Players Eager to Start and Win Back Fans

The NHL returns to Southern California tonight, when the Kings and Mighty Ducks play an exhibition game at Staples Center. After a lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season, to say players are eager is an understatement.

“We’re ready to go,” King forward Luc Robitaille said. “It’s been way too long.”

A full house is expected for the game since the Kings offered free tickets to fans.

The game is part of the Kings’ Hockey Day in L.A., with the team’s three morning practices at Staples Center open to the public. The first practice is at 9. A game between the two teams’ American Hockey League-eligible players will be played at 4 p.m.

“With the season starting on time, hopefully the public will kind of forget as much about the last year as they possibly can and just get excited about the winter and hockey months,” King center Jeremy Roenick said.

The game will feature the NHL’s new rules, which include the shootout that will be used to break ties during the regular season. The NHL announced that all exhibition games would end with a shootout, whether the score is tied or not.

So the Kings have been preparing with a breakaway drill at the end of each practice. Still, that doesn’t mean the team will show its top talent in an exhibition game.

“I have a list of about 10 guys I might use, but I’m not sure that I would use my best in an exhibition game,” King Coach Andy Murray said. “Why show your best now? Or, maybe we’ll use our top guys, but they won’t show their top moves this time. Let them think about that.”

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The Kings divided their squad into three teams and held scrimmages Friday, showing off new forwards Roenick, Pavol Demitra and Craig Conroy, as well as Robitaille, Alexander Frolov and Michael Cammarelli.

So who stood out among the forwards?

“Sean Avery was the best forward on the ice today,” Murray said. Later, he added, “I hesitate to say that Avery was the best.”

It might roll off the tongue awkwardly, but there was no denying the obvious.

Avery, playing center, had a goal and assisted on another to lead his team to two victories. He also banged and butted heads throughout the two, 30-minute games.

“He seems to have a lot of energy right now,” Murray said. “Maybe he knows, with the new rules, that he is going to have to play with more quickness this year. He showed a lot of speed and was aggressive. He made a lot of smart plays.”

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Center Anze Kopitar, the Kings’ first-round pick in August, also scored a goal during the scrimmages and skated with power and passion.

King General Manager Dave Taylor said he would meet with Kopitar next week, with the hope that Kopitar will change his mind about returning to play in Sweden. The teen is scheduled to return Wednesday but could stay because he has signed a three-year, entry-level contract.

“I am going to go back to Sweden,” Kopitar said. “That is the best thing for me. I’m not sure I’m mentally ready to be here.”