The Kings added a new player during this road trip. Technically, it’s the same guy, in the same jersey, but Andrei Loktionov seems to have transformed himself a bit in the past couple games, and there’s no mystery. Loktionov, a natural center, had been playing wing for the previous three weeks, mostly out of necessity, and didn’t look bad but also seemed to be playing with a level of tentativeness and uncertainty. Moved back to center, with wingers Kyle Clifford and Dustin Brown, Loktionov has looked far more comfortable in the offensive zone. On Sunday, in a game in which the Flyers dominated in the faceoff circle — winning 60 percent of the draws — Loktionov hung in there, winning 4 of 9, and drew overall praise from Terry Murray.
MURRAY: “He’s an instinctive hockey player. The high-skilled guys need to play the game that way, with their instincts, and just kind of let it flow. He certainly feels much more comfortable in the middle of the ice than on the wing. It’s more of a flow game for him in the middle of the ice. His reaction to what’s going on when they have possession of the puck, his reads without the puck are difference and come instinctively for him. I think he has just stepped it up to a different level here, with the change.”
Is Loktionov going to make things difficult on the Kings? Marco Sturm is eligible to return from the injured list at any point, the Kings currently don’t have any open roster spots and Loktionov is the only waivers-ineligible forward would could go to the AHL. Murray indicated that the Kings might not have to make that decision in the next few days…
MURRAY: “Well, with Marco, I don’t want to say that they’re tied at the hip, when it comes to that decision. But right now with Marco, going back to the start of the road trip, the plan was to have two days of practice here in Columbus, certainly for Marco, in particular. But with today being a day off, he will have to get it in tomorrow. It really comes down to Marco getting himself ready to play. We’ve got to push him in the practice and get him in competitive drills and battling drills, so he feels the game and getting accustomed to that part of the game again. Once we get him going there, then we have to make a decision as to whether we’re going to get him in or not. But I need to see that in his practices, first of all.”
well i wonder if they going to send loktionov down if so that sucks he doing so great
[Reply]
KC23 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:10 pm
@KingsFanFTW, Unless someone gets hurt or traded, the King’s management really has no choice.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:25 pm
@KC23, I agree. It wouldn’t be a bad thing for Lokti either, since that move would greatly improve Manchesters chances of winning a championship. It would also get Lokti into more key situations at key momments in the game that he wouldn’t see playing here. Ultimately him being here would be ideal, but Manchester wouldn’t be such a bad move, for him or the Kings. Lokti has gotten a taste, so if he’s sent down he’ll be ready for the big club when he gets back. He might have even benefited more than Schenn. Next seasons camp will be exciting to say the least.
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:47 pm
@KC23, DD2 and PH haven’t played in weeks and we don’t need 2 extra d-men on the roster. Try and trade 1 of them for a draft pick, or try and send 1 of them down to Manchester. If that player gets claimed on the waiver wire, then good luck to them on their new team. It’s not like they were gonna play much here anyways.
[Reply]
Jason4Kings Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:06 am
@CB14, I agree.
Token Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:22 pm
@KC23, Two weeks to trade deadline, after that no roster limit.
Sturm can get sent to Manchester for a two week conditioning assignment.
No one gets waived two weeks before trade deadline when you can waive them after that safely.
[Reply]
ponce Reply:
February 16th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
@KC23, Can you freaking believe sending Lokitonov down just to keep DL’s newest cripple off the waiver wire. I say cut The Cripple and bring up Schenn. What is the sense of having these Wunderkids if we aren’t going to use them. If anyone thinks that we are going to make a run at the Cup this year, please, check your meds. Why not bring up these kids so they can get a taste of a playoff run and develop their playoff senses, develop their recognition of what it takes to get to and compete in the playoffs at the NHL level, not at Manchester. What are we waiting for? No onewaited for Kopi’s 22nd birthday, or Drew’s, or Clifford’s. I’m sick of the trade deadline last gaspers that DL keep’s bringing in. And now the shuffle to keep The Cripple. Dear Lord!
[Reply]
ronso Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
@KingsFanFTW, Harrold is an UFA, whose only played 18 games. He may be waived.
[Reply]
rontheking Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
@ronso,
I would do whatever I had to do to keep Loktionov up to get him as much experience as possible before the playoffs, even if that meant exposing somebody else to waivers such as Westgarth….
[Reply]
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 3:03 am
@ronso, Waiving wouldn’t make any sense. He plays both directions competently. The correct thing to do is to stall in bringing Sturm up until after the trade deadline–unless someone on the roster works into a trade.
[Reply]
Eric Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:14 am
@KingsFanFTW, what is the kings record when lockti plays?what could the kings get for brown?he is not getting it done as a goal scorer & his trade value might be high. There is a lot of young players coming up the pipeline that could fill browns spot as a blue line checking forward. .I know he wears the c for the kings & is a home grown from day one.for a marketing stand point the kings would sell more jerseys.schean is right behind him & dd needs a big pay day.kings need goal scoring.kopi looks better without brown on his line.
[Reply]
BigMikeonD Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:49 am
@Eric, Please stop with the trade Brown stuff. He is the heart of this team. Yes he wears the C but works hard at both ends of the ice and is a great character guy.
[Reply]
Hi Rich – the flyers just acquired Kris Versteeg for a pair of picks. Is he one of those “top 6 forward” that the Kings could have gotten, or was the price too high?
