Following up on the last item, about the improvement shown by Oscar Moller in the last game, there was also something of a step-up performance from Moller’s linemate, Dustin Penner. Penner has alternately drawn praise and criticism from Terry Murray, and in the aftermath of Thursday’s game, Murray’s reaction was positive. Penner did not record a point, but had three shots on goal in 18-plus minutes and was notably more active in the offensive zone, going to the net and showing the type of jump, with his skating and mindset, that had sometimes been absent in recent games.
MURRAY: “He better not show us anything except that kind of jump now, because I’ve got that clip. [laughs] He had good energy. He had good legs. It’s an important game. When you play big games, your best players have to play `A’ games. I thought Penner really stepped his intensity up, his focus up. He had the puck on his stick and challenged the defensemen several times with his speed, and I like to see that speed. He was trying to do the right thing to help this team win the game last night in regulation, and that’s a great thing to see.”
Penner will be an asset in the playoffs and come up huge
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BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 5:58 pm
@408KingsFan,
Consistency.
Consistency…
CONSISTENCY!
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OldKingsFan Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
@BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy, The duse reminds me of the Michelin man. He is big and he plays soft. Looks like he is giving a hug not a hit
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Rookie Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 6:35 pm
@OldKingsFan,
Reminds me of Brian Boyle….6′ 7″, 245 plus pounds and soft as a marshmallow…..
Cristobal Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
@Rookie
yeah, tell that to NY fans. Boyle hits, forechecks, cycles, blocks shots, wins tons of faceoffs, scores goals, and eats up ice time especially in crunch time.
He’s horrible!
39scars Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 9:47 pm
@OldKingsFan, Boyle disappeared in tonight’s big game. It appeared he played less than 5 minutes a period. Dog house
I just hope everyone as a team step up and plays their very best
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I’m leaning towards rooting for Dallas to lose tonight to ‘de-motivate’ a little our closest pursuers over the weekend. If they relax a little it’s better for our seeding.
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sasKing Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 6:13 pm
@bbb7, Ah, but you could also argue that if Dallas is still nipping at their heels, those other teams might play nervously, well aware that any slip-ups will possibly help the Stars into the top 8. It’s all in their heads, anyway. Mental games are huge right now.
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I hope this weekend that penner forgets all his former camaraderie while with the Dux and just smashes someone into next week! Hey, I can dream cant I?
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408KingsFan Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 5:59 pm
@tornado12, I bet your glad you didnt make it to the Shark Tank monday
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tornado12 Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
@408KingsFan, And how! I actually had to work late and by the time I was on the way to the bar to watch the game it was 3-1, so I just went home and read about the final score later. Usually there are good games when they get together, but that sure was a stinker. At least my Guppy lovin friends were kind and didnt rub it in!
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408KingsFan Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
@tornado12, It was a hostile enviroment. I think mostly because of the Giants fan getting beat up, they are hating all things LA
G$ Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
@tornado12, who cares! They would be mad if the price of granola went up!
Kingsrule Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 7:00 pm
@408KingsFan, I didn’t go and was glad I didn’t as last time I was there it was a 6-3 loss for the kings. I live in Palo Alto moved from Newport Beach last year sold my playoff tix and season tix but kept the Finals tix just in case… GKG!
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I don’t think many hockey teams have much use for a guy who can demonstrate talent and drive when he feels like it, and doesn’t often feel like it. In a league where playing with urgency is commonplace and necessary, a guy with Penner’s demonstrated lack of drive (on 3 teams now) should never command the salary that he does. He was obviously in the right market at the right time when he signed with Edmonton, but I think he is probably a good example of the need for milestone-driven contracts for certain players. If I were paying him my money, I’d be plenty pissed off that he can’t seem to get motivated for 60 minutes. There are thousands of young men who would give anything to play in the NHL, and Penner is dogging it while making millions??? That’s just wrong.
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rontheking Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 6:47 pm
@In the Net,
Right there with you. With his size and skill set, this guy should be a major threat every time he gets the puck. Now that he’s shown it, he better start bringing it with him every shift….
