If I hear one more person try to tell me that David Beckham will do for the MLS what Wayne Gretzky did for the NHL by coming to Los Angeles, I'm going to jam a spork in my eye.

Last night, I watched the "debut" of Becks in his first game as a member of the L.A. Galaxy. I told everyone on the sports desk that I will give the Galaxy this one chance to get excited about the sport of soccer. I had watched with great interest the World Cup back in 1994, when the U.S. hosted it. But the excitement quickly died down for me once hockey started back up. And the Galaxy came along in 1996, and I was pretty much over soccer by then.

I figured in the interest of being a sports fan, I should give the Galaxy a try when Beckham signed. Since the biggest soccer star was going to be in my backyard, maybe I could start paying attention. So I watched with mild interest when Beckham and his Spice Girl wife, Victoria, started their trek to SoCal, three months before he even stepped foot on the Home Depot Center. I was amused when they unveiled the new Galaxy logo, since the club went from having a logo with a bunch of stars evolve into one with one giant star. A harbinger of things to come? Perhaps.

I have a hard enough time with people trying to be cute by saying soccer is like hockey on grass. "No," I respond. "That's lacrosse." I've given up trying to explain it further, as I often get the obligatory eye roll. Now those same people are telling me, "Just watch, Beckham is going to make soccer HU-U-U-UGE in the States. Just like Gretzky."

I just shake my head, because those same people don't realize that the Galaxy have been successful without Beckham. They have won two MLS Cups (2002, 2005), two U.S. Open Cups ('01, '05) and a CONCACAF Cup (2000). The Galaxy is the most successful franchise in the MLS, and yet fails to really register on the Richter scale. In a town who love winners, the Galaxy has barely been able to crack the surface of general fans interests.

All Beckham and the circus surrounding him has done to merge the paparazzi culture with soccer. Take his first game, played last night against Chelsea. He had a dedicated "Beckham Cam" on ESPN, which followed his every move. He warmed up for ten minutes, came into the game with 16 minutes left, touched the ball a a handful of times, got knocked to the pitch, and when the game was over, he was engulfed by the media like he just won the World Cup with one leg tied behind his back.

Afterwards, he said: "I'm not fit. I haven't trained since I got here. But it's nice to be out there." Well of course he had to play. Even with all the worries that his ankle wasn't going to allow him to play Saturday night, there was nothing that was going to stand in his way of giving the fans what they came to see. And there certainly no way he wasn't going to not give his employers what they paid him for. After all, his arrival has been loudly heralded since he signed in January. Tickets have been sold out for months, special ESPN coverage was programmed for his first game.

But other than being a spectacle, nothing could hide the 1-0 loss to Chelsea from the fans at the HDC. True, it was his first game, but talk about the hype heavily outweighing the outcome. Another Galaxy loss, yawn.

What Gretzky did was validate a struggling hockey franchise, mired out on the West Coast with barely any TV coverage. His arrival caused many fans, myself included, to start paying attention to hockey. People started to flock to the Great Western Forum to see The Great One in action. The Kings went from 68 points in 1987-88 to 91 points the following year. He ammassed 168 points that season, winning MVP honors and leading L.A. to the second round of the playoffs, a spot they hadn't been since 1981-82.

Gretzky was at the height of his skills when he came to Los Angeles. The Great One carried the club on his back, especially when the Kings made it to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. The influence of Gretzky prompted many kids to start playing roller hockey in Southern California. Abandoned tennis courts were converted into makeshift hockey rinks. Interest was so high that it spawned a second hockey club, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He opened the door for other franchises to start, in places like Florida, Nashville and San Jose.

That was Gretzky's legacy, he provided the step needed for hockey to gain a small foothold in the American sports fans zeitgeist. What Beckham's influence on soccer has yet to be written. But other than there being an upswing of Hollywood starlets (Eva Longoria, Jennifer Love Hewitt) lining up to try and get noticed by Posh Spice and be invited into her luxury box, I suspect interest will die down in the average American sports fan.

