at this time,” said Taylor. “Kings fans will enjoy his robust style of play. He brings a nice mix of skill and determination to the rink each night. We look forward to him to his continued development in our organization.” Tukonen is slated to see his first action in a Kings uniform when he participates in the “Pacific Division Shootout” – a four-team rookie tournament hosted by San Jose from September 7-11. In 2003-04, Tukonen played in 35 games with Espoo and had six points (3-3=6) and 16 penalty minutes when, as a 17-year-old, he was the youngest player in the League. He also played in seven games and was one of the top forwards for the bronze medal-winning Team Finland at the 2004 World Junior Championships. In addition, at the World under-18 tournament, he tied for the tournament lead in points with 11 while co-leading his team in goals (five), plus-minus rating (plus-7) and power play goals (two). The Kings are now scheduled to begin training camp on Tuesday, September 13 (changed from original date of Wednesday, September 14), at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.
KINGS AGREE TO CONTRACT TERMS WITH SOCAL'S NOAH CLARKE; ALSO FUKUFUJI, PETIOT
August 11, 2005 NOAH CLARKE LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a two-year contract with restricted free agent left wing Noah Clarke, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Clarke, 26, appeared in 61 games with the Kings’ primary affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, recording 45 points (21-24=45) and 24 penalty minutes during the 2004-05 regular season. The 5-9, 175-pound native of La Verne, California, added a goal and six penalty minutes in six post-season games with the Monarchs. During the 2003-04 season, Clarke became the first-ever California-born player to skate with the Kings and he had one point (an assist) in the two games he played for the Kings. The Kings originally selected Clarke in the ninth-round (250th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He played four years of college hockey at Colorado College, where recorded 176 points (63-113=176) in 164 career games. YUTAKA FUKUFUJI LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a two-year entry-level contract with goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Fukufuji, 22, led the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) in appearances (44), wins (27), shutouts (3) and goals-against-average (2.48) during the 2004-05 season. The first-ever Japanese player drafted by the Kings, Fukufuji also finished second on the Condors with a save-percentage of .919. Fukufuji’s 27 wins this past season tied for fifth-best among ECHL netminders. The 6-1, 160-pound native of Tokyo, Japan, who was originally selected by the Kings in the eighth-round (238th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, also strung together two separate seven-game winning streaks during the 2004-05 season, helping the Condors advance to the Kelly Cup playoffs. Voted “Rookie of the Year” by the Bakersfield coaching staff, Fukufuji’s season ended prematurely with a leg injury against the Las Vegas Wranglers on April 2, 2005. Prior to being selected by the Kings, Fukufuji skated with Japan at the 2004 World Championships, posting a record of 0-3-2, a goals-against-average of 3.61 and a save-percentage of .893 in five appearances while facing an average of 34 shots against per contest. RICHARD PETIOT LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a two-year entry level contract with defenseman Richard Petiot, Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Petiot, 22, appeared in 25 games with the Colorado College Tigers (WCHA), registering eight points (3-5=8) and 38 penalty minutes during the 2004-05 season. That concluded his four-year college career. Previously he had played for Camrose (AJHL) during the 2001-02 season when he had 24 points (8-16=24) and 81 penalty minutes. The Kings originally selected Petiot, a 6-4, 200-pound native of Daysland, Alberta, in the fourth-round (116th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
'99 8TH ROUNDER GEORGE PARROS SIGNS
AUGUST 12, 2005 --LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a
two-year contract with restricted free agent right wing George Parros, Kings
Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor announced today. Per club
policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.
2009 Western Hockey Network
|
LA KINGS Click here for the Kings Care Foundation's "Kyrsten and Her Kings"
|
|
|
|
Taylor’s
Itchy Trigger Finger Points to Demise in LA
April
1, 2006:
March 2, 2006 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- Led by MICHAEL CAMMALLERI's
20th goal of the season, the Kings dumped the Minnesota Wild 3-2 at Staples
Center.
“The Kings are very pleased to make a long-term commitment to Alex,” said
Taylor. “He is a very gifted offensive player who, at just 23 years of age, has
already made significant contributions to our organization. He has a lot of
great years ahead of him and he loves playing in Los Angeles. Our fans will
certainly be very happy to see him in a Kings uniform for not only next year but
beyond as well.”