There’s been plenty of discussion in the past few days about Scott Parse, and the fact that he wasn’t recalled from Manchester when players such as Elkins and Moller were. Today, I asked Terry Murray about Parse’s play while he was with the Kings, and whether he felt there were “peaks and valleys” in Parse’s nearly two-month stint in the NHL…
MURRAY: “Yeah, there were. And that’s pretty normal for a player. This is exactly the conversation I had with him, in my office, one on one. I’ve had this meeting with players over the years, and it’s exactly the same scenario with every player that I see who falls into this category. Skill player, can score highlight-reel goals, plays the game pretty good, but there’s always the parts of the game that coaches look at, and it’s not quite enough.
“So we give you time to get through that, to improve. Still not where it needs to be, so you get sent back down, and the player is upset at the coach and the organization because, `I scored four or five big goals, they looked great, why can’t I play there?’ And as you go through your career now, as a player, you’re going to go to four or five different organizations, possibly, and it’s going to be the same scenario. At the end of your career, you’re going to look back and say, `I was screwed, my whole career.’ But you know what? I was very upfront with him, in discussing this, because again, I’ve seen it almost a thousand times.
“What’s important for him, as I talked to him on the plane, was, `Scotty, you need to go down and work on all of those areas of the game that we talked about. The dot-to-board, the checking, the intensity every shift that you’re out there. When you get that down, you’re going to be a player in the NHL and you’ll be a very good player, because the other stuff, the highlight-reel stuff, I can’t teach you that. But this is about an attitude that you need to bring, that high-level intensity in your game, with a very competitive game. And you’re going to be a good player.’
“Brutally honest, but that’s the way it is. And he understood that. That was the nice thing. We discussed it, and he talked about it, and it was good.”
Ok then. That clears up the Parse mystery and then some. I don’t disagree with Murray’s philosophy, but his assessment of Parse seems overly harsh to me. Maybe that’s because Murray sees more potential in Parse than most players, but maybe not. Maybe I just see more in Parse’s game than the experts. I don’t know about attitude because as a fan, it’s very hard to tell. But I see Parse as a difference maker on this team right now, while guys like Purcell and Frolov don’t get a free ride per se, but they do seemingly have it easier than Parse who can easily be sent down. Quite frankly, this is the kind of message that Purcell and Frolove has probably received more than once but because of the circumstances, they are still Kings, while Parse is a Monarch.
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That’s some harsh talking with Parse. But, he does have a lack of consistency in his game. He just needs to get it more polished to be a regular.
It seems like it’s fair. But, if any of us were in Parse’s shoes we could definitely feel bad and angry and frustrated. But, you have to be proactive and go back down and work hard.
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Parse played better than Purcell, Fro, and many others. Can’t say I agree with this move but oh well. I’m not a coach.
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Oh yeah, and thank you very much for doing that Hammy. I and many others were very interested in the Parse situation.
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Nah, it all comes down to, Parse goes up and down with no waiver issues, but if we send Purcell down, we lose him for nothing.
Really, Parse has played a lot better then Purcell but we are stuck with him. Once we can move Purcell, Parse will be back.
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Time to shop Purcell to Pitt or Boston, somewhere far away where he can have success, then get a nice draft pick in exchange.
A net gain for the team.
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@Deader2818
Hmmm, I think Murray made it quite clear that irrespective of Purcell, he has problems with Parse. From what I read, there is no guarantee at all that Parse will be back. We could just as easily move Purcell et al. for another forward, leaving Parse looking for a new home.
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I’m sure Parse has assurances that this is nothing personel,or in any way a reflection of him under achieving.He’s still a part of the Kings future unless ATL includes him in their shopping list.
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Could not disagree more with Murray’s words…which is what makes what Deader2818 said much more palatable…
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i agree with his inconsistent play…but purcell has been worse and in spite of the contract situation it makes what murray is saying hypocritical in a sense…just my two cents…still love what murray has done this year tho
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Pure Bollocks, TM.
All players have ups and downs.
It’s 82 games a season nowadays, and ours were coming quick and heavy just before this break.
TM, you’re a he’ll of a motivator.
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Thanks for getting that info
It’s what separates you from all of the rest. You are on top of things!
I guess I was right…
I hope Parse takes what he says and gets back to what he was doing when he got called up.
When you’re a fringe player, you have to bust your ass every shift, every night.
When you start taking nights off, there’s someone else hungry to take your spot.
Parse just learned that lesson.
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Well I don’t agree with it, doesnt take away everything else TM does.
Honestly, its better to tell Parse what to work on in the AHL then out right say
“Look, the only reason we are sending you down is because we can’t move Purcell, but once we are able to get rid of him, you will be back in the NHL”
What kind of message does that send? The job of the coach is to always give players something to work on to become a better player. Doesnt matter if its your first year int he NHL, or your 10th, you will always have things to work on.
