VIDEO: Kings coach Darryl Sutter on Saturday Night Live

It took Wayne Gretzky a full year of playing in LA before he was invited to host NBC's Saturday Night Live.  Darryl Sutter hasn't even been the coach of the Kings for three weeks, yet one of his recent press conferences made its way into a skit last night...

Even so, Sutter's best presser to date has to be this one.

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Robbie Czarnik, the somewhat forgotten LA Kings prospect

Czarnik at Kings DevCamp (photo by K. Spatz)

Earlier today we took a look at Kings prospect Andy Andreoff and his possible move from the OHL to the AHL this season.

You can definitely count on fellow Kings prospect, Robbie Czarnik, leaving the OHL though - he's out of junior eligibility.

The 6-foot center was originally selected by Los Angeles in the third round of the 2008 NHL Draft.  He began playing college hockey at the University of Michigan - who gave him a full scholarship at 15 years old - before moving on to play for the Plymouth Whalers.

Last season you didn't hear much about him though, given that Tyler Toffoli was running away with the goal scoring title and Russian superstar-to-be Maxim Kitsyn came over to play in the OHL after the World Junior Championships in January.

So, I asked him, does he feel like the forgotten prospect?

"No, not really," he said. "I don't really look at it that way. They're goal scorers, but I put up points too and I have another side of my game. I'm excited that I’m a two-way forward."

When he was in LA for Development Camp in July he says there wasn't one particular part of his game he was trying to show off. Instead, he wanted the coaching staff to see that he's continued to make improvements in his all-around game - including "puck protection, competing at all times and defensive-zone coverage."

Once Dev Camp was over though, he headed to Miami for a little R&R.

"My girlfriend lives down there," he explained. "So, I went and visited her for a little bit. She goes to Michigan with me. I had never been down there before, but it was a good time. We went to the beach and spent time in downtown Miami, South Beach and then went to the Keys for a few days."

Yes, even though he took his hockey game to the OHL, he still takes classes at Michigan.  Czarnik says he has no ill feelings towards the school - in fact, he loves it. He just felt he could better develop his skills in the OHL.

Czarnik also likes to pester his girlfriend on twitter. Earlier this summer he tweeted quite a few 'Go Mavericks' blats during the NBA Finals.

"I don't really care that much for basketball," he admitted.  "I was constantly giving her a bad time when they were playing Miami and she wasn't too happy about it. I went against the Heat because she's obsessed with the team. So, it was just a funny thing I would play with her about."

He also likes to tweet about some of his favorite TV shows - like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dexter, American Idol and Gossip Girl...wait, what?

LA Kings Lombardi - 'Kopitar may be the new Blake Griffin'

Mike Richards, Mike Richards, Mike Richards.

Don't worry, we'll get back to him later - there are plenty more notes and quotes from today's press luncheon that I'll post later.

How about we shift gears though for a moment...

Among the myriad of topics that Kings GM Dean Lombardi waxed poetically about for more than 30 minutes after the main session were some of the injuries to key players coming out of last season.

We didn't get much on how Justin Williams is recovering from his recent shoulder surgery, other than Lombardi saying he was "more than fine" and left LA a few weeks ago.

Not that the GM wasn't in the mood to share news on Williams, it was just a case of him being ready to go deep on Anze Kopitar. Only this time Lombardi wasn't preparing to talk about one of his favorite topics, baseball - however, he did through a change-up at us.

He first said Kopitar is 'close' when asked if he's back skating. "I heard that he was running," shared Lombardi. "I don't know if he went out for a twirl, it's not skating per se. Bottom line though, everything I heard last week is he's way ahead of schedule."

Dean was just getting warmed up too...

"Kopi's worked hard. I'm hoping this turns into a Blake Griffin (situation)...they said how hard he worked and appreciated the game," Lombardi said, comparing his young center's situation to that of the Clippers draft pick, who missed his entire NBA rookie year after damaging his knee in pre-season. "I sensed when he (Kopitar) left here, how hard he was working on his upper body. I had never seen him work that hard before. I think part of it was when you finally get hurt and you have to sit out...I hear Blake Griffin talk about that, 'In the end, it was really good for me to appreciate what I have.'"

Lombardi concluded by saying, "I (get) a new sense of vengeance and focus from Kopi. I'm hoping I'm right. But, everything I'm getting is, he's way ahead of schedule."

[UPDATE - OK, OK...if you just can't wait any longer, the first Mike Richards article is up now (link) - he looks ahead to the first game of next season, talks 'hatred' for the New York Rangers and about fighting Brandon Dubinsky]

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RECAP:  Dean Lombardi meeting with 'shareholders'

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Agent Pat Brisson on NHLPA Meeting w/ Donald Fehr

Some may call him the agent to the stars.

Pat Brisson represents some of the biggest names in hockey - past, present and future. Just a small list of clients he's worked with includes Luc Robitaille, Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, Matt Duchene and Anze Kopitar.

Although he was was a pretty good junior hockey player himself as well (even reaching the Memorial Cup Finals), he's best known as a forward-thinking agent who has been helping shape the business side of the game for more than two decades now.

He was also one of about 20 agents at the meeting in Los Angeles Thursday hosted by the NHLPA's new Executive Director, Donald Fehr.

Immediately following the all day session we heard from Fehr (article here). And yesterday Dustin Brown's agent, Scott Norton, commented on what was learned and discussed by the group (article here).

Now, here are some exclusive comments from Brisson...

MM: At a high level, what did you think of the meeting and what did you learn?

PB: It was good. Overall, we were getting to know Don (Fehr), his message and what he does. Of course, we know what he does - but, a small group session was a good idea. We got to express ourselves a little bit more and it's much easier to deliver a message that way. Overall, it was enjoyable.

MM: Donald Fehr been a rather public figure for the last 30+ years on the baseball side of things. Have you learned anything new about him yet or has he been as-advertised?

Soon you can have your pizza and eat it too...

Would you eat a Kings pizza?

For years sports teams have been slapping their logos on some strange products, usually in an effort to cash in on the the loyalty some crazed fans have for their teams.  However, this story is one of the more bizarre...

According to an article here - The National Basketball Association is now giving fans a chance to consume something else: team logos.  Starting next season, basketball fans ordering a pizza with their favorite toppings can also get it topped with an edible logo of their beloved team for an extra five bucks. Made of sugar, starch and food coloring, each logo is designed to melt into the cheese after the pizza has been baked and sliced. Some 1,200 pizza parlors across America will be supplied with the logos.

Really?  Is this what it's come to?

I'm holding out for a Kings themed ice cream from Ben & Jerry's.

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