On my first day back at work at The National, I was moved to do a column on the Los Angeles Kings, a team I covered a time or 100 in a previous life … and the surprise monsters of the Stanley Cup playoffs, so far.

Hockey is not a major sport in this part of the world. Truth be told, if you mention “hockey” in the UAE, most people will assume you are talking about field hockey. Honest. (Most Americans, meanwhile, consider field hockey a game for girls.)

So … it’s not good to assume any ice hockey knowledge among our readers, many of whom come from India and Pakistan, where field hockey is still popular. And Britain, for that matter, which hardly has time for anything that isn’t soccer, rugby or cricket.

I should note, however, that ice hockey is a growing sport among the Emirati male population: The country has a six-team semi-pro league.

They seem to love the concept of ice rinks, and the UAE national teams actually is one of the better sides in Asia. The bar isn’t set high, but still.

In my piece, I noted how the Kings have always been an afterthought in the Los Angeles market, how they are considered the third tenant in Staples Center despite the fact that the company that owns the Kings, the Anschutz Entertainment Group, built the arena.

And, really, it’s not like the Kings had much to crow about, in their previous 44 seasons. One Stanley Cup finals appearance, in 1993, when they had Wayne Gretzky. The won the first game, led 2-1 late in the second, then the Marty McSorley curved stick penalty happened, and the Montreal Canadiens won four straight.

The Kings’ romp through these playoffs has caught hockey fans here (mostly Canadian expats) unawares, because they know enough about the NHL to expect little or nothing from that team in Los Angeles.

I’m glad for the Kings that they are so close … leading the New Jersey Devils 2-0 in the finals.

But I can’t say I feel any particular affinity for the current Kings cast of characters. The Kings weren’t any good before I left, and seemingly the whole of the team has changed since I last saw them play.

Going back to the Gretzky era, in the Forum, yes, I have seen a lot of Kings games. But I probably have seen the Ducks more often, especially during their two runs to the Cup finals.

If all goes right, the Kings can clinch at home on Wednesday. With that club, you never assume good things. But they are very close now.  I will try to stay up, or get up early Thursday morning, to see them if they have a chance to clinch.

Watching guys in Kings uniform skating around Staples holding the Cup … that will be an exotic concept, indeed.