alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />Jarret Stoll is back in the lineup tonight, recovered from what he revealed to be a groin strain, but Rob Scuderi is described as doubtful for the game. The Kings’ forwards are expected to skate as follows:
Frolov-Kopitar-Williams
Purcell-Stoll-Brown
Parse-Handzus-Simmonds
Four players are still in contention on the fourth line, but there’s no indication of a change there. Quick is in goal. More updates on all this ASAP…
Sweet! That will help with the face-off sitch..
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Parse and Purcell should be switched.
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JOEL…
completely agree…
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I’d put Simmonds on the top line. I think with Ryan out that gives a player that would really work well with what Williams and Kopitar bring. Of course if Fro plays the way he is capable every night then he should be on the top line. Just seems to me one question I have never seen asked is if Wayne brings his best every night. I think he has earned it.
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Don’t know how many times it must be brought up, but wingers a not always interchangeable. Simmonds, Williams, and Brown are RW. Brown has said he doesn’t feel comfortable on the left wing. I don’t know about Simmer and Willie, but there’s are reason TM didn’t go right back to Simmer on the top line when Smitty. ( I can already see the TM haters jumping all over this one)
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oops, meant to say when Smitty went down.
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AZ
Yeh Rich, I believe had a quote from Brownie last year, that he feels uncomfortable on the Left. Imagine that goes for JW as well. Simmer got a look last year on the left as well. So, I imagine those 3 are RW only since we have not seen them move to the left.
That leaves us with:
Smyth
Fro
Parse
Purcell
??
??
??
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How many chances is this Purcell character going to get??
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I though Ted actually played a pretty good game yesterday…
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I think Dean Lombardi is doing a great job. The one who deserves the blame is Mr.Cheap Anshutz aka AEG. Ok lets be honest here for a sec. Gaborik was/is a 50/50 chance cause he is injury prone and though he’s having a great season(23gms – 33pts) there still is a long way to go and who says he wont get hurt? Same can be said for Kessel (12gms – 11pts), another 50/50 chance. BUT Smyth,Williams and Stoll all have a history of being injury prone AND up to now all have had some time on the sidelines. In my opinion at the end of the day it doesnt come down to “oh this player is a risk” but rather “oh this player wants too many millions from my many billions”!!!!!!! Heck they werent even willing to give Cammalleri (25gms – 21pts) who has a bullet of a shot $5mil/season. we have a nice young roster. good young interesting players. and without taking anything away from Smyth we need a BIG ALL STAR on this team.
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Just wrote a novel on the last thread about my choice for Simmonds on the top line if anyone has down time to read it.
I agree with Joel that Purcell and Parse should be switched, but my guess is that TM is going to play a heavy checking game tonight and that 3rd line of Parse-Zeus-Simmonds is gonna be GOOD. 2 speedy wingers in on the forecheck is gonna allow Zeus to float in the middle without risk of missing a backcheck because of his lack of speed. He’s got two guys that can help him which should allow him to be a bit more aggressive with his defense.
That 2nd line better have some STRONG Skates on D- with them tonight with heavy point shots because that’s the only way they’ll score is to pass to the point and have the d-men let shots rip.
4th line should be Harrold-Richie-Segal.
IVANANS SITS TERRY! PLEASE!!! Look man, I’ll mow your lawn and do your dishes. Just SIT IVAN!
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Was at the morning skate today. All the players were wearing the black practice jerseys. Hopefully that indicates a “team” effort TONIGHT. (what? no clippers game to push us to a day game). If practice can transfer to game play, I think our 4th line (Ivanans) might score one. Also, Purcell seemed focused and skillful in close, in the drills. Stoll worked with Kompon on faceoffs after practice………………….
won ‘em all.
GO KINGS!!!
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Yay, now we can win face-off’s again.
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KHANON…
completely agree on purcell…
i just don’t see “it” in him…there’s something missing from him…i don’t think he’s the player that management and fans think he is…
CYNIC…
i hope yr right about tonight’s game…
i’ll be in section 219…(thanx…mr. matt mcdiesel george…!!!)
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Can we make a trade already! We’ve got the assets.
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Perhaps the team will realize that when you are down low, someone needs to screen the goalie , not just Smith, and occasionly Brown and Hanzus. Try it guys and you’ll get more in the net
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I’m hoping Cynic is correct in that TM plays a checking game. The Kings have no shot at outscoring this team. They’ve got to do what Vancouver did to the Kings the first time they met: Slow the game down.
