Trevor Lewis dishes on his new roommate - Mike Richards

When a new guy joins a team some of the first questions that need to be answered are what's his number and what's his nickname?

For Mike Richards, the move to LA has involved a change in both.

He left his familiar #18 behind in Philadelphia and now sports #10 with the Kings. As for the nickname, well - it's been a work in progress, largely because his teammates were already using 'Richie' for Brad Richardson.

After practice today, second-year center Trevor Lewis shed a little light on the situation. He also spoke about what it's been like to share a room with Richards on the road so far this season, as well as a few other changes he's noticed about this year's Kings team...



As for Lewis, last year many thought his nickname of 'Elvis' came from sharing a room with The Colonel (Kyle Clifford). However, it's actually a nod to his birthday, January 8th - yes, the same as Elvis.

Back to Richards...if it were up to me, I would have gone with something like 'trout' or 'bass' - something fishing related. Nobody asked though.

And contrary to any rumors out there, no Willie Mitchell doesn't have his own set of nicknames for Richards - like 'angel eyes' or 'pooh bear' - despite their admitted bromance.

The Mayor
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Coach Terry Murray convinced about Loktionov, unsure about Lewis

Mike Richards moves from Philly teacher to LA student - quotes from training camp

Kyle Clifford explains his nickname

Mitchell and Richards discuss their admitted bromance

Anze Kopitar in the lead for 3rd annual Eddie Joyal Award

Eddie Joyal, early LA Kings star

At the end of Spring Training, the Dodgers hand out the Roy Campanella Award, to a player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the team's former Hall of Fame catcher.

On a more humble note, for the past few seasons, MayorsManor has recognized the player who leads the Kings in pre-season points with the Eddie Joyal Award. It's a small way of recognizing and remembering one of the early stars in Los Angeles.

As the Kings were assembled for their first season in 1967-68, they were a hodgepodge of guys picked and plucked from various clubs across North America. Jack Kent Cooke's upstart group was made up of pieces acquired from the original six teams; plus some free agents, misfits, leftovers, cast offs and other assorted guys on skates. Nobody was quite sure what would emerge.

Joyal, a 6-foot center who had played only 121 NHL games for two different teams over the previous five years, broke out of the pack as one of the early stars. He went on to lead the team in points that year with 57, after assisting on the Kings first ever regular season goal.

More on Joyal in a moment though.

Let's take a look at past award winners and this year's current standings...

The inaugural award was given out in 2009 to Anze Kopitar. That year, he finished the NHL's exhibition season with eight points (5 goals, 3 assists), just ahead of defenseman Jack Johnson's seven points (2g, 5a).  Then, last season, Johnson moved from bridesmaid to the top of the heap. He actually posted the exact same numbers, yet beat out Kopitar for the award.

Entering tonight's game in Las Vegas - with only two pre-season games left for the Kings - Kopitar again leads the team with five points (4 goals, 1 assist). Close behind are Trevor Lewis and Dustin Brown (each with four points), followed by Slava Voynov, Justin Williams, Jarret Stoll and Johnson (all with three points).

Kopitar is also the all-time leading scorer over the course of the previous 13 Frozen Fury games (5g, 4a, 9 points), so that bodes well for his outlook later tonight.

Now back to Joyal...

VIDEO: 'LA Kings players' sing an American classic

On a day like today, there are few things more American than baseball.

Well, maybe hot dogs. And the video below touches on that too.

Enjoy a partially animated Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, Dustin Penner, Jack Johnson and Jonathan Quick as they temporarily trade in their Kings sweaters for some Los Angeles Dodgers gear.

SPECIAL NOTE: There's still time to enter the Drew Doughty contract contest! If you want to win a free t-shirt just by making a simple guess, click here.

Finally, several Dodger players stopped by MayorsManor this summer - including Matt Kemp, James Loney and Tony Gwynn - to check out what they had to say about the Kings and hockey in general, click here.

The Mayor
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Dodgers' Tony Gwynn remembers LA Kings '93 playoff run

Last month Dodgers' first baseman James Loney and outfielder Matt Kemp stopped by MayorsManor to share a few thoughts on hockey.

As you may recall, Loney is eager to not only come out to Staples Center for a game, but he wants to suit up and take part in warm-ups. Meanwhile, the always laid-back Kemp indicated he was more the 'ceremonial first puck' type of guy.

