Often, a coach changes a player’s role because he is dissatisfied with the player’s work ethic. Nothing could be further from reality when it comes to Michal Handzus, who is recognized as one of the hardest-working players on the Kings roster. That made it particularly surprising to see Handzus skating in a fourth-line role in practice Friday. That’s where he is scheduled to play tomorrow against Edmonton, even though Handzus has three goals in his last five games. Fortunes can change dramatically for Kings players now, it seems. Just a few days ago, Brad Richardson was in the healthy-scratch doghouse, and now he has moved into Handzus’ spot. Terry Murray talked about the move today, as did Handzus…
MURRAY: “To me, he’s going through a little bit of a difficult time right now, a rough stretch where he’s working hard, and the only way to get through it is through hard work. I’m not necessarily backing off on his importance or his minutes played. I want to use the four lines, to be able to keep a tempo and get our game back. But I still, in saying that, feel that he’s going through a bit of a tough stretch here, right now, with his play — which has been checking as the focal point over the time that I’ve known him, and he has played so well in that area — and there are just a few situations that are creeping into his game. I talked to him today, and we need to get back to his kind of a game.”
HANDZUS: “We talked about it. The bottom line is, I’ve got to get better. Obviously, I wasn’t real happy with my game last night, and I’ve got to get better. I’m not going to read too much into it. I think it’s normal for a coach to do what he’s trying to do. My thing is, I’m just trying to get better. There’s not much more to it.”
Handzus, known as a quiet leader and one of the Kings’ most intelligent players, also gave his thoughts on the latest 1-7 skid…
HANDZUS: “At times, it’s not only about Xs and Os. It’s about us playing the game. Sometimes we look so good and then, even in the same game, at other times we look so bad. I think that inconsistency is hurting us, big time, and that’s what we have to change. We have to be way more consistent, to play the game, compete, work hard, win the battles and do all those things. I think that’s the most important thing. I think we are losing too many board battles, and I think that is hurting us. We don’t come up with the pucks in our zone and in their zone. It’s all about us getting better, everybody, just doing the little things better, winning some more battles and being more consistent. It’s me, too. I’m way too inconsistent this season, which is hurting us. I have to get more consistent and put a little more focus on it and just play the same way every game.
“We’re going to turn it around. We’ve got a great team here. If you get it right, it’s going to make us a better team, for sure. I really believe that we’re going to be a better team because of what we’ve been through so far. But we’ve got to get it right, right away.”
Well said Zues. He is a warrior out there, but standing in front of the net and deflecting pucks into that our D men shoot can be done on any line. It’s what needs to happen away from the puck and in moving the puck in the offensive zone.
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Crown Royal Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
@KingzzFan,
Maybe a trade is coming with Stoll on the way out. By moving Handzus down and promoting Stoll back to the second line it may be easier to showcase Stoll in a more offensive setting. Could this be just as much about an impending trade as a Handzus demotion?
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KingzzFan Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
@Crown Royal,
I’ve been thinking that way a lot lately. But you also have to look at Simmonds. We all love the guy, but he could definitely bring in a good return and there really isn’t any other reason why I can see him on the 2nd line over Brown.
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Gene Carr Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
@KingzzFan, This is one of the few line changes that make some type of sense. Handzus is a liability 5 on 5. He is great on the PP and has some value on PK, but wins 49% of faceoffs (Stoll is 59%) and is too slow … he needs to be in perfect position to play defense and nobody is perfect. We all like Zeus, but it’s time to pick and choose when and where he plays, he’s not a 5 on 5 scorer, playmaker or physical presence, so spot him on the 4th line and PP and go out and get a Top 9 forward.
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sid the kid Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
@Gene Carr, this comment makes sense to me. zeus is also not that fast. quite slow, actually. he’s afraid to take the hit, and only occasionally dishes out the hit. he’s good along the boards, he can smartly dump it into the zone, he’s too eager to pass on breakouts, but his play in front of the net is good. his faceoff win percentage has gone down, and his shift length is very short. these are the known facts about zeus. putting him on the fourth line based on his skills is not a demotion, it’s putting him in the appropriate place for the type of player he is, which is a skill player and a role player
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Seriously Murray. Quit screwing around.
