Former King O’Sullivan: ‘It just feels like you play in the NHL here’

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EDMONTON, Canada -- The weather here is considerably cooler than what he was accustomed to in the South Bay, but former King Patrick O’Sullivan is settling into his new life with the Oilers.

The 24-year-old winger was part of a three-way, deadline-deal trade that sent him to Carolina for Justin Williams, but the Hurricanes flipped him to the Oilers soon after.

He had one goal, four points and a minus-7 plus/minus rating in his first 13 games with the Oilers and is scheduled to flank Sam Gagner and Dustin Penner tonight when the Oilers face the Ducks at Rexall Place.

‘It’s going good, it’s been an adjustment in a lot of ways,’ O’Sullivan said this morning. ‘I really had no idea I was going to get traded or maybe get traded.

‘It was a shock, but it’s been good. I’m glad I’m here. It’s a good organization. It’s where you want to be. It’s such a change from L.A. I’m not taking anything away from them, but it just feels like you play in the NHL here. Sometimes in L.A., it doesn’t really feel like that. There’s just so much support here.

‘It’s definitely different. It’s pretty neat. I like it though.... We have good forwards, a good three, four lines that can score.’

-- Helene Elliott