Clearing the Crease... with Jonathan Bernier

In the interview below goaltender Jonathan Bernier says "Sometimes it doesn't go your way."

For him personally and for the LA Kings, that's a quick synopsis of the season to date.

By this point the team was expected to be near the top of the Western Conference. On this homestand specifically, they were expected to create some breathing room from the teams below them - not trying to catch the teams above them.

And for Bernier, this year was supposed to be a coming out party. He had accomplished all there was to achieve in the minor leagues - including winning the AHL Goaltender of the Year last season while posting 30 wins, nine shutouts, a .937 save percentage (.937) and a 2.03 goals-against average.

After a brief call up last season that saw him go 3-0 in the NHL, some were ready to crown him this year's Rookie of the Year.

However, it hasn't quite worked out that way.  Instead, the Kings have lost seven out of eight and now sit in 10th place. 

Tonight, when the Kings will be honoring their greatest goaltender of the past (Rogie Vachon), coach Terry Murray is once again handing the keys to the supposed goalie of the future.  Bernier will be looking for a win against the Edmonton Oilers, desperately trying to secure another W for his 4-7 record.

It's been a tough year so far. What's his take on the situation...

HIGH / LOW with Coach Terry Murray

Yesterday, Kings defensemen Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson and Matt Greene provided their highs and lows from the first half of the season.

Even though last month Willie Mitchell jokingly said "Forwards just skate up and down and don't think" that didn't stop eight of them - including Ryan Smyth, Wayne Simmonds and Jarret Stoll - from adding plenty to the discussion here.

And while some have criticized coach Terry Murray's even keeled approach behind the bench, know this - he's never allowed others to make excuses for his team's poor performance. It's been a season filled with incredibly tall peaks and extremely deep valleys and we're only at the midpoint of the regular season.

Here's what he had to say when asked for some highs and lows of the first 41 games...

Murray - "The start of the year was absolutely outstanding. It was the start that we wanted, that we talked about and that we needed - it was there. The players played real well. You get off to that 12-3 start the way we did, out of the box, that's a nice - we've said this in the past - it's a good cushion. We needed it and we're using it right now. We have to start going again. But, we've gone through some stretches of games where we're in the same doldrums as right now. We're not able to find the way to get the job done. This is the second time, maybe, where we're going through this. That's the inconsistency of our game and that's the expectations that are coming to the forefront as you start the year. They're high (the expectations) from within here and from the outside. We have to live up to them. That's hard to do sometimes, but we're trying to do it. We're a young hockey club that's a pretty good group of guys, a great group of guys. We've just got to be better at living up to that part of the deal."

With seven losses in the last eight games, tonight will be the team's last chance to impress the home crowd before heading out on a short two-game road trip next week.

It's time they start living up to some of those expectations Murray referred to.

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


RELATED ARTICLES:

HIGH / LOW with LA Kings Defensemen

HIGH / LOW with LA Kings Forwards

Five Questions with Willie Mitchell

Coach Murray on Kyle Clifford's Promotion

Coach Murray on Brayden Schenn (audio)

   
photo courtesy of Michael Zampelli

Jack Johnson Undisputed - Full, Extended Version

Undisputed is the new online video series put together by LAKINGS.com.

The first profile in the eight-part series features defenseman Jack Johnson.

A mini-version of episode one will air during the Kings broadcast on Fox Sports. However, you can see the full, extended cut (approx. 10 minutes) after the jump...

HIGH / LOW with LA Kings Forwards

Earlier this week the Kings reached the midpoint of their 82-game regular season. In a separate article today we shared comments from the Kings' defensemen, providing their thoughts on the first half of the season.

Now, let's see what eight of the forwards have to say...

Wayne Simmonds - Obviously, I don't think up to this point our season has gone the way we wanted it to. But, we just have to put that behind us and we have to get going here. It's half way through the season now and every point counts. I think we're going to have to be a desperate hockey team in the second half.