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
@Wasabi,
Per Olcyk (sp?) on Versus, they overpaid with a #1 and #3 for what he called a “good 3rd line player.”
[Reply]
Mike in Oregon Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:32 pm
@DesertKing, Disagree. Versteeg is 24 and perfect fit for Kings it seems. I was pissed about Fisher who also got “support” from Press. Supposedly there were 5 scouts in Fla. Maybe we can pick up Weiss. But Lombardi is flirting with disaster. Flyers are doing what Hawks did, WIN NOW. we need same.
[Reply]
Action Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 11:26 pm
@Mike in Oregon,
That’s very linear thinking. Chicago could have (and probably should have) been ousted by Nashville in round one last year, and still would have lost half their team in the offseason and be struggling to make the playoffs this year. I’m not saying they did anything wrong, but they’re desire to “win now” came EXTREMELY close to coming up snake eyes.
mrbrett7 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 9:07 am
@Mike in Oregon, So your going to give up a 1st round pick and a 3rd round pick for a guy who has had one good year? Glad your not the GM.
As for Fisher…you really want to give up a 1st round pick for a career 3rd line center, and a guy who is a mirror image of Jarret Stoll?
Seriously?
McDonalds Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
@Wasabi,
1st and 3rd round picks is an absurd price for Versteeg,
But the Flyers are trying to win this year. If they’re not holding the cup come june their season is a disappointment
a lot of pressureo n them
[Reply]
Mike in Oregon Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
@McDonalds, @DesertKing, Disagree with steepness is relative. Versteeg is 24 and perfect fit for Kings it seems. I was pissed about Fisher who also got “support” from Press. Supposedly there were 5 scouts in Fla. Maybe we can pick up Weiss. But Lombardi is flirting with disaster. Flyers are doing what Hawks did, WIN NOW. we need same. Who beat Phil this year? They nailed it. Unless (I doubt), Lombardi has cannon loaded, (I hope).
He’ll probably bring some safe ex Shark schlub back and we can get psyched for next year AGAIN.
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
@Wasabi,
On Versus they said he’s an excellent 3rd line forward. I would have thought a good 2nd line forward. But I do definitely think that’s a very steep price. It’s not like he’s a first liner for sure.
Eventually sooner or later, Philly is gonna pay a price for the two firsts they gave up for Pronger and 1 first for Versteeg. I remember that the Avs used to do that quite regularly. They got their cups but it caught up with them eventually.
[Reply]
Mike in Oregon Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:37 pm
@number 6, Yeah, but they skate around with cup in the meantime. We pay for it eventually for 41 years! This is making me nuts.
[Reply]
LW Anybody? Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
@Mike in Oregon, I like how some people are always afraid of “paying the price”. Yes, you have to give up something to get something, but I’d rather win a cup than have a “competitive team for years to come”. Really, the days of dynasties are over. Period. The economic landscape of the game is so different. There’s really no way to keep a nucleus together for 15-20 years, let alone even 5 nowadays. So, if there’s a window of opportunity, and you have a pretty darn good team, you pretty much have to at least take a swing, or you’ll always be on the outside looking in. And so is the case of the lifetime Kings fan.
mrbrett7 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 9:09 am
@Mike in Oregon, You do know that Versteeg is a RW, not a LW. We have plenty of RW’s.
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
@Wasabi, And he also is a right winger. We need a Lft winger. Thats are biggest need. We are great at all other spots. IMO. True?
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number 6 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
@king lopez,
Yes
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Mike in Oregon Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
@king lopez, Hey, didn’t EK predict this? What a hack. Ek , you suck
[Reply]
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
@Mike in Oregon, I’m sorry, who is EK? I know, stuped question.
McDonalds Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
@Mike in Oregon,
not that stupid haha. he’s the guy over at hockeybuzz who’s always wrong
lafan13 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:44 pm
@Wasabi, hes not a top 3 foward…. he could be a top 4-9 at best….
Versteeg wasnt the “right fit” obviously…
[Reply]
Wasabi Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 9:53 am
Thanks everyone for the reply and analysis. I just found this blog and I’m very happy I did. Seems there’s a lot of great fans here and it’s a very active blog. Good job! Go kings!
[Reply]
Time to make the move boys! Let’s make a trade. We’re deep, young and have some cap room. First choice no doubt would be Richards. I know – he doesn’t fix the problem at wing, but you do it anyway cause he is the kind of guy we need…unless Iggy was available.
We need to stay away from Speeza cause of the CBA, otherwise he’d be a solid fit. Hemsky would be solid as well, with Kop and Simmer maybe – but not at an extreme cost like we’re hearing about out there (ala Schenn or Simmmer + others).
It’s hard, I wouldn’t want to be DL – this is critical.
[Reply]
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
@Garrett, Whitch Richards are you talking about?
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:40 pm
@king lopez,
Obviously would be Brad Richards. Mike Richards clearly is untouchable.
[Reply]
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:49 pm
@number 6, Well isn’t he on the stars?
Garrett Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
@number 6, Yes – Brad Richards. . .
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:23 pm
@number 6, BUt don’t you think the stars would want to keep him, given the fact that 1) he is one of there best players and 2) they are clearlly in the running for 1st in the same Div as us?
