April 2008 Archives

I just got out of a long meeting with Dean Lombardi, Luc Robitaille, chief marketing officer Chris McGowan and vice president of communications Michael Altieri, who laid out next year's season-ticket prices. The Kings will have a ``blended'' increase of 5.66 percent, meaning that some prices will go up and others will come down (mostly up).

I'll attach a quick story I just wrote for our website, and I'll get into much more detail later, including some very, very extensive quotes. Problem is, I don't even know if or when this post will see the light of day, because our server problems are crippling this blog. I apologize for our inexcusable service and I thank you greatly for your continued support.

There will be a more extensive story in tomorrow's paper, which I will (hopefully be able to) link to on the blog. Here's the quick story for now...

Here's a new feature for the blog, and another great idea Don has brought to the table. It's 10 questions with Bob Miller and Nick Nickson, who give some open and honest opinions about some of the issues the Kings are dealing with these days. There will be a second part, with color commentators Jim Fox and Daryl Evans. Thanks to all involved!

Thanks to Don Fulton, who tracked down Brian Boyle this morning and got an update on the knee injury Boyle suffered while playing for Manchester this week. Boyle also talked about his progress as a player and his future. Here's the interview...

Alec Martinez, a fourth-round draft pick last year, has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kings. He's an under-the-radar prospect, but the Kings are quietly optimistic about his potential and view him as a future NHL defenseman. Martinez, 20, just completed his junior season at Miami of Ohio. Here's the press release from the Kings...

Is there any more fascinating player in the NHL right now than Sean Avery? It's hard to argue otherwise, whether you think Avery is entertaining or a detriment to the league. The Winnipeg Sun did a lengthy, interesting story on Avery:

What makes Sean Avery tick?

Dustin Brown and Patrick O'Sullivan scored goals today, as the United States beat Sweden 5-1 in a World Championships warmup game in Maine. The U.S. opens play in the World Championships on Friday in Nova Scotia.

In other housekeeping news...be aware that there might be some issues with the blog today or tomorrow. We're switching servers, which ultimately will be a great thing but there is the possibility of some short-term headaches. Just wanted to make everyone aware in advance.

Also, make your vote count in the poll. I'll be passing along the results to Dean Lombardi. Maybe he will bow to the will of the people. Probably not.

We did this a few weeks back, but I'm interested to see if opinions are changing at all about which player the Kings should take with the No. 2 pick. You've had a chance to see the highlight videos and see the Central Scouting rankings, so has your mind changed at all? For the sake of argument, we'll assume that Steven Stamkos is going first. A wild guess...

Finally, here's Luke Schenn:

Schenn stats, info

Here's Alex Pietrangelo:

Pietrangelo stats, info

Here's Tyler Myers:

Myers stats, info

Here's Nikita Filatov. The quality of this video is a little lower, but you should still get the idea...

Filatov stats, info

Here's some Drew Doughty highlights, courtesy of a cool video done by Toronto Maple Leafs TV:

Doughty stats, info

It occurred to me today that perhaps many people don't get to see highlights of these draft prospects we talk about so much. So I figured today would be a good opportunity to post some clips of these guys, and let you get a look at Zach Bogosian, Drew Doughty, Tyler Myers, Alex Pietrangelo, Luke Schenn and, yes, Nikita Filatov. We'll start with Bogosian. Stick with it, for the end-to-end goal in the final minute.

Bogosian stats, info

Thomas Hickey sat out part of the WHL playoffs because of a concussion, but that wasn't his biggest problem. Hickey had surgery this week to repair a torn ligament in his ankle and will be off the ice for 6 to 8 weeks. It's not known when exactly the injury happened, but Hickey definitely played for a while, knowing he was hurt bad. If you're the Kings, that's both admirable and terrifying. Hickey should be skating by the time the Kings have their prospects camp in July.

In his most challenging effort to date, Don Fulton finally tracked down Kings prospect Wayne Simmonds, and got a great interview for his effort. As I just finished telling Don, Simmonds is one of the players I'm most looking forward to seeing again, just to see how he has developed since last fall. Here's the interview...

Bud Holloway has been signed to a three-year entry-level contract. Here's the release from the Kings:

ESPN The Magazine has released its annual fan-satisfaction rankings. You probably won't be stunned to know that the Kings didn't fare well. Overall, the Kings ranked 107th out of 122 NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA teams. The Kings ranked 29th out of 30 NHL teams. Here are the categories:

BNG (Bang for the Buck): Wins over the past three years per revenues directly from fans
FRL (Fan Relations): Ease of access to players, coaches & management
OWN (Ownership): Honesty; loyalty to players and city
AFF (Affordability): Price of tickets, parking and concessions
STD (Stadium Experience): Friendliness of environment; quality of game-day promotions
PLA (Players): Effort on the field; likability off it
CCH (Coach/Manager): Strong on-field leadership
TTR (Title Track): Titles already won or expected -- soon

And here's how the Kings fared, out of 122 pro sports teams and out of the 30 NHL teams:

BNG: 112 overall, 27 NHL
FRL: 87 overall, 27 NHL
OWN: 102 overall, 28 NHL
AFF: 113 overall, 26 NHL
STD: 83 overall, 22 NHL
PLA: 108 overall, 28 NHL
CCH: 114 overall, 30 NHL
TTR: 109 overall, 29 NHL

So the Kings fared best in ``stadium experience'' and worst in ``coaching.'' So Marc Crawford finished just ahead of the Miami Dolphins' Tony Sparano, who has yet to coach a game. Interestingly, Andy Murray got major recognition. St. Louis' coaching rating was seventh in the NHL and 23rd overall, which put him just behind Super Bowl winner Mike Holmgren and just ahead of World Series winner Terry Francona. And right behind him was Wayne Gretzky. Interesting.

ESPN Fan Satisfaction Rankings

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau has released its final rankings for the 2008 draft...

1. Guess who? Steven Stamkos, center, Sarnia (OHL)
2. Zach Bogosian, defenseman, Peterborough (OHL)
3. Drew Doughty, defenseman, Guelph (OHL)
4. Tyler Myers, defenseman, Kelowna (WHL)
5. Luke Schenn, defenseman, Kelowna (WHL)
6. Alex Pietrangelo, defenseman, Niagara (OHL)

The list of top North American players can be found here

Because the Kings were on the road quite a bit at the end, and Daniel Taylor was on so many flights at the end, I never got a chance to talk to him about what his whole NHL experience was like. Fortunately, the Kingston (Ontario) Whig-Standard -- quite a name -- tracked him down and wrote a big article about him. It's a good read...

All the Kings goalies; Former Frontenac Danny Taylor's NHL debut a memorable one

The Kings have signed Oscar Moller to a standard three-year, entry-level contract. Here's the release from the team:

It's too early for this, but what else are we going to talk about? I was thinking about all the prospects out there, and who might fit where with the Kings. So let's take a look at the depth chart, as it stands now minus unrestricted free agents and including only ``established'' NHL players:

First line: O'Sullivan-Kopitar-Brown
Second line: Cammalleri-(BLANK)-Frolov
Third line: Calder-Handzus-(BLANK)
Fourth line: Ivanans-Armstrong-(BLANK)

First pairing: Visnovsky-Johnson
Second pairing: (BLANK)-Preissing
Third pairing: (BLANK)-(BLANK)

Goalies: (BLANK)-(BLANK)

So, how would you fill in the gaps? Free agents or prospects? Which ones? Here's a list of potential prospects:

Forwards: Brian Boyle, Marc-Andre Cliche, Matt Ellis, Gabe Gauthier, Trevor Lewis, Oscar Moller, Matt Moulson, Brady Murray, Scott Parse, Teddy Purcell, Wayne Simmonds, Lauri Tukonen, Kevin Westgarth, John Zeiler.

Defensemen: Peter Harrold, Patrik Hersley, Thomas Hickey, Alec Martinez, Joe Piskula.

Goalies: Jonathan Bernier, Erik Ersberg, Jason LaBarbera, Jon Quick, Daniel Taylor, Jeff Zatkoff.

If you'd like to re-sign any of the Kings' free agents, there's Rob Blake, Kevin Dallman, Jeff Giuliano, Jon Klemm, Ladislav Nagy, Brian Willsie.

In a rough end to a weird series, Manchester blew a 2-0 lead last night, lost in overtime and got swept by Providence in the first-round AHL series. Don Fulton did a recap and also caught up with Monarchs coach Mark Morris this morning...

