For professional hockey players, the course to being an NHL regular is no easy feat. Even when you work hard enough and progress enough to make an NHL roster, there is no guarantee you will draw into the lineup on a nightly basis. This is a lesson that Andy Andreoff has had to learn the hard way.
While the Kings have played 27 games this season, Andreoff has only been on the ice for eight of them. Having not played since Halloween in Detroit, the Kings brass recently opted to assign the forward to a conditioning stint with the Manchester Monarchs, the team Andreoff played for during the previous two years. Andreoff spoke exclusively to MayorsManor about that process, while Kings assistant GM Rob Blake also gave feedback on why the decision was made…
On returning to Manchester:
“It feels good. I haven’t seen the guys in a while, so to reunite there. [I’m] excited to get in a couple games for these next two weeks. Looking forward to the rest [of the games].”
On if he is excited to get some game action in:
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s been a long, rough month, but it was a good experience up there. You get a little taste of what it is in the NHL. I’ll take advantage of the ice time these next few games.”
On being a healthy scratch:
“I think the main thing for me is just trying to stay positive with everything. My games are pretty much practices. I have to be on every practice and be ready, just in case I get that opportunity.”
On his reaction to the conditioning stint:
“I was a little shocked, but I haven’t played in a game in a month, so I guess I [have] to get back in game shape. That’s what they want me to do, and I’m here to do it.”
On how he felt in Saturday’s game:
“I felt pretty good. I was a little rusty at the start. Once I got the rust off, [it went better]. Those guys are great to play with – O’Nei (Brian O’Neill) and Shoresy (Nick Shore). I played with Shoresy a bit last year, so I was getting comfortable with him as the shifts went on.”
On if he missed playing against Darian Dziurzynski (Editor note: Dziurzynski and Andreoff know each other well):
“(laughter) No. I do not miss him one bit. I think we’re playing him next week, so I’m sure we’ll get into a little scrap or something. We’ll see what happens.”
Blake, on why Andreoff was asked to take the conditioning stint:
“I think its important to play games. He’s been in and out of the lineup up top. He’s had a stretch here where he hasn’t played very much, so we looked at the schedule. It was condensed down here the next two weeks. We knew he’d get in a bunch of games. And the big club is in the east, so if there is an injury or we need a recall, because of its close proximity, we can get him in. We just felt getting him into some games was important.”
Blake, on if he expects Andreoff to spend the full two weeks in Manchester:
“That’s what we plan on – up to two weeks, unless there’s an injury up top. We get him down, we get him in some good games here, get him into shape so he can step in that lineup up top.”
Blake, on if the team has been happy with his play at the NHL level:
“His compete level is high. The guys get along. He’s a good character guy on the team. It’s just [that] we (have) good numbers up there. Depth on forward comes along, but he’s done his job when he’s gotten in there, but we need him playing regular here too.”
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