Los Angeles Kings | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: Los Angeles Kings

29Sep

Jamie McBain(5) Los Angeles Kings

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

6th year defenseman Jamie McBain(5) signed a one-year two-way contract with Los Angeles Kings after agreeing to a pto with affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

He played 6 AHL games with the farm club scoring a goal and adding three assists with a +3 rating before the parent club came calling to fill in some spots that needed coverage on their blue line.

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#36 overall), the 6’2″ 205 lbs. d-man spent the first four years of his career with the team but unfortunately as time passed started to show declining returns.

After the 2012 lockout it definitely appears that he’d lost some of his step.

He managed to pick it up slightly last season after a trade to Buffalo Sabres but not enough for them to revisit extending the unrestricted free agent.

A training camp invite of Arizona Coyotes, they only really had a peak before releasing him.

There was a bit of a murmur that he was set to leave for the KHL but shortly thereafter he signed his tryout deal.

Injuries and a misfortune, along with a sliver of salary cap room, had him at the right place at the right now. Maybe it was a bit of mastery forsight too.

The still young-ish 26-year old will either have to step up his offensive numbers (25-67-92 in 276 NHL games) or start using some of that size to shut down the attackers.

It’s a coin flip to see how this one materializes. It really could become a great fit though.

Original story: 11/14-14

He appeared in 26 games with LA Kings scoring 3 goals and 6 assists with a +4 rating, making him accountable enough to keep around.

They wasted no time as free agency started re-signing him to a one-year, tw0-way extension.

Starting the season with a new contract, the 27-year old should be able to connect on the score sheet more often and continue to elevate his game.

03Sep

Joe Piskula(43) San Diego Gulls

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

5th year, undrafted Calgary Flames‘ defenseman Joe Piskula(43) spent three seasons in the L.A. Kings‘ prospect system but skated only 5 NHL games with the team in the same year he completed his college hockey career.

He then played exclusively with the Kings‘ AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs on an entry level contract but failed to appear in another NHL game with them.

In the next season he signed a one-year AHL deal with Abbotsford Heat and played 71 games.

For the next couple seasons, he scored himself a bit of an unlikely contract with Calgary through 2013.

He’s was called up at the beginning of December and has played in 5 games but registered no points with a disappointing -5 plus/minus. More importantly though, they won 4 of the 5 games he skated in.

Original story: 12/29-11

He finished up the 2011/2012 setting new AHL career marks with 3 goals and 15 assists for 18 points with a +10 rating.

Starting the 2nd year of his deal in the minors, the former 2006 NCAA Champion at University Of Wisconsin was dealt to Nashville Predators right before the trade deadline and reassigned to finish the year.

A fairly steady presence on the blue line, he signed a one-year extension to stay with the organization.

He was only recalled for a pair of games but as assistant captain of affiliate Milwaukee Admirals he again matched his season best 3 goals and set new highs with 20 assists and was +20 on the ice.

Signed quickly to continue with the Preds, he was named team captain of the farm club for 2014/2015 and kept their defensive zone solid with another +20 rating.

Called up for a single game near the end of the season, it put his total games played in the NHL at 13.

Anaheim Ducks must have been spying on the 9th year veteran’s progress, because they stepped right in on the first day of free agency to offering him a one-year two-way contract.

Making the recently turned 31-year old the first captain of new minor league squad San Diego Gulls wouldn’t be the worst decision the club has ever made.

04Aug

Robbie Czarnik (27)

Posted in ECHL | Leave a comment

6th year center Robbie Czarnik(70) would play for three different teams in the 2014/2015, spending the first part of the year with Indy recording almost a point-per-game, 17 goals and 13 assists in 31 and then traded to Ontario Reign, 21 contest (6-4) before being dished to Gwinnett Gladiators until he failed to pass a physical and was returned.

That transaction wouldn’t last as he was recalled on to join Norfolk Admirals on a pto.

