Prone Position

Why was the sickening sight of of Justin Williams falling awkwardly and breaking his leg in the 12/26 Kings vs. Coyotes game totally predictable? Well, 20/20 hindsight tells us that Kings GMs are doomed to repeating the same wishful thinking mistakes an abused wife makes in taking back her abusive hubby and thinking it won’t happen again. When it comes to the reality of acquiring previously injured players, each Kings GM says there is no such thing as “injury prone” and believes fervently it can’t happen here. Well, it looks like the previously injured Justin Williams is out for at least 3 months! He must have slipped on Marty McSorely's stick. 'Cause he can't be injury prone.

Let’s look at some notable previously injured past Kings acquisitions.

The favorite of many-a Kings fan, Mister 110%, balls to the walls every shift Adam Deadmarsh had already had 2 concussions, a knee and an eye injury when the Kings traded for him (and Aaron Miller for Rob Blake). As a King he gave us many incredible inspiring heroic moments, including the overtime playoff goal against Detroit. Sadly, all too soon, Deadder had to retire at 27 from 2 additional noggin knockers he received while playing 3 partial seasons as a King.

Four time all-star Rick Martin (not La Vida Loca), the 50 goal scoring sniper on the Sabres famous French Connection Line (not Gene Hackman) with Gil Perreault and Rene Robert also cannot be considered injury prone. On November 8, 1980, while still a Sabre, Martin injured his right knee in a collision with Washington Capitals' goalie Mike Palmateer. Just 4 months later the Kings acquired Martin(not Mar-taan) for a first-round draft choice two years in the future (Tom Barrasso!). He only played four frickin' games for the Kings and had to retire due that knee injury at 30.

An earlier (1974) hero/bust for the Kings was the speedy Gene Carr. Also acquired for a first round choice (Ron Duguay). He was the King of breakaways; seemed to get a couple per game. Hardly ever scored on one. He either put the biscuit in the goalies gut or hit the post. Kings got him from the Rangers a year after he had suffered serious injuries in a taxi cab accident! Carr was an early facilitator of the rock music/ice hockey fusion, in that he became good friends with the Eagles' Glenn Frey, who often wore a Kings Gene Carr jersey on stage. The Kings traded Gene to the Pens 18 months before he had to retire due to spinal fluid problems at 28.

As the Kings losing streak since this most recent injury hits 4, we wish the best for Justin Williams and the team and hope they can recapture the magical dominating performance Smyth- Kopitar and he put on for the 1^st quarter of this season; And most ardently hope our last memories of Justin are not of him prone on a stretcher.

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Friends Don’t Let Friends Join the Same NHL team - Part 1 (of 3)

Sydney Crosby and Jack Johnson, this is a warning to you two long time school buddies and great hockey players. “Friends Don’t Let Friends Join the Same NHL team.”

If you’ve got enough clout with the management, if you’re a highly sought after free agent and the stars are alligned just right, you may get the opportunity to play on the same NHL team as your best hockey buddy. Better you should babysit for your best friend’s hot–to-trot teenage sister!  

Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull - St.Louis Blues, Paul Kariya Teemu Selanne -  Colorado Avs and now the Dynamic Finnish Duo Teemu and Saku as Ducks.  Are you kidding me ?  Better than Kristi Yamaguchi skating to live songs by Seal, Bocelli or Metallica for that matter.  A no brainer, match made in heaven, two peas in a pod, bet the house!  Hold it right there, the hockey gods say otherwise…..

I’ve been a Mighty Duck fan since I first laid eyes on their logo. (More on this later) I also immediately became a Paul Kariya fan. His name is Korea, but he’s half Japanese? Cool! He was so good in college the Ducks used their first round draft choice on Paul, eventhough he was gonna stay in school another year. 

I first heard of Teemu when I was playing pick-up hockey with Mark, a Winnipegian at Van Nuys Iceland (before it was “improved”). He came in the dressing room/front desk/snack bar one evening raving  about a guy on the Jets named Salami breaking Mike Bossy’s goal scoring record.  And by the way he (Mark) had just won the Green Card lottery.  (see Teemu's celebration in my blog below) When Teemu joined Paul with the Ducks my fandom was signed, sealed and delivered and the expectations for the Ducks' success and  great hockey watching skyrocketed.

They played  parts of 6 seasons together with the Mighty Ducks,  developed great chemistry on and off the ice and had several hundred point and 50 goals seasons between them, with great centering help from Steve Rucchin. But, they had  only 3 playoff rounds to show for their efforts; beating the Yotes and twice getting swept by Red Wings.

Teemu, an upcoming free agent was traded to the Sharks, who needed that extra scoring punch to get them over the hump. (sound familiar?) That didn’t work out too well. At the end of 2003 season he became a free agent again. 

Kariya, during the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, got his bell rung by Scott Stevens’ patented forearm shiv to the head, returned  to the ice and scored a goal. After losing in 7 games to the nuetral zone trapping left-wing locking New Jersey Devils, Kariya decided to Duck out of Aneheim.

Finding themselves free at the same time, Teemu and Paul decided that rather entertaining huge long term offers from several teams, they would reunite their skills and friendship and pursue Lord Stanley in Colorado. They signed for one year for just a million dollars each, because they felt the Avs plus the 2 of them had a great shot at the cup.

Av’s GM Pierre LaCroix thanked God for the manna from heaven bestowed upon him, but apparently forgot to make an offering to the hockey gods. That Avs team included the two million dollar buds plus  Forsberg, Sakic, Blake, Foote, Heyduk, Tanguay and so on (no Roy). Teemu had a piss poor 16 goal season, no goals and -2 in the playoffs. Kariya had a miserable injury filled 11 goal season, came back for the elimination playoff game, scored a goal but was minus -1. They were eliminated in the 2^nd round by  Selanne's ex-team, the Sharks.

The next season they went their separate ways. Selanna rejoined the Ducks who lost the "mighty" and won the cup in 2007.  (Thank you! TMu).  Korea resisted the temptation to reunite with his fowl weather friend  and became an oft injured Predator and now a veteran mostly healthy St. Louis Blue.

Friends Don’t Let Friends Join the Same NHL team!

(Part 2 - Gretzky & Hull - coming soon)