Byfield, Turcotte recalled, Sparks fly, Wolanin’s first goal, and other LA Kings Bullets

We’ll see if it’s nothing more than paper transactions, but per the AHL transactions page, the LA Kings have made the following moves:

RECALLED from Ontario:

• Quinton Byfield
• Alex Turcotte
• Samuel Fagemo

RETURNED to Ontario:

• Sean Durzi
• Jacob Moverare
• Christian Wolanin

Again, with the Reign playing on Wednesday and the Kings not until Thursday, some of these could simply be paper transactions to work around the salary cap. However, Byfield being called up kind of aligns with his conditioning stint in the AHL before returning to the NHL club. Also, with Phillip Danault in COVID protocol, the Kings are thin down the middle right down.

As far as Moverare, he probably stays up as long as Drew Doughty is out of the lineup for depth purposes only.

• You all have likely seen Garret Sparks‘ postgame presser by now. I loved how honest and open he was about his journey to get back to this point, and for the Kings to storm back with three unanswered goals to help him get his first win in just under three years, it was inspiring to see that kind of raw emotion from the 28-year-old. Consider me a fan for life.
• Here are some of the highlights from his presser:

Garret Sparks on the night:

“I got to step into a situation where they needed me and it was cool.” #GoKingsGo

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) December 20, 2021

Sparks credited Kings goaltending coach Bill Ranford with getting him ready for the start tonight.

“You only get opportunities like this once in a while. I just wanted to enjoy the moment and have fun. I just didn’t want to think myself out of it.” #GoKingsGo

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) December 20, 2021

Sparks getting emotional during this postgame presser. Noted that he had to lean on his family for this.

“I just had to get my life back, it’s more than just hockey. I was— it’s a lot of work. It’s worth it.”

Noted he suffered a bad concussion in TOR and the wheels fell off.

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) December 20, 2021

Last one on Sparks:

“It was just crazy to be on NHL ice again and playing against the greatest goal-scorer of all time and having an answer. It was cool.”

How can you not be a fan of this guy?? #GoKingsGo

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) December 20, 2021

Todd McLellan on Garret Sparks’ night:

“He’s got a very interesting story and he’s had some real highs and real lows. But for the group to play hard and comeback with him, and for him, it’s a chapter in a book when you think about it.” #GoKingsGo

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) December 20, 2021

• Sparks also responded to Sean Durzi’s comment on Twitter:

Coming from one of the best guys in hockey… Thanks for soaking that Ovi 1T for the kid and grabbing me the game puck, you’re a real one Durz. You & the rest of the squad made this night incredibly special, one I won’t forget!

— Garret Sparks (@GSparks40) December 20, 2021

• Not only did Sparks earn his first win in quite some time, but Christian Wolanin’s game-tying game was also his first as a member of the LA Kings and first NHL goal since March 2019. Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider dug up this little factoid, which is pretty incredible:

Christian Wolanin's last NHL goal came on March 14, 2019. Garret Sparks' last NHL win came on March 20, 2019. Less than a week apart and tonight they did it together.

Storybook stuff. Huge part of those two points tonight.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) December 20, 2021

• While nothing is final, Helge Grans has been skating on Sweden’s top pairing in preparation for the World Juniors:

Team 🇸🇪U20 lines and d-pair at Red Deer right now.
Wallstedt, Clang, Wikman
–
Edvinsson–Grans
Lööf–Nyström
Andrae–Olsson
Forsfjäll–Sjöholm
–
Olausson–Eklund–Holtz
Stakkestad–Ljungman–Lysell
Torgersson–Niederbach–Rosén–Sjöberg
Magnusson–Ekmark–Nybeck–Stenman#worldjuniors

— Henrik Sjöberg (@sjobergh) December 19, 2021

• As touched on yesterday, it’s looking more and more like the NHL players won’t be heading to the Olympics, so that three-week period of downtime will strictly be used for make-up games across the league:

Nothing official yet, but a real sense NHL players aren’t headed to the Olympics. Given all the NHL game postponements this past week, no surprise if that’s the final direction.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 20, 2021

• The Maple Leafs and Red Wings were the latest teams to shut down all team activities through the holiday break.

Keeping it fairly short today. Friendly reminder that the Kings/Oilers game (HERE) on Wednesday has been postponed, with the league halting all cross-country travel through the holidays. LA will play next in Vegas on Thursday.

Happy Monday!