The player who found himself unwittingly a part of an international NHL incident made his first public appearance in Los Angeles today. Colin Fraser, and his famously injured right foot, walked without a limp in Staples Center, but it remains unknown when Fraser might be able to participate in training camp.
Fraser joined the Kings in late June in the trade that sent Ryan Smyth to Edmonton. That trade remains disputed, with the Kings essentially claiming that the Oilers misstated the extent of Fraser’s injury. Fraser underwent surgery in July but said today he is uncertain when he might be able to skate at full strength.
FRASER: “I don’t know. I’m hoping to skate this week, but that doesn’t mean that I could just jump into scrimmages. I’m going to need a few skates to learn how to play hockey again. It’s been six months since I’ve even looked at my skates. Anyone who has played knows that it takes a few skates — never mind to get in shape, because I’ve been riding the bike and stuff — but just to feel comfortable again and get your timing down, your passing and shooting and things.”
Question: How frustrating was it, with the whole dispute and the questions about when you might need surgery?
FRASER: “It was very frustrating. It’s not frustrating (with) whatever’s going on between the teams. I don’t know, that’s between them, but the frustrating part is straight-up the injury. I broke it in March and here I am getting surgery at the end of July. Whoever is right and whoever is wrong, it doesn’t matter. I just wish I could have got it done a heck of a lot earlier so that I wouldn’t be in this position of, `Are you or are you not going to be ready for camp?’ I could put it behind me and just be ready for the 16th. Now it’s coming down to the wire and it’s going to be tight. But that’s the way it goes, that’s the way it went for me. Things are going onward and upward now and it’s getting better.
“At first, it was, `Let it heal. You don’t need surgery, let it heal.’ And it just wouldn’t heal. So then it came down to, `OK, maybe surgery is the option.’ If they did surgery every time somebody broke something…they can’t always do surgery. That’s how they explained it to me. `Why didn’t I get surgery in March?’ Well, they don’t do surgery every time somebody breaks a bone. Nobody could predict (that it would be slow to heal). I don’t care who you are, nobody is going to predict that it’s not going to heal. No one knows why it doesn’t heal. It just never got any better. It was still the same, from day one to the end of June. It didn’t hurt as much, but on a CT scan it was just broken.”
First and it is a shame that players have to deal with situations like this. Controversial trades!!
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He did a good jon during the Q&A. Seems like a good person.
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USH#17 Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
@DesertKing,
Well, especially for a 7-8-9 player like Fraser who stands to loose a career.
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USH#17 Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
@USH#17,
Sorry, that was intended to respond to #1KingsFan’s comment
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It is to bad that he had to be in the middle of this. Edmonton needs to be held accountable for knowingly misrepresenting a players condition in a trade. What is so hard for the NHL to figure out? He still isn’t ready to play and his comment “Anyone who has played knows that it takes a few skates — never mind to get in shape, because I’ve been riding the bike and stuff — but just to feel comfortable again and get your timing down, your passing and shooting and things.” Riding a bike will not get you in skating shape, skating will get you in skating shape. About a solid month of skating after six mo. away from the skates.
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would love it if he’d get some 4th line time especially at the cost of Westgarth sitting in the pressbox
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BlueStang Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
@rotorhead, Sound advise.
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gene Reply:
September 12th, 2011 at 8:22 am
@rotorhead, That is insane, you need westgarth on the bench or playing. Have you noticed every team in the west has added a another enforcer this year. So get real. Go Westy
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I feel bad for the guy. I hope he heals up soon and gets to play for us.
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Just got back from a morning at hockey fest. Wow. Dean really spoke well. I have more I want to say, I just don’t know how to say it. Last time I spoke my mind I got put on probation. A lot of “different” types of fans.
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BlueStang Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
@kinginsaltlake, Well say it, just do it in a kosher way. We don’t want you put on probation again.
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Duckbasher Reply:
September 12th, 2011 at 9:30 am
@kinginsaltlake – Speak up… this blog isn’t owned by anyone (even though they make think they do).
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And what the heck good is a 7th round draft pick to along with a crippled player.
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Duckbasher Reply:
September 12th, 2011 at 9:33 am
@BlueStang – we got rid of Smyth who didn’t want to be here along with his inflated salary and the boat anchor he skates with.