DougS Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:38 pm
@king lopez,
Yes, but for know-it-all armchair GMs, what other teams might actually want is completely irrelevant. Just as facts and reality are mere inconveniences….
Carolina Kings Fan Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 7:26 am
@Garrett, He is out with an injury currently.
[Reply]
Why fix something that’s broken….Let the Kid play. & Marco… sorry buds.
[Reply]
xeropoint Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
@Harry, If your car needs brakes and has needed them for some time, do you keep driving on them? When you KNOW they could go out at any time but are functioning ok, right now, do you let it slide?
The Kings are not broken but absolutely need a little repair.
[Reply]
HockeyNerd Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
@xeropoint, Good analogy. For $20 it absolutely pays to get an oil change. If they want ownership of the next car I buy, I say NO.
[Reply]
nykingfan Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 5:52 am
@xeropoint,
or
Do you overhaul your engine, instead of putting in new plugs??
[Reply]
Rich – Can you put up a poll of likely moves and let the readers vote on them? Or is that not cool?
[Reply]
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
@Garrett, Oh please Rich!
[Reply]
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
@Garrett, Well I’m sure Rich dosen’t want to spread anything so let us, as fans take what we do know about what we might have heard and see what we come up with. What do you think. Sorry you’ll if I’ve been talking alot about moves, but i like this time of year to see what the Kings do. As well as the offseason.
[Reply]
Garrett Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
@king lopez, I’m sure we’re all reading the same things:
Richards may be available (Would cost us a lot of youth, maybe even a star)
Hemsky is very available (Asking price was Schenn, we balked)
Speeza may be available (Maybe just a few draft picks here, but the cost might be to much considering the upcoming CBA)
Stillman may be available (This may be the easiest to “get into”)
[Reply]
Dave Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:24 pm
@Garrett, if these are the prices i would pass on Richards and Hemsky (Schenn, really?) but i’d have to think about Spezza if he’s only going to cost a couple of draft picks. i know he makes $7M but with Handzus coming off the books next year there is space available.
imagine the lines…
handzus-kopitar-simmonds
smyth-spezza-williams
clifford-loktionov-brown
poni-stoll-sturm/richardson
now that’s a team that can go far in the playoffs. i know center isn’t the #1 need for this team but if you can get Spezza for nothing off your roster or any of your impact kids don’t you have to do it?
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:32 pm
@Dave, I like that! But I don’t think you should break up the line of 94-28-14. Thats the line that has done the most for us, don’t you think?
tuan jim Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
@Dave
Don’t be so sure Handzus is coming off the books next season. If we can buy him for a one-year contract at no more than we pay him now — which is admittedly a lot — I say hold onto him. He does so many things so well and plays with more brains than most guys out on the ice. He’s also one of our best face-off men.
Even though Poni’s not scoring I love what he brings to the party. But will we be keeping him for another season at $3.2 million? We have RFAs galore and have some nasty decisions to make. Our cap space is not as vast as people think — not with the number of guys we’ve got to sign.
And the new CBA may re-write everything.
Dominick Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:05 am
@Dave,
Handzus coming off the books for next season will open up a spot for Schenn, more than for Spezza.
mrbrett7 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 9:12 am
@Garrett, Rich doesn’t comment on rumors, and he shouldn’t. Rumors are just that, rumors, and 99% of them are absurdly false.
Asking fans to vote on what rumors they want to come true is like asking someone on welfare to state how much more money they want for each kid.
[Reply]
We didn’t need him…but he will no longer be mentioned in “Kings Rumors”
Flyers acquire Versteeg from Toronto – http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=552733
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
@Harry, Now he’ll just be mentioned in the sky is falling because we didn’t get Versteeg posts next time we lose.
[Reply]
crashin' da net Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:22 pm
@Dominick, why wait til then…….we should’ve picked up Versteeg.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:08 am
@crashin’ da net, Your right. Damn! we should’a signed Versteeg when we had the chance. Now we’re not going to make the playoffs. lol
In the mean time, send down Westy when Sturm is ready and lets roll 4 solid lines all game long. Westy has looked better as of late but i think we can all agree that we’d prefer Sturm or Lotki in over him. No one will scoop him off waivers and we dont really need him in the lineup when we make the playoffs.
[Reply]
Istillbelieve Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
@TheRussianKing, You’re insane if you think Westgarth would clear waivers
[Reply]
TheRussianKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 6:56 pm
@Istillbelieve, Who’s gonna buy an enforcer with heavy untalented non-scoring hands before the deadline coming up? He serves no purpose after the deadline anyways. I think TM is crazy if he’s even considering suiting up Westy for the playoffs. Although Sturm could go on a conditioning stint up until the deadline, why would we want him to when he can be in the line up next to Lokti and brown or on any other line for that matter. He’s still more talented and definitely a bigger offensive threat than Westy that contribute points on the board NOW(when we are in dire need of them).
[Reply]
LW Anybody? Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
@TheRussianKing, Montreal would. They got handled by Boston, and could use a heavyweight. So could a few other teams. Bottom line is, all teams still need a heavy, and we will continue to carry Westie for the time being.
rontheking Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:44 pm
@TheRussianKing,
I’m with you on this all the way.
tornado12 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
@Istillbelieve, and you are sure of this because you just got your crystal ball back from the shop?
