Not that Anze Kopitar’s importance to the Kings needs to be stated, but there’s this… The Kings have a 13-5 record when Kopitar records at least one point, and an 0-3-2 record when Kopitar is kept off the score sheet. Here’s what Kopitar said today about the importance of maintaining the first line’s strong play with Ryan Smyth out of action…
(on making the adjustment from Smyth to Frolov on the first line…)
KOPITAR: “They’re different players. Maybe we need a couple of games to get used to it, but not too long, of course. I think Fro is more of a corner guy, and Smytty is more of a net-front guy and a behind-the-net guy. So you definitely have to adjust to that. That’s going to change me and Willie a little bit. We have to get to the net a little more often. With Smytty before, he was there all the time, so we didn’t have to worry about that, but now we’re going to have to crash a couple more times a game and just get to used to it.”
(on the need for Frolov to adjust, as well…)
KOPITAR: “Yeah, absolutely. It’s not just us. He’s really strong around the net. When he protects the puck, I don’t think I’ve seen better from any player in the league. When he sticks his (butt) out, it’s just a matter of getting open and getting ready to shoot.”
(on Frolov needing to shoot more often…)
KOPITAR: “He had one shot. I think I had six. It all equals out. In some cases, I have two shots and he’s got five. It’s just depends on the game, who’s got the puck more in the corner, but with Fro, we all know he protects the puck so well and likes to dish it off, so I don’t think that’s a big concern for him. There were a couple of plays where the puck just bounced over his stick. I don’t think that’s a big concern for him.”
At the end of practice today, the last 3 players on the ice were surprisingly Quick, Williams and Kopitar. Williams did a lot of extra work around the net with
tip-ins of shots from the point as well as a lot of stick handling. Nothing too much of note there but what I heard up near the top of the left circle was a different
story… CLICK
HERE to continue
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no big deal, coaches talk like that to players all the time..
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Why should Kopitar and Willie have to adjust to Frolov?? Frolov should have to adapt HIS style of play to theirs.
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Come on Van…. All players need to adjust to each other. All players are successful because of the style they play and how well it works with the rest of the team. If someone is really good at one thing then people adjust to that difference.
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I think Kopi and Willi would have to adjust no matter who replaced Smyth.There’s no front of the net players like Smyth anywhere in our etire system.
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Tantrum4
No Negativity Here
Go Kings!!!!
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Murray-
Why dont you just drop Kopitar and Williams down to the 4th line to jump start them, because clearly that is the reason for our troubles of late and the trouble I foresee for the 15-17 gams without Smyth.
I’m buying it…anyone else?
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Rich, shouldn’t there be a “no sock puppets” rule? Aren’t there some sock puppets playing in this sandbox?
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suck puppetry is rampant on this site. we’ve always joked rich has at least one sock puppet and I really couldn’t blame him if he did being that he can’t say everything he wants as himself, but will we ever know for sure? not until the book I suppose.
as for others, well, how can you really do anything about it? I suppose you could track IP addresses, but that hardly seems likely or even worth it. But I do believe the commenting area needs a MAJOR overhaul. there are simply too many people now and it’s just becoming overwhelming. a system like http://intensedebate.com/ has potential and would be so much better than what we have now. I bet it even has safeguards for sock puppeting too!
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I’d be fairly satisfied if it was made a rule and he looked at IP addresses when he was curious, then exposed the sock puppet. I also agree that there could be a better comment methodology. One possibility is to only post the stories here with a link to a BBS that has a topic for each entry. That same BBS could be used for other topics.
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(guess I should say this too)
I don’t always agree with his views or the way he runs the place, but I don’t suspect him of sock puppetry, nor could anyone do about it. I’m not concerned about that. Back to the main point, certain “posters” seem to have a singular opinion, some nights, which seems to suggest very strongly that sock-puppetry is common.
For the record, Rich’s integrity is like 2nd to God’s.
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“do anything”…as in…”nor could anyone do anything about it”
sorry
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go kings
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