Smyth-Kopitar-Williams
Sturm-Stoll-Brown
Poni-Handzus-Simmonds
Cliff-Richie-Lewis
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Bill M. Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
@Seabass, Funny. that doesn’t look too different than the lines that got thumped last night by a mediocre team on a losing streak.
Armchair Coach isn’t as easy as Real Coach.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
@Bill M., You mean it’s easier? Also, I suspect he means for more than one game.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, oh lol. I totally borked that one!
And that’s true. I do agree that we should stick with those lines for a while and try to give them a couple games to click.
Seabass Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
@Bill M.,
No?
Poni wasnt in the line up. Simmonds was with Stoll most of the night. I saw Cliff start the game on the 2nd line.
These were last nights starting lines, before all the juggling happened.
Smyth-Kopitar-Williams
Clifford-Handzus-Brown
Sturm-Stoll-Simmonds
Westgarth/Lewis/Richardson
Listen, I like Murray, and I dont claim to know have even a portion of the hockey knowledge that he possesses. I just think the line tinkering is doing more harm than good. My main complaint is splitting up Handzus-Simmonds and Poni so Murray can play Westgarth. The Zus-Sim-Poni line was dominant in the early season and they can be again if they got a chance. Mix up the remaining top 6 how you’d like, as long as Clifford isnt in it and I’ll be happy.
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ringo Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
@Seabass, ok..i know iam getting ahead here..but looking at next year…
f.a./smyth-kopi-williams
parse-loctionov-brown
clifford-schenn-simmonds
clune-lewis-richardson/king/westgarth
stoll trade? zeus will not be offered a contract.
98LAHockey Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 5:27 pm
@Seabass, You are right on with line 1 every since MS came to the Team the scoring for Brown and Kopi has gone dry. What was DL thinking bringing MS onto the Team when things were working right. The team is trying to hard to accommodate MS and it is screwing up the chemistry. Get off Handzus the real problem is the unneeded pickup by DL to get MS who by the way is an ex Shark and if I remember they haven’t come close to winning the Cup. Another Shark loser on our Team.
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what about Brown’s demotion?
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
@tornado12, That’s one thing Murray managed to explain well–that it wasn’t on Brownie, who was hot at the time–but that he was a casualty of Murray trying to build a first line that had worked.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, I think he’s referring to the FURTHER demotion (aka promotion of simmonds). Go look at the latest lines again.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
@Bill M., I don’t see any reason for that…especially in context of him having been one of the recently productive players through the tough stretch.
tornado12 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, yes Bill M. I mean now he is on the 3rd line? I didnt know he was supposed to be a stopper now! I dont claim to posses a fraction of TM’s hockey knowledge, but maybe he just needs to step back for a moment and look at everything from a bigger perspective. He is always talking about focusing on details and the little things. When that happens, the whole picture seems to get blurry. DB is a top six player. Our top six players need to be on the top six. DB/AK/JW/RS/MS are the only players that can be considered in that group talent wise on the current roster! I know Ive said this before, but we need more skill and speed in the lineup. 4 lines of the same thing is an EZ gameplan for the opposition. Bring up MOLLER or LOKTI for our top six. (and I am aware of the roster squeeze with one way contracts right now, but it doesnt mean it cant happen. sacrafices have to be made)
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wow. candid comments from the horses mouth. Kudos to Handzus. He’s also right. There’s really two ways to go now, back up, or down to the bottom.
The good news is, teams which suffer such slumps and manage to pull out of it, tend to head into the playoffs not only tougher, but with confidence and momentum. This team is still VERY dangerous if they can pull it all back together. All the makings of this years Flyers.
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(*hand-wringing*)
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Zeus is a class guy and is owning up to the drop in his game. I’ve always been neutral on TM, but in this recent slide, he’s blamed everyone else, Zeus, Poni, Richardson, Sturm,etc… but never once said he has made any mistakes, like “maybe I was too quick to juggle lines, or I should have started JB over JQ, or I had the wrong guys out late in the game, or I need to come up with a better offensive plan…” How bout manning yourself TM and accepting your share of the blame.
