If you haven’t been following along on Twitter or any of the myriad of local media outlets covering this topic, the Los Angeles Kings have officially released their 82 game television schedule. A whopping 73 games will be shown on FSW with the remaining 9 to be shown on NCBSN.
Stick tap to Jonny Rosen of LA Kings Insider for his hard work in actually reading the press release.
Fan favorites Bob Miller and Jim Fox return for their 41st and 24th seasons’ respectively with the Kings along with Patrick O’Neal, Daryl Evans and Alex Curry, who in her second season, will give social media updates and host the new Kings Weekly television show.
Speaking of which, this new feature will go behind the scenes and offer in-depth looks at how players spend their time off the ice. It will premiere on Wednesday, October 9 at 10:30 pm. New episodes will air weekly every Thursday night throughout the season immediately following “Kings Live” post game coverage.
While I did not see any official announcement, I do believe that Dan Moriarty is not returning.
This is my first post for TPP, so I apologize for the brevity. I will try to present different and more varied coverage of Kings related hockey news in future posts.
In the mean time, if you feel like you’ve missed anything or just want more coverage, check out the following:
MayorsManor.com
John Hoven (aka “The Mayor”) recently sat down with Mark Morris, head coach of the Manchester Monarchs, the AHL affiliate for the Kings. Morris is running the Rookie Camp this year and shared his thoughts on some prospects. The Mayor also compiled a list of Top 10 Prospects. Give him a follow on Twitter @mayorNHL
LAKingsInsider.com Jon Rosen does a great job as the Insider of keeping demanding fans well informed. Before games, he’ll give a preview and share his thoughts following them as well. Check him out on Twitter @lakingsinsider
LAKings.com
The official website for the Kings has the schedule, results and standings along with all the latest info, including postings from the LAKI. The site also contains news from feature writers who provide stories and interviews that you won’t find anywhere else (literally, no one else has this story). You can follow their ultra hi-larious Twitter account @LAKings. Fair warning, though, their Twitter account is not exactly about being PC. But that’s what makes it so awesome. That and guest Tweeters (no, not Kevin Ryder)
LA Kings PR
There’s no official website, but there is a new Twitter account @LAKingsPR. This account will link the featured stories from LAK.com that I mentioned earlier and share general news
JewelsfromtheCrown.com An SBN fan run blog, the writers try to update every once in a while. They have a current feature going of Top 25 Under 25 that you might wanna check out. Occasionally after games, one of the writers will grade players and use #fanycstats like Corsi to provide a more objective? statistical? I’m not really sure, actually… analysis of the game, using the numbers to show proof why a player sucked or was awesome. Official Twitter: @JFTC_Kings
FrozenRoyalty.net
Gann Matsuda provides varied and different coverage on all things Kings related. He is also usually able to gather and post video/audio interviews from players post practice. Give him a follow @frozenroyalty
Other People to Follow on Twitter:
Pretty self explanatory. These are people that you could follow on Twitter for all things LA Kings.
Jim Fox @JimFox19 Daryl Evans @DarylEvans15 Jeremy Zager@JeremyZager (Kings stats guy)
Bailey @BaileyLAKings (Kings mascot)
Patrick O’Neal @Patrick_ONeal Lisa Dillman @reallisa (LAT reporter; covers both Ducks and Kings) Helene Elliott@helenenothelen (HHOF honoree/LAT sports journalist)
Elliott Teaford @ElliottTeaford (Daily News sports reporter; covers both Ducks and Kings)
LA Kings Ice Crew @LAKingsIceCrew
The Royal Half @theroyalhalf (Sarcastic and not always very witty, he occasionally finds a golden nugget that’s worth the crap he tweets; also, his blog really has nothing to do with Kings news, but I figured I’d throw it in for something different)
There are more people I could suggest but I think that’s enough for this post. Hopefully I didn’t bore you too badly! Feel free to leave your thoughts or questions or suggestions in the comments section below.
Toronto Maple Leafs’ from left to right: Frazer McLaren (left wing), Joe Colborne (center) and Jake Gardnier (defense), pictured with DJ Mademoiselle Sabah took some time to bond before the grueling season ahead at The Spoke Club as the famous Toronto International Film Festival faced-off.