Ryan Smyth - I thought we started out really well, played very decent at home. Then, we lost seven out of eight - we didn't need that. But, I thought at times throughout that we played pretty well - we just didn't get the end result we wanted. Right around Christmas we were going good. We were strong and had a few good games - against San Jose, Anaheim and Edmonton in there too. We had some confidence and felt really good as a group. For whatever reason as of late, from then on it hasn't been the greatest. It's been spotty. I don't think we've played up to our potential by any means. But, the best thing is we have the second half that we can move forward with and hopefully gain some points.

Interview: Catching Up with Derek Forbort

A few months ago prospect Derek Forbort stopped by to talk about being drafted by the Kings (first round, 2010) and adjusting to life as a freshman at the University of North Dakota.

Fresh off of winning a bronze medal last week at the 2011 World Junior Championships, he's back again. In the interview below we reflect on his experience at the WJC, talk about this weekend's big match-up vs. Minnesota and look ahead to the second half of the NCAA season...

MM: So much has been written about the games themselves, how about we start away from the rink - what did you guys do on the off days in Buffalo (at the WJC)?

DF: We went to a couple movies. We saw 'The Little Fockers' on Christmas Day, which is a pretty brutal movie. We hung out at the hotel a lot really. Not much else. There wasn't really a lot going on in Buffalo.

MM: Besides the high of winning the bronze medal, what were some of the other highlights for you personally?

DF: I played with a lot of the guys last year (in the US National Program), so it was a lot of fun getting back together with the boys, seeing what they've been doing lately and so on.

MM: On the flip side, I would assume losing to Canada in the semi-finals was the low...

DF: Oh, definitely!

MM: Is it something that eats at you or do you just file it away in the back of your brain?

HIGH / LOW with LA Kings Defensemen

In the past we've used our popular High / Low format to have guests review various things - Rob Blake and Luc Robitaille reflected on their careers, Jim Fox offered opinions on opening night and playoff games, and even some guys from Manchester have stopped by to talk Monarchs hockey.

With the Kings reaching the midpoint of the 82-game NHL schedule earlier this week it seemed like the perfect time to survey some members of the team for their High/Low points of the season to date.

Let's start with some guys on the blueline...

Jack Johnson - We got off to a great start and we've had some pretty tough losing streaks here. It's pretty easy to pick those out. During the course of the year you're not going to play great every game, over 82 games. You're going to have some tough stretches. But, I think ours have been a little bit longer than we would have liked or that would be expected.

Kings Ruin Dodgers Perfect Record

Seven was unlucky in several ways last night.

It was game seven of the Kings' season long eight-game homestand - the part of the schedule that was supposed to see them climb the ranks of the Western Conference.

It was also the seventh time the Kings and Dodgers had joined forces on the marketing front. For 'Dodger Pride Night' at Staples Center they had manager Don Mattingly on hand for the first puck drop, former player Billy Ashley (who wore number, you guessed it - seven!) available for autographs and even produced a special Dodger themed hockey puck.

Past joint efforts had produced a perfect 6-0 record for the home team.

Not anymore.

Similar to last month's visit to St. Louis, the Blues looked ripe for the picking. They had lost five in a row and were still missing several key players with injuries. On the other side, the Kings were desperate for a win, after losing six of their last seven (there it is again!), and coach Terry Murray had put last year's most successful line back together - Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.

As they say, the games aren't played on paper.

The Kings were caught standing around several times on the ice and St. Louis looked like the team that wanted the victory more. They got it too, downing the Kings 3-1 in perhaps the most embarrassing home loss of the season.

Along with the defeat and further slide down the standings, the Kings-Dodgers perfect relationship is no more.

Here's a look back at their previous efforts...

*  On January 24, 2008 Tommy Lasorda drops the first puck and the Kings beat the Ducks 3-1.

LA vs St. Louis Blues - Pregame Quotes and Notes

To say the Kings season has been filled with peaks and valleys would be an understatement. Long winning streaks have been filled by horrible periods of loss after loss.

