It won’t be announced by the league until early December, but Kings officials have been told that Los Angeles will host the NHL Entry Draft next June. It’s still to be determined whether the event will be held at Staples Center or Nokia Center, but the dates will be June 25-26. By all accounts, it will be the same format, with the first round on Friday night and the rest on Saturday. Give credit to Kyle Woodlief of the Red Line Report scouting newsletter for first mentioning this…
LATEST NEWS- Loud and Proud May 17, 2013
- WATCH: LAK vs SJS Game 2 - Post Game Interviews May 17, 2013
- WATCH: LAK vs SJS Game 2 - Game Highlights May 17, 2013
- WATCH: LA vs SJS Game 2 - Game Previews May 16, 2013
- Live Chat - Western Conference Semifinal: Game Two May 16, 2013
- Playoff Game Notes: Kings vs. Sharks: Game 2 May 16, 2013
- The Royal Half Preview: Kings vs. Sharks: Game 2 May 16, 2013
- WATCH: May 15th Practice Interviews May 15, 2013
- 4 on 4 - 2013 Playoff Preview: Round 2 West Preview May 15, 2013
- Traffic Advisory for Game 2 at LA Live May 15, 2013
RULES FOR BLOG COMMENTING
- No profanity, slurs or other offensive language. Replacing letters with symbols does not turn expletives into non-expletives.
- Personal attacks against other blog commenters, and/or blatant attempts to antagonize other commenters, are not tolerated. Respectful disagreement is encouraged. Posts that continually express the same singular opinion will be deleted.
- Comments that incite political, religious or similar debates will be deleted.
- Please do not discuss, or post links to, websites that illegally stream NHL games.
- Posting under multiple user names is not allowed. Do not type in all caps. All violations are subject to comment deletion and/or banning of commenters, per the discretion of the blog administrator.
SOCIAL MEDIA
LA Kings Insider LA Kings Official
I’m so there…..
[Reply]
That’s great! I was wondering when it would be out west again, and if they were going to rotate among NHL cities. I’m going to do my best to be there! (for a blockbuster trade, maybe?)
[Reply]
That is fantastic. Can’t wait.
[Reply]
I’ve been wanting this for so long. I know Luc talked about this a few weeks ago saying it would either be this year or next. Very cool.
[Reply]
thats awesome , i might have to try to wing my way West , to soak up all the atmosphere of the draft , have never been to an NHL Entry Draft before …
[Reply]
niceee and Boston will get the first pick overall, Taylor Hall.. Hahaha poor Toronto
[Reply]
Barring a major trade, hopefully the Kings will not have a high draft choice this summer.
[Reply]
I’m hoping the Kings stay out of the Nokia Theater and put it Staples Center so at least that way there’s a lot more seats for the fans to go to the draft.
[Reply]
I’m thinking LAKingsInsider Poster Beering, uh CHEERING section…..
Rich – Maybe you could secure us 100 seats or so with your inside connections? It’s not like you have anything else to do…
[Reply]
This is GREAT news for west coast hockey fans! I never thought I’d see the day when the NHL would grant Los Angeles to host the draft, let alone California. They’ve had drafts in Vancouver, but I can see the logic as it’s still in Canada. But if you think about it, it’s really out of the way for most hockey prospects. To have so many Canadian/European/even American prospects and their families come so far to L.A. for a draft, that’s really something.
I’m sure the top 50+ prospects will be in attendance, but unless you’re a sure-fire bet to be selected early in the draft, I would suspect a lot more no-shows because of the travel expense involved. If you’re a draft prospect on the outside-looking-in, do you lay out all the cash for a trip to L.A. as opposed to someone like, say, Luc Robitaille, who was drafted late in the draft and basically took the subway to the Old Forum for two days to see if he got drafted? It doesn’t make a lot of sense for the NHL, but I guess it’s a smaller world these days.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled and I will definitely want to attend, so this is a coup for the Kings organization to be selected to host this this event. It should be a significant economic boost for the city and a real treat for the hard-core hockey fans of the west coast.
oh,, and uh… GO KINGS!
[Reply]
Just to clarify, Luc Robitaille was drafted by the Kings when the draft was held in Montreal. He was living there at the time and took the Metro in Montreal to the Old Forum in Montreal (not the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood). But I’m sure you knew that already… )
[Reply]
A couple years too late. It doesn’t seem like the Kings will have any interesting picks this season (I hope).
[Reply]
heck ya count me in …………
[Reply]
Man, everyone should go and we can all meet up and BE BEST FRIENDS AND OH MY GOD THIS IS GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN!!!
[Reply]
The NHL must think the Ducks will pick #2.
