I promised I wouldn’t forget about the open forum questions, so here’s the fifth set of questions and answers…
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TrueKingFan asked: Noticed Hickey isn’t playing for Manchester. Is he hurt again?
Answer: Yes. Last update I heard was that he had an ankle sprain.
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Kevin Y asked: 1) When do the Kings expect to be “active”? By that, I mean can we expect some potential movement at the Draft, or will we have to wait until July 1? 2) What does DL feel the Kings’ biggest needs are for the offseason. Kovalchuk (at the right place) and potentially Marleau could be good fits, but are these players the Kings have interest in? 3) How many points do you think the Kings will finish with next year? 4) Does Drew Doughty have any ‘bonuses’ in his contract for winning the Norris Trophy? (Not sure NHL contracts have incentive bonuses).
Answers: 1) I don’t think there’s any clock or timetable on it. I’m certain that trade options will be discussed leading up to the draft, and I don’t think there’s anything that would prevent the Kings from making a deal at the draft if it was the right one. 2) I’m sure there’s interest in both of those players, on the Kings’ behalf, but there’s going to be a lot of teams interested in those two players, and it’s not yet know what the salary range for them will be. 3) Wow…I think I’ll at least need to see the Kings’ roster, and the rosters of the other 14 Western Conference teams, before I can start making guesses there. 4) I don’t know specifically about the bonus, but yes, I’d feel very safe saying that Doughty’s contract has a bonus that kicks in if he wins the Norris. He might even have received a bonus for being a finalist.
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Barrie G asked: In your opinion will the Kings go after Kovalchuk?
What are your thoughts about him personally and how he might fit into our current lineup with the projected additions and subtractions? Is it a good move for us?
And if not him, who? Because we definitely need a some more firepower up front.
Defense:
Will we add from within or go out and get someone to fill the shoes of Randy “The Experiment Gone Bad” Jones and possible departures like OD?
Goalie:
I think someone else mentioned it but where is Ersberg going or what will happen to him because I think it is pretty obvious Bernier is ready to one of the two goalies here in LA along with Quick.
Hamburgers:
We know In N Out and Tommy’s constantly duke it out for supremacy in your stomach but what about a good sit down burger?
I hear the Buffalo Fire Department (AKA BFD) is a up and comer in the burger scene.
Answers: 1) Well, the term “go after” is always sort of vague. It’s like Lombardi said in the last GM breakfast, to a fan. How much do you want to spend? How many years do you want to give him? He already turned down a seven-year, $70-million contract, so if that’s his starting point, I don’t think there will be much “going after.” If he’s willing to go lower than that, the Kings’ interest will rise. It would be silly for me to say that adding a 40-goal scorer would be a bad thing for a team, especially one that still has 5-on-5 issues. Marleau’s name is another you will probably hear. Other than that, I don’t see a lot of obvious potential fits on the free-agent market, but that’s when you start looking at trades, and those are impossible to predict. 2) That probably depends entirely on how ready those prospects are. I tend to think the Kings will probably add one defenseman from outside and try to bring along one of the prospects. Who’s ready? Voynov? Hickey? Muzzin? Martinez? Someone else? Developmental camp, and training camp, will be huge times for those guys. 3) Ersberg is still under contract for one more season. Is it possible he would be included as a piece in a bigger trade? Is it possible he might play in Europe? Neither of those things would stun me at this point. 4) I’ve yet to try BFD, or The Counter. I still miss Fuddruckers.
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bob asked: I would like to know why Bernier wasn’t considered being brought up during the 1st round. Quick started strong, but by games 3 and 4, it was clear he lost his confidence. The Kings had no problem bringing up Bernier when they were on the verge of missing out of the playoffs, so why wasn’t he brought up during the playoffs?
Answer: I guess I have a few issues with the question. One, when were the Kings “on the verge” of missing the playoffs? My memory might be faulty, but I never remember them being fewer than four points ahead of the ninth-place team, or being in eighth for more than about two days. Two, Bernier was called up late in the season because the Kings said Erik Ersberg strained his back and was determined to be unavailable. Beyond that, I’ll cut and paste from a previous answer: “I’d say management was very clear and consistent, from the start of this season, that Bernier’s path was to stay in Manchester for an entire AHL season, win and thrive. My thoughts on that are, while it might have been better in the short term for Bernier to come up for the playoffs, it also might have been devastating. What would happen if he thrived? Would the Kings win the Stanley Cup? Probably not. Would it destroy Jonathan Quick’s confidence? Probably. And what if Bernier fell on his face in the playoffs? Then you’ve just potentially (mentally) killed both of your goalies.
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Scot asked: This question has maybe been asked before, but I was curious.. Have you become pals with any of the players? Any players you have hung out with at all, or maybe went to coffee with on the road? You seem like a very easy guy to have around and talk to, I could easily see players willing to hang out with you. Or is it completely a professional, separate relationship? If I had to guess, I could see you and Matt Greene going out for a beer. Although I don’t know if any players could put away a 6-pack as quickly as he could.