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DEADER…
i think yr take is closer to the truth…the waiver exemption for parse has to weigh heavily in determining his immediate fate…if teddy was exempt, i think it would be more than an intriguing situation…as someone already pointed out on a previous thread, teddy would be making about $8000 per ahl game if he cleared waivers…(very doubtful that several teams wouldn’t take a flier or interest in him)…and that’s buys a lot of bad concession beer – especially at the ahl level…definitely not at staples…:(
the “brutal honesty” that t.m. spells of in his talks with scooter couldn’t be more intense when explaining how a player…realistically…bounces around to several organizations throughout their career…
considering that the current regime of d.l./t.m. is more primed to promote from within the organization and only going after free agents and others that they are more than familiar with, the message…hopefully…should get through to parse loud and clear…: yr at a crucial point in yr development…don’t underestimate yr time down there…keep yr eyes on the prize…
i think this was a very positive stint with the kings for parse…more pros than cons…and i’m glad to see that he has ample motivation to do well in the minors so that he can get back in to da’ big show sooner than later…
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Would it be wrong to have anger if purcell isn’t traded? He’s on a 1 year deal and has done nothing, yet they’re scared to waive him to manchester? Makes no sense.
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As much as he denies it, Terry Murray thinks like a general manager. Sure, Parse needs to work on his game. I will give him that because his “coach speak” makes sense. However, there is no way that, given the option, Purcell stays with the Kings over Parse. That is just inconceivable.
The notion that Parse may not be back with the Kings at any point is also believable. In my opinion, that statement is double speak for “he has to earn it by playing in the AHL right now.”
The fact remains that the Kings have less interchangable parts at center than they do at wing. Therefore, Elkins and Moller stay with the Kings because they can fill in a center on the third and fourth lines thereby squeezing Parse out.
I hope Lombardi is able to deal Purcell: I am done with him. Frolov is still a mixed bag for me. There is still a lot to see.
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Hes still an asset. Trying him for a 7th round pick is still better then losing him for nothing.
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Maybe they are looking to add a little more size to the lineup each night, hence Elkins and Segal. Hopefully Parse will go down there and work on those areas and shows improvement. Hope he doesn’t whine too much and gets after it. With guys getting healthy, he may not have stayed too much longer anyway at least in a top 6 role. Some moves may be coming and LA knows that he can handle a place on the roster. Not worried, let it play out.
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This is not the end of Parse. TM isn’t out of line for sending him down, and he’s spot on about how he brings call ups “down to earth”. Parse isn’t done developing, its just that simple. And for now, if you tell me that we can put together a stronger lineup with Parse not dressed, I’m all for it. He’ll be back when he’s ready, and when the Kings need him. Truth is, the Kings don’t need him right now. What we do need is to figure out what direction to take with Purcell.
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Wow! Yeah, thanks Rich.
I’m somewhat impressed how popular Parse is. I like him too, but I’m not the coach, and the coach seems to be coaching well. None of us knows what’s going on in the locker room or bench, either.
There may be no guarantee that Parse will be back, but Murray sounded hopeful, and he didn’t seem to imply anything along the lines that Parse would not be welcomed back. Let’s face it–he has players ahead of him, and it seems requisite that an opportunity, itself, to come back must occur.
@ Cristobal: TM actually said all players have ups and downs. That’s why I think people are overreacting. You have to choose players when you have as much talent as the Kings do now. That’s what they did. Then they get to explain to the player and the media and fans what they did. Now they have.
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Purcell certainly has had his chance(s) but I really think it’s too early to give up on him, I’m predicting he’ll start chipping in some goals here soon. As for Parse, life as a pro isn’t all a bed of roses, keep working sonny, you’ll get back!
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iansez…Purcell has been on every line, the PP, some PK, and has overall been given the most ‘breaks’. When is it time to give up? He’s pretty much played with every line combination imaginable. I’m thinking he needs a change of scenery. Its Matt Moulson all over again.
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…also…I’m amazed at how often Parse and Purcell are mentioned in the same sentence. They really aren’t comparable enough, in my view, to speak of that way. It may be true that Parse “belongs” more than Purcell, but that given that they’re expected to play on different lines, the either/or situation just isn’t there….
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I think Parse will be back unless he is the subject of a deal we do not yet know about. On the surface of things, I think Parse belongs with the Kings. But if you look at TM’s system, I agree that Parse can be even better.
This is important when one thinks of all of the trade talk that has been posted lately. If a high skill player like Kovi were to come here, there is a very good chance that it would not work. If the Blackhawks said “here is Patrick Kane for free” he would not work in this system either because it is not a high skill, high scoring system. It is a grind system. TM is a true systems guy. The good news is that I am sure Parse must be getting good feedback every game on what he needs to do to fit in.
Still, I wish he was here!! I am sure that there are several teams that would love to have him.
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Parse is an asset, while Purcell is the liability. Purcell has no use here, nor any trade value. Like Boyle and Moulson before him, we might get a little tidbit in return, but most likely a healthy scratch, or 4th line winger. He can’t thrive in this system, like Moulson, Purcell needs an extremely talented centerman–maybe he ends up in Carolina or Columbus.
