Two Minutes in the Box... with Wayne Simmonds

Whenever trade rumors involving the LA Kings come up lately, one of the first names mentioned is Wayne Simmonds.

And why not? Teams love players like Wayne. He's young, physical, very coachable and continues to improve each season.

Two years ago he burst onto the scene - forcing his way onto the Kings according to coach Terry Murray and GM Dean Lombardi. Last year, in his second NHL season, he posted 16 goals and 40 points (nearly double the output of his rookie campaign, nine goals and 23 points). Even more impressive, he led the team with a +22 rating.

However, he's yet to pick up a point in the first three games so far this season. Perhaps that will change tonight against Vancouver.

Here's two minutes with 'Wayne the Train'...

Over the summer you were on the cover of The Hockey News.  Growing up in Toronto, I'm sure you read that magazine a few times.  What did that mean to you?

I thought it was pretty special, for Chris Stewart (of the Colorado Avalanche) and I to get the cover.  They came and followed us for a day.  We got our story out and it's good for younger people with similar situations to know they can make it, they just need to be positive and they just need to stick to it.

Interview with Dave Torrie, GM of the Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver...are all names that come to mind when thinking of places in Canada.

Sault St. Marie isn't one of them. Located about six hours from the hockey hotbed of London, Ontario, the OHL Arena Guide notes "For a city as isolated as Sault Ste. Marie, visiting fans are a seldom-seen rarity."

However, it hasn't stopped the locals from packing the home town building to watch their Greyhounds. Through the years the team has featured a who's who of hockey - Ron Francis, Phil Esposito, Tony Esposito, Paul Coffey, John Vanbiesbrouck, Marty Turco...and that Wayne Gretzky guy.

For the last seven years the organization has been run by Dave Torrie, a man with his own impressive resume - he owned, coached and managed the Chatham Maroons (a successful junior B franchise) for 10 years and previously served as a scout and player personnel director for the 'Hounds. Thus, the man knows hockey, especially at the junior level.

In an article a few days ago he offered up his opinions on several Kings prospects that have spent time in the Soo.  Today, he's back for more - with insight into the world of junior hockey, the art of drafting players and thoughts about a very interesting road trip they'll be taking this coming weekend as part of their training camp.

Enjoy!

MM:  Earlier this summer the Kings drafted Tyler Toffoli out of the OHL.  As a player born in 1992 he was part of the 2008 OHL draft, which has become one of more controversial drafts of late.  Several top players taken in the first round that year were accused of manipulating the draft by saying they were going to college instead.  Is this a common occurrence in junior hockey?

OHL GM speaks out on Kings prospects

If you like GMs that aren't afraid to speak their mind, leaders like Dean Lombardi and Brian Burke, then you'll probably love Dave Torrie.

For the last seven years he's been at the helm of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL.  Although he could be described as an Ontario, Canadian hockey lifer, his ties to Los Angeles are extremely strong.  When you look down the list of current Kings prospects, he's played a role in the development of many, including Kevin Westgarth and Jake Muzzin.

Then, there's this guy named Wayne Simmonds.  Torrie was so high on him, he once made a three-for-one swap to acquire him in a 2008 trade-deadline deal. 

There is no doubt Torrie knows his hockey too - he's been a scout, an owner, a coach, a director of player  personnel...and the General Manager of the 'Hounds since 2003.  We covered a lot of ground, so it's best to split this up into two parts. 

First up, let's get some thoughts on a few Kings prospects and that big trade he made to acquire Simmonds...

Late in the '08 season you traded for Wayne Simmonds.  What was it about his game that made you want him for the 'Hounds playoff run that year?

At that time we were one of the top four or five teams with a legitimate shot at the OHL Championship.  We felt Wayne was probably the most impactful player that was going to be available at the trade deadline, so we worked hard to get a deal done. He's a guy who came into the OHL late, but very quickly developed a reputation as an impact player by contributing good offense, along with great aggressiveness and great energy.  Looking at him you thought 'When the games get tough, he'll be the type of player that will help your team win those one goal games.' We paid a big price in the package we sent to get Wayne and we eventually lost in the Conference Final to Kitchener.  But in the end, no regrets. He brought a lot of attributes to our team.