[Reply]
TheRussianKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
@tornado12, No but even if someone picks him up off waivers, is losing Westgarth a impacting loss or a calculated risk?
Token Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
@TheRussianKing, It’s two weeks to trade deadline. If Sturm were to get off IR today, Kings could send him down for two weeks to Manchester on a conditioning assignment then fly him back in for the Red Wings game on the 28th.
No roster limit after the 28th at 3:00 pm Eastern.
No one is getting sent down.
[Reply]
Cynic Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:46 pm
@Token, Yep. Good Point here. I wonder if that is the reason TM & the Kings are stalling in putting him back in the lineup. ‘Gotta see it in practice’ could just be a ruse to put a scenario like this in place.
[Reply]
xeropoint Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
@Token, Nice job figuring that out!
[Reply]
Dave Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
@Token, this is good thinking
[Reply]
King John Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:51 pm
@Token,
and we can have PARSE too!
We’ll be deeeeeeep….
[Reply]
HockeyNerd Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
@King John, That’s one thing everybody is missing. In a few weeks we’ll have two more forwards and all it’ll cost is…… absolutely NOTHING.
Token Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:36 pm
@gentlemen, You are all too kind. *blush*
Another thing to be aware of; any player picked up off waivers after the trade freeze cannot play until the next season.
Very few clubs are willing to pick up salary they can’t use right away.
Watch the waiver wire after the 28th when teams dump their two way contract guys to the minors.
Why do think of Grant Fuhr whenever I hear the name Marco Sturm?
gKg!
[Reply]
LBlocal Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 6:47 pm
@LBlocal, Why do “I” think the name… Rick Martin, Ted Donato, Ilkka Sinisalo, Alyn McCauley.. Ok I’ll stop.
gKg!
[Reply]
Buster Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
@LBlocal, Why do I think of Jere Karalahti when I hear the name Grant Fuhr?
[Reply]
LBlocal Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
@Buster, Substance abuse?
[Reply]
Gerard Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
@LBlocal,
Am I the only one who thinks of Marco Sturm whenever I hear the name Marco Sturm?
[Reply]
Skebo Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:32 pm
@Gerard,
Marco….
….Polo!
[Reply]
On Versus they just talked about the Kings and how DL should give up a first or something to get another top 6 forward and then they’d get in to the playoffs. Said the D and goaltending is great. Who was it in Washington that was saying goaltending was an issue for the Kings? Was that in Washington?
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
@number 6,
DL was also on NHL On The Fly. Other than saying the team didn’t handle the 12-3 opening very well (need to learn how to handle winning), he stated he wouldn’t trade any of the young core group and take a chance on messing up the current team. For someone who seems to talk alot (at least when Rich interviews him), he didn’t have a lot to say tonight.
[Reply]
The Zamboni mechanic Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
@DesertKing,
always the same re DL… a lot of Dr Phil psycho-babble and never any facts…I’m getting sick of it.
[Reply]
Skebo Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
@The Zamboni mechanic,
Yeah, this is the best time of year to get on the TV and babble exactly what your plans are. I’m sure that none of the other GMs in the league would pay attention.
Any ways, this is sport. When was the last time anybody attached with sports said anything enlightening or meaningful?
rontheking Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
@The Zamboni mechanic, @Skebo,
Good point Skebo: “What’s your strategy, coach, for winning this game?” “Well, we think if we can come out and put more points on the board than the other team, we’ve got a pretty good chance of winning this game….”
Gerard Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
@DesertKing,
I take that as meaning he would trade picks and/or prospects, but none of the young guns currently at the NHL level.
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:52 pm
@Gerard,
Thats the way it sounded to me, but I claim no ability to fully comprehend the world of DL.
Off topic….phoenix winning, st Louis winning, Calgary
Winning…..wow, every day, every game…the western conference
teams that CANNOT win…..are winning……
[Reply]
KingsFanFTW Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
@Louis Zypher, yea it sucks nothing goes Kings way
[Reply]
TheRussianKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
@Louis Zypher, Looks like we’re back in 10th place. Nothing wrong with that though, all these teams have a couple of games in hand on us and we can still work back into top 8 as early as Wednesday.
[Reply]
KingsFanFTW Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
@TheRussianKing, i like ur positive attitude most have great faith for the kings i just get too worried
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
@KingsFanFTW, If your really worried, and trying to figure out how scores impact the Kings, this is a site that I often visit. It does a daily calculation of every team and every game and provides statistical impacts to the Kings playoff run. It takes a little while to figure out how to read it, but it’s worth every minute of it.
Dominick Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
@KingsFanFTW, http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Western/Pacific/Kings.html
Send Westgarth down no one will sign him…even if they do, we should care because????
[Reply]
i say send Harrold down. Loktionov has been a major factor in the Kings recent upswing and losing Harrold isn’t the worst thing in the world. DD2 can play if needed and we have Muzzin and Voynov and others in Manchester if we need them.
i’d rather lose Harrold to waivers as useful as he is than trade away a core player.
as far as trades, i’m ok if DL wants to trade a draft pick or someone from the system but it doesn’t make any sense to move a roster player. a first and a third for Versteeg is steep but if the first is very late first round it isn’t that bad. plus, Versteeg is a bona fide 20 goal scorer. you can’t always get that with the #28 pick in the draft.
by the way, Versteeg = healthy Sturm. i don’t see a reason to trade for something we already have. if it’s not an impact player it’s not worth the assets.