Answer: No, I don’t spend any “social” time with the players. It’s just better that way. I’m not a part of their team, and I’m appreciative of the professional way that they treat me and I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that. They’re very friendly guys, and I’m glad to chat with guys if we’re on the same elevator or waiting in line for coffee, or something like that, but the reporter/athlete relationship is much better off without socializing away from the rink.
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Jeff asked: Whether it be the job, the team, the travel, what surprised you the most this season?
Answer: Not that much, because I’d been through it, to a lesser extent, with the paper before, in terms of covering a season, being on the road, etc. A couple things, though. I mentioned this one earlier, but the hours the players have to put in. Again, I know they’re very well compensated for what they do, but there are a lot of flights that get in a 2 a.m., followed by a morning practice or even a game the next day. If I’m tired the next day, and I haven’t taken one stride on the ice, I know they must be tired. Also, I was impressed by the work and hours put in by the broadcasters and their production team. It might only be three hours on the air, but there is a lot of work that goes into making those three hours look/sound good.
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Marc Nathan asked: I had a long talk with a former NHL employee, who I have been friendly with for decades. He and I opined on the Terry Murray use of coming up with new line combinations from training camp through the last game of the playoffs. While we both acknowledge that in the post lock-down NHL, this is more common than in decades past, TM’s juggling was beyond the call of normalcy. So, my question is, in private “exit interviews” with management that does NOT include the coaching staff, (meaning DL, Hextall, et al.) do Kings forwards come forward and actually say, “Hey, I could have done better if I had just played with X and Y and not been shifted around every 3rd period” or do they just suck it up, and go with the “Coach got us to the playoffs as a team for the first time in eight years, so praise Terry Murray.” I’m really curious to know your take, and of course, without naming names, if you HAPPEN to hear some rumblings from the players. (A “competing” blogger, who has also been my friend for the better part of a decade, swears that the players don’t like certain players and that he receives texts from them about stuff like that all the time. Personally, I think he’s delusional, as much as I love him and value our friendship, I have a hard time believing that at any given moment, (hypothetically) Rich Hammond (or competing blogger) looks at his cell phone and sees a text from Jack Johnson saying “I don’t like Davis Drewiske.” LOL. So… your take on the real skinny about constant juggling in the Kings circus that is forwards.
Answer: The short answer is, it probably bothers some guys more than others, and it probably depends a lot on what role they’re being put into. If I’m Brad Richardson — and I’m using this as a totally hypothetical example — I probably don’t mind “juggling” if I’m being moved up to play with Wayne Simmonds and Anze Kopitar, and I probably do mind “jugging” if I’m playing with Raitis Ivanans and Jeff Halpern. So I think, more than players being frequently moved around, they’re much more concerned with the way they’re being used. Between 5-on-5, power play and penalty kill, there’s really no reason why a player shouldn’t feel comfortable playing alongside any other player. Maybe there are issues of “fit,” as in, I’m a sniper and you’re putting me with guys who don’t pass the puck, but again, that’s more about the “quality” of a change than the frequency of the changes. In this case, I will use Richardson as a real-world example. In his exit meeting last year, he flat-out told Murray that he hadn’t been used the right way. Not “I was moved around too much,” but “You didn’t use me correctly.” I think there’s a difference there. I think complaints about frequent line changes are overrated, because on the flip side, if a coach didn’t try to make enough changes, he would get slammed for that, too. The only risk you run, as a coach, in making frequent changes is creating a sense of panic. It does surprise me a bit that Murray, such an even-keel coach in every other way, is so quick on the draw. As for the other thing, yeah, I have zero comment on that my friend.
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JeffA asked: The big question in my mind is what do we do about the goalie situation? You’ve got three guys in the mix, none of whom are, IMO, the answer: 1) Quick. Pretty much proved in this series that he’s not the number one goalie we need. Even with Luongo playing sub-par we still got out-goaltended. 2) Ersberg. Clearly there’s no faith in EE. That’s why Quick played so many minutes and even started back-to-back games regularly. Ersberg is not part of the future. 3) Bernier. There’s nothing else for him to do in Manchester. So what’s the plan? Use Bernier and Quick as your #1/#2?
Answer: Yes. Unless someone has a particularly amazing/terrible training camp, I think it’s reasonable to assume that will be the plan.
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jammer06 asked: What kind of traffic did you see on this site especially the difference between regular season and playoffs? Did anyone track the ip info to see where the out of town traffic is? Just curious tell us what you can since I know some of it has to stay secret
Answer: The traffic was huge during the playoffs, to the point that the server could’t handle it and we had to move. I’ve yet to see the exact numbers, but I know it was big. I’m sure there was a lot of out of town traffic, since the Kings were playing Vancouver, and judging by the comments I know there’s a significant amount of traffic, already, that comes from outside the Southern California area.
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EncinoMan asked: I remember the talk last year around this time was about how the Kings would be able to take advantage of teams that needed to dump salary to get under the salary cap, by getting quality players at a cheaper trade value. I think maybe Ryan Smith being one if those. My question is, has that time come and gone, or is there opportunity for that again?
Answer: Yes, and that’s part of the reason I’ve been encouraging readers to not just focus on free agency this summer. I do think, though, that the Kings’ window for that type of thing is closing, simply because they’re rapidly reaching the point at which they’re going to have to start re-signing some of these young guys (Doughty, Simmonds, etc.) to new contracts. They can’t tie up all of their money in free-agent and trade acquisitions, and leave themselves handcuffed if Doughty wants a seven-year contract and they’re up against it on the cap.
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El Guapo asked: 1. Why do you think the Sedins and Samuelsson were never targeted for (clean) physical play during the series? Seems like Demitra took some big hits but those guys that scorched us hardly any. Could have helped to make ‘em a little black and blue. 2. After Richardson’s breakout season, where could you see him fitting next year? 3. If Calgary blows up its franchise, any chance Iginla could be on the market? 4. From your understanding, does management recognize our glaring lack of team speed? 5. Did you feel Clune did his job as an agitator / pest? I saw him yapping a bit, but few pushes / shoves / face washes / etc. The Canucks certainly never seemed riled up by him. Can he improve and/or what about Clifford (could he be NHL-ready next season) or someone else? 6. Read between TM’s comments about JJ and DD, and it seems there may have been a bit of competition between the two young stud dmen earlier on. Did you see any evidence of that, and to what would you attribute its seeming resolution? 7. Any residual bad feelings, do you think, from DL’s comments about Michigan that might make re-signing JJ difficult? 8. How does Doughty stay so amazingly level-headed among the incredible amount of fanfare he’s receiving at such a young age? Kind of belies the spoiled, arrogant kid superstar stereotype- and is really impressive. 9. Which prospects do you think will have the best shot to stick next season- Schenn, Loktionov, Voynov, etc? 10. What’s your overall feeling for your first year in this capacity, and what would you like to do differently next season?
Answers: 1) I’ve seen this before…do people really think it never occurred to anyone to try to hit the Sedins? The best players are the best players for a reason. They know what to do, where to go and, perhaps most importantly, where not to go. And you can’t hit what you can’t catch, which was a problem for the Kings in general against the Canucks. 2) Probably the same type of role, a utility guy who can fill in a lot of different spots depending on need. He seems to particularly play well with Wayne Simmonds. 3) I think it’s been fairly public that Iginla might be open to a trade if Calgary decides to go through a major restructuring, yes. 4) Well, you’re taking your opinion and calling it a “glaring” weakness, so it’s not quite asking them if they recognize that the sky is blue. I don’t think that team speed is the single reason the Kings are sitting home today. 5) Clune was in 14 regular-season games and four playoff games. I’m going to need to see a little more of him in order to make that determination complete, but it certainly looked like he did his job to me. He was going after it in warmups, even. Again, that wouldn’t be my biggest concern, but a guy like Clifford fits under that same category as Clune, yes. 6) Well, I’m not going to talk about how to “resolve” this theoretic feud, because I don’t believe it exists. What Terry Murray was saying is that they were being too competitive on the ice, each trying to do too much out there. I would think that’s not uncommon for two guys with high skill level, particularly two young guys. You see it all the time in basketball, with guys who want the ball. It doesn’t mean they dislike each other. It means they want the ball. 7) No, that’s played out. I’ve seen Lombardi and Johnson speaking several times since then. 
Yes, I agree. It’s very easy for a young player, particularly one playing in Los Angeles, to have his head swell. You see it much less in hockey, though, than you do in other sports, do it doesn’t surprise me that much. As Terry Murray said, it’s a credit to his parents for giving him a good base in life. 9) Have answered this a few times now, but I would add Moller, Hickey and Muzzin to your list of potentials as well. 10) The first year was great, everything I hoped it would be. There are things I can improve upon, in terms of regular features and integrating more pictures, videos, podcasts, etc.
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Garrett asked: How is it that Doughty, Schenn, and Hickey have such high cap hits next year? I was under the impression that rookie contracts top out at 300K per year for the first 3 season (plus any bonuses?.
Answer: The bonuses that young players have written into their entry-level contracts must be included when the salary cap is calculated at the start of the season. The three guys you mentioned are high first-round picks, so their level of bonuses is quite high.
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Chris asked: There’s a lot of speculation about Kovalchuk coming to LA, is it pure speculation does Lombardi have legitimate interest in him?