Coach Terry Murray, the players and fans don't seem to know which team will show up on a nightly basis.

One such example came in mid-December during a five game road trip. Although bookended by 5-0 shutouts to Detroit and Colorado, it was a game in between that perhaps received the most attention. When the Kings arrived in St. Louis they hadn't lost in regulation for five straight, Jonathan Quick was playing as well as he had all year and they were about to face a Blues team that was decimated with injuries.

LA lost 6-4.  Is there anything they can take from that game in preparation for the rematch tonight or do they start with a clean slate?

Jack Johnson - "We definitely scored plenty of goals. We scored enough goals to win that game. That was a rough game for both teams really, they just happened to score more goals than we did. I think (the rematch) will be a lot different. Both teams were pretty bad, in terms of giving up some great scoring opportunities. One of the things we can take out of it was our power play was great in that game. So, we should have some confidence going into it."

Gift Ideas For Jack Johnson, From His Teammates

A few Kings players have birthdays today - forward Kyle Clifford turns 20 and defenseman Jack Johnson is now 24. Meanwhile, former Kings goaltender Kelly Hrudey will be...well, he's just having a birthday today.

Clifford's not even legal yet, so you can't take him out for a drink. And Johnson, he inked a seven-year, $30 million contract over the weekend - what do you get a guy who just signed that type of a deal?

I posed the question to a few of his teammates to see what they were thinking...

Matt Greene - You show up to his party and he better have a good gift bag. You don't get him anything. You just grace him with your presence. You can't buy him anything he can't get himself.

Ryan Smyth - I think he already got his present.

Top Line Reunited and It Feels So Good

Kings coach Terry Murray has decided to put last year's best line back together again. Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams will be the top unit tomorrow night against the St. Louis Blues.

As noted yesterday, it was back on January 13, 1979 that the Kings most famous trio - the Triple Crown Line - were first put together. Could the timing prove to be a good omen for this group?

Expecting performance similar to Simmer-Dionne-Taylor may be too lofty of a goal right now, although seeing the three back together again after all the success they had early last season is an encouraging sign for a club desperately needing a jump start.

After practice today, both Murray and Smyth shared some comments about the reunion...

First up, Murray on the reasons for the change - "It's not that I was not pleased with Brownie and Kopi - because I thought the two of those guys were doing a very good job this year, putting up some good numbers. But, I just felt that with Smitty (Smyth) there on that left side, he can do some of the stuff we were talking about with Sturm (earlier in the scrum), creating plays. I look at Kopi as a player who is a playmaker and he's a shooter. He's got a power, heavy shot and I'd to see him use that more. The only way I can make that happen is try and get someone on that wing that's going to create some plays and find what I'm looking for on a more consistent basis. So, that was part of the rationale. The other part is we've lost games and we have to get something going here."

MM: How excited are you to have the old gang back together again?

RS: This game is all about opportunity. You want to take full advantage of it, make the best of it. I thought we played really well last year together at the start of the year. We'd like to get back to that for sure. It's going to take work. It's going to take hopefully a couple of periods and we can get right into it. But, if we can just stick to it - whatever the game plan is that's set out for us - and go to work.

Assuming they can find some of their old magic, the line still needs a good nickname. If you have any suggestions, throw 'em out there.

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



RELATED ARTICLES:

Is Terry Murray a Student of History?

Painting By Numbers with Ryan Smyth

Frozen Fury 2010:  Comments from Anze Kopitar

Coach Murray on Kyle Clifford's Promotion

The Kings drafted Kyle Clifford in the second round of the 2009 NHL Draft. A few months later after rookie camp in LA, then-assistant coach Mark Hardy called the young left wing his MVP of a two-game series with Phoenix - saying he played hard every shift, showed tons of grit and looked like a true power forward.

Even though he went on to impress others in the organization during the full training camp that followed, he was still just 18 years old at the time and not ready to make the jump up to the NHL. He was returned to his junior team in Barrie (OHL), where he put up 57 points in 58 games (28 g, 29 a) and totaled more than 110 penalty minutes for the second straight season.