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Great comments here. Totally agree that Parse is the odd man out given the fact that Purcell is waiver-exempt, and TM broke down his criticisms as well as he could given the situation. And it’s true that Moller and Elkins can play center, Parse can’t, giving the team the flexibility it needs right now.
Personally, I’m not going to enjoy watching Purcell in the lineup over Parse, so what I want for after Christmas is to see the kings cut their losses with Teddy and get whatever round pick they can for him. I will not feel bad if he goes on to be a better scorer elsewhere ala Moulson, because there’s no guarantee that would EVER happen here.
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Sorry, but that is a load of b.s. to me. I thought the objective was to put the best players on the ice. That means Parse over Purcell. If we lose Purcell for nothing, regrettable – but to let a guy who is not producing take up space just because we might lose him is a weak and passive strategy that I cannot buy into. Heck, you could take TM’s description of Parse and apply it to pretty much every player on the squad – including Kopi. Disappointing…..
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It is what it is. It’s business, pure and simple. Nothing personal, but Parse got his taste and its up to him to work on his game to see if he warrants more time. Purcell cant’ go up and down betweeen LA and Manchester the way Parse can without getting plucked on the waiver wire. Smyth and Simmonds (Stoll?) are back, so the holes that needed to be filled by callups are getting patched. Plain and simple. Its not like he’s done with the Kings, but he’d probably be better served honing his game in Manchester where he’ll get more ice time and put into more key situations he wouldn’t if he were with the Kings.
He was good when the Kings needed him, but he wasn’t incredible. But good news for him is that he still has time in his career to prove he belongs in the bigs…
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Some of you are really strange.
Parse better than Frolov? Please. Maybe for a game or two.
Also, I’m sure TM cares more about how Parse played the last 5 games than how he played 3 weeks ago. He hasn’t been very good the last several games, and quite honestly, Purcell has been better in those games.
Parse also has many more opportunities to improve, Purcell is at the end of his rope and the team wants to see if he can hang on and climb back up.
Totally different scenarios and I much prefer players to be evaluated and treated strictly based on their own play, not by comparison to others, which it seems many of you would prefer. Send a player down or up on his own merits and situation, contractually or otherwise.
Purcell should have NOTHING to do with Parse.
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From what we’ve seen in Parse’s character (as far as WE can tell) so far, I think this should be great motivation for the kid and we’re only gonna get more of his good nights when he does, and he will, come back up.
The Purcell situation is a real bummer because he does have really good skills and someday should be a decent player in the nhl, BUT he does currently deserve to be sent down somewhere where HE can work on this exact same stuff.
I don’t necessarily want to see Frolov go anywhere, but with his contract situation I can’t imagine we couldn’t package him AND Purcell and get a top-6 forward in return, especially if you also throw in a prospect or pick… It seems to me this would be the right time to make such a move.
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there has to be some type of feeling at this point that this year, in particular, because of various reasons (olympics, economics, etc…) that it might be the quietest trade season in recent memory…perhaps ever…in the modern era…
usually at this point during previous seasons, a major deal or two have already been done…
this year…besides a couple of very minor equal asset/player exchanges…the trade market has been a non-factor…
and you gotta believe at this point that d.l. has a very good idea of what he wants and needs…and probably knows all too well what it’s gonna take for any deals to take place…
at this point, having an active minor league roster than has, albeit, limited nhl experience, but has players who have gotten a taste this year, is a good philosophy to go by…
think about it…:
if a team like the kings has the cap space to make such moves and can’t or refuses to because of the excessive costs, what does that tell you…?
this is a new era of salary cap management…
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Parse has proven he’s deserves to be here, but the numbers game makes him odd-man out; and agreed he’ll get better experience at the Man and he should dominate now that he’s used to NHL speed and grit. If he goes into a shell in Man, that also speaks volumes. He’ll be valuable, later on, on a playoff run or…
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I hear ya TB! I’m still drinkin the Purcell koolaid though, I think he can get it done…and while the Kings are having success they can afford to perhaps be a little more patient with him. The Moulson sitch is a good analogy and I don’t want that happening again with the Kings, I think Purcell has more skill and is just taking longer to develop, somewhat like Richardson..
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You guys realize that Purcell is due to be in the press box on Saturday, right? You would rather have Parse in the press box than playing big minutes in Manchester?
Lines for Saturday’s game:
Smyth-Kopitar-Williams
Richardson-Handzus-Brown
Frolov-Moller-Simmonds
Ivanans-Elkins-Segal
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it’s all about probative value w/purcell…
right now – he doesn’t fit in with what the kings need…
tomorrow – yes…he could be the player we all want him to be…(doesn’t that sound all too familiar here…???)
the future – is he worth the investment vs. trying…and i do want to emphasize the word “trying” here…(see above posts)…to get a deal done for him…?
i think we are very fortunate in this case, because, as a team, we don’t have too many of these situations, unlike countless others out there being held hostage by various f.u.b.a.r. scenarios…
bottom line…:
i would like to see teddy moved…however, i don’t think it’s gonna happen…
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Sydor25
If this is true, I actually like those lines alot!