Answer: I’ll cut and paste a previous answer: “Well, the term “go after” is always sort of vague. It’s like Lombardi said in the last GM breakfast, to a fan. How much do you want to spend? How many years do you want to give him? He already turned down a seven-year, $70-million contract, so if that’s his starting point, I don’t think there will be much “going after.” If he’s willing to go lower than that, the Kings’ interest will rise.”
reporter/athlete relationship. i admire that about you rich.
however, i hear different things about heidi androl.
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Sebastian Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 8:17 am
@DannyMeux,
Go on…..
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1) why do people ask the same questions over and over again when all they need to do is spend 2 minutes to check if its already been answered?
2) does this annoy you?
3) do people talk just to talk without thinking what their saying through?
4) Am i being hypocritical?
5)now that the 1st round is over i thought i had the kings picking 19 by my calculations….ive seen places claim there picking 19, 20, 21, and 22….so which is it?
6) have you listened to JR’s vlog’s? what do you think? does he annoy you?
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There’s a Fuddruckers in downtown Burbank I believe.
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Lordmasterdeath Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
@Eric, You are right sir.
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cefox17 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
@Eric,
There is in fact.
Fuddruckers
221 North San Fernando Boulevard, Burbank
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Trey A. Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
@Eric, Fuddruckers is a ripoff.
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Steve Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 7:13 pm
There is also a Fuddruckers on Wilshire, east of Fairfax(It shares space with a Kookaroo)
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HawKings Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
@Eric, I think there is also one in the Century City Mall.
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Tired Of It Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
@Eric, There’s also one off of the 91 at Beach Blvd.
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Dan H. Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 8:46 am
@Eric,
There’s also one on Candlewood and Clark st in Lakewood.
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Sarkis Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 9:17 am
@Eric,
Add Sherman Oaks
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Larry Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 9:45 am
@Eric, Also one on Canoga Ave in Woodland Hills (shared with Kookaroo).
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BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
@Eric,
They did, however, just undergo corporate restructuring and have to go through bankruptcy…
There is one in Lake Forest…
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Kovalchuk would be a big hit and is it worth spending it on him who knows, but I will say that Kopi needs someone like that to learn from. Someone who has been the target in every game they play and has learned how to produce under those conditions.
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Lv is the way Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
@Slapshot, I agree Kopi needs another player on the ice that is a threat to score. If we do get a guy like that, watch out. We will be that team that can win the whole thing…
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puck73 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
@Lv is the way….Would much rather have Eric Staal, a dominant top line center who has won a cup and is still young like Kopi. Having 2 dominant lines with 2 dominant centers will take the pressure off Kopi. Would it cost a lot to get Staal..you bet! but so worth it.
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USHA#17 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
@puck73,
I like the idea of a player like Kovalchuk but agree that a more rounded player may be a better fit.
Mike L Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
@puck73,
Carolina would be stupid to trade Stall.
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 11:23 pm
@Slapshot, Kovalchuk has won ONE game…I repeat, ONE game out of 9 career playoff games.
I think Kovalchuck has more to learn from Kopitar.
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Lloyd Christmas Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:37 am
@mrbrett7,
2 goals, 4 assists in 5 games this year. Flat +/-. So again, how was Jersey’s elimination Kovi’s fault?
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Rich,
I had asked about Radko Gudas, who DL brought to camp last year but who was draft ineligible last year.
Do you have any information about DL and the scouts interest in him THIS draft year?
Aparently, he played in NA this year, but I’m in the dark about how he did and if the Kings kept tabs on him.
Thanks.
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Quisp Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
@Cristobal,
He played in the WHL for Everett and also played for the Czechs at the WJC. He’s eligible for this year’s draft. In the mid-season rankings, he was ranked 131st among North American skaters (i.e. playing in N.A.).
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puck73 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
@Cristobal, …Saw Radko at the rookie camp in july and really liked what I saw, had a good physical presence. Another young d man you should keep an eye on is Nicolas Delauriers. He is not a stay at physical guy like Radko, more of a puck mover like Hickey, but he seems to know when to pinch in and when to stay back. While I didnt see him play in juniors this year his plus minus was a plus 22 ! That tells me his hockey sense is real good.
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-J Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 8:24 am
@puck73, nah, he was +45.
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puck73 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 9:58 am
@-J, Plus 45 ! If thats true,wow ! I wonder how many people realize how unbelievable that is, particulary for a d man ! I know one thing, I will definately be watching him in July, and September at the camps. Also, I know TM was very impressed with him at the camps and commented on that a couple times on Kings Vision.
A few thoughts:
1. If I’m Lombardi, I re-sign Frolov, but for the same money or a small raise for no more than two years. I think he’s got something to prove.
2. Goes without saying that Doughty must be signed to a long-term deal. It has to be at least a seven or eight-year deal.
3. On the free agent front, one guy that impressed me during the playoffs was Ottawa defenseman Anton Volchenkov. He’s a masterful shot blocker, and he’s tough as nails. I like him to replace O’Donnell next year.
