A previous post today alluded to Willie Mitchell’s recovery from the serious concussion he suffered during the 2009-10 season. If you remember, a year ago there were some concerns and questions about Mitchell, who spent much of the summer of 2010 in recovery mode. Mitchell made it through the season just fine — with the exception of a couple injuries that had nothing to do with his head — and this summer, things were back to normal for the 34-year-old defenseman. Mitchell was able to complete a full summer of training and get back to normal, something he doesn’t take for granted.
MITCHELL: “I had a chance to go over to the World Championships with Canada (after the Kings were eliminated from the playoffs). Dave Nonis asked me to go. It was an honor. Dave Nonis is someone I really wanted to go for, because he gave me the opportunity to play in Vancouver, with the Canucks. He was GM at the time and I felt a little bit of loyalty to him. But more than that, I wanted to have a proper summer, so I decided not to go. The summer before, I didn’t have a proper summer of training. I didn’t have a summer doing the things that most hockey players do in the summer, which is to get away. It’s not just the stuff you do on the ice. It’s the mental stuff, getting away from the game. You need to get away from the game for a little while and relax, so that you’re hungry when you come back. So yeah, I did all the things I normally do in the summer, and probably even a little bit more so on the training side.
“We all have pride, and we all want to come in in shape. More, it’s just mentally, being in the right frame of mind and knowing you’ve done everything you can, physically, to get yourself ready. On the ice, it just kind of takes care of itself. So this summer I worked really hard at it. I think the coaching staff and Dean (Lombardi) are a little bit aware of that. Obviously you don’t do it for them, you do it for yourself, but it’s always nice when they notice that you’ve come in in much better shape. So I’m just looking forward. I felt, at the end of (last) year, it was more my style of game consistently, and I’m just looking forward to picking up where I left off and having a good year. It’s important to do that, obviously, with the team we have. Chances like this don’t come too often. We have a really good group, and we’re looking forward to making a long run.”
As Mitchell said, the coaching staff, including Terry Murray, has taken note of Mitchell’s conditioning and preparation.
MURRAY: “Last year, he was coming off an injury, playing in Vancouver. He missed a lot of playing time at the end of the year, and that was a severe concussion problem. So whenever you have to take a lot of your summer time just to get health — not even doing anything, just recovering — then you miss out on a lot of physical training that you would normally do. So going back to the end of this past season, he’s now feeling good, healthy, and he has the summer to train and just get himself prepared for the start of the training camp. And he looks fantastics. All of the results of his testing, and all of the drills that he’s doing, he’s really on the balls. He’s sharp and making good things happen. The summer has been good for him, and his adjustment to being an L.A. King now, he’s starting to settle in and everything looks great for him.”
Of course, there’s a notable absence in training camp related to Mitchell. Drew Doughty isn’t in training camp, and Doughty would normally be Mitchell’s partner on defense. So far, Mitchell has orated through a handful of young partners in practices, most recently Slava Voynov.
MITCHELL: “It’s a little different. Last year, I came in and I bounced around a little bit. I played left side and right side, with Dewey and Jack (Johnson) a little bit. Here, obviously the first little bit hasn’t been with NHL players, so to speak, but I find that sometimes that’s good too, because it forces you to work on what you’re doing out on the ice, to make sure you’re in the right position and just controlling the things you can control in order to get yourself ready. That’s kind of what I’m doing, is just trying to worry about my game, things that make me a good player and things that can help the team win. So that’s what I’ve been trying to do. I feel real good on the ice, as far as my skating and stuff like that. Timing is pretty good. Now it’s just getting in a couple games to get ready to get going.”
I asked Mitchell if he has had any communication with Doughty recently…
MITCHELL: “A little bit, but we’ll leave it at that. These things happen. It’s not the first and last time it will happen in the NHL. It’s good for (media), it’s good for newspapers and it’s good for people to talk about and stuff like that, but the reality is, this is hockey and it happens. It especially happens with players of his nature. The thing is, it’s going to get done. It never hasn’t. It always gets done. It’s just a matter of when. Whether that’s tomorrow or it’s an hour from now or it’s a week and a half, two weeks from now, it will get done and he will be with us. He’s going to have a really great year, just as our team is going to. I’m sure he looks forward to the process being done, and so does Dean. That’s how it works with these things. Like I said, it plays out, as we all know, when the pressure starts to push, whether it’s on Dean or Drew. When it does, it will get done.”
