Gravel expected to be called up to Kings

Reign defenseman Kevin Gravel is set to be called up to the Kings after defenseman Christian Ehrhoff was placed on waivers this morning, according to LA Kings Insider.

The Reign play in San Jose tonight after bussing up on Tuesday. Reign head coach Mike Stothers confirmed via text on Wednesday that Gravel will not be in the lineup.

“Very happy for Gravs it is an exciting recall for him, and us,” Stothers said via text on Wednesday afternoon. “His teammates and the coaching staff are thrilled for him. He plays a quiet, efficient, reliable game. His positioning and mobility are good and he has a great stick.

“He makes plays and the bigger the game the better he plays. Very coachable individual.”

As reported by Jon Rosen earlier today:
-The move won’t be made official until Ehrhoff’s status is resolved – the Kings can only have 23 players on the active roster – but Dean Lombardi told me that Kevin Gravel will be called up, and another member of the hockey operations staff confirmed that the player should join the team in New York tomorrow. The Kings play the Islanders in Brooklyn on Thursday, the Rangers on Friday, and the Devils Sunday, so there is a chance that the former St. Cloud State Husky could make his debut this weekend. In 42 games this season, the 6-foot-4, 200 pound defender has five goals, 16 points and a plus-five rating.

Gravel has been playing alongside Derek Forbort since Forbort’s reassignment following the trade for Luke Schenn and Vincent Lecavalier on Jan. 6. Two of Gravel’s five goals this season are OT winners and Stothers had this to say after his Jan. 5 OT goal in a 3-2 win over Texas: “He steps it up when you need him. That’s a sign of good character. … I see a lot of leadership in Gravs. He could be a captain someday.”

Gravel is one of five Reign players to play in all 42 games this season. He plays in all special-team situations and is on the back end with Sean Backman on the first power play unit.