Marco Sturm is officially back in the Kings’ fold, as he was activated from injured reserve today. Sturm has four goals and four assists in 15 games with the Kings and will be back in the lineup for the first time since Jan. 18 in a first-line role with center Anze Kopitar and right winger Wayne Simmonds. Terry Murray indicated that Sturm might also get some power-play time. After this morning’s skate, I asked Terry Murray if there was anything the team and/or Sturm could do in order to help prevent another physical setback for Sturm. As you know, Sturm returned from his offseason knee surgery in late December, but then had to leave the lineup less than a month later because of knee tendinitis…
MURRAY: “There’s nothing I can do now. We’ve had a whole lot of people behind this whole thing, when you go back to the time that he came here, through the decision being made that everything was going to be OK, with the medical staff and the off-ice workouts with Tim (Adams, strength and conditioning coach). An incredible amount of people have put a big push on Marco to get himself where he is right now. He’s on a top line, he’s going to play important minutes for us, and now is his opportunity to really show us who he is, in every shift and every game. In the early part of it, we did not see the Marco Sturm that we expected, because of the physical conditioning side of it, and emotionally he hadn’t made the breakthrough yet.”
Question: Is power-play time possible for him?
MURRAY: “Probably so, yeah. Maybe even a little penalty kill here today. With Poni (Alexei Ponikarovsky) not being in the lineup, I need a PK guy. We did use him before, and he reads the plays well.”
Go break a leg Sturm!
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dude Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:54 pm
@Miller29, ouch! the knee is bad enough LOL
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Think Lombardi’s going to be watching?
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fsd1 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:34 pm
@Dave’s a Killer, Do you really think he doesn’t watch the games?
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tornado12 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:40 pm
@fsd1, I think his point was to assess his need to push for a trade to fill that spot. As we are all aware, the deadline is coming up, so a decision has to be made (like now) if Sturm is the answer or not for the perpetual question of ‘who’s on LW1?’
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ponce Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 5:22 pm
@tornado12, Tornado, if you think for a moment that DL is going to do anything else but pick up Halpern or Modin before the deadline, you’re dreaming. DL hasn’t got a GM bone in his body. He can draft with the best of them when he has one of the top five picks, but my Mom could do that. All the teams around us doing something, anything to improve their teams while our GM sits holding onto action figures of Simmonds, Hickey, Tolbert, and who ever else he values that can’t help us today. Sturm is this years Modin, only with a suck knees. I’m sure we didn’t need the money we spent on him while he was on the disabled list. What a waste. You can hear it in TM’s voice regarding Sturm, “There’s nothing I can do now…..We did not see the Marco Sturm that we expected…” DL’s a joke, and Phil should sell the team.
KingsFanFTW Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:51 pm
@Dave’s a Killer, GM always watch there team play no matter what they why they know what they need
I think Dean know what he needs just doesnt want to trade our core players that they want
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Why put simmer on the top line and Willie on the third?
Switch them TM
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sid the kid Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:10 pm
@Ari, TM is a very sublte guy sometimes. sometimes he says exactly what he thinks, sometimes he switches up the lines to generate offense and to mentally shake players up. this is his wakeup call to williams to start producing again. also, simmer on the top line with sturm is because sturm will eventually get put back on the 3rd line with willie, so they get to practise together on 1st line today and for maybe a couple more games and then they get bumped back down. that is, if i read TM’s decision making as though it was in the past
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Jorgen Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:13 pm
@sid the kid, put Koptar on the third line with Williams. He needs to wake up as well.
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fsd1 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:32 pm
@Jorgen, sorry, Kopi needs no moves
PRMan Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:07 pm
@sid the kid, Williams has been our hottest scorer for 5 games now…
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Ari Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:28 pm
@sid the kid, The magic question is who will take Sturms current 1LW spot
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:07 pm
@Ari, I can understand being behing Kopi if he has produced at least slightly below an acceptable level, but what I can’t understand is all of those “love Kopi no matter what” fans who are stuck on this guy when he has not produced at all. Oh, and for all of you “look at his assists – he’s almost a point a game” fans: assists are given to the first two guys who touch the puck before someone scores no matter what. Most assists are overrated.
5holer Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:25 pm
@sid the kid, Someone please splane this! I no get it!
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king909 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:45 pm
@Ari, because its TM and he doesnt let the players get any kind of chemistry he should have never messed with it . Does anyone else think we should have last years number 1 line back together? or at least stay with the lines when they are doing good. Dang TM whats the point of playing musical chairs?… i wouldnt be surprised if we get a top 6 forward at the deadline and he ends up on the 4th line with TM as the head coach
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go get em sturm!!
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““There’s nothing I can do now. We’ve had a whole lot of people behind this whole thing, when you go back to the time that he came here, through the decision being made that everything was going to be OK, with the medical staff and the off-ice workouts with Tim (Adams, strength and conditioning coach). An incredible amount of people have put a big push on Marco to get himself where he is right now.”
I take that to mean that TM was not really one of hte people pushign to bring sturm here, and who knows if he is trying to set sturm up for failure, putting him on the 1st line right after getting back into the mix from tendonitis
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Stuart Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:26 pm
@sid the kid, i got that exactly same feeling reading this. I dont feel TM believes that MS was/is an answer for any questions the Kings had… I think he’s saying in his head to DL “I told you so…”
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fsd1 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:29 pm
@sid the kid, yea, we have a coach who intentionally tries to ruin player careers, and Kompon is on the grassy knoll…….
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Chongo Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:26 pm
@fsd1, Is it me or are some of these postings getting evem MORE ridiculous?
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5holer Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:23 pm
@Chongo, Yup they are! Who’s in the Book Depository with the Rifle? Its Marco Sturm of course! He’s aiming at the merry-go-round LW1 position right? Has anyone seen Kopitar lately! Ugh! As the worm turns!!
HockeyNerd Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:27 pm
@Chongo, Well it’s NOT you…..
crashin' da net Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:57 pm
@sid the kid, I think MS has been practicing hard. He should also know his resigning is at stake so not only is he motivated but I think very capable physically and mentally. I say MS scores a goall within the next 2 games and Kopi scores 2 durin gthat same period. Also, ANA’s PK stinks so we may even be able to get one (if we close our eyes and shoot it!).
GKG!
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I for one think that Sturm as a professional athlete and one who has been through a major knee rehab, and as a guy who has a lot to prove to a new organization, knows a lot more about his health situation than TM. Frankly, I think both GM’s were setting him up to fail when you trade away or for a man in the middle of a rehab from a major knee injury. Best of luck to Sturm, who as far as I’m concerned has done everything that’s been asked of him. Go Marco!
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fsd1 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:31 pm
@deanna, please read above, there is now a crowd on the grass
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deanna Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:38 pm
@fsd1, I actually posted before they did, so it was my grass first!
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Dominick Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:00 pm
@deanna,
dMan Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:52 pm
@fsd1, LOL!!!
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:24 pm
@fsd1, Just because they’re pushing him with damaging and unrealistic expectations doesn’t make it a conspiracy to do harm–it is what it is.
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deanna Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:44 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, I honestly don’t think it is a conspiracy. I appreciate your sentiments from a couple days ago. Sturm was in a no-win situation, no matter how you look at it. Everyone had unrealistic expectations. Put him in a position to perform 100% healthy and he will do fine. Unfortunately, it’s probably a moot point.
Can’t help but think that this game is not only important for points but a turning point. If they lose no playoffs if they win they’ll make it.
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fourtunato Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:53 pm
@twnclick,
Wow, I really can’t believe that. We have quite a few games left. If we lose this one, it will be telling how the team responds on Thursday. If we lose both those games then start worrying.
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Anjin Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:10 pm
@twnclick, isn’t it crazy that after one of the most successful road trips in team history that every game is still a must win?
I’m afraid we’re really going to have to keep winning or at least get points in almost every game left to make it in. The only team I really see slipping out of the race at this point is Dallas.
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I hope he scores a hat trick tonight and is a point a game player for the rest of the season,Lets go Kings time for the push to the playoffs.
