Newest Kings winger Kris Versteeg is ready to make another run at a Stanley Cup title

Kris Versteeg was sounding like a man in a hurry.

Yes, a good thing for a hockey player.

The newest Kings winger met with the coaching staff Tuesday, had his first practice Wednesday — on a line with center Jeff Carter and winger Tanner Pearson — and addressed the nature of the stretch run.

“You don’t want to just put your toe in the water, you want to jump right in and play whatever way you can that will help the team immediately,” said Versteeg, acquired Sunday in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Versteeg has been a part of two championships, winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 and 2015. It was clear he is ready for a serious run at a third.

“I have one goal coming here and that’s to win a Stanley Cup,” he said. “… It’s exciting. It’s pretty much a perennial playoff team, a contender. A lot of players that have done a lot of great things. So it’s exciting to come in this room and be part of the group and play with a lot of these players that are well-respected.

“They keep you honest. I know when you’re playing the Kings you have to keep your head up.”

There’s a certain confidence and swagger exhibited by winning organizations, he said.

“It almost makes you puff out your chest at times … when you play the Kings and play the Hawks and New York [Rangers] and these teams that have been at the top for a long time, they carry that around and that’s something that [goes] through an entire room,” Versteeg said.

Perhaps it was destiny that the Canadian-born Versteeg would find his way to play for a Sutter in the NHL, in this case Kings Coach Darryl Sutter. Versteeg played junior hockey for Brent Sutter in Red Deer and as a youngster went to a hockey school run by the Sutter twins, Ron and Rich.

With the Hurricanes in “seller” mode, Versteeg knew he would be packing up and moving on. He was pulled from Sunday’s game against St. Louis and informed of the trade later in the day.

“I understood two weeks prior to the trade deadline what was happening,” he said. “Made the last two weeks playing extremely tough at times. I really did love my time in Carolina and the group.”

Then there are the family considerations. His son is nine months old and another baby is on the way. “It’s going to be a busy time in the Versteeg household,” he said, smiling.

World Cup

The preliminary World Cup of Hockey rosters were announced Wednesday with a few surprise omissions.

Named to Team Canada’s roster were two Kings: Carter and defenseman Drew Doughty. Center Ryan Getzlaf of the Ducks was also included on the 16-player roster, but winger and two-time Olympic gold medalist Corey Perry, who leads Anaheim in goals scored (27), was left off.

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick and Ducks center Ryan Kesler were named to Team USA but Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler was not among the initial selections.

Included among the Team Europe players were Kings center Anze Kopitar and Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen. Ducks defenseman Sami Vatanen was named to Team Finland and Ducks goalie John Gibson to Team North America (players aged 23 and under).

“I think I’m the oldest D-man on the roster right now. It’s totally different than what I’m used to,” Vatanen said of Finland. “I’ve been in a couple of tournaments right now so I know how to be there and those things, and if I can, teach the younger guys what we have on the team there.”

Each World Cup team can add seven more players by June 1.

KINGS NEXT UP

VS. MONTREAL

When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 790.

Update: Controversy alert: Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban was not among those named to the Team Canada roster. Heading into Wednesday night’s game against Anaheim, Subban led the Canadiens in scoring with 47 points.

Follow Lisa Dillman on Twitter: @reallisa

Correspondent Curtis Zupke contributed to this report.