4. Don’t discount Lombardi’s relationship with Patrick Marleau. If anyone can pull him out of San Jose, it’s Dean.
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Mike L Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
@KingMe20,
1. Frolov was being paid 4.0 million this year according to nhlnumbers.
2. Agreed.
3. Volchenkov would be expensive. he wants like 5.0 mil per year? you willing to pay that?
4. I don’t know do we want a choker and someone who disappears every playoffs only by luck of god he scored this postseason.
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GoKings09 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
@Mike L,
Frolov’s cap hit was 2.9 milion which for hockey players is more important than actual salary for the year. If I were DL I would probably offer him about what Brown is getting or a little more but not over about 3.5 mil average
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KingMe20 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
@Mike L,
I think Volchenkov will probably end up less than that. He’s not an offensive defenseman, but he would help shore up the D.
As for Marleau, I think if he got a change of scenery, you might see a different player. Part of the choking comes from playing with Thornton, who’s been a playoff bust on two teams to this point in his career.
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puck73 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:06 am
@KingMe20, Would love to see the Kings sign either Willie Mitchell, or Volchenkov. If they could sign one of those 2, I think they would be able to replace OD. I dont think the Kings have a good enough stay at home d man in their system to replace OD, mostly puck movers. And NOO, Colton Teubert is not ready for the NHL yet!
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puck73 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:13 am
@KingMe20, I would love the Kings to sign Either Willie Mitchell, or Volchenkov to replace OD. Both of those guys have the experience to fill that role. The problem the Kings have in the farm system is that all their depth is puck moving d men. And nooo, Andrew Campbell,and Colton Teubert are not ready to play in the NHL.
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Michael Cammalleri scored 5 goals in the Montreal’s series against the Caps.
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KingMe20 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
@CouldveBeen,
Yeah… saw that. Not saying anything on that one.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
@CouldveBeen, And his head scored 12. Dude…GET OVER IT!
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shades Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 9:59 am
@mrbrett7,
I don’t think any fan should “get over” major mistakes by the organization. This is not a one time only major mistake. And it was about the fact the he wanted a bit more than they were willing to part with, so they said he wasn’t a “team guy” or “didn’t fit in the plans” for the future of the team.
Anytime they give up on a guy who can snipe 40+ goals in a healthy season they better come up with a better reason than that. After all, we the fans are paying the salaries!
Then on the other side of the coin you have the over-payments to a guy named CLOUTIER and Czechmanek (sp) and friggin Jones. Why should we get over glaring mistakes like that? We need to keep harping on it until they stop making irrational decisions!
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puck73 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:41 am
@CouldveBeen, Like Sean Avery, Cammy was a poison pill and had to be removed. the problem with us fans sometimes, and I have been guilty of this as well is we fall in love with “Name Players”. Just because a player is a 40 goal scorer doesnt always mean you are gonna win the cup. Fact is, whoever you bring in has ta fit, and be a postseason performer as well. Tell ya what though, if you really love a team that signs “Name Players”..be a Rangers fan ! They piss away more money on free agents and spin their wheels and go nowhere ! And whats funny is, their fans, and the media in NY still dont get it !
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Heh, poor Rich, all these Kovalchuk questions must get tiring. You should just cut and paste a vague and general answer to each one.
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luc20rules Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
@MR King,
That or just not answer it or put, has been answered.
If the question is only about Kovi I skip the answer.
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Wow! Imagine:
Smyth-Kopitar-Iginla
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shades Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
@Bryan Agee, Man, would I ever love to see that!!!
I’ve always been of the opinion that the best lines are those that consist of a guy that can get the puck in and control it in the corners Kopi), then look for someone to get open in the slot and /or had the ability to make make plays on his own and has breakaway speed (Iginla), and a player at the net (Smyth), but who can also cycle down low (when he can stay on his feet)
What are your thoughts on this type of a line, regardless of the specific players mentioned above?
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luc20rules Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
@Bryan Agee,
I would rate the players mentioned as followed by cost and probability of happening.
Eric Staal, 2 #1s(or equivalent prospects)current player & 8.25mil/yr, 2% chance Car with him Capt. caught fire won like 75% of their games.
Iginla, Bargain at #2 or condtnl #1 & 7mil/yr, 10%
Marleau, Money 6 mil/yr, 35% Its us or SJ I think
Kovi, Money 8 mil/yr, 5% He will find someone to pay 10 heck Atl already offered it once.
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Mike L Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
@luc20rules,
Regarding kovy, i’d say Gaborik money.. 7.5-7.8 mill no more.
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shades Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:04 am
@Mike L,
although I was a get “Kovi at all costs” and I was clearly WRONG. I’ve had time to think aobut it and not only was he a (-minus) player on Atlanta…I believe he only scored 2-3 goals in about a motnh or a little more, shortly before and after the trade. Also, where was he in the playoffs? Seems to have pulled the “Invisible Man” routine.