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if it were me coaching, i’d sneak a cattle prod onto the bench. player has a bad shift of makes a bad play. *ZAP*.
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MR King Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
@newf, When can you start?
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newf Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
@MR King, i’m good to go whenever. also, i don’t mind being paid in beer and hugs from Heidi Androl.
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First-time poster here, so be gentle. DD8 was a high-scoring forward in junior when his team needed a defenseman. He was switched to defense. Since he has not been a force on defense so far this season, and inspired by Dustin Bufflin (however you spell his name) in Atlanta, maybe the best LW1 for our kings is already on the roster. Move DD8 to LW1, relieve him of some of the pressure of playing defense, allowing him to be free to just have fun and play hockey with Kopi and Brown. He skates, both with and without the puck, at an elite level, shoots very well (if not too accurately lately) and passes like a youg Paul Kariya…DD8 could be the first line left wing of our dreams…
What we need to do is go on the road. Get out in the bad weather, get in a bad mood, and play our 3rd and 4th lines A LOT in the first two periods of a game. If they don’t skate hard, compete, and hit everything that moves, they’re on a bus to Manchester before the game is over. WE MUST MATCH OUR OPPONENTS PHYSICAL PLAY AND INTENSITY, which we did not do in the playoffs last year and we did not do against Toronto or St. Louis this week. Then, we play our top lines a lot in the third – they’re fresh and might have a step on our opponents. They should also, under these circumstances, be raring to go. This is a sport where it’s incredibly intense for 45 seconds, then you take a seat on the bench and get ready to do it again…Our top guys get a lot of ice time, mayybe this would make the time they get on the rink more meaningful…
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rick Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
@GKG, I am with you all the way, except that I also think that Kopitar should play in goal. He has quick hands.
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KingsFan in OC Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
@rick, Dude, I don’t know about Kopi having “quick” hands, but he sure has some HUGE hands. At the meet the players party, he signed a hat for me and the Sharpie looked like a toothpick when he held it. I am a pretty big dude (6’6″ 230) and I have some decent sized mitts, but Kopi has some enormous paws.
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VanKingsFan Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
@GKG, I think someone has suggested every single one of our defensemen for first line left winger at some point this season.
Sorry to disagree with you but that would be a very poor hockey decision. He is one of the best defensemen in the NHL, despite his struggles this year.
Byfuglien has since that time switched BACK to defense on Atlanta and he is become way more valuable back there than he was as a forward.
It is the same as putting Handzus back on Defense since he is big and good defensively.
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Barry's Mullet Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
@GKG, Nice post! Listen, we’ve tried everyone else, why not DD2 at LW1. I don’t see that happening and he certiainly does have offensive skills. I see him as part of any trade that should go down…so moving him to forward may drop his value in the eye’s of other GM’s.
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VanKingsFan Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
you suggesting trade Doughty?? Not sure who DD2 is???
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
@VanKingsFan, Yeah, I’m a fan of the names “Dewey” and “Wiskie.” DD, DD8 and DD2 are confusing.
Bill M. Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@VanKingsFan, THERES A DD8????? you mean we have another 6 of these guys?
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
@Bill M., It was a couple threads back, and I suspected it was supposed to be Dewey, but it goes to the intent of my message above.
King o' Philly Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 4:49 pm
@VanKingsFan, i think DD is drew doughty and DD2 is davis drewiske, DD the second.
DD8 is a new wrinkle. putting his number in there. let’s leave it at DD and DD2, shall we? for the sake of simplicity
In one paragraph, Handzus said “I’ve got to get better” three times. Sounds like a prepared speech to me. What’s TM’s excuse? He would be happy if every game ended in a 0-0 tie after 65 minutes. Not very realistic! The constant lineup changes aren’t working Terry and they wreak of panic on your part.
Somewhere in Calgary tonight, Dean Lombardi will be having dinner with Darryl Sutter to talk about coaching the Kings…
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Dave Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
@Rainman, i’d rather have Stevens than Sutter. or what about Hartley?
