NHL

Primed for Cup Run, Kings Open Season Against Sharks

The Los Angeles Kings are rested from an uncommonly long offseason and ready to forget about a summer of arrests, departures and general upheaval.

A team that grew accustomed to deep playoff runs is ready to make another as they open the season Wednesday night against the San Jose Sharks at a sold-out Staples Center. A talented core believes it can recapture the magic that made the Kings into Stanley Cup winners in 2012 and 2014.

The Kings insist their championship story isn't over. After the tumult of the past 12 months, a return to title-winning form would be remarkable -- but the entire NHL knows the Kings are completely capable of doing the unexpected.

"I think guys are excited to get on the ice, because it gives us a chance to think about things other than everything the team has been going through," captain Dustin Brown said.

The Kings cut ties with Jarret Stoll and Mike Richards after their respective arrests for alleged drug-related offenses, and the ugly saga of Slava Voynov's domestic violence conviction probably ended with his voluntary return to Russia, wrapping up their No. 2 defenseman's career in Los Angeles.

General manager Dean Lombardi has looked inward after the troubles, vowing to educate his players on multiple aspects of life. The Kings have said little about their departed teammates, knowing their only way out of the situation is forward.

And the upcoming season is promising. The Kings still have a championship-caliber core consisting of Brown, Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Marian Gaborik and Jonathan Quick, and they've added power forward Milan Lucic to help their top-end scoring.

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Since the end of last season, there have been several high-tech improvements to Staples Center and changes to the Kings roster and to rules governing overtime and a coach's challenge.

The printed Royal Reign game program has been replaced by the custom microsite, LA Kings Edition, which focus on upcoming games and opponents and provide player profiles. It will be accessible via both web and mobile devices.

Fans will be able to order a selection of merchandise from Staples Center Team LA store via the LA Kings App and have it delivered to their seats. The new PictureMe app in LA Interactive next to the Figueroa Bar on Staples Center's main concourse allows fans to take photos with digital doubles of Kings players. The app projects a digital image of the selected player adjacent to the fan. The photos can be easily shared on Twitter and Facebook.

The Kings have begun a partnership with the robotic imaging technology company Fanpics, allowing fans to enter their seat location into the Fanpics app, during or after the game, to instantly access and share photos. The score, time and description of the play is added to each image.

Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 7 p.m. Wednesday for pregame festivities. A Fan Fest will be held in the LA LIVE Plaza from 4:30-7 p.m. Former Kings Rogie Vachon, Sean O'Donnell, Nelson Emerson, Jaroslav Modry, Darryl Evans and Mike Donnelly and broadcasters Bob Miller and Nick Nickerson will appear in the Toyota booth from 6-6:30 p.m.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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