Here another great interview from Don Fulton, with Jeff Zatkoff:

The blog server appears to be working today, so I'll give this whole posting thing a go. Don Fulton tracked down coach Mark Morris, whose Manchester Monarchs are in dire straits, down 3-0 to Providence and facing elimination tonight. Don also has an interview with Jeff Zatkoff ready to go. Here's what Morris had to say about the Monarchs' situation:

On being down 3-0 in the series.

"We've gotten great goaltending from both Bernier and Quick, and I don't think we have to hang our heads at all. We had those two goals disallowed (in Game 3), that in our opinion, were both good goals, and we didn't have a whole lot of things go our way. I really believe that we are really on the verge of winning any one of those games. These are the types of battles that are going to make these guys better hockey players."

On the absence of Brian Boyle:

"That was a huge blow. Brian is such a physical presence, guy who played half the season as a defenseman and still lead the league in rookie scoring. I can't say enough for what he has meant to our hockey club. There aren't too many 6-7, 250-pound people that can replace him. He's been a huge presence in front of the net on the power play, and a good face-off man. He knows how to distribute the puck and he is a hard guy to hold. My guess is that his recovery time is going to be too lengthy unless we are able to turn this thing around."

JASON LABARBERA

This season: 45 games, 17-23 record, 3.00 goals-against average, .910 save percentage.

Positives: Actually made it to the NHL this season and did a strong job during points of the season. His size (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) remains his clear strong point and his positioning is usually solid. When he's able to stay healthy and get in a rhythm, LaBarbera is able to build some confidence and is capable of long stretches of good play.

Negatives: LaBarbera has still yet to show that he can make it through an entire NHL season without significant injury or without being replaced because of substandard play. He tends to be a little streaky -- but most goalies are -- and while his size is a positive, it also limits his mobility.

Looking ahead: Once again, LaBarbera will enter training camp battling for a job. It's been the same way every season since 2005. LaBarbera would have to be considered the favorite to earn the No. 1 job, although certainly not an overwhelming favorite. He will have to hold off Erik Ersberg and Jonathan Bernier, and possibly others, in order to win the job outright.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $825,000 next season).

ERIK ERSBERG

This season: 14 games, 6-5 record, 2.48 goals-against average, .927 save percentage.

Positives: Surprisingly, Ersberg emerged as a bright light in an otherwise dark and grim goaltending situation. Before the season, the Kings believed Ersberg would need a full year of minor-leagues seasoning, but he had two shutouts in 13 starts. The rest of the goalies combined for one (LaBarbera) in 69 starts. For the most part, Ersberg looked sharp and composed and showed great rebound control.

Negatives: Ersberg's play generated a lot of excitement, and that's understandable, but it's also wise to remember that he had a 2.92 goals-against average in Manchester and hasn't yet dealt with the rigors of being a full-time NHL goalie. That's not to say he wouldn't thrive in that role, but what has he really proved at this point?

Looking ahead: It will be interesting to see what happens with Ersberg this summer. If things work out, Ersberg will at least be in the mix for a roster spot, with Jason LaBarbera and Jonathan Bernier likely serving as his primary competition.

Contract situation: Restricted free agent.

We'll do the last of the player evaluations today, with everyone's favorite position: the goalies. We're going to do a separate set of evaluations for the prospects, which will include Bernier and Quick. So why not start with...

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DAN CLOUTIER

This season: 9 games, 2-4 record, 3.43 goals-against average, .887 save percentage.

Positives: Well...hmmm. Cloutier did have one shining game, Feb. 21 against St. Louis, when he stopped 32 of 33 shots in a 5-1 victory. Then again, that game against the second-worst team in the Western Conference.

Negatives: It's easy to pile on Cloutier, but it's just been an unfortunate situation all around. He tried to play while hurt during 2006, and that's admirable, but his acquisition/signing was just a disaster, in every sense of the word. The one thing he can be blamed for is the way he turned on the organization, which publicly supported him throughout all his troubles.

Looking ahead: The summer could go in a couple different ways. The most likely outcome is that Cloutier will have the final year of his contract bought out. There's a chance he could end up in a long-term-injury situation, but regardless, it's almost certain that he won't be on the Kings' roster next season.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $3.1 million next season).

LUBOMIR VISNOVSKY

This season: 82 games, 8 goals, 33 assists, minus-18 rating.

Positives: This depends on which Visnovsky you'd like to talk about: the one who, during the previous couple seasons, established himself as a potential Norris Trophy candidate, or the one who looked tenative and overmatched this season. When he's on his game, Visnovsky is, pound-for-pound, a very strong defenseman with great puck-moving skills and good offensive instincts.

Negatives: So, what happened to that guy last year? It certainly looked like a new player on the ice this season, and not in a good way.

Looking ahead: It's hard to say what went wrong with Visnovsky. A popular theory is that he got overwhelmed, mentally, by the combination of a big contract extension (which kicks in next season) and the fact that he was named an assistant captain. The hope within the organization is that he will settle down and return to previous form.

Contract situation: Signed through 2012-13 (cap number of $5.6 million next season).

TOM PREISSING

This season: 77 games, 8 goals, 16 assists, minus-6 rating.

Positives: With Preissing's game, it's all a matter of expectation. He's not the fastest or the strongest or the biggest, but he manages to play a solid, responsible game for the most part. Any team expecting Preissing to log huge minutes or play the point on the power play is going to end up disappointed, but in a defined role, he's a solid veteran.

Negatives: A relative lack of size and strength will always hold Preissing back. At age 29, it's hard to see Preissing ever evolving into a top-flight defenseman or a reliable power-play contributor.

Looking ahead: Preissing is a solid fourth or fifth defenseman, and not a bad player at the price the Kings have locked him up at. The problem is the Kings need better defensemen around him, so that his ice time can be managed better and his mistakes aren't magnified.

Contract situation: Signed through 2010-11 (cap number of $2.75 million next season).

JON KLEMM

This season: 22 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, minus-5 rating.

Positives: Klemm has made a career out of being a grinder. He will never end up with many points, but does what is asked of him, which is to work hard, fill a handful of different roles and be a mentor for the younger players. Klemm did his most important work this season while serving as team captain for the Manchester Monarchs.

Negatives: In an ideal world, Klemm wouldn't even have played as much as he did for the Kings this season. There's definitely value in having a grinder, but Klemm is 38 years old and already had reached the point in which he was a marginal NHL defenseman. There isn't any real speed or offense in Klemm's game.

Looking ahead: It might be the end of the road for Klemm, unless both sides see value in bringing him back in a minor-league leadership role. Klemm basically did what was asked of him, although not much more.

Contract situation: Unrestricted free agent.

I think most of you are aware that during his time with the Kings this season, Jaroslav Modry was dealing with his father's serious illness. Yesterday, Modry's learned of his father's passing.

Modry's father passes

Sorry for the lack of blogging today. It's been a busy day in the office...

Pascal Pelletier scored 9:01 into overtime as Providence beat Manchester 3-2 in the first game of the best-of-seven first round series in the AHL playoffs. Petr Kanko scored with just over five minutes left in the first period to give the Monarchs a 1-0 lead, and after two Providence goals (one shorthanded), the Monarchs tied the game when Matt Moulson scored a power-play goal 9:30 into the third period. Jonathan Bernier played in goal for the Monarchs and stopped 34 of 37 shots. Tonight's game was played in Providence. The Bruins also host Game 2 on Friday.

Don Fulton tracked down Alex Pietrangelo, who has been out of commission recently because of a bout with mononucleosis. But Don tracked down yet another defensive prospect who might end up in the Kings organization in June...

Game 1 of the first-round AHL playoff series between Manchester and Providence starts just after 4 p.m. Pacific time (7 p.m. local time). The Monarchs, who finished fourth in their division, face the Bruins, who finished first. The Monarchs coach is indicating that Brian Boyle might return sometime during the series, but that seems vague. A key to the series could be whether Phil Kessel shows up. Kessel has been a healthy scratch for the Boston Bruins put could end up on the Providence roster at some point.

There's a webcast of the game, but you have to shell out $6 to watch it. Seems as though there might be free audio on the Monarchs' site, but I can't be 100 percent certain of that. Here's a couple preview stories from the two local papers:

Manchester Union-Leader: Monarchs prepped for playoff test

Providence Journal: P-Bruins are riding wave into playoffs

JACK JOHNSON

This season: 74 games, 3 goals, 8 assists, minus-19 rating.

