10 Key Dates for LA Kings, including 2011 training camp

Soon after the Stanley Cup parade takes place in some North American city, it happens.

Millions of fans everywhere began to experience hockey withdrawals, or 'summer' as it's more commonly referred to.

Fortunately, the early part of the off-season has a hat-trick of activities that can partially keep the fire stoked via the NHL Awards, NHL Draft and start of free agency.

Then, today comes. People flip the calender to August - well, those that still literally do things like that - and realize there's not one thing scheduled even partially resembling the sport they love.

Bare with us though. You can do it. Make it another 30 days and look what's on the other side...

10 KEY DATES for the LOS ANGELES KINGS

9/10 Rookie Camp opens at TSC in El Segundo, CA (runs through 9/13)

9/11 HockeyFest 2011 at Staples Center

9/13 Kings Charity Golf Tournament - Industry Hills, CA

* 9/14 Rookie game vs. Phoenix Coyotes 6pm - at TSC in El Segundo, CA

* 9/15 Rookie game vs. Phoenix Coyotes 2pm - at TSC in El Segundo, CA

9/16 Main Training Camp opens at TSC in El Segundo, CA (off-ice)

* 9/17 On-ice workouts begin for main camp roster

9/21 Pre-season game: Phoenix Coyotes at LA Kings (Staples Center)

9/25 Pre-season game: Anaheim Ducks at LA Kings (Staples Center)

9/30 Pre-season game: LA Kings at Anaheim Ducks (Honda Center)

10/1 Frozen Fury XIV: Colorado Avalanche vs LA Kings (Las Vegas, NV)

10/7 Opening Night: NY Rangers vs LA Kings (Stockholm, Sweden)

10/8 NHL Premiere, Game Two: Buffalo Sabres vs LA Kings (Berlin, Germany)

* denotes update, as of 8/18/2011

Hockey season is almost here.

Hang in there. You can do it.

In the meantime, be sure to keep up to date this summer with all the news and inside information right here on MayorsManor. Just this weekend, we had an exclusive interview with Colin Fraser about his injuries, the Dodgers James Loney talked about his desire to play hockey at Staples Center and Rich Clune shared his thoughts on Bud Holloway leaving the Monarchs for Europe.

And there's lots more to come...

The Mayor
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Rich Clune on Bud Holloway leaving Monarchs for Eurupe

Rich Clune in camp (photo: Cikiri)

During the Kings training camp last September, high-energy forward Rich Clune was starting to turn some heads.

Many thought he might even have a chance to crack the line-up in Los Angeles rather than spend a third season in Manchester (AHL).

Originally drafted by the Dallas Stars in 2005, Clune has since spent time in the ECHL, AHL and NHL. All the while, patiently waiting for his opportunity to remain in the big show.

Clune stayed with the Kings through Frozen Fury weekend in Las Vegas. However, ultimately, he lost out on an NHL roster spot - in part, due to the emergence of Kyle Clifford.

No problem, said Clune, when we spoke Friday night on the steps of the Dodger Dugout (several players were at the stadium to throw out the first pitch).

"It was a good year for me because I was able to get a lot more ice than I probably would have in LA," was Clune's view on his 66 games in Manchester last season. "It's a long road. There's a lot of young guys and we had a really talented team. It sucks we didn't go further (in the playoffs). I think we could have easily (won) that first series with Binghamton. What - five games in overtime? But, I had a lot of fun. Wherever I am, I like to have a good time."

Things haven't been quite as fun since arriving back in Los Angeles. He's been working out with Kings strength and conditioning coach Tim Adams, left wing Dustin Penner, etc. (more info on those grueling workouts can be found here)

"I came in for some training with the guys and just did a week with (that crew). My calves are sore," he complained - before joking "that's why I'm leaning up against this railing."

POLL: How should NHL resolve Kings-Oliers grievance?

Poor Gary Bettman. The guy gets booed everywhere he goes.

He rarely gets complimented for anything he does, at least not by fans.

And he finds himself in another lose-lose situation after the Los Angeles Kings officially filed a grievance against the Edmonton Oilers.

Regardless of how he resolves the mess, some percentage of people on the opposite side will complain he treated their team unfairly.

I'm sure that annual salary that's north of $7 million will help him sleep at night though. Being the most hated man in hockey does have its price.

So, what's at stake here? Essentially, the Kings feel the Oilers were deceitful, not once - but twice! In re-acquiring Ryan Smyth, they first tried to give the Kings Gilbert Brule - who was injured. The deal was finally consummated when they replaced him with Colin Fraser in the deal. Soon thereafter, it was discovered Fraser had a fairly significant ankle injury.  Thus began the war of words...err, difference of opinion...between Kings GM Dean Lombardi and his Oilers counterpart, Steve Tambellini.

That's the gist of things. Helene Elliott of the LA Times had more details on the story here.

And Colin Fraser had an exclusive interview with MayorsManor here.

Now, for the tough question. If you were Commissioner Bettman, how would you resolve the case?



Poll closes Tuesday at noon.