[Reply]
KH Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
@Dave, I’m pretty sure harrold would have to go through waivers and he would get picked up fersure
[Reply]
Dave Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:16 pm
@KH, yes he probably would and that’s ok.
[Reply]
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 3:09 am
@Dave, No, that’s not okay. Harry is the one guy who can help plug any hole except goaltender. No one has to be sent down. Sturm can be stalled and/or put on a “conditioning assignment” until the roster has no limit.
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
@Dave, Very true on the Harrold thing. I don’t know why i didn’t think of that. And as far as looking at a player as a bona fide anything, we have to be careful about looking at players in that way, because, a player might not play as well in what ever role he is given in the Kings system, don’t you think? Look at Poni, he’s suppost to be a 20 goal guy. True he has been hurt but another player would be JW, He’s a 30 goal guy. And, true, he also has been hurt most of the time the last two seasons, but this season he is playing well enough to put in close to that. IMO. I just think it’s the role he is given. I could be wrong.
[Reply]
Dave Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
@king lopez, he may not get 20 every year he did it in a third line role on a good team in Chicago and in a first line role on a bad team in Toronto.
and i really think that if poni played 80 games he’d get 20. he’s missed a ton of time plus scratches.
[Reply]
king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
@Dave, Scratched, Thats that is what I’m talking about. He isn’t playing well at times. Hurt or not, I really don’t think he would put in 20 cuz I don’t think he fits in.
Ravens Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
@Dave, Totally agree Versteeg and Sturm have the same totals when healthy,,and Sturm should be healthy for the final push,,I don’t see why everyone wants to trade for Verteeg and let Marco walk
[Reply]
KC23 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:14 pm
@Dave, All we have to do is either wait on Strum’s comeback till the 28 or send Loktionov down till the 28th and then call him back. Not biggy, certainly not enough to un-guard quality debth players.
[Reply]
I’m sorry but I just want to share this with you guys. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/607757-top-5-trade-possibilities-for-the-la-kings#page/5
This guy must be smoking something. lol he knows nothing about the kings.
He think’s we’ll trade Quick, Simmonds, and Sturm for Vokoun. Wow this guy should not be writing anything except his name with a crayon. Look at his other scenarios and tell me he’s not crazy.
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Dominick Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
@TheRussianKing,
Lets make his name available for Kingsfans. Eddie Theison.
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TheRussianKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:02 pm
@Dominick, Is it just me or is he out of his mind. He’s talking about trades that involve 3 roster players for one player or like Simmonds with Schenn,Teubert, and Hickey for one player. My favorite is the Vokoun trade because that really shows he knows nothing about the KINGS. We have no problems in goal and we never claimed we had one throughout the past two seasons. I kept checking the date of the article to see if it was from early last season or something, this guy is on crack.
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Dominick Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
@TheRussianKing, LOL He’s definately thinking the Kings are so desperate that they’ll sell 1/2 the team to get what we need. The only thing is that everyone of his ideas opens up another hole somewhere else. I think he must post here regularly after the Kings lose.
DesertKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
@TheRussianKing,
I can see Quick and Simmonds plus a 64 count box of crayolas, but never Sturm
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king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
@DesertKing, LOL!!!!
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SDKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
@TheRussianKing,
Hahaha. Well said. Also NO way we trade scuderi. He muat be on something.
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cpmc29 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
I like the Richards trade. Solid two way player. If I’m not mistaken he’s a set up man. That could help Kopi.
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king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
@TheRussianKing, LOOOL!!!!! WOW!! That guy is HIGH! Qick is not the man for the job!!?? REALLY! Who is this guy?
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crashin' da net Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
@TheRussianKing, when they announced the opening of the “brains” line, he must have thought they said “trains” and got in the wrong line.
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rontheking Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:58 pm
@TheRussianKing,
Eddie’s a Red Wing fan–no wonder he’s an idiot.
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Was just watching NHL overtime on VS and the guy was talking about how good the Kings defense system is. However acquisition of top 6 forward is the key ingredient for the success.
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crashin' da net Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
@goldielocks, common knowledge. It’s all a matter of “the art of the deal” and since DL can’t ever seem to make a good deal, the Walletman says “not a good enough deal, we’ll pass”. See, they want something for nothing. And that just ain’t gonna happen in this market…..so we flirt with the playoffs again til next year.
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king lopez Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
@crashin’ da net, Truthfully, I think we make a deal. But we will watch a fan Fav go… And thats because at this time, I think we love every player on our team. Sad to say but, I think we pull the trigger. I just hope it works.
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fsd1 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:43 am
@crashin’ da net, come on dude, dl has never made a good deal…….WAKE UP!
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Can I just say we are some of the best fans?
I love the feedback on the site and greatly thank Rich and the entire Kings organization for making this possible. I cant act like a hockey-vet because I’m only 23 but I’ve been a fan my whole life and grew up with seasons tix for a couple of seasons. I cant thank all of you enough for creating the vibe that all of us have come together to produce on this site. Even when the Kings are slumping I love going to this site to chat, think out loud, and stir up drama with every single one of you guys. Rich I hope you love your job because all of us want to keep you behind the keyboard for as long as we can to keep this going. GO KINGS GO
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SDKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:13 pm
@TheRussianKing,
Word my brother. Im 24 and been a fan since I was 6. This blog gave me a whole new perspective. I haven’t enjoyed the kings this much since Gretz was around… Or the game we took out detriot(which I was blessed to be at). Keep it up Rich. @TheRussianKing,
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TheRussianKing Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 11:30 pm
@SDKing, I was at the Detroit game too. Fury on Figueroa!!! Wow, now that felt like the best night ever to be a Kings fan.
