Holiday Series - Gifts of Christmas Yet To Come

[Part three of a three part series]

Over the last two days we've presented the first two installments of this year's gift series using the theme from Charles Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol.

Thursday's Kings Gifts of Christmas Past included items such as a game worn Rogie Vachon mask, a Gretzky doll and the must have book for all Kings fans.

Yesterday's Kings Gifts of Christmas Present featured Bailey, his/her items, magazines and some of the hottest shirts around!

For the final chapter in the series, we proudly present the Gifts of Christmas Yet To Come...a special sneak peek at five items that may be available in the not-too-distant future...

Kings Outdoor Game(s)

Could the Kings be headed to next year's Winter Classic?

More on that in a minute, first up a DVR alert.

Early Saturday morning (5am PST) the NHL Network will air an encore presentation of what many consider to be the first outdoor game played by two NHL teams.

Played on September 27, 1991 in Las Vegas, this game didn't feature the picturesque snow filled background that has become part of the recent New Year's Day tradition.

No, this game was played in summer heat. LAKings.com describes the game as:

Holiday Series - Gifts of Christmas Present

[Part two of a three part series]

Yesterday we posted the initial offering of this year's gift series using the theme from Charles Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol.

Our essential collection of Kings Gifts of Christmas Past included an inexpensive puck from the '60s, a $33,000 game worn Rogie Vachon mask, a few game worn jersey options, the coolest pair of LA Gear shoes ever made, the original pillow pet and a must have book for all Kings fans.

In part two of the series we look at the best-of-the-best Kings Gifts of Christmas Present...

Ryan Report - Smyth Passing 99 vs Oilers

While these days the Kings are jokingly referred to as Flyers-West, there was a time many years ago when they were Oilers-South.

In fact, the Kings most bitter rival for much of the '80's and '90s was Edmonton. The two teams already didn't like each other long before the 1988 trade for Wayne Gretzky and they almost always seemed to meet up in the playoffs.

It wasn't only players and fans that had a disdain for each other though. Even Bob Miller, the voice of the Kings, said "I hated the Oilers (of the early 80's), their arrogance really bugged me."

Adding to the decades long drama is a list of guys who have suited up on both sides of the rivalry. In Los Angeles, besides the obvious one in Gretzky, it's a group that includes names from the past like Kurri, McSorley, Conacher and Fuhr...to more recent names like Buchberger, Greene and Stoll.

When it comes to a Kings-Oilers game though, it's the number 99 that's linked most strongly to the two franchises. However, tonight Ryan Smyth goes one digit beyond.  This will be his 100th game as a King.

Nobody will ever know if the NHL schedule makers set it up that way on purpose or it's just another one of those schedule quirks that helps write a perfect script.  Rather convenient though for a guy who played the bulk of his career with one of the teams and now finds himself on the other side of the ice.

Even more symbolic is the fact that on January 22, 1995, Smyth debuted for the Oilers during a road trip.  Their opponent that night?  Yes, they were in Los Angeles to face the Kings at the old Forum in Inglewood.  Although the Oilers won 4-3, Smyth doesn't quite remember most of the details beyond the first period.

"Ron Lowe was the coach and I was sitting on the bench. The face-off was going to be just outside our blue line. He said 'Alright Smitty, go out.' Wayne Gretzky was right across, at center. I was like 'Holy jeez.' I was standing there looking at him. He got kicked out (of the face-off), so he was standing right next to me." Smyth recalls.

Kings vs Oilers - Game Preview w/ Kelly Buchberger

While Kelly Buchberger may not be the household name of Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin, hockey fans everywhere know the value of a player like him.

For those that may think calling him a poor man's Mark Messier is a putdown - it's not! - instead, think of him as Mess-light...a compliment of the highest standard. As a player, Buchberger was a winner and a leader. He knew what it took to win and did anything his team asked of him.

Although he spent much of his career with the Oilers (including a run as team captain), acquiring him from the Atlanta Thrashers in the spring of 2000 may have been one of the most important moves made by the Kings during their first 10 years at Staples Center (as written about here).

He won two Stanley Cups in Edmonton (1987, 1990) and finished his career with 1,182 NHL games.

These days he's back with the Oilers, now serving as their assistant coach.

He was kind enough to join us for a preview of tonight's contest.

MM:  Let's start with a just quick recap of how the season is going for the Oilers so far...

Holiday Series - Gifts of Christmas Past

[Part one of a three part series]

In Charles Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol the reader is taken through a spiritual awakening of Ebenezer Scrooge, a process that includes visits from the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come.

