For players on Pacific Division rivals that usually enter a hostile environment when they play the Kings at Staples Center, this visit they expect different one — hopefully. This weekend is a chance to enjoy time with family and face a little less pressure than they have in playoff series and grinding regular season games.
“It feels a lot better,” said Coyotes goalie Mike Smith, who lost to the Kings in the Western Conference Finals during the team’s first Cup run in 2012. “LA’s been a big rival of ours since I got to the desert, probably before. It’s nice to come in here with a different mentality, enjoy the time. The pressure’s a little bit off and just really enjoy the time with my family here and not come to the Staples Center hopefully not with fans chanting my name in the wrong direction, booing me and stuff like that. I’ve heard that before here and like I said, looking forward to just a great weekend.”
The same goes for players on the in-state rivals the Sharks and Ducks. Players like Ryan Kesler and Cam Fowler from the Ducks are used to rude audience. Kesler doesn’t anticipate catching a break from the local fans.
“It’s fun. For everybody to get together and put on a show, that’s what we’re here for,” he said. “I’ll probably still get booed like normal at Staples, but I’m all right with that.”
When asked about the topic, Sharks defenseman Brent Burns raved about the city, this during a long and packed media session in which he admired his own bobblehead. When it comes to trips to L.A., he enjoys his time away from the arena most.
“I love this city, he said.” I love coming here every time. My favorite restaurant’s here, Koi, I love going to Koi. Getting to take the family there last night is always fun. It’s nice to be in a city where everything’s close. Getting to stay here, you can walk across the street for games. It’s just a special city I think. The energy here, there’s a couple cities that you get to play in that have that different energy and LA’s definitely one of them and looking into the crowd and you’re seeing different people from TV and movies. It’s just a crazy place. It’s a cool, cool building. It’s always fun.”
A Burns and his bobblehead pic.twitter.com/Le9LPm4IFI
— Lindsay Czarnecki (@ReignInsider) January 28, 2017
MARTIN JONES BACK IN L.A.
On getting to see former teammates:
“Yeah, it’ll be fun seeing Carts and Doughty and playing with those guys again. It will be fun, for sure.
On going full circle and playing his first ASG in L.A.:
“It’s pretty cool just the way everything worked out. Just to have my first one here is pretty special, for sure.”
JEFF CARTER QUOTES
On who he was most excited to see or meet this weekend from the NHL 100:
Yeah I mean, I guess I’ve been around long enough that I’ve met a lot of them. There’s a lot of these young kids that are coming up now, it’ll be fun to hang out with them and kind of get to know them. I was in the dressing room and I’m sitting beside Connor so that’ll be cool to get to know him a little bit.
On whether his second All-Star appearance is more special at home and with family:
Yeah, it’s great. Obviously makes it a little easier on myself. We don’t have to travel anywhere but I love playing in LA, I love playing in front of our fans so it’ll be nice to have it here in front of them.
On whether his conversations with McDavid are about hockey or other things:
A little bit of everything. I’m sure Looch will come up. I think obviously Looch made a call to our trainers that he wanted Connor to sit in his stall so I think that’s how that all worked out but yeah, just get to know him a little bit. I mean, probably not much hockey talk, just kind of hanging out and get to know him.
On his season thus far:
Yeah I think, up and down for sure. Obviously we’d like to be in a better position in the standings but if we can get some guys healthy here and get a full lineup going then we can get on a roll. [Reporter: You must feel you’re a lot better than what we’ve seen this season…] Yep. I mean, we’re a confident group. We’ve been together for a long time through good and bad times and we know that we’re good. We all feel that we’re a playoff team and we’ll get there.
On whether Doughty keeps the room loose:
Yeah I think that’s part of him that a lot of people don’t get to see, the behind the scenes stuff. I think this year he’s taken a real big step in the leadership part and in leading and one guy isn’t showing the right way and everything but Drew is Drew and he is what he is and he keeps guys on their toes. He’s always joking around, laughing, smiling and he just keeps guys kind of light even when it’s not so it’s good.
On Brent Burns:
Yeah he’s done it all for them. I had the chance to play with him a few times when we were younger and playing juniors and stuff like that.
On whether he’s faced any challenges with his newborn son:
It’s been pretty smooth sailing so far. I don’t know if I should say that but it’s been great, though. I mean, we’ve been on the road a lot since he’s been born so I think leaving sucks but then coming home and seeing the changes and stuff it’s been a lot of fun.
On whether he’s playing his best season in the NHL right now:
My best season? I think I had one big season in Philly but I think my all around game and being part of the leadership group here now and all that kind of deal, I would probably say yeah. In Philly I was still young and it was kind of the run and gun, score some goals, but I mean all around, leadership, 200 foot game, stuff like that, yeah probably.
On whether he grew up wanting to play in an All-Star game:
Growing up, I mean, that’s all I did was play hockey. Road, on the ice, whatever. That was my dream to be a hockey player, to play in the NHL, to win the Stanley Cup and what not so I never really got off that track going forward and it all worked out but… [Reporter: A lot of kids have that dream and you know how hard that is to acheive. What would you tell your old 14 year old self or even your parents?] Just to stick with it.
(Courtesy of Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
DREW DOUGHTY QUOTES
On Brent Burns and how he gets so many pucks on net:
I don’t know how he gets that many pucks on net. Obviously he’s really good on getting his shot through. He shoots everything. Every single time he get it. Their power play’s set up for him to shoot those and the one thing with their team is they’re so good at tipping pucks that Joe Pavelski, you’re not only worried about blocking the shot but you’re also worried about him tipping it so you’re trying to do two things at once and you have to choose one or the other and that helps him get shots.”
On embracing rivals for a weekend:
We just put all that stuff aside. I played with Burnsy a few times now. It’s a lot of fun. A lot of fun to play with. A guy like Pavelski, we battle pretty good on the ice but we have respect for each other no matter what. We’re just both trying to win hockey games, no matter what’s said during the games we just put that aside and have some fun.
On Jeff Carter’s season:
Jeff has been amazing. He is obviously putting a lot of pucks in the net and putting up good points for us and he has been obviously a good leader in good categories too but he has been playing good two-way hockey and always responsible in his D-zone, so he is playing good two-way hockey and that’s what really stands out for me. Not just his goals and stuff like that, but good two-way hockey.
On how Jeff Carter has changed:
He hasn’t really changed too much I don’t think. He’s the same player, same guy. A good professional. He just sticks to his routine and he’s good at it. He’s really focused on hockey and playing his best every night and when it comes to his leadership I guess he is a little more vocal than he used to be, but yeah he hasn’t changed too much.
On why Jeff Carter doesn’t get talked about enough:
I don’t know. I don’t know why that is. We have so many good players that don’t get talked about. Not only does Jeff not get talked about enough but there’s other guys too. When you have a guy like Kopitar kind of leading your offense it’s kind of tough to get your name mentioned instead of his becase he’s such a good player and so special. But Jeff is obviously one of those special players too.
(Courtesy of Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
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