Positives: Came into the NHL with tremendous hype that was almost impossible to live up to, but still managed a solid rookie season, particularly for a player who had never taken a shift above the college level unti late last season. Johnson clearly has the size, skating ability and physical instincts to be an impact defenseman, and he showed that at times this season.

Negatives: Again, expectations were high. Johnson was hyped as a Calder Trophy favorite heading into the season and never really came close to reaching that level. He admitted, late in the season, that not until the final month (before his broken foot) did he start to feel totally comfortable on the ice. The offensive instincts he showed at Michigan still need to emerge at the NHL level.

Looking ahead: There's certainly no hand-wringing among Kings management about Johnson. He's still considered a future franchise defenseman and he's starting to develop the type of leadership skills that could make him a team captain one day. With expected development, he should take a major step forward next season.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $2.15 million next season).

PETER HARROLD

This season: 25 games, 2 goals, 3 assists, plus-3 rating.

Positives: Hasn't made any dramatic improvements, but is slowly and surely establishing himself as an NHL defenseman with a solid all-around game. Harrold has displayed good puck movement in the defensive zone during his limited time in the NHL and totaled 43 points in 49 games with Manchester this season, so he has some offensive upside.

Negatives: Size and speed are two of the drawbacks in Harrold's game, but they won't prevent him from being an NHL player. He could stand to get a little stronger, which would help the team's overall toughness, and as he gets more experience, he should be better prepared to deal with the speed of the NHL game.

Looking ahead: Harrold seems likely, in the long term, to settle in as a fourth or fifth defenseman. With Johnson and Visnovsky already in the fold, the Kings need to sign or trade for at least one more strong defenseman to take some of the pressure off Harrold and allow him to thrive as he continues to develop.

Contract situation: Restricted free agent.

KEVIN DALLMAN

This season: 34 games, 3 goals, 4 assists, plus-4 rating.

Positives: The very definition of a role player, Dallman can step in after being scratched for a handful of consecutive games and play either center or defense. Never a flashy player, Dallman has solid puck-moving skills and some offensive skills. Managed a plus-4 rating.

Negatives: Dallman's size is considered a negative on defense, and he just can't seem to ``wow'' the coaching staff enough to earn a regular place in the lineup. More often than not, coaches chose Jon Klemm to fill a similar role.

Looking ahead: It's not unreasonable to think the Kings might re-sign Dallman in a seventh-defenseman role, especially since Klemm is 38 years old and since Dallman is well-liked by the Kings' younger players. Whether he can ever shed that ``spare defenseman'' label is another matter.

Contract situation: Unrestricted free agent.

ROB BLAKE

This season: 71 games, 9 goals, 22 assists, minus-19 rating

Positives: At times this season, Blake was the Kings' best defenseman. A slow start, mostly caused by his recovery from offseason hip surgery, gave way to a period of strong hockey, which Blake was unable to maintain, in part, because of other nagging injuries. When healthy, Blake remains a strong physical presence on a team that lacks physical defensemen.

Negatives: Not uncommon for 38-year-old players, Blake is injury-prone and slowing down. He didn't come close to giving the Kings $6-million worth, but that contract was the Kings' fault, not his. Still plays well in spurts, but might no longer have the energy to maintain it for an entire season.

Looking ahead: Despite some uncertain moments during the season, on both sides, it seems as though Blake would like to return to the Kings and that the Kings would like to sign him to a short-term contract, far below the $6 million he made in each of the last two seasons. Blake still has some value, particularly as the Kings attempt to work in a new, young crop of defensemen.

Contract situation: Unrestricted free agent.

The Manchester Monarchs have made it official: Oscar Moller and Bud Holloway have signed amateur-tryout agreements today. Here's the release from Manchester:

Here's the last of the forwards. We'll tackle the defensemen next...

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JOHN ZEILER

This season: 36 games, 0 goals, 1 assist, minus-6 rating.

Positives: Zeiler's value comes in his ability to work hard in the corners, deliver hits, provoke opponents into penalties and play a responsible defensive game. He came out of relative anonymity in 2006-07 to earn a multi-year contract, and his value to the Kings clearly comes in an energy-line role.

Negatives: After an impressive 23-game stint in 2006-07, Zeiler signed a four-year contract and was on a two-way deal this season. He seemed set to hold down a regular role as a fourth-line winger, but never really got it going with the Kings even though he played almost a half a season in the NHL. His sophomore year lacked the same spark.

Looking ahead: Zeiler seemed to take a bit of a step backward this season, but with a salary of just over $500,000, he's a cheap and steady option in an energy-line role. Again, there should be considerable competition for those roles, so Zeiler's presence on the Kings' roster next season is far from certain.

Contract situation: Signed through 2010-11 (cap number of $543,750 next season).

BRIAN WILLSIE

This season: 53 games, 4 goals, 8 assists, minus-8 rating.

Positives: Never to be confused with a dynamic goal scorer, Willsie is at his best when he's playing a defense-first, energy-line role. His strong work ethic and responsible two-way play give him value, and he didn't complain when often made a healthy scratch.

Negatives: Showed some goal-scoring potential early in his career, but it never really materialized. Willsie is solid at several aspects of the game, but not really spectacular at any one thing. That makes him versatile but not particularly valuable.

Looking ahead: Willsie has probably run his course with the Kings, but should be able to find an energy-line role with a NHL team. He's good around the net, but won't attract significant attention unless he finds a way to put more pucks in nets.

Contract situation: Unrestricted free agent.

LAURI TUKONEN

This season: 1 game, 0 goals, 0 assists, even rating,

Positives: Despite some ups and downs in his pro career thus far, he's still a part of the Kings' plans and it's easy to forget that he's still only 21 years old. When he's playing consistently well, Tukonen uses his size to get to the net and is strong on the puck. He has the potential to play on a scoring line.

Negatives: Tukonen is about to complete his third season in the AHL and still hasn't make a significant impact. His goal totals have actually decreased, from 14 to 13 to 9. Consistency has been a major issues, and the other parts of his game aren't quite strong enough to make up for a lack of offensive production.

Looking ahead: It's time for Tukonen to make a statement. Given the strong depth at the forward positions in the Kings' system, he runs the risk of getting buried if he doesn't make himself stand out soon. The talent is there, it seems, but he needs to show something next season.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $885,780 next season).

SCOTT THORNTON

This season: 47 games, 5 goals, 3 assists, plus-1 rating

Positives: When healthy, Thornton was a responsible two-way player, capable of providing gritty play. At times, could be one of the few players with the desire to mix it up a little bit. A respected locker-room leader, Thornton never expressed frustration at his situation, which included injuries and limited ice time.

Negatives: Injuries took their toll on Thornton, along with the general complications of being a 37-year-old player. Never the fastest player, Thornton had slowed down considerably and, at his best, had become a fourth-line winger by the end.

Looking ahead: Those looking for Thornton in September will have to search bike trails. Thornton, who is a cycling enthusiast, has said he is almost certain he will retire after 17 NHL seasons.

Contract situation: Unrestricted free agent.

TEDDY PURCELL

This season: 10 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, plus-2 rating.

Positives: Got only a brief taste of the NHL, but that experience should pay off later, when he cracks the NHL lineup for good. Purcell totaled 25 goals and 58 assists in 67 games with Manchester, oustanding numbers for a first-year professional player. There's every reason to think that Purcell's offensive skills will translate to the NHL

Negatives: There's the lack of NHL experience, but every young player goes through that. In general, Purcell will have to show, on the NHL level, that he's not just a one-dimensional player. Adding some bulk to his 6-foot-3 frame will help in that quest.

Looking ahead: Last summer, Dean Lombardi had Purcell penciled in as a potential top-line winger. At the time, that seemed optimistic, but given Purcell's tremendous success in the AHL this season, it no longer seems like a huge stretch. Purcell will have every opportunity, this summer and during training camp, to earn a spot on the Kings' roster.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $1.35 million next season).

PATRICK O'SULLIVAN

This season: 82 games, 22 goals, 31 assists, minus-8 rating.

Positives: O'Sullivan's improvements have been well-documented, and he deserves a ton of credit from transforming himself. Once a top prospect, he was in danger of falling out of favor with the Kings, but he worked himself into a role as a top-three forward. O'Sullivan developed into a strong defensive player and began to fulfill his great offensive potential.

Negatives: There's a lot of excitement about O'Sullivan's season, and rightfully so, but it's wise to remember that he still has plenty of room to improve. This season was a strong start, and he should only get more comfortable playing alongside Anze Kopitar (if the Kings keep him there) but O'Sullivan will need to take another step forward next season.

