This picture, from the LA Kings Insider blog pretty much says it all. Drew Doughty, the stud youngster defenseman on the Kings has made the Canadian team for the Olympics to be held this spring in Vancouver. This is a HUGE step for him. Not only does it speak volumes about his skill and ability from an objective perspective, but it’s a chance for him to get more big game experience in the lead up to the playoffs. In addition, it’s a serious vote of confidence, and will hopefully inspire him to continue his impressive play. In short, go Doughty!

Happy holidays from Rink Royalty to all my (quiet?) readers. Hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday period. I’ll do my best to keep up during the next week or so, even while I’m traveling between now and the New Year.

The holidays are just around the corner, and the New Year is just about a week away, so it seems like time to get into the spirit and post our first “Team of the Decade” for the Los Angeles Kings. Anyone following the Kings this season (especially on this blog) is well aware of the fact that the Kings have really turned things around here at the end of the decade, and look poised to replicate some of their greatest successes of the decade this year. With any luck, this coming decade will be even better for the Kings than [...]

It’s tough to stay engaged in the hockey season when your team seems like it’s taking a little break in the middle of the season. The biggest difference between this season and last season? This year the break is mandated by the schedule. Last year, the Kings just took a break in December, but lost all their games as they sleepwalked into the new year, effectively destroying any realistic chance of making the playoffs. Not this year. The Kings are solidly ensconced at the top of the Pacific Division, and while the break does give some teams time to close [...]

The Kings certainly are. Although the Kings are 8-1-1 in the last ten games, and the Kings clearly have some serious momentum going on, there’s no question that the Kings will be the beneficiaries of their upcoming 8-day break before the holiday. Who’s out injured?

Ryan Smyth – Smyth has been out for a while, and his absence has been missed. While the Kings have obviously picked up their secondary scoring, and their record has certainly not suffered, Kopitar has certainly missed him. His drive to the net, willingness to do just about anything for the puck, not to mention completely [...]

This is one hell of a year to be a Kings fan. The Los Angeles Kings, perennially at the bottom of the Western Conference, appear to finally have broken through. With their fourth straight win (and third since the last update), the Kings are tied with the Sharks in total points, and currently occupy 1st place in the Western Conference.
Wait. Let’s say that again.
1st place in the Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Kings.
Not the Red Wings, or the Blackhawks, or the Sharks, or the godforsaken Ducks. The Kings. Are in 1st place.
Sorry for the repetition, but I’ve had to pinch myself [...]

Where, oh where has Kopitar gone? After coming into the season with an insane, blazing pace, Kopitar has disappeared. He hasn’t put one in the back of the net in twelve games! That’s an absurd amount of time for a player with Kopitar’s skill level, and something that will CERTAINLY end soon. I’m hopeful that he’ll be successful in breaking out of this slump before Smyth gets back, partly because we shouldn’t wait that long for him to get going, but also so that he can establish some confidence on his own and is ready to go when Smyth gets [...]

Tonight is the next in a series of very important December match-ups for the Kings, and they’re going to need some real results if they want to be in the mix for the playoffs come the end of the year. In general I think they’re in a good position. Although they’ve got some injuries to key players such as Scuderi and Smyth, they’ve had other players (including Simmonds and Quick) step up and fill in. Are they 100%? Of course not. They are a surprisingly strong team, still capable of making noise.
Tonight the Kings face off against the Ottawa Senators, [...]