LA Kings sign one of the top college hockey free agents

In something that's becoming quite the norm around this time of year for Kings GM Dean Lombardi, he added another college hockey free agent today.

Forward Brian O'Neill, who just finished his senior year at Yale, has reportedly signed a one-year deal with the team. According to reports, O'Neill was offered a similar deal last year, but chose to return to college for his final season.

Over the last three years, O'Neill has been remarkably consistent, scoring 45, 46 and 46 points. He also picked up a hat trick last February against Clarkson - where Dave Taylor and Willie Mitchell played their college hockey. This season, he posted 21 goals (one better than his previous best from last year) in 35 games.

Some additional highlights from his NCAA career:

- As a freshman he only missed one game and led all newcomers with 12 goals and 26 points.

- The following season he led Yale in points (45) and his 1.32 points per game ranked 7th in Division 1.

- Last year, he was a first-team All-ECAC player and led the Bulldogs in goals and points.

- After finishing his college career with 163 career points, second best in Yale history (Jeff Hamilton had 173), his coach Keith Allain told the local paper, “As the total package, I can make the argument that he’s the greatest player in Yale history...In terms of what his teams produced, leading the team in scoring three years in a row — and he’s so much more than just a scorer. I could go on and on about the contributions he’s made to our hockey program."

On a side note, the kid appears to have personality too - he was voted "most humorous" by his Yale teammates

The 5-foot-9 Ivy League Player of the Year is apparently on his way to Manchester (AHL) today for practice and will make his pro debut on Saturday vs. the St. John's IceCaps.

Other college free agents signed during Lombardi's tenure include Kevin Westgarth, Davis Drewiske and Ray Kaunisto.

UPDATE: O'Neill did not make it to Manchester in time for practice today.  However, he is expected on the ice for Thursday's session and we should have an interview with him up on MayorsManor a few hours after that. Stay tuned.

NOTE: Information from the Yale University website, including the photo, was used to prepare this article.

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VIDEO: Guest spot on Inside Sports - talking LA Kings trades

After the Kings 4-0 win over the Blackhawks last night, I was a guest on Inside Sports. Live from the press box at Staples Center, we talked about Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter, Jack Johnson, will the Kings make another trade before the deadline, what's going on in Manchester and much more. I'm the guest for the first half of the show, followed by Brian Kennedy (author of My Country is Hockey).

I was even able to work in two Dodgers references...

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Darryl Sutter on why the Kings didn't call up Kozun

Kozun in training camp (photo: Ikiri)

Nearly every player who's been in a game with him or against him has nothing but positive things to share when asked about Kings prospect Brandon Kozun. And much of that has been documented here on MayorsManor since he was taken by LA in the sixth round of the 2009 NHL Draft.

After last year, his first as a pro - where he finished eighth among AHL rookies in scoring (23 goals, 25 assists) and tied for third in the league with six game winning goals - he's among the Manchester Monarchs most productive players again this season.

When the Kings called up Dwight King and Jordan Nolan last week, Kozun's numbers were better than Nolan's and on par with King's. Yet, he didn't get the nod. Given his noted creativity and speed, something the Kings offense has been lacking at times, it was at least curious. So, I asked coach Darryl Sutter about it after practice today...

"You have a be a really dynamic player to play in the NHL when you're a little player. You have to be really dynamic," Sutter said of the 5-foot-8 right wing. "Those two kids who came in here now, they’re big guys who can skate. That’s what they are, right? When you’re a little guy, you better be really dynamic. How many of them are there? The only one who's (not a star) that I can think of off the top of my head - and he was a dynamic player at the American League level - is the little guy playing in Montreal, David Desharnais (5-foot-7). I saw him in the American League and I thought, 'He’s going to play,' because he was dynamic. You can't just be in and out. It’s a tough league to play in. The average weight of a defenseman in this league is 220, and they’re as fast as any players you have on your team. So, you have to be a pretty special player if you’re 40 or 50 or 60 pounds lighter than that."

Even so, King still had praise for his frequent linemate in Manchester.