The Mayor
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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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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 coach already juggling lines for next season

Murray with Williams (photo: D. Sheehan)

Granted, he didn't take the team to the playoffs his first year behind the bench in Los Angeles.

However, in year two, Kings head coach Terry Murray guided the club to 101 points and they returned to the post-season for the first time in nearly a decade.

He backed that up with what may have been his finest coaching job in LA - as he had to calmly maintain order through two messy, extended losing streaks, where he easily could have lost the confidence of his team.  Instead, they made the playoffs for the second straight year.

Still, a small group of vocal detractors continue to point criticism his way. They don't like his power play system (a fair complaint, considering the poor conversion last season). They question his goaltending rotation (really, it was more an issue the year before, when he all but refused to play back-up Erik Ersberg).

And the most common complaint is his apparent fascination with juggling lines. There probably wasn't a post-game Kings Talk radio show last season when the subject wasn't brought up at least once.

Part of the issue really hasn't been his fault though. When you don't have the necessary pieces to truly assemble two top lines, you're left scrambling. It's like a cat constantly chasing its tale. Or, better yet, like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

So, now that he has a legit top-six...and by the far the deepest Kings roster he's ever had - on paper - will he be putting the blender away?

When talking to the coach about his new options, the obvious place to focus was on the addition of a pair of former Flyers. "Those are two really good adds to our team," Murray started by saying. "Mike Richards is an outstanding hockey player. When you look at (Simon) Gagne being part of the team now, they've played together before. There was good chemistry, good results on both sides of the puck. So, I have a tendency when I'm writing down lines - which I have done already - to have those guys together on a line."

Mike Richards has ideas to help the LA Kings power play

Earlier this week I posted a conversation with LA Kings coach Terry Murray, where we talked about some of his plans for the power play next season.

Call it a follow-up piece to several discussions with Murray and GM Dean Lombardi about what changes need to take place to improve last season's dismal 16.1% conversion rate.

With the coaching staff remaining the same, the most common answers this summer have been to change the structure and/or personnel. And with the additions of Simon Gagne and Mike Richards, there's no arguing the personnel side has received a major upgrade.

Although Murray said he wasn't sure where he was going to play Richards yet, I still wanted to know where the new Kings centerman felt most comfortable, considering he played multiple positions with the man-advantage over the last few seasons in Philadelphia...

"I actually feel comfortable in both spots," said Richards. "I played the half-wall in junior and my first couple of years in the NHL. Then, we had a lot of success when I was on the point with Danny Briere working the half-wall too. So, I feel comfortable in both spots. It's just something that we have to get on the same page with and make sure (we know) where everybody is on the ice. It's not going to click right away. It takes time to learn how to play with somebody. But, I think if we have the right tools in place, it can be a good thing."

When it comes to increasing the Kings conversion percentage, Richards has a simple philosophy - "It's about knowing where your teammates are on the ice and moving as a group of one."

Two years ago the Kings came to training camp with t-shirts on that read 'The only reason we're here.' It was an attempt to have a unified message about the team's desire to make the playoffs.  And it worked.  LA returned to the NHL's post-season for the first time in nearly a decade.

Perhaps they can now borrow from their new teammate and order some 'Move as a group of one' shirts before camp opens in September.

It certainly can't make the power play any worse.

The Mayor
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Richards v Dubinsky (Photo by Bob Fina)

Drafted 24th overall by Philadelphia in 2003, Canadian Mike Richards played two more years of junior hockey before making his NHL debut for the Flyers.

The night was October 5, 2005 and they were playing the New York Rangers.

In the second period of that game, Richards scored what was described as a 'hard-fought goal' - taking an outlet pass from Eric Desjardins, outmuscling defenseman Fedor Tyutin and lifting a shot over Kevin Weekes' left shoulder - to put the Flyers up 3-1.

It was his first NHL goal and it came against the team he went on to play 36 more times over the next six seasons.

He amassed 11 more goals against those Rangers - his second highest total against any team in the league.  And his 64 penalty minutes vs. Broadway's Blueshirts are 20 more than he's incurred against any other NHL club.

Now that he's a member of the Los Angeles Kings, a Western Conference team, that's all behind him, right?  Not so fast.

Life will come full circle on Friday, October 7th - when he makes his official debut as a member of the Kings in game one of the 2011-12 NHL season.

Their opponent? Yes, the New York Rangers.

He wasted no time jumping in with both feet when I asked him about the match-up earlier today - "Well, I didn't think I was going to have to fight (Brandon) Dubinsky anymore. I've already fought him five times. I can't get rid of this guy," Richards said.

"It's going to be interesting. We had a great rivalry over the past couple of years, a ton of great games against them. Like I said before, about LA and New York, there's always a buzz when you play the Rangers...whenever you play them it just sticks with you and there's a hatred there because guys compete so hard against each other. It's going to be a good start. It's not going to be hard to kinda get up for it. I know everybody on that team and how they play. So, I think it's going to make it easier."

Is it October yet?

Hockey already sounds so good.

The Mayor
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