Anze Kopitar and Jim Hiller speak during an unprecedented situation, as Kings depart for Winnipeg

It’s a tricky day to report on the LA Kings.

On one hand, the Kings departed for Winnipeg earlier today, with a big, five-game roadtrip on the horizon. For a team in the thick of the playoff race, that should be important. But it doesn’t feel particularly important, when you look from the perspective of what’s going on right now in Los Angeles.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s not important at all.

With yesterday’s game against Calgary postponed, which was undoubtedly the correct decision, the Kings will next play tomorrow in Manitoba against the Jets, the first of five straight games away from home. As they always do, they boarded the plane, bags packed and they’ll do their best to get results in unfriendly confines.

They do so, though, leaving an unknown behind them in Los Angeles.

For players, coaches and staff – myself included – the plane left safely, everyone accounted for and we’ll all get to it. Not on it though are spouses, children and loved ones, who remain back in Los Angeles, a community in need. That’s the difficult part right now for everybody heading out today.

“We know people that have lost their home and have been affected by it in the most tragic ways too,” captain Anze Kopitar said today. “Yeah, it’s hard, it’s bad timing. At the end of the day, I guess, we‘ve got to do what we got to do, but we’re thinking about the families and wishing them all the best.”

What’s going on right now is something that none of us have known. For Kopitar, he’s been in Los Angeles since 2006. At 37 years old, this is his 19th season in the NHL, meaning the chapter of his life that’s been in Los Angeles is almost longer than the chapter that preceded it.

What’s going on is certainly not anything he’s ever seen before. Same for all of us. There are a lot of people who have it a lot more difficult than those with the Kings, but that’s not to say the situation isn’t impacting those within the room. Staff members have been impacted and displaced and there is an obvious level of uncertainty with the situation seeming only to escalate by the hour. When you look at what’s been taken from so many, it’s all put into perspective, including for Kopitar.

“It’s extremely hard to even comprehend what’s going on,” Kopitar said. “In my 19 years here, I’ve never seen anything remotely close. Yeah, there were fires, but not in a populated area to where people are losing lives, losing houses and pretty much everything that they’ve worked for their entire life. Obviously thoughts and prayers with everybody that have lost a loved one……it’s extremely hard. Hopefully this gets under control fairly quickly.”

Jim Hiller said that with yesterday’s game cancelled, most players, coaches and staff were probably at home yesterday just watching what was going on. He certainly was.

In that aspect, everyone is the same. Watching, listening and hoping for improvements, or even just positive updates. The Kings are typically the ones on the ice, with thousands people focused on them. Last night, it was the reverse. Hiller expressed his gratitude and thanks towards First Responders on the front lines, away from their families, without sleep and resources, putting in the work to help keep everyone as safe as possible. The true heroes in this situation.

“You see it, it’s terrible and then you see the people out there trying to help, doing their job,” Hiller said. “You have so much respect for those [people], I’m sure there hasn’t been a lot of sleep for those guys, I was talking about that with my wife, they just go. It’s pretty incredible. When the chips are down, they’re the ones there.”

For Hiller, like Kopitar and the majority of the members of the traveling party, they now head for Winnipeg. To do what their job entails. As he added today, it’s something everyone is used to. Part of the job, if you will. It doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to leave, though, even if those involved are accustomed to being in that position.

With the team now in Winnipeg, they’ll do their best to remain connected to the community on the home front.

The Kings are mobilizing behind the scenes to help in the aid process for those who have been impacted, with more details to come tomorrow and in coming days. There’s so much to be done and the Kings need to do their part to help. It’s not a want, it’s a need and from what I’ve heard, that’s what they’re planning on doing. Should have more specifics soon, starting with tomorrow’s game versus the Jets.

Looking forward, on the ice at least, the team is now North of the border.

Today was originally scheduled to be a full travel day, without a practice. Hiller made a change after last night’s game against Calgary was cancelled, holding a full-team practice today at Toyota Sports Performance Center before leaving. The team was still at the rink when they learned yesterday’s game would be postponed, but it wasn’t the time or place to practice, will Hiller noting that group “wasn’t ready” to do that. Everyone felt it was more important to get home. Instead, the Kings skated for around a half hour this morning before their flight to Winnipeg, with everyone accounted for. Joel Edmundson was in a red, non-contact jersey and traveled with the team today, though no update beyond that on his potential availability going forward.

More to come in the AM, with the team scheduled to skate at Canada Life Centre in Manitoba. For tonight, stay safe Insiders.