The Russians are coming
Well, sort of. The Kings aren't commenting on the record regarding the report that the KHL is displeased with the signings of Andrei Loktionov and Vjateslav Voinov. (That's the AP's spelling of his name, which is now the FOURTH version of his name I've seen.) Privately, they don't believe there's anything to the KHL's allegations that the players were under contract in Russia at the time the Kings signed them.
Also, the Kings are very impressed with both players, off the ice. Both players signed and gave the Kings the option to send them wherever they choose, including North American junior hockey. Voinov (or is it Voynov?) never went back to Russia after the draft. He has stayed in Canada and is working out there. Loktionov has been in Los Angeles, living at least part of the time with Alexander Frolov and taking English immersion classes four hours a day.
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About the bloggers
Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews.com.
Frolov Kopitar Loktionov
Brown Stoll O'Sullivan
Moulson Boyle Purcell
Calder Handzus/Armstrong Ivanans
Schneider Doughty
Johnson Greene
Gauthier Voinov
Preissing
Bernier/Ersberg
LaBarbera
Frolov ROCKS! I love this Russian connection we got going now.
smirnoff sales are bound to increase locally.
It's easy to see why they like there actions off the ice. 4 hours a day of English is effort. You know if he works this much to learn the language that he'll work even harder to make the NHL. Shows a good commitment on their part.
Loktionov has been at TSC daily training with Frolov on the ice.
Smile on his face, looks very excited to be there.
Has been running drills with Frolov and looks good on his feet.
Dean Lombardi and the scouts did their jobs and made something happen. They lifted the wet blanket on the Russian market and pulled out a couple of burning coals. No one expected this leading into the draft. Bonus points to Frolov for stepping up in the leadership department. These are the kinds of things that really accelerate a teams development.
I was excited just that we drafted some Russians, but with every passing story about these guys I get more and more confident that they will have an impact on this team in due time.
The KHL's probably sore because they didn't get Dan Cloutier in return.
Wait.
Dean Lombardi hates Euros. Especially Russians. Lots of commenters have noted it, here and elsewhere, so it must be true. What's goin on? A trick to make it easier for us to accept a Frolov trade (Lombardi doesn't hate Russians; he hates sweaters with small contracts).
Frolov for Alternate Captain.
I love the leadership he is showing in taking this your countryman under his wing.
I am not sure if you are just kidding or not Rich.....But Russians spell their names phonetically. It is us Americans that screw up the translated versions of their names. Voinov could be spelled Voynov or Vojnov (I do not like the last spelling myself) and still be pronounced the same way. As a student of the Russian language though the first spelling is more widely accepted. The same goes for Vyacheslav .....the pronounciation is the same but different translators like to spell it differently......go figure.
Dan Cloutier was coming off a down year when we signed him. I'm always a little iffy on DL's signings...Off topic I'd like to say thanks rich b/c if you look at Tony Jackson's blog with the DOdgers we get one update every other day. Biggest series of the year against a divisional foe and we havent heard anything in 2 days. THANKS RICH!