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newf Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
@Rainman, i honestly wouldn’t mind Sutter coaching the Kings. He’s a great coach but just couldn’t handle the pressure of 2 jobs and fairweather fans here in Calgary, which is why he went back to being just GM.
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Hopefully Zues can release the Kraken on the 4th line.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
@friarking, I don’t want to see any of these guys do anything that resembles “releasing the kraken”. sheesh. keep it to yourselves, man!
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friarking Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 7:00 pm
@Bill M., Hahaha, I was referring to the physical play of westgarth/Poni or whoever ends up skating on that line.
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He’s right about the battles along the boards. When the Kings started the season, they were winning a remarkable number of those battles. The were also making very crisp passes, reducing the number of battles necessary and putting a higher percentage of them in the offensive zone.
Obviously (I didn’t see that in the word cloud, for some reason, but if the only text scanned for them was player quotes, I’ll bet it would be), Zeus is one of those “older guys,” but he’s not one I would single out (for a possible trade, as discussed on an earlier thread.) As indicated in Hammer’s preamble, he seems to epitomize hard work, and if any of this streak is on him, it’s probably just the breaks. FWIW, I’d be proud to have his number on my Kings jersey. He was, and is, one of DL’s good decisions. The same goes for Smyth and Williams, by the way. It’s probably too early to tell with Sturm and Willie.
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Now I am not a coach and will never claim to be, but if there is one thing that is obvious to me it is that Zues is a 3rd line center. He is a great defensive center. He should NEVER have been on the 2nd line. He is not fast enough. Now on the 4th line? What is Murray thinking. This is bad coaching. He gives guys 2 periods 2 play together and if they dont get it he switches it up again and it still doesnt work. Lines need time to develop. Not a whole season, but give them 3, 4 ,5 games together. I like TM, but he is doing some things that are ridiculous and seem so obviously wrong. ANyone agree?
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TM said, “He’s going through a bit of a tough stretch here…with his play…which has been checking…over the time that I’ve known him,” and then says “we need to get back to his kind of a game.”
Come again?
So let me get this straight. Checking has been the main part of Zeus’ game for many years. He has been on the checking line with the Kings as long as he’s been here doing it game in and game out.
Then…
TM puts him on the 2nd line where he’s asked to be more of a scoring threat. He gets 3 goals in 5 games.
And now…
He needs to get back to “his kind of game.” Ummmm…
What on gods green earth are you talking about Terry Murray?????????????????
The fact that Zeus takes all of this in stride just goes to show what kind of -not only player he is- but what kind of person he is.
Zeus is a beast and pro’s pro and he should never go on the 4th line unless he demotes himself.
More than surprising. This is bizarre.
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gggbd Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:00 am
@wavesinair,
I was thinking the exact same thing. Someone needs to send this to Murray and show him what a joke he is.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
@wavesinair, Great take, as usual!
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jeff Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
@wavesinair, could not agree more
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BluLiner Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
@wavesinair,
Sorry, but Zues has been looking really slow lately. TM is trying to jump start him, and while Zues’ mind may want to, his body isnt following through. Especially on pk – Zues is regularly inches short of blocking a crossing pass in the zone. (last year he consistently made these plays).
He is suffering O’Donnellitis which happens to oldtimers about half way through the year. Either Zues will get the spark again or he’s done (this is even a contract year)
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Jonathan (not Quick or Bernier) Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
@BluLiner,
You are absolutely right, BlueLiner. Zues has been looking really slow, especially the last couple of weeks. There have been numerous occasions on defense where he could have made a simple stick check to avoid a shot on goal and, in fact, he attempted to do so, but was just a bit too slow. I am tired of yelling at him through the television, ask my wife. Not hard to see he is either fatigued or not completely into it.
Hey, I love the guy, but TM is making the right call on this one.
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wavesinair Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
@BluLiner, He’s looking really slow *lately* because he was put on a scoring line where his talents are not best suited. How is Zeus supposed to “get back to his old self” when he’s being asked to play a role that is opposed to his “old self?” It makes no logical sense. As for getting old and slower in general, sure it happens. And if he’s in his proper place as the 3rd line checking center and starts to have problems THERE then sure, you can start talking about Zeus’ playing days being limited. But this is not the situation at all. It’s grasping at straws time.