If the Kings can take this 1-1 into OT, it will be a successful game.
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Thank god Stoll is back. We could use his faceoffs, blocked shots,taking the body, and hustle he brings every shift…we just might get a win tonight now..
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Purcell must be Murray’s nephew via marriage, or something. I just cannot believe how many good chances this guy gets to prove himself – yet proves nothing each and every time. Is there no one anywhere else we can put into the lineup???
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Don’t count on the faceoff issue improving. If it’s a groin injury, he’s not going to be exactly stellar on the face off, at least until he’s absolutely sure he’s 100%. It’s that way with groin injuries.
@ Johnny: On what exactly do you base your claim that AEG is “cheap?” Deano has come out and said he keeps room in the cap space so he can sign his free agents when someone else tries to steal them.
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I don’t think Purcell fits anywhere, and believe me he’s been placed everywhere.
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Khanon, re: the 2003 draft, I left you a pretty precise response to your comments under the ‘Concern About Frolov’ thread.
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Well, there’s goal and defense, or my favorite, the Ice Dogs.
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I’m just happy to be home for the holidays and going to my first home game of the season… All I want for Xmas is 60 minutes.
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Another big reason we;re lagging is the fact doughtys runnin the show, he needs support, johnson needs to start taking things into his own hands, he needs to start carrying the puck more and put teams back on there heals, from what i saw from him in preseason wow he can shake and bake but hasnt shown it this season, Cmon jack time to geter started!
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seriously?!?!
no one else is screaming for a trade at this point????i’m not talking a block-buster, just a band-aid, insurance policy…. probably in our best interest, no??? given the fact that we’ve had a few of our top 6 forwards go down already. these guys have that history (williams, smyth, stoll). its been proven our LW depth isn’t there.
its showing the worth of smyth rite now. anybody we play in the playoffs will know exactly where/who to target to get an upper-hand. PLEASE add depth!!! Rich, i know you dont like the same repetitive post from the same guy, and i’ve mentioned this a few times in the last couple weeks, but i’m going stir-crazy over here!!!
i cant believe no one else is sceaming for this!!!
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Yes jayhay, i also brought that up yesterday we do need one, and i believe one is brewing but like a good gm lombardi is hes keeping very hush hush on it, mark my words in the next 3 weeks something will be done, many good players contracts are expiring and are and will be available and DL is not afraid to pull the trigger, he wanted to give certain players all avenues to show if there capable and now knows some arent performing and will go soon
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THANK YOU 2316!!!
acknowledgment is gratification at this point. i hope you’re right. pressing for a trade immediately after an injury is grounds to get burnt on a trade; i get that, i really do; but one win and one goal from kopi’s line since smyth went down, we’re dropping games that will cost us. i hope it happens before 3 weeks.
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I hear ya, i agree with you 100% about the rushing after injurys but gettin to that point where just to compete with the sharks, ducks and hawks, we;re falling behind on the depth and prospect chart fast
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Having seen Purcell play in Manchester for a couple of years…I’d say what you see is what you get, unfortunately, no surprise here.
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Variable.
Just read the comment on the other thread. Terrible drafting from DT
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Simarosa
Wow. Really? Didn’t Purcell absolutely light it up in Manchester?
What was it?
First team all-star
First team all-rookie
First in rookie scoring
Third in overall scoring
MVP of the all-star game
All in his rookie season.
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Yah then how many chances in the big league…..What was it? ZIPPO!
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Khanon
You absolutely hate Purcell and that’s fine but do you even watch the games?
I hear you saying Purcell this and Purcell that. He’s absolutely terrible and he has no trade value.
Are you trying to tell me that Purcell played terrible against Vancouver? If you’re trying to say that you either have the blinders on or you simply didn’t see the game.
He was the best player on the first line and one of the best Kings overall.
Here’s a few of guarantees for tonight.
1) Brown won’t pass the puck to Purcell (play close attention)
2)Purcell will still play good anyway
3)You’ll still be here dumping on him after the game.
Have at it. Guys like you are getting somewhat tiresome.
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Kingsfan
You totally don’t get what I’m trying to say in my post.
I was simply marvelled that Simarosa could be in attendance for one of the greatest Rookie seasons in AHL history and the whole time be predicting that this kid would struggle like this in the NHL.
