There’s really no need to further chronicle Teddy Purcell’s season, other than to say he has one goal in his last 32 games and has played on each of the Kings’ four lines, has played left wing and right wing and been a healthy scratch. That’s quite a full half-season, although probably not in the way Purcell or the Kings would have hoped.
Today, Terry Murray was asked whether this could be considered Purcell’s “last chance” at a prominent role with the Kings, given the Kings’ general lack of scoring of late and Purcell’s specific lack of goal scoring since the first week of the season…
MURRAY: “Quite candidly, a goal scorer needs to put some points on the board on a fairly regular basis. For Teddy to play, you’ve got to take advantage of the skill level he brings. He has to play on the top two lines in order for that to happen, and bring it out. This is a golden opportunity for him to be playing on the top line with Kopitar and Smyth. He’s capable of playing with those two guys. He’s skilled enough. He reads the ice, he’s smart, and he’s got to dig in and play in that area of the ice that maybe he is reluctant to go to sometimes.
“That’s a mindset, that’s an attitude, and that’s where he’s got to be pushed. I’m going to have to keep demanding it and let him run with it for a little bit here. Again, I know he has been given a lot of rope already, but he’s been out. I think he clearly understands that he’s got to get some production, and give us production on a pretty consistent basis, to stay where he is tonight. We’ll watch and see, and hopefully it works out.”
Other than the damn injuries, Teddy has been the biggest disappointment of the season. Hope he takes advantage of this HUGE opportunity. I miss JW already.
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hey Teddy…make sure you’re connnected….writing’s on the wall.
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Skill is there no doubt. What makes a player tick that is the mllion dollar question. Please reference other past players who didn’t do wel in LA. This will really make or break Teddy’s career with the Kings.
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The thing I worry about is that TP most certainly knows that his rope is far shorter than before, and if that makes him press even more than before, than the results may stay as before. Perhaps he needs the perennial goal going in off his helmet or something and that’ll give him a bit more confidence.
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PURCELL last chance?? …. i’ll believe it when if i see it.
this guy’s got 9 lives like a cat.
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I hope he just goes out there and has fun. A little luck wouldn’t hurt.
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I hope that Teddy comes through…I always have. I just haven’t seen anything that makes me think that he’ll be anything better than a good ECHL player at this point.
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Purcell has been given multiple chances, Kings mgmt has been patient with him, trained him, coached him, and now he needs to step up his game if he wants to prove to the organization that he wants to stay.
The pressure at the NHL level is intense and if he can’t muster the courage and work ethic that is required to stay and compete at this level, than he will have no one to blame but himself. It would be disappointing for all concerned, but them are the risks.
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What does it mean when a team goes on the road, suffers multiple injuries, loses 2 of 3 games while playing with much of its AHL team major minutes? Yes the team is getting healthy, but comes home for one game while shuffling its lineup, only to lose another top line forward after two shifts, and loses a tough one, 2-3. Gritty games all around, but now the team has lost 3 of 4 games…
..What does this mean?
It means that Helene Elliot loses faith, that’s what it means!
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-nhl-rankings29-2009dec29,0,541586.story
Hope to see you at the playoff party, Helene!
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I don’t think any Kings fan wants Teddy to fail. We all know that he has talent from what we saw in his first call-up two years ago, and from how dominant he was at the AHL level. However, the patience for his non-production is at an end, and if he can’t succeed with Kopitar and Smyth, it will be time for a move. There are some big names that might be available, and perhaps the Kings can convince another teamthat a change of scenery will jumpstart his career. Perhaps send him and a defensive prospect to the Flyers for Jeff Carter?
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number 6,
you would think that goal he scored a few games ago against SJS was the one he needed.
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Teddy needs to just shoot the puck when he gets that chance and just maybe a puck or two will get into the net. But if he fails, then i see trade in the works most likely for whom, well who knows..
All i have to say beat those ugly uniforms from minn.. My wife calls them the Christmas trees.
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Does anyone really care what Helene Elliot thinks? For my money, her hockey knowledge pales in comparison to many who participate here.
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I don’t care if he scores the goal or assists the goal as long as effectiveness is there. Keep it simple and don’t screw up. Show what you got and make us believe once again.
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Off topic but
http://www.tmz.com/2009/12/28/apprentice-dui-bust-the-911-call-heidi-androl/
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I don’t care what Helene writes, but for those angelinos who read the times and not this get a false sense of how the team
is doing.
Anybody see Dion Phaneuf singing pian man well wasted?
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He’s gotta shoot the puck every chance he gets. Smyth will undoubtedly be crashing the net and Kopitar will almost certainly set him up for at least a couple decent scoring chances. Shot mentaility is the key for him going forward. He’s got to be selfish a little bit.
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@ Quisp – talk about luck, didn’t TP hit posts in two or three games straight in his first ever games for the Kings a couple of years ago? Someone here probably recalls those… Hey, we can always send him to the Isles and get Moulson back, right? Just kidding, NOT a rumor
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I would just like him to start shooting. If he starts shooting on the top line with Smyth in front,Good things will happen no matter who it is. 48 shots on the season puts him at the bottom of all the forwards on the team.
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Go Teddy, Make the haters eat there words!
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I would say break a leg Teddy but well, that is probley not the best approach to this.