Then, there's outfielder Tony Gwynn, Jr. - perhaps a superfan in disguise...

Growing up, he says he spent summers in Long Beach with his grandparents. And although he never made it down to the old Forum for a game, that didn't stop him from cheering for the local hockey team.

"I was a huge Kings fan back when they went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993," Gwynn recently shared. "Back when they had Luc Robitaille and Wayne Gretzky, they had a bunch of good players. I remember watching the Vancouver series and when they won that series I was pumped up!"

Nearly 20 years later, is he still interested in the Kings?

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!"

Don Mattingly says 2012 will be 'Year of LA Kings, Dodgers'

Dodgers' Don Mattingly at LA Kings game

Forget the fact that the Dodgers are about a dozen back with 50-something games remaining. Matt Kemp insisted to me on Friday night his club was still in the race.

They've gone 2-2 since then and to borrow a phrase Vin Scully has probably used, the season is slipping away like sand through an hour glass.

While Kemp's optimism may be a breath of fresh air in what's starting to look more and more like an otherwise forgettable baseball season in Los Angeles, manager Don Mattingly still has big plans...just not for this year.

Unlike Kemp, Mattingly claims he's a bit of a hockey fan. "I've kind of slowly paid attention to things," reflected Mattingly. He spends his winters back home in Indiana, where he claims "there's not a whole lot of hockey going on." So, you'll have to excuse him when he says, "I still have trouble with all the names and everything. But, I love watching it."

Pro athletes are always impressed with what hockey players do on a nightly basis.  Competing in a team sport is one thing, but doing it on skates adds a whole new level of complexity. "It's pretty amazing what they do on the ice," Mattingly expressed. "The toughness, I love. Those guys are so tough. Some of them never come out of a game."

It's not entirely surprising that Mattingly appreciates that aspect of hockey.  Nicknamed 'Donnie Baseball,' he probably would have made a great hockey player too, had he chose that route.  Simply put, he was a gamer and one of those 'character' guys Kings GM Dean Lombardi constantly seeks.

After grievance filed, exclusive interview with Colin Fraser

Rich Clune, Colin Fraser at Dodger game

It's been a busy week in the land of Mulletgate.

After the Mike Richards press conference on Wednesday, Kings GM Dean Lombardi let it be known he was still keeping his options open when it came to dealing with the aftermath of the Ryan Smyth trade - although indicating things would become more clear in the next 48 hours.

True to his word, two dominoes fell. Center Colin Fraser did in fact have surgery in Los Angeles - ending speculation that he might miraculously heal without it - and on Friday the Kings formally filed their complaint with the league office.

Where things go from here is anybody's guess. The most likely scenarios mentioned - Fraser remaining on the Oilers roster until he's cleared to play (that's a cap savings) and/or additional compensation being given to Los Angeles in the form of a draft pick.

One thing is clear though, Fraser can't wait to put it all behind him and is hoping he's a fast healer.

As we stood on the grass at Dodger Stadium Friday night, with Jarret Stoll rigorously playing catch in front of us, Fraser opened up about the drama surrounding the Kings-Oilers trade this summer.

Matt Kemp unwilling to follow James Loney onto Kings ice

Over the past several seasons the Kings and Dodgers have maintained a friendly marketing relationship.

Players from both sides have visited the home turf of the other sport and helped promote their team and a greater sense of community between their fans.

Prior to last night's Kings-themed evening at Dodger Stadium, I spoke to first baseman James Loney - who was eager to come down to Staples Center and not just watch a game, but take part in warm-ups on the ice.

After the Dodgers downed the Diamondbacks 9-5, Matt Kemp didn't exactly share his teammate's enthusiasm for participation - "Nah, them boys are pretty rough, man. I don't think I'm too good on ice either. I'm a little clumsy. So, they got me on that. I'll definitely come watch a game. But, I don't think I'm going to get on that ice."

Like Loney, he hasn't formally been introduced to the NHL yet. "I've never been to a pro hockey game," said Kemp. "The first game I went to was a CHL game, the Oklahoma City Blazers. That was a long time ago."

James Loney eying LA Kings, thinking Bo Jackson v2.0?

Deion Sanders did it. Brian Jordan did it too. Most famously, Bo Jackson did it.

They were all two-sport stars.

