Tag Archives: NHL

Ducks notes, quotes and lineup ahead of Tuesday’s game against San Jose

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The Ducks went back to work Tuesday at Honda Center, skating together for the first time since suffering a 2-1 overtime loss last Thursday to the Ottawa Senators in the last game of a six-game cross-continent trip that took them to the Christmas break.

The biggest topic for discussion before the third-place Ducks (17-12-6) faced the Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks (21-12-1) was hitting the re-set button on a season that’s featured wildly inconsistent play over the first 35 games. The midway point in the 82-game regular season is right around the corner and time for improvement is at hand.

“After a three- or four-day break with family and friends we should all be refreshed and looking forward to getting this thing going again against an obviously great opponent and a big rival of ours to start out here,” Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler said.

What needs to change for the rest of the season?

Everything.

Nothing.

“There shouldn’t be any confusion, any question marks about what is expected in certain situations,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “That’s been our message. It was our message before we left for the break and it’s our message again when they came back this morning, that we’re going to hold them accountable to that.”

The Ducks’ lineup (see below) looked pretty much the same as before the break, with Rickard Rakell back at left wing on a line with center Ryan Getzlaf and right wing Corey Perry. Carlyle broke them up in order to get Rakell moving better during the loss to the Senators.

Carlyle also said Tuesday he likes Rakell on left wing, but that eventually he’d prefer to have the 23-year-old Swede at center. Rakell’s scalding start to the season was aided in part because he was playing with Getzlaf and Perry. Rakell had 14 goals and 21 points in 24 games before the break.

Here are the Ducks’ lines, pairs and expected starting goalie.

Rakell-Getzlaf-Perry

Cogliano-Kesler-Silfverberg

Ritchie-Vermette-Kase

Cramarossa-Shaw-Boll

Fowler-Vatanen

Lindholm-Manson

Bieksa-Theodore

Gibson

Bernier

The Sharks skated in San Jose at their practice facility and then flew south.

Tommy Wingels isn’t expected to play, but Michael Haley is.

Kings agree to terms with forward Patrick Bjorkstrand on one-season, $667,500 contract

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The Kings and forward Patrick Bjorkstrand agreed Thursday on a one-season, $667,500 contract. Bjorkstrand, a 6-foot, 192-pound Dane, participated in the Kings’ development camp last week in El Segundo. The 24-year-old played last season for a team in Zagreb, Croatia, in the KHL. He had 13 goals and 22 points in 57 games. He also has played for Denmark in the past four World Championships. He is a left-handed shot who can play either wing. He signed as an unrestricted free agent.

Here’s the report on him via eliteprospects.com: “Bjorkstrand is a forward with nice hands and playmaking ability. Has good vision and anticipation on the ice. He also has that winning mentality.”

Milan Lucic’s agent says there have been no new talks with the Kings about a contract extension

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Milan Lucic’s agent told a Vancouver, British Columbia, radio station Monday there have been no talks with the Kings about a contract extension for the veteran left wing and he is preparing for free agency July 1. Lucic can become an unrestricted free agent if the Kings fail to sign him to a new deal before July 1.

“Milan Lucic would love to re-sign with the Kings, but is preparing for July 1,” agent Gerry Johansson told NEWS 1130 in Vancouver on Monday.

Lucic, a Vancouver native, was acquired by the Kings last June 26 in exchange for goaltender Martin Jones, defenseman Colin Miller and the 13th pick in the 2015 draft. Lucic had 20 goals and 55 points in 81 games for the Kings, who bowed out in the first round of the playoffs to Jones and the San Jose Sharks.

The Bruins flipped Jones to the Sharks after acquiring him from the Kings.

Lucic said at season’s end, “I really enjoy being an LA King and everything it has to offer. Hopefully, it can get done here in the near, near future. Just a little bit more work to do to bridge a gap here (and agree on an extension).

“It’s definitely something I want moving forward. I think it’s something they want too. Hopefully, we can make it work out. The sooner the better. To be honest, I don’t have much interest in hitting the open market or even hearing what’s out there because, in my mind, this is where I want to be.

“Why flirt with something when you know what you want? That’s the case for me moving forward.”

The Kings have salary-cap issues and there have been reports recently that the NHL could lower the cap for next season below $70 million, which could further complicate negotiations with Lucic. He made $6.5 million for 2015-16, the final year in a three-season, $18-million deal he signed with Boston in 2013.

Kings decline to respond to report that Dustin Brown will lose his captaincy for 2016-17

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The Kings would neither confirm nor deny a report Friday that right wing Dustin Brown would have his captaincy taken away from him next season. The Canadian sports network TSN said on its website that Brown was told he would no longer be the Kings’ captain, a position he’s held since taking over for Rob Blake after the 2007-08 season.

“We’re not prepared to respond to these reports at this time,” said Michael Altieri, the Kings’ senior vice president for broadcasting and communications.

Brown captained the Kings to Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and ’14, but his statistics have dipped in recent seasons. He scored 11 goals in 2015-16 for the second consecutive season, matching his career low for a full 82-game campaign. He failed to top 30 points for the fourth consecutive season after recording 50 or more for five in a row. He set career highs with 33 goals and 60 points in 2007-08.

The 31-year-old Brown has six seasons remaining on an eight-year, $47-million contract he signed with the Kings in 2014.

If the Kings were to replace Brown as captain it’s likely that center Anze Kopitar would be his successor. Kopitar has led the Kings in scoring in each season since 2007-08 and is a finalist this season for the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward.

Kings’ 2016 draft picks

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The NHL draft is June 24-25 in Buffalo, N.Y. Here is a list of the Kings’ four draft picks (as of May 16):

Second round, fourth, fifth and seventh.

The Kings dealt their first-round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes to acquire defenseman Andrej Sekera on Feb. 25, 2015. Sekera became a free agent after the 2014-15 season and signed a six-year, $33-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers.

Freeway Series Game 5: Ontario Reign 2, San Diego Gulls 1

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The Reign took the series from the Gulls four games to one and advanced to the American Hockey League’s Western Conference final. Here’s the recap from our man on the scene, Jim Alexander: http://www.pe.com/articles/pushed-802964-reign-test.html

Here’s the more Gulls-centric story from the San Diego Union-Tribune: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/may/14/gulls-reign-playoffs-hockey/

Game 1 against either Grand Rapids or Lake Erie is Saturday in Ontario.

Freeway Series Game 4: Ontario Reign 4, San Diego Gulls 3 (OT)

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Here’s the story on the Reign’s unlikely hero in their Game 4 overtime victory Friday over the Gulls, via Jim Alexander of the Press-Enterprise: http://www.pe.com/articles/kid-802913-plays-reign.html

Here’s the view from the San Diego Union-Tribune: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/may/13/gulls-reign-chris-mueller-kings-ducks/

Game 5 is Saturday night in Ontario.

LA Kings’ list of free agents (restricted and unrestricted)

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Free agency doesn’t begin until July 1, but the Kings (and every other NHL team) can give their own players contract extensions at any point between now and then. They’ve already done it with one unrestricted free agent, agreeing to terms with coach Darryl Sutter on a new deal that will kick in when his old one expires July 1.

Here are the Kings’ unrestricted free agents (eligible to sign with any team without the Kings able to match the offer), per generalfanager.com:

Forwards Milan Lucic, Kris Versteeg and Trevor Lewis.

Defensemen Jamie McBain and Luke Schenn.

Goalie Jhonas Enroth.

Here are the Kings’ restricted free agents (the Kings have the right to match offers from other teams):

Forward: Nic Dowd.

Defenseman:Brayden McNabb.