I'm not saying that Columbus is a non-traditional hockey market... but in Ohio, they have a different definition of what constitutes a puck bunny.

It might be in the Eastern Time Zone, but Columbus will always be Midwest to me.

Does it really say "Hardcore Hockey" on the walls of a professional locker room?
I had no idea the Blue Jackets were owned by the ECW.

"Drew, this is an exciting game for me. I played college hockey just an hour or so from here."

"Hey Alec, that's really cool. What's college hockey?"

Kings 4, Blue Jackets 3 (SO)

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Forget about the Grammys! It's another exciting edition of Pundays, where we take an in-depth look at the best and worst of the NHL.com front page pun headlines. And this past week featured the first of what I'm sure will be many pun-filled headlines announcing a NHL trade.

You better believe that re-acquiring Francois Beauchemin was a bold move by the Anaheim Ducks.

Now that the Ducks have strengthened their blueline, you might say they are back in… oh, for chrissakes!!

I'm sorry for taking the Lords name in vain, I know this is a family-friendly blog. Please accept my sincere apology.

Click here to check out the best and worst NHL.com pun headlines from the past week!!!

Everyone has been talking about how this 10 Game Road Trip for the Los Angeles Kings could be a bad thing. But I disagree, I mean how bad could it be to have the young Canadian boys of the Kings get an opportunity to learn a little bit about the history of this great country of ours? On Saturday they got the chance to see the monuments of Washington, DC...

Shoes! The backbone of US History.

And on Sunday, the Kings got the chance to see the birthplace of Democracy, Philadelphia!

I think that may be the 1st Wells Fargo bank, not the Wells Fargo Center.

The Kings are in the middle of a 10 Game Road Trip that could determine their playoff fate and they have to play the mighty Washington Capitals and the 1st place Philadelphia Flyers on back to back nights. Why, that's enough to make any mild-mannered person scream!

Don't make Kopi angry.

Kings 2, Birthplaces of Democracy 0

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Oh man, the Los Angeles Kings are in Pittsburgh for their only meeting of the season with the Penguins. I can't wait to curl up on the couch and watch this game so I can see world-class player Sydney Crosby at his best. Oh, what's that?

Well, that's no big deal really... I mean the Penguins do have the former Conn Smythe winner and elite center Evgeni... a what???

Well, at least I get the chance to see Chris Kunitz again. You see, I don't like very many players who were once Ducks, but for some reason I always... you've gotta be kidding me, right? RIGHT?!?

This was the closest image I could find for "injured penguin" that was also the same height as Kunitz. 

Well, if I'm not going to get a chance to see that high-powered Penguins offense I've heard so much about, at least I can see what all the fuss is about that agitator, Matt Cooke. I bet it's more hype than anything and in the end the guy has a lot of respect for his fellow players.

Fine, at least I get to see the cool black and yellow uniforms that the Penguins look so sharp in...

You know, forget it. I'm just going to go see if my favorite late 70's musical, The Wiz, is playing anywhere on cable instead of watching a bunch of no-name Pittsburgh hockey players.

Kings Offense 1, Penguins Offence 2

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You know what Twitter is right? It is the form of social media that is used strictly for peer to peer interaction and to share information freely across the internet. It was the first source of knowledge when a plane landed in the Hudson River. It's what allows Howard Stern to take you backstage right before he goes on Dave Letterman. And over the past few months it's the form of media that has been so embraced by the National Hockey League, that you, the fans, can now feel like you are in the locker room, understanding the trials and tribulations of being a hockey player firsthand. And others just use it to make money. 

RT @whatchutalkinabout: just met Messier. he went a little Mr. Horton on me.

So now that all 30 NHL teams have verified, active Twitter accounts and the NHL is making social media an active part of its marketing effort, the individual NHL team Twitters are left wondering... so, um, how should we use this thing? The Los Angeles Kings are firmly in that camp. Should they use Twitter to highlight when a famous celebrity is taking in a home game?

Or should they use it when they want to highlight a player in the system that the fans may not know about?

Should they use it to promote barely-legal drinking?

Or to update you on the most important, fast-breaking Los Angeles Kings news?

Or maybe for corporate synergy?

But maybe, like most Twitter accounts, it should just be used for inner reflection... to understand one's place in the universe... and to spread that knowledge.

So what starts happening when NHLTeams are able to connect directly with fans… but don't like what the fans are saying? Why am I asking all these questions? Because I want to know why the hell on January 27th, 2011, the official Los Angeles Kings Twitter tweeted at me twice… and then within a few minutes… any trace of the tweets... had disappeared.

Click Here to Read the Rest of a Royal Half Investigative Report!!!

Coach Murray has broken this 10 Game East Coast Road Trip into 3 segments. But I don't think that really showcases exactly how this team has been playing... so The Royal Half Statistical Bureau has broken it down even further.

The Los Angeles Kings Record with Marco Sturm rumored to be traded to the Kings:

4-0-1

The Los Angeles Kings Record with Marco Sturm actually traded to the Kings:

1-2

The Los Angeles Kings Record with Marco Sturm as a dressed forward for the Kings:

6-10

The Los Angeles Kings Record with Marco Sturm as an injured forward for the Kings:

5-1-1

Now numbers are not my speciality... but when I look at those records with and without Marco Sturm in the lineup it only means one thing. LEAVE THE LITTLE RUSSIAN KID WHERE HE IS!!!

"So Lokti, if Sturm comes back, you'll probably have to go back to Manchester."

"Da."

"And let's be honest... if Dean Lombardi makes an actual impact trade... one of us would be going the other way."

"Da. I just hope not with Islanders. That place... very depressing."

"Naw.. knowing Lombardi, it's probably Boston or New York. I heard Savard and Drury might be available."

"When will Mr. Dean learn to stop trading for injure players?"

It's been quite some time since our last edition of Pundays, where we take an in-depth look at the best and worst of the NHL.com front page pun headlines. But just because we took a few weeks off doesn't mean that the headline writers at NHL.com get to go on a break. Take a gander at what we've been missing over the past 6 weeks.  

So here we go, Pundays is back again and bigger than ever. I really wish there was a phrase that could best describe exactly why I've been unable to write about the NHL.com pun headlines the last few weeks… but whatever phrase I think of just seems disorganized and without logic.  

I've missed you so, NHL.com pun headlines.  

Click here to check out the best and worst NHL.com pun headlines from the past week!!!  

Now this is the fun part of the NHL regular season! 2 teams, both battling for a playoff spot duke it out on a Saturday night, on Hockey Night in Canada nonetheless. One team was in such a bad position just a short while ago that there were whispers they should trade away their franchise player... and the other team is the Calgary Flames. 

Brent Sutter is elated with the fact his team comes
into this game with a 6 game winning streak.

While Coach Murray is beside himself with the Kings record of 4-0-1 in the last 5.

Kings 4, Flames 3 (S0)

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I wish there was some way to visually represent how frustrated Drew Doughty has been with his own play this season as a member of the Los Angeles Kings.

Hmm, I don't know. Maybe you can do better?

Once again, Drew just needs Jack Johnson to do most of the work for him.

Kings 3, Oilers 1

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"Boy, there sure are a lot less All-Stars in this locker room than the one I was in on Sunday...
Like... 19 less. And yes that means you too, Doughty. Last year doesn't count." 

Kings 0, Wild 1
Los Angeles Kings Road Trip to Hell.... ON!!! 

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