LA vs Phoenix Preview - TwInterview with Biz Nasty

In hockey circles you have your black aces, plumbers, pipefitters, fillers, bridges and so on.

There's also a whole different type of role player. This guy has played in less than 100 NHL career games, has scored three goals total over three seasons and averages only five minutes of ice time a night for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Yet, he had more All Star Game votes this year than Matt Duchene (Colorado), John Tavares (NY Islanders) and Dustin Brown.

If Howard Stern is the King of All Media, then Paul Bissonnette is certainly the Champ of Twitter (sorry Ashton Kutcher, you lose).

Tweeps know all about @BizNasty2point0. However, if you're not connected to the twitterverse yet, you're missing his takes on PT Cruisers, homeless people, hot girls, scrabble games with teammates, attempted translations of Ilya Bryzgalov quotes and shopping tips like this one - "Just bought the beats by Dr. Dre Pro. These things make William Hung sound like Pavarotti." Followed by "These headphones are like the shake weight on crack."

As the master of 140 word or less quotes, it was only right that the first ever MayorsManor twinterview was with Biz Nasty himself.

Here are a few thoughts he shared with me prior to tonight's game...

MM: You've introduced the masses to many words on twitter - i.e. twigs (hockey sticks), apples (assists) and twooping (you don't want to know!). What word have you used that confused people most?

PB: None, cause I'll usually explain them via twitter.

MM: You recently noted you have a new roommate on the road (Chris Summers). Why the change and what do you think about it so far?

PB: Because (David) Schlemko is out with a conci (concussion) and not on the road. So I have the call up.

MM: How are things going with the new clothing line and what are some future plans?

PB: Sauce Hockey is expanding. We have some (more) stuff coming out soon.

[note: If you're thinking those are pretty bland answers and were hoping for something good, hang on...he's about to bring the heat...]
MM: The Kings have three scrappers right now (Kevin Westgarth, Kyle Clifford and Wayne Simmonds). You've faced off with Westgarth twice, including once in the AHL, and Clifford during the pre-season.  What are your thoughts on those guys?

PB: Clifford jumped me in pre season, then I asked him to fight last game like a man, (he) wouldn't. Standard. Heard he jumped guys in junior a lot. As for Westgarth, tough customer. Clifford is tough too, he will get stronger too, and he can play.

There was supposed to be a fifth question about his playing time in juniors (Owen Sound0 with the Kings' Brad Richardson and Ducks' Bobby Ryan. I haven't heard back on that one. Technical difficulties I guess. So, we'll save that for a different day.

Tonight the Kings and Coyotes will meet for the third time this season. Perhaps Bissonnette will get that rematch with Clifford he's been looking for.

If we're lucky, he'll even tweet about it after the game.

The Mayor
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RELATED ARTICLES:

Interview with Eric Belanger - Game Preview prior to the last LA-PHX game

Interview with Cam Janssen of STL Blues - he comments on Kings and Biz Nasty

Interview with Bobby Ryan - talks about his friendship with Kings' players

Clifford and Westgarth respond to Biz Nasty Twinterview

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Throwback Thursdays - Interview with Dave Schultz

These days the connection between the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings is largely off the ice, through members of management.

Back in the '70s it was completely different.

Not only did they come into the league together in 1967, but they shared a few players early on - including the Kings sending two of their more popular players to the City of Brotherly Love in January 1972, Cowboy Bill Flett and Eddie Joyal.

In 1976 Dave 'the Hammer' Schultz joined the list, joining the Kings after winning two Stanley Cups with the Flyers ('74, '75).

As a rookie in 1972-73, he led the league with 259 penalty minutes. He nearly doubled that two years later when he posted 472 penalty minutes, setting the NHL's single season record - a mark that still stands today and will probably never be broken.

He had 232 penalty minutes in his only full season with the Kings ('76-77), a record that stood for 10 years - until being broken by 'Tiger' Williams.

With the Flyers in town tonight to take on the Kings it was only natural that we reached out to the man who was one of the most feared enforcers the game has ever known.

In the interview below he shares some thoughts on his days as a player as well as the Kings and Flyers of current...

LA-PHX Rookie Game Preview with Kyle Clifford

Cross referencing the Phoenix Coyotes rookie camp roster with the HockeyFights.com database, there doesn't appear to be anybody who's had an official scrap with the Kings Kyle Clifford.

In just a few short hours, that should change.

For the past few years the Kings and Coyotes have made it a point to test each other's rookie squads with a few "games" near the end of the camp.  Don't think for a minute though these are just glorified scrimmages.

Coach Ray Edwards was on the Coyotes website earlier today talking about how serious they're taking these games, saying "We want to win."  And that's all nice and dandy.  However, a few of the Kings kids may have more on their mind that just a simple victory.  They were embarrassed last year in a 6-1 loss when the Coyotes came to LA (the series alternates location each year).

Clifford may be just the guy to help them out.  The former second round draft pick is coming off back to back OHL seasons with at least 110 penalty minutes.

He's not solely an enforcer though. Last season he had 57 points in 58 games (28 g, 29 a).

In the annual OHL Coaches Poll a few months ago, he was voted the best defensive forward in the Eastern Conference and second in the 'Hardest Worker' category. 

Currently, he's fighting for a shot to make the Kings roster this season - something many people believe he'll do.

With game one of the two-game rookie series set to take place later tonight, we checked in with Clifford to see how camp is going so far and talk about the team's preparation for the Coyotes.

MM:  How did things go over the weekend for you, getting back on the ice with all the other prospects?