alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />Click below for an embedded video of some of Jonathan Bernier’s highlights with the Manchester Monarchs this season.
A couple other things… It was a tough night for Jonathan Quick. First, he suffered the overtime loss to Chicago. Then, shortly after the team got settled into its Dallas hotel, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Quick got word that he needed to return to Los Angeles to be with his wife. Terry Murray said he got a text from Quick at 3:30 a.m., and Quick caught the first-possible flight to L.A. this morning.
On a more humorous note, the highlight of today’s practice took place off the ice. The Kings couldn’t skate at American Airlines Center today because of tonight’s Taylor Swift concert. Players who skated in the optional practice had to dress at the arena and then bus to the practice rink. While players were stretching and riding stationary bikes in the arena hallway, Taylor Swift walked to her dressing room. A handful of players — and, um, one reporter — stood and stared as Swift turned into her dressing room and gave a chipper “Hi.”
Rich, your a playa!! Did you tell her what’s up? :)
Do minor league goalies usually bring the familiar AHL equipment they’re used to using with them (including mask and pads) and simply swap jerseys, or are they provided with new stuff for the NHL?
I was noticing Bernier’s mask in this video and since it’s already purple (and a lion is part of the Kings image) it seems like it would fit just fine even if he was here to stay.
Lol — where was drew doughty?? weren’t they dating?!
I’ve watched my fair share of Manchester games, and have always been a Bernier fan since his NHL debut in frozen fury way back when… Never completely realize how fast his glove hand is – it’ll come in handy….
Rich, did the players practice up at the Frisco stars center? Do you get to stay at the W Hotel across from the AA Center? It’s a nice hotel.
Guess we’ll be getting updstes from the concert tonight.
I noticed the defensive positioning of the players was pretty good also.
Wasn’t she named for #18?
@Tyfighter77,
he wont have LA kings gear until next year when/if he makes the team
@Tyfighter77,
Yes, all they do is swap jerseys. When they get new pads, they work them in during a few practices before they wear them in a game.
I cant believe my luck to live here in dallas…got tickets for the game and i might get to see Bernier play…cool….but you guys get to see the kings all season long…which is the ONLY thing i miss about L.A….ANYONE ELSE HERE GONNA BE THERE ??? i would like to say hello to you..
@Stop the Puck/Scootty,
That’s what I figured. That’s pretty sweet mask art. Does anyone know if there’s a gallery out there of Kings goalie mask art?
@LGK!, he’s also very calm in net, cant say the same about quick.
Haha that ring burning on your finger Rich?
I’m so excited to see Bernier play, i’ve always liked him and my friends are always trash-talking him like they know already, this’ll be fun for sure
a lot of routine saves from bernier….only a couple big ones. but right on, im glad we got a got a good back up down there in manchester.
@christine, I wasn’t aware of that.
@LGK!,
My claims to fame in life are only two:
1) i’m pretty sure i invented the pretzel hot dog
2) seeing Bernier get his first NHL victory in London with my dad…
@kings dan in dallas, You’re kidding right? You really prefer Dallas to LA? I lived in Arlington for three years and will never even go back to visit.
Different strokes….
OK, so I took a dqay to get here and read whats going on. I wanted to post on each thread but don’t think anyone will be back there to read it. So here it is.
Bako & Quisp – I think this is the first time I’m agreeing with Cristobal. We would all love to see JB in net, he is our future, right. But lets think reasonably. He will be gone when Quicker gets back. period. DL has made it perfectly clear that JB needs to stay in Manchester and compete for the championship. He needs to learn how to win under pressure.
Quisp, you made a remark ” if Quick gets hurt JB will be starting” HOG Wash. your saying play him in case… please. EE is our back up going into the playoffs. Everyone here is complaining that he isn’t game ready, he hasn’t played in so long…. Well, here we are, its his time, this is the back ups job. we need him to have game time going into the playoffs. your already putting Quicker in IR just to see JB play… shame on you.
I want JB to play as much as you all do. But pull your heads out and think realistically and what is best for our team going into the playoffs. EE needs the time in net this time of the year, he needs to have the trust and confidence of the team. Bringing up JB now and start him is the wrong thing to do. I hope TM sees this and does the right thing.
My 2 cents…
GO KINGS
JB is the man this is perfect! Start him, and watch in Aww and Jon Quick will make a great backup during the playoffs :P
@WWAMD, :facepalm: we may have agreed on LGK a few years back about things, but we don’t about this. bernier hasn’t proven a thing yet, and to be honest, from what i’ve seen from him, i feel much more comfortable with quick.
Bernier makes saves look routine. He is calm in net. Smarter goalie that depends a lot less on being “athletic” and more on positioning etc etc. Quicks team this years but Bernier is still our future.
Great video. Lame, lame soundtrack.
She’s not even that hot man, overrated to say the least, in my opinion
@Alen,
Your right, but I would have liked to see some of the 2 on one type break away saves. Most of those clips looked like they would be routine for most goalies.
@AK47,
Also, I think not legal in 48 states.