VIDEO: Get to know Jordan Nolan - video highights from Manchester

It isn't very often when a 22-year old rookie is the best player on the ice during his first two NHL games. Yet, Jordan Nolan might be able to lay claim to such a statement after his performances in New York and Dallas over the weekend.

A seventh round draft pick by the Kings back at the 2009 NHL Draft, Nolan made quite the impression with his physical play and goal scoring ability.  A 6-foot-3 forward, he's always been a bit of a work-in-progress.  However, it was obvious at training camp in September that he had taken giant steps forward in his development and that solid play extended into his season in Manchester, where he had nine goals and 13 assists - not to mention his 119 penalty minutes - in 40 games played.

The Kings Vision team have pulled together a brief highlight reel, check out what he can do with his stick, as well as his fists...

To see a similar video package on Dwight King, click here.

For the MayorsManor article on Nolan and King being promoted from the AHL, click here.

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LA Kings prospects on TV tonight, plus other notes

It's Friday, so it's time for some college hockey. Three Kings' prospects will be featured on TV tonight...

- First up, Derek Forbort and the University of North Dakota will be at Minnesota-Duluth (ranked third in the nation). That game can be seen on CBS College Sports at 5 pm PST (DirecTV 614). Forbort, who was injured while playing for Team USA at the recent World Junior tournament, returned to action two weeks ago. On the season, he has one goal and four assists in 20 games played - although the former first round pick is primarily a stay-at-home defenseman.

- Two hours later, NBC Sports Network (DirecTV 603) will air Nick Shore and the University of Denver hosting number-one ranked Minnesota. Selected by the Kings in the third round of last June's NHL Draft, Shore was shut out last weekend after picking up three goals and seven assists in his previous 10 games. Overall, he has 24 points (7 goals, 17 assists) in 28 games played. Note: game two of the weekend series can be seen tomorrow night on a few of the FOX Sports regional channels.

- Wisconsin has the weekend off. They'll be at Denver next weekend, which will be the third weekend in a row Badgers sophomore Michael Mersch faces off with a fellow Kings prospect.  Taken by the Kings in the fourth round last June, Mersch has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 28 games.

Nolan, King up and Voynov, Stoll out for LA Kings

Slava Voynov is on his way back to Manchester. It's an easy move to understand, as the team was carrying an extra defenseman and it seems that coach Darryl Sutter has settled on Alec Martinez. Thus, it was time for Voynov to head back to the AHL, where he can play large minutes every night and continue his development.

Jarret Stoll was also placed on injured reserve with the ever-popular 'lower body injury.' No timetable has been set for his return.

And then there's this - forwards Jordan Nolan and Dwight King were called up from Manchester. In a nutshell, they're two of the Monarchs leading point producers and the two biggest forwards not named Ray Kaunisto. At 6-foot-3, both are just an inch shy of twitter phenom-to-be RayK71.

Speaking of 71, that's the number Nolan will wear when he makes his NHL debut tomorrow vs. the Islanders. King will wear #74, the same jersey he sported during his six-game NHL stint last season.

King, originally selected in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL Draft, had posted 11 goals, 18 assists 20 penalty minutes and a plus-6 rating over 50 games with Manchester this season.

Nolan, a seventh round selection at the 2009 NHL Draft, has probably been the Monarchs most improved player this season - with nine goals, 13 assists and 119 PIM. Both players also spent a little bit of time with the Ontario Reign (ECHL) after first turning pro.

Oscar Moller and Bud Holloway getting tricky on the ice

Oscar Moller and Bud Holloway - remember those two?

Well, before we get to the crazy video and picture below, first let's set the table...

Moller was selected by the Kings in the second round of the 2007 NHL Draft and the 5-foot-10 forward has played 87 games with the big club. Holloway, a left wing, was taken the year before in the third round. He's yet to get a sniff in the NHL, even though he led Manchester (AHL) in points each of the last two seasons.

The offensive minded duo took their talents to Sweden this season, a move that irked Kings GM Dean Lombardi - just read his full comments on the matter here.

Holloway is a few weeks away from his 24th birthday. Yet, how close we are to his NHL debut may be something still up for discussion. He's currently leading Skelleftea with 37 points through 45 games and is fifth in league scoring.

