Interview with Kings college prospect, dman Derek Forbort

 Standing 6'5" and a freshman at the University of North Dakota, Derek Forbort is still years away from seeing time on the blue line in Los Angeles.

Still, when he goes from being the Kings number one draft pick in June 2010 to the team's highest rated defensive prospect eight months later (according to The Hockey News), people take notice.

He was a member of the Team USA squad that won a bronze medal at the recent World Junior Championships and later this afternoon his Fighting Sioux team will enter the NCAA tournament as the number one seed in their regional.

As part of our 'prospect playoff preview' series this week, Forbort made another visit to MayorsManor...

MM: The recent Hockey News 'Future Watch' edition listed you at #49 among all NHL prospects, covering all the teams in the league. That also placed you as the highest rated defenseman among the 10 Kings prospects. Did you see it and does that mean anything to you?

Interview with Kings Prospect JF Berube (QMJHL Goalie)

The future has never...NEVER, EVER!...looked brighter in net for the Los Angeles Kings.

Already blessed with two solid aces at the NHL level (Jonathan's Quick and Bernier), plus two gems in the making at Manchester (Martin Jones and Jeff Zatkoff), it's easy for some to forget about JF Berube.

After all, he plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the often less publicized of the three Canadian junior leagues.

However, Berube - taken by the Kings in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Draft - isn't somebody to be ignored. He was under consideration for the goalie slot on Canada's recent World Junior team (in fact, he provided a report here from their summer camp last year) and he just finished the regular season in the 'Q' as one of the top goaltenders, statistically speaking.

Last night, his Montreal Junior team won their opening round playoff game against the visiting Halifax Mooseheads 5-3. Of course, Berube was is net.

Prior to the game though, I spoke with him as part of our 'prospect playoff preview' series this week on MayorsManor...

MM: Last summer you said you wanted to approach this season with the goal of being one of the top goalies in the league and you wanted to have a "big season." Did you feel you accomplished that?

MayorsManor Podcast - featuring Ian Laperriere

Trevor Lewis is wearing #22 this season. Before him were names like Baumgartner, Huddy, Tocchet, Conroy and Halpern. However, for most Kings fans there's only one #22...Ian Laperriere.

And the admiration for Lappy isn't just among the fans.

"Ian, the way he plays, tells it all" said captain Dustin Brown when talking about the four leaders that inspired him earlier in his career. Luc Robitaille specifically called out Laperriere during his Hall of Fame induction speech. So, it really doesn't matter who you're talking with, from coaches to teammates to opponents, everybody has deep respect from what Lappy brings to the game of hockey.

Therefore, when it came time to launch the new MayorsManor podcast, he was the perfect guest. Not only does he have great stories, that French-Canadian accent could only mean one thing - hockey!

He doesn't need much more of an introduction, so let's get right to it.

In this interview we cover the trade that brought him to Los Angeles, the highs and lows of his career, playoff memories at Staples Center, contract talks with the Kings...plus, a word association segment that is one for the ages.  Truly candid comments from Lappy.



update: ALSO AVAILABLE on itunes - click here to start



FOR A LIST OF OTHER MayorsManor PODCASTS - click here


The Mayor
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RELATED ARTICLES:

Interview with Rob Blake

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Tuesday's 10 Tidbits - Turning the Page

At what point is last season really over? Was it when the Kings were eliminated from the playoffs? Was it draft weekend, with it's heavy emphasis on the future? Was it July 1st, when the free agency window opened? Perhaps, it's when training camp finally opens in a few weeks.

If the truth is somewhere in between all those points, let's try to put a bow on the 2009-10 campaign once and for all...with a partial tribute to the season that was.

Along with a special 'thank you' to the numerous guests that graciously donated their time this year for interviews...we proudly look back at 10 Tidbits from the past 10 months...

1. October 2009 - The Mayor's predictions on where the Kings would finish and why, it's all right here...in special correspondent Jim Fox's first High / Low article, he calls out Drew Doughty for his "worst game as a King."...Clean up on Aisle 11 - Anze Kopitar scores his first career hat trick and the Kings create a mess of their own on the ice as well...10 Tidbits on Scott Parse - yet another college hockey player gets a chance to play in LA.

2.  November 2009 - Remembering a Rivalry - preview of the Calgary Flames vs. LA Kings...What Shoulda Been - Ryan Smyth, the Kings and the Oilers.

3.  December 2009 - Interview w/ Mike Modano - on the eve of a Kings-Stars game Mo' looks back at his career...Interview w/ Ethan Moreau - the Oilers captain offers up a special preview of the LA-Edmonton game and talks about his near-nude photo shoot for ESPN.

Wayne 'TheTrain' Simmonds - attracting more interest everyday

Just a few weeks ago it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Wayne Simmonds would be changing his number soon. All signs pointed to the Kings signing some Russian winger who scores a lot of goals. That didn't happen. He, sorta, went to the Devils.

Meanwhile, Simmonds, who just completed his second season in Los Angeles, found himself on the cover of The Hockey News this week.

The magazine's article was supplemented online with a video conversation held with Simmonds and the Avs' Chris Stewart, who apparently share a home together in the off-season. A secondary article on the site focuses on their agent, Eustace King, the first and only African-American agent representing NHL players.

In the past, Wayne the Train has been linked to Willie O'Ree - the first player to cross the NHL's color barrier back in 1958. He even read from O'Ree's autobiography for some children visiting the NHL store in New York last year.  Here though, the focus was on two stars of the future, rather than the past.  Stewart and Simmonds are a few of the current poster boys for minorities in hockey...or as the NHL calls it, Hockey is for Everyone.