It would be cool if we had Ben Eager on the Left side of that fourth line though. I hear the ‘Hawks need to dump some salary in a very bad way!!
Wouldn’t a fourth line with Ben Eager and Ian Laperrier be very cool? I hear the Flyers might make a move as well!!
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Surly Jacob,
I think it’s natural for people to compare Parse and Purcell. They’re both wingers and their names both start with P!
Purcell like Frolov has become controversial as Kings fans had expectations for both that have gone largely unfullfilled. Both are playing adequately but not to their potential. Parse came to the big club with little expecations attached.Sending Parse down has as much to do with contracts as performance. This is frustrating to many who believe Parse is the more productive player. (Wow, there have been a lot of P’s in this piece). Parse is an unrestriced free agent who may have played his last game as a King. I hope not as I think he’s a potentially pretty good player.
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if parse was the “guy” then he would have made the team out of training camp, I like him alot but lets be real here, he did exactly what a call up for an injured player is supposed to do, fill in and contribute if you can, try to play with the big boys. Yes, he has looked good, but alot of that was adrenline, He may or may not make the “a” team next year but for sure, TM knows he has someone to come up and fill in for a few games if needed. NO way he is ready yet for a full NHL season. Work on the things the coach mentioned Scott and you will reap the rewards. If not with the Kings then someone else. Parse and Purcell are totally different players.
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I gotta say I’m not actually comparing Purcell to Parse. In my opinion the two wind up being part of the same conversation because they have both walked very similar paths to the NHL. And while one has worn thin on our patience, and the other has yet to reach that point, this is all so similar to when Moulson lost stock with the Kings and Purcell began pushing through the depth chart last year. Its like deja vu.
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Cristobal — wow, I cannot believe you are still on the TM sucks thing. I will repeat and my responses (summarized from the past 2 years) to your continuing bashing of TM for the sake of newer readers.
This team had a “motivator” coach prior to TM and the team quit when they were hit hard, they quit when they were down a goal in the third period and they quit at the first sign they were out of the playoff race. The current team, nearly every player, nearly every game plays hard. Sure, there was the first game when Simmonds did not dive to clear the puck out of the D zone. There was a Shark game when Stoll did not finish one of his checks. There was one time when Brown did skate to challenge an icing call. But, overall the Kings have laid it all out there every night. Over the past month, there have been many excuses available to the team not to play hard, but it seems to me the more travel, the more injuries, the more bad calls, the HARDER the team worked. I have never in my entire life been more proud to be a Kings fan than I have in the past month.
Murray may not be a screamer or thrower, but he has motivated the team to play at an exceptional level. He did this by earning the respect of the players, of the asst coaches, and everyone who works to improve our team on a daily basis.
Have a nice holiday.
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here here !!! Bravo Jet!
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Well said jet! On top of that TM seems to be doing a good job of teaching and developing the younger players to have success within the Kings system. It’s all good in the Kingdom..)
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I find it somewhat hilarious that the very same people who last year mocked the idea of Scott Parse as a prospect who would ever be ready for the NHL are now the ones saying TM/DL are full of it for sending Parse down for not being ready.
This is sort of like saying — out of one side of your mouth — that DL doesn’t know how to draft, or doesn’t have the ability to attract big free agents, and then later saying TM is a bad coach but anybody could get results with this kind of talent.
As one of maybe two or three commenters who championed Parse over the years, even I think the idea that Parse would get brought up and his career would just take off like gangbusters is a bit unrealistic. Sending him to Manchester — because he doesn’t have to clear waivers — is a tool TM/DL have at their disposal, one they don’t have in the case of Purcell, or Frolov, or anyone else (besides Moller, Elkins and Segal, all of whom are waiver-exempt).
I wonder at what point people will start to (gasp) trust the judgment of Lombardi (who, after all, is the one who assigns and recalls players) or Murray in their assessment of talent and of the process of learning what it takes to become a pro in the NHL. You do understand, do you not, that the Kings’ performance this season has Murray on the short list of names being bandied about for coach of the year?
One of the side-effects of getting so much real-time information from Rich (a.k.a. Hammer) is that each little tidbit gets over-analyzed. And when Murray says, Parse needs to work on x, y and z, it’s almost as though people think he’s just making s*** up, like those things (x,y,z) don’t need to be worked on, that really he’s just an unfair mean old man toying with the psychologies of deserving young prospects who would be thriving if their coach was [fill in the blank].
Parse needs to do the work, just like everyone else. Fair is fair. Does anyone think Murray is not acting in Parse’s best interests?
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JET…
on-point re: t.m….
i think if you cannot accept the fact that t.m. has earned an “A/A-” up to this point, you really haven’t been paying attention and/or you are already predisposed to dislike t.m. (CRISTOBAL, etc…)
i sense a 41-game poll coming soon…(hint…hint…rich…)
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Well done Jet. I <3 TM. hahaha
Lets get on the same page here…the Kings are a top level team this year with a real possibility of making the playoffs and maybe even earning home ice advantage. Isn't that realistically what we set the standard at before the season started? Has TM not delivered in his goal of bringing respect and identity to the Kings organization? Did Crawford, Murray, Robinson, or any other recent coach manage to bring the Kings back to the limelight of the NHL's elite? No. It was/is the work of DL and TM that has made the 'new' Kings what they are today. And having a guy like Parse sent down only compliments the depth and talent the management staff has built here in LA.
