Emerson Moved Off ‘College Line’

King winger Nelson Emerson spent his time on the ice with some different mates Monday night, and his time off it in a different conversation.

Emerson moved to a line centered by Bryan Smolinski and including Glen Murray for the 7-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Emerson had been playing with rookie Steve Reinprecht and second-year player Jason Blake on the so-called “energy” or speed line.

Or, as Coach Andy Murray calls it, the “college line.”

“I think he enjoyed it there,” Murray said. “We wanted to try it tonight. We don’t know that we will on Wednesday [in the home opener against the St. Louis Blues].”

The move is a reunion of sorts. Emerson had skated with Smolinski and Murray last season, but for only five games before a slash at Philadelphia ended his season because of a broken finger.

The off-ice regimen changes with the line switch.

“With Stevie and Jason, I really like to talk with Steve on the bench, kind of going over little things in the game,” Emerson said. “With these two guys [Smolinski and Murray], we just talk about what we are trying to do as a unit.”

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Reinprecht earned his first NHL point on an assist on Blake’s goal at 17:25 of the third period, then got his first goal on an assist from Craig Johnson only 67 seconds later.

“I wasn’t sure when it was going to come around,” said Reinprecht, a rookie who this time last year was getting ready for his senior season at Wisconsin.

“I kind of wanted to get it off my back, and with each game there seemed to be more pressure. I’m just glad to have it now.”