Looking ahead: If O'Sullivan can continue on this upward path, the Kings have a keeper. After some initial questions, O'Sullivan proved himself to have a good attitude and a strong desire to win. He certainly has the ability to be a top-six forward for years to come.

Contract situation: Restricted free agent.

The Manchester Monarchs concluded their regular season Saturday and are now preparing for a first-round series against the Providence Bruins, starting Wednesday in Providence. The Monarchs finished with 88 points, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, while the Bruins finished first with 117 points.

Here's the series schedule. I found it interesting that the series goes 2-2-2-1. Providence gets four of the first six games at home, but the seventh game would be at Manchester. Interesting setup...

Game 1 - Wed., Apr. 16 - Manchester at Providence
Game 2 - Fri., Apr. 18 - Manchester at Providence
Game 3 - Sat., Apr. 19 - Providence at Manchester
Game 4 - Mon., Apr. 21 - Providence at Manchester
*Game 5 - Fri., Apr. 25 - Manchester at Providence
*Game 6 - Sat., Apr. 26 - Manchester at Providence
*Game 7 - Mon., Apr. 28 - Providence at Manchester

Here's today's story from the Union Leader:

Monarchs Insider

LADISLAV NAGY

This season: 38 games, 9 goals, 17 assists, minus-2 rating.

Positives: In spurts, Nagy showed the offensive creativity that led the Kings to give him a one-year contract last summer. He's still a creative offensive player with good hands, and had be been able to stay healthy, he might have been a 20-goal scorer, a plateau he reached in each of his first three full NHL seasons.

Negatives: He couldn't stay healthy. A neck injury took Nagy out of the lineup in mid-January and he never returned. Injuries played a big part this year, but Nagy's goal totals have decreased every season since 2003-04, from 24 to 15 to 12 to nine. Even when healthy, he probably produced at a level a bit lower than the Kings expected.

Looking ahead: Given his neck injury, and Dean Lombardi's hint-dropping about bringing more prospects into the fold, it seems highly unlikely that the Kings have Nagy in their plans as a top-six forward next season. If he's healthy, he will get a contract from another team and might be able to rebound.

Contract situation: Unrestricted free agent.

BRADY MURRAY

This season: 4 games, 1 goal, 0 assists, minus-2 rating.

Positives: Murray made his biggest strides during the summer and during training camp, when he impressed with his strong skating and work ethic and earned the No. 4 center role. Murray appeared in only four games with the Kings and, typical of a coach's son, he played an intelligent game and was a bright figure in the dressing room.

Negatives: Size -- Murray is listed at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds -- will always be an issue for him to overcome, as will injuries, it seems. Beyond that, does Murray have enough offensive upside to justify giving him a roster spot compared to other prospects. If he makes it in the NHL, it will be because of his grit, not his scoring touch.

Looking ahead: Murray will probably enter training camp in roughly the same position as last year. He will have a chance to earn an energy-line role, but the competition will probably be even more fierce this time.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $942,400 next season).

MATT MOULSON

This season: 22 games, 5 goals, 4 assists, plus-2 rating.

Positives: There is some potential here. Moulson got bounced back and forth, between Los Angeles and Manchester, four times this season, but he managed some quality play in both leagues. In just 57 games with the Monarchs, Moulson totaled 28 goals and 28 assists. He seems to have a solid all-around game.

Negatives: Does he have top-six forward potential, and can he bridge the gap between the AHL and the NHL? There are a lot of players who put up strong numbers in the AHL but can't make it translate to the NHL. Moulson's challenges are to prove he belongs and prove that he deserves the ice time that might go to a younger prospect. Moulson could help his cause by packing on a little more muscle.

Looking ahead: This is a crucial time for Moulson. It's very possible that he can take a step forward and earn a spot on the NHL roster, but if he doesn't, he runs the risk of being pigeonholed as a talented AHL player who doesn't have the chops to move up. The opportunity should be there for Moulson to earn a third- or fourth-line role.

Contract situation: Restricted free agent.

ANZE KOPITAR

This season: 82 games, 32 goals, 45 assists, minus-15 rating.

Positives: Almost too many to list. After an excellent rookie season, Kopitar played all 82 games and improved his numbers in almost every category. By all accounts, he's a hard worker, a good teammate and a potential team leader. On the ice, he's creative, strong on the puck and has tremendous vision and great hands. What else is there?

Negatives: Someone would have to be fairly creative to come up with a major negative in Kopitar's game. Kopitar's main challenge will be to continue to improve, make his teammates better and fill a team leadership role.

Looking ahead: Kopitar is the Kings' unquestioned No. 1 center, and the only remaining question is, ``How good can he be?'' It's almost shocking to think he doesn't turn 21 until August. His ability to play at a high level will be crucial if the Kings are to

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $955,867 next season).

RAITIS IVANANS

This season: 73 games, 6 goals, 2 assists, minus-10 rating.

Positives: Scored six goals this season, only one fewer than $4-million-man Michal Handzus. Ivanans has a very defined role, and he has filled it to the coaches' satisfaction over the last two seasons. Enforcers can't afford to be one-dimensional in the post-lockout NHL, and Ivanans has displayed some skill, beyond the ability to fight.

Negatives: Even at his best, Ivanans will never be a skilled offensive player. He's 29 years old and unlikely to show significant improvement at this point in his career, so what you see is what you get.

Looking ahead: On a team that most followers agree lacked toughness, Ivanans was a notable exception. He returned relatively quickly from a painful broken cheekbone and resumed his physical style of play. Ivanans fills a crucial role and is not expected to contribute offense. As long as he skates strong and brings a physical element to the game, he's a valuable contributor.

Contract situation: Signed through 2009-10 (cap number of $600,000 next season).

MICHAL HANDZUS

This season: 82 games, 7 goals, 14 assists, minus-21 rating.

Positives: A year after major knee surgery, Handzus played all 82 games, which is a tremendous accomplishment and no doubt gave him a good mental boost. Later in the season, he seemed to be skating harder and with more confidence. Despite his offensive struggles, Handzus earned the respect of coaches and management with his good attitude.

Negatives: For $4 million, Handzus was a mess. The Kings signed him to be a second-line center, but for parts of the season he was centering the fourth line. He seemed slow and tentative for a major part of the season, not surprising for a player in his first season following knee surgery. His play left a huge void in that No. 2 center position.

Looking ahead: Four years is a long time, and $16 million is a lot of money. The good news is, players usually take a big step forward in their second year following knee surgery. If Handzus can improve, and reclaim that No. 2 center spot, it will go a long way toward establishing some much-needed depth in the lineup. If not, things could get ugly.

Contract situation: Signed through 2010-11 (cap number of $4 million next season).

JEFF GIULIANO

This season: 53 games, 0 goals, 6 assists, minus-9 rating.

Positives: A versatile forward who can give a team quality energy-line minutes. Giuliano is a responsible player and a strong skater with a good attitude, and he's a solid defensive player.

Negatives: There's little to suggest that Giuliano will ever develop much of an offensive game, and he's also limited by his slight build, as he is generously listed at 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds.

Looking ahead: It seems doubtful that Giuliano has a future in Los Angeles. He's the type of player that teams like to have around, because he's well liked and a hard worker, but the Kings seem more likely to give his minutes to an up-and-coming player who has more of an upside.

Contract situation: Unrestricted free agent.

GABE GAUTHIER

This season: 3 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, even rating.

Positives: Didn't get much time to show his stuff with the Kings, but Gauthier was a point-per-game performer for the Manchester Monarchs this season. He's not blessed with great size but he's solidly built and is a good pound-for-pound player. By all accounts, Gauthier is a hard worker and a team-leader type.

Negatives: Still quite green at the NHL level, with only eight games in the last two seasons, and he needs to make a breakthrough soon. With players such as Brian Boyle, Marc-Andre Cliche and Trevor Lewis waiting in the wings, Gauthier needs to make himself stand out next season or risk getting passed by these younger prospects.

Looking ahead: It's definitely possible to envision Gauthier on the Kings' roster next season, but it could largely depend on how some of those previously mentioned prospects develop this summer. Gauthier must still prove that he can play at the NHL level, but first he will have to put forth a a good showing at training camp.

Contract situation: Restricted free agent.

ALEXANDER FROLOV

This season: 71 games, 23 goals, 44 assists, plus-1 rating.

Positives: Increased his assist total to 44, from his previous high of 36. That's a positive development, considering Frolov has had the term ``puck hog'' attached to his name. As usual, Frolov was tremendously strong on the puck and seemed to improve his work ethic this season. He took a career-low 22 penalty minutes.