Regarding the taunts O'Ree had to endure growing up and if he had experienced similar things as a youngster, Simmonds told Helene Elliot of the LA Times "You rarely hear it anymore. But when you're younger you have the ignorant kid that says something because he's not educated or his parents don't teach him, I guess. But now you don't hear anything, and that's good."

Wayne's story isn't just about the color of his skin, it's more about being a hockey player.  This sport is expensive and many parents can't afford to buy the gear necessary for their children to participate - regardless of being black, white or brown.  The Simmonds family found a way to overcome those obstacles and Wayne has repaid them with an ever-growing passion for the game.

His play on the ice continues to improve as well.  Simmonds followed up a strong rookie year by tying for the team lead in goals during the preseason last September - just barely losing out to Anze Kopitar for the first Eddie Joyal Award.

10 Tidbits on Alex Ponikarovsky

While it was the Karate Kid receiving the remake treatment this summer, it will probably be another Ralph Macchio flick, The Outsiders, that will have more staying power as the calendar flips to the winter months.

Earlier today the the Los Angeles Kings announced the signing of unrestricted free agent Alexei Ponikarovsky. And although he was formerly known as "The Poni Express", out in Hollywood...er, Hockeywood...he'll simply be Poni Boy.

Here are 10 Tidbits to get you primed and ready to go on the Kings newest left wing...with a special twitter twist:

* First question out of the gate, does Ponikarovsky have the longest last name of any player in Kings history?  No.  Well, he's tied.  There's the popular Mike Krushelnyski from the end of the 80s.  Then, according to several alert tweeters - including @KingsKoolAid, @kevinsyoung and @LHHockey - you also have Sheldon Kannegiesser ('73-77) and Steve Clippingdale (16 games in '76-77) checking in with 12 letters.  @SoundFlyer14 thinks Frank St. Marseille tops them all with 13 "units" (including the period and space).  But, I don't count that way.  That's just me.

* The comparisons to Alexander Frolov are almost too easy - both could be classified as "classic underachievers".  They've even played for the same teams back in Russia, just not concurrently.  Frolov spent time with Krylja Sovetov in '01-02 (just before joining the Kings), while Poni played there three seasons prior.  During the NHL lockout in '04, Frolov spent some time at home playing for Moscow Dynamo.  Poni was there from '98-00 (ironically, just before he came over to play for the Maple Leafs).

* Similar to Ilya Kovalchuck's apparent obsession with the number 17, Poni has one he favors too.  Supposedly, he's been wearing 23 to honor his grandparents and wife, who were all born that day.  He'll need a new number in LA though.  Dustin Brown isn't trading that for a trip to Hawaii or a year's membership at a nice country club.

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? 

The Hockey News, Tanguay & The Mayor

A buddy of mine emailed me an old Hockey News article I had almost forgotten about...


Click on the image to the left to enlarge the scanned article.


Apparently, I must have really gotten under the skin of Alex Tanguay (then of Calgary). He called me out in The Hockey News, even saying I was 'world-renowned."

Am now!

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119

Is there a Hockey News curse?

Sports fans know all too well about 'the curse' and what it can do to their favorite team or player. The Red Sox had the curse of the Bambino. The Cubs still have the goat. Entire seasons have been lost due to the Sports Illustrated curse. Plus, you have the Madden Football video game curse. This year it was a two-fer, with both Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu showcased on the popular game...and, yep, they both were injured.

Hockey fans take note, because there may be some negative karma brewing in the print world north of the border too. It's possible The Hockey News is the latest sports related curse to be rearing its ugly head.

Perhaps it isn't Ryan Smyth's fault after all that Anze Kopitar has lost his mojo.

Case in point - November 2008 Av's captain Joe Sakic is featured on the cover of The Hockey News. Three weeks later he injures his back, then some fingers and hand injuries. That's it, he's lost for the season and then retires.

You want more? The very next issue showcased young Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn on the cover. Less than a month later he gets the famous lower body injury (knee) and misses a month of action.

Fast forward to this season. One of the best goalies in the world, Roberto Luongo, gets the cover for a late September issue. A month later, he injures his ribs and has to miss a handful of games.

OK, so you say injuries are just part of the game and it's a coincidence. Well, how about playoff performance?

April 16, 2009 Joe Thornton was the Playoff Preview cover boy. By now, everybody knows what happened to his Sharks in the first round after entering the playoffs as the top team in the West.

The following issue featured Zdeno Chara, captain of the East's top team - the Boston Bruins. What happens? Done, bounced in the second round by Carolina.

Not good enough for you? Let's look at some recent stats then...

Chris Pronger, Flyers defenseman, poses for a cover of The Hockey News in early November. The issue was released on 11/9/09. Prior to that he was a +11 with 14 points in 14 games. Since that time he is a -1 with just 11 points in 27 games. Cursed!

The next issue focused on three rookies playing for various New York teams. Last year's number one draft pick, John Tavares of the New York Islanders had 18 points and was a -1 in the 20 games prior. His numbers gave gone south since: -7, 10 points in 23 games. Another New York kid, Michael Del Zotto of the Rangers, was getting early Calder Trophy pub with his pre-cover play of 15 points in 20 games. Man, have times changed - only 5 points in 21 games since and a terrible -16 rating.

Which brings us to Kopitar. What's wrong with Anze? It's the million dollar question right now. Many people speculated it was the absence of Ryan Smyth. However, Rhyno's back now and things haven't really changed.

Kopi was The Hockey News cover boy for the December 14th issue. Ignoring his red hot start to the year - for the sake of trying to factor in the Smyth impact - in the 20 games prior to the issue being released on December 7th Anze had 16 points. The Kings have played 12 games from that point forward, a strech where Kopitar has just 5 points.

Is there a new curse to worry about in the world of hockey?

It's one possible explanation.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119