[Reply]
This will be a nice long-term marketing event, too. Getting a ton of future pro hockey players to enjoy a June weekend in SoCal can only bode well for the players’ perceptions of the city as a place to live and play hockey.
[Reply]
Should be a good draft for Duck’s fans to go to
[Reply]
Hey Mark-
No Spongebobs allowed man. Hit Weenie Hut Jrs with Patrick and watch it on satellite.
[Reply]
On a different note, Rich got out while the gettin was good…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091026/ap_on_bi_ge/us_newspaper_circulation
‘Average daily circulation at 379 U.S. newspapers plunged 10.6 percent in the April-September period from the same six-month stretch last year, according to figures released Monday by the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
It’s the largest drop recorded so far during the past decade’s steady decline in paid readership’
[Reply]
Very exciting! I’m assuming season ticket holders will get first dibs at tickets. Here’s to a long Friday night, waiting for the Kings to pick 30th!
[Reply]
Cool! Draft in L.A. and awards in Vegas. Some people will either get to the west early or stay late. LOL a wonderful boost to the two states economys.
[Reply]
Yippy.
[Reply]
Heh. One can dream, Gabby.
[Reply]
Anyone else watching the Leafs slaughter the Ducks? HAHAHAHAHA!
I swear Brian Hayward is the absolute worst commentator in hockey.
[Reply]
Let’s hope the Kings act like good hosts and let everyone else pick first =)
[Reply]
I love it! Toronto is crushing the quacks for their first win! It’s so great to be a Kings fan right now.
[Reply]
dang joel you beat me to it
[Reply]
Cry Baby> LOL I’m watching it too.
It’s like watching a whole team of Ivanans, no offense to Ivanans he’s good at what he does, but a whole team of him would be bad, and that’s what the ducks look like right now. I think they’ve had 4, 5 on 3′s against and they were all close to full 2 mins each one. I didn’t think it was possible to take that many bad penalties in one game.
And as if everybody doesn’t already know, yeah, their announcers are the worst in league, have to watch the game in mute
[Reply]
I can’t stop laughing looking at the Ducks’ season stats. It’s still early but the much heralded first line of the Ducks is led by the mighty Getzlaf with 1 goal and 7 points.
[Reply]
the ducks are a crappy team last year game 6 i think when pronger went for datsuyk you cant do that it doesnt work maybe it was game 7 there just dirty though good team to hate right now
[Reply]
Go DUCKS! Lost to the LEAFS.
[Reply]
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Count me in, too!!!!!
[Reply]
doesn’t the host get an additional first? sweet.
[Reply]
I had a feeling the ducks would lose that game, so good!
Team’s must be thinking, “No Pronger, No Problem”…they really underestimated his impact on that team and now their defense is weak sauce.
[Reply]
OK NHL! Get Ready For Stale Beer And Old HOt Dogs left over From The Lakers Game. Just as we had them for our draft party at Nokia.
Saying Just I’m
[Reply]
What a great night.
A duck spanking, a draft arriving, and print on life support.
Anybody remember the whole “save the trees” thing? … funny that there’s not much reporting on that seeing as the last thing traditional media needs is an environmentally religious country adding another nail in the coffin.
[Reply]
And when the Kings pick 32nd, the pick will get a huge standing O. Right? 32nd?
[Reply]
Looks like I have a reason to get out of the Vegas heat. Seems like a perfect time for me to put in for vacation time.
[Reply]
Awesome news! I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ll have one of the last picks
[Reply]
The Ducks picking #2 is not too far fetched if they play the way they did last night to give Toronto it’s first win. Wow that was awful game. So I know when I watch the draft every I am bored out of mind but I am excited and proud that LA will host this. If anyone can host an amazing event it is us.
I think we need to get LA Kings Insider T-Shirts made up and we all can match and show support to Rich and the site.
This is so great, Dean can show everyone the great view from his office. Make em all jealous!
-Dave
[Reply]
Thanks much for confirming this Rich! I am jazzed. Marking off the dates now. Every NHL fan has got to go to one at least once I think.
[Reply]
I hope that the few celebrating “the end” of print media here are the exception. Losing print media is a terrible thing for the local story print media. If all you’re going to get is your blurb on the national news or even the usa today then you’re losing so much investigated and reported news locally that you won’t know anything about what’s going on in your community.
There are very few investigative reporters anymore due to cuts that they all just get stories from the AP and run them…just like the Kings news was in years past.
The local radio station that I used to listen to had hosts that talked about local issues to inform you about things but KABC cut all of them last year as well so now you get nothing. The politicians can run amuck and do what they want with your money and you’ll have no idea what’s going on except election time when the paid commercials tell you what to do..both sides omitting truth and just telling you what they want you to hear without a non biased source of reporting.
It’s truly a sad day in America.
I am stoked for the draft though!
[Reply]
The draft coming to LA is nice, maybe this year Dean won’t be drafting in the top 15. That alone deserves a standing ovation.
[Reply]
Rich-
Thanks as always for your great sources and up to date info all Kings related. This draft, as posters have said before me, is a great marketing tool for the Kings and an honor for the franchise.
My first post on the new site…I’m overwhelmed by how lucky I am to have one source for Kings info all the way from Boston!
Thank you Rich…hope you are enjoying a more comfortable work lifestyle now, and get the best seat in the press box closest to the exit/bathroom.
[Reply]
Macdup-
The shirt idea is solid. You can support the site now as well. I went out and bought one of those custom vinyl stickers at the mall and had the website put on it with my handle just above it and put it on the window of my truck with a few LA KINGS stickers around it. I put up pics at the Hockeywood site. It was cheap, about $16. I get people asking me about the site and I live out in Corona. (The Duck fans that ask get jealous)
Here’s a link to a pic: http://media.fans.kings.nhl.com/_My-Trucks-Back-Window/photo/5707166/122893.html
The shirt idea is a good one. Quick story, when I was hanging in Section 106 with a buddy of mine for a while back in ’01, the whole section pretty much got along and we had some good times. Steve Heinze was playing for us and we would always root for him to score with the cheer ‘Lets Go Ketch-Up’ (Clap-Clap-Clapclapclap). Well, we decided to ask Heinz Ketchup for some free shirts for our little group and told them when Steve would score, we’d all remove our jerseys and show off our Heinz ketchup shirts on TV. It took a while, but Heinz sent 10 shirts. We wore them under our jerseys every night. Steve never scored after that so we never got to do it, a bummmer too. Would have been cool. Got a cool shirt though.
[Reply]
Having been to the 2003 draft in Nashville, and witnessing some of the inner workings of the Kings organization at the time (props and thanks to Mike Altieri, Al Murray, and his staff) – I can honestly say that anyone who has a chance to attend, should. It’s fascinating and exhilarating. I’m psyched that it will be held in our back yard.
[Reply]
How/When do I get tix?
[Reply]
Dan H.
Not to hijack this thread…
but promoting a singular voice (one not in line with real america… or rather .. the real MARKETPLACE) has been print media’s demise for a long time. The internet and economy are just the last nails in the coffin.
And trust me… there are lots of us who will dance on the graves.
[Reply]
Na just put my TV on the Spanish language and I get more info than listening to Brian Hayward and i dont understand Spanish at all .
[Reply]
I’ll be coming to the dance. About 90% was biased crap anyway
[Reply]
Nice. Just a trip down the 10East to work this one. Montreal was a bit of a journey.
[Reply]
This is sick.
[Reply]
I think I might just have to make the 700 mile drive out to be there, the wife and kids can go to D-land and I will have my hi-powered binoculars peering over the shoulder of Lombardi and reading his text messages. Looking for that big trade to push us into the Finals after this year’s breakout season.
[Reply]
How about a Stanley Cup Championship game (or 2,3 or 4) in LA? That would be something to get really excited about. I guess the team has to earn that one…LOL!
[Reply]
Rich…please, please, please post how a fan can get in to this. I religiously watch and host my own draft parties for the draft every year…I would KILL to go to this!!!!
[Reply]
Matt,
The problem is that the “real” marketplace doesn’t value “real” news. Celebrity gossip, sports, and whatever looks cool on TV – like storms and car chases – are what’s big.
It’s better to get real, investigated stories from the left or the right than nothing at all. If print media dies, I think political corruption on the local and state level will skyrocket in the years to come (not that it isn’t high already) because no one will be paying attention anymore.
[Reply]
I think that I’ll take advantage of THE Salvation Army shelter for a couple of days in lieu of an expensive hotel bill.
[Reply]
Choralone,
I understand the fears.
But the best thing I can tell you is this.
You are reading the future.
Rich is a shining example of the future of news.
In Depth reporting will continue and we will all still get the news we need.
Just not the from that kills trees.
[Reply]
FROM the form … bleh .. my typing.
[Reply]
FINALLY… why did it take so long?
I don’t expect the Kings to be featured in the lottery — but at least we can play good hosts and show the rest of the league how it’s done.
[Reply]
I will be there! We all know how DL can draft on a rebuild, I’m very curious to know how he will draft for a playoff team. This will test his creativity to the fullest…
[Reply]