Kings' Schenn finishes world juniors with injured shoulder

Published Jan. 7, 2011 9:13 a.m. EST

foxsports

By Helene Elliott
Los Angeles Times

Kings prospect Brayden Schenn, voted the most valuable player of the world junior championship despite Canada�s loss to Russia in the gold medal game, finished the tournament with a separated shoulder and won�t be able to play for 10 to 14 days, General Manager Dean Lombardi said Thursday.

Lombardi said Schenn, who played eight games for the Kings before being returned to Brandon of the Western Hockey League, was injured during Canada�s game against Switzerland and received injections in the shoulder in order to stay in the lineup. Schenn tied a Canadian record by scoring 18 points in seven games.

When Schenn heals and returns to the ice he�s likely to be wearing the uniform of a different junior team. Brandon, which is struggling this season, is expected to trade him before next Monday�s trade deadline. His likely destination is Saskatoon, which is leading the East Division of the Eastern Conference. A trade would not affect the Kings� ownership of his rights and playing for a good team would likely benefit Schenn�s development, especially on the defensive side of the game.

"My experience with these kids is if they don't go to good teams they get into bad habits," Lombardi said.

Lombardi, speaking by phone from a scouting trip back East, said he had hoped to watch prospect Andrei Loktionov play for Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League but Loktionov has returned to Russia following the death of his father and is expected to be gone for two weeks.