Ian Laperriere on Wayne Simmonds and hurt feelings

In pro wrestling terms it was a classic heel turn. The babyface (good guy) loved by millions, says something ever so casual - yet instantly turns off his longtime admirers.

This one is going to be pretty simple to follow...

And with those few little sentences, Wayne Simmonds turned from a guy who was universally loved by hockey fans in LA into public enemy number one back in December.

Having played in both cities himself, when I spoke with Ian Laperriere a few days ago, I asked him for his take on the situation...

LA players on Simmonds, Flyers, possible scrap for Clifford

Will Simmonds fight Clifford? (photo: C. Ikiri)

There's no denying Wayne Simmonds was a fan favorite in Los Angeles.

Almost from the moment he made the Kings as an 20-year old forward out of the Ontario Hockey League, people loved his hustle.

Simmonds went on to play 240 games and score 39 goals with the team. Then, as has been heavily documented, he was traded this past June to the Philadelphia Flyers.

In the weeks that followed, several Kings stopped by MayorsManor to share thoughts on their departed friend and teammate...

Jarret Stoll - "He's going to be a very good player, he is a very good player...I wish him all the best in Philly. He's a great guy, he was roommate on the road. We had some good times together and some good talks. He's a good kid. He'll figure it out in Philly and he's going to be a well liked player there, for sure."

Matt Greene - "Simmer was a big part of our team. He's a great player and he's only going to get better. So, it was tough to lose a friend and a good player like that.

Mike Richards trade for Simmonds and Schenn revisited

In the 40-plus year history of the Los Angeles Kings franchise, there have been some pretty big trades. Obviously, none bigger than a deal that went down in August 1988 with the Edmonton Oilers.

However, several moves since then have also created some earthquake like tremors within the LA hockey community. For example, just before the Kings relocated to their new arena downtown in 1999, they traded away prized prospect Olli Jokinen in a package with the Islanders to land Ziggy Palffy.

A few years later, the most controversial trade (by far) saw future Hall of Famer Rob Blake shipped out to the Colorado Avalanche.

Since then, deals to acquire Roman Cechmanek (2003), Jeremy Roenick (2005), Jack Johnson (2006), Ryan Smyth (2009) and Dustin Penner (2011) have been some of the bigger moves. [Ironically, the two trades on that list that worked out the worst for the Kings were both made with the Flyers.]

Yet, it's been a long time since the Kings were involved in something that sent shockwaves through the NHL like this summer's blockbuster deal to bring Philadelphia captain Mike Richards to LA in exchange for Wayne Simmonds and the number one rated prospect in all of hockey, Brayden Schenn.

In a game that fans on both coasts immediately circled on their calenders moments later, the Kings will meet up with the Flyers later this afternoon for the only time this season. In honor of what should be a near-playoff like atmosphere, here's a look back at ten of the most popular articles posted on MayorsManor stemming from the trade and a few more about the players involved...

- Mike Richards already has ideas to help the LA Kings power play

Morning Skate: Wayne Simmonds talks LA Kings vs Flyers

Following the morning skate in Philadelphia, Wayne Simmonds spoke about facing the Kings later tonight, his linemate Danny Briere and being on the Flyers' second power play unit with Jaromir Jagr and Claude Giroux.

If you missed it, Ian Laperriere was on MayorsManor earlier today to talk about the game tonight. He shared thoughts on how the Philadelphia crowd will react to Mike Richards, speculated on the possibility of a Kyle Clifford vs. Simmonds scrap and explained how the Flyers are adjusting to their new captain (article link).

Coming up in just a bit, Clifford and several other Kings talking about Simmonds.

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LA Kings vs Flyers - what to watch for... with Ian Laperriere

Talk show host Jim Rome likes to joke that if you're fortunate enough to spend 15 minutes with quarterback Tim Tebow, your life is better for it. Earlier this week, I tweeted an update to that expression...'If you're lucky enough to spend five minutes with Ian Laperriere, your life is better for it.'

There's probably nobody in hockey I'd rather speak with. He offers zero cliches and no b.s., just raw emotion and straight ahead honesty.

Sure, several players, both past and present, are universally liked. However, if you look hard enough, you can usually find a small pool of people who dislike certain guys - for whatever reason, logical or not.

Lappy is different. And he has been since he first arrived in Los Angeles in 1996. You show me one person who has EVER had a bad thing to say about him and that will be the first.

The guy is as real as they come.

He's been on MayorsManor a number of times, including his still popular guest spot on the podcast last November and again earlier this summer - when he stopped by to set the record straight about Mike Richards, in the days following the big LA-Philadelphia trade.

With the Flyers hosting the Kings tonight, who could possibly be better to kick off our 'what to watch for' segment today?

Here he is, the one and only...

MM: Philadelphia is known for being a great sports town. Yet, the fans can be tough. What type of reaction do you expect them to give Richards when he comes out of the locker room for the first time?

Kyle Clifford raising his own questions during Kings Camp

Last weekend, Kyle Clifford intimated that he wasn't letting himself believe he had earned on spot on this year's LA Kings team.

Given his humble and quiet nature, it wasn't surprising that the 20-year old forward was approaching training camp with anything other than his full passion for the game.

One thing that has changed for him in his second year though are the people around him in the locker room. Most notably, there's somebody missing from the stall next to him.

Did it take coming to camp and not seeing Wayne Simmonds sitting there for the full realization of the trade to hit home?

"Yeah, it's different," Clifford said. "Wayne was such a character guy and a great guy who helped me out a lot last year. He kind of took me under his wing. So, he's going to be missed."

Perhaps one of the things Simmonds cautioned him about was the tendency some players have to go through a 'sophomore slump' their second season.

"You don't want to take a step backward," explained Clifford. "My main goal is to always be moving forward. I take each day one day at a time though. If I do that and listen to the coaches and the veteran leadership in here, I'll keep improving my game. But, I haven't set any goals for number of points or anything like that. Well, win all my fights - but, that's a given every year!"

Another given for Clifford this year will be his equipment. Over the summer, he signed an endorsement deal with Bauer.

"I grew up using Bauer most of my life. So, sticking with one equipment person just makes things a little easier." As he put it, "I'm wearing everything Bauer, head to toe Bauer."

New equipment, a few new teammates - somethings haven't changed though.

"It's still camp. So, it's still tough and it's still grueling," said Clifford. "After coming in and playing last year, now I know what to expect though. With the team we have now it just makes this year that much more exciting too."

Stoll had questions from Richards, has answers for Murray

Stoll, Richards and Lombardi (LA Kings)

It's been a summer of goodbyes and new relationships for many on the Los Angeles Kings roster.

Earlier today I posted comments from Alec Martinez and Jarret Stoll regarding Wayne Simmonds being shipped off to Philadelphia (link).

On the flip side, the team has been welcoming Mike Richards into the fold. Some, like Drew Doughty, have spent time in a locker room with him already (for Team Canada at the 2010 Olympics). For others, it's been a whole new experience.

One thing is clear though, every player I've spoken with has been just short of giddy at the sheer thought of adding a talent like Richards to the team here in LA.

While some guys have been off on summer vacations or back home in various parts of North America, Stoll is living in the South Bay and had no problems playing the role of host and unofficial tour guide last week for Richards.

He even was at Richards' press conference - where the highlight may have been something that went largely unnoticed by the overflowing crowd of media at the Kings training facility. While everybody was snapping photos of GM Dean Lombardi officially presenting Richards his jersey, somewhat under his breath, Richards asked Stoll "Was it like this when they got you too?' - to which Stoll replied, "I didn't get any of this!"

Stoll, Martinez talk LA Kings trading Wayne Simmonds

Martinez and Simmonds (photo: K. Spatz)

During a conversation with coach Terry Murray just a few days after the Kings were eliminated from the playoffs, he acknowledged that Wayne Simmonds "hit a bit of a wall" last season.

It wasn't that surprising of a statement from the coach though. After all, Simmonds saw his goals, assists and penalty minutes decline from the year prior.

Murray went on to say this would be a crucial summer in Simmonds' development - one in which he would need to analyze his self and his game.

Even so, those weren't cryptic statements about a winger needing to be traded. He was simply describing part of the natural evolution some players need to go though.

Coupled with the fact that Simmonds seemed to find his game in the playoffs, some people were slightly caught off guard when he was included in the trade for Mike Richards. Others saw it as simply moving value to get value.

By all accounts, Simmonds was well liked by his teammates - especially those that sat around him in the locker room - i.e. Brad Richardson, Kyle Clifford, etc.

Recently, I spoke with Jarret Stoll and Alec Martinez about the loss of Simmonds...

Exclusive: Jim Fox on LA Kings Trade for Mike Richards

He may be on the other side of the globe, yet Jim Fox still made time to check in with MayorsManor regarding the big news from yesterday.

Fresh off another successful charity event last week (they raised over $200k at the 23rd annual Jim Fox/Dave Taylor golf tournament), Fox headed over to Prague this week for some R&R. Although he still couldn't shake the hockey world, as he worked out in the same gym yesterday with Roman Hamrlik and Patrick Elias. You think Kovalchuk's name came up?

Meanwhile, the Kings were retooling their roster yesterday in a big way - acquiring Mike Richards from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn and a second round draft pick.

In Richards, the Kings received the Flyers’ 26-year old captain, who is under a long term contract. He's averaged 28 goals, 42 assists and 70 points over the last four seasons. Equally important, he's played in 57 playoff games - including the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010.

Earlier this morning Fox shared a few comments on the trade -

"When I think of Mike Richards I think 'playoff player.' A guy who because of his competitive nature and style personifies 'leaving it all on the ice.' His versatility drives his value way up. He plays and excels in all facets of the game - all situations and he gets better when the game is on the line!"

More on the trade later today, including exclusive comments from one of Richards' former teammates.

The Mayor
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RELATED ARTICLES:

High/Low with Jim Fox - Kings vs San Jose, 2011 Playoffs

Interview with Brayden Schenn - interview with hockey's #1 prospect

Cruising the mall with Simmonds and Doughty

Interview with Marcel Dionne

Kings coach Murray says Wayne Simmonds 'hit a wall'

Obviously, there is more to player evaluation than just stats.

However, let's start there for Wayne Simmonds...

2008-09 - nine goals, 14 assists, 23 points, 73 PIM, minus-8, 127 shots

2009-10 - 16 goals, 24 assists, 40 points, 116 PIM, plus-22, 127 shots

2010-11 - 14 goals, 16 assists, 30 points, 75 PIM, minus-2, 117 shots

Many people were predicting a 'breakout' year for Simmonds this season. The numbers suggest it didn't materialize. He also went through scoring slumps of six, seven, eight plus games where he wasn't scoring a goal - and he was given top line minutes at various points throughout the season.

So, I asked coach Terry Murray - did he regress in his development this year?

Murray - "He hit a bit of a wall. I don't know if he took a step backwards - maybe a half of step. I thought in the first couple of years there was a lot of physical involvement, a lot of grit, a lot more confrontational stuff, more of that - sometimes you have to get into that 'f-you battle' all the time on the ice, send a message that way. I think sometimes this year I would have liked to have seen more of that, in year three. I don't want to say it's a natural progression for young players, where you come in with a big bang and now you're trying to sort out and trying to improve and you kind of have a tough time getting to that point, you have to sort it out. What's critical here is the off-season and, for me, that he continues to push. Not only in the physical part of it, but now you have to analyze your own self and your own game and watch your game again, by actually bringing clips or the game itself home with you and analyzing it, so that you're going to get yourself ready to get back to where we want you to be."



The Mayor
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RELATED ARTICLES:

Wayne Simmonds - Born for Playoff Hockey?

Cruising the mall with Simmonds and Doughty

Simmonds on Penner and 'greasy goals'

Two Minutes in the Box... with Wayne Simmonds

Kings players on their favorite moments in Anaheim

Which Kings player will get off first?

The Kings have scored first in two of the three playoff games with the Sharks.

And they have a 1-1 record to show for it.

Still, when game four gets underway tonight, the coaches, the players and the fans will all be looking for the Kings to score first and take control early. They'll need to win the game to send the series back to San Jose tied 2-2.

So, who tends to score first for the Kings?

Here's a breakdown of the top performers this season...

Clifford's picking up points and gifts in the playoffs

The Energy Line, the Prime Line, call them whatever you will - in the playoffs, maybe it should be the Power Line.

Kyle Clifford, Brad Richardson and Wayne Simmonds are the top point producing unit for the Kings through three games.

Normally, it wouldn't be much to talk about just a few games into a series. However, when a team has already scored 11 goals, you start to notice some of the names at the top of the leader board.

For example, which forward leads the team in goals? Brown? Williams? Smyth? No - Clifford.

Sure, it's only two goals. Still though, that's more than several bigger names on the roster.

Here are some brief comments from each member of the line...

MM: Are you amazed at all with how Clifford has found a way take it to the next level?

Simmonds: No, actually. Since day one he's gotten better and better and better every day. It's been apparent in his first playoff series and I think he's been one of our best players, to tell you the truth. It's a great thing to see. He's a 20-year old kid who goes out there and battles hard for every puck. He never gives up and he has that never say attitude. That's what you need, especially in the playoffs.

MM: You guys work hard every night, but how rewarding has it been to contribute with some points also?

Richardson: I thought we've been playing well since we were first put together. It was just a matter of putting pucks in the net. We've had tons of chances, even in that first game versus San Jose. We had a few chances there, where if we would have put 'em in, the game probably would have been over. Cliffy's had some good games though and we're looking to keep that effort going and hopefully contribute more offensively.

MM: You certainly haven't looked like you're feeling any pressure. So, talk about what were you feeling during that first period last Thursday, your first NHL playoff game...

Clifford: Definitely, there were some emotions flying around. There was a lot of excitement, a little bit of nerves. I think the big part of it was just breathing a not getting too caught up in the moment.

MM: Earlier this year you told us you gave your first-goal puck to your parents for Christmas. Any special plans for the puck from Saturday, your first playoff goal?

Clifford: That's probably going to go home too, go to my parents. I'll wait until Mother's Day or something like that.

Can they keep the momentum going tonight?

And will Simmonds pick up his first goal of the series?

Yes and yes, if Richardson and Clifford have anything to say about it.



The Mayor
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RELATED ARTICLES:

Clifford Helps Evaluate the Kings' Rookies

Dustin Brown Selects his Rookie of the Year

Terry Murray goes inside Clifford's head

Clifford and Westgarth Preparing to Get (Biz) Nasty?

Clifford Explains His Nickname - The Colonel

Two Questions, Five Goals and Jerry Maguire

For a team that's only 20 years old, it was more than 25 years in the making.

No team had come back from being down four goals in the playoffs since Minnesota clawed their way to a 5-4 victory over Chicago on April 28, 1985.

Until the Sharks last night.

Meanwhile, the line of Kyle Clifford, Brad Richardson and Wayne Simmonds was again impressive, picking up two goals.

Kevin Westgarth and Dustin Penner picked up a point.

Ryan Smyth scored a goal.

Yet, the Kings gave up five goals in the second period. FIVE!

Which leaves two questions to ponder today...

Kings-Sharks Game Two: High / Low with Jim Fox

The unofficial MayorsManor road reporter is back!

Jim Fox rejoins us today with his thoughts on the Kings 4-0 victory last night in San Jose.

As you may recall from his High/Low article following game one, Fox didn't like the team's minimal shots in the first period that night or their defensive zone coverage on the first goal against.

On the plus side, he was impressed with Justin Williams' two-point performance and how they won the special teams battles - both on the penalty kill and with Dustin Brown's power play goal.

What are his takeaways from game two? Let's check in and see...

HIGHS

* Drew Doughty - he showed that the quicker the pace, the more effective he becomes

* Kings play making - with the puck and the lead, the Kings were still making plays, not just dumping it in...without the puck, the box-out skill of all defenders allowed Jonathan Quick to see the puck

* Energy line - nice to see Kyle Clifford, Brad Richardson and Wayne Simmonds get rewarded for tenacious play

LOWS

Kings down Sharks 4-0, Game 2 notes and video

It was a night of 'Oh yeah, that's happened before.'

* On December 27, 2010 the Kings beat the Sharks in San Jose by a score of 4-0.  Ditto last night.

* Last year vs. the Canucks, the Kings lost game one of their opening round series with Vancouver and then won the second game to even the series 1-1. Same thing here.

* Also during last year's playoffs, Drew Doughty had a four point night. He did it again vs. the Sharks on Saturday with two goals and two assists.

* Jonathan Quick shutout the Sharks. Five other Kings goalies had turned that trick in the playoffs, most recently - Felix Potvin in 2002 vs. Colorado (in a series the Kings should have won, but more on that some other day).

* Last year in game two vs. Vancouver, Wayne Simmonds scored a goal in only his second NHL playoff game. Saturday vs. the Sharks, Kyle Clifford matched the accomplishment when he found the back of the net early in the third period.

And a few other post-game notes...

Kings forward Wayne Simmonds - Born for Playoff Hockey?

Wayne Simmonds and Drew Doughty - best friends, roommates, former OHL rivals...the bond is strong, for sure.

They also share a bit of history with Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll. All four played their first game as a member of the Kings together. It was October 2008, at Staples Center, versus San Jose.

Tonight, they'll face off with the teal and black again, as the Kings and Sharks square off in their first ever playoff series.

MM: What do you remember about that first game?

WS: It was kind of nerve racking, obviously. It was my first game in the NHL and I didn't really know what to expect. When you're playing against Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, guys like that, who I've watched my whole life growing up, it's - for me to my to play my first game in that situation, it was huge. But, that's behind me. This is my second playoffs. So, I'm just excited and ready to get started.

MM: What do you see as the Kings biggest strength going into the series?

WS: I think we just need to stick to our structure. We're a structure oriented team. I think if everyone takes care of what they have to do and we believe in each other, we'll succeed.

MM: What's your biggest concern?

Doughty on the Sharks - His Memories and Concerns

Long before Drew Doughty was a Norris Trophy finalist and one of the top defensemen in the league - OK wait, not that long before, more like a year earlier - he made his NHL debut against the Sharks.

Below he gives some thoughts about now playing them in the playoffs for the first time and shares what he likes - and is concerned about - heading into the series with San Jose.

But, first, let's go back in time for a minute...

MM: What do you remember about that October 2008 game?

DD: To be honest, my memories of it aren't the greatest. I remember going out for the third period and we had a power play. I felt I had played well for the first two periods. Obviously, I was a little shy, just because of the speed of the game and stuff like that - I wasn't used to it yet. But, I remember walking out onto the ice for the power play and I told Simmer (Wayne Simmonds) that I had to do something because I felt like I was just out there, not doing much. He said 'Don't do it, man.' I went down and I tried to make a move on the power play, I turned it over and they ended up coming back and scoring. So, that's my memory of my first game, which isn't the best one.

MM: Does he like to remind you that he told you so?

Kings vs Sharks - What Could Happen, Has Happened

Some credit card commercial says there's a one-in-18 chance of a hat trick being scored in an NHL game.

So, that's something that could happen.

However, here are a few of the more likely stories to watch for tonight (and some other loosely connected tidbits)...

* Should the Kings win, they're officially in the playoffs. Also of note - if the Kings can earn four points in their final four games, they're guaranteed to finish higher than Anaheim.

* Ryan Smyth's first goal as a member of the Kings came against the Sharks on October 6, 2009.  Since then, he's scored three more in another nine games between the two teams.

* Sharks captain 'Jumbo' Joe Thornton needs just three points to reach the 1,000 mark for his career (story here). Jarome Iginla reached the same milestone last week.

POLL: Who Will Seize The Opportunity?

With Justin Williams and Anze Kopitar out of the line-up for the final seven games of the regular season (and longer), nearly every Kings player is talking about guys needing to step up.

And although that seemed to be the theme of the day at practice yesterday, coach Terry Murray was stressing opportunity...

As in, "an opportunity for players to show what they can do on that side of the game now.”

Also noting that several guys will be placed "in a higher situation, more important situation and they’ll grow immensely through this opportunity.”

Specifically, he's "looking for a couple young guys to step up here and take advantage of this opportunity.”

Regardless of age, the Kings need to somehow, someway replace the goals lost by Kopitar and Williams. So, what do you think - who will have the most goals over the final seven games?

Before you vote, here's a quick look at the how the new Kings lines may impact a player's performance:

The Dream is Dead for Kevin Westgarth

You know the saying - when one door closes, another one opens.

Well, with Justin Williams unavailable (due to a shoulder injury sustained Monday night), Kings coach Terry Murray had a hole to fill on the top line with Dustin Penner and Anze Kopitar.

Sure, he could have gone with frequent fill-in Wayne Simmonds or the guy who started there early this season, Dustin Brown.

Instead, Murray does what he does best - he mixed things up!

Low and behold, like an early April Fools joke, the coach put Kevin Westgarth up on right wing.

The ripple effect of that decision was felt throughout twitter, facebook and the social media world yesterday. However, things were back to normal today when Oscar Moller arrived in town and was promptly given the purple jersey before practice - indicating he would be on the top line.

After the on ice workouts, I caught up with Westgarth...

MM: So, it looks like the dream is dead. You wont be up on the top line against San Jose tomorrow night after all...

KW: Yeah. When you get an opportunity like that you have to make the most of it. Maybe next time.

[In a little known fact, earlier in the year he and Kyle Clifford made a bet. The first one to get a Gordie Howe Hat Trick - a goal, an assist and a fight in the same guy - would owe the other guy a nice dinner. Westgarth had tried to get a movie thrown in, but young Clifford wanted no part of it. Dinner only.]

MM: That would have given you a great shot at finally winning the bet with Clifford. You're running out of real estate here with only a few games left in the season.