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RicoCarty Reply:
September 12th, 2011 at 1:57 pm
@Duckbasher, Amen to that
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@peaches, LOL.
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Dominick Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
peaches must have been abducted by aliens, because I could of swore he was here a minute ago.
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So Edmonton got Ryan Smyth an excellent player (who the Kings didn’t have to trade) and the Kings got Fraser (who can’t even practice for aprox. a month and won’t play for two.)and a 7th round pick in 2012. The Chicago Blackhawks traded Colin Fraser to the Edmonton Oilers for a 6th round selection in 2010, that is an idea of his value. Kings got snookered.
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LAPD Line Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
@BlueStang, Ryan Smith is still a good player, but in my opinion his days of excellence are behind him. Both as a player and the team he is on.
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blake Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
@BlueStang, do you not understand that we needed to shed the salary, he was getting like 5 or 6 million, far to much
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Dominick Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
@blake,
The deal wasn’t take this guy and give us nothing. The deal was take our top leading coring left winger and give us something we can use plus a draft pick. The other benefits to the Kings weren’t part of the deal, and Edmeonton used the fact that DL wouldn’t go back on the deal to unload an injured player.
Wether it was in our best interest to Keep Fraser or not, Edmonton still took advantage of us. They got a fan favorite, top line left winger, and should of made good on their end, at least because it’s the ethical thing to do.
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LAPD Line Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
@Dominick, Even if Fraser never plays a game for us, I am still happy with the trade, and shedding that salary cap hit.
Dominick Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
@LAPD,
I agree. Just think Edmonton still owes us more, and shouldn’t get a free ride just because they felt they could get away with it.
dMan Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
@Dominick, the way I want to look at it would be like losing him to free agency. Good player, good leadership, but once the season was over, he went to another team. The Kings shed salary and were then able to pick up other possibly more valuable assets thanks to his departure.
I liked him, but I think we’re actually better off now.
Telos Reply:
September 12th, 2011 at 8:47 am
@BlueStang, Uh no. Edmonton got Smyth, the Kings got Fraser, a 7th, and Gagne. The Kings won.
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Dominick Reply:
September 12th, 2011 at 2:03 pm
@Telos, Your missing the point. Gagne wasn’t part of the deal, and neither was our added capspace. Because of those benefits the Kings will let it go eventually, but it doesn’t change the fact that Edmeonton was shady. The Kings will overlook it because they have too, but there should be some sense of fair play involved here.
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Fraser hopefully gets through this and ends up getting a solid chance. Lets face it, Edmeonton is a 2nd rate franchise right now. Judging from the shape that Penner was in while there, You could say that one of your top offensive players not being in shape is a telling sign of how their franchise views their players overall fitness. By Edmontons standards, he was good enough, but by Kings standards, he wasn’t even close.
Sending us 2 players who they claimed were fit (by Edmonton standards) didn’t even get past the doctors (by Kings standards). Their front office is a mess, and their players are going to be hung out to dry by their fans again this season.
Fraser is better off here. At least if he doesn’t end up in our line up full time, his career will not be threatened by neglegence, and he can pursue a career in hockey confident that this injury was taken care of properly.
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BlueStang Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
@Dominick, Yeah, it reminds me of that TV commercial with that terrible sounding background music showing all of those pets in disrepair asking for help. That really makes you feel bad for him. We are so loaded up, where would a left handed shooter play if he could play? They say he takes bad penalties, we don’t need that.
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Crown Royal Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
@Dominick,
Good post.