After all, NFL training camps are offically open July 23. Baseball is in full swing, and NASCAR is in the final stretch of its season. Add to that college football is around the corner and, for those of us who care, so is hockey training camp. Is there room on your sports plate for an overrated soccer star for a lackluster sport? There isn't any room on mine, and I'm gorging myself with two plates.

Posted by Matt Murray at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Larry Wigge wrote a good article about Dean Lombardi and the rebuilding of the Kings. He writes that Lombardi values character over skill in some cases, which makes his acquisitions of Calder, Handzus, Nagy, Preissing, and Stuart look more palatable.

To the casual fan, it may look like the Kings got the short shrift, because even though they were 23 million under the cap, no big ticket free agents wanted to come to Los Angeles. But they got great character guys who fill key spots to help accentuate the young core of talent L.A. has amassed.

Sure, Preissing or Stuart may not win the Norris, but they might help Visnovsky to do so. Handzus and Nagy may not score 58 and 57 points respectively again, but together, they could push the young Frolov closer to 80-90 points. And with the two-way play that all the players acquired possess, they could help the goaltenders immensely.

It's all about finding the right pieces, which Dino has done time and again with the Sharks. However, the Kings still have some question marks going into training camp in August. They have several spots that must be filled from within. Are they a better team than last season? Absolutely. Do they still need some tinkering? Absolutely. And you can bet the Mad Scientist will be in his lab doing just that.

Posted by Matt Murray at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here's Lauri Tukonen, the Kings' first-round pick in 2004. We were a bit rushed, so Lauri's answers were a tad short. But he was excited to talk, and is anxious to play more games on the big club this season.

Check out his spill on the second action sequence. It looks worse than it was, but it makes me wince every time I watch it. I felt the same way when O'Sullivan was hammered during the prospect game, and skated back to the locker room in the middle of the first period. You'd hate to see these guys get hurt during a camp.

Posted by Matt Murray at 6:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I took these pictures from the Kings Draft party. As far as I know, I was one of the few press people to actually photograph them up close. They were shown off later that night.

Several changes to the new jerseys: the striping is gone off the bottom of the jersey. Now the Los Angeles text just floats at the bottom of the jersey. The collar is different as well, coming to a point, rather than the old style. The jerseys were considerably lighter than the older ones, but still seemed sturdy enough to go onto battle on the ice. The mesh connecting the arms to the bottom may look like a lighter hue, but I assure you, it's not. Other than the lack of the bottom stripe, they look pretty much the same.

I wasn't too sure what to expect I was told they were at the party. I recalled seeing several people's proposed design ideas for the jerseys, so I dug upmine, and I have to say... I should go into the jersey design business.

Well, maybe not. I'm not overwhelmed by them. Actually, my next jersey will be a personalized Rob Blake Black throwback jersey.

Posted by Matt Murray at 8:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Here's the Kings 2006 first round pick, Jonathan Bernier. Bernier is coming off a stellar season with the Lewiston Maineiacs, when he won the Guy Lafluer Trophy for the most valuable player in the QMJHL playoffs.

Bernier is on the ice for the first time since his injury last season. He took some time to talk with me after goalie practice during the developmental camp. Enjoy. And, tell a friend.

Posted by Matt Murray at 12:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So, after travelling out to El Segundo, and recording a ton of footage, I finally was able to sift through it all. And that was a chore. I must have recorded about six hours of stuff over four days at the developmental camp.

When I decided to provide something different for fans, I thought doing video would be perfect. But I have to say, my hat goes off to the real heroes of hockey coverage: the cameraman.

I can follow the puck in person, no problem. I can watch it on TV, because I understand how the game is played. But put me behind the camera, and I'm completely lost. I'm squinting through the black and white viewfinder to save my battery, and let me tell you, I just about got an aneryism. Even the flipout screen wasn't much help. You think it's hard to follow the puck on TV? Try doing it on a surface no bigger than the size of a credit card!

