alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />After practice today, Terry Murray said he would go back to Jonathan Quick against Atlanta tomorrow. Murray had strong praise for Ersberg — much higher than last night — but said Quick had an excellent day in practice yesterday. Murray indicated that Ersberg will be back in a game soon, which likely means Saturday or Monday.
Murray said he had not decided about other lineup changes. He had strong praise for Alexander Frolov, Jack Johnson and Wayne Simmonds in last night’s game.
I also talked to Quick and Bill Ranford about Quick’s development, so stay tuned for all that, and more, soon…
Kings got pushed around last night, I hope Ivanans and or OD are back…
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How about not changing out Randy Jones. Just bring Quicker back and get Clune,Moller down for this East Coast swing. Clune Richardson Moller
Just Keep Ivanans On The Bench Please…
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What is people obsession with Clune. What has he done to earn a spot on the roster. He’s not racking up the numbers in Manchester (points or PIMs). I’m all for keeping Ivan on the bench, but I just don’t get this burning desire to have Clune up here.
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Clune is a goon and he’s like an energy type guy, like a Zeiler type of player. He’s a pest on the ice and he can drop the gloves if needed. He’d fit perfectly with Richardson and Purcell or Richardson and Harrold. Ivanans should stay on the bench too, and I hope TM sticks with Randy Jones, he can’t make him a healthy scratch after the way he played last night. I think either OD stays out another game or Drewiske is a healthy scratch
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I’m curious to see what becomes of Jones. You can’t exactly pull him out after a game like that…or you can but it would be stupid!
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Everyone keeps bashing Ivanans, and I’ll admit that he is not a great puckhandler and takes really bad penalties, despite that he does have his uses. We got bashed last night and I think it was in large part because the Canes knew they could get away with it. Ivanans is a goon, but one that most of the NHL is scared s**tless of. He does have a use. For whatever reason DL & TM don’t want to call Westgarth up yet and until they do I think we NEED Ivanans as a cooler if nothing else.
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When I say “bashed” I’m not talking scorebaord, but in the corners and along the boards. Just wanted to clarify.
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Forget Clune, what is everyone’s obsession with Moller? Like we need another smallish forward to squashed against the boards all night. Its hard enough watching Richardson get leveled every night.
Moller’s got a lot of heart but he needs 2 or 3 more years of seasoning in the minors and 20 more pounds before I want to see him up with the big club.
And WTF are you going to put him?
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I’m fine with having Ivanas sit out. You really think Walker would fight Ivanas? Sure he has his uses in the staged fights but the bad penalties and rather poor defense I could do without.
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@ Ike–
Maybe Walker wouldn’t FIGHT Ivanans, but in his absence, Walker was painting the boards with our players all night. I don’t necessarily know the answer, but I think last night was a CLEAR indication of the liberties a team will take without Ivanans in the lineup.
We got ABUSED all night. I’d be interested to know Terry Murray’s thoughts on team toughness right now; I haven’t seen Kings stand up for one another in a while, and instead of responding, most times, they just took it timidly. Ersberg gets run, Drewiske taps Kostopolous on the head. The heck?
I’m concerned about how this will play out over the next few weeks, because team toughness is an apparent issue, at least to me.
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Moller, Clune, Westgarth….I see 2 or 3 spots that may open up at some point but this is your line up for the next 3 – 5+ years.
Smyth/kopi/Williams
Parse/Stoll/Brown
Frolov/Zeus/Simmer
Ivans/Richardson/Purcell
You have to figure the Kings will go hard after Kovalchuk or another BIG name forward if and when they become available and a few of the guys below will be gone. This leaves you with the following forwards who have a legit chance of making the club one day.
Schenn
Westgarth
Loktionov
Clune
Clifford
Moller
Schenn will probably take Zeus spot if he plays up to his potential.
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Now back on the topic of quick. I hope Bill Ranford worked on rebound control with quick, as that is one area where he could improve on.
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I like Ivanans. If I was a skill player I would want him in the game.
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Whether people like him or not Ivanans is a necessity, He doesn’t put up with the crap. Westgarth and Clune aren’t ready yet. Quick just needs to be himself, square up and challenge shooters.
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I think it is too soon to go back to Quick. Let him practice with Ranford for another game or two and round out his game. I’d rather risk the 2 points against Atlanta (whom I think Ersberg can still defeat anyways) and let Quick develop into last year’s form. If Quick can be the same goaltender he was last year, the Kings could be a very strong contender this year.
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Wow what is this obsession with Ivanans. He is needed in about 10 games a year if that. Quit crying when other teams finish their checks on our players (Stars or Not) that is what you are supposed to do. That is not what I call being abused. Yes Drewskie is going to need to drop the gloves because he is getting facewashed after every whistle. Green and Simmonds need to throw if need be for now but dont count on SOD to make up the toughness gene at his age now. Quick goes back in. He is our number one. If Nobokov gets a night off they certainly dont give their number 2 back to back games. Just my take
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AK47-
Were you joking about sitting Drewiske??
I sure hope so….
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i like Ivanans he is actually a very good skater he can actually play unlike some of the other so-called “enforcers” in the league he is not touted as a goal scorer he is a enforcer thats his role on the team hockey is a game where you cant have 4 lines full of goal scorers everyone has a role everyone has a job and as far as penalties EVERY player in the league has taken dumb penalties at some point i still say we need his toughness on the 4th line
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and i REALLY hope the Kings go hard after Kovalchuk he is one of the top finishers in the league and he will drop the gloves when needed we could sign him for a long time and it would effect our salary cap at all
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Too many valuable assets on the ice to not have an enforcer to protect them. Think of it as insurance. You never think or care about it until something bad happens and than you wish you had it.
All of us who watched the last game should have noticed. Ivans sits one game and players start taking runs at Kopi and DD. I can handle Ivans playing 3 or 4 shifts a game. Its a small price to pay so that no one takes liberties with our top players.
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