Negatives: Frolov's goal total decreased from 35 to 23 and was more in line with the 24 and 21 he scored the previous two seasons. More passing, and fewer shots on goal (160, compared to 195 the previous season) factor in there, but Frolov needs to be more productive on the power play, where he scored only five goals this season.

Looking ahead: It seems that Frolov has had the word ``enigma'' attached to his name for a while, but he showed signs of breaking out of that this season. Continuing to share the puck will increase his value in the eyes of coaches and teammates, but Frolov can't afford to get too far away from what made him a 35-goal scorer the previous season.

Contract situation: Signed through 2009-10 (cap number of $2.9 million next season).

MATT ELLIS

This season: 19 games, 1 goal, 1 assist, plus-2 rating (with Kings); 54 games, 3 goals, 5 assists, plus-3 rating (overall).

Positives: The expectations were fairly low when the Kings claimed Ellis off waivers from Detroit, but he was a lineup regular who averaged almost 13 minutes per game and played a responsible defensive game. Ellis proved to be a hard worker who wasn't afraid to throw his body around.

Negatives: At age 26, he's unlikely to develop much of an offensive game, so he's limited there and probably won't rise above an energy-line role. He's also not terribly big, which could potentially mean injury problems with his style of play.

Looking ahead: Ellis definitely has a chance to make an impact with the Kings, but he likely will be competing for a roster spot with players such as John Zeiler, Matt Moulson, Gabe Gauthier and Brady Murray. His defensive skills are a huge plus but his offensive limitations will hold him back.

Contract status: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $475,000 next season).

MICHAEL CAMMALLERI

This season: 63 games, 19 goals, 28 assists, minus-16 rating.

Positives: They all came early. Cammalleri was named an assistant captain at the start of this season, the youngest member of the Kings' leadership, and scored 10 goals in his first 10 games. He also further proved that he has the best shot on the team, with an unmatched ability to one-time the puck.

Negatives: After his brilliant start, Cammalleri scored only nine goals in his final 53 games. Nagging injuries didn't help, but Cammalleri took a huge step backward from the previous season, when he totaled 34 goals and 46 points. Also, there have been whispers -- loud whispers, to be accurate -- about how good of a teammate Cammalleri is. Cammalleri insisted that last year's arbitration process didn't impact him, but his downturn is otherwise hard to explain.

Looking ahead: 2008-09 will be a crossroads season for Cammalleri, in every sense. If he's not traded -- a move the Kings are expected to explore this summer -- he will return and enter the final year of his contract, needing a big comeback. Cammalleri clearly has first-line talent, but he will need to re-prove himself, both as a scorer and a potential team leader.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $3.35 million next season).

KYLE CALDER

This season: 65 games, 7 goals, 13 assists, minus-11 rating.

Positives: Gone are the days when Calder was considered a potential 30-goal scorer. He's now known as an energy-line winger, a guy who can mix it up and contribute some offense. To that end, the Kings pretty much got what they expected. Calder played 65 games and totaled only 18 penalty minutes.

Negatives: It's quite a stretch to say the Kings got their money's worth. There are a lot of players out there who can score 20 points and play on the energy line who DON'T earn almost $3 million per season. The Kings were hoping for a rebound from last season, when Calder totaled 35 points in 78 games. That was considered a down year, but he went even lower this year.

Looking ahead: Calder is a serviceable winger, but the Kings overpaid for him and they've got him for one more season. Perhaps being a contract year will spark him to put up bigger numbers, but he seems unlikely to ever approach his career high of 26 goals. Calder has a defined role as an energy-line winger, if he can stay healthy.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $2.7 million next season).

DUSTIN BROWN

This season: 78 games, 33 goals, 27 assists, minus-13 rating.

Positives: Where to begin? Toward the end of last season, coach Marc Crawford said Brown could be a 30-goal scorer. Brown, who had scored 31 goals, combined, in his previous two seasons, netted 33 this season and became a regular winger on the Kings' top line. He kept his penalty minutes in check, reduced his plus-minus rating from minus-21 to minus-13, took a career-high 219 shots on goal and, perhaps most importantly, improved his skills as a vocal leader.

Negatives: Not many. His assist total actually dipped, from 29 to 27, and Brown can't forget to retain that hard-nosed, hitting style, just because he has proved to be a talented scorer.

Looking ahead: Crawford thought he could be a 30-goal scorer. So did Brown hit his ceiling this season? That's hard to imagine, since he's only 23 years old. It was a great year for Brown, who signed a big contract and had his first child. The challenge is to get even better and avoid the type of letdown Michael Cammalleri had this season.

Contract situation: Signed through 2013-14 (cap number of $3.175 million next season).

BRIAN BOYLE

This season: 8 games, 4 goals, 1 assist, plus-4 rating.

Positives: It's hard to argue with the raw numbers. Four goals in eight games is nothing to sneeze at, and Boyle showed, at least in a limited tryout, that he has the skill to play at the NHL level. His size should make him a valuable asset going forward, particularly at the center position.

Negatives: His demotion back to Manchester came as something of a surprise, and came with a vague, somewhat mysterious explanation about him needing to develop better habits and learn how to play on a winning team. After his eight-game stint in February, Boyle never returned to the Kings.

Looking ahead: Sometimes it's hard to figure what the Kings are doing with Boyle. They make him a defenseman, then they switch him back to center. They bring him up from Manchester, then they send him back after he scores four goals in eight games. Fortunately, Boyle seems to be a bright guy with a good attitude. He needs to use his size and be a more physical presence, but it's very easy to see him having a future with the Kings, as soon as next season.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $835,000 next season).

We did something like this after last season, breaking down the players. Since it's expected to be a slow period for the Kings, seems like a good opportunity! I'll try to get through a few players every day, and I'm curious to see what everyone's opinions are of these guys. So we'll start with forwards and go in alphabetical order. Up first...

DEREK ARMSTRONG

This season: 77 games, 8 goals, 27 assists, plus-4 rating.

Positives: Nagging injuries have been a problem in the past, but Armstrong played a career-best 77 games. He also managed a minus-4 rating on a team that allowed 35 goals more than it scored. As usual, served as a steady, respected presence in the dressing room and proved himself most valuable as a third-line center, when he could focus more on defense than offense.

Negatives: Played a career-high in games, but his eight goals were the fewest of his five-year Kings career. The low production came even though he totaled a career-best 118 shots on goal. Armstrong also had a career-high 63 penalty minutes. Too often, he is forced into second-line center duties, and that does not suit his game.

Looking ahead: By now, it's pretty clear what Armstrong can and can't do. He's a consistent performer, for the most part, but the Kings need Michal Handzus, or some other center, to step up so that Armstrong doesn't have to center the second line on a regular basis.

Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $1.5 million next season).

There seems to be some wide debate about both of these guys, so I thought it would be interesting to see what the answers are here...

Here's the second (and last) part of Don's interview with Marc Crawford:

Kudos to Don Fulton for once again getting another great interview, this one with Kings coach Marc Crawford. Don asks some strong questions and gets some good answers. Here you go...

This should be the last of them...

Here's the next round of answers. I have the Marc Crawford interview ready to go, but I want to get through the questions first, so hopefully I'll accomplish that real soon!

On a beautiful day in Southern California, here's more to read about the indoor sport of ice hockey...

I'll answer more of the questions tonight, plus Don Fulton has a long, interesting interview with Marc Crawford that I'll be getting up very soon. Lots to read!

The second round...

The second round...

OK, some really good questions, so I hope I can provide some really good answers...

As expected, the Kings have signed goalie Jeff Zatkoff to a three-year contract. I believe he will be headed to Manchester today but I don't have total confirmation of that. The Kings are excited about this guy, especially after how he played this season, with a 1.72 goals-against average for Miami of Ohio.

Here's the last (at least for a day or two) of Don's interviews, this one with Manchester goalie Jon Quick. Here's Jon, with Don:

Anyone have any questions, now that we've reached the end of the season? Fire away...

Dustin Brown and Patrick O'Sullivan have been selected to represent the United States in the World Championship tournament, which will be held May 2-18 in Canada. That's a very nice honor for both players and represents how far they came this season, particularly O'Sullivan. Here's the release from the Kings:

Heres's another one of Don's great prospect interviews, this one with defenseman Colby Robak. Don also has an interview with Jonathan Quick and we're also in the process of setting something up with Marc Crawford. For now, here's Colby...

