On paper, it wasn’t the most obvious of moves. When defenseman Matt Greene returned to the lineup, the Kings chose to pair their two least-experience defensemen, Alec Martinez and Davis Drewiske, together. Drewiske, 26, has 90 games of NHL experience while Martinez, 23, has 19 games. So far, though, it has worked out well, particularly in Monday night’s victory over San Jose. It’s a pairing of a puck-mover (Martinez) with a stay-at-home type (Drewiske), and against the Sharks, they were solid during their almost 12 minutes on the ice together. Terry Murray said he liked what he saw from the two young defensemen…
MURRAY: “A lot of composure, lots of awareness. I think they have good chemistry starting to develop, and there’s good communication going on there. It just simplifies the game and takes a lot of pressure off, when you have a lot of yelling and shouting for each other. They were making good plays. When you can do that under pressure, find the open guy, it sure opens up a lot for the line to attack and make good things happen. And they’re playing good defensively, too. Drewiske is using his body well. He’s fronting his man going to the net very well. Good things happen because of doing little things the right way.”
Greene better watch it. These young guys are looking extremely good. DL has a stacked deck to make a big deal with. Question is, should he?
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Kings fan Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
@KC23, I would like Dustin Penner for the second line and from what I have read it would not cost much, we could really use his size
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Harry Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
@Kings fan, Penner for Greene?
I wouldn’t…
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Kings fan Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
@Harry, Poni and a pick or maybe Poni and Richardson
Kings fan Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
@Harry, Also with Sutter gone maybe Jarome Iginla will become available
cjms Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 5:56 pm
@KC23, Green just signed a five year deal, so I doubt it.
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KC23 Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
@cjms, Actually, I hadn’t even entertained the notion of dealing Greene. Was thinking more about DD2 or Muzzin. I think Stoll Lewis and Richardson are all expendable for a high end sniper, but I’m not so sure we couldn’t get the job done with what we have right now.
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DougS Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
@KC23,
“I’m not so sure we couldn’t get the job done with what we have right now.” Of course, and there are no rational grounds for assuming that they can’t.
Right now, the Kings are among the top 6 teams in the NHL. If it wasn’t for the advantage that every other team has in those funky OTL points, the Kings would be leading the Pacific Division and would be right there with Detroit and Vancouver for the Conference lead. When you factor in games in hand, they’re right there in the President Trophy hunt with Pittsburgh, Philly and Tampa Bay. Parity is the defining characteristic of the NHL today, and the Kings have done respectably well head-to-head with every other team who might be reckoned a Cup contender right now. It wouldn’t hurt for us to have some confidence in them.
As Kings fans, I think it’s finally time to stop assuming that the grass is always greener on someone else’s roster. Trading in real life isn’t like a video game; you can’t pause the sim while you scan all of the other rosters and figure out how to con the AI into giving you what you want. And you can’t reboot from the last save if it turns out you made a bad decision. That, and the fact that 99% of the armchair GM talk in places like this never takes into account what the other team might actually demand in return for whatever prize Lombardi is supposed to pluck from them. This discussion is a perfect example.
I’m not saying that Lombardi shouldn’t always be on the lookout for ways to improve the team. But given how they have contributed to the team so far, the list of players for whom I’d give up Greene, or Lewis, or Richardson, or Ponikarovsky right now is very small indeed. And I don’t think Penner or Iginla would be on it.
Yeah, desplite their youth, I don’t feel nervous with this pair in back. Martinez isn’t letting himself get pushed around either, despite his size.
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Stuart Reply:
December 29th, 2010 at 7:38 am
@Choralone, that is one thing I really admire about AM, he has taken some big hits, but its like he’s too young and full of vinegar to notice. He just gets back up and gets in the play. DD2 has also surprised me. I always thought he must drive his car at 140 mph becuase of his lead feet, but his positioning has mostly been to advantage so far in this win streak…
KEEP IT UP BOYS, neuter those Yotes and then clip the Flyers wings!!!
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Martinez is the Man ever since was supposed to fill in Mitchell spot he neevr wnated to give it up so we had to send someone else down
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Who the heck is going to sit when Mitchell comes back? I suspect it will be Drewiske, but certainly not because his play warrants it. He has been very solid.
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Kings fan Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
@rick, It will be Drewiske but it is nice to know he is there we seem to have a hurt D every game this season
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Dominick Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
@rick, Whiskey is used to the role of 7th defenseman, but I’d say Martinez. TM does like to match speed with a stay at home, so Maybe Martinez, but he also has a tendency to stick with defenseman he likes, and Whiskey has had more time to prove himself to Murray.
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Forum67 Reply:
December 29th, 2010 at 8:13 am
@Dominick,
Well if Murray likes Drewiske now it is certainly a change from last season. Even after Drewiske was healthy again Murray preferred to bless us with, dare I allow such a discordant note to be entered into an otherwise pleasant first half of the season, Randy Jones. But it is wonderful to be in the position of having an excess of riches at arguably the most important roster position other than the goalie.
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KC23 Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
@rick, I’m thinking trolling.
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What a great problem to have.
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joey No-No Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
@Scootty,
My thoughts exactly…I love these types of problems…it has been along time since we have had this problem!
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Are d is SICK! we still have big T, Russian V & moving H in Manchester! Oh, let’s not forget teen F on the US Team.
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I know this is a very early assessment of Martinez but with his exceptional skating ability and very good hockey smarts the kid could, down the line, be like a Scott Niedermeyer. although i can’t stand the ducks when Niedermeyer joined the team to play with his younger brother he this odd calming affect on the team. it’s like this magical inspiration that lifted their confidence. the guy was a pro when it came to hockey. he knew exactly what to do with the puck when he got it. he knew where and where not to skate it was pretty amazing to watch and an even better reason to hate them even more. Martinez is still young and with the skills he has now will only get better.
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why trade anyone? seems like each is a piece to the puzzle
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They shouldn’t trade anyone on D. It’s great to be stacked in the case of injury as is such the case. I can’t believe how much we have waiting to come up the next few years as well….we should be able to make a good run (at least defensively) for years to come.
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Trade nothing. The team we have is doing very well. The chemistry that the team is starting to develop and show through is amazing. If you change that now it would just be stupid. We have depth in spades. Young players like Martinez and Clifford that are not playing like young guys. Go Kings Go.
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