Loss of Gagne creates scramble

Coach Darryl Sutter had an interesting way of turning a negative into a positive. Asked before Wednesday's game -- the Kings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0 -- about the absence of injured veteran winger Simon Gagne, Sutter didn't exactly dwell on the loss or bemoan it. "Hey, to be perfectly honest, some of our veteran players haven't been productive in terms of offense anyway," Sutter said. "So it's an opportunity for a younger player. The game is about depth, and there are injuries. You move on in a hurry." It's a fair point by Sutter. The Kings signed Gagne to a two-year, 7 million contract during the summer, and so far, Gagne hasn't met expectations. He has seven goals in 34 games. When Sutter talks about having depth, though, that's where the Kings run into problems. To replace Gagne, the second-line left winger, the Kings were forced to promote rookie Andrei Loktionov, a natural center who isn't all that comfortable playing wing and who has yet to score a goal this season. The Kings have another option, in winger Dustin Penner, but he -- at 4 million a year -- has only two goals in 25 games and has been plagued by inconsistency this season. So Sutter's options aren't exactly plentiful with Gagne out of the lineup. For one night, at least, the Kings got some production from the fourth line, as right winger Trent Hunter scored the game's first goal. DAD'S TRIP --Life on the road is usually fairly isolated for a hockey team, but the Kings players have some company this week. The team is having its semi-annual "dads' trip," in which 21 of the 23 players have their fathers accompanying them. The trip started Monday, when many of the fathers were in Los Angeles, then flew on the team charter to Chicago. The players and dads had a big dinner in Chicago on Tuesday night, then the dads rode the bus with their sons to Wednesday's morning skate and attended the game. The trip concludes with Thursday's game at Winnipeg. --Kings coach Darryl Sutter certainly didn't need any restaurant recommendations while in Chicago. Sutter was drafted by the Blackhawks in 1978, made his NHL debut two years later and played seven years in Chicago. After a couple of years away, Sutter spent five seasons as a Blackhawks assistant coach and then head coach. --Former Kings coach Johnny Wilson died Tuesday at age 82. Wilson was a midseason replacement during the 1969-70 season and coached the Kings for 52 games. He was also the uncle of current Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson. QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're lucky that the organization has given us this opportunity to bring our fathers along. Most of the teams now, I think, are starting to do it, but to sit here with the people who are so important to your lives, who raised you and gave you the opportunity to get where you are, and give them the opportunity to kind of see what we do, it's unique and special." -- Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell, on the opportunity to bring his father, Reid, on the team's "dads' trip." ROSTER REPORT PLAYER NOTES: --LW Simon Gagne was put on injured reserve Wednesday, officially because of an upper-body injury, and his short-term prognosis is not good. Gagne is believed to have suffered a head injury when he hit the end boards in the Kings' game Monday against Phoenix. Gagne has a history of concussions with the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning but had been healthy this season. He has seven goals in his first 34 games. Gagne did not accompany the Kings on their two-game road trip, which concludes Thursday in Winnipeg. Gagne's roster spot was taken by LW Andrei Loktionov. --LW Andrei Loktionov played his first game under new coach Darryl Sutter on Wednesday. Loktionov, a rookie, had been a healthy scratch in Sutter's first three games but rejoined the lineup when LW Simon Gagne went on injured reserve. Loktionov has been a bit of an early season disappointment. Considered one of the Kings' top forward prospects, Loktionov has yet to score a goal in 16 games this season. Loktionov prefers to play center, his natural position, but given that the Kings are healthy and deep down the middle, Loktionov has been moved to the left side. Sutter expressed confidence that Loktionov should be able to handle the move and be productive. --D Drew Doughty has played some of his best hockey of the season under new coach Darryl Sutter, who had some praise for Doughty's game and plainly said that Doughty will continue to play a lot of minutes in the Kings' top defensive pairing, alongside veteran D Rob Scuderi. Doughty missed almost all of training camp because of a contract dispute, then had an early season injury. Over the first two months of the season, Doughty struggled to get on track, and his personal struggles certainly contributed to the Kings' overall struggles, which led to the dismissal of coach Terry Murray this month. MEDICAL WATCH: --LW Simon Gagne (upper body) was put on injured reserve on Dec. 28. --LW Scott Parse (lower body) was put on injured reserve on Nov. 9 and underwent hip surgery on Dec. 2. Parse will be out until at least early April and might be out for the season. GOALTENDERS: --Jonathan Quick. --Jonathan Bernier. DEFENSE PAIRINGS: --Rob Scuderi, Drew Doughty. --Willie Mitchell, Slava Voynov. --Jack Johnson, Matt Greene. FIRST LINE: --LW Brad Richardson, C Anze Kopitar, RW Dustin Brown. SECOND LINE: --LW Andrei Loktionov, C Mike Richards, RW Trevor Lewis. THIRD LINE: --LW Dustin Penner, C Jarret Stoll, RW Justin Williams. FOURTH LINE: --LW Kyle Clifford, C Colin Fraser, RW Kevin Westgarth.