EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - After two straight playoff runs extending well into June, Dustin Brown says the Los Angeles Kings only get the full benefit of all that experience if they stay together.
Two days after the Kings' title defence ended in the Western Conference finals in Chicago, Brown echoed his teammates' desire Monday to keep the Kings' core largely together this fall.
Although the Kings have several impending free agents, Brown believes last season's champions have the base for a perennial Stanley Cup contender. He blames part of the Kings' post-season failures on himself, saying he should have produced more offence despite his torn knee ligament.
Many of Los Angeles' most important players are signed to long-term deals, but key defenceman Rob Scuderi is among the free agents who could leave.