In a recent interview, Holloway described his situation in Europe as "A high-paced league with more puck possession and speed. And playing against that speed and skill every night helps a player develop."  Still disappointed the Kings never called him up last year, while performing so well in Manchester, he later added - "You'd think that deserves a shot, but you never know what the parent club is thinking or what their plans are."

Interview with Jonathan Quick's replacement in net

When the Kings returned to their practice facility on Monday after nearly a week long break there was a stranger sitting in Jonathan Quick's stall. Perhaps even more confusing to some, he was putting on goalie equipment.

Salvatore Tecci had been at the rink since noon, hours before practice was set to start. As the players slowly trickled in, each pretty much did the same thing. "They would walk past me, then turn and do a double take," he said. "Many had a look of 'Who is this kid?'"

Eventually, they came over and welcomed him. "But, they would introduce themselves by their first names, which didn't really help because I didn't know who they were," he shared.  "Having lived in Boston for seven years, if I would have practiced with the Bruins, I probably would have known everyone on the team."

Tecci primarily grew up in Henderson, NV and his only exposure to pro hockey was the Las Vegas Thunder of the old IHL.

"When I first stared playing, there were only two ice rinks within 100 miles," said the 20-year old netminder. "I started skating when I was five, and eventually only became a goalie because one day somebody didn't show up. So, I said 'Yeah, I'll play goalie, they play the whole game.' I was always the youngest kid on the team, so they wouldn't give me a lot of playing time before."

In between filling in for one of his teammates back then and subbing for Quick while he was at the All-Star festivities, Tecci also attended the famed Thayer Prep School in Massachusetts - where a young Jeremy Roenick met Tony Amonte and skated on the same line together. As a freshman Tecci led the state in wins.

NHL scouts and college coaches paid him plenty of attention over the next few years. Yet, it all came to an abrupt end his senior year when he developed an eye infection that put him out of action for several months.

From tombstones to milestones - the travels of Jordan Weal

Life's lessons often come when you least expect it.

For Kings prospect Jordan Weal, one such moment arrived a few years ago while driving down the highway with his father. "He asked me a weird question," began the 19-year old center when we spoke recently by phone. "He asked me 'What would you want on your tombstone if today was your day?' I didn't really know what to say."

Weal went on to share that in retrospect, it may have been the moment his maturation process really took off. Although he's openly admitted to being a selfish player earlier in his junior hockey career, he appears to be a changed person these days.

It's something former Kings coach Terry Murray noticed as well, sharing these comments during training camp last September - "The most important thing that I saw was a player who is maturing and growing up. He’s a better teammate. He’s a really good guy now."

Even with Murray now gone from the Kings organization, Weal still values what he was told prior to being sent back to the WHL.

"When you hear something like that from a coach, it's really positive," said Weal, who feels he's made great strides as one of the leaders on the Regina Pats.  "As an older guy, you have to really be a team guy - that guy who's in the dressing room getting everybody ready to go. Maybe when I was younger, I was trying to focus on getting myself prepared for the game instead. As a leader, you have to really focus on the team first. Then, you can worry about yourself after that."

2012 AHL All-Star Game - notes on Zatkoff, Hickey, Stevens

The 2012 edition of the AHL All-Star game concluded tonight, with the Western squad defeating the guys from the East 8-7 in a shootout. Kings prospects Jeff Zatkoff and Thomas Hickey represented the Manchester Monarchs on the East team.

Zatkoff played the second period in net, facing 20 shots and surrendering there goals.

Hickey, who leads the Monarchs in plus/minus with a plus-14 rating, recorded zero points and took one shot in the game.

Kyle Palmieri, the Ducks first round selection at the 2009 NHL Draft, also picked up a goal for the Eastern Conference all stars.  He's split time between Syracuse (AHL) and Anaheim this season.

Andy Miele, last year's Hobey Baker Award winner (given to the top player in college hockey) - and a name Kings fans may remember from his stellar performance during Rookie Camp games in LA - had a goal, an assist and was plus-2. The Phoenix Coyotes signed him as a free agent last summer our of Miami (Ohio) University, the same school attended by Zatkoff and Kings defenseman Alec Martinez.