While most were enjoying their Labor Day sunbathing at the beach, barbecuing with friends and family, or just enjoying a Monday free from work, the Staples Center Operations Crew was busy preparing and painting the ice in time for the fast approaching NHL season. Progress shots were released throughout the day on various social media outlets, and to everyone’s surprise it seemed as though the Kings center ice logo was receiving a makeover. Mixed reviews could be seen across the LA Kings, Staples Center, and Bailey the mascot’s Facebook and Twitter feeds. Many fans embraced the change, while others had no issue expressing their disappointment for the ‘home plate’ logo as it is often referred. Many questioned the ability to track the puck with the addition of the black paint, and in response Bailey, the mascot, quickly tweeted pictures of the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Chicago Blackhawks home ice logos for comparison. Fans will have to wait and see how it fares when the season officially begins in less than a month.
Continuing a lucky tradition, Bailey, the mascot, placed 3 pennies at center ice. Mystery still surrounds the significance of the years 1956, 1986, and 2011 on the three pennies, and fans can only speculate as to their meaning since tweets to Bailey went unanswered. Anyone who follows the Kings organization knows there must be a meaning behind the 3 years picked for this upcoming season. During the 2011-2012 season the pennies placed at center ice had the years 2006, 2002, and 1893 on them. 2006 represented the year the Indianapolis Colts won the World Series (Bailey is a fan), 2002 represented the year Luc Robitaille, won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings, and 1893 marks the year the Stanley Cup was presented for the first time to the Montreal Hockey Club of Canada.
Fans will have the chance to see the new logo in person as well as skate on the Staples Center ice this Sunday, September 8th during the Kings Annual Hockey Fest celebration.
A 52 second time lapsed video of the 10 hour process can be viewed here.
The Columbus Blue Jackets announced the start of their training camp today, along with a complete roster of the 58 Blue Jackets scheduled to participate. The roster includes new teammates Jack Skille and Nathan Horton as well as many of CBJ’s new draft picks.
The team will take the ice for the first time on September 12 at the OhioHealth Ice Haus. Practices will be divided into two groups, the first scheduled to skate at 10 a.m. and the second at 12:15 p.m. All practices will be open to the public, as will the full-team scrimmage scheduled for 11 a.m. on September 14. For a complete schedule of practices and a look at the complete roster (including to which group each player has been assigned), see here.
Though regular season tickets don’t go up for sale until September 6, preseason tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at BlueJackets.com. CBJ will face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Buffalo Sabres, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Minnesota Wild.
Calgary, AB- After rumors circulated the internet late yesterday regarding the possibility of Brian Burke joining the Flames in some capacity, the team made it official today.
Burke has an impressive resume and notoriety within the NHL, he will serve in the newly created position of President of Hockey Operations, overseeing all hockey operations for the growing sports and entertainment group.
As NHL rookie camps opened around the league today, the Boston Bruins rookies hit the ice determined to give their all for a chance with the club. Many of the players saw ice time during development camp this past July, others have seen both the AHL and NHL ice as a member of the black and gold, at camp it’s anyone’s game.
With 13 forwards: Anthony Camara, Mitchell Dempsey, Campbell Elyniuk, Alex Fallstrom, Justin Florek, Seth Griffith, Jayden Hart, Alexander Khokhlachev, Jared Knight, Matthew Lindblad, Wayne Simpson, Ryan Spooner, and Maxime Villemaire. Seven defensemen: Mickael Beauregard, Chris Casto, Alex Cord, Tommy Cross, Jesse Lees, Steven Spinnell, and Zach Trotman. Two goaltenders:Adam Morrison and Malcolm Subban, the talent pool is deep. Niklas Svedberg hit the ice as the third goalie for practice this afternoon after practicing with members of the team during Captains’ practice earlier in the day.
After posting successful numbers with Providence of the American Hockey League last season, both Ryan Spooner and Jared Knight, who trained together throughout the off-season are expected to shine.
