Notes from practice and beyond: Loktionov to play with Frolov and Brown, Hickey to have shoulder surgery

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Some interesting bits of news emerged from the Kings’ practice today:

Andrei Loktionov, summoned from Manchester of the American Hockey League on Monday, centered a line with fellow Russian Alexander Frolov and Dustin Brown. In a curious move Teddy Purcell, who hasn’t scored a goal since the third game of the season and has played on the second, third and fourth lines, was moved up to the top line with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams and will get a chance there for at least Wednesday’s game at Edmonton and Thursday’s game at Vancouver

‘I need him to get going. I want to give him every opportunity to play well,’ Coach Terry Murray said of Purcell.

And if he doesn’t get going...he could be gone. From the top line, anyway.

‘I need to have that conversation with him,’ Murray said. ‘’Hey, it’s time. I need you to give us some statistics here. Points. That’s a big part of your game, is to create. Score. This is a great opportunity.’’

Defenseman Rob Scuderi and center Jarret Stoll skated Tuesday but wore red non-contact jerseys. Murray said both will go on the trip but they’re questionable for both games.

Right wing Brandon Segal, also promoted from Manchester, will play on the fourth line. ‘Just give us some minutes where we can back off the top three lines and buy us some safe shifts,’ Murray said.

Winger Richard Clune, who nearly made the Kings out of training camp until he pulled a groin muscle, was on track to be called up but pulled his groin again last week while General Manager Dean Lombardi was on a scouting mission in Manchester.

Lombardi also said that defenseman Thomas Hickey, the fourth overall pick in the 2007 draft and one of the final cuts in training camp, will soon undergo shoulder surgery that will keep him out of the lineup for four months.

‘We sat him out and then the more information I got, we have a choice,’ Lombardi said. ‘He’s going to have to get shut down for four months, so do we do it now, and have him maybe for the playoffs and most importantly the summer, because he’s got to get stronger, or we have him play through it and the wear and tear on it is not good....We just decided to shut him down.’

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott