Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar are both having one of the best months of their careers. In 12 December games, Brown has 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) while Kopitar has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists). Brown is now the team leader with 16 goals and Kopitar has moved up to No. 11 in NHL scoring, with 38 points in 35 games. Kopitar’s scoring level is someone expected, but Brown’s output is key. Three seasons ago, he had 33 goals, but dipped to 24 goals in each of the past two seasons. Now he has put himself in position for another 30-goal season, and I asked Terry Murray today what he sees in Brown’s game, when Brown is scoring, that sets him apart…
MURRAY: “It’s the line that really is playing very well. Brownie can do some things on an individual basis, as we saw last night. We saw it a couple times, just coming down the wing with his speed. When he keeps that power-forward attitude of, outside, get pucks to the net, recovering pucks, getting in on the forecheck, his game is really good. I think he falls off of it whenever it gets what I call `cute,’ trying to do too much with his 1-on-1 play, trying to beat guys inside of the dots. Everything is shut down and it’s very hard for anybody to make a play there. His outside-speed attitude really is effective, and it shows. Every time that it’s there in a game, he gets good results.”
So happy to see DB have a great season so far. I’m not sure what else he needs to do to convince people that he belongs on the #1 line this season.
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Niko Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
@vplaza, See what happens when TM stops juggling lines and lets linemates develop CHEMISTRY!? Kopi and Brown are looking great together, as Sturm gets going that line will give teams fits!
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vplaza Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
@Niko, I agree that chemistry is important, but let’s not sell DB short. He has speed, skills, and is willing to hit people. The goals he’s scoring aren’t garbage goals. Take the air mail goal, it pretty much combines all of these…chemistry with Kopi to know what Kopi was going to do, speed to beat his defender and catch up, and skill to quickly go to the backhand and flip it up and over Niemi.
He’s done everything he can so far this season to show that he belongs on the #1 line.
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DougS Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
@vplaza,
Depending on how you define the term, there’s nothing wrong with garbage goals. In fact, the Kings’ offense places a great emphasis on them. Hence Lombardi talking about “the difficult areas” and TM talking about “shot mentality” to get the goalie in motion and create rebounds. Brownie has been at his most effective when he uses his size and strength to tip and screen, as well as Hoover up rebounds and loose pucks.
vplaza Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
@DougS,
Correct, nothing wrong with garbage goals. In fact, early in his career, in seemed that DB got a bunch of his goals that way. But this season, he has shown another dimension to his game that few really thought he had.
Niko Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
@vplaza, Agree, Brown is playing arguably the best game of his career right now. I am one of those who used to think Brown belonged on a shut-down checking line, glad to be proven wrong! Keep leading by example Captain
Stuart Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
@Niko, I’m with you. I said in another thread, I’ll eat all the crow that can served. I didn’t think DB’s place was on the first line, but he’s making a believer out of me. My biggest problem with him was all the 1-on-1 play that left his linemates without a puck control time, but all that has changed. He’s passing and being a much better team player. He and AK should be see-sawing for the teams scoring lead all season, and if that happens we win this division hands down and maybe challenge for the conference!!!
Hellavu time to be a LAK fan!!!
I have always like Brown if he can get to 30 plus Kopi at 30 plus and Sturm around 20 or plus we would be in good shape not to mention willimas on pace for a 30 plus goals season. I rather have two three 30 goal scores than on 40 goal scorer. Its harder to shut down three or for guys than it is one. All we need now is DD and JJ to start scoring on the power play and we will be tough to stop.
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DougS Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
@kevin,
I just checked the stats and did a little math. Kopi, Brownie and JW are all on a pace to score about 35 goals. I hope that will finally shut up the whiners who insist that Kings need to sell the farm and get a 40-goal/year winger. I agree with you that 3 35-goal guys gives you an offense that’s harder to stop.
Plus, Smyth should kick in about 25, with Stoll and Simmonds adding 18 each. That’s pretty reasonable scoring all the way down through your 3rd line.
I doubt that Sturm will quite get to 20, because he’s spending less than 60% of the season with the team, and he’s really a 25-goal/year guy. Even playing with Thornton, he never quite got to 30. But if he and Kopi continue to click, I may turn out to be wrong on that.
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DougS Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
@DougS,
Also, JJ is fourth on the team in scoring and has 21 assists. Somehow, I have a hard time seeing him as a liability right now.
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kevin Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
@DougS, I know both DD and JJ are producing I just would like to se them finish with around 40 to 60 points each something like 15 goals and 36 assist for JJ and 18 goals and 38 assist for DD
vplaza Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
@DougS,
Offensively, I think JJ is fairly solid. If he can continue to cut back on some of the questionable decisions he makes (which he seems to have done in recent games), it makes it less likely that he gets beaten by a speedy opponent. If he doesn’t try to do too much or get fancy, he’ll be fine.
DD came to the party a little late this year, so let’s hope he continues to improve and plays at the level we saw him play at last year.
deanna Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
@DougS, Sturm never played with Joe Thornton. He was in the trade for him.