Needless to say, I barely knew what I had before I got back and uploaded it all. A lot of time, I didn't really capture much. During the game on Wednesday, I was in position for Lauri Tukonen's breakaway goal, but my thumb slipped and the camera went dead, just as he scored. Doh!

But I did get some good stuff from practice, which is easier, because you know where the action is going to be. The people at the Kings were also very cool in allowing me to interview a few prospects. I missed out on the big boys, mostly because this is their summer vacation, and I don't want to bother them. In addition to my interview with coach Crawford, I was able to ask Lauri Tukonen and Jonathan Bernier a few questions, which I will have up next week.

All in all, I really enjoyed playing cameraman with my little Sony camera. And now that I've done it, I'll know more of what to expect when training camp rolls around. So until then, stay tuned!

Posted by Matt Murray at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Friday, after four days of documenting everything I could on the ice, I was lucky to be able to talk with Coach Crawford. He was nice enough to answer my questions, and was very engaging to listen to.

When I was editing the video, I was toying with lifting parts of it and making it shorter. But then I thought of you, the Hockeywood faithful, who would hang on Coach's every word. And if I cut something out, that would be short-changing you.

So here it is, the full interview. All for you. And when you speak of me, speak well.

Posted by Matt Murray at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The Kings locked up defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky for the long-term, inking a five-year contract.

This is a very prudent move by Dean Lombardi and the Kings, securing that Visnovsky remains a King for the foreseeable future. Visnovsky has been rock-solid for the Kings in his first six seasons. What he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in speed and offensive touch. He is the prototypical defenseman for the "new NHL."

The signing has left fans with a sense of urgency for Dino and the Kings to sign Michael Cammalleri for the long-term. Even though Cammalleri has filed for arbitration, it seems that both sides are willing to talk. However, there are other suitors who might be willing to inquire for his services, such as Edmonton or Buffalo. According to TSN, Edmonton G.M. Lowe might consider going after Cammalleri, now that his bid for Buffalo's Thomas Vanek fell through.

July 20th will be the first day of arbitration, if we make it that far. Some teams are starting to panic, not being prepared to deal with the mass exodus of players, such as the Sabres. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cammy given some attention from these clubs as time goes on. One thing in the Kings' favor is the old-school thinking that Cammalleri is undersized. But it's that exact reason that helps him succeed. If Lubo is the prototypical D-Man In the "new NHL," then Cammalleri could be the next gen of forwards.

In related news, the Kings' schedule for next season has been released. Teams from the Eastern Conference, such as the Senators, Canadiens and the Sabres will be coming into Staples Center. So, if Buffalo does pry Cammalleri from the Kings, at least we'll be able to see him this season.

Posted by Matt Murray at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Tuesday morning, I ventured out to the beautiful city of El Segundo to watch some of the Kings' brightest young stars take to the ice at the TSC. Needless to say, I was amazed at just how hard they were skating. I won't bore you with my analysis. So instead of creating a lesson plan, I did what all good substitute teachers do, I brought a movie. Only instead of renting Thumb Wars down at Blockbuster, I made my own. Check it...

Posted by Matt Murray at 12:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

More video, this time featuring Ladislav Nagy. This is the one that was against the Kings back in January.

And Nagy scoring the winning shootout goal against the Avs.

Posted by Matt Murray at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here's some video of one of the L.A. Kings' newest players, Michal Handzus. The first is against the Nashville Predators this year...

This goal was the very first OT penalty shot goal in Flyers' history.

Posted by Matt Murray at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I woke up this morning, and clicked on lakings.com, as is my habit. I thought I had a dream that the Kings signed two defensemen and three wingers to fill some of the holes we had on the ice last season. I was greeted by this splash page:

I can't get over just how swiftly Lombardi struck after we were denied by Gomez, Briere and Drury. He had his ducks in a row (no pun intended) and knocked them down. This team has a completely different look than last season's club. Nothing against the players last season, but they just didn't have enough firepower or muscle to put up much of a fight.