That tale began on Christmas Eve, however we're going to begin a day earlier and with a slightly different twist.

For the enjoyment of you and the other hockey fans in your life this holiday season, we present an essential collection of Kings Gifts of Christmas Past...

Terry Murray on Coaching Memories

Tomorrow night vs. Edmonton Terry Murray gets a shot at a little piece of history.

With a victory in his 197th game with the Kings, he can become the quickest coach to reach 100 wins.  Tom Webster (1989-92) holds the current record at 211 games.

After practice today I asked Murray to reflect back over his long career and pick out a few of his favorite memories...

"Getting to the Stanley Cup Finals is always a memorable time (1997 with Philadelphia). As a coach, that's your goal, that's what we're here for is to win and to get an opportunity to with a Stanley Cup. That was very memorable and was a great time.

"I guess going back even to the first years I got into the coaching side of the business, as an assistant coach, Brian (his brother) and I take over the Washington Capitals - who had never made the playoffs in their eight or nine years of existence. That year, getting into the playoffs and becoming a pretty good hockey club - that was a big step for that organization. There was a lot of turmoil. There was a lot of that talk of 'let's save the franchise, move it to Seattle, Washington' and all that stuff was going on. David Polie came in as the GM. So, there's good memories out of that stuff whenever you have an impact on what's going to happen and how the team plays."

Terry Murray Update on Alec Martinez

Before the Kings left on their just completed five-game road trip coach Terry Murray provided some initial comments about Alec Martinez.

He had only played six games with the team at that point and knowing it can sometimes take time for a young defenseman to adjust to the NHL, Murray pointed out he was improving each game and specifically liked his "body positioning and low play" compared to last season.

Now with an expanded body of work since we last spoke, I asked Murray for some additional thoughts on Martinez after practice today...

"We really like what Alec has brought and how his game has evolved here from the time that I first saw him two years ago. He came to training camp this year and had a good camp. He does a lot of good things and it was very noticeable actually throughout the exhibition games. He went down to Manchester (AHL) with the right attitude and was arguably their best player down there, putting up a lot of points and doing everything a player needs to do to develop his game.

"Since he's come up we've liked everything he's doing - his attitude, his work ethic, etc. When he's sitting in individual review he's asking a lot of questions, talking about his game. The part that has always been the achilles heel with him is he gets a little down on himself after making some kind of a mistake. He really takes on that responsibility and has a tough time bouncing back.

"He's getting through that though. He's maturing and we're seeing a pretty complete player who's only going to get better as a young guy."

When Matt Greene returns (probably 12/26) and Willie Mitchell makes it back into the line-up, the Kings will be faced with some tough decisions. Murray has previously said he doesn't want to play seven guys on D in a game.

So, that leaves one spot and three bodies - Martinez, along with Davis Drewiske and Peter Harrold (both of whom would have to clear waivers before being assigned to Manchester - a highly unlikely scenario). It's something to keep an eye on in the weeks ahead.



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


RELATED ARTICLES

10 Tidbits on Alec Martinez

10 Tidbits on Willie Mitchell

Whiskey in the Morning - comments from Davis Drewiske

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Kelly Hrudey on Jonathan Quick

Former Kings goaltender (and current Hockey Night in Canada analyst) Kelly Hrudey was on NHL Live radio yesterday. He talked quite a bit about Jonathan Quick, so I thought I'd pass on some of the quotes...

Billy Jaffe asked "If you could pick one goalie to start a team with right now, who would it be?"

Hrudey responded with "For many reasons I can chose about five or ten guys. So, this may surprise you a little bit - but because of age, because of the way he's playing right now, I'd guess I'd go with Carey Price...but, I may go with Jonathan Quick."

He went on to say that Quick "really impressed" him last year and he's "20 percent better" this season, adding "there's just something about his mental make-up that makes him feel like he's a general back there. Like nothing is going to affect him. He is, in my opinion, in the top five right now."

Hrudey said even though Quick isn't "getting a lot of credit" right now and is "flying under the radar," that "because of his competitive nature" he likes him a lot.

High praise from a guy that knows a thing or two about the position.

For more comments from Hrudey about many of the top goaltenders in the Western Conference - including more on Quick/Bernier, plus Roberto Luongo, Marty Turco, Antti Niemi, Jimmy Howard, Craig Anderson, Jaroslav Halak, etc. - be sure to check out his visit to MayorsManor from earlier this season.  We covered it all in an interview linked here.



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

The Captain Cools Off Colorado

Heading into action tonight most of the focus was on number 10 for the Kings due to the debuting Marco Sturm. When things were over, 23 was the number of the night. Dustin Brown had four points (2g, 2a) and Jonathan Quick made 23 saves.