He finished the regular season skating 10 AHL games with a goal and 3 assists, which almost matched his output from 2013/2014 in a third less appearances.

For 2015/2016 the 25-year old has inked for another year in the ECHL with Reading Royals and will likely be a training camp invite to affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he could impress to stick.

03Jul

James Livingston(28) EC Dornbirner Bulldogs

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#70 overall), 3rd year right wing James Livingston(26) signed a 3-year entry level deal by San Jose Sharks and played with their minor league affiliate Worcester Sharks for the past 2 and a half years.

He was recently picked up by Los Angeles Kings‘ organization at the trade deadline for a future draft pick, giving him a new start.

The 6’1″ 210 lbs. always hard-skating digger is already making an impression with his new squad he’s already very familiar with from playing games against in the AHL, Manchester Monarchs.

In his first outing he got into a scrap late in the first period. In his second skate (on his birthday) he posted the game-winning goal and an insurance marker raising his yearly totals closer to modest career highs, which he should surpass.

At his current pace, it seems like a good prospect for the restricted free agent to get a qualifying offer to stay where he is for a complete season look.

The 24-year old has yet to appear in an NHL game but with some more hard work could be a great fourth line grinder to start.

Original story: 3/12-14

For the final year of his initial contract, he ended the season posting career high totals: 8 goals and 15 assists in 67 games but it wasn’t enough to gain interest from another club.

He would decide to take a step back and sign for a season with Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL posting a handy 13 goals and 21 assists.

Surveying the landscape the now 25-year old has decided to pursue pro hockey elsewhere and agreed to play in Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with EC Dornbirner Bulldogs.

He should be able to increase his point totals overseas and may find renewed energy in his game.

28May

Tom Kostopoulos (29)

Posted in AHL | Leave a comment

The 36-years old, Tom Kostopoulos(29) will lace up the skates signing his third contract, his 17th pro campaign, to continue as captain of Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins for 2015/2016.

He’s managed to put up 40+ points in each of the past two seasons and will like reach that mark for an 8th time in the AHL.

His highest totals were in the 2004/2005 lockout, where he amassed 71 points for Manchester Monarchs before embarking of 9 straight years in the NHL with Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils.

20Mar

Andrew Campbell(45) Arizona Coyotes

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Arizona Coyotes‘ 7th year defenseman Andrew Campbell(45) is finding his place in the NHL.

He’s been up with the parent club for 22 games and looks to be holding his spot.

The former Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#74 overall) was in the prospect system for the previous six seasons skating 414 regular season games and 35 more in the playoffs with AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

Never one to excel on putting the puck in the net or feeding the man for a goal, he’s always there to play an absolutely in your face, bruising style without taking many penalty minutes, the 6’4″ 208 lbs. blue liner has also been a plus player at +26.

He got into three games with the Kings last year during the final year of his 2-year extension but as an unrestricted free agent he went looking for more time; and found it.

Although the now 27-year old still doesn’t connect on the score sheet with only one assist, he plays a good 20+ minutes a game for a team that struggles to win, survive.

Set to become unrestricted once again, it is probably a good bet the former Portland Pirates‘ assistant captain will agree on another year to continue the rebuild.

14Mar

Nic Dowd(26) Manchester Monarchs

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings‘ 7th round pick in the 2009 draft rookie center Nic Dowd(26) was selected after his well-played 1st year of US junior hockey in the NAHL with Wenatchee Wild.

He virtually mirrored his debut performance in his next season of USHL with Indiana Ice before heading off to St. Cloud State University.

It took the 6’2″ 196 lbs. forward a couple of years to pick up the pace but by his last two campaigns, serving as team captain as a senior, he was back up to point-per-game production.

For his efforts he was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist.

Upon completion of his college playing days, he signed a one-year entry level deal and was assigned immediately to join affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

In 7 AHL games he posted three assists and added his first pro goal in 4 postseason contests.

After a strong showing in training camp he was one of the final cuts to be sent down and got right to work. Through 58 games he has 5 goals and a healthy 23 helpers.

