Reign: Brodzinski, Kempe, LaDue reassigned; MacDermid, Trotman skate; Campbell honored

Happy Monday and greetings from Ontario. Meaningful hockey still to be played for this team and they took the ice for practice at 10 a.m. PT. So many notes today they’ve been broken up into sub-heads.

BRODZINSKI, KEMPE AND LADUE COMING BACK

Forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Adrian Kempe and defenseman Paul LaDue were not at practice but were officially assigned by the Kings back to the Reign at noon PT.

“Sure hope so, that’s what we’re counting on,” said head coach Mike Stothers when asked if the trio will be at practice on Tuesday. “That’s fine. They’ll be here tomorrow and then they’ll get on the bus with us and go to Stockton and get back to life in the American Hockey League.”

All three made their NHL debuts this season, Brodzinski playing in six games and registering two assists, Kempe playing in 25 games and registering two goals and four assists, and LaDue appearing in 22 games, registering eight assists.

A more expanded story will be posted on the “Big Three” tomorrow following the Reign’s 9:30 a.m. PT practice.

The Reign have just three regular season games remaining this week, first on Wednesday in Stockton and then a home-and-home against San Diego on Friday and Saturday, before the Calder Cup Playoffs begin next week where they’ll face the Gulls.

MACDERMID, TROTMAN SKATE WITH THE TEAM

Injured defensemen Zach Trotman and Kurtis MacDermid, both out with upper-body injuries, participated fully for the first time although while wearing red no-contact colors. The two were paired together during practice.

“It’s the first time they’ve actually done some drills with the guys,” Stothers said. “They’re still limited to what they can do. It’s pretty nice to see those two big bodies in red out there, gives us hope.” Neither will travel to Stockton.

MacDermid has been out the last six games while Trotman’s shoulder injury has been long-term, suffered way back on Nov. 12. Trotman revealed that he did have surgery, which was assumed due to his length of time out, but never previously reported.

“Right when we first had the injury we tried to rehab it for a while and I thought I’d be able to come back around Christmas time,” Trotman said. “Obviously tried to do some contact and it wasn’t feeling right still and the surgery ended up coming in January and it looked like I was gonna be end of the season. Just kept coming in and doing my rehab and kept trying to push it and see what I could get done and got a few weeks into it and started eyeing the ‘maybe I can make playoffs if we can get in a little early.’ It’s going to be a push for sure because it’s definitely before the timetable but I’ve been working hard and just trying to do what I can to give myself a chance and hopefully get out there and help the guys.”

Stothers said the next step for both in their recovery is just one thing: time.

“Unfortunately it’s time,” he said. “That’s all you can do. You still have to recover but we’re getting closer and it’s good to see ’em. We’re excited.”

For MacDermid, his late-season injury came at an inopportune time but his attitude hasn’t wavered.

“It’s tough but that happens in the game of hockey so you just gotta accept it and move on and just try to get healthy as quick as possible and in the right way,” he said. “Just progressing each day like I have been, which is good. Just hopefully keep going and keep on the same program I am now.”

MacDermid, on his first practice with the team:
It’s always good getting back out with the guys. After missing some time you get to miss the guys and the atmosphere out there. It was really good to get back out there.

Trotman, on being out there with his teammates again:
It’s nice to be out there with the banter, a little bit more of some flow drills rather than just long conditioning skates. Those are a lot tougher especially when you’re only out there with yourself or a couple other guys so it was nice to be back out there in the flow of things, a little more game-like stuff.

Trotman, on what needs to happen for him to return:
It’s going to come down to the shoulder feeling 100 percent. I can’t be able to go out there and be thinking about it when I’m going into the corners and battling. It’s got to be an afterthought and I’ve got to be able to go into a corner and know that I can grind on guys and hit on guys and cross-check and do all the stuff that I need to do to be a good player and help the team out. That’s what it’s going to come down to in these next couple weeks leading up to the playoffs.