Here's the interview that Don Fulton was able to grab with defensive prospect Tyler Myers. I have a couple of these backed up, so I'll try to get them out there today. Don does a great job of tracking down these prospects...

This is the last part of the Lombardi stuff I got a few days ago. To really understand this, you have to go back to last summer. Or, for those of you who were at the GM breakfast recently, you might have gotten a taste of this. Basically, it goes back to Lombardi's grand scheme for the future, in which he pencils in what he wants the Kings to look like, long-term. Players he thinks are going to be around a while (Kopitar, Brown, Johnson, Bernier, etc) are written into roles, some other players are projected and other spots are left open. Those spots, such as for a second-line center or a third-line winger, are what Lombardi refers to when he says he has ``boxes'' he needs to fill. So here's what he had to say, in regards to those boxes:

``When i look up and down, there's a few more boxes filled. Ideally. they're all homegrown players. There are still going to be some holes. Right now, Bernier and Quick are playing in Manchester. That's exiting. The one thing that shows up (as a negative) is the darn backend. That's a hard position to develop. That's why you take the swing at Hickey. It's thin down there. That's the only part where its like, `OK, at least I can see the forwards coming.'' I look at the D and there's too many open boxes. There are a couple kids in college I think are ready to turn pro but it's still an issue. Do i jump the gun and push a kid a little sooner? I'm not sure.

``We started with about 15 boxes open, then last year we were down to 12. Maybe now it's down to six or seven, but the problem is most of them are on the back end. It is still thin. When I go to Manchester, we have a couple guys who maybe get to that 5-6 (fifth or sixth defenseman) level, but I don't want to limit those kids. Unlike Purcell and Boyle at forward, we don't have anybody knocking on the door there.''

Here's Dean Lombardi, relating a recent incident that made him feel confident about the Kings' future. He said:

``Little things tell you you're headed in the right direction. When you're in this stage, it's about building a reserve list. I've always analogized it to a balance sheet. That's the muscle and balance of your organization. The hard part of building is, you're trying to keep an eye on your team but you're also looking at how our reserve list stacks up against the competition. When the reserve list is built, it's fun to be a fantasy GM and just think about trades. We're not there yet.

``One thing that tells me we're headed in the right direction is, at the trade deadline we were looking at a player. To make the deal, it would have required giving up a younger player who's not on our team. The other team gave me four names that i don't think anyone but our hardcore fans has heard of. That's the first time, sitting in this chair, where somebody has said, `To make this deal, we need one of these four players.' As your reserve list gets stronger, and other GMs start asking about your players, it tells you that your reserve list is stronger. That was the first time, other than with Kopitar, that somebody came to me and said, `We like this guy and this guy and this guy.'

``We're more than happy with a kid like Simmonds. Hickey gets his team into the next round. These are all things that are positive to me. Watching Boyle compete and be a winner. These are all things that I'm looking for that tell me we're headed in the right direction.''

Here's some more of the stuff from Lombardi from last week. We spent some time talking about what went wrong, but these are some of the things he thinks went right. In particular, three players:

``I think Johnson, in some cases, exceeded my expectations for a young defenseman. I've broken in a lot of young defensemen and it's a very difficult position for a young player. I think he adapted very well. It's clear he has to work on some things and get better. The way he performed, for a young defenseman, he's only going to get better. You're never sure about a guy coming out of college in a difficult position with expectations. It was better than i expected.

``The emergence of O'sullivan was a pleasant surprise. The way he's grown up, not only on the ice but off the ice. The way he has learned to conduct himself from the summer on, maturing, i think has been incredible, from where he was 24 months ago. I've talked to him about how there's still another level for him. If he can make half the improvements he's made over the last 12 months, he's going to be a great player.

``The emergence of Dustin Brown. A lot of people limited this guy to thinking he would be in a third-line role. He can be a top-level player if he continues to improve. I think he's a guy who's going to emerge, not only as a good player but as a leader.''

Lombardi also had this to say about Kopitar:

``I've seen too many players, after their rookie year, forget they haven't made it. I haven't seen that with him and that's encouraging. Those are the things, for us, that when we're building, are key.''

According to the Seattle Times, Thomas Hickey is unlikely to play tonight. Hickey took a knee to the head during Friday's game, and although the word isn't being used, he's almost certainly suffering from a concussion. Seattle plays Tri-City tonight in Game 3 of the WHL Western Conference semifinals. The series is tied 1-1 and the teams play again Wednesday. Here's the story...

T-birds' Thomas Hickey might not play in Game 3 vs. Tri-City

Here's what Dean Lombardi had to say tonight about the Kings getting the No. 2 pick in the entry draft...

On picking No. 2: ``Everybody would like to win the lottery, but there's no doubt in my mind that we're going to get a very good player at No. 2. ... I wouldn't say you wouldn't want the No. 1 (pick), but we're comfortable with where we are.''

On whether he's targeting a defenseman with the pick: ``Without tipping my hand, I think it's safe to say there's some pretty good defensemen. All you've got to do is look down the road (to Anaheim) at (Scott) Niedermayer and (Chris) Pronger and their impact on winning. ... It's been a while since there's been a crop of four (defensemen) like this. That's pretty unusual. They all bring something to the table.''

On the options created by having so many picks in this draft: ``There is always the potential to move, and to let anyone know what we're thinking, it doesn't make sense. I'm not saying that we're going to do something, but the option is there. The option goes away if you let people know what you're going to do.''

On whether he has a strategy, as far as drafting a certain number of players at a certain position: ``You still have to lean toward the best player. What those (numerous) picks do is give you options.''

The draft lottery went exactly as slotted:

1. Tampa Bay
2. Kings
3. Atlanta
4. St. Louis
5. N.Y. Islanders

Don Fulton reports that Manchester is listing Brian Boyle as "week-to-week with a lower body injury." For those who aren't completely fluent in hockey-speak, that means Boyle most likely has a serious knee injury and that his postseason is probably in doubt.

A year later, it seems that everyone's favorite topic is still goaltending, namely what the Kings can do to solidify theirs. While some are still clamoring for a major trade or free-agent signing, Dean Lombardi attempted to explain why that's not likely to happen. Here's what he said:

``That possibly is not even there to tempt you. We saw this two years ago, when we put Cloutier on the two-year deal. It didn't work out. You can talk about trades. How many proven No. 1s do you feel really good
about (trading for)? I don't think there's much of a shot. I don't think there's a No. 1 out there like that. Vokoun fits that category, but we tried that last year and it didn't work out. Is there going to be that caliber of player on the market? I don't think so.

``Ersberg being a little older gives you some comfort there, even though he got (to the NHL) a little earlier than i thought. I think he's showed some potential. Our mindset has to be, all are guys are going to be No 1s
and we're going to make them into that. What we didn't have in the past was guys who had potential. Quick, seeing him win big games in the minors is encouraging. You watch him let in a (bad) goal and the whole team comes over to tap him on the pads, then he shuts them down the rest of the way. We've got Bernier there. Zatkoff goes to the (college) final four and should be ready for the next step. They all have enormous potential, and in the end it's up to them to see who's going to be the best.

``Jason (LaBarbera) has paid his dues. I think he's earned the right to consider himself the No. 1 guy. He's got some progress to make and he's doing that, particularly in terms of getting himself in top condition. We're going to make them all better. Do i see us signing a free-agent goalie? No. Do i see us forcing a trade? No.''

Word out of Manchester is that Brian Boyle is scheduled for a MRI today to determine the extent of his knee injury. Don Fulton also wanted to pass along word that while he's attempting to set up an interview with OHL prospect Alex Pietrangelo, he learned that Pietrangelo has contracted a case of mononucleosis and is out for the rest of the playoffs. Don still thinks he can get an interview done next week. I also have Q&As with Tyler Myers and Colby Robak ready to go in the next day or two.

I thought it was fair to ask Lombardi about the free-agent signings he made last summer, and his analysis of the players. He forgot to mention Nagy, and I forgot to follow up on it because we got off on a different subject. Anyway, here's what he had to say:

``Michal Handzus, we expected him to be better. He started skating better in the second half. He's not the fleetest afoot anyway. He got himself in a rut and started pressing. He'd be the first to tell you he wasn't
where he expects to be. Until the last couple months his skating wasn't where he expected to be. Next year, I expect him to be more like we expected him to be when we got him.

``Stewy (Brad Stuart) did what we expected. Wasn't any more, wasn't any less. Plays hard.

