The last time Dustin Brown missed this much time, he was 19 and the youngest of 42 players to play for the Kings in one season.
An ankle injury in November 2003 gave him a seat under the arena rafters, where space on the ice is distorted because of the steep view.
“I learned my lesson … that watching from the press box can be a dangerous thing,” Brown said. “I can’t remember who we were playing, but I’m like, ‘Why the hell did he not make that play?’ And then I realized it was Ziggy Palffy, who was definitely the best player on that team.