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KC23 Reply:
February 14th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
@TheRussianKing, Well said. I’m 54 and been a home grown King’s fan since 1969. I’ve learned more about hockey since I started reading Rich’s blog than I did the previous 40 years. I’m talking about the front office, trade stuff, contracts, CBA and minor league info.
That being said, the fans are where I’ve learned most of it. Good example is just today I learned that on Feb 28th we can have more roster players and won’t be restricted, I had no idea about that.
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KH Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 12:12 am
@KC23, I’m 17 ironically born in 93′ and I was blessed to be born into a kings family that had season tickets at the forum. Unfortunately I don’t remember most of the kings games I’ve attended but I couldn’t be more happy to be a kings fan for 17 years and for the rest of my life. Rich love the site and agreed it’s great to stir up some stuff and get many opinions on all related kings stuff.
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Mikey Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 1:46 am
@TheRussianKing, spaseeba, brrat! Its such a great retreat from the daily grind to come to this site and readeveryones comments and opinions. I don’t know about you guys, but I feel as if the kings are kind of left in the dark throughout the NHL media. Palm trees=no hockey I guess. When I see all these kings fans and all the passion on the threads in this site, feels like I’ve high fived all of u at staples. Sniffle, I love you guys, man! Lol
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Shakes Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 6:16 am
@TheRussianKing,
Word…I’m 33 and a fan since ’89. It was a combination of my family getting cable (hooray Original Prime Ticket) and Gretzky which created the perfect storm.
Aside from a 4 yrs period in college I can honestly say that I’ve seen probably 65-75% of all Kings games on TV (or taped) since 1989. I now live in NY and this site (and the prior Daily News blog) is my most often visted place on the web, it:
(1) keeps me in touch with my favorite team at a level I could’ve never imagined
(2) makes me feel like I’m still at home in Southern Cal, and…
(3) I think I’m now more knowledgeable about hockey in general. Aside from Rich there are a decent number of readers who kinda see through the highs & lows and are just great people to learn from or hear their perspective.
What’s also been goood is that I like how most of the discussions are Kings-centric non-rumor-chats that occassionally touch on bigger hockey themes as well (i.e. I’m more aware of what is going on in the league as a resuly)
anyways hope all is well!
-shakes
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KFII Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
@TheRussianKing,
I’m late to this thread, but I still want to comment on it.
I’ve been a Kings fan since 1989. I watched my first game on Prime Ticket, shortly after moving to the L.A. area. We relocated to Idaho in 1992 but I continued to follow the Kings as best I could by internet and then finally NHL Center Ice. When I found this site last season, I felt like I’d hit the jackpot. Rich’s Insider is the best source for Kings news and for just fun reading. I’m hooked. It’s fun getting to know some of the regular posters and I look forward to each and every new article Rich writes. I’m no longer starved for Kings hockey updates, and I’m learning more about hockey every day. I love this site and all the fans who post here.
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This is something most people don’t think of when your team is a buyer. But how about if we sell Ponikarovsky? First, I can’t see anybody even taking him as a straight waiver claim.. But we will not be re-signing him next year. Even if we make the playoffs, I wouldn’t want him playing. (Did YOU see his performance last year with Pittsburgh in the playoffs? Healthy scratch a few times, I believe..)
So, if some “buying” team out there wants a big forward for a small price, even a 6th or 7th Round pick, wouldn’t that be nice to get SOMETHING for this dismal signing? If Lombardi somehow dealt him, albeit unlikely, we wouldn’t be deemed “sellers,” but if anything, clearing even more cap space to “buy.” I’m no GM, but if I was, I think I would try to get rid of that contract for the rest of the season to create more cap space.
Now, with all that being said, I’ve been seeing Ponikarovsky dip the shoulder and drive the puck to the net more consistently the past few games, so if he continues that and starts turning on the red light once in awhile, I’d be happy to keep him! But, I thought there were a few times he should have buried the puck. Maybe a lack of confidence. Just my opinion. If he starts scoring, I’m happy to keep him! We know he has the ability within himself.
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Kevin from Toronto Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 7:47 am
@Scot, Good point. I just figured he was going to come in, play his season and move on next year.
Never really gave much thought of Lombardi actually trading him. I think someone like maybe Tampa could use his size. I don’t think the Kings would get too much in return.
Maybe a package deal: Poni, 2nd round pick / Malone?
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What do you guys think about a suite night on St. Pattys Day???? I am flying in would be sweet to get that together????
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Mikey Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 1:49 am
@Chris Bond, im in
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Blows my mind people are so eager to throw Harrold under the bus. People who don’t appreciate Harrold’s utility value either haven’t been paying much attention this season, don’t know much about hockey, or both.
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Token Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 5:53 am
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, I’m a big Harrold fan. He is not a rock star, but he seldom makes mistakes which gives a lot of value to what he does.
When Mitchell was down and Harry was on the ice, he was a darn good puck moving defensman with some speed on him.