He should be a pro scout. If he was, with that vision, he’d be the highest paid scout in the league.
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Ahhhh my bad shrimp, i getcha, yah cant judge before even getting a chance in the bigs
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KHANON…
i agree with you on purcell on how…with the exception of a glimpse here and there…he’s been unimpressive…
as far as everything else…well…hey…we can agree on something’s…?…right…?
i think if you look objectively at both t.m.’s & d.l.’s tenures…remember the time lines are different…i find myself agreeing with them more often than i disagree with them…
i don’t share yr disdain for them…
furthermore…
perhaps this pertains to you KHANON…perhaps it doesn’t…not meant to single you out by any means…since we’re on the subject…:
i think like many here, it get a little tiresome to hear the same comments after each loss…:
- trade frolov…
- fire t.m…
- fire d.l…
- trade this guy
- kill ivanans…
- trade that guy…
- fire hardy and kompon…
- move purcell into his parents house…
ok…ok…maybe i’m guilty of the last one…but seriously…i think the goal is off it’s moorings with some of the bashing…
i don’t mind hearing opposing views…heck…this is a forum, right…??? but some of you campaigning for whatever hellbent cause get so riled up and become painfully rhetorical and tragically ironic..but i digress…
we’re all fans, right…?
enjoy, paisanos…!!!
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DL has done extremely well with this club so far, and remember – 6 more picks in the first 3 rounds next draft too. Don’t lose your long term vision for a temporary fix…
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Actually variable good points, i love the move purcell into his parents house, crap im still laughing…lol, but seriously it does get to the point where we all get frustrated and throwing around the same old piece of wood seems like the easiest thing to do sometimes but doesnt interest people after awhile
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Variable,
I don’t know if what I said came out wrong or not, but just to make sure, I said, “Just read the comment on the other thread,” meaning that I personally read the comment, not asking you to read the comment. Just wanted to clarify that in case you took it the wrong way.
Also, a few other things I need to clarify. I like both DL and TM. Do I want DL to make a change here and there? Yes. With that said, overall, DL has done a pretty darn good job.
re: Frolov- Yes, I’m probably one of those guys asking to trade him.
re: Ivanans- I never once advocated killing Ivanans, although I would prefer a few other enforcers instead. I don’t think I’ve discussed Ivanans on this blog to the point to warrant another “deletion.”
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The Jumping shrimp,
“2)Purcell will still play good anyway”
Since when does going scoreless for the most of the season for a top six forward equate into “playing good?”
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Hi Var. How’s it goin? Hope you’re well. I think the guys are definitely going in the right direction. As far as past drafting… well, that’s gotta be my thing to get past… and I think I’m succeeding… slowly…. but succeeding :-)
You know, one thing is, I’m a smart enough guy to realize that, Had we done better in the past we wouldn’t now have DrewD nor probably Braydon Schenn who I think will be a really good one. So it’s all good (well, I wouldn’t be upset if DL drafted a fraction more skill upfront – but he definitely knows what he’s doing)
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Khanon
First off he’s spent less than half this year in a top 6 role. I agree that he should have more points but when I was referencing playing good I was talking about how he played in Vancouver.
So, did you see the Vancouver game? You tought he was terrible then? You couldn’t have. Obviously people disagree from time to time but there’s no way to knowledgeable hockey fans can watch the same guy and one think he was “one of the best” and the other think he was “terrible”. There’s just too much discrepancy “between one of the best” and “terrible”.
Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike Parse but where’s all the hate for him. He has done SFA on the second scoring line and people talk about him like he’s the second coming. The other night the guy takes a stupid penalty (250 feet away from his own net mind you) and had a couple of brutal turnovers and people are calling for him to be promoted to the first line.
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Jumping Shrimp,
I did see the Vancouver game. I didn’t think he was terrible in that game; in fact, he was hanging around the net after wistles longer than hes accustomed to. But, what I did confirm is the guy simply cannot finish. Simple as that. He’s not a legitimate top six forward, and neither is Parse for that matter, but at least Parse is willing to throw a hit and work hard each and every game.
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i think terry will have them ready form tonight
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anybody who thought that signing a superstar in his prime, gaborik, on july 1st was a risk because of his past injury status i ask you ….. what did the kings have to lose ? 42 years of this crap ….. did we have anything to lose … and p.s. …throughout smyths career he has gotten hurt just as much as gaborik …. he usually goes down every season
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