Prior to the game, the AHL held their annual Hall of Fame luncheon. Among the four honorees was Kings assistant coach John Stevens. He is one of only 16 men to win an AHL championship both as a player and as a head coach, having patrolled the blueline in over 800 games as a defenseman and later guided the Philadelphia Phantoms to the Calder Cup in 2004-05 after his playing days were over.

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VIDEO: Goalie Fight with LA Kings prospect JF Berube

We probably should have known it was bound to happen, as Kings goaltending prospect JF Berube used to have UFC champion Georges St-Pierre prominently featured on one of his masks. And while it wasn't an MMA fight, it did look like a preview for tonight's WWE Royal Rumble, when a fantastic brawl broke out during last night's Bakersfield Condors and Ontario Reign game.

The video below is about as wild as you'll ever see, with multiple fights, players interjecting into ongoing fights and even the goalies getting involved. As the saying goes, you have to see it to believe it...

Berube sent over a text this morning to explain things - "(Bryan) Pitton was kind of holding guys all over the ice and when he went to center ice we looked at each other and he kinda gave me the 'let's go' look, so I went."

As for why he took the mask off first - "I thought he would make it fair if I would take my mask off, but I guess not. I couldn't throw too many punches though because I was more focused on getting his mask off."

Then, to show what a gamer he really is, the final comment - "It was fun though I enjoyed it!"

For the record, Ontario defeated Bakersfield 5-1. However, if you're looking ahead to a possible rematch, the two teams won't play each other the remainder of the season. That was the final contest of their ten-game season series, with the Reign winning nine straight after dropping the first game on opening night.

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Kings prospect Kevin Gravel emerging from the shadows

Kevin Gravel (photo: B Hemmelgarn)

When you're taken in the fifth round of the NHL Draft, not many hockey fans know you're name. Even the most diehard puckheads have only a cursory knowledge of guys selected outside of the first - maybe second - round. For every Brayden Schenn, there's at least a dozen more like Jeff Shevalier, Peter Hogan and Greg Hogeboom.

Yet, players like Jamie Benn, Rob Scuderi and Ryan Miller have all gone from being fifth round selections to solid pro players. So, chalk it up to being late bloomers or maybe even scouts missing out on what they had to offer, who knows.

Therefore, it's not surprising that Kings prospect Kevin Gravel has long since moved past the Draft of 2010, all while seeing his stock continue to rise. Currently a sophomore at St. Cloud State University, he also has recently returned from a trip to the World Junior Championships.

Last summer, he penned an article here on MayorsManor and he's back today to fill us in on what's been going on over the last month or so.

After surviving the final roster cuts for Team USA in late December - a process that he describes as "pretty nerve racking, just sitting there wondering if your name was going to appear" - Gravel and company kicked things off with a bang, downing Finland 11-3 in their first game.

"Our confidence was really high at that point," Gravel shared. "Obviously, we were expecting to win that game. But, any time you can put up 11 goals on a team, you're going to be feeling pretty good about yourself."

LA Kings prospect Nick Deslauriers starting to find his way

Nick Deslauriers (photo: Scott Slingsby)

About 400 miles down the Atlantic coast, gym-tan-laundry is all the rage. Yet, for Kings prospect Nick Deslauriers, it's more about training, eating and shopping when he's not at the rink.

Earlier this week, we spoke by phone and talked about his adjustment to the AHL, as well as his first professional goal - scored last Sunday in front of the hometown Manchester crowd.

"It was a power play," Deslauriers began, when asked to describe the play. "I was with Thomas Hickey, who sets me up all the time. I've had a lot of chances that just haven't gone in. But that time, I took a one-timer and it finally went through."

While he wasn't surprised the puck made it past the goalie - as "Dwight King did a perfect job of screening him" - he was a bit perplexed that it's taken so long. "I think luck finally came to me and it was about time that something happened, with all the shots I've been taking. I've been posting around four to six shots nearly every game."

Drafted by the Kings out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2009, Deslauriers has leaned heavily on Monarchs captain - and fellow Frenchman - Marc-Andre Cliche as he settles in to this chapter of his hockey career.

"We talk a lot," he explained. "We try to talk in English in front of everybody. But, it's kind of weird - two French guys talking English. So, it's fun having one French guy here, just to talk with. If I have some problems that I can't communicate in English, I just go to him and he helps me. Having a little French time together is pretty awesome."

But, it was the support of the entire D-core that worked to keep his confidence high earlier in the season when he wasn't getting much playing time, largely due to the Monarchs having so many defenseman on the roster.

Big week for five of the LA Kings college prospects

As noted several times here on MayorsManor over the last few seasons, there has been a slow migration around the NHL away from relying so heavily on Canadian junior prospects. Conversely, we've seen a substantial increase in American-born players being taken in the first and second rounds of the NHL Draft.

The Kings are right near the top when it comes to U.S. players currently on the team and/or in the pipeline. With the big club, you have Jack Johnson, Matt Greene, Rob Scuderi, Dustin Brown, Trevor Lewis and many others - plus, Jonathan Quick in net.

And the team has a slew of players currently enrolled at major U.S. colleges, including 2010 first round pick Derek Forbort.

Last week, five of the college prospects made some news...

- Forbort was expected to be a major part of Team USA's defensive core at the World Junior Championship. Instead, he was injured along the boards early in the tournament (believed to be his knee) and didn't play in the team's final few games. He returned to the University of North Dakota last week. However, he did not play in either of their games over the weekend. So, we'll need to monitor the situation going forward.

- Kevin Gravel (fifth round 2010) has been coming on strong. He was named to the above mentioned USA squad and scored the game winning goal for them in their final game vs. Switzerland. The win ended an otherwise disappointing tourney for the Americans, who finished seventh overall.

Kings prospect Jeff Zatkoff makes life on the edge work

Just when you think you know the answer to the Kings goaltending depth, leave it to Jeff Zatkoff to change the question.

Originally selected by the team in the third round of the 2006 NHL Draft, it was starting to seem like he was slipping a bit in the organization's overall rankings. Obviously, Jonathan's Quick and Bernier have solidified their place with the big club. However, even last year - when he was thought to be the starting goalie as the season started - he saw undrafted rookie Martin Jones steal his job and make it to the AHL All Star Game.

Yet, things are back on track for the 24-year old Michigan native. In the last 48 hours alone, he's been named the AHL Goalie of the Month and to this year's AHL All Star Game.

Although he's sitting on a 10-4-1 record at the moment, the season didn't start out so well. Sure, he went to Europe with the Kings, but upon returning home he was a little rusty.

"The biggest thing for me personally was getting into game action," said Zaktoff "I played, basically, one period during the pre-season. Then, I came in and played that first game vs. Springfield [AHL]. It was kind of like an exhibition game for me, in terms of finding my game. So, my first real game wasn't where it needed to be and I had some things to work on still. As I played more games I got more and more comfortable, especially with the things I was able to work on over the summer. It's all starting to come together form me."

That's a bit of understatement. His 2.04 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and 6-0-1 mark at home say things are going pretty well.

WJC 2012: Kings prospects face-off on TV today at noon

The 2012 World Junior Championship is underway in Alberta, Canada. The top tournament for under-20 year old hockey players kicked off Monday with wins by Team USA and Canada.

Today, both teams are back in action again - with the U.S. facing Finland and Canada squaring off with the Czech Republic.

Of note, the US/Finland game will feature three LA Kings prospects. In the red, white and blue will be the Kings two tallest defensive prospects - Derek Forbort (6-foot-5, from the University of North Dakota, first round selection at the 2010 NHL Draft) and Kevin Gravel (6-foot-4, from St. Cloud State University, fifth round 2010 NHL Draft).

They could be shooting pucks at Christopher Gibson (2011 draft pick out of the QMJHL), as Team Finland hasn't announced their starter yet. He was in goal on Monday for all eight of Canada's goals. It wasn't pretty. In fact, it was so bad the announcers were using expressions like 'post traumatic stress disorder' and 'under siege' when talking about Gibson's day.

Three LA Kings prospects featured in two TV games today

The World Junior Championship kicks off today in Alberta, Canada. For those unfamiliar, it's the top tournament on the planet featuring under-20 year old hockey players. Last year, Russia came back from a several goal deficit in the third period to top Canada for the gold medal. And Team USA defeated Sweden 4-2 for the bronze medal.