The sad truth of it though; the kids are passing him by, as was planned by the rebuild. Martinez is clearly better.
I was really hoping another club would offer a late pick for him or somesuch earlier in the season when the extra roster slot would have meant something to the Kings. Harry deserves to play a full season somewhere.
It looks like he will warm the pines until June when he goes UFA. Bummer.
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Dominick Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 7:40 am
@Token,
We’re fortunate to have him. He’s our insurance policy on defense. I hope we get some seperation in the standings soon so we could get Whiskey and Harrold into some games going into the playoffs. I’d like to keep those 2 fresh just in case we run into any injuries.
I had made a prediction that Harrold would survive to win a new contract regardless of how bright the future is for the Kings on defense, but have come to have a change of heart since. If Harrold is only going to be a utility defenseman for us than I as much as I like him, I hope his usefullness doesn’t go unnoticed to any teams that could use him at defense fulltime.
Like Quincy, I would wish him nothing but the best, and look forward to seeing him do very well on another team.
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Stuart Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
@Token, If we had to send someone down and expose them to the dreaded waiver wire I’d rather expose Whiskey than PH for all the reasons that have been talked about.
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jason Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 6:37 am
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, I know people wont like this comment but i actually think Harold is more reliable on D than Greene and he adds more offensive touch. Only thing is greene is big and pwerful and i’m sure hes a key leader in the locker room
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Send Westgarth down. What’s the worst that could happen? He gets claimed by another team and we don’t have to watch him play anymore?
I think Clifford can hold his own and I don’t think Westgarth intimidates anyone except for maybe the guy in the penalty box keeping the water bottles filled.
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:15 am
@Kevin from Toronto, If you’ve watched him play you would see that Westi brings more to the Kings than just a heavyweight in the lineup. He’s a good fit here and just needs more playing time. As to Clifford: remember that he is a lightweight, not a heavyweight, and while he gives 100% all of the time and is not fearful whatsoever, he is not an enforcer.
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Real 7 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:28 am
@THEROCKNROLL80S,
he’s NOT an enforcer???
tell that to Carcillo…
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nykingfan Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:37 am
@Real 7,
He’s not an enforcer because he’s not a heavyweight. He’s a really good fighter who will drop the gloves with anyone, but he’s been fighting mostly guys his own size and weight. Think about guys like Boogard, Ivanans..guys who are 240+ lbs..
also, do you want him out there dropping gloves with other teams heavyweights (goons) and lose him for 5 min? He’as an effective winger who’s only getting better. which team would be losing out on that exchange?
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:40 am
@Real 7, He’s not, but I really enjoyed watching him throw that punk around!
Real 7 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:32 am
@Kevin from Toronto, you’re from T.O. — enough said
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Kevin from Toronto Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 10:49 am
@Real 7, what’s that supposed to mean?
I just don’t think teams need 2 dressed players that will fight.
While the other teams’ goons are out looking for a fight, the Kings can have 12 forwards capable of puting the puck in the net, which is the main area of concern for them. I’m not questioning their toughness
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Real 7 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@Kevin from Toronto, send Westgarth down?
that’s certainly not going to happen, which shows you don’t know the Kings very well….
so why should anyone listen to what you’re saying….
and yes he is a presence the other team is aware of….and he’s getting better, actually looked pretty good in recent games handling the puck and in the corners….
It seems to me the most logical move would be to send Sturm out on a conditioning assignment to Manchester and recall him when the roster limits are no more.
There really isn’t anyone on the team right now that we can afford to lose either thru waivers or sending down to Manchester (lokti, Martinez)
Prior to seeing Lokti at center, I would have thought he was the obvious choice to go down, but with these new lines and having him at center, The combos could turn out to be something special.
I wouldn’t mess with anything on defense. We’re #1 in GA in the NHL…those 6 guys have been huge for us on the blueline..Martinez has been incredibly consistant.
I feel bad for Harry not playing, but he’s the ultimate utility player. You need him on the roster in case someone goes down, or someone’s play slides. It may not seem fair to him, but he’s on an NHL roster getting paid pretty good money. There’s a lot of guys who would trade anything to be in his position.
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puck73 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 7:59 am
@nykingfan, Agree with all of that. And as for Harrold, I have always pointed out on this blog that we have a winning record when Harry plays, and his plus\minus is always in the plus category, including this season. I still contend that #A.Harry should have been playing on D when mitchell got hurt, and #B..I would have loved to see Harry been partnered with Martinez for at least 1 game. I think at least on paper, that pairing could be effective as well. and Harry is a right shot and Martinez a left, both can really skate and move the puck as well. And no, I am not suggesting trade Greene, or even bench him for an extended period, I just think that pairing would be interesting to see for a game.
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Token Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:26 am
@puck73, unfortunately for Harry, we also have Slava Voynov, a real gem of a puck moving right shot defenseman that beat Grabners skate time during the AHL all-star. He is ready for his NHL introduction.
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rontheking Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 9:46 am
@Token,
And don’t forget Muzzin. He has speed for a big guy, is an offensive prodigy, and brings the boom! factor to his hits. He’s ripe and ready on the vine….
Let’s hope @king lopez,
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sigh and just like that back to 10th… man just cant get a break…. and the dogs are first in the pacific….
