Following the Kings’ practice at the their training facility earlier today, MayorsManor spent a few minutes with Kyle Clifford. However, before we started talking hockey, the 22-year old forward took a keen interest in my cell phone – which prompted a brief tech-discussion…
“You should get the Blackberry Q10,” he began, upon noticing that I wasn’t a card carrying member of the iphone army.
Surely this was confusing.
Aren’t Dustin Brown and Alec Martinez the ‘tech nerds’ on the team?
“I like to follow it a little bit too,” he said.
“They’re getting BBM for the Android also,” he continued. “It’s been a big thing actually, a long build up. People have been talking about it for three or four years now.”
And just like that, the ‘Tech Minute with Kyle Clifford’ was off and running.
After solving any cellphone issues, maybe it will be time for a new TV too. Any recommendations there?
“Get the biggest one there is!” he quipped.
Then, after Anthony Stewart tried to hijack the interview with some comments about Mitsubishi big screens , Clifford reigned it back in, saying “I like the Sharp TVs actually.”
OK, enough of the Consumer Reports notes. It was time to talk hockey – something Clifford hasn’t been able to do lately. And he admitted, sitting on the sidelines can be a bit frustrating.
“You have to be a professional about it,” he said. “I went through it last year, have a little bit experience. You just have to come to the rink, put a smile on whether you’re out as a healthy scratch or you’re injured. You just have to be around for the boys and you can’t be moping around the rink. You have to keep the energy up. It’s definitely frustrating and a little bit of a battle mentally, but for the most part you have to stay with it and go day-by-day.”
That ‘team first’ approach is something that permeates throughout the Kings locker room, and was a mentality Clifford remembers former teammate Kevin Westgarth always helping promote.
“Westy was a great team guy. He has a lot of character and the way he carries himself around the room and outside the room is very professional.”
The third-year pro was also complimentary of the Sharks, as the Kings now travel to San Jose for the next two games.
“They’re a good team and they play hard. They’ve done a great job so far and I think we’ve done just as well of a job and got to keep pushing along here.”
So, what’s the likelihood he’ll play at some point during this series?
“I’d like to say good. We’ll see,” said Clifford.
Is there a better than 50/50 chance?
“Yeah, we’ll see.”
Maybe Drew Doughty can invent an app to help us get the answer.
RELATED CONTENT: Clifford explains his nickname
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How I miss Cliffy, always one of the hardest working dudes on the ice. Seems the hockey gods are really testing the Kings’ depth this year with pretty much no healthy scratch forwards available from the regular roster should someone else go down (I implore you hockey gods, no!).
I hope he makes a full recovery and is able to play again soon. It would be nice to see him get back in the line up – but only if he’s fully healthy as an only semi-healthy Colonel will not do anyone any good
I think the article is very interesting, but it completely avoids talking about the reason why Clifford is out. As a fairly perceptive reader, my guess is that the Kings are trying to hide the fact that Clifford is injured, rather than in the doghouse in some way. If that’s the case, then I’d rather have NO article than one that dances around the truth. If it’s NOT the case, and Cliffy is sitting on a coach’s decision, why not say so?
Am I out of line here?
Clifford is injured. It’s not a secret. He hasn’t been cleared for contact yet, as we reported on Friday via twitter (see link below).
https://twitter.com/mayorNHL/status/335477419026808833