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."

Weal and Toffoli will be the only Kings representatives

Over the last few seasons, the LA Kings have been rated as having one of the top prospect pools among NHL teams. However, many of those players with high-end potential are starting to age out of junior hockey.

When it comes to Team Canada at the World Junior Championships (WJC), the Kings have also been well represented in recent years, with Thomas Hickey, Martin Jones, Brandon Kozun, etc.

Besides their annual summer evaluation camp, for the last eight years, Canada has tuned up for that event with a warm-up against a team of Russian players each November.

Dubbed the Subway Super Series, it's six games total, with the team of Russian all-stars playing twice against each of the three major junior leagues - the QMJHL, OHL and WHL.

Last year, the Kings were represented in every game - wtih Maxim Kitsyn (Russia), Nic Deslauriers (QMJHL), JF Berube (QMJHL), Tyler Toffoli (OHL), Jordan Weal (WHL) and Linden Vey (WHL) participating. Each of those players also appeared on MayorsManor during the tournament, offering their perspective on the games (links below).

With all six of the Kings' draft picks this past June being ineligible - three of the picks are playing college hockey, Andy Andreoff is too old, Michael Schumacher is from Sweden and Christopher Gibson will likely play for Finland at the World Juniors - only two of LA's prospects were available for the Super Series this year and both were selected.

Prospect Showdown - Schenn vs Weal

Over the past few weeks several of the Kings top prospects have been facing off in junior hockey.

First, it was Maxim Kitsyn vs. Tyler Toffoli in the OHL (recap here) and more recently Jordan Weal took on Linden Vey (recap here).

Now, it's time for the big dog. Brayden Schenn, the Kings first round draft pick in 2009, will meet Weal and his Regina Pats tonight in Saskatoon.

Schenn, who has only played six games with the Blades since being traded there a few weeks ago, is coming off his best game of the season.

Last night he was hit hard in the first period by Brett Ferguson of the Red Deer Rebels. After laying on the ice motionless for a few minutes he eventually shook off the cob webs and ended up scoring two goals and added an assist - the first multi-goal game with his new team.

The second one was also his 100th WHL goal.  That's not even close to a record though.  In fact, former King Ray Ferraro scored 108 in one season back in 1983-84 for Schenn's old team, the Brandon Wheat Kings. 

Kings Junior Prospects Square Off, plus Schenn

Over the last few years there has been a steady stream of encouraging news coming from the Kings prospects playing in junior hockey. They've had players win medals for their national teams at the World Junior Championships - including gold, silver and bronze this year - as well as made waves in the CHL.

Right now, they're sitting pretty with the leading goal scorers in the WHL (Linden Vey) and OHL (Tyler Toffoli), two of the three circuits making up the Canadian junior league.

A few weeks ago their top two prospects in the OHL, Toffoli and Russian sensation Maxim Kitsyn, faced off (recap here).

Last night it was time for two of their WHL prospects to do the same - plus Brayden Schenn had a memorable game.

Vey (4th round, 2009) and his Medicine Hat Tigers traveled to Regina to take on Jordan Weal (3rd rd, 2010) and the Pats. Weal finished last season with the third most points in the WHL, trailing only fellow Kings prospect Brandon Kozun and Jordan Eberle.

He's having another strong season and added a goal and two assists (and was a plus-2) in this game. However, the Tigers won 4-3. Vey increased his totals with another goal and assist as well. That gives him a league-best 81 points (32g, 49a) in 45 games.

Meanwhile, it wouldn't be a WHL report without some news on Schenn...

WHL Trade Rumors Update - Schenn and Weal

It looks as though a new team may possibly be in on the Brayden Schenn sweepstakes.

As reported here, there is strong speculation that Schenn will be traded by the Brandon Wheat Kings prior to Monday's WHL Trade Deadline - with the front runners believed to be the Portland Winterhawks and his hometown Saskatoon Blades.

Stories out of Saskatoon yesterday already had Blades' GM and head coach Lorne Molleken admitting that he had spoken to the Wheat Kings about possibly acquiring Schenn.

Now, according to an article in Regina's Leader Post, the Kootenay Ice are "among the suitors."

They're battling Saskatoon for the best overall record in the WHL and both teams have made it clear "they want to make a splash at the deadline."