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BluLiner Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
@wavesinair,
Zues IS having problems on the third line and on his usual PK duties. TM tried a jumpstart to the second line – I agree with you though that it was a bad idea. Maybe a 4th line jumpstart will work better.
Cynic Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
@wavesinair,
PANIC has no logic or reason.
That’s all I can add. I’m as surprised as you Waves.
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EternalOptimist Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
@wavesinair,
Totally agree… looks like TM’s trying to hold players accountable, unfortunately he’s pointing his finger at the wrong guy!
Zeus’ comments are spot on and I hope the other players listen… consistency and winning battles along the boards have been the main reasons for the recent slide. We need to see major improvements in these areas to turn this thing around.
Maybe all of this can be addressed if the players just start playing harder for each other. The little things that were so noticeable earlier at the beginning of the season (sacrificing your body to block shots, skating hard to give your teammate an easy pass, strong backchecking, taking a hit to make a play) have been few and far between as of late. These are little things that are characteristics of a tight, close knit group. Hopefully we can get back to this. I think everything else will take care of itself if we do.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
@EternalOptimist, I think they ran out of gas playing harder. They probably need to play smarter.
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EternalOptimist Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
I mean working harder with the focus of supporting, having each other’s back and not just for the sake of it… hope this made sense LOL
ta Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
@wavesinair, You took the words right out of my mouth. Zues is 3rd line center period at this stage of his career. He usually plays well when asked to shut down the other teams top line.
Then a couple games ago TM moves him to the 2nd line because Stoll was in a slump and he needs some scoring there, and he says in a interview that he expects Zues to look to score more in this role. Guess what he scored 3 goals, in fact 1 was the only goal the whole team scored last night!!!!! And now he’s being singled out by TM. I know and I’m aware of his defense mistake on the Blues 3rd goal, but COME ON every single King has made a bad similar play this year but TM only points at Zues. Sorry Zues you’re not the problem, the problem is MURRAY! Zues never belong on the 2nd line as he isn’t fast enough up there, just another lousy move by Murray.
Please FIRE him NOW!
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TM on Zeus’s current play “He’s in a tough spot right now and he’s working hard but the only way out of it is for him to work hard” What in the world is TM saying??? I think it’s time to give JJ a few shifts up on the first line. If DL’s gonna continue to sit on his hands then lets work with what we have. JJ hasn’t played defense since they announced his new deal so lets give him a go on the wing!!! If Dwight King was good enough for a few games then JJ will be a major upgrade!! Lets get Harry back on the blueline and let him show the other guys what it’s like to scrap and fight for ur spot!! We have needed a top line winger to play with Kopi for like 3 YEARS!! 3 YEARS DL!!! Lets geter goin boys!! COME ON! I’m running out of TV remote controls to break and it’s getting expensive!! GO KINGS GO!!!
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@illegalstick33, Seriously, there are worse things TM could to shake up the team than to put JJ on a wing. It might be an interesting experiment for the team and for JJ, who, while improving greatly, still has big defensive issues.
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locdog1 Reply:
January 15th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
JJ would be better off as a winger than a defenceman… for all those people jelling hit him Jack and killer jack…. i dont see it
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Zeus while a very valuable 2 way forwrad last season will not be resigned by management. He’s just too slow and on several occasions recently players have just out skated him getting back on defense leading to great opportunities. I would like to see Lewis and his speed take over his spot for the rest of the season.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
@Barry’s Mullet, I think he’s probably got another year in him. Guys that won’t be resigned probably have other names and/or play on the wing. I’d say he’ll drop to third line regular before he goes away.
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Michael J. Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
@Barry’s Mullet,
Yup! Let Lewis grow throughout the year into what will probably be his spot for several years to come.
The Kings are not winning the cup this year, and are right now less than likely to make the playoffs. Therfore, my mindset is changing a bit about what would suit this team the best. If they do not snap out of this funk very soon (say within 7 days) I would consider cutting ties with three or four players and bringing up the guys that have been doing well in Manchester and commit to playint them all for the last 35 games of the year.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
@Michael J., I like Zeus alot and would re-sign him at least another year. He is slow but he brings alot to this team that we wont get from anyone else currently in our organization. I do agree that we should shed some of our players and bring up the talent in manchester to develop in the NHL. Trial by fire baby!!!! even if they took a while to get to the NHL level of play it wouldnt be too far off from what we are seeing with our team currently anyway.