Spooner discussed his off-season and his expectations coming into camp:
[tubepress video=”hfT-dGqyoWs”]
Forward Anthony Camara, a Toronto native known for his physicality, made an impact this past development camp, he’s looking to do the same in the coming days.
While the opportunities are endless, the young players will have a chance to show Bruins brass what their made of during three games in Florida at the end of this week into the weekend.
Rookies will be facing off against fellow rookies from Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Nashville Predators. All three games will take place at the Saveology.com IcePlex in Coral Springs. The game against Tampa Bay is at 2 p.m. on Sept. 6; the game against Florida is at 4 p.m. on Sept. 7; and the game against Nashville is at 12 p.m. on Sept. 8.
Players that don’t make the cut will give it a go at the Providence Bruins camp. Providence, who announced a pre-season match-up at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, MA on September 27th against San Jose Sharks AHL affiliate Worcester will certainly be gaining a talented lineup.
The Boston Bruins have gotten in on the reality TV movement, well, sort of. The team announced today that debuting Monday, September 9th at 8:00 p.m. on NESN, fans will get to see the black and gold like never before. The series will feature 13-episodes to air throughout the season and will be narrated by Boston Bruins fan, actor and Worcester, MA native Denis Leary.
A behind the scenes all-access show will premiere with an hour-long episode featuring the Bruins locker room on June 24, 2013 after a heartbreaking Game 6 Stanley Cup Final loss. From the heartbreak to the boardroom, fans will get a look into operations as the summers trades took place.
It’ll be must-see TV, just in time for fans to get excited about training camp which kicks off on Wednesday the 11th.
You just got home, you’re running late, and you need to find something to eat before you go cheer on your favourite team. Rink food can be both unhealthy and unappetizing, here is a quick and easy meal to keep you on track. Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Ingredients:
One can of cream of chicken soup
Two cans of cream of potato soup
One can of peas
One can of carrots
One can of corn
Two cups of cubed chicken breasts (can be boiled the night before to save time)
Total time to prepare: 25-30 minutes if boiling chicken, 15-20 minutes if chicken is pre-boiled
1. Chop and boil chicken (if chicken is pre-boiled skip this step)
2. Add all canned ingredients to one pot
3. Once all of the canned ingredients are mixed together and starting to warm, add chicken, stir and let it cook for about 10 minutes
You will have a LOT of leftovers! Keep in mind that it can be frozen and kept for a lazy day as well.
Not every kid that grows up dreaming of playing in the NHL actually gets to see that dream come true. It takes a lot of talent in addition to hard work and dedication to the game. For those players that get into their first game, their biggest goal shifts to earning a full time spot on an NHL roster. That can be just as hard as making the NHL in the first place. It’s something you have to work at every day and can never take for granted.
A native of Davidson, Saskatchewan, Brayden McNabb is preparing to enter his third professional season. During his first season, he got into 25 games with the Buffalo Sabres. However, last season, he was unfortunately not able to get into any NHL games. Instead, he spent his season with the Sabres AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. He takes the experience as something to learn from and knows he can improve for this season.
“Your first year you’re kind of just getting into it and feeling things out. Last year, I knew what to expect. It wasn’t my best year, I obviously wanted to be in Buffalo when the lockout was over,” McNabb said. “But, it was a great learning experience for me. The summer is a chance for me to get better each day.”
This offseason was a chance for him to continue to improve on his skills. Some skills are more important to work on than others and that was the focus for McNabb this summer. After having a taste of playing in the NHL his first season, he is eager to get back to that.
“It’s about the all around game. I want to try and improve everywhere. A lot of it definitely the skating part. That’s the one thing you really can work on during the offseason,” said McNabb. “I was in Saskatoon working with my trainer here. I’ve been working on a lot of stuff. It’s been a good summer and now I’m looking forward to camp.”
Playing his second professional season entirely in the AHL was also a good learning experience. The season started off with the NHL locked out and that meant there were players not normally in the AHL starting their seasons there.
“It’s always good whenever you can play at the highest level possible. At that time, we were doing that,” said McNabb. “I think everyone that was able to play in the American League when the lockout was on benefitted from it. I think everyone improved.”
