Here is today’s post-practice interview with Alexander Frolov. Frolov’s disposition was a bit — and I’m not sure if this is the proper word — brighter than it was last night. I’m not saying you should read anything into that…just trying to give it the proper context.
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Question: New linemates today? Was that the coach’s decision?
FROLOV: “Yeah. I talked to Terry, and it was his decision to make the line, obviously.”
Question: Did you have any input in that? Was it something you wanted?
FROLOV: “No, I think it was his decision. It’s just, I guess he’s trying different lines.”
Question: What were your feelings about being sat out like that? Obviously it’s not a pleasant experience…
FROLOV: “No, obviously not. Nobody likes to be scratched and be in the locker room and see guys play. It’s pretty frustrating. I didn’t have such an experience for a long, long time. I guess, as I said before, it’s the head coach’s decision and you have to respect it.”
Question: He has said that when he talks to you, he doesn’t really get a response from you. Is that accurate? Do you feel like when he asked you questions, you responded appropriately?
FROLOV: “Well, I don’t know. I mean, everyone has different personalities. I don’t know. It’s hard to tell. Maybe, but no matter what happened, it’s not pleasant. You have to move on. I’m back in the lineup and I’m going to do my best and try as hard as I can.”
Question: For a player with your talent, you have one goal. Do you feel like you’ve been getting chances, or no?
FROLOV: “Well, I have some chances once in a while, but maybe not enough. One goal is not good enough, for sure. Things like that are going to happen anyway in your career. The season is long. It has happened to me before, and you just keep working hard and good things are going to happen.”
Question: Were you happy with today’s conversation? Did you think it was productive?
FROLOV: “Yeah, I think for sure it was productive. I’ll just move on now and get ready for the game tomorrow.”
the language barrier is so apparent in this interview. fro is really hard to not like… except when he disappears in games. he used maybe in that entire interview so many times that it really leaves room for other interpretation and that IS purely a language thing. nonetheles … action speak louder than words… all we can ask for!
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For Halloween Frolov should dress up like Waldo. Maybe then he’ll be easier to find in games. That way if he disappears again, I can shout “Where’s Folo?” hahah!
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Class act.
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Fascinating. I don’t think it’s purely a language barrier. Rich can give us an idea as to whether or not he thinks Alex is understanding him well. But to me, adding up everything I’ve ever heard the guy say, I think he’s got a few personal issues to deal with (don’t we all). It’s a strange dichotomy for an athlete to have such a diminutive personality and be at such a high level in your chosen sport. Personally, I think he is clearly a lost cause and it’s only a matter of time before he’s gone. Of course, I hope I’m wrong.
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I just can’t believe how lucky we Kings fans are that we have somebody like Rich to get us this info. Remember when we thought his other blog was great? Well this is Kings Info Overload. Keep it coming & thanks again Rich.
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I hope Fro goes on a lighting the lamp streak so DL can get something good in return from the Flyers
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sounds to me like he is avioding the subject as best he can! iget the language barrier thing but to me it sounds like he could careless about it one awy or the other! Doesnt sound good from a guy we’ve relied on for most of our offense in past seasons! he doesnt seem very eager to change his production! hate to say it but maybe its time to say bye bye fo Fro!!!!! hope he shuts me up on thursday against dallas!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thank you rich your coverage is amazing
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I hope this was the wake up call he needed. I would like to see big effort, production, and a contract extension
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I think Fro-Gate’s coming to a close for now, at least until the trade deadline gets closer. Thanks for covering this situation so completely, Rich.
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I saw a spark! All is forgiven my child.
haha
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I can still sense so much friction between the two.
Fro’s getting screwed.
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I gotta also say thanks to Rich! What a great addition to the team. Are other fans this lucky? I sure don’t see this kinda info coming out of Anaheim.
Thanks Rich!
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Anyone remember the time Andy Murray benched Luc for a game or two?
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I was also at practice this morning and was standing about 20 feet from DL who was having a conversation with another guy. I could only hear fragments. What I heard was “…the time to make a trade was … hockey sense … what we need is … ” There, does that qualify as an e2?
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Anthony,
The world is gonna end in 2012 huh?
You were probably all stocked up during Y2K?
Always so negative, never once positive, you used to bash on sully and now you would crucify Lombardi for trading him for a great 2-way hockey player.
I hope you don’t gamble, most guys with your mentality always lose.
I don’t care about Fro, TM made his decision, we won the game and maybe, just maybe fro comes back with his ass on fire… If he does would you then give Murray credit??? If the team benefits, he did his job as a coach.