However, that was football and baseball. To the best of my knowledge, no modern pro athlete has ever gone from the playing field to a sheet of ice in the NHL.

Could the Dodgers' James Loney be the first?

Prior to last night's Dodger game, I spoke with the first baseman to talk a little hockey. After all, it was 'Kings Night' at the ballpark.

"I haven't made it out to a game yet," Loney admitted. "I know at Spring Training in Arizona, they have hockey playing right next door too. I want to get out to one. So, hopefully it happens pretty soon."

He's not a complete hockey novice though. "I've been to a minor league game, the Houston Aeros (AHL)," Loney shared. "I remember a fight breaking out right after the National Anthem. It was pretty insane."

Unlike Andre Either, he doesn't want to just visit Staples Center to drop a ceremonial first-puck before the game. "I want to come and shoot some goals," Loney exclaimed with a huge smile and eyes wide open. "I want to come early. I want to put some gear on."

He even confirmed it wouldn't be the first time he's seen the ice - "I've been on skates, yeah!"

Then, Loney must have had a moment of clarity. "Maybe I can just be a goalie or something, just kind of move around back there. But, I want to get down and dirty with those guys."

As for the Dodgers and their weekend series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Loney said, "I'm feeling pretty good. We've been playing pretty well over the last few weeks. Maybe not getting as many wins as we'd like, obviously. But, we're coming off a pretty hot streak this last week. So, we're hoping to keep that rolling."

And they certainly did, beating the D-backs 9-5.

After the game, Loney mentioned to me again how serious he was about coming to a Kings game this winter.

Somebody order this guy a jersey and get him some skates.   We'll just need to see if Rob Scuderi is willing to give up his #7 for the night.

The Mayor
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RELATED ARTICLES:

Matt Kemp weighs in on James Loney's idea to play some hockey at Staples Center

Kings ruin Dodgers perfect record

Kings take the field for Opening Day at Dodger Stadium

up later - comments from Don Mattingly and Tony Gwynn Jr

Trevor Lewis ready to make some noise at center or wing

Martinez, Parse, Lewis at Dodger game

Just about everything Kings forward Trevor Lewis does, he does quietly.

Despite begin taken 17th overall at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, you rarely hear about him as a 'former first rounder' like you do with Jonathan Bernier or Thomas Hickey.

At the time, he was playing in the USHL - not major junior in Canada or NCAA hockey in the U.S.  Perhaps that's part of it.

This past season, in very under-the-radar fashion, he became one of the Kings best defensive forwards.

He also comes from Salt Lake City, Utah. A place not exactly known for being a super flashy town.

Tanned and freshly rested from last weekend's Kings cruise, Lewis was with a group of about a half-dozen teammates at Dodger Stadium Friday night. Before he took part in the first-pitch ceremony, I had a chance to catch up with him for a few minutes.

Even though it was his frist trip to Chavez Ravine, Lewis knew that it was commonly referred to as 'Blue Heaven on Earth' and described the place as simply "awesome," while looking around to soak it all in.

Kings Take The Field For Opening Day at Dodger Stadium

Dustin Brown - captain or catcher?

Over the last few seasons, the Kings and Dodgers have developed a more-than-friendly relationship.

In fact, when cross promoting each other, the home team had a perfect 6-0 record until just a few months ago.

Later this afternoon the boys in blue will take the field at Dodger Stadium against the hated San Francisco Giants to begin their new season.

After writing many times over the last few years about the parallels of these two teams - i.e. GMs from division rivals, tons of young talent, just one key player away from a possible run at a championship, etc. - I thought I'd go a different route in honor of Opening Day.

Which Kings players would step in for the Dodgers if they took over the starting line-up? Here's a quick look...

First Baseman, James Loney is... Dustin Brown - the all around, solid ball player that is under appreciated and underrated, even in his own town.

Second Baseman, Juan Uribe is... Justin Williams - somebody who put up good numbers with a different club, but you never truly appreciate how good he is until he's on your team.

Shortstop, Rafael Furcal is... Drew Doughty - either of these players could easily be called the best players on their team and be recognized as league MVPs in any year.

Kings Ruin Dodgers Perfect Record

Seven was unlucky in several ways last night.

It was game seven of the Kings' season long eight-game homestand - the part of the schedule that was supposed to see them climb the ranks of the Western Conference.