In addition to his stats, other aspects of his game were being noticed around the junior league and in the annual OHL Coaches Poll last spring he was voted the best defensive forward in the Eastern Conference and second in the 'Hardest Worker' category.

Over the summer he was invited to Team Canada's evaluation camp for the just completed World Junior Championships (something he reported on here).

Then, with all the attention focused on Brayden Schenn's chances of making the Kings roster this past September, all Clifford did was go out and earn himself a spot in the NHL. Starting on the fourth line with limited minutes, he gradually moved to the third line and yesterday was promoted to the second line - along side Michal Handzus at center and Dustin Brown on the right side.

Given coach Terry Murray's frequent line changes over the past month or so, I asked him how long of a rope Clifford will get playing on that second line...

Prospect Report: Tyler Toffoli Terrorizing OHL

Prior the 2010 NHL Draft in Los Angeles the Kings knew all about Tyler Toffoli.

The same guy who turned them on to Wayne Simmonds was Toffoli's junior hockey coach with the Ottawa 67's.

Thought to be a possible late first round pick, when he was still on the board midway through the second round they gladly gave Colorado a fourth round pick for the right to move up and take him. So far, it looks to have been a smart gamble.

Toffoli's having a fantastic year in the OHL - where he's leading the league in scoring (38g, 37a in 41 games), was named the Player of the Month for December and on Monday was named January's first Player of the Week (4g, 5a in three games). It was his second weekly honor, having won it in mid-November as well.

Oh yeah, he's currently riding a 23-game point streak too, which includes six-straight multi-point games.

For some reason, Canada felt they didn't have room for him on their team at the recent World Junior Championship. Go figure.

Coach Terry Murray - A Student of History?

With the Kings returning to the playoffs last year after an eight year hiatus there were many stories to reflect on at season's end - including the play of Jonathan Quick and Drew Doughty. Yet, in the first half, all of the news centered on Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.

Specifically, Smyth - who seemed to have unlocked something in Kopitar. The two had instant chemistry from the first day of training camp.  And the magic they produced didn't go unnoticed either, as in December 2009 Kopitar made his first appearance on the cover of The Hockey News.

Their play helped propel the Kings into becoming one of the hottest teams in the league during the opening months of the 2009-10 campaign. Then, in a flash, it was gone by late December due to injuries.

Still, few thought that Kings coach Terry Murray would enter this season with a different top line.

Thus, when he made the announcement as training camp opened that he was replacing Williams with Dustin Brown, questions began flying from all corners.

The answer was simple though, he was looking for a more balanced attack and wanted to see greater output from Brown (who scored 33 goals in 2007-08, but had dipped to 24 in back-to-back years).

When asked at the time, Smyth said "Whatever coach wants is best for the team."

37 Is New All Star Game Target for Kings and Quick

Terry Sawchuk, 1968. Mario Lessard, 1981. Rogie Vachon, 1973, 75, 78.

Those are the only three goaltenders to represent the LA Kings in the NHL's annual All-Star Game.

Jonathan Quick cannot be added to that group, at least not this year.

The full rosters were announced earlier today and Anze Kopitar was the lone Kings player on the list.

But, how in the world was Quick left off? He continues to get zero respect around the league, despite his play over the last two seasons.

Players inside the Kings locker room have tremendous things to say about him, even former King Sean O'Donnell who once told me the Kings will one day win a Stanley Cup because of Quick.  Yet, he might be the most anonymous player on the team outside of Southern California.

Yes, he's been a little erratic of late. However, the voting has been wrapped up for over a week and was meant to be over a larger body of work - i.e. the first half of the season.

He was arguably the best goalie in the league the first month of the season (7-1 record, 1.84 goals-against-average, .936 save percentage and gave up only one goal in four of his eight starts). Then, the team as a whole slipped in November - it can't be blamed on him. Plus, he topped his awesome October with an equally impressive December - including three shutouts and a 7-3-1 record.

What more do people want from him?