While many of the Kings current roster has participated in past tournaments - including Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson and Mike Richards - it was some of their top prospects who won gold, silver and bronze medals at the WJC.

Brayden Schenn of Team Canada was traded to Philadelphia over the summer for Richards. Maxim Kitsyn is back home playing in Russia. Yet, Derek Forbort of Team USA has returned for a second year.

Here's a quick overview of the three LA Kings prospects in this year's tournament...

USA - Derek Forbort, defenseman, University of North Dakota, first round selection 2010 NHL Draft

USA - Kevin Gravel, defenseman, St. Cloud St. University, fifth round selection 2010 NHL Draft

Finland - Christopher Gibson, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL), second round selection 2011 NHL Draft

The Russians are invading LA - are you prepared?

The Kings will have have a new injection of Eastern European blood when they take the ice on Wednesday night against the visiting Anaheim Ducks.

Two of LA's top prospects were recalled today - forward Andrei Loktionov and defenseman Slava Voynov. Both were born in Russia and drafted by the Kings in the 2008 NHL Draft.

Although they've played the last few seasons together in Manchester, New Hampshire for the Kings' top minor league affiliate, they were born about 1,000 miles apart in their native land. Loktionov hails from Voskresensk, a city not far from Moscow, while Voynov is originally from Chelyabinsk - which is further east on a map.

Voynov held down the fort while Drew Doughty was negotiating a new contract with the Kings during training camp and was the last player cut before opening night rosters were submitted to the NHL.

Then, after Doughty was injured in the fourth game of the season, Voynov was recalled and played the next five games with the team - picking up two goals and an assist. He also scored a goal in his last game with the Monarchs this past Saturday. It was his third goal and fourth point in the AHL this year.

POLL: Which player should the LA Kings call up today?

Two big things happened over the weekend. First, the Kings offense woke up and scored five goals on Saturday night - the third time they've hit the nickel mark this season. Then, yesterday, left wing Dustin Penner was placed on the injured reserve list for a hand injury he suffered back in Thursday night's game vs. the Canucks.

When Scott Parse went down last week, center Colin Fraser was activated.

This time around, they don't have an extra forward here in LA waiting around. So, expect to see somebody from Manchester (AHL) headed West.

Down two left wings, who could it be?

Here are the likely candidates to select from (in alphabetical order)...

Rich Clune, LW - one of only two players on this list who has NHL experience (played 14 games for the Kings in 2009-10)...is known primarily as an agitator, he plays a high energy game and ironically, any consideration he gets will be in large part be due to two players who left the organization

Ray Kaunisto, LW - one of the rare left wings on this list and the funniest guy from Manchester on twitter...he'll call out anybody, even his own wife

Dwight King, LW - the other player on the list with NHL experience (six games last year)...he was also the guy the team tried to call up when Jarret Stoll was suspended in the playoffs, but they couldn't get it done in time...was one of the last players cut in camp this season...has six points in 17 games with Manchester this season

OHL vs. Russia - a Super Series report from Tyler Toffoli

On Thursday night, game three of the six-game Super Series took place in Ottawa. It's an annual junior hockey showcase, featuring an All Star team from the three CHL junior leagues (WHL, OHL and QMJHL), each playing a pair of games against a Russian squad of similar aged players.

You can also think of it as a tune-up for the World Junior Championship (WJC) and/or a preview for the upcoming NHL Draft. Just don't make the mistake of thinking the games don't count. Russia won the series last November and went on to win gold at the WJC a few months later.

For the third year in a row, Tyler Toffoli - one of the Kings top rated prospects - participated with the OHL group. Going into the game this year though, something interesting happened.

"My trainer in Ottawa was organizing everything and when he received all the jerseys, the 'C' was on mine. He let me know, but I didn't really believe him at first," said Toffoli, always mindful of the many pranks being played within the world of hockey.

"A couple of equipment guys and other people said it was true. Then, after it came out on the OHL website, that's when everybody starting texting me."

As if being named Captain wasn't enough pressure, the game was also being played at his home arena in Ottawa.