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Lead Feet Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
@In the Net,
I agree. In the first period I was thinking what a dissapointment he has been. Then in the second when he dipped his shoulder and went to the net, and later when he raced up to the puck and got that shot off, and then again later was digging really hard for the pusk…my thoughts changed to how awesome this guy SHOULD be. Look how hard JW plays at half DP’s size.
I hope he makes all of us proud in the playoffs.
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Kenny44 Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
@In the Net, I dispute your contention that Penner has “demonstrated a lack of drive on three teams. Let’s look at the three teams you cite. Respectfully, I think you’re (1) making stuff up that’s convenient to your point of view; (2) buying into bogus accusations by a doomed coach, and (3) wildly rushing to judgment. I live in OC and I know that the Ducks were pissed that Edmonton made that RFA offer to Penner. The Ducks couldn’t match because they had to keep cap space to re-sign Selanne and Niedermayer. They tried to make a trade to dump salaries so they could keep Penner, but they couldn’t do it because everybody knew their situation and tried to rob them. Penner played 1 full season in ANA, his rookie year, and scored 29 goals. I never heard of an effort issue and it killed Brian Burke to see him go. So that’s one down.
His second team was Edmonton, and Bozo the MacTavish threw the high-priced Penner under the bus as the Oilers circled the drain. MacTavish was in fear of losing his job and desperate either for a scapegoat or to work some Keenanesque magic. I don’t give that stuff much weight (after all, MacTavish did later get fired anyway and he’s the guy who was too smart to wear a helmet in the NHL fior all those years).
As for Penner’s tenure with the Kings, it’s a little early to pin lazy on the guy. He started out great. He seemed to slow down right after TM was saying he had a lot to learn to play within the system. Now that TM’s asked for more skating and offense, Penner’s delivered. I’ve seen him succeed before and I want to see it now with our team.
Go Kings Go!
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Bonvivant1 Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 9:06 pm
@Kenny44, You’re not Penner’s agent? Are you?
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Kenny44 Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
@Bonvivant1, Sadly no. I’d have got him $6 million
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:07 am
@Kenny44, Actually, Kenny…it’s something that has not only followed him his entire NHL career, but was one of the major factors as to why he was never drafted.
He has a world of talent, and when he “brings it” on a consistent basis, he is almost impossible to stop, HOWEVER, he does not “bring it” on a consistent basis. He didn’t in Anaheim, and yet was able to put up the goals. He didn’t in Edmonton, and yet was able to put up points, and he hasn’t so far in LA. He didn’t in Juniors and that, along with his skating ability are what kept him from being drafted in the first place.
He has a stigma following him around. Someone his size, with his hands, should NEVER be along the perimeter, EVER. Yet, that is where he makes his living. He plays like he is afraid of contact, and that is a serious concern.
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HBFan Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
@In the Net, I wonder how many employers of the bashers/bloggers on this website think while doing their yearly performance of said basher/bloggers. ” He has the ability to a be a great employee, yet his performance Oct. through April show an extreme lack of consistency”
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People should remember he’s produced on every team he’s gone to as well.
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Kenny44 Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
@DLB, People should also remember that it’s a loooonngggg season, and every player has peaks and valleys during seasons. I’ve seen just about all the full time players on the Kings get dogged on this blog this season for mailing it or disappearing or playing soft at some point. So take all the Penner stuff with a grain of salt. In his Cup run with the Ducks, he was a beast. Defenders were just bouncing and dripping off him. He couldn’t be moved away from the net. his combination of skill and size is beyond rare, but he’s not going to go end to end with the puck or really take over a game.
I’m still giving him the benefit of the doubt on the effort level. I think it’s at least even money that he thought he was playing the “system” slowing down his game and being careful about positioning, rather than making it. How the heck does anyone here know, anyway? The one thing we do know is that he was asked to show more skating and offensive effort and he did.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:08 am
@DLB, He has, and has never been asked to play 2 way hockey anywhere he has been. Scoring goals is pretty, but it doesn’t win many games. In Anaheim, he wasn’t asked to do alot (he played 3rd line minutes on a team stacked with all-stars). In Edmonton, he was asked to be the man, but was never asked to play much defense.
That will never fly in LA so long as Murray and Lombardi are here.