What do you think of his game today, has it progressed like you thought or is there still some upside left?

Wayne 'TheTrain' Simmonds - attracting more interest everyday

Just a few weeks ago it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Wayne Simmonds would be changing his number soon. All signs pointed to the Kings signing some Russian winger who scores a lot of goals. That didn't happen. He, sorta, went to the Devils.

Meanwhile, Simmonds, who just completed his second season in Los Angeles, found himself on the cover of The Hockey News this week.

The magazine's article was supplemented online with a video conversation held with Simmonds and the Avs' Chris Stewart, who apparently share a home together in the off-season. A secondary article on the site focuses on their agent, Eustace King, the first and only African-American agent representing NHL players.

In the past, Wayne the Train has been linked to Willie O'Ree - the first player to cross the NHL's color barrier back in 1958. He even read from O'Ree's autobiography for some children visiting the NHL store in New York last year.  Here though, the focus was on two stars of the future, rather than the past.  Stewart and Simmonds are a few of the current poster boys for minorities in hockey...or as the NHL calls it, Hockey is for Everyone.

Regarding the taunts O'Ree had to endure growing up and if he had experienced similar things as a youngster, Simmonds told Helene Elliot of the LA Times "You rarely hear it anymore. But when you're younger you have the ignorant kid that says something because he's not educated or his parents don't teach him, I guess. But now you don't hear anything, and that's good."

Wayne's story isn't just about the color of his skin, it's more about being a hockey player.  This sport is expensive and many parents can't afford to buy the gear necessary for their children to participate - regardless of being black, white or brown.  The Simmonds family found a way to overcome those obstacles and Wayne has repaid them with an ever-growing passion for the game.

His play on the ice continues to improve as well.  Simmonds followed up a strong rookie year by tying for the team lead in goals during the preseason last September - just barely losing out to Anze Kopitar for the first Eddie Joyal Award.

Future Fridays - Interview w/ Brock Beukeboom

Call it the Jeff Halpern pick.

Kings GM Dean Lombardi has been known to wheel and deal his draft picks - trading up, trading down and often bundling them with an 'asset' when trading for another team's player.

At the 2009 NHL Draft, Lombardi did a two-for-one deal, sending the Kings fourth and fifth round selections (#107 and #138 overall) to Florida in exchange for the Panthers' third round slot in this year's entry draft.

Then, at the trading deadline in March, Lombardi packaged that pick with Teddy Purcell, sending them both to Tampa Bay for Jeff Halpern - a move Lombardi thought would help the Kings down the stretch and in the playoffs.  After all, Halpern had played in 24 post season games - which was 24 more than Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty had at the time.

This article isn't about the Kings playoff run though.  Instead, we take a look down the other side of the fork in the road created by the Kings-Lightning trade.  

New Lighting GM Steve Yzerman used that third round draft pick to select Brock Beukeboom.

If that name sounds familiar, it should.  Brock's father is Jeff Beukeboom, who was a punishing defenseman for the the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers.  He collected four Stanley Cups before his career ended in 1999.

Like most recent drafts, bloodlines were a common theme at this year's event.  Jarred Tinordi, the son of former NHLer Mark Tinordi, was the Canadiens' first-round pick.  Fellow first rounder Nick Bjugstad is the nephew of former Kings forward Scott Bjugstad.  Charlie Coyle, selected by the San Jose Sharks, is a double-dipper - he's related to Tony Amonte and Bobby Sheehan.

But Brock's current GM, Dave Torrie of the Soo Greyhounds, thinks there is more than just an obvious family connection with his player, saying "Brock Beukeboom is steadily becoming a force in the OHL. He has good offensive tools and also has the ability to throw big open ice hits that can change the tempo of a game."

In the interview below, The Mayor catches up with Brock on a variety of topics - including the draft process, living with the pressure of a famous father and playing for the legendary Soo Greyhounds in the OHL.