alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />After practice today, Terry Murray said Jarret Stoll will be back in the Kings’ lineup tomorrow against San Jose, as the fourth-line center with Raitis Ivanans and Oscar Moller. Murray said he wanted to ease Stoll back into the lineup and that Stoll would also get power-play and penalty-kill time.
Randy Jones skated again today and said he’s feeling better, but Murray said Jones isn’t quite ready to play yet.
Great to have stoll back. Especially to end sharks 8 game winnning streak
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this is huge. we need those faceoff wins and shot from the point on the PP.
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Smart. Very smart.
This is exactly how a player should come back from injury. On the 4th line, building endurance and getting his legs back.
The legs feed the wolves.
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sweet!
what a difference to our depth Stoll makes!
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eeeeehaw….gggreat to have stolley back!!
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Glad to see Stoll back, number one. Number two, I’m glad to see Moller shifted to wing so he doesn’t have to worry about the C’s responsibilities down low, he’s still too small.
Having Stoll back is very very big for this team. I consider him a core member of the Kings.
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To answer a question on an earlier thread. No one needs to get sent down to make room for Stoll’s. Nor Jones I believe as he will make the 23rd man on the roster.
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I think this is the smart move – RI must be in the lineup and OM has played solid as well – JS will be nice addition I think this line may shock with the chances they generate – RI has played better recently and proved his worth in the Cal game -
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ok…when stolley comes back,,,
smyth – koppie – brown
parse – stolley -fro
segal- zus- -simmer
ivanans-richie- -moller
hmmm…some are out of there natural position…
i think it will work…what do you think?
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Super news to have Stoll back!
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yeah..i agree…
this is a very smart move by murray…
there’s no reason yet to change the lines after two strong wins…the top three lines have been solid and you don’t want to mess with the chemistry/confidence developing…
i could make a very strong argument to put richie as the top line rw, but i love what his current line offers…
when the kings play a fundamentally sound game, stick to their system and play physical, they are as tough to beat as anyone in the league…i think they are just starting to realize their potential…
it was nice to see our young guys hold their own vs. an excellent capital team…when it got chippy, we had people step up…
i like how the team has responded since the phaneuf hit on kopi a few games back…frolov has been a different player (for the better) over the last 10 games or so…certain elements of a winning attitude and that “identity” we talk about appear to be not only emerging, but falling into place…
during these next couple of weeks before the olympic break will be the ultimate test for this team’s playoff outlook…most…if not all teams…will be playing 4 games a week up until the break and i think you will start to see major separation between the teams that will compete for the playoffs and the ones that won’t…
getting stoll back…and jonesy, to an extent…helps the team tremendously during this time…
it’s really the first time in a long time that a kings coach has some difficulty in who to start and who to scratch…
it’s about time…(!)
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This is great news. Can’t wait for him to go back to his great f/o ability. Kings have missed him.
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“Easing” Stoll in may or may not be the best move, but for Terry Murray, don’t you think this is uncharacteristic. Normally he doesn’t play someone until he is 100% and ready to take a normal shift with his regular line (cf, Smyth, Williams earlier, Simmonds). Hmmm … interesting.
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Ringo I disagree with your line combos. I think Fro does better on his left. My lines would be:
Smyth-Kopi-Brown
Fro-Zues-Simmer
Parse-Stoll-Segal
Ivanans(Purcell)-Richie-Moller(Harrold)
I actually think Purcell will do good with Richie and moller. It will allow TM to roll 4 good lines and there is enough talent on that line to score goals. There are not many teams who have as much capable talent, with Capable being the key word there, to match that fourth line. It can be dangerous. Of course because of lack of size they could also be pushed around a bit but they have all shown to be able to take a hit. Look at Richie yesterday and look at Moller practically every game getting hit but getting back up.
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I think Stoll’s return will help most on the powerplay so that JJ and Drew won’t have to take on all the minutes at the point with Stoll, JW, and Jones all out
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It’s all about the faceoffs.
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LW Center RW
Smyth – Kopitar – Stoll
Fro – Handzus – Segal
Parse – Richardson – Simmons
Purcell – Moller – Brown
Lets end the Brown on the first line failed experiment. Stoll shoots right, decent size and very smart.
This leaves the 2nd and 3rd lines that have been playing so well together and vastly improves our 4th line. Also have Stoll take the face offs on the Kopitar line giving us a higher percentage of puck control post face offs with our first line.
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KC very few people would call the Brown experiment a failure. He brings a different attitude to that line and isn’t afraid to protect his linemates. We hve seen this line many times on the PP and very successful. I think that line will be great.
As for Stoll on the wing. I don’t think people understand how difficult it is to move a natural center to play wing or vice versa for that matter. Plus I’m not sure if you have looked at the stats but Kopi is no slouch at the face off circle. Not a Stoll but not bad either.
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Fair enough regarding Stoll having a stuff time switching to wing, but I stand by my comment on Brown. I had no delusions my lines would be tried because of the team awkwardness of having your team captain on the 4th line.
I actually thought about Segal on Kopitar’s line because of his size, but that is a ruff assignment for someone just called up.
Ah well, we got options at least now that we have so many of our guys back healthy.
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JS is back, JW is out and Jone beginning to feel better. On average, thats pretty good news (we already knew JW was out).
Eight days off (opponets played games in-hand and accumulated points), a four game Kings loosing streak (bummer), now a two game win streak (hallelujah). This team continues to confront adversity and hold it all together. I really like this LA Kings team.
One contributor noted, about a week ago, “..the first ten games of 2010 would be a tough test for a young Kings team”. I agreed completly.
One game played, so far so good. Tomorrows test, San Jose. Its great to have JS back on the ice.
Go Kings go!!
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