Also possible about what others have said about him being “poison’ in the locker room. We need a couple of snipers and a game-changing type of player to back the other teams “D” a bit, but I’m not sure about him anymore, regardless of price!
tantrum4 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
@Mike L,
Not sure where you’re getting your info, but Kovalchuk did anything but “disappear” when he went to New Jersey. 10 goals and 27 points in 27 games from the time he was traded to New Jersey until the end of the regualr season, and 6 points in 5 games in the playoffs. Sounds pretty good to me. Did ANY of our players put up those points in the last 27 games of the season playing on a team they’ve played on all year, let alone being traded to a new team AND a new system? And I’ve never heard one person say he’s a cancer in the dressing room except fans who seem to have a hate on for superstars that aren’t ono their team. Wasn’t Heatley supposed to be a “cancer” too? Looks like the fans were wrong again. Suprise suprise.
tantrum4 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Sorry that above post was for shades not Mike L
Rich.
One question I forgot to ask is, “why doesn’t the ‘Reply’ feature work from the Iphone?
Is there a way this can be rectified?
@MikeL
Volchenkov would be a nice addition. I like his grit. However, I feel that we need more offensive capability on defense, something Voinov will hopefully add to the big club.
It’s up front (forwards) where I feel the Kings really need some more size and snarl. I’ve regretted DL not acquiring guys like Tuomo Ruutu, Steve Bernier, or maybe going after Mike Fisher.
It will be interesting to see what happens since some teams may be looking to change directions. Some names:
Iginla
Moreau
Fisher
How about we somehow swindle NYI and pry Okposo away??? That would be fantastic.
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Kyle Clifford just scored a goal against Windsor i believe.
” JeffMarek
Change that last Colts goal to Kyle Clifford (LA Kings). 3-2 Windsor. “
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puck73 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:29 am
@Mike L, Kyle Clifford is a beast. HE,and Schenn made quite an impression last exhibition season. Their numbers and plus minus in the juniors are just off the charts !
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I wouldn’t mind seeing Selanne in a Kings uni if we can somehow pry him from Anaheim and coax him from retiring. He’s still playing great, wouldn’t cost that much and would provide at least 30 goals if he can stay healthy(big if) for the whole year. Plus he’s a winner and I think Kopi and the other young guys could learn a lot from him.
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LUCKYLUC13 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
@EternalOptimist, Nah,been a Duck too long.He’s a great player but I can’t see him hating the Ducks like most Kings fans do
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EternalOptimist Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
@LUCKYLUC13, We signed OD after he won a cup with the Ducks so anything is possible!
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LUCKYLUC13 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
@EternalOptimist, OD was a rental for the Ducks.Selanne was/is been a Duck most of his career.I love Selanne’s skills and I had the same thoughts but I just don’t think a Kings jersey would fit him at this point in his life.We have better options
puck73 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
@EternalOptimist, Selanne will never come here, he will either play in Anaheim again next year or will retire.
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shades Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
@EternalOptimist, IMO, he’s already won a cup and is at the end of his career.
I just question what his motivation would be, though I know they all want a cup and if he could stay healthy.
I think he can still be very effective, but I think the Kings will need every penny of the cap on locking up their core players and maybe going after someone like him who’s a bit younger.
**But, if it happened and all the other issues turned out favorable I’d be fine with it.
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luc20rules Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
@shades,
I think thats the right take. Maybe if we lose out on Marleau, Kovi (right price below 8mil/yr) thru FA, and Iginla thru trade. Then have trouble making a trade for the right fit. Then maybe Selanne makes sense a stop-gap to upgrade us to cup contender for 1 yr and look for a replacement at the deadline or next off season.
Don’t forget I would say we have atleast 8+ prospects that really will push for a spot next year. Bernier, Hollaway, Voynov, Hickey, Muzzin, Schenn, Lokinov, Campbell, Lewis, Clifford, etc. Sorry if I forgot anyone
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puck73 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 11:17 am
@luc20rules, good job on naming the potential prospects. Other notables to mention..Azevedo, Elkins, Kozun, Moller, Deslauriers, Vey, and Roe. I have been a kings fan a long time and even when Mcnall was the owner and the salary cap wasnt an issue I have never seen so much young talent at all positions ! When ya see Dean, thank him personally, I know I will.
tron Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
@luc20rules,
I would take out Lewis and Campbell and add Westgarth. Would not be surprised to see Hickey packaged at the draft this year or next.
Hi Rich,
1) Would you happen to know what prospects the Kings risk losing this summer should they fail to reach a contract agreement with them?
2) Can you clarify if Parse will be a RFA or UFA?
3) Will any of the upcoming Kings free agents be spending their summer in LA? In particular, I was wondering if Frolov plans on sticking around and working out in LA during the summer just as he did last season.
Thanks for your answers!
