- The Los Angeles Kings announced updates to their hockey operations staff last night. Per the announcement, Nelson Emerson has been promoted to the position of Assistant General Manager, while Glen Murray has been promoted to Senior Director of Player Personnel. As Zach Dooley of L.A. Kings Insider writes, both executives have been “key right-hand men” for GM Rob Blake, meaning their promotions could be a response to the Kings’ encouraging 2021-22 season.
Kings Rumors
Training Camp Cuts: 10/10/22
A very happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers who are celebrating! Today marks the deadline for NHL clubs to become cap compliant and submit their opening night rosters. More specifically, the 5:00 pm ET deadline is now less than six hours away. With that in mind, we expect to see plenty of players sent to the minor leagues, returned to juniors, or released from their PTOs today, and we’ll keep track of them here.
Arizona Coyotes (via team tweet)
D Cam Dineen (to Tucson, AHL)
G Jon Gillies (to Tucson, AHL)
F Laurent Dauphin (to Tucson, AHL)
F Bokondji Imama (to Tucson, AHL)
Buffalo Sabres (via team tweet)
D Lawrence Pilut (to Rochester, AHL)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (to Rochester, AHL)
F Olivier Nadeau (to Gatineau, QMJHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (via team release)
F Jack Drury (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jordan Martinook (to Chicago, AHL)
Colorado Avalanche (via team tweet)
D Wyatt Aamodt (to Colorado, AHL)
F Mikhail Maltsev (to Colorado, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
F Emil Bemstrom (to Cleveland, AHL)
D David Jiricek (to Cleveland, AHL)
Detroit Red Wings (per team release)
D Jeremie Biakabutuka (released from ATO)
F Kyle Criscuolo (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Taro Hirose (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G Jussi Olkinuora (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Givani Smith (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
Edmonton Oilers (via team tweet)
D Jason Demers (released from PTO)
F James Hamblin (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Devin Shore (to Bakersfield, AHL)
Los Angeles Kings (per team release)
G Pheonix Copley (to Ontario, AHL)
F Rasmus Kupari (to Ontario, AHL)
F Andre Lee (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Moverare (to Ontario, AHL)
Montreal Canadiens (via two team tweets)
F Rafael Harvey-Pinard (to Laval, AHL)
F Jesse Ylonen (to Laval, AHL)
D Justin Barron (to Laval, AHL)
D Otto Leskinen (to Laval, AHL)
G Cayden Primeau (to Laval, AHL)
D Arber Xhekaj (to Laval, AHL)
Nashville Predators (via team release)
F Jimmy Huntington (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Mark Jankowski (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Philip Tomasino (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Kevin Gravel (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jordan Gross (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Milwaukee, AHL)
New York Rangers (via team release)
D Matt Bartkowski (released from PTO)
F Julien Gauthier (to Hartford, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (via team tweet)
F Ridly Greig (to Belleville, AHL)
Philadelphia Flyers (per Olivia Reiner, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
F Jackson Cates (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
Seattle Kraken (via team tweet)
F John Hayden (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
D Michal Kempny (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (via team release)
F Josh Leivo (to Springfield, AHL)
F Jake Neighbours (to Springfield, AHL)
Toronto Maple Leafs (via team tweet)
F Kyle Clifford (to Toronto, AHL)
F Adam Gaudette (to Toronto, AHL)
F Pontus Holmberg (to Toronto, AHL)
D Filip Kral (to Toronto, AHL)
D Victor Mete (to Toronto, AHL)
F Nick Robertson (to Toronto, AHL)
F Wayne Simmonds (to Toronto, AHL)
D William Villeneuve (to Toronto, AHL)
Vancouver Canucks (via team tweet)
F Linus Karlsson (to Abbotsford, AHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (via team release)
F Pavel Dorofeyev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Sakari Manninen (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jonas Rondbjerg (to Henderson, AHL)
D Jake Bischoff (to Henderson, AHL)
D Kaedan Korczak (to Henderson, AHL)
G Michael Hutchinson (to Henderson, AHL)
Washington Capitals (via team tweet)
F Henrik Borgstrom (to Hershey, AHL)
D Lucas Johansen (to Hershey, AHL)
Winnipeg Jets (via team tweet)
D Ville Heinola (to Manitoba, AHL)
This post will be kept updated throughout the day.
