EL SEGUNDO –– Summarily and spiritedly lampooned for their offseason, the Kings set out to show that the game is played over ice and not on paper as training camp opened Thursday.

Drew Doughty returned for his 18th campaign and captain Anže Kopitar came back for his 20th (and perhaps final) year in black and silver. Longtime rival Corey Perry, 40, who is one of just three active players from the 2003 draft, will have to wait another six to eight weeks to add to even more veteran leadership as a result of a knee injury he sustained while skating last week.

The Kings will also be without their top defenseman from last season, permanently. Vladislav Gavrikov, whom outgoing general manager Rob Blake said in early March was prepared to sign a contract extension, left for the New York Rangers,

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