Kings vs Maple Leafs - When Mullets Were Cool

Tonight the Toronto Maple Leafs make a rare appearance in Los Angeles.

The Leafs enter the game with 36 points (13th in the Eastern Conference). Saturday night the Kings won for the first time in six games and now have 47 points (8th in the Western Conference).

However, when these two teams meet it will forever stir memories of an NHL playoff series from nearly 20 years ago.

Here's a look back at perhaps the high point in franchise history...

1993 seems like so long ago - the NHL played an 84 game regular season schedule, the Ducks were still a movie not a hockey team, Eric Lindros and Teemu Selanne were promising rookies, wearing a helmet was optional for players, Ron Hextall was wearing a Quebec Nordiques jersey (seriously!), Gary Bettman was just named the NHL's first Commissioner, Bruce McNall still owned the Kings and yes, mullets were cool.

Five years prior the Kings had made 'the trade' with Edmonton to bring Wayne Gretzky to LA, turning Hollywood to Hockeywood. The Kings had their best year ever in 1990-91, posting 102 points and winning the Smythe Division. After losing to Edmonton that postseason and the year after, coach Tom Webster was fired.

OFFICIAL: Brayden Schenn Traded by WHL Team

Finally!

The longest running question this season - Where will Brayden Schenn be playing his next game? - has been answered.

As reported here yesterday, the Brandon Wheat Kings have officially traded him to the Saskatoon Blades.

Having already played with four different teams this season (the Kings, Manchester Monarchs, the Wheat Kings and Team Canada), Schenn now joins the top club in the WHL standings.

The Blades gave up two first round draft picks, one second rounder and a first round selection in the Import Draft to acquire Schenn, MVP of the recent World Junior Tournament. As if that wasn't enough, Brandon also received two top prospects (Ayrton Nikkel and Tim McGauley) as part of the deal.

Blades GM and head coach Lorne Molleken said "The Saskatoon Blades are extremely pleased to be able to acquire a player of Brayden Schenn’s caliber. It has been a long process. When you are making a deal of this magnitude there is a lot of time and deliberation put into it."

It has to be a somewhat bittersweet moment though, as Schenn was the captain of the Wheat Kings - yet, now gets to finish his junior career with his hometown team and a club in first place overall in the WHL.

This move also gives him a strong chance to play for the WHL Championship and perhaps the CHL's Memorial Cup.

TRIVIA: Toronto Maple Leafs at LA Kings Preview

One of the many things separating hockey from the other major sports is that it actually has a capital. Basketball doesn't have one, nor does baseball - even though Yankee fans would tell you differently.

And regardless of the Maple Leafs' record at any given time, few in the world of hockey would disagree - except maybe those in Montreal - that the pulse of the sport can be found in Toronto.

The NHL has offices there, it's home to the Hockey Hall of Fame and even Wayne Gretzky's restaurant is in downtown Toronto.

Back in 1993 the Leafs were still in what's now the Western Conference (then the Campbell Conference), along with the Kings.

After beating Calgary and Vancouver in the first two rounds of the playoffs, LA advanced to the Conference Championship for the first (and so far, only) time in team history.

The seven game series that ensued between the Maple Leafs and Kings was as good as any ever played in the NHL.

To set the mood for tonight's LA-Toronto match-up let's do a little trivia contest from that classic series back in '93...

REPORTS: Brayden Schenn Traded by His Junior Team

It's been talked about for weeks and it looks like it may have finally happened...

Unlike most NHL trade rumors - which usually don't end up coming to fruition- this speculation appears like it's about to see the light of day...

Reports say Brayden Schenn has just been traded by the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) to his hometown Saskatoon Blades.

The Kings first round draft pick in 2009 will be playing for his fifth team in the last six months. After starting the year in LA, he saw time in Manchester (AHL), with Brandon and then finally Team Canada at the World Junior Championship - where he just won the silver medal and came home with a separated shoulder that will sideline him for the next two weeks.

Brief notes at the center of the trade: