Recently in Player interviews Category

Just got off a conference call with Rob Blake, who says the Kings never made him an offer. (Left unsaid was that Blake's agent apparently talked to the Kings on July 1 and asked for $4 million). Before Blake got on the call, San Jose general manager Doug Wilson said he called Blake's agent on July 1 to inquire about Blake's services. Here's some quotes from Blake...

On not getting an offer: ``No, i didn't receive one from the Kings. As time went past on July 1... I made a decision a few weeks ago, a month ago, that i wanted to play again. That wasn't going to be happen in L.A. and I had to start looking elsewhere. I've always admired San Jose and they have a ton of potential. They've been on the verge every year and excited to be right there.''

On whether he was ``on board'' with the Kings' rebuilding plans: ``I've been on board for the past couple years. I don't think the idea of rebuilding was just something this summer. It just became evident that there was two different thoughts going on. When you don't hear back from a team in a couple days, it's time to look elsewhere.''

On why he thinks things didn't work out with the Kings and whether he's disappointed: ``I made the commitment to come back to LA. It's a great organization and it's headed in a great direction. I was fortunate to play with Kopitar, and Jack Johnson on defense. He's an up and comer and he's going to be great. As far as things with myself, I'm not really sure what happened down the line there. The team is going to be great. It's great that they're sticking with the plan for building. I wish them all the best and years down the road I'm sure I'll be watching them.''

On whether he was negatively influenced by the Cammalleri and Visnovsky trades: ``I really have no say in any of that. You see the direction the Kings are going and they're going to stick with that and build going forward. They have a great cornerstone, with young forwards and goalies and defense. They're going in the right direction.''

Here's another Q&A from Don, this one with prospect David Meckler, who will be a restricted free agent this summer...

Don caught up with Gabe Gauthier, who is one of those players who will enter training camp competing for a spot on the Kings' roster. Gauthier, 24, did not record a point in three games with the Kings last season. He totaled 23 goals and 37 assists with the Manchester Monarchs. Here's Don's interview with Gauthier...

I didn't want this to get lost in all the Marc Crawford news, but Don did a real nice interview with Anze Kopitar recently. Obviously the interview took place before Tuesday's news, but it's still a good chance to catch up with Kopitar and hear about his experiences at the World Championships and his...trip to Egypt? Here's a video of Kopitar at the World Championships, followed by the Q&A...

Here's the interview I did yesterday with Patrick O'Sullivan. He discusses his experience at the World Championships this month, as well as his personal development as a player, his hopes for the Kings' improvement and his contract situation this summer.

It's been very interesting to watch O'Sullivan develop. I still remember watching him at his first prospects camp and thinking he had all the talent in the world, then watching him consistently go backward until he eventually landed back in the AHL. Then he started a tremendous comeback and essentially reinvented himself in the eyes of the Kings. Along the way, he's gone from being a quiet kid to a more confident player.

Here's the full interview with O'Sullivan...

Here's the interview Don did this week with Danny Taylor, the much-traveled goalie who logged some big miles between Los Angeles and Reading near the end of last season. Don gets the scoop on what that was like for Taylor and also gets to know Taylor a little bit, going into what should be a crucial summer for him.

Hope everyone enjoys another of Don's great interviews. I'm working on getting the Patrick O'Sullivan interview up today...shouldn't be long. Enjoy...

Don tracked down Brady Murray for a wide-ranging interview that deals with the recently concluded Manchester season, his development as a player and the famous Murray competitive streak, passed down from his father. Here's the interview...

It's two interviews for the prices of one today. Don talked to forward Matt Moulson, who made his debut with the Kings this season and totaled five goals and four assists in 22 games. Moulson also had 28 goals and 28 assists in 57 regular-season games with Manchester. Here's a video of Moulson's first goal, followed by his chat with Don...

Don tracked down prospect Alec Martinez, a defenseman who signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Kings, for an interview. The Kings think highly of Martinez, who was a fourth-round draft pick out of Miami (Ohio) University last year. Martinez's hockeydb.com profile gives his college stats. Enjoy the interview...

As I continue to sort through the Yannetti/Futa stuff, here's an interview Don did this week with Jason LaBarbera, who is recovering from his surgery to repair a sports hernia. Don also attaches a video of one of LaBarbera's best saves of the season...

Here's the second part of Don's interview with Thomas Hickey...

Don tracked down Thomas Hickey, the Kings' top prospect on defense, who has had a rough few weeks. Hickey sustained a knee injury and a concussion and watched his Seattle team get eliminated from the WHL playoffs. Hickey discusses his season and his injuries and looks to the future. It's a good, long interview, so here's the first part...

Here's the Q&A Don did recently with Manchester Monarchs enforcer Kevin Westgarth, who will attempt to extend the not-so-long tradition of Kings enforcers who graduated from Princeton...

Now's a good time to get to know Kevin Westgarth. He's 24, a graduate of Princeton -- much like former Kings enforcer George Parros -- and Westgarth totaled 191 penalty minutes in 69 games with Manchester this season. That's not completely easy to do. Westgarth projects as a future King, although for the moment Raitis Ivanans fills a similar role.

Here are Westgarth's bios on hockeydb.com and hockeyfights.com.

Don tracked down Westgarth this week and did a really cool feature. He found eight of Westgarth's fights on YouTube and had Westgarth ``analyze'' them. Don, it seems has a future as hockey's Larry Merchant, doing post-fight interviews...

There's also a Q&A with Westgarth coming soon, but for now, definitely give this a look...

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...

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...

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

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...

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:

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...

From Don:

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Peter Harrold went from being "the" guy on defense for the Manchester Monarchs, to adding some necessary depth on the Kings' blue line. The 24-year old says he has made the transition, but is still learning the NHL brand of hockey.

"It's a pretty big transition, I mean the game is so much faster here," Harrold said. "I think I'm fitting in pretty well and learning more and more every day. It's important to try and get better every day."

Still, it is kind of strange going from being the quarterback of the Monarchs' power play to suddenly being a depth player for the Kings.

"It's no problem for me. Obviously you want to get to the point where you can be on the power play at this level, but you have to crawl before you can walk," he said. "I'm trying to learn a little more each and every day and when you watch those guys on the power play and try to pick up on the little things that they do so that when I get my chance I know what to do."

Odds are that the depleted defensive unit at Manchester will get an infusion should Harrold be reassigned to the Monarchs following the conclusion of the Kings' season.

"They haven't talked to me about it yet, but I'd like to go back. I like playing in the playoffs and as soon as the season is done here, I hope they send me back," Harrold said. "I pay a lot of attention to what is going on in Manchester. They're my friends that played there all year and most of last year, so I'd love to go down there and help them in the playoffs."

Don Fulton talked to Michael Cammalleri at practice today...

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Forward Michael Cammalleri has had a difficult season, to say the least.

Following his much-publicized arbitration hearing and, ultimately, the ruling in favor of the Kings, the 25-year-old winger has struggled to regain his 2006-2007 numbers that saw him net career highs in goals (34) and points (80). This season he has tallied 19 goals and 27 assists in 60 games, and most of his drop-off can be attributed to missing the entire month of January with a nagging rib injury.

Cammalleri answered a few questions about his disappointing season today:

Q: There's a perception from some people that the arbitration process and ruling has negatively impacted your game.

Cammalleri: I don't think the actual hearing had any negative impact. It's obviously been a tough year for me personally for different reasons. I'm not going to sit here and say the arbitration process is the reason why.

Q: There's another perception that from last year to this year you have turned into a selfish player.

Cammalleri: I don't know where that comes from. I wouldn't give much credit to hearing that. The game is still fun, and obviously it has been a frustrating year, but I still have fun playing the game. It's been frustrating because we haven't been able to win as many games as I thought we could have, but I don't think by any means that it is a selfish moment or anything like that. I just wanted us to do a little bit better as a team.

Q: Has this been your most frustrating year ever in organized hockey?

Cammalleri: It has been a tough year, but you live and you learn, and I've kind of been able to analyze some things for myself and for the team. You just get better from the experience, so it doesn't worry me too much.

Q: Are you 100% back from your injury?

Cammalleri: I feel really good. It is one of those injuries that I don't think will heal all the way until I get a full summer off. It definitely feels a lot better than it did.

Q: If you had to wager a guess; are you a member of the Los Angeles Kings next season?

Cammalleri: I would think so. My contract says that I am and I haven't heard otherwise.

Q: Do you want to be back?

Cammalleri: I definitely want to be a King. It will be interesting to see what we do.

Don Fulton caught up with Kings prospect Oscar Moller, who recently completed his season with Chiliwack of the WHL. We'll also have a practice report this afternoon...

Here's Don's interview with Teddy Purcell. Morning-skate reports coming soon...

Don Fulton tracked down Brian Boyle in Manchester and got an exclusive interview. He also talked to Teddy Purcell, so I'll have that up later, along with a report from today's morning skate.

The stories about skating in Southern California are great. I learned to skate at the tiny little rink inside the mall in Palos Verdes. It's not even full-size, but it sure felt like it. The mall has changed, almost completely, but the little rink is still there.

Here's Boyle...

Here's the other half of the Steven Stamkos interview, courtesy of Don Fulton...

Again, major thanks to Don for taking the initiative to get this interview with Steven Stamkos, who is considered the clear top prospect in the 2008 NHL Draft. Here's Don...

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There are a few things you need to know about Steven Stamkos.

First, he does prefer to be called Steven, but doesn't mind at all if you call him Steve. He just turned 18, but after talking with him you are left feeling like you just chatted with a 35 year-old NHL veteran.

Steven was kind enough to chat with me by phone from Sarnia, Ontario, where his team the Sarnia Sting currently leads its first round Ontario Hockey League playoff series against the Windsor Spitfires, two games to one.

He has scored five goals in the three games.

Steven discussed life in the OHL, the prospect of him likely being the number one pick in June's National Hockey League draft, and talked about the possibility of lacing them up in Hollywood and playing for the Los Angeles Kings.

A special thank you to Mark Glavin, the very helpful Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for the Sting for setting up the phone interview.