Waivers: 10/06/22
Another day, another set of players on waivers as the regular season approaches. Everyone from yesterday cleared, while today’s group looks like this:
Boston Bruins
Vinni Lettieri
Joona Koppanen
Dan Renouf
Keith Kinkaid
Colorado Avalanche
Edmonton Oilers
Calvin Pickard
Slater Koekkoek
Los Angeles Kings
New York Rangers
Nate Thompson Released From PTO
The Los Angeles Kings announced a huge group of cuts today, and among them was veteran forward Nate Thompson. While most of the group is headed to the minor leagues to continue with the organization, Thompson will need to find a new home if he’s to continue his NHL career.
Now 37, Thompson has played 844 regular season games in the NHL, and another 86 in the postseason. The 2003 sixth-round pick worked his way p to the NHL with the Boston Bruins, and has also suited up for the Kings, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Winnipeg Jets.
Last season, in his second go-round with Philadelphia, Thompson scored just a single goal and three points in 33 games. Never known for his offense, the versatile bottom-sixer has always been asked to play a physical brand of defensive hockey, win his fair share of draws (he was at 55.7% last season), and contribute on the penalty kill. With nearly 1,500 career hits, more than 600 blocked shots, and more than 4,400 won draws, he’s been pretty successful at each.
Still, it’s hard to see him becoming a regular in an NHL lineup at this point, after now hitting the open market again just a few days before the season begins. Perhaps a team dealing with injuries down the middle will pick him up but it is far from guaranteed that he earns a contract before opening day.
Waivers: 10/03/22
The waiver wire is full as teams continue to get closer to regular season rosters. These are the players available today, after Radim Zohorna and Magnus Hellberg were claimed from yesterday’s list.
Anaheim Ducks
Columbus Blue Jackets
Trey Fix-Wolansky
Gavin Bayreuther
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Joe Hicketts
Joseph Cramarossa
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets
Kings Forward Jacob Doty Receives Two-Game Suspension
The Department of Player Safety has handed down another suspension, announcing (video link) that Kings forward Jacob Doty has received a two-game suspension for interference on Sharks winger Jeffrey Viel.
The incident occurred midway through the second period in Wednesday’s preseason contest. Doty was assessed a five-minute major penalty along with a game misconduct on the play. Viel, meanwhile, was able to remain in the game.
The league’s ruling states that the suspension is to “be served in the next two consecutive games in which he is eligible to participate for his Club”. In this case, it’s likely the next two preseason games that the 29-year-old won’t be suiting up for. Doty has spent the last three seasons in the Kings’ farm system, primarily playing with AHL Ontario; he had three points and 89 penalty minutes in 41 games with the Reign in 2021-22.
Kings Forward Jacob Doty Will Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
- The NHL Department of Player Safety announced today that Los Angeles Kings forward Jacob Doty will have a hearing tomorrow related to interference he committed on San Jose Sharks forward Jeffrey Viel in last night’s 3-1 preseason Sharks victory. While Doty is playing in Kings preseason games and attending camp, he is undoubtedly a depth piece for Los Angeles. Doty had just three points in 41 AHL games last season to go along with 89 penalty minutes, so while this disciplinary hearing is an unfortunate development it’s unlikely to have any major impact on where Doty is playing this season.
Waivers: 09/29/22
Waivers will officially open today, meaning teams around the league can start cutting eligible players with the purpose of sending them to minor league clubs. While the full list will come out at 2 pm ET, some have already started announcing their initial placements. You can see all of the day’s cuts here, but we’ll also keep track of just the waiver portion in this post.
Arizona Coyotes
F Michael Carcone
F Jean-Sebastien Dea
Colorado Avalanche
F Charles Hudon
F Spencer Smallman
D Andreas Englund
D Brad Hunt
D Joshua Jacobs
G Jonas Johansson
Los Angeles Kings
New York Islanders
F Richard Panik
G Kenneth Appleby
New York Rangers
This page will be updated throughout the day
Kings Cut Six From Training Camp
Los Angeles Kings (via team release)
Jonathan Quick Plans To Play Past 2022-23 Season
- Two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Jonathan Quick today told The Fourth Period’s Dennis Bernstein that he plans on playing past this upcoming season, his 16th in the NHL. Quick is entering the final season of a 10-year, $58MM contract extension signed with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012.