Laperriere Plans to Play in Opener

After being sidelined for the majority of training camp because of abdominal surgery in late August, the Kings’ Ian Laperriere is on the fast track to get back into game shape before the team’s regular-season opener against Phoenix next Wednesday.

“I’m not 100% perfect, but I’m getting better,” said Laperriere, who participated in full-contact drills for the second consecutive day Wednesday.

Coach Andy Murray expects Laperriere to be in the lineup next week against the Coyotes and so does Laperriere.

“Recovery from the type of surgery I had is six to eight weeks, but not too many guys have returned in six,” said Laperriere, who had eight goals and 25 points last season. “On opening night it will be close to eight weeks and I’ll be ready to go.”

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After missing training camp last season because of a contract dispute with the Boston Bruins, center Jason Allison has impressed Murray in his preseason with the Kings.

“His work ethic has been real good,” Murray said of Allison, who has three goals in three exhibition games. “He’s adjusted to how we practice, how we do things and how I am. He’s actually pushing other guys, getting them to compete.”

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Winger Steve Heinze is the biggest name among the players the Kings left unprotected for Friday’s waiver draft. Heinze, who will earn $2 million this season and scored 15 goals last season, is joined by forwards Derek Armstrong, Derek Bekar, Steve Kelly, Chris Schmidt and Pavel Rosa, along with defensemen Jason Holland and Jan Nemecek and goaltender Travis Scott.

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The Kings cut their roster to 30 when they assigned Kelly and goaltender Brandon Boxma to the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League. Boxma, however, will open the season with the Long Beach Ice Dogs after the Monarchs assigned him to the West Coast Hockey League.

Lonnie White

Defenseman Kurt Sauer moved one step closer to making the Mighty Ducks, as team officials trimmed their roster to 25.

Defensemen Mike Commodore and Josh DeWolf were reassigned to minor league Cincinnati, leaving the Ducks with eight defensemen. They are expected to keep seven.

Sauer, who played for Spokane in the Western Hockey League, was considered a long shot to make the team.

He was attempting to make the difficult jump from juniors to the NHL.

“He looks pretty unflappable to me,” Coach Mike Babcock said. “I have kept him playing to see how he handles it. It’s one thing to play a game or two a week and get up for them. But that’s not real life in the NHL, with the travel. He has passed every test so far.”

Sauer, 21, has played solid defense in exhibition games. His 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame would help the Ducks, who do not have much size either up front or on defense.

The Ducks signed Sauer as a free agent over the summer.

Commodore, acquired from New Jersey in the trade that brought Petr Sykora to the Ducks, was solid early in camp, but not nearly as impressive as Sauer.

The Ducks also assigned goalie Ilja Bryzgalov and forward Jonathan Hedstrom to Cincinnati. Bryzgalov’s departure leaves Martin Gerber as the team’s backup goalie.