``Calder, he was probably a little below where i expected. He started out really well and then tapered off. In terms of what Kyle is, hes that gritty third-line player. He's a good fit in the right mix. Again, these aren't the guys you were expecting to turn this around.

``Preissing, maybe you expected more in terms of numbers. He got more confident with the puck. I think he was probably sub-prime early but you're starting to see it. Is it way out of line with what you expected? Not really. When you have to bring in players to fill this many holes, it's not good.''

Here's what Dean Lombardi had to say the other day about the Kings' last-place finish in the Western Conference, and the fact that the Kings have missed the playoffs every season since 2002:

``I think we expected to be in the (playoff) hunt. I think it was realistic to think. That was a realistic expectation. The major culprit is goals against. Last year it was easy to pin it on the goaltending. It was fairly obvious. I think we started to make some adjustments in the second half of this year to tighten things up, plus Ersberg played pretty well. Even before that... I think Jason (LaBarbera) has to go to another level, but his performance was good enough to let us stay in the hunt. We had to tighten up in our own end and we didn't do it.

``I don't care how good you are. You can't win... You look at the correlation between where teams are in the conference and their goals against. Obviously we can score some goals, and look where we are. I see what we have (in terms of defensemen) in Manchester and what we have here and it's still an issue that we have to upgrade on the back, in terms of young players. We have to clarify the way we're going to play. We can't be standing here with this type of goals against. Is (the goaltending) at a Kiprusoff level? No, but it was more than respectable. I do think Jason did a good job before he got hurt. Think there are areas for him for him to improve, especially in terms of his physical condition, but he's working on that.''

OK, FINALLY I have a little time to start putting some of the Lombardi stuff up here. And since tomorrow is the draft lottery, and the draft seems to be the big topic of discussion these days, I'll start with Lombardi's thoughts on the draft. I had him address two areas, one being the concern, expressed here and elsewhere, that the Kings might not take Stamkos if they got the first pick. The response to that was:

``I'm all for communicating with the fans and media, but I'm not going to tell anyone what my plans are. What I was trying to say (in previous comments) was that we're doing our job and looking at everything out there.''

And what, I also wanted to know, is ``everything out there''? Does that mean the possibility to significant movement on draft day? Perhaps packaging some of those picks to move up? Lombardi said:

``Go back and watch my history. I don't want to say I'm a pioneer, but with the whole idea of moving, I think my record for moving is to be active. You don't move just to move. The high number of picks gives us flexibility in a lot of ways. Having those picks, particularly in the first three rounds, that might be the
difference in moving up. That's part of training your staff. As much as you prepare, still have to make split-second decisions. You force your staff to react quickly when things come up. You have to make that split-second decision but we're more prepared than we were last year.

``We've got the cards to play, in terms of draft picks, but you still have to play them. We have to look at every angle. In the end, you might end up doing nothing. That doesn't mean you won't look at 100 different things. You might move up, you might move down or you might move some of those picks into next year. You have X number of spots you need to fill in your organization every year, so maybe you wait

I think the assumption was that there would be a couple players headed to Manchester, but Peter Harrold was the only one assigned today. Daniel Taylor got sent to Reading yesterday.

Following up on the Thomas Hickey story, he did not play last night for Seattle, the day after he took a knee to the head during a game. According to a couple newspaper articles, holding out Hickey was precautionary, but we'll see. The WHL Western Conference semifinals resume Tuesday, with Seattle and Tri-City tied 1-1.

Also, rather than recap a lot of information, I'll refer you to the Union-Leader's stories about Manchester, which have some good stuff about Jonathan Bernier and an injury to Brian Boyle. Kevin Provencher does a great job of covering that team. Here you go...

Bernier sharp in debut with Monarchs

Monarchs Insider: Kings' future starts in Manchester

It sure looks like it. As I wrote in today's paper -- you can read it here -- Dan Cloutier has almost certainly played his last game as a King. Sources have indicated to me that Cloutier is not in the Kings' plans for next season, with a buyout serving as the most likely remedy to the $3.1 million the Kings owe him next season.

Here's what Cloutier had to say yesterday about his future with the Kings:

``I have no idea. Who knows? This year has been a roller-coaster year. One for the record books, with everything I've gone through. I certainly proved to myself that I can still play in this league, but I don't know what the future holds.''

Cloutier went on to be effusive in his praise of the Kings' young goaltenders, pointing out that the Kings have a bright future with goalies such as Erik Ersberg, Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier. Cloutier said, ``There's a lot of depth in the organization (at goaltender). Obviously they're rebuilding and I'm not a young guy. Maybe I'm in their plans and maybe I'm not. ... When I first got up, I thought I would play more, but (Ersberg) got up and ran with it, so I'm happy for him.''

I followed up by asking Cloutier the following: ``You might not know what the Kings' plans are for you, but would you like to be back with the Kings next season?'' He said:

"Obviously I have a contract with them. I'm a guy who honors my contract. It's whatever their plan is. I'm not going to be bitter about whatever happens. If I'm not in their plans, I'm not."

Cloutier went on, once again, to praise the Kings' young players, and said, ``It's too bad they went through what they had to this year. The future is bright for these guys.''

So that's that, for now. If I remember correctly, buyouts must be done by July 1. McCauley's buyout got done on the day of the draft last year. So stay tuned...

Atlanta scored three goals in the final five minutes of the third period to beat Tampa Bay 4-1. So even though both the Kings and Lightning finished with 71 points, the Kings officially are 29th in the NHL standings because they had one more victory than Tampa. Of course, it's all about the lottery, so Monday we'll learn who the true, uh, winner is.

If Tampa Bay doesn't score at least one goal in the final 4:09, it's No. 29-ville for the Kings.

It's been whispered for a quite a while, but after today's game, Scott Thornton confirmed that he's strongly leaning toward retirement. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and, at age 37, he said that while he still loves playing, the daily pains and aches of being a hockey player are just becoming too much to overcome.

``It's not 100 percent,'' Thornton said about his decision to retire, ``but it's probably as close as you can get to it. I've been trying to prepare myself for it. I think that's the next step, to move on.''

Thornton got to enjoy a nice moment after the game. As the Kings skated out to give their jerseys to fans, Thornton's wife, Joelle, was there to surprise him and accept the jersey from what will probably be his last game. It's unfortunate that most fans probably weren't aware of how nice a moment it was. I was standing near the end of the Kings' bench and heard a couple people wonder aloud why that was happening.

``I had no idea she was going to be out there,'' Thornton said. ``She was kind of embarrassed. She's been with me since juniors, and after all these years she finall you made it onto the ice.''

If he is indeed done, Thornton will finish with 17 NHL seasons, 941 games, 144 goals and 141 assists.

``I wish I could have won a Cup. I had an opportunity with Dallas,'' Thornton said. ``But I have no regrets. I walk away knowing that I made a lot of life-long friends, and I stayed true to myself and stayed grounded. I think I'm the same person I was when I started.''

All eyes turn to Atlanta, where the Thrashers and Lightning are tied 1-1 late in the second period. If Tampa Bay earns at least one point today, the Kings finish last in the NHL, following their 4-3 loss to the Ducks today. I have a TON of stuff from today's postgame, but I also have to write the game story so I'll get to it ASAP. For now, here's the official quote sheet:

Sometimes, reality is just far more amazing than fiction could ever be. Those who have been to regular-season finales recall that the Kings give away a car to a fan during the second intermission. Fans -- I believe five of them -- line up, select a key one-by-one and attempt to start the truck. So, they did, just now. And they failed. All of them. They each took a key, and none of them started the truck. I'm going to assume this was a mistake, and not an AEG cost-cutting measure. Actually, it seems as though some dummy didn't know how to turn a key properly. Needless to say, the whole disaster got booed more than Dan Cloutier, and the embarrassed folks on the ice sort of looked at each other and shuffled off the ice. They said they'd figure it out off the ice.

This year's slogan: ``The Kings: Even The Fans Can't Win.''

Announced during the game by the Kings:

AS VOTED BY THE MEDIA
Most Valuable Player: Anze Kopitar
"Bill Libby Memorial Award" for Best Newcomer: Jack Johnson
"Mark Bavis Memorial Award" for Outstanding Defenseman: Jack Johnson
Defensive Player: Patrick O'Sullivan

AS VOTED BY THE KINGS PLAYERS
Most Inspirational Player: Dustin Brown
"Ace Bailey Memorial Award" for Unsung Hero: Jeff Giuliano

AS SELECTED BY THE KINGS CARE FOUNDATION
Community Service: Derek Armstrong

AS SELECTED BY THE KINGS BOOSTER CLUB
Most Popular Player: Dustin Brown

Dan Cloutier is starting in goal. Daniel Taylor is scratched, and for those who think the whole Taylor mess was completely just about getting him games in Reading, it's wasn't. That was part of it, not not all of it. The other part involved whether Cloutier was ready to play and if he wanted to play. It's complicated, and after today it won't matter anyway.