Go Kings!, it is all that matters
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Great Murray comment:
Murray then added, “I’m not trying to butt heads with anybody, I’m trying to get players to be the best they can be and I’m trying to put demands on players that this is what the L.A. Kings need to do to be successful. This is about 23 guys buying in, being on page and working hard for each other and looking at each other in the eye after the game and saying “I did my best for you out there tonight”. I’ve got to have that.”
Sounds like a coach that knows how teams win to me
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Wow Mike, you should have gotten closer!
This is far from over. How long has Frolov been on this team? This is nothing new. He’s been benched before. It hasn’t been, a long, long time. Just last time, it was during the game.
Did it spark him last time? No. Or the time before that?
Hopefully he goes on a tear, thereby increasing his trade value. He’s not going to suddenly “find it.” It’s not there for him.
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This:
“Question: He has said that when he talks to you, he doesn’t really get a response from you. Is that accurate? Do you feel like when he asked you questions, you responded appropriately?”
is awesome. Respectful, yet to the point.
His response however:
“FROLOV: “Well, I don’t know. I mean, everyone has different personalities. I don’t know. It’s hard to tell. Maybe, but no matter what happened, it’s not pleasant. You have to move on. I’m back in the lineup and I’m going to do my best and try as hard as I can.”
You don’t know if you responded appropriately? Wow. Waves may be on to something here. If that doesn’t scream ‘Lack of Confidence’, I don’t know what does. I will say that it might be different WATCHING his response rather than reading it, so I don’t want to put too much behind my comment, but hiding behind the ‘Different Personalities’ take is a little suspect to me. (EDIT:Thought twice here about some comments) I just think it was, dare I say, a bit of an Immature response for a 7 year vet of the league.
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“I’m going to do my best and try as hard as I can.”
What more can you say?
Good enough for me.
Go Fro!
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Khanon, I hardly if ever agree with you, but (wow…twice today)…your spot on.
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Rich,
Thank you so much for this coverage! Its amazing and i visit this site at least 5 times a day!
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The ongoing criticism of Frolov’s “personality” is unfair. This is a lot of gossip about nothing, with a little Russian stereotyping thrown in. If the guy scores goals – which he sure as hell can when used properly – I don’t think anyone on here will be too terribly concerned about his personality quirks. Let him do his talking on the ice. I absolutely agree that the guy has to step it up, but the in depth analysis of what kind of a person he appears to be gets us nowhere.
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Its clear to me that Terry Murray did not read my line combination post from two days ago. LOL
Just to rehash, two years ago this line clicked
Frolov-Kopitar-Brown
I realize that Smyth-Kopitar-Williams is kicking ass so maybe leave it alone. So here is my 2nd choice
Frolov-Stoll-Brown.
Seriously, I watched every game including the one where Frolov coughed up the puck. Other than that bonehead play, I saw him hustling into the corner, protecting the puck, and making creative plays. He isnt playing that bad. Moving him up makes sense. Hope Fro makes the most of it.
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5 years, 18M.
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Good take, Rick. I pretty much agree. We’ll see him on a different line, and if he starts collecting points, we can say the “energy line” was the wrong place for him (something I originally considered.)
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Not only was is it a language barrier, but also a cultural and personality difference.
Everyone is reading too much into it. Back-off its all good. He’s a pro, I have no doubt he will put his best foot forward…He has no choice really…he will be an unresticted free agent soon and regardless if he stays or goes, he needs to have exceptional performance to get the best deal possible.
Still think there were some scape-goat tactics involved…
enough said — New chapter.
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Thought I could put this to topic to rest, but I just saw Browne’s interview of lakings.com.
http://kings.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=729&id=49302
I am beyond disappointed that to date Brown, as the team captain, has not talked to Frolov about the situation at all? Isnt that beyond odd? Or am I expecting too much from Brown?
In my eyes, that’s one of the key role’s of the captain.
Brown said on the interview that he did not have a chance to talk to Brown because of the “scheduling”???
What scheduling? he means he couldnt take 10 minutes from his schedule to talk to Fro on the flight back from Dallas? Or call him to tell him some encouraging words….
Someone, please tell me I’m not crazy for having this expectation!!
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I agree with you kelly. Brown as captain should be more assertive with a situation like this. I thought that when they traded for smyth that maybe he might get captain this year over brown. But maybe a good Assistant like greener or kopi can talk to frolov is Brownie isn’t.
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WE should have taken the
Frolov, Stoll -> Ottawa
Heatley -> SJ
Marleau -> LA
trade while we had a chance.
Between then and now Frolov’s market value has diminished significantly.
And I don’t want to hear the crap about trading one UFA for another, DL would have had no problem locking up Marleau at worst at his current $6.3 mil/yr price tag. He is worth that.
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