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Anthony Collazo

anthonycollazo@THNews
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Anthony Collazo is a contributing writer for The Hockey News, covering the Ontario Reign. At 19 years old, Anthony is in his second season covering the team. He also co-hosts a podcast on Youtube called "Make It Reign." You can follow him on X @anthonycollazo_
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Kings Keep Clarke on Roster, Open Door for Calder Cup Playoffs

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Mar 8, 25
LA Kings

Jakub Dvorak’s Development Has Been Slow But Steady

In a year of promising young blueliners for the Reign, one who often goes overlooked is Jakub Dvorak. Last year, after playing half a season in the Czech Extraliga, Jakub Dvorak made the move to the Western Hockey League, where he posted two goals and eight points in 21 games played. Los Angeles player development staffer Sean O’Donnell stated that Dvorak “adapted very well and played well” in the WHL last season. Despite this, it was reported by Kings insider Zach Dooley that Dvorak was not happy with his playing time in Czechia and was not too impressed with the WHL. Reading the tea leaves, it seemed like Dvorak wanted to be in Ontario, more so than others.  Ultimately, Dvorak did enough in training camp to get the call to the AHL, and would spend the season in Ontario as a 19-year-old.  The 6’5, 210 pound defenseman has had one of the more interesting seasons this year. With guys like Angus Booth and Jack Millar exceeding expectations, it is easy to forget about Jakub Dvorak. Perhaps for good reason, as he’s had a relatively unremarkable season. Early in the campaign, Dvorak’s ability to skate east to west was subpar, allowing faster players in the AHL to beat him on the edges. Much of this seemed to have been resolved by the time the World Junior Championship began, where Dvorak would have a great tournament.  On the world stage, Dvorak showed what kind of player he can eventually be, a defenseman with substantial positioning skills and the ability to use his size effectively.  Additionally, Dvorak exhibited an appetite for scoring, netting the game winning goal against Kazakhstan.  When the young Czech returned to Ontario, he took a step forward in his professional career. “His first two games after he came back he for sure took a step, right, and then, two games where he was a little bit lower” said Reign assistant coach Chris Haijt. It has been that kind of season for Dvorak. He has struggled to consistently make good plays on the backend of the ice.  Development-wise, when asked about the things the Reign are working on with him, Haijt stated, “He’s a young kid, right? He’s playing against men. So how do you defend positioning, your stick positioning. How do you take a guy out to separate a man from the puck. All those things and how important they are, and then doing them consistently.” With the Ontario Reign having a surplus of veterans, and their ability to win on a nightly basis, it is easy to forget that Dvorak is only 19-years-old and still working out the kinks in his game. Furthermore, with players like Booth and Millar playing exceptionally well as stay at home defensemen, Dvorak’s mistakes are often magnified. As mentioned earlier, his east to west skating still needs work. Dvorak is still out of position too often, leaving him vulnerable to be beaten on the outside. In addition, he is on the slower side of the spectrum. Increased foot speed would do wonders for Dvorak's game. Only time will tell how good of a player Dvorak will be. Again, he is only 19-years-old, so he has more than enough time to turn into the player the Kings want him to become. However, in order to make the leap to the NHL, he must progress on a near nightly basis in the AHL, starting as early as next season.1y
LA Kings

Reign trade Tyler Madden To Minnesota For Joseph Cecconi

The Kings have made their first move of the trade deadline, but it’s not the one you want. On Wednesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Kings traded forward Tyler Madden to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Joseph Cecconi. Back in 2020, Madden was the main piece that came to the Kings in the Tyler Toffoli trade. Since then, Madden has played 251 games for the Ontario Reign, posting 128 points. While Madden never panned out for the Kings, he had some monumental moments in Ontario, including his game winning goal in game two of the first round of the 2024 Playoffs against the Bakersfield Condors. For Ontario, their surplus of  forwards was a concern. Head coach Marco Sturm was forced to rotate guys in and out of the lineup, including prospects like Aatu Jamsen. Coming to the Kings organization is defenseman Joseph Cecconi, who the Reign saw earlier this season. Cecconi has two goals and twelve assists this season with the Iowa Wild. One of the goals came against the Reign in Ontario. With six AHL seasons under his belt, Ontario hopes Cecconi can help mentor a young core of blueliners. Additionally, Angus Booth, Caleb Jones, and Cole Krygier have all recently gone down with injuries. Cecconi will help fill that depth in the meantime.  Both players will report to their organization's AHL affiliates. The Reign will see Madden soon, when they travel to Iowa to face the Wild on March 22nd and 23rd. 1y
LA Kings

Bissonette, Stothers, and More Confirmed For 10-Year Calder Cup Celebration

Here are the ten confirmed Monarchs expected to attend the celebration, as well as their impact on the team. The Ontario Reign, formerly known as the Manchester Monarchs, are having a 10-year celebration Sunday night for their Calder Cup win in the 2014-2015 season. Some premiere names like Paul Bissonnette, famously known as “Biz” or “BizNasty” and captain Vincent LoVerde are set to attend the celebration inside Toyota Arena. One by one, let’s go through each and every confirmed member showing up, and their importance to their Calder Cup win in 2015. Paul Bissonnette  Everybody in the hockey world knows about Biz. From being one of the faces of the number one hockey podcast in the world, Spittin’ Chiclets, to being a key member of the NHL on TNT presentation, Bissonnette has become one of the most popular figures in hockey media. Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bissonnette spent five seasons of his professional career with the Phoenix Coyotes, before closing out his playing career with the LA Kings AHL affiliate. Biz spent all three years in the AHL, One season with the Manchester Monarchs and two with the Ontario Reign after the team relocated.  In 48 games played with Manchester in 2015, Bissonnette had one goal and six assists, while also having an astounding 167 penalty minutes.  Similar to current Reign forward Jacob Doty, Bissonnette was known for his physicality, and obviously, his big fights.  Vincent LoVerde  The captain of the 2015 Manchester Monarchs, Vincent LoVerde was a cornerstone during their Calder Cup playoff run. LoVerde put up 20 points in 63 games during the regular season, with a +11. That's not the most impressive stat line. but legends are born in the playoffs. Loverde was exceptional come playoff time, posting 2 goals and 8 assists in 19 games. He also came up big in the clinching game of the Calder Cup final, scoring the eventual game and championship winning goal. Who scored the first goal? None other than Adrian Kempe. Jeff Schultz It was an unbelievable couple of years for defenseman Jeff Schultz. Because of injuries to the LA Kings back end in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Schultz became a big defensive piece in LA’s sensational run to their second Stanley Cup Finals of that year against the New York Rangers. After winning a ring with the Kings, Schultz added more hardware to his resume. He would play 52 games with the Monarchs the following year, tallying three goals and 13 assists during that time. Schultz would then put up three assists in their playoff run, and was again, a key defensive piece throughout the entirety of the playoffs.  Justin Auger Justin Auger began his professional career as a 21- year- old winger, with 2014-2015 Manchester Monarchs. After spending three years in the OHL, the young Ontario native generated some excitement upon his arrival. His 6’6 frame combined with an appetite for scoring gave him a relatively high ceiling as a prospect.. In only his first pro season, Auger played an astonishing 70 games, scoring 13 goals and 16 assists in the process. The playoffs saw Auger score just one goal and one assist, but his relentless forechecking and physicality still played a huge role in Manchester’s Calder Cup win. Sean Backman A small winger from the small town town of Cos Cob, Connecticut, Sean Backman sported the “A” on his uniform for the first time in his hockey career when he was named alternate captain for the Monarchs in 2014 Backman put up an impressive 19 goals and 25 assists in 76 games played that season, finishing with a +17 rating-. In the playoffs, the 5’8” forward put up big numbers, finding the back of the net five times, and posting 12 assists.  For the next two years, Backman would rep the “A” on his jersey, this time for the Ontario Reign. After his time in Ontario, he would spend the final four years of his career in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Ryan Horvat You might recognize the name Ryan Horvat from X. No, that is not the same Ryan Horvat who is very involved with BetMGM. Horvat was a 5’11 winger who put up 11 points in 52 games played during the regular season. Out of 19 games in the Calder Cup playoffs, Horvat played in only nine. In these nine games, he lit the lamp in the ever crucial game 5 of round one.  Other than that, he was non-existent on the scoresheet. He would go on to play one more season with the Ontario Reign, before bouncing clubs the last few years of his career. Michael Mersch Another guy who played in 76 games, Michael Mersch was an always reliable 6’2 forward who had a breakout year with Manchester in 2014-15. Tallying 22 goals and 23 assists, the 2011 4th-round pick really made a name for himself in the playoffs, and Mersch was the most valuable player during this time. With 13 goals and 9 assists in 18 playoff games played, Mersch led the team in scoring  throughout the playoffs.  He had five multi goal games, including a hat trick in game 2 of the semifinals vs the Hartford Wolf Pack. In game five of the first round, Mersch scored the game winning goal. In game one of the Calder Cup Finals, Mersch tallied home the overtime winner. Arguably the most valuable player during the tournament, Mersch only recently called it a career, retiring as the captain of the Rochester Americans. JF Berube  Jean-Francois Berube, was the starting goaltender for the Monarchs in the regular season and the now legendary postseason. In 52 games played, Berube posted an astounding 2.18 GAA, anda 0.913 save percentage. When playoff time came around, Berube was at his best, winning 13 of the 16 games he played from start to finish. There was no doubt Berube led the team to the finals, with help from some of his teammates, like the aforementioned Mersch. Unfortunately for Berube, an injury suffered in game three of the Calder Cup Finals would sideline him the rest of the way.  Berube continued to tend the net for a handful of teams all the way until 2023, before retiring. To this day, Berube continues to call Southern California home. Additionally, Berube has been seen as the EBUG a couple of times this season for the Ontario Reign.  Mike Stothers and Chris Haijt (Coaches) Mike Stothers, a former player himself, was the head coach of the Calder Cup winning Manchester Monarchs. In his first season, Stothers took the team all the way to the Calder Cup finals, earning himself the AHL Coach of the Year award for the first and only time in his career.. Sothers is currently an assistant coach for the Anaheim Ducks. Chris Haijt was and is currently the assistant coach of the Manchester Monarchs and Ontario Reign.  Like Stothers, 2014-15 was Haijt’s first year coaching in the Kings organization.  In an interview with Kyle Garcia from Hockey Royalty, Haijt described the Calder Cup playoffs that year as, “Chaotic and awesome.” It should be a fun celebration Sunday night for what was a great year and an awesome send off to the Manchester Monarchs as we knew them, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings and the 2015 Calder Cup Champions1y
LA Kings