Thomas Hickey took a knee to the head in last night's Seattle Thunderbirds game and had to be helped to the locker room. No specific diagnosis was given, but Hickey returned to the bench for the third period, even though he didn't play. After the game, Seattle coach Rob Sumner told the Seattle Times, "Hickey was cleared and was OK to play, but given the score, we decided to hold him out. We got a lead and tried not to take our foot off the gas. They're a very good team, and I'm sure they'll come back hard." Game 2 is tonight, and there's no indication that Hickey won't play, but we'll see.

The last couple days have been big and busy for the Manchester Monarchs. Jonathan Bernier is there and will start in goal tonight against Worcester. Manchester can clinch a playoff spot with a victory and a Springfield loss. Teddy Purcell has been named AHL rookie of the year. Davis Drewiske, the defenseman the Kings signed out of the University of Wisconsin, made his debut last night. Also, Josh Kidd has signed an amateur-tryout agreement with Manchester and is playing. To make room for Bernier, the Monarchs released goalie Curtis Darling from his tryout agreement. Whew...anything else? Oh yeah, the Kings play their season finale against the Ducks this afternoon. I'll be there to cover that and hopefully start putting the Lombardi quotes up.

For now, here's a real treat. Don Fulton scored an interview with Bernier in advance of his first AHL start tonight, so I hope you enjoy the read...

I haven't been slacking today. Really. I've actually been busy writing the following story, will which run on our front page tomorrow and serve as what we call a ``season obit,'' something of a wrap-up/recap of the Kings' season. Figured I'd pass it along, since I've yet to be able to provide the promised Lombardi quotes.

It's been a rough day here, with the ``resignation'' of our editor, Ron Kaye. Ron fought for us in the newsroom and was a strong leader who will be missed greatly. He was a major supporter of our online efforts, including this blog, and I appreciate his encouragement. The void he leaves is huge.

Hope everyone enjoys the season wrap-up here...

I'm not stalling on the Lombardi stuff... it's just a hectic day at the office and it takes a while to get the Lombardi stuff in publishable form. Until then, you can read another great interview from Don, this one with Bud Holloway. Thank again to Don for tracking these guys down!

As I prepare to leave for yet another Daily News goodbye lunch, here's the interview that Don Fulton did with Thomas Hickey, the Kings' first-round draft pick last year. The Lombardi stuff will take a while to get up -- as it usually does -- but I'll do my best. Here's Hickey...

I just got off the phone after completing a wide-ranging interview with Dean Lombardi, so I'll have a lot of stuff to put up over the next couple days. Also, Don Fulton has sent me extensive interview he did with both Thomas Hickey and Bud Holloway, so I'll be getting those up today. Hope everyone is ready to read!

No truth to the rumor that Daniel Taylor left the game after the first period, flew to Reading and returned for the start of the third period. Here's some quotes from tonight's postgame...

ERIK ERSBERG
(Re: Game recap) "It felt good to get a win back, especially against this team. They've gone 20 games without a loss so it's good that we could break that streak. It was a fun game. The first goal was kind of my fault so I felt a little bad about that, but I guess it's better to have that in the first minute than the last minute. You have to look at it like, 'There's 59 minutes to make up for it,' so that's how I looked at it."

ANZE KOPITAR
(Re: Game recap) "This is kind of a game we want to play to get ready for next season for the big games. I think we all contributed to this result, and we're happy to get the win."

(Re: finishing season on a high note) "I think right now we're playing for the fans. They've supported us all season when we didn't have a very good season. They've been so loyal to us, and we've got to pay them back with a strong last game. We're playing against the Ducks too, so it should really be buzzing in the building."

(Re: Game recap) "We got down pretty quick on the first shift, but we didn't panic. We knew we had nothing to lose, and that we could play better. We stepped out the gate and outshot them in the first period which really got the crowd in the game. I think we kind of deserved this win. We had a lot of chances that we didn't put in the back of the net at first, but luckily in the end the bounces went our way."

MARC CRAWFORD
(Re: game recap): "We were very deserving of the win tonight. They got the fortunate bounce when Joe Thornton caught our rookie goaltender trying to cheat a little bit and got the one-goal lead. A number of things happened at that point. Erik [Ersberg] really bared down and was great from that point on for the rest of the game. I thought our defense was very stingy tonight and as a team we really checked them into the ground and didn't give them a lot of chances.... When you get the type of performance where all your players play well, it's very gratifying to get the victory."

Anze Kopitar scored two, Erik Ersberg stopped 32 and Raitis Ivanans is a scoring machine.

Here's what The Race For No. 30 comes down to. The Kings and Tampa Bay both have 71 points and one game to play, but the Kings have one more victory than the Lightning, which plays at Atlanta on Saturday. If the Kings earn two points against the Ducks on Saturday, they will finish 29th, regardless of what Tampa does.Those, uh, cheering for a last-place Kings finish need one of the following scenarios on Saturday: Kings loss and Lightning victory/overtime loss/shootout loss OR Kings overtime/shootout loss and Lightning victory.

There you go. And here is the AP game story from tonight. I'll send some quotes along in a bit...

Guess who's back from Reading? I guess we don't need to go through this whole story again, but Taylor is back and will be available tonight against San Jose.

It's now official...

Reports indicate that Jonathan Bernier is on his way to Manchester today...

Yes, again. To Reading, again. If I were him, I'd just stay at the airport and wait 24 hours. So, again, you'd have to assume that Cloutier is ready to play tomorrow night.

On an unrelated note, who's better than Bob Miller? We at the Daily News had a goodbye lunch for Matt McHale, my predecessor on the Kings beat (as well as in my current role) and Bob came and spent a couple hours with us. We enjoyed Bob's company and marveled about how he seems to be looking younger every year.

Monday's NHL draft lottery will be televised, on Versus in the U.S., TSN in Canada and the NHL Network for everyone, at 5 p.m. Pacific time. It's also going to be on NHL.com. It's only the second time that the lottery will be televised. Here's the full press release from the NHL...

Raitis Ivanans came up an assist short of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. You can read about the rest in the following AP game story. The Kings can clinch a tie for last place in the NHL if Tampa beats Carolina tomorrow...

The Kings have signed defenseman Davis Drewiskie out of the University of Wisconsin. Here's the full press release from the Kings...

Here's how I voted on the Kings' end-of-season awards:

Team MVP: Dustin Brown. I thought he elevated his play tremendously this season. The coaches challenged him to be a 30-goal scorer, and that's exactly what he became. He's not the most dynamic player, but he has come a LONG way from when he was the 18-year-old kid who just skated around and hit people. Anze Kopitar and Alexander Frolov are strong runners-up.

Outstanding defenseman: Jack Johnson. In my mind, it was 51-49 in favor of Johnson over Rob Blake. I don't know what else to say. With all respect to the talents of these NHL players, I wouldn't say any of them were ``outstanding'' this season.

Top defensive player: Patrick O'Sullivan. He completely reinvented himself this season and started the season as an energy-line player and a penalty-killer. Who knew he could do it? After he thrived there, he played himself into a top-six role and he now has a minus-7 rating.

Top newcomer: Jack Johnson. Again, this isn't because he was particularly brilliant, although it's wise to remember that he's only 20 years old and this was his first season playing anything other than college hockey. Brad Stuart probably would have received my vote here had he not been traded.

I know there's a lot of differing opinion on these categories, so feel free to rip my picks!

Preview of Game No. 79, courtesy of The Associated Press

Yet another prospect interview from Don Fulton, this one with Zach Bogosian, a defenseman for the OHL's Peterborough Petes, one of the great team names in all of hockey. Bogosian's season is over and Don caught up with him. Next, Don will get to work tracking down D.B. Cooper, Natalee Holloway and the guy who tipped off Jacques Demers about Marty McSorley's curved stick.

Don Fulton tracked down Luke Schenn, a defenseman for the WHL's Kelowna Rockets who is likely to be a top-five pick in this year's draft. Schenn's team is in a playoff series against Thomas Hickey's Seattle Thunderbirds, with the deciding Game 7 to be played tonight. Here's Don's chat with Luke: