Report: Weal on his way up to Kings; more prospect notes

Center Jordan Weal has been recalled by the Los Angeles Kings, according to Monarchs color commentator Chris Ryan, who broke the news Friday evening:

Jordan Weal is not in the line-up tonight for @MonarchsHockey, as he has been recalled and is expected to make his debut for the #LAKings.

— Chris Ryan (@wkxlnhchris) April 10, 2015

Weal, a second-team AHL All-Star, has totaled 19 goals and 65 points in 70 games with the Monarchs this season. The Kings had hoped to use an emergency recall on the skilled center earlier this season that would have placed him in the lineup for the club’s game in Pittsburgh on October 30, but his cap hit would have been pushed above the $650,000 allotted by such a recall due to bonuses based on games played. David Van der Gulik was recalled instead.

More Manchester and prospect tidbits:

-Finnish defenseman Alex Lintuniemi joined the Monarchs this week after having signed an ATO following the conclusion of his 19-year-old junior season. Lintuniemi, who got into a preseason game with Los Angeles, had his arrival in New Hampshire delayed earlier this week due to minor visa complications. He took the pre-game skate with the club but is not in the lineup for Friday night’s game against Portland.

Ottawa 67's name Alex Lintuniemi as MVP for '14-15. His 35 minutes a night of solid play will be irreplaceable. Off to Manchester Monarchs

— Don Campbell (@ottawa_dc) April 7, 2015

–Jonny Brodzinski is Manchester to rehabilitate an ankle injury suffered in the NCAA tournament. Fortunately, the injury isn’t as bad as originally feared (read: not a high ankle sprain) and shouldn’t sideline him for more than two to three weeks. It is unclear at this point whether he’d be an option for Mike Stothers in the playoffs once he is cleared to play.

–Joel Lowry, son of former NHL veteran Dave Lowry and brother of Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry, is highly likely to sign an entry level contract with the Kings. Lowry, whose senior season at Cornell ended prematurely due to back surgery, was the Big Red’s leading scorer when he succumbed to injury. The 6-foot-2, 193-pound forward was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Draft and totaled 29 goals and 77 points in 111 career games. He’s known as an intelligent hockey player capable of playing an honest game across all 200 feet of the ice.

-I’m getting the sense that defenseman Paul LaDue is most likely headed back to the University of North Dakota for his junior season, and the Kings are fine with that. There was the possibility that the 22-year-old LaDue, like Brodzinski, could sign with the club and play professionally in 2015-16, but he’s very happy at North Dakota, and Los Angeles is very comfortable with the development and coaching staff in place in Grand Forks. In 41 games this season, the 2012 sixth round draft pick totaled five goals and 22 points.

-In addition to Weal, defenseman Colin Miller and forward Brian O’Neill were also named 2014-15 Second Team AHL All Stars. More information is available here.