The same article goes on to say the Regina Pats "have already received legitimate offers for star center Jordan Weal, but he's believed to be strictly off limits, unless of course a team literally offers the sun and the moon."

Regina, currently tenth is their conference, is expected to make some moves. The question is, are they buyers or sellers?

More to come as information becomes available.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor

(h/t to Neate Seager for the Leader Post link referenced above)

RELATED ARTICELS:

Another Deadline for Brayden Schenn

Interview with Jordan Weal

Updates on LA Kings Prospects - 1/7/2011 article

Tuesdays with Teubert

By now everybody knows about Drew Doughty. Taken second overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. Made the Kings as a teenager and just won a gold medal with Team Canada at the Olympics.

Yet, the Kings did something else later in the first round that same day in 2008. After several trades they ended up with the 13th pick too - where they took 6'4" defenseman Colten Teubert of the Regina Pats (WHL).

When the Pats missed the playoffs last week Teubert was sent to the Kings ECHL affiliate in Ontario - the same place he ended up last year too.

After his game on Sunday Teubert covered a variety of topics with the Mayor, like - Was he worried about being traded in a possible Kings deal for Ilya Kovalchuk or Ray Whitney? What does he think about Thomas Hickey? His memories from the epic Canada-USA games at this year's World Junior tournament and guys taken below him in the draft already playing in the NHL.

It's another MayorsManor exclusive interview...first round draft pick Colten Teubert:

Question of the Day

Now that the Regina Pats have been eliminated from the WHL playoffs, where will 'Mr Nasty' Colten Teubert end up? The Kings 2008 first round draft pick was sent to the Ontario Reign after last season.

The Reign are currently battling for the final playoff spot in the ECHL's National conference. A player of Teubert's caliber would sure be a shot in the arm for the 'proud affiliate of the LA Kings.' He's won back to back medals at the World Junior Championships for Team Canada and finished this season as the Pats captain...not to mention the physical presence the 6'4" defenseman brings to the ice.

That said, the AHL's Monarchs - the Kings top minor league affiliate - have lost a ton of players to injury this season. Additionally, they've been sliding a bit recently, having fallen to third place in their division. On paper this would seem like his most likely landing spot...especially for his development.

The answer should come in the next few days.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119

Report: Doesn't play well with others...

Only one professional hockey team from SoCal made the playoffs this past season, the Ontario Reign (remember, the Ducks don't exist to me - they're a movie, not an NHL team). When I found out that Colten Teubert, the Kings highly regarded prospect, would be lacing 'em up there for the playoffs I knew it was time to go to a few games.

Some buddies and I went to two games.

In the first home game Teubert looked like a beast. You could clearly see this kid had skills a few levels above nearly every other player in the building that night. Sidebar - I always find it somewhat humorous when fans say things like "he was NHL ready". Really? You're confident enough to make that statement after watching a guy play against other people that aren't even close to NHL caliber? Big fish small pond doesn't guarantee success when stepping up. At best, again as a fan, about the only thing you can say is a player (like Teubert that night) is at a level above the people he is playing against.

How quickly things change from game to game...

The man beast that was crushing people and was flat dazzling in game one was nowhere to be found in game two. It was scary how a kid that seemed like he was EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME in game one was NOWHERE to be seen in game two. We later learned that apparently he had some sort of upper body injury at the end of game one (shoulder, arm, can't remember) that somewhat limited him the rest of the series. Still, wow - it was like two different players.

I'm not bashing Teubert or the pick or his future. In Dean We Trust.

Fast forward a few months and it looks like Teubert subscribes to the Jim Rome theory of MAN'S GAME. He is lightn suckers up, smokin fools and all the other phrases that make sports talk radio enjoyable and annoying at the same time. Check out how Teubert was rolling earlier this week in what was basically a SCRIMMAGE(!) for team Canada's WJC team..



NHL ready? Who knows? I'll wait for Coach Murray or Dean or Hex or some other expert to weigh in on that topic. For now, let's all just have fun watching that clip again.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/MayorNHL
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RELATED ARTICLE:
The Mayor interviews Colten Teubert

note: to watch the full report from that game, follow TSN's coverage here: WJC Summer Camp