Kings’ Stoll doesn’t skate, Coyotes’ Gretzky doesn’t show
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Kings center Jarret Stoll, troubled by arthritis in his right wrist, didn’t participate in on-ice activities at training camp today, the second straight day’s work he has missed. He had said Sunday that he hoped to get back soon, but he didn’t skate with Group B and again was replaced by Oscar Moller at center between Teddy Purcell and Dustin Brown. I’ll get an update later.
The Kings will play their first exhibition games -- yes, games, plural -- on Tuesday, when they play split-squad games against the Coyotes at Glendale, Ariz., and at Staples Center. It’s not likely that Coyotes Coach Wayne Gretzky will be behind the bench in either place: Gretzky stayed away from his team’s training camp today, the third straight day he has not performed his coaching duties, and a Coyotes spokesman said it hasn’t been determined whether Gretzky will return Tuesday. The safe bet is that he won’t be there while the fate of the club remains uncertain. In the meantime, assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson has been running things at the Coyotes’ camp.
A Kings spokesman said that the club would send mostly young players to the game in Arizona and that newcomers Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi would play in the game at Staples Center. Coach Terry Murray is expected to disclose the lineup later today, so we’ll update you on that, too.
-- Helene Elliott