Pheonix Copley Is Healthy And Performing

A knee injury caused a major setback to Copley’s career, but based on his recent play, it seems as though it is fully in his rear view mirror. On Dec 15, 2023, Pheonix Copley suffered a knee injury at a Los Angeles Kings practice that ended up requiring ACL surgery. In response, the Kings called up David Rittich, who ended up having the best year of his NHL career, posting a 2.15 GAA with a .921 save percentage in 24 games played. With the uncertainty of Copley and the dire need to move forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Kings decided to take on Darcy Kuemper's last three years of a five-year, $26.25 million contract.  The Kings decided to re-sign Copley to a one-year, $825,000 contract. It was clear what the plan was for him: Stick him in the AHL to rehab and take it from there. It was a weird situation in Ontario, though. Erik Portillo was coming off a great season, and an even better postseason. Portillo would obviously get the starting gig to begin the new season. The 32-year-old netminder had never been an AHL backup. Copley played often, whether with the Hershey Bears, Chicago Wolves, or Ontario Reign. In his first game since his injury, Copley was actually not too bad. He made 19 saves in 22 shots and allowed three goals in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Barracuda. His next game, he gave up four goals. In the following game, five goals. Then he allowed three goals in each of the next three games. By the numbers, the Alaskan native allowed three or more goals in his first six games since coming back from his injury. From that point on, he was just right. Copley would have some good games, then some bad games, but never consistent. This was the story of Copley's season until Jan 18, when he stopped 21 of 22 shots against the Henderson Silver Knights in a losing effort.  His next game was against the AHL's best Calgary Wranglers. Once again, allowing just one goal, this time in a winning effort.  Four days later, Copley would get the nod against the second-place Coachella Valley Firebirds at the time. This time, he upped himself, pitching a shutout, going 27 for 27. Copley would go on to post a couple more one-goal performances, both against the Tucson Roadrunners, before falling back to earth against the San Jose Barracuda and giving up four goals. Nonetheless, the now 33 year old netminder had a nice stretch of games, allowing one goal or less in five straight.  It seems that the knee has fully recovered, and Copley now feels more comfortable in the crease.  When asked about his impressive stretch of play, Copley stated, "The season, there's ups and downs, that's how it's always been since the dawn of time." He also credited the team for his performances. "We're playing more of a team game, tight defensively, and sticking with our gameplan", said Copley. Copley is right. The Reign's defense, led by captain Joe Hicketts, has been a key reason for the team's success in Ontario this year. Young players like Angus Booth and Jack Millar have been impressive blueliners, exceeding all expectations.  Copley's latest stretch has salvaged his season numbers. He now has a 2.45 GAA with a .907 save percentage.  Furthermore, with Dryden McKay's recent call-up, it seems as though Portillo has suffered some kind of injury, which could explain his recent struggles. This obviously means that Copley will be the starting goaltender for the Ontario Reign from now on.1y
LA Kings

Reign's Jack Studnicka Is Having An Underrated Season

Feb 11, 25
LA Kings

Martin Chromiak Struggling to Take the Next Step

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Jan 28, 25
LA Kings

Is Angus Booth The Next Mikey Anderson?

Jan 19, 25
LA Kings

Highlighting A Big Day For Swede Samuel Fagemo

Jan 9, 25
LA Kings

Kings Prospect Aatu Jamsen Has Been Down With An Injury

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Dec 23, 24
LA Kings

thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/.preview/cn02ef91ef400027e8

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LA Kings

Reign Recap: Reign Continue Heater On Teddy Bear Toss Night

Dec 23, 24
LA Kings

Reign Recap: Reign Take Down #1 Team In The AHL

Dec 19, 24
LA Kings

Reign Recap: Portillo, Lee Come Up Big In Win Over Gulls

Dec 8, 24
LA Kings

Reign Recap: Stars Get Revenge With A 5-3 Win Over Reign

Dec 4, 24
LA Kings

Reign's Copley, Gawdin Win AHL Awards

Dec 2, 24
LA Kings

Reign Recap: A New Prospect Emerging? Reign Win Rare Matchup With Stars

Dec 1, 24
LA Kings

Reign Recap: Gawdin Continues His Dominant Streak, This Time Against His Former Team.

Nov 25, 24
LA Kings

Reign Recap: Best Players Shine In Win Over Silver Knights

Nov 21, 24
LA Kings

Reign Recap: Reign Win A Nail biter Over Eagles

Nov 16, 24
LA Kings