At the end of this season expect TM to be a candidate for the Jack Adams award (top coach). Enough said.
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Kopitar is way off his game and our teams defense has been highly suspect.
Our PP has no ability to generate a goal when it NEEDS to, and Cups are not won in November and December…
I’m sure TM would be the first to say that the team has yet to prove anything.
And yet, he talks Parse down and insinuates that Parse may be the type to rest on his laurels and become a career traveler who looks back blaming everyone but himself.
What the heck is that all about?
The kings have done well and played hard (frolov included) but they still have a long way to go.
Parse came up and lifted us. To demean him publicly and just about call him a career minor leaguer is Bush-league, in my opinion.
I don’t hate Murray, but I don’t love everything he does, either.
Maybe he’d be better off calling out Jamie Kompon and the crap job he’s doing with our power-play.
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Jet-Perfectly said!
The reality is that regardless of how well the team is doing, there are some who will not be happy unless TM is not coaching this team.
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Quisp,that was beautiful.Is your last name Lombardi lol.
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QUISP…
i think t.m. is definitely acting in scooter’s best interest…i agree…
the over-analyzing is not surprising either…we all do it to varying degrees…heck, that’s what we seem to do the best…QUISPY…i know you won’t take offense when i say this, but yr kings page is all about analyzing…and i know yr not deflating that forum balloon of commentary here…
but there are times when a black horse is…well…black…
if anything, being as connected as we all are…thanks to RICH…has opened up the doors for us to be enlightened by such bloggers as yrself, BAKO, JET, etc…
i like the trade-off and can handle all of the incessant discussion to every minutiae detail that concerns the kings…
and i know you can too…:)
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if you had asked anyone in the Kings organization if Scott Parse was going to be playing NHL games for weeks at a time in this early part of the season, no one to a man, including Parse, would have said “Absolutely.” The guy had pretty much fallen off the depth chart in training camp and didn’t go down to Manchester with anything but talent and desire. My belief is that he helps Bernier and Co. to a strong showing in the Calder Cup playoffs. His stock has risen, however slightly.
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If you ain’t first, you’re last.
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I couldn’t agree more with Quisp. Very well said.
people also forget that TM sees Purcell as a challenge for as all good coaches do. You have a talented player who you know has great potential. So the challenge for TM is how do I motivate him to succeed. Just look at Fro and his subsequent play after being scratched. I think TM finds a way to get Purcell going and make a lot of people here eat their words.
Re: Parse
Why is there a big deal? You have a waiver exempt player, who played well when we first got the call but his play suffered as of late. So you give him an opportunity to improve on that down in the AHL. Pretty simple. But this talk of trade Purcell so we can get Parse is pretty ridiculous.
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I don’t think it’ so much Purcell roster spot that knocked Parse down to Manchester as it was Richardson success on the ice that did that. With Richie playing so well, and his chemistry with Handzus and Brown he took Parse spot. With Smyth and Simmonds back the only spot for Parse was to either play on his off wing on the 4th line or split time on the left wing with Ivanans, and Parse and Ivanans have polar opposite games. Also i don’t think it does any good to have Parse on 4th line (nor does do any good to have moller there) But a 4th line of Ivanans-Elkins-Segal is a nice 4th line with a lot of size.
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variable -
Yes, true. I am all in favor of over-analyzing, if by over-analyzing you mean drilling down into the details. I guess what I’m reacting to is the tendency to treat every news tidbit as equally important as every other one. Some events are more important than others; some are trivial. Yet somehow the same outrage is applied to events big and small.
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Shorter me: I don’t think Murray is criticizing Parse and I don’t think Parse is being punished and I don’t think he’s going to do anything other than work his *** off and get back asap.
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Not sure about all the people who want to trade Purcel. If you think he’s no good then why would any GM in the league give up an asset to get him, especially when they’d be able to bid for his services this summer? You over-value his trade value while denegrating him as a player. Doesn’t make sense to me.
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Functioning as a GM or coach at the NHL level is not an exact science. Some people seem more adept at this activity than others. I believe DL is both bright and creative. I also believe his grasp of hockey and how to bring in and develop talent is outstanding.
TM is not a dyanmic hockey person. He is solid in his understanding of the game and deserves high marks for getting results from the players by making them accountable. He also seems patient with developing players.
If the DL and TM combo continues indefinitely the Kings will need superior talent and depth to be a top tier team for years. TM, if given superior talent will win, but he is not a great coach. He is good enough if DL supplies him with more and better players than other organizations can supply their coaches with. The key to a “Kings Dynasty” is DL, not TM.