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Kingsfanone Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
@deanna,
Nice catch there!
DougS Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
@deanna,
Ah, right. I was confused there.
Even so, if you look at Sturm’s numbers, his peak years show him consistently between 25-30 goals/year. Even playing on the top line here, I don’t see him breaking out beyond that at his age with his injury history. But he and Kopi seem to be off to a good start together, so perhaps I’m wrong.
kevin Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
@kevin, “liked”
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This team is heating up! I think at the Ottawa game Bob and Jim interviewed Dionne and he said he would really love to see Kopi in the top 10 scorers, where he thought he belongs. At the time the Kings didn’t have any in the top 30. Now they have 2 with Kopi at 11 and Brown at 25. Keep it up!
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who does he need to convince? TM is leaving him there on the #1 line and he obviously belongs. I honestly don’t get the (very few but overly loud) anti-brownies on certain websites. He’s always been a stud and remains so this season.
Perhaps it’s understandable that when a franchise is so bad for so long, some folks have a hard time appreciating greatness for what it is. this is a great team. Not a perfect utopian dream team, just a great team. Brown has a lot to do with that.
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DougS Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
@5buckcolonnadeticket,
To be fair, Brown did not play this well with Kopi last season. The numbers alone are proof of that. I think that TM put his finger right on what has made the difference this year: Brownie is not trying to do too much now, and he’s focusing on what he does best.
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Shotongoal Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
@DougS, LOL I think I was saying pretty much the same thing but i just type so dang slow!!!
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Shotongoal Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
@5buckcolonnadeticket, I totally agree, very early in the season I said on this blog to pay attention to Brown this year because i felt he was going to do some very special things. Well, I think he has and is doing special things. He is a perfect fit for this teams #1 line, i don’t care what some say. Last week there were some SUPER negative comments about him on this blog. He is always steady. He is never going to be that finesse superstar, but he forechecks, backchecks, hits everything in sight, comes to play every night, takes care of his linemates, plays the PP and PK, what else do people want? I really think he gets close to 40 this year if not 40+…..I think Dustin is the perfect captain for this team, he leads by example, is still young enough to relate to the man children on this roster, and will do anything to help the team. On a team of just hardworking, fairly talented players, he may be the most important piece to the puzzle other than Quick IMO…
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Also, Brown is at a Plus/Minus rating of 18, that tied for 2nd in the NHL.
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Dailymehow Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
@Jay GoLAKings,
Saw that last night. Really great to see he and Kopi up there working so well together.
Now Brownie is in position to compete for the +/- award after never finishing as a plus player. Shows how far his game has come and how hard he’s been working.
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TM sounds exactly like Quisp, last year.
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wavesinair Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
@Dominick, Quisp *is* TM
)
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as one of the people who didnt see brown as a first line player its great to see somebody step up and take a first line role (parse…, loti, richy,etc, hopefully its not just a streak. it would be awesome to see him develope into a sniper as he continues to crush people on the forecheck. I wont get greedy wishing he would drop the gloves more often.
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DougS Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
@Rudedogg,
I should think not, because you don’t want your snipers fighting. You want to keep them on the ice, scoring goals.
The thing is, though, I don’t think that Brown should try to make himself into a classic sniper. He’s an excellent power forward with good enough offensive skills to score 30 goals in a season. When he remember that that’s what he is, he does well. He’s crashing the net and picking up a lot of goals from in close.
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Shotongoal Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
@DougS, LOL I think I was saying the same thing at the same time but i just type to dang slow!!!
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Shotongoal Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
@Rudedogg, Please he doesn’t need to drop the gloves, you don’t want one of your top goal scorers sitting in the box for 5 against the opponents designated fighter. He’s really not a sniper, but a grinder that gets goals through hustle and skill. This is his breakout season I think, I said that early in the season on this blog. I don’t know what koolaid people are drinking with Parse, he hasn’t proven anything in this league and probably is out for most of the rest of the season anyway. Not that i have anything against Parse I just don’t understand why so many were laying so much on him to be this teams scoring savior, sorry just never saw this happening. Hopefully, some other team thinks he’s the answer and the team can trade him for some real help sometime in the future.
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Personally…as long as Brownie stays on the first line as RW and only RW he will finish the season with 40 goals!! If he hadn’t played LW for a few games he would have even more goals by now. TM PLEASE keep our captain in his natural RW position forever!! Thank you!
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wavesinair Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
@Dude, Which reminds me…
BEFORE: http://deepinsidethekings.com/2009/11/16/dustin-brown-left-wing/
AFTER: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8470606
Yay! They fixed it
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Wait, but according the masters of the universe/we know everything and you know nothing/we are God’s at LetsGoKings, Brown is nothing more than a 3rd liner and will never be more than that.
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Shotongoal Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
@mrbrett7, HUH???
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mrbrett7 Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
@Shotongoal, Oh, this goes back for a few years now…those tools, the guys who basically run that place (don’t “run” it, but dominate every conversation there), basically declared when Brown was 21 that he was nothing more than a 3rd liner…I have never let them hear the end of it.