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DesertKing Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 12:52 pm
@Bkrs-Bud,
Would definitely love to see that. Would definitely love to see Westy do that. I don’t care who does that, just as long as we get 2 points a game and GKG!
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Welcome back Marco! Please help pull Kopi out of his funk.
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5holer Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:33 pm
@Lilly, Got Rope? Gonna need more then Marco Polo to pull that far! 50cents says he wears a knee brace tonight! I guess you could tie a rope to the brace? Is Kopi on the Kings offensive team? Is he just being offensive about it? DD EEE FENCE!! ad naseum!
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king909 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:52 pm
@Lilly, Do you really think Marco sturm is the answer i wouldnt be surprised if Kopi does not do anything tonight come on DL do something about this need ! If we have to trade away a couple prospects and a proven player to get a big deal go for it. If DL tries to keep all the prospects were just going to be the same team for years to come. We need a sniper to give kopi space.
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I’m looking for Sturm to contribute tonight and throughout the remainder of the season. I think that it really hinges (no pun intended) on his knee. I hope for him that all goes well. He’s been a very good player for many years and if he is healthy he can provide for the Kings a top flight left winger.
GKG!
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5holer Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:48 pm
@Michael J., What planet are you on? He has NEVER been a top line forward at any level. He is what he is, a 3rd line winger with speed(formerly?). He is not the “Answer to LW1″ and no disrespect to him on that. We have about 10-12 3rd to 4th line forwards here, that an ample supply. Marco is one of those, as are the rest of them, except maybe Brownie and the missing Kopi and just maybe Willie. That is about it for top 6 forwards to me. Parse could be one also, but not today, not now while recovering from hip surgery. Sad state, but it is what it is. But we have to wait for something to develop at Manchester or in the Draft assets before we get help, right? Patience, that’s it!?? I don’t abide in Sturm or Patience as an answer to LW1..keep wasting Kopi’s skills and he will stop developing to his highest potential. That’s the ticket!
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KC23 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 3:46 pm
@5holer, He’s from a planet where phrases like “What planet are you on” is unnecessarily rude thing to say. Geez, lighten up.
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Let’s go sturminator!!!
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It will be good tohave Sturm back and take some pressure of Greene so he doesn’t have to add so much to the offense
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Bodoe Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:12 pm
@DesertKing, How else is Green going to catch up with Scuderi in the goal department?
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DesertKing Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:19 pm
@Bodoe,
I would love to see Mitchell jump into that race also! defense is keeping us in all of the games so we might as well have them win them for us also.
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Sturm is a jinx
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KC23 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 3:47 pm
@RyanSD, Nope, its me. Been following the Kings since 69-70 and they have never one a cup since.
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Guten lucken for das Sturminator, JA!
So what do th Kings do for eight hours before a game? Sounds kinda boring. No place to nap or hang out??? That seems like such a long time to be at Honda Center before a game… Just wondering.
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lvkingaholic Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 3:34 pm
@mash-ola, probably do some duck hunting………..
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I don’t know if this has ever been said so I’ll apologize if it has…
I just had the thought that maybe Terry Murray has been making a statement without words to DL over the past few months by playing so many different people on the LW with Kopi. Maybe TM is trying to show DL how badly we need that LW by showing him that no other combination of our current players & prospects are working. Kind of telling him in a respectful way without confronting him, just doing it with action.
Yeah, it’s a nutty thought, but I’m beginning to think it has some legs given how many different peoiple have played with Kopi this season.
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wavesinair Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:10 pm
@Cynic,
The only problem is everyone and their mother knows how badly the Kings need a 1st-LW. Considering the “lost summer,” Marco “the pipe-dream” Sturm, Kopitar’s sub-standard season and the constant revolving left wing door, DL is probably more acutely aware of the problem than any human being on the planet. If we don’t make the playoffs, I wouldn’t be totally surprised to see Lombardi canned.
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Cynic Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:29 pm
@wavesinair, Twitter is down right now (WHAAAAA!!!!) but from TheFourthPeriod I saw a tweet where Darren Dreger from TSN virtually suggested the same thing. I’d be surprised if DL was fired as the division has been insane, but I could see him being given an ultimatum.