Plus, we have the financial flexability to re-sign our young players like Cammy and Lubo. And if the cap goes up again, we might be in position to make a run at another high-end player. And this time, we might not be shut out.

Posted by Matt Murray at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Kings continue to be movers and shakers in the third day of free agency, when they signed defenseman Brad Stuart to a one-year deal worth $3.5 million. Stuart's signing bolsters an already improved blueline from last season, with the addition of Tom Preissing. he also improves the Kings' power play, with a wicked cannon of a shot and a gift of making outlet passes.

Stuart was originally the third overall pick in 1998 by... wait for it... Dean Lombardi and the San Jose Sharks. He was eventually moved to Boston for future All-World center Joe Thornton. After he was dealt to the Flames last season, he didn't hit his stride until late in the year.

The trend that seems to be occuring is Lombardi signing guys who need to proof themselves. Nagy's one-year contract should spur him on to play for a new contract next season. If Stuart plays up to his potential, he could once again be among the top defensemen available next season. There's nothing like having players who play with chips on their shoulders.

Now the Kings have three decent defensive lines: Blake and Visnovsky, Stuart and Johnson, Preissing and Calder. Of course, Coach Crawford mixes up his lines on a nearly game-by-game basis, but that's it in a nutshell. According to Scott Burnside of ESPN.com, the Kings now have two of the top UFAs on defense, as well as two of the top free agent forwards available.

In other news, the Kings agreed to a two-year deal with Jason LaBarbera. This firms up my belief that L.A. will be going with a Cloutier/LaBarbera tandem going into training camp. Whoever comes out on top will have arguably the best defensive corps the team has had in a long time. Although fans may be delirious from the rapid-fire signings over the past two days, some may be disappointed that the Kings aren't trying to get a goalie as well.

But Dean has hinted all along that LaBarbera and Cloutier were going to be numbers 1 and 1A going into camp. Cloutier is believed to have gotten past his multitude of injuries, and LaBarbera is ready to prove he is capable of playing full-time in the NHL next season.

All in all, things just got a little more interesting in Hockeywood this week.

Posted by Matt Murray at 6:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With all the grumbling on the Internet after Day One of the NHL free agency, you'd think Dean Lombardi was sitting at his desk, playing Mahjong, while other teams snapped up high-profile players and signing them to ungodly term lengths. All the talk of Dino being "the hardest-working GM" in the NHL must've been a smoke screen, right?

Turns out, "The Don" wasn't playing Majjong, but his own version of Stratego. He made offers to the big players during Day One, but was rebuffed, probably knowing those players weren't going to sign anyway. So as dawn struck on Day Two, so did Lombardi, snapping up four free agents and silencing the critics that he wasn't serious about building this team.

Michel Handzus, a hard-nosed center who missed most of last season with a torn ACL on his left knee, received a $16 million contract over four years. According to Lombardi in Monday's conference call, the knee injury wasn't a concern.

Left wing Ladislav Nagy signed a one year, $3.75 million deal. Basically, Lombardi is giving him a "trial" run, to see if the problems he's had in the past can stay there. Also, being teamed up with fellow Czech mates Handzus and Lubomir Visnovsky should help him keep his focus.

Winger Kyle Calder was signed for two years, $5.5 million. Lombardi likes the cut of his young man's jib, mostly because he plays that "Mike Ricci-type game" of hard-nosed, old-time hockey. Oddly, Calder and Handzus share a "seven degrees of separation" connection. Back in 2006, Calder was traded by the Chicago Blackhawks to the Philadelphia Flyers for... Michael Handzus. Small world, huh? Now, they're teammates.

