L.A. Kings name Dustin Brown as team captain

The Kings announced today that forward Dustin Brown would serve as team captain this season, making the 23-year-old New York native the youngest player in franchise history to wear the big "C."

"I'm excited to take on that role, and it's a challenge at the same rate," Brown said after practice Wednesday morning. "I've been here for five, six years now, and I think once I got comfortable here I could really, over the last couple years, come out of my shell a little bit, and I've taken on more of a leadership role."

Brown's line mate, 21-year-old Anze Kopitar, was named an alternate captain, as was veteran defenseman Matt Greene, who was traded to the Kings last summer for Lubomir Visnovsky.

Rob Blake served as captain last season but signed with San Jose over the summer. The Kings open the season Saturday in San Jose.

-- Dan Arritt

Photo: From the left, the Kings' Dustin Brown skates past the Phoenix Coyotes' Kyle Turris and Peter Mueller during the first period of a preseason NHL game on Sept. 22. Credit: Danny Moloshok / Associated Press