It might change the way he does business by next season. Guess we’ll see.
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BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:23 pm
@Cynic,
I agree with that sentiment.
There must be a great deal of internal organizational pressure on DL to get a deal done, without upsetting the team’s core. TM knows that his job is on the line more than DL’s this season, and he knows he’s probably toast if the team doesn’t make the playoffs.
I think this revolves around the team’s next ten games:
WED FEB 23, 2011/ KINGS @ DUCKS
THU FEB 24, 2011/ WILD @ KINGS
SAT FEB 26, 2011/ AVALANCHE @ KINGS
MON FEB 28, 2011/ RED WINGS @ KINGS
THU MAR 3, 2011/ COYOTES @ KINGS
SAT MAR 5, 2011/ CANUCKS @ KINGS
MON MAR 7, 2011/ STARS @ KINGS
WED MAR 9, 2011/ KINGS @ RED WINGS
FRI MAR 11, 2011/ KINGS @ BLUE JACKETS
SUN MAR 13, 2011/ KINGS @ STARS
From the look of it, 5-5 would be a good result. The record could get very very bad or very very good, easily. I’m afraid the other teams are going to get hot and pass the Kings by.
More pressure right now on TM than DL… Need to prolong this hot streak, avoid the big letdowns seen at just this point after two prior hot streaks.
–Be afraid.
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Cynic Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:35 pm
@BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy, This is such a scary set of games, especially with the conference & division being what they are right now. If last year was about learning how to win the tough games and make it to the playoffs, then this year ought to be about showing us what they learned from last year.
The Kings need 15 points (In my opinion) from these 10 games to secure a spot in the playoffs with the way everyone is winning. That is going to be a VERY difficult feat with these teams all fighting for a playoff spot (Sans COLORADO). Our defense may just be our saving grace.
If the team simply plays d- like they have all season and gets more aggressive on putting bodies on net, winning puck battles and going low-to-high on their cycles, as long as they SHOOT THE DAMN PUCK, we’ll do well.
The players in this locker room have to decide how bad they want the Cup. If their focus is that, and not the playoffs, they’ll make the playoffs.
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wavesinair Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:37 pm
@BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy,
If they go 5-5 in the next 10, they will have to go 8-4-1 the rest of the way…
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BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:50 pm
@wavesinair,
If the Kings are not in a playoff position by the end of the Mar 13 Stars game in Dallas, I bring in Dandy Don Meredith:
–Turn out the lights, the party’s over…
Dominick Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:26 pm
@Cynic,
I don’t like that it was all unnecessary to begin with. A few years back, Fro was having an excellent year offensively, on Kopi’s left. Last season he was put on the 3rd line with only a handfull of shifts with Kopi by accident. Brown had his best production with him on the left and Cammi on the right. Next season Cammi got traded for nothing and Brown went back to the right. To Browns credit he does play better on the right, but getting rid of an offensive player when you need offense has never sat well with me. Irony is that Cammi became a left winger after he left and has put up more points in each season since than any left winger we’ve ever used there. Totally unnecessary.
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Cynic Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:44 pm
@Dominick, I disagree with Fro. He was an enigma and way too hot and cold to believe in as a scorer. No matter how awesome he was on the half-boards, that never translated into points for him. He would never go to the hard areas like a winger should.
Now Cammi on the other hand, well that is tough to disagree with. He scored 34 in a Kings uni in 06-07, but was declining the next season. Who would have thought he’d become what he is? I honestly believe he is playing much better because he is in Canada and he thrives on the pressure to win there. It keeps him competitive. Some players are like that. If we got him back and paid him the 6mil a season, I’ll bet he would not perform as well. It’s a hunch, but Cammi had his chances here and it was suggested he was kind of an attitude problem. At the time, we could not afford that since our core was so young.