When he was looking back on his season, McNabb noted that it was not the same as his first. Not only was he more adjusted to what to expect, he also had a different set of players in the league.
“It was really different. There were a lot of good players in the league when the lockout was on and obviously there were still good players after too,” McNabb said. “The level of play was definitely up at the start of the season.”
While spending the season in the AHL with Rochester, McNabb also got the opportunity to participate in the All-Star game to represent his team.
“It was a cool experience. Whenever you have the chance to participate in an All-Star event, you’re extremely honored,” said McNabb. “It was a learning experience and it was something I’ll always remember.”
Not only did he get to participate in the All-Star Weekend, but he also got to take away an honor. McNabb and his Western Conference teammates narrowly defeated their Eastern Conference counterparts, scoring the game winning goal with 12 seconds left in the game. But that’s not what sticks out for McNabb.
“I won the hardest shot competition and it was pretty cool. It’s something I’ll always have with me. I kind of surprised myself with doing it. It was exciting,” McNabb said. “I guess I should start shooting the puck more instead of passing it. It’s nice to have. One of the good skills to have is a hard shot.”
Now going into his third professional season, McNabb really understands what he needs to work on and what he needs to do to earn a spot in the NHL. He knows that just because the offseason is essentially over, it’s important to work on your skills constantly. You can’t pull back.
“I think the biggest thing is being consistent and not trying to do too much out there. Every since I’ve been younger, it’s been my skating,” said McNabb. “But I feel like that has improved. It’s made pretty big gains but it’s something I always have to be working on each day.”
This coming season, he hopes to be the same kind of player that he has tried to be throughout his career. It has been the style he has played and hopes that it is the type of player the Sabres need on their roster.
“I like to think I’m a two-way defenseman. I make a good first pass out of my zone. I take care of my own end first but can chip in offensively when need be,” McNabb said.
Even though he is a couple years removed from his time in juniors now, he still remembers the time he spent in the WHL as some of the best experiences of his career so far.
“That was an exciting time. My last year, we won the WHL Championship and went to the Memorial Cup,” McNabb said. “That’s definitely something that I’ll always remember. It was one of the best experiences of my life.”
Playing in the WHL also gave him a unique advantage when transitioning into the AHL. Most junior hockey players come into the professional hockey leagues with the advantage of having a schedule similar in length. They are used to playing during the week or multiple games on the weekends. However, McNabb insists there’s another benefit to the WHL: travel.
“Nobody really knows travel like WHL players, especially where I was in Kootenay. I think the closest team was about 3 hours,” McNabb remembered. “Then the year we won and went to the Memorial Cup, the travel was ridiculous. It was 10 hours there and 10 hours back for about 3 out of the 4 series. It’s a grind and it builds character for sure.”
During his time in juniors was also when he was drafted into the NHL. The Buffalo Sabres took him in the third round of the 2009 Entry Draft. It was a very exciting time for him and it was another experience he says he will never forget. But, being from the WHL, he did not know a whole lot about the organization before being drafted.
“I didn’t know much about the team, to be honest. I came to development camp and have been there a couple years and have gone through training camps,” McNabb said about joining the Sabres organization. “I really enjoy it there and I love the city. So I’m happy to be there.”
Like many players, McNabb got to experience the Draft with his parents. Also like many players, he cannot say enough about what his parents did for him while he was growing up and following his dream of playing hockey. Where they lived, his parents had to really commit to spending a lot of time supporting him. It is something he will always be grateful for. He also likes to return the help as much as he can whenever possible.
“My parents have been there for me since day one. The travel was pretty crazy especially with us being on a farm that’s an hour away from any hockey team. They’re traveling all the time and I have to give all the credit to them,” said McNabb. “I like to help out when I can. I’ve been on the farm for 22 years now. I’m a farm boy at heart.”
Playing hockey professionally has always been a dream for McNabb and one that he was not given up on. He has worked hard to get to where he is now. He left us with some parting advice for any young hockey player that wants to follow in his shoes.
“Have fun with it and work hard. You have to do all the little things. Those little things will pay off. It’s a game and you have to enjoy it,” McNabb said.
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