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Capt Jam Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:36 am
@mrbrett7,
Agreed. So there’s an adjustment period that needs to be built in before we even think about closing the book on Penner. I mean, where would be if we wrote off Kopitar 3 or 4 years ago because his skill set was so lopsided towards offense?
Patience, my friends, patience.
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Penner was brought in for the playoffs. The only reason there’s so many expectations of him now, is because the loss of Willy and Kopi. Bury guys into the ice, light the lamp come playoff time, and no one will remember how little you produced down the stretch.
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Penner scared me when I was watching the practice today. I felt like he didn’t care to participate or care to run drills, I also got there a little late so not to sure if maybe something happened to him. Did anyone else there notice? I hope I’m just crazy hahaha.
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I continue to be amazed by the Penner talk. He comes here in the middle of an incredible playoff push, plays with a bunch of guys who bust their hump, yet we have to spend time worrying about his effort and motivation??? We have had plenty of guys who came here and didn’t produce as expected, but i can never remember anyone who caused so many to question his desire and compete level. It is ridiculous that we even have to engage in these discussions about him. I am hopeful that my season ticket money does not go into this guy’s pockets beyond this season. I do not want to see him here next year.
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Again I said it when the Kings were trading for him……
-he’s not the saviour everyone thought he would be
-he plays soft (like margerine
-he is lazy
-he needs a great cast around him (who wouldn’t like this)
-he is not as gritty as Stoll (that’s not much)
….not sure why we want to use more salary cap on this guy?????
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number 6 Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
@Harty,
Well, like it or not he will be here next year. The team is way too thin on LW. Plus he has another year left on his contract. I wasn’t certain when the trade went down, and according to what so many are saying, he’s certainly not scintillating. But I wonder how much the lost of both line mates has hurt. Not saying it has or hasn’t. Maybe it’s just not in his nature to bring it on a regular basis.
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Penner is ranked in the top 25 for fantasy hockey wingers on NLH.com
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Kenny44 Reply:
April 7th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
@Bonvivant1, Well, then, that settles it. Heh.
I can’t wait til the Cup parade when we get to see Penner call out Corey Perry in a rap like Shaq did Kobe. How’s it taste Corey?!
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I’m embarrassed for the guy. It’s wow, look he tried last game. See, we have video. Honest, I saw it with my own two eyes.
I’ll call it pathitic. Now I get why the Candian press said we paid too much. The guy takes games off on a regular bases.
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tornado12 Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 12:56 am
@KC23, with respect, thats a bit harsh! lets give him a chance before we all throw him under the bus! We are going to need him bigtime in the playoffs and if he delivers, i hope the naysayers will man up and take their crow with a side of coleslaw!
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KC23 Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 8:16 am
A@tornado12, Harsh? Perhaps, but I call em as I see em. He looks like someone skating a after coming back from a serious injury. Testing the injury here and there but shy about putting himself in a position to be re-injuried.
In short, he plays soft.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:10 am
@tornado12, I don’t care if he scores (I wouldn’t mind though). I do care if he busts his butt every shift though, and he isn’t.
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rick Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 10:40 am
@mrbrett7, You hit the nail on the head. Never seen an LA King look so disinterested and unmotivated.
Aside from Penner’s slow pace he has a nose for offense, is calculated, w/great hands and sweet accurate passes. I have vague memories of him with the Ducks. Seems he was the same back then.
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I believe my tweet (#mdnathan) was: Anyone in the greater Los Angeles area get the milk carton with Dustin Penner on it?
I also believe three people started following me on twitter seconds later
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Penner, please hurry up and dust off the jet lag
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Murray is being kind. I carefully watched Penner throughout the game and he didn’t pick it up until the last ten minutes of the third. He was guilty of blind passes that failed to connect, he never scrambled for the puck even when it was within ten feet of his stick, and he rarely finished his checks. I still think the guy needs to be benched, and if he fails to play 100 per cent for the remainder of this season, then maybe he should go on the trading block over the summer. Everyone says this guy can really play when he wants to, but if he doesn’t want to game in and game out, then he’s not worthy of wearing the Kings uniform.
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From Edmonton . . . You guys acquired Gretzky 20 years ago. Now you got Penner. Kffaw, there is justice. Prepare to be frustrated.
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