Back on April 1 of last season Brown had the first four point night of his career, as part of a hat trick against the visiting Vancouver Canucks. Tonight in Colorado, his play was anything but a joke.

He looked mean, hungry and full of confidence. It was the best overall game he's played in quite some time.

And the best part is, you could probably say that about half a dozen players on the team - including his linemate Anze Kopitar.

The highly talented number 11 was THIS close to netting what would have been perhaps the highlight goal of the year, passing the puck back to himself between his own legs. Even without it though, his performance was what the Kings wish they received more often - dazzling plays at both ends of the ice.

Colorado's roster featured red-hot Matt Duchene and Tomas Fleischmann, the NHL's top two picks among the three stars of the week.  The Avs hadn't been shutout all season.  They were also riding a six-game winning streak and came into the game as the NHL's highest scoring team.

In the Kings corner, well - they entered the contest having alternated wins and losses over the last six games. 

It all went out the window when Rob Scuderi scored the first goal of the game.  That's usually a sign something freaky is about to go down.  Not only was it his first of the season, but first in nearly 200 games.

The above cast took over from there - with one notable exception.  It was the Avs they were playing, so, Brad Richardson had to get in on the fun.  He did, putting his fourth goal of the year past Craig Anderson in the second.  That's Brad 4, Avs 0 with one game to go.

A solid performance and a nice way to end their five game roadtrip.

One more thing - last time Willie Mitchell was out of the line-up the Kings went 1-5 on the road.  So far this time they're 2-1.

But, what about Sturm, you ask?  Nearly 12 minutes of ice time spread over 16 shifts.  One shot on goal.  He looked fine for his first night back.  Now let's just see how long coach Terry Murray leaves him on the fourth line.



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


RELATED ARTICLES:

10 Tidbits on Marco Sturm

Podcast with Ian Laperriere - former Kings and Avs forward

Counted Out Too Quickly? - feature piece on Jonathan Quick

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POLL: How Many Goals For Marco Sturm?

This one is just for fun. No betting please.

A few days ago I commented that if Marco Sturm begins his career with the LA Kings prior to Christmas, I'd set the over/under for his season goal total at 12.

As Chris over at The Royal Half pointed out, that may be placing the bar too high - especially considering Michal Handzus had seven goals in 82 games after surgery and Justin Williams had four in 44 after his injuries. So, maybe 12 in 50 games doesn't seem likely.

What do you think? Assuming the plan plays out as expected, tonight will mark game one of Sturm's time with the Kings. He'll start out on the fourth line, however coach Terry Murray expects to move him up to the top line with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown as soon as possible (think Sunday 12/26).

So, how many goals will Sturm have with the Kings during the regular season?



Poll closes Wednesday at noon.

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

* * * Save 10% on either Sturm shirt in the MayorsManor store. Use code TSHIRTSALES1 here: http://bit.ly/fiGJnu * * *

...And Now You're Caught Up (12/20/2010)

Hockey has a certain rhythm to it. Every shift, every game and every season is inevitably packed with ebbs and flows. Teams are never as bad as they appear during their lowest points. Never as good as they seem during their highest ones. The very best clubs then must be not just talented, but resilient. Not just hungry, but focused.

That's form the new HBO documentary '24/7' - where they're providing a raw, behind the scenes look at the Penguins and Capitals leading up to the Winter Classic. The first episode was unlike any hockey show you've ever seen and should be mandatory viewing for all fans. You can check out the PG-rated version online for free here.

Rumor has it the Kings are working on a similar all-access type show to be produced by their Kings Vision team for online viewing.  It should debut in early 2011.

Now, if shopping, back-to-back Kings games, holiday parties, etc. has been keeping you from the HBO special and other key hockey stories over the last few days, don't worry - we're here to help. Below are the twelve puck related news items you need to know coming out of the weekend...

*  Donald Fehr was approved as the new head of the NHL Players Association, effective immediately.  Exactly what this means when it comes to the impending negotiations with the league office and rumors of a possible work stoppage is pure speculation at this point. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the story (for now) is that the NHLPA constitution is publicly available on their website.  That may be a first in sports.

*  One of the greatest American born players of all-time, Chris Chelios, was honored before the Red Wings - Blackhawks game on Friday night.  Video of the ceremonies can be seen here.

[After the jump - notes on Bernier/Quick, San Jose Sharks, Mike Cammalleri, Matt Greene, Brayden Schenn, Manchester, injury updates, trade rumors and much more.]