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Michael J. Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
I love Zeus too, but it seems the game is getting faster and he is getting slower.
I just think that if they Kings are not going to make the playoffs they might be better off letting some young guys get in about a half a season in the NHL. I’m looking toward the future.
Realistic Cup contenders 2012-2013
Great move King Terry – Look I know you don’t want to waste those 4 years of Stanford Med school – but stop being an idiot – this is going from bad to comic tragedy in the space of 8 games – and the way the oil smoked the sharks last night – don’t be fooled by another loss on sat – it’s obvious the players have tuned the message out for about the last week or so – just check the effort recently – hoping for the best – but………..
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Zues is like 50, he’s not getting any better. And he sure as hell isn’t getting any faster. His inability to keep up with the play is what’s hurting him. I just find Terrys timing a bit curious. Zues has looked bad all year, he is finally starting to score (his kind of goals) and now the demotion? Same thing with Poni. I was waiting to see him get his shot on Kopi’s left the first 30 games. But Terry waits till his first game back after an injury to try him on the first line. Now the poor guy is so deep in the doghouse he might as well change his name to Frolov.
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Well, it seems like the players know what they have to do. The question is, why aren’t they doing it?
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I agree with Zeus about the board battles. Early in the season the Kings won most 50/50 battles, now hardly any. And if you play dump-and-chase you MUST win an extra share. The Kings are now a half-step too late to the battles, and it’s cause the team speed isnt good and getting worse, and the other teams anticipate where the Kings will put the puck and head there first.
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Credit Zues for taking it like a man, criticism and all. These line combos could be interesting, what if for a period or two. I think I’m not going to post on here till we get a win (could be awhile, hopefully not) too much negativity here right now what with everyone calling for heads to roll, coaches and players. A much needed win should get us on the right track again.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
@Going 19, Agreed. kudos for owning it. He’s been a step slow this year for sure. I get the feeling that when this team breaks through, after this much struggle, it will be like a dam bursting!
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Kings, I believe, will turn it around, but doughty has to work harder, it’s critical for him to be tougher, for them to be a winning team.
Last year, at the end of the season, no team was tougher to play, the last couple of weeks, that hasn’t been the case.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
@jimmysteven, Kills me people pick out probably one of the least experienced players on the team (though he doesn’t seem like it because he played so well last season and was up for the Norris) as the problem…without regard the distinct pressures he alone faces.
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pr0cess Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
@jimmysteven, Dounut is scared to get hurt again, he is playing with the demon that they next hit is going put him back where he was.
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UMMMM nooooo coach you are going thorough a difficult time right now, a rough stretch!!!!
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
@Slapshot, Okay, I LOLd.
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Still love Zus no matter what.
I’ve said this year that maybe he should get rested in a few games and I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Still, however, TM should be going back to familiarity with the lineup.
Westgarth, not to blame the player, has been a failure of late. No impact whatsoever.
Cliffy must have hurt his paw because he’s been real quiet.
A loss on Sat. would be tragic.
Gotta love the new NHL, eh?
So many inconsistent teams. Hurray for parity and salary caps.
Bettman can boast about revenues all he wants but the teams aren’t making money.
BTW, was there really 17,900 people at the Staples last night? Didn’t look like it.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
@Cristobal, Isn’t that paid attendance?
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Cristobal Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
I don’t know.
Are they too embarrassed to announce how many came through the turnstiles?
Can’t we get an accurate attendance figure for “people in the building?”
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:20 pm
@Cristobal, I think they like to announce the bigger number. I think they do keep a turnstile count, though.
Funny…I’ve been saying this to my friends for years & years & years….watch who’s winning the battle for loose pucks, & that’s who’s winning the game….
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
@dahack11, …especially when the “system” is dump and chase.