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@ MIKE L: Exactly. Who the hell wants a player who goes MIA during the most important time of the year? What, play him all year, at a high price, then bench him for the playoffs in favor of a Max Talbot player? I would rather gamble on an AHL call-up. With the AHLer, he might produce come playoffs. MARLEAU WILL NOT. Anyone thinking Joe Thornton-like, Alexei Yashin-like? Add Marleau to that list. Total playoff GHOSTS!
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Mike L Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
@MIK3Ysfv,
Update Marleau is hurt. Perhaps its a arm or wrist thing that may be bothering his shooting accuracy. Lets see how he finishes the playoffs and assume if he’s worth it. Im giving him the benefit of the doubt since his scratched tonight.
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EternalOptimist Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
@MIK3Ysfv, He was actually really good for Canada during the Olympics.
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bbb7 Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
@MIK3Ysfv, I’m not a big fan of Marleau but I dont see where everyone thinks he’s ‘disappeared’ in the playoffs. His career playoff stats are:
98 games, 38 goals, 27 assists, 65 pts
Compare to his career regular season stats:
953 games, 320 goals, 373 assists, 693 pts.
They are actually amazingly similar; if anything, he’s scored more goals per game in the playoffs.
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src Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 8:36 am
@bbb7,
Nice point with the stats. However, he seems to portray too much paremeter play. Have watched 3 games now in the first round, and he has not impressed. Not fighting for the puck along the boards, not taking the hit to make the pass. Not getting to the dirty areas, just does not want to get dirty. Has this to do with Thorton? I will let someone else make that conclution.
He missed last nights game because of the flu. Have no knowledge of any other injuries.
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@Quisp
Have you got any clue as to the Kings continued interest in him?
I just got done looking him up on YouTube with the silvertips, and this is a guy I want with us next year.
I noticed him at WJC’s 08-09 and was impressed, but I didn’t get to see him this last one, or in camp.
I hope DL goes off the board and takes him before some other GM snatches him up.
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Quisp Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 3:30 am
@Cristobal,
I wouldn’t be surprised if Lombardi used one of his two 2nd or two 3rd round picks on him. But, no, I don’t have any special information about Lombardi’s interest, other than Gudas was here at camp. Obviously, the fact that Bob Miller might have to say “Gudas to Mikus” is a huge factor.
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Rich,
An interesting question for TM might be about his seeming willingness to change lines so quickly particulary if a line combo plays well for a couple of games then has one game that is less productive. Could it relate to a bad coaching expierience in the past where he was villified for sticking with the same lines too long? That question would obviously needed to be asked tactfully.
Your comments about line changes being more a part of modern hockey are accurate. There is nothing wrong with making those changes even during a game. Scott Bowman was the master of that often gaining an edge on other teams.
It seems to me that TM’s inability too see and stick with lines that are working is his only serious weakness as a coach. This also extends to defensive pairings as well. He seems to adhere to a policy of not failing in his matching of players (his own) rather than in succeding. It is sometimes fasinating to watch.
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src Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 8:39 am
@Crown Royal,
I seem to recall TM mentioning that the line changes were in part used to keep the guys system honest. Not relying on known tendencies, but to play within the system. Therefore being able to interchange any parts at any time to accomodate.
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I made a least of fun questions.So hopefully they get answered:0P
1.) Do some of these question bug you especially when you have to go back and cut and paste?? lol
2.) Did you every get that number in GAME 5?? haha
3.) I know everyone covers the team players who have families etc etc… but how about the single guys…. Like what kinda clubs do they go to? or events? Music concerts? (I heard some of them them was at a club with duck players.True??)
4.) Do you go out to Frozen Fury??
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DannyMeux Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
@Gino,
i heard about that too. when kings and ducks were at the same club and jamie grubbs (tiger woods’ mistress) tried hitting on them and they denied her…
wonder if it’s true!
rich, we’d love to know haha
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If you’re still fielding questions:
Is Muzzin that good or was he that highly sought after ? Wasn’t he just signed this year as an overager in juniors and won the OHL dman of the year ? That to me indicated he would need a little bit more time but you seem to be convinced he is in there in that name of guys who will be competing for that final D spot. Is there anything you’ve overheard or discussed with people you can share as to why you include him in that group ?
Quick vs. Bernier ? Don’t pull the I havent seen enough of Bernier play yet card please. How many games played does it take Bernier next year to go from #2 to 1a/1b to #1 ? I say 8 and then 25.
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Dan H. Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 8:54 am
@typicaljs,
Because something like 11 NHL starts is enough to call someone the “next Patrick Roy” in your estimation?
Rich didn’t judge Quick until he’d played a FULL NHL season, I wouldn’t look for him to change his idea on how long it takes. 11 games ain’t enough.
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Rich,
You are a patient man.
My question; Can you name the software inventor of “Cut and Paste”?
Signed
USHA #17
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Follow-up Bonus Question:
nicest hotel stayed at during the course of the year ? Or just where did you enjoy traveling the most ?