Love this guy! So happy he is a King!
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Bama Kings Reply:
September 24th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
We had an issue in our LA Kings Insider (non-official) Fantasy Hockey League and may have a slot or two opening up. If you’re interested in getting on the waiting list, email me: john@frusterio.com
Thanks and GKG!
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Couple of funny phrases in this one…
Murray on Mitchell conditioning: “And he looks fantastics. All of the results of his testing, and all of the drills that he’s doing, he’s really on the balls.” ummm, ouch?
Mitchell, on the pairings due to dough.ty. being out: “So far, Mitchell has orated through a handful of young partners in practices, most recently Slava Voynov.” I know Mitchell talks a lot, but this really proves that he can talk and rotate thru pairings at the same time!
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mcsorleyfan Reply:
September 24th, 2011 at 9:14 am
@Player-X, I was cracking up as well…
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I agree…love Willy…glad he’s healthy! So excited for the season to start up! GO KINGS GO!
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With a name like Willie I’m glad
“he’s really on the balls”….
If we didn’t already have a great captain
He’d really make a good contender..
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To know how good Mitchell is, is to realize that he is so good with his tecnique and skating ability that he almost never takes a penalty. But the most telling factor was our record without him in 25 games and the way our defense played overall….terrible.
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jet Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:41 pm
@puck73, is willie a defenceman
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Lake Forest Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:02 pm
@puck73, the funny thing is it’s coincidental with Poni being gone also. I think we did HORRIBLE when both those guys were injured last year and even though Poni didnt put up numbers, as a team with him we did. (to clarify I don’t miss Poni, I’m just saying)
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Few true hardcore King fans would disagree, this man is definately one of the most important parts of our team.
Never in the history of the Kings (since 69 for me) have I heard King players talk so much about how special a year they intend to have. It seems to a man, they all expect to have a very very special year. Believing you can is the most important step in accomplishing anything.
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GkingsG99 Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 8:53 pm
@KC23, Agree. I love how confident he is and how he says it how it is. Also imo i think all the Doughty “haters” need to re read that last quote from Mitchell and get over it already and just look foreward to some Hockey.
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He was a great signing. This is his last year with us. Don’t know if they will try to re-sign with all the depth on D, but I hope we do.
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Willie Mitchell: a better orator than Cicero.
I really could listen to him all day, though.
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ESPN NHL – FINAL – NSH 3 CAR 2 – NSH: J Hillen 1 goal, CAR: A Ponikarovsky 2 goals, CAR: C Ward 20 saves.
What ex king doesn’t do better once they leave?
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KC23 Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:02 pm
@Subby, O’Sullivan
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Subby Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:14 pm
@KC23, :pp
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Dominick Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 8:20 pm
@KC23,
Ouch, that hurt. lol
I would say Robitaille too. He did win a cup while he was gone, but he never could consistantly score unless he was in LA.
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Hmmmm, he didn’t sound too thrilled about playing with rookies, e. g. Voynov.
I’m wondering if it’s the shrewd ol’ man, not happy being the “wet nurse” or he believes/knows DD is joining soon.
I just can’t read the ol’ Willie.
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KC23 Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:04 pm
@Token, He knows DD will be here soon. I’m guessing DD will be signed right around Frozen Fury.
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jet Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:43 pm
@Token, i don’t rea;;y think that is the case. with Smyth and Zues gone, willie is now our phase C player and I am sure he knows that.
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Mitchell is a beast! A solid player that can hold down the fort.
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Does anyone know if any preseason games will be on t.v? I though i read somewhere that the game against the ducks would be on cbs. But now i cant seem to find it anywhere. could someone help me out? thanks alot.
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Dominick Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 8:31 pm
@Jefreyryan,
Sorry, none of the pre-season games for the Kings will be televised at all. The Ducks game wont either. They have a game the night before against Vancouver broadcast on cbc and the NHL network, but not against the Kings. Their game that following Wednesday against them is televised too. I wish we could play Vancouver so we could get some games televised before the season started.
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Most under-rated player on the Kings! He really holds up responsibly on the defensive end when paired with Doughty of Johnson.
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“And he looks fantastics.”
“he’s really on the balls.”
Are those typos? If not, those are the two greatest quotes ever.
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