Klatt Earns Respect in the Corners

Meanwhile, there’s that other guy on the Kings’ top line.

As Jason Allison and Adam Deadmarsh try to return from highly publicized concussions, forward Trent Klatt shows up for work with his new team, skates with whomever he is assigned, and becomes a daily nuisance only by fighting for pucks in the corner.

Not much has changed for Klatt, an unrestricted free agent who signed a two-year deal with the Kings after spending the last five seasons in Vancouver, where he became a fan favorite with his grinding, physical play.

Klatt never approached the 24 goals he scored with Philadelphia in 1996-97 and signed with the Kings instead of San Jose, Anaheim and Atlanta because he was promised the chance to play on one of the Kings’ top two lines.

Klatt, 32, had 16 goals last season in Vancouver but has been aligned with Allison and Deadmarsh, a move that could increase his point production if everybody is healthy. (Allison and Deadmarsh skated without contact in a small group Monday morning.)

Klatt’s motto, if Allison and Deadmarsh return to form: Defer, defer, defer.

“I don’t think you need a brain surgeon to tell you the puck should be on their sticks,” Klatt said. “I’m more of the guy that does the dirty work for them. I’m not a guy you think of for goals and points.

“I’ve been told not to change my game. I have to stick my nose in there. I have to go get the puck after it’s been dumped in.”

*

Looking to increase the competition at backup goaltender, the Kings acquired Milan Hnilicka from the Atlanta Thrashers for future considerations. Hnilicka, 4-13-1 last season for Atlanta and 29-66-13 in his career, will battle Cristobal Huet, who went 4-4-1 last season for the Kings.