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We all know Purcell has talent and put up good numbers in the AHL. He comes into camp and gets put on a line with Brown and Stoll. He expects like we all would that the NHL is tougher than the AHL and his numbers may fall off some but playing on a line with those two and with a little luck he should come close to 20 goals this season.
Out of the gate Stoll is on IR and Brown struggles most of the first half. That line in generally struggles to put up points with any consistency the entire first half. Now TP is pressing, he’s playing on his off wing, he’s playing on a different line every game and he knows he has to produce or else… and if it wasn’t for bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all. Personally I don’t think TP ever fit on that line but what do I know.
I do know this, it sounds like JW is going to be out for the remainder of the season. I think everyone including TP has to forget the first half. The team played better than anyone could have expected, so no damage done. Now is his time and now its time for Kopi, Brown and Zeus to find another gear and stop pressing themselves and help carry this team to the playoffs.
Good luck Teddy and GO KINGS!
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I thik having fun has to be his mentality today. If he can loosen up and learn to relax, he is going to do great. Kopi and Smyth need to talk with him before they go out there and make him relax and let him know he belongs there so show it.
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Enough light banter already! Yes, Purcell must shoot the puck- and I need you folks to take a real good look at who and how long Teddy has been playing WITH.
Says a lot, doesn’t it? Players must compliment each other, and so far, Teddy has not found anyone that does. His time will come- and hopefully, Smitty will take Teddy under his wing, and “show him the ropes” a little- it can’t hurt- unless Vinney Lecavlier is coming to the Kings.
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Dayman -
Concur re Helene. Blegh.
Mask re posts -
I remember that, or else the power of suggestion has created the memory.
Mean Machine, re wife’s name for Minn -
The Christmas Trees. That’s hilarious and perfect. I counter with this:
My wife calls the red wings “the santas” and the flyers “the pumpkins.” That was back in the days when we had season seats and teams wore dark colors on the road.
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Oh, she also called the Sabres “the bison.”
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Ridiculous. The guy couldn’t put a puck in the ocean at this point. Why not Frolov?
We need Frolov to score and score often. In a contract year, the guy has disappeared once again.
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does anybody else feel like a shutout is going to finally happen tonight?…or did I just jinx it…hmm
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At this point all I know is that: 1) I am going to the game tonight, and 2) it is a “big” game in the sense that we need to establish some momentum coming out of the break, deal with the most recent injury, and keep our heads above water in the standings. When was the last time anyone can remember the Kings playing as many “big” games as they have played this year, especially this far into the season?
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I have seen nothing to make me think TP has any special talent but with this offensive scheme its hard to tell. We have the most boring simplistic offense in the league.
At least Fro looks dangerous so why give Tp the spot?
Dumb.
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Let’s be a bit more realistic with Purcells play of late. One goal in 32 games? Come on. Ten games with one goal is bad for a second line player. Twenty games with one goal is terrible. But 32 with one goal? I don’t know what anyone around here really expects from Purcell. There’s a bunch of high scoring AHLr’s that can’t score in the big show. No surprise here. Big question now is, who’s going fill Purcells roll?
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Last chance indeed! If he can not produce with Kopi and Smyth as line mates, then who would he be able to produce with?
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Tavares.
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It’s amazing that guys who can score 30-50 in the AHL can’t find the net in the bigs. That’s why when we had the chance to get Marleau, I wish we had pulled the trigger. Just like when we had a chance to get Heatley. Now Kovalchuk is available and I know you’d hate to part with say Frolov and Bernier, I’d make that trade — we have other goalies in the system and with Kovalchuk on our team, how awesome would we be?
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CAROL…
i just addressed the point you make on the next thread…
i agree…:)
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the first part of what you said…
the trade for marleau, fro et. all…no, i don’t agree with…
i have never been a marleau fan…
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Re: Helene Elliot
I don’t see how she’s wrong to drop the Kings in the Rankings right now, or, that the Kings are the only team that tumbled a few spots. Look at Calgary dropping from ten to sixteen. And, based on amounts of losses, the Kings seem fairly placed.
At least hockey is getting a few more inches of column-space. It’s better than box-scores only, or worse.
BTW — if she is hard on the Kings (and really it’s about Anschutz and Lieweke), it’s not because they don’t deserve it after years of pinching pennies; and, forcing the salary cap down our throats by forfeiting an entire season.
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And don’t go reaquiring Moulson so fast as his last 20 games have seen him come mostly back to earth.
Maybe the Isles have a professional power-play coach?!?!?!
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by the way, Cammaleri scored his 19th tonight.
Not that we need a high scoring left winger…
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“That’s a mindset, that’s an attitude, and that’s where he’s got to be pushed. I’m going to have to keep demanding it and let him run with it for a little bit here.”—TM
I’m glad TM wants to give Teddy some room. One game isn’t enough.
It’s after the game now and I think Teddy actually played pretty well on that line. They had a lot of chances and kept the pressure on in the Wild’s zone. Teddy was going after the puck with more zeal.
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King John , Teddy has had chance after chance all season long … he should be one of the better players on the ice with his offensive skills but he is not for whatever reason .. its time to cut the cord , i agree with Carol , package him with another player and go after Kovalchuk ….the Kings need more offensive output . Its not panic time in LA… ive no doubt that the Kings will turn it around , but for the longhaul picking up a player like that would open up a lot of offensive chances for everyone else on the ice as well ,,and would give us too solid scoring lines when everyone is healthy.
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