Randy Jones still learning the Kings' ways

Defenseman Randy Jones, claimed last week from the Flyers on reentry waivers, said he has no problem waiting to make his Kings debut until he learns names, faces and what he's supposed to be doing on the ice.

Coach Terry Murray said he hasn't set a date for Jones to join the lineup, leaving Jones as the seventh defenseman for now.

Jones, 28, was a victim of the Flyers' depth and salary-cap squeeze after they acquired Chris Pronger. The Kings will pay half of his $3.5-million salary, with the Flyers responsible for the other half.

"The nerves are gone. They settle down a little bit after you get here and meet every one of the guys and get on the ice and get associated with everybody," he said Sunday after the team practiced in El Segundo in preparation for Monday's game against the Coyotes at Phoenix.

"It's been nothing but fantastic so far. I'm having a blast here getting to know the guys."

Getting to know the Kings' system might take a while, so he's grateful to ease into things.

"It's definitely understandable. I've got to get situated a little bit and meet the guys and get practicing," he said. "It's tough to come into an organization and new team with new systems. They play a different style of game."

And those differences are?

"I'm still going over them," said Jones, who has 69 points and a minus-3 plus/minus rating in 217 NHL games.

"It's been Day 2 here. I'm working hard. I've had some pretty good practices out there. The systems are pretty similar, but you've just got to get used to the guys and how they play and just kind of get comfortable before you step out there and get at it."

Time for male bonding

The fathers of 16 players will join their sons on the trip to Phoenix as part of a father-son event that has become popular among NHL teams.

The dads will travel on the team charter, join their sons for dinner and sit in the stands at Jobing.com Arena. They are scheduled to return on the charter and stay in town through Thursday's game against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins at Staples Center.

One interesting aspect: According to General Manager Dean Lombardi,the trip had to be approved by the NHL and the players' association because it provides services to players outside the collective bargaining agreement and teams aren't supposed to go overboard with these excursions.

Asked what he likes about the concept, Lombardi had a simple answer.

"It almost reminds you of why you really started playing this game," he said. "That's what kind of comes out. A lot of times the fathers are the ones that drove them to the rink when they're kids at 5 in the morning. It's pretty neat in that respect and that's the feeling it rekindles with your father in that setting."

Jones said his father, Butch, had been in Hawaii for a family wedding and planned to fly home to Canada but changed his itinerary to join the father-son group. "He's more than happy to be here," Jones said.

Goaltender Jonathan Quick said his father, Doug, a route salesman for Entenmann's bakery, arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday from Connecticut.

"He's all excited. He's all fired up to be out here," Quick said. "He gets a week off from work and that alone will get him excited, never mind coming out here and getting to stay with me. I don't get to see him too often."

Tending to the goaltenders