They also still feel Kopitar is nothing more than a 2nd line center.
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Shotongoal Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
@mrbrett7, Ohhh got you. I thought you were being sarcastic but wasn’t sure, because there are (or have been) enough people on this blog who like to blast Brown too. I don’t understand that and never have. Cool. Yeah they sound like a bunch of genuises. I guess I’ll stick to this blog! I like Rich’s writing anyway!!!
Anyone know where to find out contract lengths of our players?
Keep on rolling! GO KINGS GO
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wavesinair Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
http://www.nhlnumbers.com/teams/LAK?year=2011
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kevin Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
@KingsGuy, search google for los angeles kings salary cap something will pop up
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vplaza Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
@KingsGuy,
http://www.capgeek.com
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wavesinair Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Also, http://capgeek.com/charts.php?Team=17
When’s Alyn McCauley comin’ back? Still gettin’ over half a mil…
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vplaza Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
@wavesinair,
Also, list of our Free Agents after this year:
UFA: Zus, JW, Poni, Sturm, and Harrold
RFA: Richardson, Simmonds, Lewis, DD, JJ, and Martinez
Gonna be interesting to see who Dean locks up and at what price.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
@vplaza, Richardson won’t be back…just no room for him. Neither will Drewiske.
Buck Turgidson Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
@vplaza, JW and Zus would be sorely missed
I can’t help but think back to the pre and early season when some “fans” were bsgging on Brown and Simmons wondering why they were playing on the 1 and 2 lines. Don’t get that much anymore I guess. This team just keeps improving. I think they’ve learned that the effort has to be there every game, unlike the 1-7 efforts.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
@John v, Well, Simmonds doesn’t belong on the 1st or 2nd line, and he isn’t playing on either the 1st or 2nd line. He plays on the 3rd line, exactly where he belongs.
Just sayin’…
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John v Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
@mrbrett7, I agree–My bad
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I always thought Brown was a Adam Deanmarch clone! Now he better then that!
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wavesinair Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
@Sammuch, Love Brown, but no way is he better than Deadmarsh. Maybe one day…
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mrbrett7 Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
@wavesinair, He has already scored more in a season than Deadmarsh did, and is on pace to do so twice…and his head isn’t made out of a mellon…however, he is nowhere near the competitor nor leader Deader was (one of my all time favorite players).
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He sure has shown that he is softened his hands and improved his finishing ability. I am sure that having a terrifc goal scorer like Kopi on your line helps, and also playing with JW and the Sturminator can only make it better. It looks like TM has found a great combination for all 4 lines so lets leave it in place and let the winning continue.
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Last night Sturm scored his first goal as a King. How many more will he get this season playing for the Kings?
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wavesinair Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Including the playoffs?
19 more…
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Shotongoal Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
@Bryan, 13 more in the regular season. As far as playoffs….lets not put the cart before the horse, just sayin!!
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Brown has become an elite NHL power forward. 30+ goal potential. League leader in hits. Team Captain and plays the PP and PK….can’t ask much more from this guy.
You have to believe the longer he plays with Kopi the better he will get. Add a top LW on that line and you have one of the best lines in hockey. The Deadmarsh comparison is legit. I would go one further and say he is right behind the likes of Iginla and Doan….pure power forwards with Brown just entering his prime.
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Mikey Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
@Barry’s Mullet, Agreed! i feel Brown is a step or two superior in comparison to Deadmarsh.. staying healthy and not having a fragile melon is a huge plus. And i dont remember Deadmarsh throwing the checks DB has thrown. BUT, i do remember Deadmarsh and his run in with the boards behind the net. what a shame.. but hey, at least he got a fishing pole out of it a few years after that! laaaame.
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Barry's Mullet Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
@Mikey, Deadmarsh was a wrecking ball. He reminds me more of JW than Browne…not the best shot and skated the same way but always seemed to find the back of the net. Fearless comes to mind but in the end it cost him more than a few years. He played every game like it was his last. Dont’ get me started…Allison, Palffy and Deader…what a line!
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Mikey Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
@Barry’s Mullet, Oh god yes, that is my favorite line till this day. I was there the day palffy took that scoreless spill that dislocated his shoulder.. poor palf. he married a body builder (female) correct?
29
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I think Brownie has the potential to be the complete package. He is getting the finishing touch this season which was one of the parts lacked in the past. He still needs to work on the puck handling along the board. His body position is not as good as Kopi, Smyth, Williams. If he can protect and move the puck like those guys and use his hockey IQ to use other guys efficiently (as TM pointed out he has the tendency to do too much by himself), he will be the force to be reckoned with.
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last year i remember him missing so many chances, he would look to the rafters after shanking with an empty net, think the c was too much for him last year, too much pressure, he looks great this year
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Brown’s power forward hit-and-crash-to-the-goal attitude with a scoring finish is starting to remind me of Adam Deadmarsh.
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King John Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Usually I read comments first, then do my own comment. This time I thought I’d comment first, then when I scrolled up to check others’ comments, I notice that there were others with the same thought in mind! Wow, there must be something to it (comparing Brown with Deadmarsh).
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