The 24-year old from the unlikely hockey home of Huntsville, AL leads his team in rookie scoring with 28 points and assists.

He still awaits his first NHL recall but his tenacious playing style and good size probably put him in line sooner than later.

06Feb

Mike Richards(18) Manchester Monarchs

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings‘ 10th year veteran center Mike Richards(18) was recently put on waivers and reassigned to minor league affiliate Manchester Monarchs for the first time ever, save for the time he spent winning the 2005 AHL Calder Cup with Philadelphia Phantoms after finishing up 4 years of juniors with Kitchener Rangers.

One season previous he won the 2003 OHL Championship and subsequent Memorial Cup.

As a 20-year old playing his first pro games he was a point per game guy in the playoffs with 8 goals and 7 assists. He was also a +8 plus/minus.

You’d think the sports’ world stopped for a second when in his first game not so unhappily reporting to skate, he failed to get a point.

In his second appearance though he came up with the night’s first goal, assisted on two others and was chosen the game’s first star.

Through 704 NHL games he has 179 goals and 302 assists with a +21 rating.

He’s four times connected for over 60 points in a season, once had 80 points, twice over 30 tallies and on three occasions had over 40 helpers with 50 in one campaign.

The 5’11” 196 lbs. two-time 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup Champion was originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#24 overall).

He played 6 years with the team and was captain for his last three.

Signed to a 12-year deal in 2007 he’s officially under a big league contract through 2020.

It’s likely that a buy out will be exercised and he’ll be free to pursue a fresh start, which is easily what the still young 29-year old needs moving forward.

30Jan

The AHL moves west

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

At 3:30pm ET AHL president Dave Andrews announced the creation on a Pacific Division that will play in the Western Conference of the league starting 2015/2016.

The cities effectively losing teams are Oklahoma City Barons, which happened earlier this season, Norfolk Admirals, Glens Falls/Adirondack Flames after only one run, Worcester Sharks and rivals Manchester Monarchs.

Picking up teams will be soon to be former ECHL franchises Ontario (Los Angeles), Bakersfield (Edmonton) and Stockton (Calgary). San Diego (Anaheim) will be a new city for triple A hockey although did at one time have a Gulls, and San Jose‘s farm club will play out of the same building as the Sharks; and will likely be renamed.

It’s fairly well-thought that Manchester, Adirondack and Norfolk make announcement to join the double A league and there’s rumors racing around Worcester is exploring the options and would have the best chance at success by resurrecting the Ice Cats, while Oklahoma City may get back into the fold under their old successful Blazers‘ banner after a year on the sidelines.

This move was 100% inevitable and can easily make fiscal sense. Those west coast teams draw fairly well with their fan base of hockey lovers.

On the plus side for Eastern Conference folks, chances are Utica, Rochester, Charlotte, Hamilton and even possible Toronto enter in their rivalry picture.

The big news is the top level of minor league hockey in California has arrived.

27Jan

Andrew Crescenzi(21) Manchester Monarchs

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted 3rd year, large but low-scoring center Andrew Crescenzi(21) was involved in a mid-season deal that sent him from Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system to Los Angeles Kings, where they like their forwards big.

Skating in only 14 AHL games with Manchester Monarchs, he found himself to be a healthy scratch on more occasions than he likely considered.

The 6’5″ 208 lbs. pivot enters his contract season and has to be thinking it’s high time to make an impression.

Although it’s a modest boost, in 31 games he’s already tied his 2 goal mark and has new career highs with 3 assists and 5 points with half the regular season remaining.

He’s also firing the puck on net with much more frequency and is asserting his size into play.

The only 22-year old was hardly a hefty scorer in three years in the OHL with Kitchener Rangers but did put up almost a point-per-game in his final campaign before turning pro.

He’ll have to connect with the score sheet with more frequency to be given a qualifying offer to stay in the system but it’s still a long climb for the big man.

« Older posts