Getting the legs moving again

NHL teams could not resume practice until 2 p.m. local time, so the Kings flew to Minnesota this morning and went through a 45-minute practice. Kings players had permission to join the team in St. Paul from wherever they happened to be during the break — several players took family time, for instance — but all made it to the arena for practice. Anze Kopitar is scheduled to be back on the ice tomorrow morning, and it seems likely that the Kings will have a full-team morning skate. As for today’s practice, Terry Murray and the coaching staff focused mainly on skating and shooting drills, seeking to get the blood going again…

MURRAY: “The energy was good. Lots of enthusiasm. It tailed off quickly. [laughs] It started really fast. It’s good. You just want to get your legs going. That was the purpose of it all. You get some time off and then get back skating and passing the puck, keeping it very simple, very fundamental. We’ll get in a team morning skate tomorrow, and it will work out good.”

As for the break, from snippets of conversation around the locker room, it seems as though many of the players did not watch the All-Star Game, although there certainly was a general knowledge that Kopitar — who scored two goals — had fared well. Murray was one who did keep tabs on Kopitar…

MURRAY: “I did. I watched the skills the night before, and I did watch the majority of the game. I didn’t watch the whole thing. Kopi had a good game. It was typical of an All-Star Game, I guess. There was a lot of finesse skill, not a lot on the checking part of the game. He played good.”