Drew Doughty vs. Dustin Brown?

Say it ain't so!

Well it is...sorta.

Although they've played as teammates in Los Angeles for the last two seasons...and opposed each other at the Olympics while representing their respective countries...it looks like their pasts have finally caught up with them.

Prior to being drafted by the Kings in the first round at the 2003 NHL Draft, Dustin Brown played his junior hockey for the Guelph Storm of the OHL.  Two years after Brownie had made the leap to the big show his former junior team added a young defenseman who grew up in London, Ontario while idolizing Wayne Gretzky.  That teenage blueliner was none other than Drew Doughty.

Like the Olympics earlier this year, the two teammates will be on opposite sides of the ice today as the Guelph Storm welcomes back a bunch of its former players for an Alumni game.

Returning for the festivities will be nine former Storm captains and eighteen current or former NHL players.

Doughty is playing for Team Blue - which also includes Jeff O'Neill, Craig Anderson and Todd Bertuzzi.  They'll take on a Team White squad featuring Brown, former Kings Kevin Dallman and Brian Willsie...plus, possible future Kings forward Manny Malhotra (UFA 7/1).

No word on why former Storm and Kings goalie Dan Cloutier won't be attending.

You can view the full rosters by clicking here.

Looking ahead... about 10 days from now the Captain and the Phenom will travel to Las Vegas.  Brown will play in a celebrity poker tournament and Doughty hopes to collect his first Norris Trophy.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119
click the LIKE button on www.facebook.com/MayorsManor to get Kings related updates



Related articles:
10 Tidbits on Dustin Brown
10 Tidbits on Drew Doughty

The Kids Are Alright, per Team Canada

Nearly every top player you can think of to come through the Kings system in the last decade has played in the World Junior Championships - Brown, Frolov, Doughty, Kopitar, Simmonds, etc...and you can add top prospects currently in the system to the list too - guys like Bernier and Hickey.

The annual tournament features the world's best future NHLers and upcoming draft picks.  This past January, Canada won the silver medal with a team that included Kings prospects Martin Jones, Colten Teubert, Brandon Kozun.

Hockey is serious business in Canada...and they don't wait around.  Although the tournament doesn't kick off again until late December in Buffalo, their summer evaluation camp roster is already available...and several recent Kings draft picks are on the list:

When One Door Closes, Another Opens

It's generally assumed that Raitis Ivanans has played his last game as a member of the LA Kings.
Additionally, it's expected that Princeton graduate - yes, that Princeton - Kevin Westgarth will take his place.

If that happens, there will be plenty of stories on the irony of a once-ivy-league-student now making his living as an enforcer in the NHL.  Reporters in a hurry can probably just search 'Princeton Kings George Parros' to get most of their story...as Georgie-boy also played four years with the Tigers before spending three years with the Kings minor league affiliate in Manchester of the AHL...just like Westgarth.

Kings fans didn't know much about Ivanans.  He played limited minutes on the ice and was rather absent from public eye off the ice.  Westie, as he's known to his teammates, is quite the opposite.

He's a colorful character both on and off the ice.  Kings faithful that were in attendance at Frozen Fury two years ago took an immediate liking to him when he fought several Avs players and then openly taunted their bench after a successful exchange with Scott Parker.

Sound like a guy you'd like to get to know? 

NHL DRAFT - ticket contest

We have a pair of tickets to give away this week to the upcoming NHL draft in LA.

Entry is as simple as 1-2-3.

ONE - Click the "LIKE" button on www.Facebook.com/MayorsManor
TWO - On Monday we posted an article with links to some of the most popular #LAKings related interviews on MM this ...season. Pick any interview you like.
THREE - Post a LINK to that interview on your facebook wall telling your friends why you like it.

DONE, you're entered. Winner will be randomly selected from all entries received by noon on Friday 6/11/2010.

If you're an official rules type of person, click here.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor

Bob Miller on NHL Live (video)

LA Kings legend, Bob Miller, spent some time with the guys over at NHL Live earlier this morning.  Some of the highlights include Eddie Olczyk and Barry Melrose getting started in broadcasting, his three favorite goal calls (yes, it involves Gretzky), the time the Pittsburgh Penguins offered him a job (gulp!) and a few other stories about his early days right out of college.

To listen to audio only click here...or to watch the full video, click here.

Bob was kind enough to stop by Mayors Manor in the days leading up to the playoffs this season for a pretty long conversation. He gave some predictions on the first round, made some funny comments on the USA/Canada hockey rivalry and as expected - told some fabulous Kings stories. Click here to read his interview with the Mayor if you missed it the first time.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119

Afternoon Reading

The Stanley Cup will be decided later this week.

Then it's time for the NHL schedule to be released, the NHL Awards, the Draft...and then free agency.

If you have some time to kill until then, here are links to some of the most popular interviews we did this season:

Luc Robitaille - The Kings all-time goals leader checked in just a few days before his Hall of Fame induction. It's a conversations that covers Luc's full career and the key players and moments that shaped it. Topics include Barry Melrose, Wayne Gretzky, Bruce McNall, the Stanley Cup, having a trophy named after him, why he signed with the Red Wings, Gary Bettman, hockey memorabilia, etc. To read 20 Questions with #20 click here.

Kelly Hrudey - The man that will forever be linked with the Kings trip to the '93 Stanley Cup finals stopped by to talk about the playoffs, his relationship with Dean Lombardi, teams that gave the Kings fits back then, being drafted by the Islanders, his first training camp in New York, underrated players and Robb Stauber stealing his job - click here to read the full interview.

After the jump you'll find links for Rob Blake, Andy Murray, Mike Modano, Ethan Moreau, Bob Miller, Colten Teubert and more.