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?

Future Fridays - Interview with NHL prospect Nick Bjugstad

On a Saturday afternoon earlier this summer, things were lining up perfectly. Almost too perfectly.

Twenty one summers prior, Scott Bjugstad signed with the Kings after spending one season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  While he scored only five goals over the next three years in Los Angeles, it still allowed him entry into a very small club - players who could say they were teammates with Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.

Two decades later, as the first round of this year's NHL draft reached pick #15, Nick Bjugstad was still available.  Scott's nephew could possibly be taken by his former team at #19...he just needed to survive four more picks.

Then, there was a buzz on the floor at Staples Center, followed by the Commissioner announcing a trade.  The Kings had worked a deal to acquire Florida's #15 selection.  Had Dean Lombardi just traded up to take the 6'5" center?

No, he ended up taking another defenseman - Derek Forbort.  However, in a twist of irony, Nick Bjugstad was taken by the Florida Panthers in the #19 slot, the one originally owned by the Kings.

Adding to the confusion, Nick says "After the draft I heard from several people that thought I was taken by the Kings, instead of selected in the spot the Kings traded out of. And some other people I know thought I was traded to LA right after I was drafted.  It was a little crazy at first."

That June weekend was just another of the many high points Nick has experienced this year.  A few months prior he won the 'Mr. Hockey' Award as the top player in the state of Minnesota.  Just a few weeks ago he was one of the stars at the Team USA evaluation camp for the upcoming World Jr Championships.  And next month he'll start classes at the University of Minnesota, his dream school.

In the interview below he opens up, taking us on a journey from his early days on the ice to his whirlwind summer.  There's another Bjugstad headed to the NHL soon...so, get to know Nick...

As you look back now to those early days, what's the most vivid memory that really stands out in your mind?

Throwback Thursdays - An Interview w/ Robb Stauber

For an organization that five years ago had zero credibility when it came to developing goaltenders, the Kings have made quite the turn around under the direction of GM Dean Lombardi and Assistant GM Ron Hextall.

Today, goaltending is a strength...with names like Quick, Bernier, Zatkoff, Jones and Berube set to man the nets next season for the Kings and their various affiliates.

However, the Kings had a shot at something similar at least once before.  Case in point, in 1986 the team drafted Robb Stauber out of high school.  Before arriving in LA he had a stellar college hockey career at the University of Minnesota - becoming the first goalie to ever win the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's player of the year (and he did it as a sophomore!). His teams also made it to the Frozen Four three straight years.

Then, after Robb spent a few more seasons developing in the minors, he began battling Kelly Hrudey for the starting job during the 1992-93 campaign, winning 15 games in 31 regular season appearances.

While Hrudey is fondly remembered as being the man during the Kings run to the Stanley Cup Finals that same year, he had plenty of praise for Stauber and his role on the team when I interviewed him last year - saying things like "Robb had played so strong he deserved the action he was getting too." 

Specifically, on Stauber's performance in the opening round of the '93 playoffs versus Calgary, Hrudey added "We were down 2-1 in the series. Robb (came in and) played in game four and we won 2-1 to even the series. Barry (Melrose) stuck with Robb in games five and six...He won the series."

Just one year later, the Kings drafted Jamie Storr 7th overall at the 1994 NHL Draft - after he won a gold medal for Team Canada at the '94 World Junior Championships.  He backed it up with another gold medal at the '95 WJC.  Goaltending should have been set for years to come.

What happened?  What went wrong?

We first posted an interview with Robb back in April, where he helped preview this year's NCAA Frozen Four Championship game and talked about his days playing college hockey.

This time around, we're talking more about his time with the Kings - from first joining the team to the multiple goalie controversies of '93, coach Barry Melrose, life in the minor leagues, Rogie Vachon, Jonathan Quick, Jamie Storr, Dominik Hasek, being known as "Blueline" and the real reason why he was traded...

Interview w/ former Hobey Baker winner & Kings goalie Robb Stabuer

College hockey is alive and well people. Just look at the LA Kings roster - Jonathan Quick, Jack Johnson, Davis Drewiske, Peter Harrold, Matt Greene, Rob Scuderi, Scott Parse...they all played NCAA hockey prior to becoming NHL players.

There have been many more before the current group though, including an unheralded member of the Kings team that made a run to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals...Robb Stauber.

Blueline, as he was affectionately known during his playing days, was the first goalie to ever win the Hobey Baker Award in 1988...as a sophomore! For those unfamiliar, that's hockey's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. He also went to the Frozen Four three times as a member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. After wrapping up his pro career he returned to his alma mater and joined the coaching staff, where he helped guide the team to three more Frozen Four appearances.

Tonight in Detroit this year's college hockey championship will be decided when two of the premier programs in the country battle for the title, Wisconsin and Boston College.

To help get everybody ready for the season ending game we sat down with Robb for a conversation about college hockey - both as a player and as a coach.
Straight out of the net and racing towards the blueline, it's Robb Stauber...