March 25 morning skate notes

Good afternoon from El Segundo, Insiders. Let’s get down to brass tacks.

-The Kings held an optional skate in which nearly all players took part. But because of the absence of several skaters, I’m not putting any credence in the rushes I saw this morning. Instead, refer to yesterday’s alignment: Gaborik-Kopitar-Iginla, Pearson-Carter-Toffoli, Kempe-Dowd-Brodzinski and Andreoff-Lewis-Brown. Kyle Clifford, Nick Shore and Jordan Nolan remained on the ice for extra work with Kevin Gravel and Ben Bishop, so don’t expect that group to get into tonight’s game. Jonathan Quick was the first goalie to leave the ice and is expected to draw the start against the New York Rangers (7:30 p.m. / FOX Sports West / FOX Sports GO / KABC 790 / I Heart Radio).

-Jonny Brodzinski is expected to make his NHL debut tonight. Is there any singular moment that you keep coming back to when you think of debuting in the highest level in the sport? “I’m not even sure,” he answered. “It’s just something that you work for as a kid. The whole time it’s something you dream of so to see the dream come true, it’s pretty awesome, but the work starts now and we’re still trying to make the playoffs.”

-With three University of North Dakota alums in the Kings’ dressing room in Paul LaDue, Derek Forbort and Matt Greene – the latter of whom was spotted Saturday in the corridor linking the practice rink to the team’s dressing room and private facilities – there was naturally some lamenting of the Fighting Hawks’ double overtime loss to Boston University in the NCAA tournament Friday afternoon. The defending national champions lost a handful of stalwarts from their championship team – LaDue, Vancouver’s Troy Stecher, Chicago’s Nick Schmaltz and Edmonton’s Drake Caggiula are already currently in the NHL – but bounced back with a more than respectable season in which they finished 21-16-3 and locked down a tournament bid. “It was weird watching from the other side,” LaDue said. “I kind of wish I was out there last night but it was great to see them fighting in a good game like that, and BU’s a good team but it’s tough with single elimination. It’s just bounces and I’ve been there before. It’s a terrible feeling but you’ve got to keep your head high. They had a good season.”

-Head Athletic Trainer Chris Kingsley will work his 1,500th professional game tonight. Kingsley, who began his professional career with the Lowell Lock Monsters and then linked up with the Manchester Monarchs when they joined the American Hockey League in 2001, has worked in Los Angeles since the start of the 2006-07 season. Through 11 seasons and 73 games in the NHL, his first game still stands out amongst the other 1,498 to this point. (It stands out for several reasons, but Kingsley’s NHL debut is among them.) “I always wanted to work in the NHL and that day, I’ll never forget that game and that I’d reached a goal of mine that I set out for in 1986.” Before the start of this season, Kingsley also worked with the United States’ training staff at the World Cup of Hockey. “Eight years in the American League and then the NHL just gives you a sense of pride that you’ve been around for a while and seen a lot of hockey and been able to touch a lot of player’s lives, I hope in all positive ways,” he said.

-The Rangers are starting to get several injured players back into the lineup, but Henrik Lundqvist (hip) is not yet one of them. Antti Raanta will draw tonight’s start, leaving Lunqdvist to return to the crease tomorrow night in Anaheim. Defenseman Dan Girardi (ankle) is expected to return tonight after a 12-game absence, and defenseman Kevin Klein (back) is expected to return either tonight or tomorrow. Via Steve Zipay of Newsday, the forward lines should include groups of Kreider-Stepan-Zuccarello, Vesey-Zibanejad-Nash, Miller-Hayes-Grabner and Fast-Lindberg-Buchnevich.

-Tonight’s officials are referees Ian Walsh and Tom Kowal and linesmen Kiel Murchison and Shandor Alphonso. I’ll be joined by Nic Dowd during tonight’s Kings Live pre-game coverage. There’s a lot more to come today. Let’s talk soon, Insiders.

Morning skate photos, courtesy of Jon Bradley (follow him on Instagram):

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