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This team is being built for a 3 to 5 year cup run. Just analyze our players and our farm system. We don’t need to trade any of our future because we can win with what we have. Patience please! You’re doing a damn good job DL. Don’t be foolish by doing what your predecessors have done. Keep this team and it’s AHL and junior players together.
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Token Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:30 am
@THEROCKNROLL80S, *BINGO*, +1!
Schenn, Lokti, Kitsyn and Voynov will be gold in a year or few.
Mother Russia to the rescue, and a Canadian.
Да, харашо!
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I wondering why no one has even considered the possibility that we could move a goaltender? It is pretty unusal that a team carries two #1 goalies and that exactly what the Kings will have next season. Makes sense to me to move either Bernier or Quick (a very tough choice indeed) and get a true lop line left winger in return.
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Jason4Kings Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:27 am
@Lvhatrick,
My read is that there isn’t a lack of NHL caliber goalies, so the return for Bernier wouldn’t be enough. I think they also just want to be sure, and aren’t in a hurry to decide who will be the number one for years to come.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:39 am
@Jason4Kings, My personal opinion is that they’ll both be NHL starters, but that doesn’t have to happen for a few years. Both their values are currently on the increase, and they’re both highly useful to the Kings right now. I don’t think DL will let either go soon unless it affords him the ability to obtain “the final piece,” or something like that (which won’t be this season–or at least no one could know that.)
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Jason4Kings Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:43 am
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, Yeah, i think that’s basically the same thing i’m saying.
Token Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:43 am
@Lvhatrick, Let me see; two top caliber franchise goalies on three year contracts worth half of what other teams pay for one goalie? A GM’s wet dream.
Unless someone offers a straight 1-1 trade for a Malkin, Parise, Gaborik type of player, goalies are not moving.
In a couple years, if Jones in Manchester continues to develop at this pace, we may have 3 top franchise goalies, at which point one of them will be moved.
I predict the Kings will have a 1a and 1b goalie for the next 7 years. No backups here.
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puck73 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 10:14 am
@Token, Totally agree with all of that. Good post.
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Dominick Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 8:50 am
@Lvhatrick,
Because our depth at goaltending was and is by design. Why make all those plans just to trade it away? Are the Kings only allowed 1 good goalie at a time?
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Lvhatrick Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
I just saying that going down the road that it is very unlikely that you can keep both goaltenders happy when both are potentially top 5 goalies in the league trading playing time on one team. It really is something that doesn’t happen in the league to often. The trade value may be really high for one of them allowing the Kings to get the top 6 foward they want with as little talent loss as possible. I can tell you I’d much rather see Bernier traded then Simmonds, Harold, etc…
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A lot of very interesting trade scenarios here. Some are viable, but I keep thinking back over the 40+ years I have been a fan. Over those years we have probably tried everything from coach changes,player changes, let’s sell the farm for a cup now, let’s not sell the farm and build from within, etc, etc.
Nothing has worked for us!! I now just sit back and root for whomever we have at the time and hope for the best. I know this may be viewed as Quitting but the present Kings are capable of playing cup hockey and at times do so. They are an exciting team and I do see them improving on working together.
Anyhow, I shall continue supporting the team and as a side note, any one of you naysayers that think we should get rid of Zeus are NUTS!!
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puck73 Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 10:20 am
@old codger, The depth this organization now has at Manchester and the juniors is the envy of evry GM out there. like you, I have been a fan a long time and I just cannot believe how much young talent we have, and how much is coming. The other good thing about young players is they are cheaper, and they have a smaller cap hit. When Dean 1st came in here, our depth on defense and goaltending was a joke. What he has done in 5 seasons is awesome…what a great time to be a Kings fan.
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Pili Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 12:40 pm
@old codger, I agree that Hanzus’ instincts and his face off skills alone make him a very valuable part of the team. I don’t really see how the team is severely lacking anything but I think I’m in the minority with that opinion.
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I would prefer to keep Loktionov up for AT LEAST a few more games,
while leaving Handzus at wing.
If Loktionov slumps or gets stale, then send him down to finish the yeart at Manch.
But if Loktionov stays effective and continues to IMPROVE, it will give us more skill and depth for the PO run and maybe the POs themselves.
NEXT SEASON, I envision Kopi on 1st line, a *rookie-of-the-year candidate Brayden Schenn* centering
the 2nd line, Stoll centering the 3rd line, and Lokti centering a 4th “energy” line with Richardson(LW) and maybe Lewis(RW), capable of plying 10 or more minutes-a-game.
To get Lokti even more minutes next season, he can get PP and PK minutes as well, or be put temporarily on another line to mix things up, if necessary.
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Can you freaking believe sending Lokitonov down just to keep DL’s newest cripple off the waiver wire. I say cut The Cripple and bring up Schenn. What is the sense of having these Wunderkids if we aren’t going to use them. If anyone thinks that we are going to make a run at the Cup this year, please, check your meds. Why not bring up these kids so they can get a taste of a playoff run and develop their playoff senses, develop their recognition of what it takes to get to and compete in the playoffs at the NHL level, not at Manchester. What are we waiting for? No onewaited for Kopi’s 22nd birthday, or Drew’s, or Clifford’s. I’m sick of the trade deadline last gaspers that DL keep’s bringing in. And now the shuffle to keep The Cripple. Dear Lord!
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