Decision day nears on Fraser

There are a couple interesting subplots heading into Thursday’s game against Edmonton, a red-hot team with a 7-2-2 record and five consecutive wins. First, Kings fans, you might remember a guy named Colin Fraser… It’s tough not to have empathy for Fraser, who, through no fault of his own, has been put in the middle of a couple difficult spots.

First, Fraser got traded to the Kings, in the deal that sent Ryan Smyth to Edmonton after Smyth requested to play closer to home. The trade initially involved Gilbert Brule, but Fraser was substituted after the Kings objected to Brule’s health status. Then, after the deal, the Kings were irate after they determined that Fraser needed foot surgery and would miss the start of the season. The Kings filed a grievance against the Oilers with the league, and general manager Dean Lombardi said that a hearing about that greievance is scheduled to take place in two weeks, after the next general managers’ meetings in Toronto.

Then, there’s Fraser himself. A good-natured, good-character guy, Fraser has been skating and skating and skating for six weeks without getting into a game. Soon, the Kings will have to make a choice on Fraser. He has yet to be officially cleared to play, but that will likely happen before the end of this homestand, at which point — if everyone else remains healthy — the Kings would have to decide whether to put him on the active roster, in place or a current player, or put him through waivers. Fraser has value as a third- or fourth-line complementary player, but will he get a chance with the Kings?