Not a fan either, so not sure.
@LGK!,
Funny you mention that glove hand LGK. We sat behind the AVS Scouts at that Frozen Fury game. During the first intermission the scouts left, not taking their notes with them. Someone in our party copped a peak at their scouting notes. “Great lateral movement, suspect glove hand.” Well later on in the game Bernier makes a great glove save and my brother in-law leans forward and says, “What do you think about that glove hand?” The scout turns around laughing and says, “Have you been looking at my notes?”
OK, Is it just me or was that not the worst highlight video of a goalie ever made….
80% of the saves were wristers from the point… many of them that were going wide… There as even a highlight of Bernier saving a guys dump in from centre ice!!!
Bad song too
@ViperHockey, YES !! I love it here..Got a 3100 sq foot home…wood floors…granite counter tops…paid $150,000 for it. I live just outside kellar in fort worth. People are MUCH nicer…cost of living is nothing compared to l.a…..and no gangs! I moved…or should i say escaped from victorville 4 years ago.
As far as sports go…everything is about a 20 minute drive from here…20 minutes to see hockey…basketball…football…baseball…everything is within a 20 minute drive…perfect….except the kings….the only thing i miss.
I think Bernier seems very composed almost like Nabokov and Brodeur, very technically sound and rarely out of position. (granted it is highlights and not lowlights in that video) In contrast to the style of Quick who reminds me of Curtis Joseph and the good athletic goalies who can really rob you of games if they are hot.
Lets see if TM picks from door #3 tonight…
this guy coughs up rebounds like the retarded child of cloutier and jason labarbra
@kopi11 and @christine…
based on her last name, she needs to be dating Quick!
@VanKingsFan,
It’s not just you. That looked like a highlight reel from a Pee Wee league, flutter shots from the blue line and all…
@VBunker72, LOL … that’s awesome.
I think his glove hand might be considered one of the best ever by the time his career is over a long long time from now. We’ll (happily) see!
@OneTimer,
A comment about my own comment. I just watched the highlight video again – most of those were routine stops (if not wristers and a dump-in or two?!) … and all from AHL players. Probably why he made them look like candy – BUT, I am excited about this kids future, and am a huge Quicker fan now also.
Probably just my excitement about the Kings maybe FINALLY having an ELITE goaltender … which is something I have never known in my 25+ years of being a Kings fan (let alone the 42 years of the franchise!)
@OneTimer, Yeah, that was a pretty weak “highlight” reel. Not many quality stops. Just a bad cut.
Not impressed with the hi-lite reel as many have stated above. But, he was impressive when he started that 1st game in England against the Ducks (last year?…can’t remember). His positioning and glove hand are outstanding.
That being said, and knowing he will most likely be the Kings top goalie in the future, I still think Ersberg should have gotten the start. This is not the time to throw this kid in there…the Kings are only 7 points out of 9th…a couple of losses and they could be feeling the heat.
But the Kings really impressed witht their overall performance agains Chicago…they were solid and I am finally convinced they can make some noise in the playoffs.
It would be nice if Murray would stop putting Ivanans on the bench for the hell of it, or for what Fox and Nick Nickson said were for a sort of “comfort” level. That’s just ridiculous and a waste of a spot for another player to step up. With Willaims back and Modin and Halpern now, the Kings can roll 4 solid lines.
Simmer, O’donnel, Greene and even Brown can drop the gloves if they have to.
All you could do is LOOK Rich? C’mon playa! You should have shown up each and every one of those Kings players, walked up to her dressing room door, simply mention the magic words ‘Juraj Mikus’ and you would have INSTANTLY received her phone number…
…which for the sake of your marriage, you could have INSTANTLY forwarded to the Cluneatic.
@VBunker72,
Fantastic lateral movement. Not as acrobatic as Quick (no post-to-post splits), but his positioning looks good. He does look kind of small in net though.
Interesting how many center ice slap shots made it into the highlight reel….
@shades,
The Kings can have as long a bench as they want, since we’re past the trade deadline (as long as the length of the bench stays under salary cap, and we’re $2m under as of now). Most of those guys have one-way contracts.. so it’s either sit or play.
I think we’ll see a longer bench as we get closer to teh playoffs, but then we’ll be going w/ 3 regular lines in the playoffs and our 5-man 4th line will get 3 shifts a game.
We dont need Drago in the playoffs… though I much prefer him sitting 5-min majors over Simmer. Sit him in the tunnel next to EE.
Uncle Rico`s highlight reel from Napoleon Dynamite was more exciting.
Rich Hammond, a playa amongst players haha.
@JPUCK, pretty funny…except for the adultery side of things..;)
That’s a funny Taylor Swift story Rich. She’s been to a few Kings games, even wears a jersey. Would have been even funnier if she walk up to a specific player and said hi, then kept walking.
@luc20rules,
I hope the shootout soothed your concerns. Bernier is the better goalie, and he really does make things look easier than they are. I love Quick, but he shouldn’t be starting next year. Never can tell though.