It was also the seventh time the Kings and Dodgers had joined forces on the marketing front. For 'Dodger Pride Night' at Staples Center they had manager Don Mattingly on hand for the first puck drop, former player Billy Ashley (who wore number, you guessed it - seven!) available for autographs and even produced a special Dodger themed hockey puck.

Past joint efforts had produced a perfect 6-0 record for the home team.

Not anymore.

Similar to last month's visit to St. Louis, the Blues looked ripe for the picking. They had lost five in a row and were still missing several key players with injuries. On the other side, the Kings were desperate for a win, after losing six of their last seven (there it is again!), and coach Terry Murray had put last year's most successful line back together - Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.

As they say, the games aren't played on paper.

The Kings were caught standing around several times on the ice and St. Louis looked like the team that wanted the victory more. They got it too, downing the Kings 3-1 in perhaps the most embarrassing home loss of the season.

Along with the defeat and further slide down the standings, the Kings-Dodgers perfect relationship is no more.

Here's a look back at their previous efforts...

*  On January 24, 2008 Tommy Lasorda drops the first puck and the Kings beat the Ducks 3-1.

...And Now You're Caught Up

For the loyal hockey fans who work hard all week and don't have time to follow the key stories, here are the ten things you need to know before the game tonight...

* Yesterday was Ozzy Osborne's 62nd birthday. Tonight, the other Ozzy - Chris Osgood, will start in goal for the Detroit Red Wings. He has a career record of 19-10-4 vs. the Kings, including 7-3-0 at Staples Center. Jonathan Quick will be in net for LA.

* Quick ran away with the October Player of the Month poll, capturing 51% of the votes.  Who won the November poll this week?  Results available here.

* Is AEG thinking of selling the Kings?  That's what money gurus Forbes say in this article. (h/t to Royal Half)

* The Montreal Canadiens are having their game-used equipment sale today. If you're still looking for a smelly Mike Cammalleri jersey, you better hurry.

* While Cammy continues to thrive since leaving Los Angeles, the same can't be said for one Mr. Alexander Frolov. This week he played just eight minutes for the Rangers on Thursday and was limited to only two shifts in the third period of Monday's game. Forget the goals, he hasn't had a single point in seven straight games. Ouch!

REVIEW: The draft, the game and a new goalie?

Before you get ready for your big Saturday night, here are three quick Kings related notes...

* Hockey's Future reviews the Kings' 2010 NHL draft.  They think the Kings picked up one player who can quarterback the offense, another who has limited offensive upside and a third with an "almost comical skating style."  The article also says that Tyler Toffoli (Kings' 2nd rounder) has "top-six potential" - continuing a theme, with many experts thinking he may be one of the steals in this year's draft.

* Following up on yesterday's articles re: the Kings-Dodgers "partnership" over the last few years, they ran their joint record to a perfect 5-0 last night when the Dodgers beat the Cubs.  I hope McChris is making plans right now to have Ethier, Kemp, Loney, Billingsley, Blake, Martin, Kershaw, etc. ALL drop the puck at Kings home games this season...on separate nights of course.  Fittingly - Dodger catcher (a Canadian and a hockey fan) Russell Martin blasted a 3-run homer last night.  A full game recap is available here.

* Dustin Brown and Martin also played a little hockey in the dugout prior to DLO throwing out the first pitch.  To see the video click here.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119

RELATED STORIES FROM THIS WEEK:
Thursday - From Greene to Brown to Blue Heaven on Earth
Friday - More Notes on the Kings, the Dodgers...and MY TOWN!


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More notes on the Kings, the Dodgers...and MY TOWN!

A few other notes on the game tonight:

* Chad Billingsley pitched for the Dodgers in the first game of this cross-town love fest back in August of  2008. He's back on the hill tonight when the Dodgers take on the Cubs during Kings Night at the Stadium.

* Last night was the anniversary of a rather momentous occasion at Dodger Stadium. It was 30 years ago yesterday that the Dodgers unveiled their then-state of the art scoreboard known as Mitsubishi Diamond Vision when they hosted the MLB All Star Game. Fans might take things like this for granted now, but it was the first video board of its kind. Coincidentally, the Kings are rumored to be getting their own state of the art scoreboard this summer, with an upgrade to HD. We shall see.