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Ok here I go… First person I see when I pull up to the Staples is; that Dude they always show after the Kings score, chubby dude with white hair. He says parking is free as long as you park where the meters are. Cool, I park on 11th and Spring. I see dude sitting alone, I start up a chat. He was nice, until his friends showed up. Blew me off as if I wasn’t good enough, Hot shot LA guy I guessed. Hell I goes to get in line and who do I see. Rich at the will call window, day just got better. I missed saying hi, but getting a glace was good enough. Wow, got inside and had a great view of the Q/A with Dean, Terry, and Hexull. Man, it made me feel like I was part of something big. I felt like Dean was being 100% honest with us fans. He wouldn’t sit down. You could tell he was worked up about something. I do believe he wants a winning club year in and year out. Some of the questions were good, some bad, but the kid who made the place laugh stole the show for me. ” What have the Kings done all summer” it was classic. I made my way over to the LA team store and bought some goods for my wife and me. Right outside of the store a line started to form, So I ask what’s this line to. Wow, got to go and check out the Kings locker room. Well I guess it was ok. I could see myself in there yelling at the boys after a bad period. While waiting in line this young couple tried to take cuts in our line. Little did they know that I’m 6’5 and 300lbs. Sorry kids wasn’t happening on my watch. Funny people started talking to me after that. Most folks just let people get away with the old slide in line trick, but not this guy. I left after that. I’m not a big autograph guy and I needed to get to my hotel. One last thing, I just need to say what a wonderful captian we have. Brown #23 is a class act. His words are simple but true, He really does want to be the first King to lift a cup. Oh and Hiedi, she spoke to me. It was a great time and I’ll see you all in Vegas.
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Dominick Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
@kinginsaltlake,
Did you get a chance to hang out with some insiders at all?
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kinginsaltlake Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
@Dominick, Not at all. It was hard to tell who was who. Or as AC/DC whould say “who made who”
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Dominick Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 4:37 pm
@kinginsaltlake, If your still in the area email me and I’ve got a few Phone numbers of fans you might be able to hook up with.
defrim65@yahoo.com
If you have puck73′s number call him up. He knows everybody and is great to sit back and talk puck with.
Since '67 Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
@kinginsaltlake, That dude you’re talking about used to work at a company that I previously worked for, or it could have been his brother since he is a twin. I used to try to talk puck with him and he seemed way more concerned with the golf functions, etc. then the sport, or the Kings for that matter. Maybe that’s his in with the team that have to show him almost everytime they score, who knows? I do know he used to try to come off with me as you say “like I wasn’t good enough” and like oh big deal you’re a Kings fan, well I’m a season ticket holder and yada-yada. He seemed more bothered that others (especially in ’93) would ask me about the Kings. He also didn’t like the fact that I play hockey and have been a fan since day one seeing the Kings play at the Sports Arena, first game at the Forum (actually first event ever), the Miracle on Manchester as well.
Anyway to TRUE Kings fans GO KINGS GO!!!! …and here’s to a great season, we’ve waited long enough!
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BlueStang Reply:
September 11th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
@kinginsaltlake, Nice report.
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I saw him in july at dodger stadium and again today. No crutches real shoes and very gracious ..welcome to la
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Couldn’t help but feel for the guy. I found it uncomfortable to hear some of the questions that were being thrown his way. I give him an A+ for manning up and taking the heat. Hope he can make his way back.
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to be honest, im glad smyth is gone, he wanted out…why do we want him here, good or not? you want players to be here that want to be here. Talking to Fraiser today, the dude is super excited to be here, and yeah he is only a 4th line guy, but he can be a great asset to the kings, we are already deep with players, what more do you want? Also just wanted to say he is a super nice guy, and said he has never been apart of something like hockeyfest before, and loves what the kings did with it. I had a great time today talking to everyone and getting to skate on the ice, freaking dream come true!!
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KC23 Reply:
September 12th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
@Kingsfanforlife, Well said regarding both Smyth and Fraiser. I got nothing against Smyth, but I’m glad he and his 6 mil cap and not wanting to be here tude is gone.
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I know he’s not likely to light the lamp more than 10 times a season, but he must be great on defense to have only a -2 over 62 games in Edmonton last year.
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Mystery man makes another important appearance to some of us here.
Centers our 4th line in NHL ’12 with Lewis on RW.
???
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I truly hope Fraser gets a solid chance to make the team. He seemed like a great guy, really nice, despite being largely ignored by a lot of the people there. I’m always one to root for the underdog, but after his experience in Edmonton,I’d love to seem him come out skating and show everyone that they were wrong about him.
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After all the drama and dust settles. They’ll find out that his leg was healing and that there was a scratch on film printer for the CT machine. Poor guy. These are the lives of the Young and Skateless. Should’ve had Mikus flown in to do some Mr. Miagi hand healing on him.
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