Finally, the signing of defenseman Tom Preissing, who will fill in nicely on the second defensive line, probably opposite Lubo. There was some talk that the Kings are still in talks with defenseman Brad Stuart, but it's unlikely anything will be done before tomorrow.

All in all, not a bad day for the Los Angeles Kings. Dino basically shored up his defense and signed a full line of two-way players to improve this team's chances next season. It's also a prime example of "fiscal responsibilty." For essentially $13.25 million next season, the Kings signed four free agents, filling half of the holes of which Lombardi was quoted as saying. Plus, it allows for cap room next season, when Cammaleri needs to be re-upped.

For $14.4 million, the Rangers have Scott Gomez and Chris Drury under contract. Granted, those two are far greater, talent-wise, than the four players the Kings signed. Also, the Rangers are closer to being a competitive team next season, so it makes sense they take a gamble like that. But four solid players for less than two "star" players? Sounds responsible to me.

Posted by Matt Murray at 9:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's finally official! Defenseman Tom Preissing is now going to don the purple and black. The 28-year-old defenseman had 7 goals and 31 assists last year for the Senators. It's being reported as a four year deal, worth $11 million dollars.

ESPN columnist Scott Burnside has this to say about Preissing:

Preissing put up good numbers with 38 points and a whopping plus-40, which was tied for third in the NHL. Although he and Joe Corvo were a solid defensive pairing that jumped the depth chart on the Senators squad early in the playoffs, Senators GM Bryan Murray wasn't enamoured enough to want Preissing around long-term. In the deciding game of the Stanley Cup finals, Preissing played just 8:11. Still there will be many teams that will want Preissing to fill a hole as a third or fourth defenseman who can produce offensively.

Another youngster signed with lots of upside. This provides the Kings with some depth at defense, but there's always room for more. (cough cough, Brad Stuart, cough cough).

Posted by Matt Murray at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As the dust settles on the first day of free agent signings, fans are scratching their collective heads on why the Los Angeles Kings, who are under the salary floor, didn't sign any of the flashy free-agents who were rumored to be on their way to L.A.

Scott Gomez? To the Rangers. Seven years, $51.5 million.

Chris Drury, who goes surfing with Rob Blake? To the Rangers. 5 years, $35.25 million.

Center Daniel Briere, the other high-profile center? To the Flyers for 8 years, $52 million

Defenseman Scott Hannan? 4 years, 18 million was the price Colorado paid for his services on the blueline.

All over the league, teams were making a splash into free agency. The Kings? They cast out a few lines, but barely a nibble.

Hockey pundits, like Tim Panaccio of the Philadelphia Inquirer, are calling the Kings among the biggest losers of free agency so far.

GM Dean Lombardi is now a sitting "Duck" in the Southern California market. A few years ago, the Kings ran an ad campaign about "serious hockey." It was a not-so-subtle marketing ploy that inferred the Anaheim Mighty Ducks were Disney creations. Who's serious now?

Truth is, Los Angeles has been adrift for too long for things to be fixed by a simple free agent signing. Even Lombardi admitted this to Rich Hammond last week:

Ideally, we'd like to be going in with one or two holes to fill, but we have eight.... We want to be aggressive and fill one or two of them with this (free-agent period) opportunity and then project and say, 'OK, this is what it's going to look like in a couple years.'

Truth is, signing one or two of these high-priced players won't really make that big of a difference on this team. Sure they might give the Kings a few more wins, but they won't make the playoffs. The one thing the Kings did do on the first day of free agency was get Hobie Baker finalist Scott Parse to verbally agree to a two-year deal. The terms of the deal haven't been released.

There are still plenty of free agents out there that would be a nice fit on the roster. Forwards Branden Shanahan and Bill Guerin, and defensemen Brad Stuart and Tom Preissing are still available, as of 10 a.m. Monday. Personally, I'd like to see Stuart in the Kings uniform. We'll see how it goes.

Posted by Matt Murray at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)