Like other long suffering Kings fans I sometimes get impatient. TM does annoy me with less than brilliant coaching but overall he is doing a good job. Let’s keep bringing in talent and enjoy our current good fortune of supporting a winning and improving team.
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OK, so I missed that last part of the entry where Murray talks about the direct conversation with Parse.
I take back my criticism of Murray’s handling of the situation. In fact, I like the “brutal honesty” of being direct. Much different from the Boyle fiasco.
But, I still want Kompon called out.
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Very interesting… you’ll have a hard time convincing me that Teddy plays a harder dot-to-board game than Parse, but I’m not about to question potential coach of the year Terry Murray and the best Kings team I’ve seen in a decade.
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Wow 57 comments.Parse being sent down has a lot of fans pretty butt hurt.
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Purcell’s minutes on ice have diminished the last few games. He has to earn them. If all the call-ups play, he may sit out Saturday. And then when Stoll comes back, one of the other call-ups will have to sit.
BTW, there’s no room for Harrold now either.
King-o-matic mentioned how Richardson’s play has elevated him. That’s true. He’s above the 4th line now to the 2nd or 3rd line, so that takes away a spot that Purcell or Parse could be on. If Richardson goes back to centering the 4th line (and Elkins out), then there would be more room.
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Who cares if the Kings loose Purcell on waivers? Come on, nobody will trade anything of value for Purcell, so he would just be a throw-in in a trade. Send him down and if he doesn’t clear waivers, then oh well, at least the Kings have tons of young, enthusiastic talent down in Manchester waiting for an opportunity…
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Parse being sent down is a tribute to how deep the Kings are and how much higher the expectations are this season. You don’t perform and you’re out, get it together and you’re back is exactly what I want to see from my team. The hockey season is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It takes more than a few good steps to win this race.
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I bet that’s the same type of conversation that was had with Boyle but he was too dense or upset to extrapolate the meaning. All he heard was Charlie Brown’s teacher. It’s up to Parse to either pout or try to continue to work. He knows the staff is for him, but it’s a numbers game at this point and his was the odd one out.
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TM is right on the money. The majority of fans only look at passes, moves, shots etc…They don’t have observation skills to see what TM and his staff sees. The kinda battles that result in scoring plays and make the biggest difference to a team in the long haul.
Kudos TM. Boyle never could wrap his mind around it.
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Get rid of
Purcell the FIRST convenient opportunity. The ONLY reason I see Purcell in the line up is that DL is waiting to unload him in a package deal ( God willing! ).
He’s clogging up the pipeline!!!!!!!!!!
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Wow. Lots of comments here. and still the TM/DL bashing going on. Let’s look at they sub par (cough) coaching of TM that so many of you are pointing out. WE have one of the youngest teams in the NHL, We haven’t had this good of a record at this point of the season since??? But out PP sucks, out PK sucks and i think I read our Defense sucks… BUT we’re still winning. Not just winning. But winning with our guys from Manchester, winning while our star players are slumping and injured. How can it be?
Now let’s look at DL, This guy is horrible, he needs to get a clue on how to run a club and draft. Why is this guy up and that guy down. why did he grab him? we don’t need anymore D players. Wait? Not only were the kings in first before this long break and over .500 this early, but His Manchester team is also kicking some serious but… HOW CAN THAT BE? Wait does DL actually know what he’s doing? Could he actually be building a winning attitude in Manchester? Could he actually be thinking… The Kings were winning early with this roster, Let’s get these boys back to Manchester to Finnish up what they started with their team mates and teach them how to win a championship down there. If we need them we know what they can do and who to bring up. and we have assets to trade if we are actually in a spot to make a run at the cup.
The negativity of some posters is meant to get a response from us. but some times it makes me think… are they seriously this narrow minded? Do they really think they know not only how to coach a professional team but how to run a franchise? It does make me laugh though…
Look, DL & TM are doing exactly what they need to be doing for the long term of this team, I know we’ve been waiting forever and can’t wait any longer. blah blah blah. Look at it this way, at this point there is no going back to those days if we stay the course. We’re winning, Manchester is winning, we have a team the players may actually want to play for (because most of you think that just because a player is available should be able to grab him…hehehe…right).
We are ahead of schedule, our farm is stacked, we’ve learned how to win those 1 point games and we’ve learned how to win impossible games. This is the best Kings hockey I’ve watched in years, enjoy, take it in, you may not agree with everything but damn it… It’s working isn’t it… Woot
Go kings… Dang… did I write all that.. sorry guys…
Go Kings
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what Kingzzfan said. Hear! Hear
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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: TM’s job is to be the Dad of this team. Whether or not he’s the best possible coach for this team, he is without a doubt a very good coach for this team at this time, and all of the putzes who are so quick to criticize him need to understand this. He’s here because of his even temper and his ability to handle young players, and slightly older players who are on the cusp, like Parse.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Craw was fired fired because he turned out to be the crazy, scary, unapproachable Dad who, in the end, had no relationship with his players.
