A Thank You and Possible Farewell to Some Los Angeles Kings Heroes

Jarret Stoll

If anyone is likely to come back I think its “Stolly.” He has already made public that we wants to return and is open to any role with the team that is needed of him, which is a great thing considering his offensive skills have seemed to have dried up. Offensive or not, Stoll is an excellent “third line” center with a well above average face-off winning percentage and a stellar defensive skill set, he has been a loyal soldier and vocal leader to the cause. It is no coincidence that the Kings suffered greatly in the 2013 playoffs after San Jose Shark Raffi Torres blindsided and illegally hit Stoll, injuring him with a concussion. The loss of Stoll in the face-off circle and penalty kill was a large hole that the Kings couldn’t fill. His absence showed the Kingdom just how valuable Jarret Stoll truly was to the Kings success.

If it does happen that Stoll doesn’t re-sign with the Kings or the Kings have no more room left on the cap to sign him after making a deal with someone else then I wanted to say farewell and thank you Jarret Stoll for the devotion and pride you took in helping keep the puck out of the Kings net.

Thank you for winning all those crucial face-offs and for making us Kings fans a lot more calm and hopeful (which is never an easy thing to do) that we can kill off any penalty, even a “5 on 3” by just knowing you’re out there taking care of it. Thank you for helping make the Los Angeles Kings one hell of a good-looking team too as your social life and fashion sense has become legendary.

Most of all, thank you for scoring the series winning goal in overtime during the first round of the 2012 playoffs against the President Trophy winning Vancouver Canucks in what started a memorable and history making Stanley Cup run.

I will always remember the story you told of when your Edmonton Oilers lost game 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup final against the Hurricanes (who had Justin Williams on that team of course) and how you told your father that you felt you blew your only chance of winning the Stanley Cup and how it crushed you. I’m honored that you came to Los Angeles in yet another steal of a trade from Dean Lombardi (with Matt Greene for Lubomir Visnovsky) and being a King helped you achieve your Stanley Cup dreams come true twice! You provided the team with an added depth at Center that other teams struggled to match and now are openly copying. There will always be a home for you forever in Los Angeles, whether at a Staples Center face-off circle or at a LA/Beverly Hills/Hollywood social event where the rich and famous mingle and hang out. Thank you.