* For the "We miss the Forum'" crowd, you'll like this - remember that Gary Glitter song "Rock and Roll Part 2" (some call it the "Hey" song)...while the Kings don't play it anymore after a goal, the Dodgers still do after an LA slugger blasts a homerun. Go to the baseball game tonight and you may be able to get your HEY! out.

* Ilya Kovalchuk is not expected to attend the game, either as a fan or as a member of the LA Kings.

* Tickets in the MY TOWN section are still available.  The package deal includes all you can eat food and a pretty cool Kings-inspired Dodgers t-shirt.  Click here for details.

While Staples Center may be my home...when it comes to LA, THIS IS MY TOWN!

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119

Click here to read the part one of the Kings-Dodgers article, covering the history of their relationship.

From Greene to Brown to Blue Heaven on Earth

The race is on.

While casual sports fans looking at the Dodgers and Kings may see two entirely different franchises, their recent narratives have been quite similar.

Over the last few years both teams have stock piled young talent at key positions.  Additionally, both hired former executives from hated NoCal rivals to fill their then-open General Manager positions - Dean Lombardi was once the GM for the Sharks and Ned Colletti served as the Assistant GM for the Giants.

Both men have come under fire at times for some of their trades and free agent signings.  And in 2010 both GM's have had public...um, disagreements...with one of their youthful, budding superstars - Colletti challenged Matt Kemp's play on the field and Lombardi ruffled the feathers of Jack Johnson when he questioned the coaching JJ received in college.

The comparisons could continue...yet, when all is said and done, one key fact remains.  Since the Kings entered the NHL in 1967, the Dodgers have won two championships for Los Angeles ('81 & '88)...while the Kings came away empty in their lone trip to the Finals back in '93.

However, most sports fans tend to have a 'What have you done for me lately?' mentality.  Thus, the slate is virtually wiped clean of history.

So, in present times...with both teams perhaps on the cusp of something great...the race is on. Which organization will be able to capitalize first on their current crop of high-end talent, bringing a championship to their fans?

10 Tidbits for a Tuesday

There isn't a lot of hockey news right now in Los Angeles...however, from various points around the globe there are several stories brewing with connections to the Kings:

* Ryan Smyth was injured at the Hockey World Championships taking place over in Germany.  He was thought to have rolled his ankle at practice on Sunday.  Then, an MRI reveled the situation was much worse - a fractured left ankle.  He's headed back to LA tomorrow and is expected to be fully healed before camp opens in September.  TSN has the full story here.

* Team USA - captained by the Kings Jack Johnson - is in deep trouble in the same tournament.  They lost in front of 77,000 fans in the opening game on Friday.  They followed that up with a second overtime loss yesterday, this time to Denmark (by the same score of 2-1).  On the loss to Denmark - a team that didn't even qualify to play in the recent Olympics - Johnson summed it up best "It's inexcusable.”  The American squad will now face Finland on Wednesday.  With a win they can avoid being pushed into the regulation round.  Not exactly the fate you would have forecasted for the team prior to the tournament.

Bob Miller Tattoo?

Just got back from Dodges Spring Training in Arizona. After three days in the sun I'm ready for some hockey tonight.

I'll have more articles up later. However, I had to get this one up right away. I'm standing in line yesterday and I run into a woman who has Vin Scully tattooed on her forearm (pictured)!

It got me wondering, do you think there's anybody out there with a Bob Miller tattoo? That's some serious dedication.




The Mayor

www.twitter.com/Mayor119

Andre Ethier to drop puck at LA Kings - NY Rangers game

According to a press release earlier today from the Dodgers, outfielder Andre Either will be on hand for the ceremonial face off prior to the Kings game with the New York Rangers next Tuesday night.

Tuesday, February 2
Dodgers Andre Ethier and Hiroki Kuroda and former Dodgers Kenny Landreaux, Rudy Law, Bobby Castillo and Tommy Davis...will be on hand for day two of the Dodgers Community Caravan.

5 to 6:30 p.m. - ESPN Zone at L.A. LIVE Downtown Los Angeles
Dodger players and legends will be on hand for an autograph session.

7 p.m. - Ceremonial Puck Drop
Prior to the 7:30 p.m. L.A. Kings game versus the New York Rangers, outfielder Andre Ethier will head to Staples Center to take part in the ceremonial puck drop.

The full press release can be read by clicking here.

The Mayor
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