Fro was necessary. Cammi, not sure. Overall, we said we were rebuilding, so you gotta believe these things were coming. In hindsight, maybe we could have salvaged the relationship with Cammi and I’ll bet DL probably thinks so to some degree. If his relationship with JJ could be repaired into a 7 year awesome deal, Cammi should have been a breeze.
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BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:52 pm
@Cynic,
Coulda built around a player of Cammy’s caliber…
But he did not want to play here, and played his cards to get to Montreal.
–Not the Kings’ fault!
Dominick Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:08 pm
@Cynic, I respect your perspective. I feel Fro could have been much more, and still no one has scored as many goals in a season since. Cammi I believe had an injury when his #’rs declined. When he came back from the injury he was on fire, and ready to prove himself, but the season ran out and he was traded. Since he left he has scored 163 points in 190 games. I don’t think it is all Canada, because he was showing flashes of offensive prowess just before we traded him. I’ve always felt it was a personal issue that should have been resolved.
wavesinair Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:05 pm
@Dominick, You can’t make a guy sign when he doesn’t want to play in the org. It happens all the time.
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Dominick Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 2:11 pm
@wavesinair, Did he demand a trade? I just see the same problem not being resolved, and I see it as it was avoidable.
5holer Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 3:09 pm
@Cynic, You are indeed a Cynic, Mr Cynic! That was a pretty cynical account of the goings on between a coach and a GM. I think it is in each of their best interests to stay on point together. The coach is not a GM and a GM is not a coach, so why would you want to do the other guys job along with your own? You’d need a 48 hr day to do that! Look, obviously a coach wants to do things that help the team and the player, to get more out of them during an 82 game, million mile traveled season! No sympathy to the players or coaches either, as they chose their professions with all it entails. Likewise, a GM wants to do the things that help his team and coaches to be successful as they can with the product at hand. It makes no sense, unless you have a death wish, to do anything counter to that. That may be a part of the problem here with DL…not wanting to do something to set back the team, e.g. a bad trade, get pick pocketed by another GM and so it goes. There have been some poor decisions made with personnel in recent years by this management group, no doubt. Equally though, there have been some excellent decisions made by them. The results are in evidence now. I do see DL & TM as part of the cure and not the problem, so I don’t see what you see in such a cynical fashion. Let’s hope not for sure!
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KC23 Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 3:49 pm
@Cynic, I don’t believe that is true, but admit the thought has crossed my mind more than once.
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I was @ yesterdays practice, and he really looked like he had some jump.
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JayGoLAKings Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:10 pm
@TJB, Marco will make things happen tonight. Top line will be working hard.
Go Kings Go!!!
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“An incredible amount of people have put a big push on Marco to get himself where he is right now.”
Ah, yes, the push that put him back on injured reserve by giving him tendinitis in the healing knee (or possibly the other, compensating knee.)
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“In the early part of it, we did not see the Marco Sturm that we expected, because of the physical conditioning side of it, and emotionally he hadn’t made the breakthrough yet.”
So, now that Sturm is done with training camp, and apparently has “broken through”, I can’t wait to see him tear it up on the firs line tonight. This statement alone makes me believe that TM & Co. know can finally make a difference. Statement game for Sturm tonight for sure!! I’m sure he will create more open ice for Kopi and Simmer than Zeus, Richie, Loki etc. could.
GKG!!!
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Niko Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:27 pm
@Niko, know HE can
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thou shall trust DL and TM amen!
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To all the DL and TM rogue scholars on this board:
The man on the grassy knoll made them do it!
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:51 pm
@Token, No, unrealistic expectations and an attempt to cover their unsuccessful asses made them do it.
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deanna Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, And possibly, at the expense of Sturm’s career. That’s really what I have no respect for.
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MS will rock the next 2 games! GKG! Demolish those schmucks!
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STURM: “When you come to a new team, you always want to do great and help the team win. I did it for a little bit, and now I’ve had a setback but there’s still a lot of time, a lot of games left, so hopefully I can show everyone what I’ve got and help the team win.”
SHOW IT!!
GO KINGS
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Strum is a top 6 LW when healthy. Let’s hope his hard training the past month pay off for him. Good luck tonight Marco.
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