Kings vs. Blues notes: Dustin Brown weighs in on Jason Collins

ST. LOUIS -- Greetings from St. Louis, where the Kings will take to the ice at Scottrade Center for their morning skate at 11:30 a.m. CDT today. They will then play the opener of their first-round playoff series against the Blues at 7 p.m.

First, some leftover tidbits from Monday’s events.

In the wake of NBA player Jason Collins saying that he is gay, making him the first male athlete in a major American sport to come out while an active player, I asked Kings captain Dustin Brown if he thought an NHL player could make a similar announcement and be accepted.

Brown had a thoughtful answer that unfortunately got trimmed out of colleague Kevin Baxter’s article in Tuesday’s editions: “I think so. That’s not to say everyone will be happy about it, because everyone has their own opinions, but I think, and I can only speak for myself, I would be perfectly comfortable with it,” Brown said. “I have friends that are gay. I have relatives that are gay. It’s part of society.

“ ... It’s just like anything else. If they’re going to help me win, I want them on my team, right? At the end of the day, as an athlete, that’s what I want: I want to win. I don’t care what it is off the ice. If they’re going to come in here and help us be a better team, I’m perfectly OK with it.”

And for some laughs, check out this video from TSN, which spoofs “The Hangover.” Kings Anze Kopitar, Colin Fraser, Dustin Penner and Jarret Stoll have starring roles. And don’t miss the surprise cameo at the end.

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