Just got done talking with Dean Lombardi in El Segundo. He looked as tired as I’ve ever seen him… I’ll have the full transcript posted ASAP, but in short… Lombardi was obviously pleased with the deal, referring to it as a chance to “reward” the current Kings by giving them help and improving the roster. [...]

Do you like the Kings’ trade for Dustin Penner, which saw Colten Teubert, the 2011 first-round pick and a conditional 2012 third-round pick going to Edmonton? Do you approve of the trade for Dustin Penner?

In addition to defenseman Colten Teubert and the Kings’ 2011 first-round pick, the Kings’ 2012 third-round pick is also in play as part of the trade with Edmonton, but that will depend on the Kings’ ability to make, and advance in, the playoffs this season. In exchange, the Kings get Dustin Penner, a 28-year-old winger [...]

The Kings have acquired Dustin Penner from Edmonton for two draft picks and defenseman Colten Teubert. Details to come… [update: One of the picks is a first-rounder. The other is a conditional pick, either a second- or third-round pick. Not 100-percent certain on that...]

As the Kings held their optional morning skate today, Dean Lombardi walked through one doorway and into another, pausing to take a brief look at the ice. Much like Punxsutawney Phil, Lombardi did not see his shadow. I’m not sure if that means “trade” or “no trade.” With less than an hour to go before [...]

Trade-deadline day kicks off with…a signing? [update] Justin Williams has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Kings, worth $14.6 million. That’s a salary-cap hit of $3.65 million. Williams is currently tied for the team lead with 20 goals and will turn 30 in October.

Do you remember where you were last Feb. 28? Probably not, but you would remember if you were Drew Doughty. It’s now been almost exactly a full year since Doughty was on the ice in Vancouver when Sidney Crosby scored the overtime goal that beat the United States in the Olympic gold-medal game. Doughty got [...]

For all the line-combination changes the Kings have made this season, the pair of left winger Ryan Smyth and center Jarret Stoll has been remarkably consistent. Put together before the home opener, Smyth and Stoll have since played on the same line for 55 of 60 games. There was no introduction needed, of course, since [...]

Colorado scored three third-period goals yesterday to turn a rout into a nail-biter, but it was the plays that led to a couple of those goals that drew the ire of Terry Murray. Matt Greene took an interference penalty with 8:53 remaining, then Jarret Stoll took a high-sticking penalty 13 seconds later. The Avalanche scored [...]

As noted earlier, Alexei Ponikarovsky is back in a third-line role, skating with center Michal Handzus and right winger Justin Williams. Terry Murray made the move during the middle part of yesterday’s game, and the plan is to stay with it at the start of tomorrow night’s game against Detroit. Here’s what Murray said about [...]

It’s been a wild three-month period for Marco Sturm, who went from the Boston Bruins to the Kings to the Washington Capitals, who claimed him off waivers yesterday. Sturm joined his new teammates today and, presumably, will be ready to go when the Capitals host the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Sturm was gracious to [...]

All was normal at practice today, with only one change, one that actually took place during yesterday’s game. Alexei Ponikarovsky skates on the third line, with Michal Handzus and Justin Williams, while Trevor Lewis centers Kyle Clifford and Kevin Westgarth. Terry Murray had solid praise for Ponikarovsky’s recent effort. Jonathan Quick will start in goal [...]

Some notes from yesterday’s game… – The Kings beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Saturday afternoon at Staples Center, for their fourth consecutive win over the Avalanche. – The Kings won their fourth consecutive home game and improved to 11-1-3 in their last 15 games. – The Kings outshot the Avalanche 42-17 and recorded a [...]

The Colorado Avalanche have a 1-10-1 record since Jan. 26, but they certainly didn’t quit yesterday, as they scored three goals in the last eight minutes to make the Kings sweat out a 4-3 victory. Here’s how the game was reported by the Denver Post, followed by some additional postgame quotes from the Avalanche locker [...]

Since trade-deadline talk figures to carry the day between now and noon Monday, let’s gauge some opinion. What would you like the Kings to do (or not do) before the trade deadline? Which player would you most like to see the Kings acquire?online surveys

Here’s my LAKings.com game story for today, with stats and video included. Thanks for reading… Kings beat Avalanche 4-3 The Kings are scheduled to practice tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.

For those who were at the game today, or simply didn’t catch the first intermission on Fox Sports West, here’s what Dean Lombardi told Bob Miller and Jim Fox during an interview… —– Question: Why was Marco Sturm put on waivers and what do you think about him being picked up? LOMBARDI: “To make it [...]

Terry Murray’s postgame thoughts… (on the game…) MURRAY: “We made it interesting at the end, just through getting too casual, a little careless with some plays at critical times at the game. You go into the third period with that kind of a scenario, you want to make sure you’re able to lock it down. Good teams [...]

Drew Doughty’s postgame thoughts… (on the game…) DOUGHTY: “Obviously we’re pretty happy with the game we played today. We dominated pretty much the whole thing, but obviously not happy with our lapse at the end there. Good teams shut things down, and we didn’t do that today but we can in the future.” (on Colorado’s [...]

Anze Kopitar’s postgame thoughts… (on scoring goals in three consecutive games…) KOPITAR: “I’ve been cold for too long before, so it’s nice to get a couple goals here, and hopefully I can continue producing like that.” (on Marco Sturm being claimed this morning… KOPITAR: “It’s tough. It’s one of those things where Marco wasn’t here [...]