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Just because Zues is a pro and mentally can take any off the cuff crazy stuff from the coach does not mean he should be pulled down to 4th line. Sad sad sad. I have read the quote from TM over and over and I don’t get it. I don’t understand TM at all. Can anyone explain?
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I’ve been singing the same song since day one with Murray: he can only take a team so far and that length has been reached.
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vplaza Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
@THEROCKNROLL80S,
Hello, my name is Marty Shottenheimer, and I approved this post. TM is my prodigy. Thank you.
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“Dewey” is Drew Doughty or DD
“Wiskie” is Davis Drewiskie or DD2
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I for one am not the least bit surprised.
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MURRAY: “To me, he’s going through a little bit of a difficult time right now” ummmm what about the rest of the team?
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Kopitar repeatedly set up Doughty for one-timers on the power play at the end of the Islanders/Kings game on 11/13. Kings then lose seven of their next eight.
Kopitar sets up Brown for the moon shot at the end of Kings/Sharks game. Kings then lose seven of their next eight.
The solution is to prevent Kopitar from late game blowout assists. Trade him!! (J/K)
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I was so mad at Handzus for being so bad his first year and also this year. I feel kind of bad since he picked it up of late, but 2 of those were not his goals, one was off of his foot and another knicked him, I believe. $4,000,000 sluggard on the 4th line? The only reason might be as some have said to showcase Stoll for a trade. But really? Why trade Stoll? He is on pace for a respectable 20 goal year, which isn’t bad for a 2-3 center. Our real loss was with the downtrend in Simmonds’ game, and the loss of Frolov’s 20 goals. If Poni produced the 20 goals we were promised and Simmonds got better instead of worse offensively, we’d be alright. We need a blowout! We need to beat a team like Dallas or Detroit or Vancouver by like 7-1 to gain our confidence back. Scoring down. Defence down. Wins down. Kings down. It is time to get it together. Is Parse ever coming back?
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Memo To Tm: There is more to coaching than practice & Drills and shuffling your lines every other night. For The love of GOD, pick a line, stick to it an dlet that line have some Chemistry. I beg you. Just let them play 3 to 5 games together at least before keep shuffling them.Pleaseeeeeeeeee
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Kenny44 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 11:09 pm
@Leo4kings, TM doesn’t believe in lines, he believes in his system. Sometimes he grudgingly admits that certain forward pairs complement each other (hmm, he was a Dman and only believes in pairs), but that’s as far as he’ll go. That is why when he harps on consistency and “doing the little things” the Kings get so damned predictable. If you’re not playing instinctually with familiar line mates, you play more slowly. When you are thinking about little details, you slow down. When you’re unfamiliar with your line mates and you’re trying to work the system, your options narrow and you start doing the same things over and over. Being predictable allows the other team to play fast. This is how we make a team like the Blues look like speed demons.
The players don’t know what the hell is going on with all the line changes now, and our skill guys are totally being suffocated. Forward lines matter. Having a complementary trio is better than a good pair with a filler, and having randomized lines combos is not just unprofessional, it’s self sabotage.
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Ok not gonna lie.. I’ve been supportive of TM for a long time but this is getting nuts… You can’t develop chemistry with teammates if you switch lines every second.. Yes they have a system but all the great teams and stars have come from chemistry.. Thats when the magic happens… Everyone goes through slumps, that doesnt mean a little slump should change there line.. I like Handzus but he is way too slow.. He cant be with other slow guys, he needs speedsters on his line.. So 4th line may be ok..
With Handzus and stoll not performing I bet Kings are wishing they had Schenn now..
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If I were going to the Kings game tonight, I would wear my Zeus jersey in a show of solidarity. I feel badly that he’s “struggling” (although in very few hockey circles is 3 goals in 5 games struggling), but I still think he’s the man and I will always think that. As I drive to the rink before every game that I play myself, I remind myself that I want to bring the best of Zeus’s game to my own play – making the smart play with the puck, being responsible defensively, supporting your teammates by sensible on-ice positioning in both zones, and taking short shifts. I’m pulling for him to rise out of the doldrums (which, frankly, the whole team is in right now), and get back on the positive track. Go Kings!!
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