The Los Angeles Kings have put LW Dustin Penner on IR (retroactive to Nov. 10) with a hand injury. Penner injured his hand on Thursday against Vancouver and missed last night’s game with Minnesota, which (coincidentally or not) the Kings won 5-2.
I’ve decided to play both the headline and lead straight here because PHT has kinda piled on Penner lately. By kinda, I mean “really.” And by lately, I mean “forever.”
Some recent headlines:
The Dustin Penner experience isn’t exactly working in LA
Dustin Penner just can’t catch a break
Dustin Penner back in doghouse, though nobody’s sure he ever left
Part of me feels bad, though I’m not sure what else to say and/or do. Penner’s been a disaster in L.A. -- in 14 games this season, he has two points (both assists), pushing his overall numbers with the Kings to:
33 regular-season games: 2G-7A-9PTS, minus-2, 27 PIM
Six playoff games: 1G-1A-2PTS, minus-3
Just how badly this ends for L.A. remains to be seen. Penner’s unrestricted come season’s end and it’s fair to suggest the Kings might not be interested in retaining his services. That’s troubling, because they anted up big to get those services -- Colten Teubert and the 19th overall pick at the 2011 Draft, which Edmonton parlayed into Oscar Klefbom (whom many are high on). Sure, the Kings are loaded with young blueline prospects and Teubert has struggled to crack an NHL lineup...but that doesn’t really take away the sting of what might be Dean Lombardi’s worst move as Kings GM.