OTHERS OUT

Of those not skating were the following injured players: center Andrew Crescenzi, forward Paul Bissonnette and defenseman Alexx Privitera.

It’s that time of the season where things get tip-lipped on injuries, so Stothers was not revealing what’s ailing any of them.

“He’s injured and we’re hopeful that he’s going to be ready for the playoffs,” Stothers said of Crescenzi. Regarding Bissonnette things aren’t as optimistic: “Biss is injured again and this is going to take some time. Well, we got our money’s worth out of him. He’s worth every dollar.”

Stothers also revealed that the rookie Privitera was hurt in latter stages of last Friday’s win in San Diego. “Of course, we can’t make it through a game without someone getting hurt,” Stothers said.

CAMPBELL EARNS WEEKLY HONOR

Goalie Jack Campbell became the first Reign player this season to earn the league’s CCM/AHL Player of the Week honors, as was announced by the AHL this morning.

Campbell won back-to-back games against San Diego last Friday and Saturday, the first being a 30-save 4-0 shutout in San Diego that clinched the Reign a playoff berth. It was his fifth shutout of the season, which is tied for second in the AHL. The following night he stopped 27 of 28 shots in a 3-1 win against the Gulls to earn his 31st win, which tops the league.

MEET MATT LUFF

Nineteen-year-old forward Matt Luff took part in his first practice with the team. The 19-year-old was assigned by the Kings to the Reign after wrapping up his OHL season with the Hamilton Bulldogs last week. With Hamilton he registered 49 points (25 goals, 24 assists) in 45 games. He could very well make his debut on Wednesday as Stothers hinted that a lot of players will be getting the night off.

“The day after we got knocked out [last Tuesday] I got a call saying I was going to fly out and get with the team when they got back from San Diego and watch the home game,” Luff said. “So I flew in the day of the game and watched that, which was pretty cool. Just practicing with them and soaking it all in and learning.

“Left with snow and it’a a lot hotter here. It’s nice. It’s hotter in the rink so you’ve just got to get used to it.”

Luff, on what his first practice was like:
A lot more tempo to it. Bigger bodies and more skill. The goalies are a lot better and faster so you’ve got to up the tempo a lot more and play with your linemates and play up to their speed.

Luff, on his season with Hamilton:
Learned a lot, especially with L.A. coming down and just giving me pointers on what they want to see me improve on and here I’m just going to try and learn from the older guys and watch what they do and talk to the coaches and just be a sponge. What they want me to do is what I’ll do.

Luff, on what the biggest message he was getting from the development staff:
They don’t want me passing up opportunities to shoot the puck.

Luff, on describing his own game:
I think I just bring good offensive zone presence. I like to shoot the puck and I like getting to the front of the net with shots from the point and tipping them in and hoping for one of those garbage goals.”

LEFTOVERS

–With Sunday being Bob Miller’s last game I asked Stothers if he had any memories to share about Bob: “No, surprisingly I don’t. It sure seems like he’s touched everybody. Forty-four years, holy smokes, that’s a terrific accomplishment. You don’t see that longevity anymore. I grew up with a little bit of Foster Hewitt, Bob Cole and I know how much they meant to me as a Leaf fan growing up and watching Hockey Night in Canada. I know he’s touched a lot of people and it’s pretty impressive. Him and Vin Scully, it’s going to be tough without those two.”

–The Kings development brass was present a day after the big club’s final game of the season. Spotted at practice were Nelson Emerson, Jack Ferreira, Glen Murray and Sean O’Donnell.

–Goalie Jonah Imoo, the son of Reign goalie coach Dusty Imoo, has been added to Ontario’s roster. The 23-year-old made his AHL debut earlier this season in the widely-reported story in which Dusty backed up his son. In 18 games with ECHL-Manchester, Imoo went 7-4-2 with a 3.33 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. Imoo was moved and played in five games with ECHL-Tulsa, earning a 1-3-0 record with a 2.65 GAA and .896 save percentage.