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54FIGHTING Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 7:25 am
@typicaljs,
Holiday Inn in Pattaya Thailand – oh, that question wasn’t for me? The Hard Rock Hotel looked nice too. The Royal Plaza in Hong Kong isn’t bad either if you want to stay on the Kowloon side.
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mrk Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 11:20 am
@54FIGHTING,
Holiday Inn in Pattaya beach. Single mans heaven on earth. Are you familiar with the term WestPac?
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I made a post after the Modin & Halpern trades that perhaps the Kings would roll out a 4th line that would eat more minutes and have some scoring ability. What happened was more of the same with either Clune or Ivanans playing creating a situation that capped the 4th line minutes to 6 or less. I know Halpern & Modin did not alway play on the 4th line and if they did also played PK & Modin played PP minutes. Do you think that may have played a part in the 3rd Period losses at Home?
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I want Marleau over Kovalchuk.
Prefer we draft Howden but if the trade is there…
In saying that, a deal for Sharp and resign Fro wouldn’t be bad.
Any interest in Gonchar?
5 Guys is better than both Tommy’s and In N Out
moving to Texas in July and am so thankful to know this site will be here. Much more interested in actual reporting than gossip. Thank you Mr. Hammond.
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Ryan Smyth playing for Team Canada at worlds.
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Seems like Alex Semin is on the trade block, but i wouldn’t want him. Hes a one dimensional player and didn’t show up in playoffs.
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54FIGHTING Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 7:28 am
@Mike L,
Washington played like a bunch of individuals and not as a team. Same thing could/is being said about Dallas in basketball. Team play will always win over individual play. That’s why Crosby is so great – he makes his entire team better while Ovechkin tried to do it all by himself.
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Rich, I was recalling the series, and we allowed 2 goals to my recollection after players had broken their sticks. Now is there a possiblity that players may have a wood shafted stick to use during penalty kills and composite shafted sticks to use in even or power play situations. I know why Kopi,JJ,Doughty, or Stoll has a composite stick, but does OD, Greene, Scuderi, Harold, Drewiske, Ivanans, etc really benifit from using a composite stick they just seem to break so often especially when blocking shots?
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To Marc Nathan…maybe you should tell CBGB to stop lying to you. We all know players aren’t texting him, and if they actually are, it’s to tell him to leave them alone.
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hey, any of you guys hae facebook? go to vancouvers page and help me talk smack to them. I started talkin and i got bombarted with canuckheads. When we were in round one, they were all on the kings facebook page running their mouths. now that im on there as a honorary blackhawks fan now, just till they beat em, I need some back up. Im making fun of their green weirdos they have, and just talking trash. come join me cause on the kings page, i was the only one really standing up for our Kings!!! thanks
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Rich–why do you “miss” Fuddruckers? They’re still around. http://www.fuddruckers.com, and there are a few more out there not on the site for some reason or another.
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Rich,
While I certainly appreciate what you do, I get the sense that a vacation is in order. Some of your answers were a little snarky.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 9:11 am
@fuzzerson, Do you blame him? Did you read some of the questions???
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There’s a Fuddrucker’s in Buena Park by Knott’s Berry Farm.
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Much respect for the Hab’s and what they were able to pull off against the Presidents trophy winners. That’s exactly how you have to play in the playoffs if you even want to win a cup. Every single player was giving 110%….and I hate to admit but even Cammalleri gave it his all.
The Caps and Kings have many similarities. Both teams play soft. Both teams didn’t take the regular season seriously. And when you do that you get bounced early, especially when others bring it hard, clamp down on your best players and play in your face hockey.
5 on 5 we sucked. If it hadn’t been for our PP going ape shit, it would have only gone 4 or maybe 5 games.
We need more than a Kovi or Marleau, we need to pass the puck better. No one player is going to change that aspect. There seems to be no creativity in the Kings passing. Were not going to be the caps with all their talent and creativity but we can certainly do better than what we have seen the last few seasons.
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Rich,
luc20rules took one of my questions about use of composite sticks by players in almost exclusively defensive situations, which really has become a problem. It would be a good question to ask the players if you have not already done so. Or, is there a rule about using different type of sticks during a game?
My other question is subjective. I’ve been following the team for nearly thirty years, and this “core group”, along with most of the rest of the players, seems to be more close knit than I ever recall the team as being. Is that a sense you get? Or, are they just a “laid back” bunch who would probably get along with almost anyone? Furthermore, I think I remember Dean Lombardi was open about purposely subtracting players who were, for lack of a better phrase, distractions off the ice. So, is the team being engineered to be a somewhat close group?
Thanks.
And, for a good, but not pretentious, sit-down burger, give 26 Beach on Washington just west of Lincoln in the Marina a try.
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Quisp Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:15 am
@Two Sheds,
Doesn’t everyone use composite sticks now, except Palffy and Stumpel?
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Two Sheds Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:45 am
@Quisp,
Yes, I suppose that’s true…
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