TM may or may not be the coach that leads this team down the last mile to the Cup. But the evidence so far seems pretty clear that he’s doing a good job of helping the young core of this team develop, and he deserves a lot of respect for that. He’s a good Dad, with Smyth and Scuds and OD as the big brothers who will keep the kids in line in the locker room.
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Variable…I can’t help noticing…you may have somehow come in contact with clippersofthenhl…not that it is bad…I am just noticing…I hope it isn’t…….contagious…btw, kingzzfan, great post
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I still believe this is a vote of confidence for Parse. When he was brought up, I said that I believed this was his one and only shot. Scott showed some serious skills and a lack of consistency over the last stretch of 4 games. For a first visit to the NHL, he got a LONG look. He hasn’t been traded and he’s been told he WILL be an NHL player.
READ BETWEEN THE LINES!
I would not be surprised to see TP traded in January. I think Scott gave DL a reason to. I also believe he feels like Scott’s waiver exempt status gives him the flexibility to send SP down to play top minutes and work on that consistency while opening up a spot for him.
As transparent as TM & DL are, they are NOT gonna tell you all that. To me it seems obvious, but I love the pschyological side of the game and reading between the lines. Having Rich give details to things like he does makes this part of the game for me 100 times better than ever before.
I was not high on Parse, purely because of the struggle to sign him in the beginning. Did he really have that many suitors that he had to negotiate that hard? That’s usually a red flag in terms of character. The agent has nothing to do with that. The player makes the ultimate call in all negotiations. Having seen him this last little while, he’s shown a willingness to play a team game and play hard. Needless to say my opinion of him has changed. I’m very much rooting for him now.
The writing is on the wall for me. I think SP stole TP’s spot and now DL wants him to go develop more and help Manch in the process while he sweeps and polishes his new spot on the team. I hope Teddy finds his game wherever he goes as he’s a good guy. Maybe he’ll have a Matt Moulson moment on another team. He’s just not fitting here.
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The one thing that stands out to me about Parse is that TM gave him minutes on every line & special teams. He showed trust in him and let him give what he had. During that time Scott played against different line matches from different teams.
Remember, the lines are matched different when playing on the third line that playing on the 2nd line. TM got a complete look at what he is capable of, saw where he is most comfortable and see what mistakes he makes under different circumstances.
Sending down a player armed with this much knowledge is much different than bringing up a player, throwing him on the 4th line for 5-6 games, then sending him down again.
They know what they have in Parse, they see where he fits, and they sent him back to HIS team armed with the things he needs to work on while battling for a championship in Manchester.
To me… That was a class act for a coach. They not only gave him a chance in the big club, they gave him a look on every line to see how he competes with other teams 1st to 4th lines and on our PP/PK units. This is the complete look that some of you were complaining that Boyle never got.
Good job Coach, keep on track…
Go Kings
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Player-x,I wish you wouldn’t type like that.You look like clippers.
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I especially like this part of Cynic’s post:
“…I think Scott Parse stole Ted Purcell’s’s spot and now DL wants him to go develop more and help Manch in the process while he sweeps and polishes his new spot on the team…”
==========================================================
I hope that is true. I thought Scott showed lots of good attributes in MOST of his games. I would like to see him back in L.A. again in the near future (i.e. this season), to STAY.
As total player, Parse is a clear cut above Purcell, based on what we’ve actually seen so far.
Ted is talented, and seems like a nice guy.
But I feel Ted’s destiny is elsewhere.
Packaged together with say, Peter Harrold, we could fetch a 2nd-rounder, or better, if based
on future considerations.
Trade ‘em to Pittsburgh & watch ‘em score!
We get nice drfat pick(s)–It’s win-win.
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Cynic,
I have to disagree with you that the agent has no part in that and its ultimately up to the player. Well the last is true but if the player has a bad agent or one trying to make a name for himself it can be a long process. For all we know Scott may have told his agent he wants to play in L.A. No matter what and his agent decides to play hardball and see if he can get more money. There is also the reasoning that this may his final opportunity to secure good income for the future. I saw that contract and that certainly isn’t the case here.
The bottomline is that the agent has a lot to do with it. A good agent knows how much his player is worth, and tried to get from each team they negotiate with. We always say, ”it’s not what my player is worth, its what you can afford”.
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EA,it might also be DL lowballing Parse.DL has been a little shrewed with unproven players.It’s all part of the game.He goes high they go low.Happens all the time.
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Hm. I don’t see a lot of what TM desires out of Parse to be present in Moller’s game either. Granted, his call-up has been brief to this point, but I’ll be looking closely at Moller’s play to satisfy myself that he earned the call-up over Parse.
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There is also the issue that we’re short a center. I get that.
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The line of Parse-Handzus-Simmonds carried the Kings for several games between the Smyth & Simmonds injuries. Yes, Parse had a “valley” after the Simmonds injury but that was because he was playing with new linemates every game.
This is a BS move in my opinion and one that hurts that Kings. I am very disappointed with this decision.
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PLAYER-X…
bite yr tongue…!!!(re:clippersofthenhl)
i’ve been writing in such a style for a few decades…and if you been reading, my posts actually make sense…
no offense to anyone in particular…:)
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All you Parse lovers are looking for a scapegoat to justify Parse being sent down. Well, you heard it straight from the coaches mouth. He wants him to work on his game.
Even with the coach saying this you still think it’s Purcell who’s keeping Parse out of the lineup.
What about Segal. He could just as easily been sent down. He’s waiver exempt. Bottom line is, Murray wants Parse to work on his game. Why isn’t anybody screaming bloody murder for Segal still being up while Parse stays down?
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KingFanMGM
Allowing fringe players to go thru valleys while you’re trying to make the playoffs?
We lost our last game in Calgary even though we played well as a team. Perhaps if Parse would have played as well as the other guys, the outcome could have been different. Point being, he stopped working hard and therefore became a liability in the lineup. He stopped being the same player he was when he was called up.
How much time should TM/DL have given him to find his game again? Are you willing to sacrifice games for this to happen?
For those about to jump on me with Purcell…It’s different.
It’s not all about scoring. The coaching staff likes things TP is doing in games. They need him to score, but they think he’s still working hard and that’s good enough for me.
I’ve learned over the last couple of years, this coaching staff and Kings management are doing everything possible to put a winning team on the ice. I’ll trust them to know when/if it’s time to cut bait with TP.
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KingsFanMGM
You said
“Parse had a “valley” after the Simmonds injury but that was because he was playing with new linemates every game.”
Isn’t Purcell the biggest example of new linemates every game and I don’t see you cutting him any slack.
Nobody, and I repeat nobody, has been shuffled through different linemates like Purcell.
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As an addition to my previous post.
There are far too many people contradicting themselves around here.
They defend Parse’s play because he had new linemates but tear strips off Purcell while he’s been the poster boy for revolving linemates.
The same people who are saying “Wow, it’s a good thing we were patient with Richie. He’s finally got it” are the same ones who are crying to cut Purcell loose after 85 games of NHL hockey. I’m not quite sure, but doesn’t the former Junior scoring star (Richie) have twice as many NHL games under his belt than the undrafted Purcell?
Call me crazy but I just don’t get it.
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This post by Rich reads much differently if you don’t click the “keep reading” bit at the bottom of the main page — a mistake I made originally. Unlike with Boyle, there seems to be great encouragement shown by Murray. I really like how this one is being handled, even if I think Parse could find better form by staying up.
It’s a numbers game right now, so Parse will probably understand and stick to the task.
Good by TM, good by DL.
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Wow, no games and now no new threads. Talk about keeping up with the jones…
Variable-forgive my insensitivity, tongue now bleeding, but I wonder if therefore Clippers is copying your style, or do you claim independent parallel discovery? Always enjoy your posts, but I have to know: what is the correct way to “etc. dot” after a question mark?…
As far as Parse goes, I like the guy, I want to see him get mroe time with Stoli in the future, they had chemistry and Parse’ arrival was the end of a slump for Stoli. The quotes from TM seemed harsh, but now I see them as simply brutally honest. The Chicagoan in me appreciates that; no head games and knowing where you stand makes life simpler. Murray talked about his skill positively, was explicit about the areas of needed improvement, and I think his mention of “going from team to team”, etc., was actually a signal that Parse had a choice between learning a few simple things and having a bright future with the Kings, or thinking he is a complete player and moving on come contract time. If I was Parse, I would watch Frolov and Simmonds and try to adopt some of their corner play, and try to figure out how Handzus seems to know ahead of time where to be defensively. Murray just wanted him to get better in one-on-one battles, but the scoring and speed, etc. is already there. Take TM at his word, he said if Parse can get better dot to boards, etc., then he would be an NHL regular. If I am Parse, I am glad to know what’s expected, and I would be very glad to hear TM’s closing where he said “he understood and it was good”.
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When I read the part you’re talking about..before the “continue reading” I didn’t understand what he meant by that. I thought he was talking about what most players do in that situation.
I agree..it was handled properly.
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We all have favorites on the team but if you really look at each player objectively, you have to say at best Parse has been inconsistent. I personally believe he has all the tools to be a solid NHLer but like so many young players he/they tend to be inconsistent.
He’s the lucky one, I think sending him down is the best thing that could happen for him. He knows he can play in the NHL so if he wants it bad enough he should be the best forward playing in Manchester. On the other hand, Purcell is screwed…the Kings can’t send him down.
With so many injuries we all got a good look at most of the top Kings top prospects. Its only been two games but Elkins has really caught my eye and looks like he belongs more than any other player I’ve seen this season. Moller would be my second choice because he has the heart and brings it every shift but unfortunately at the moment he just lacks the size and strength….having said that, you won’t find TM using the words inconsistent and Moller in the same sentence.
Not to beat a dead horse but the majority of the prospects called up are really projected to be top 6 forwards. Out of everyone, Simmonds is definitely the strongest candidate for a top 6 spot but can’t move up until something happens with Brown or Williams. I think the main reason players like Elkins and Seagal look so good is they are playing on lines and positions they’ve been coached for and are perfectly suited to play.
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