Official word is expected to come shortly, but the Kings have decided to assign prospect Brayden Schenn to Manchester of the AHL, rather than have him join the Kings.
The Sharks are just wrapping up their morning skate here at HP Pavilion…
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Nooooooo!!!! Why Lombardi why!!
[Reply]
CJBKingsfan Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 10:54 am
@Marbles, if they brought him up who would sit? It wouldn’t be Lewis who is key for the PK, williams already pushed westgarth most likely out of lineup. Why have him sit and not play when he can go down to AHL and get big minutes in playoffs there. Does everyone forget he didn’t play that great in regular season, playoff hockey is a lost harder so don’t understand why everyone thinks he would thrive.
[Reply]
John Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:09 am
@CJBKingsfan,
Moller would sit & Richie moves to the wing.
He certainly didn’t play badly here.
Moot now, however
[Reply]
Nickcypress Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:10 am
@CJBKingsfan, I don’t disagree with the decision made, but really? Who could sit? Come on… Kevin Westgarth. Yes Trevor Lewis. Penner. Moller.
[Reply]
Nickcypress Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:11 am
@Nickcypress, Haha I subconsciously put penner in there. Not him…
red49er Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:56 am
@CJBKingsfan, i agree. he was overmatched (nervous) in the regular season. what has changed so that he will perform well in the playoffs? only time will cure his regular season jitters…as in the regular season next year. and dont try to sell me on the ‘well it would be invaluable experience’ line because t would be a bigger injustice to all the other guys who busted their humps to get into the playoffs. shenn’s time will come, soon.
[Reply]
kevin Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
@CJBKingsfan, he was on the fourth line with no bodys
[Reply]
Real 7 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:00 am
@Marbles, as I predicted….a no-brainer….get him some playoff experience, but not at our expense
[Reply]
Mel Powell Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:09 am
@Real 7, Agreed, but I would add “…and not as *his* expense, either.” Throwing him in too early could be harmful to his development.
[Reply]
Easy Bob Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
@Real 7, You got that right.
[Reply]
GOKINGSGO Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:11 am
@Marbles, Good move, tough to get thrown into a playoff series and have the expectations of production. Savior isnt coming boys, gotta dance with who brought ya. Give em hell out there tonight boys
[Reply]
GOKINGSGO Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:11 am
@Marbles, Good move, tough to get thrown into a playoff series and have the expectations of production. Savior isnt coming boys, gotta dance with who brought ya. Give em hell out there tonight boys
[Reply]
pitty Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:32 am
@Marbles, Smart move by the team the kid is not ready no matter how much we want him to be.
[Reply]
dahack11 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:45 am
@Marbles, He hasn’t played or practiced w/ the team for months. i HIGHLY doubt he’d be the missing piece towards winning the Stanley Cup & I’m not willing to sacrifice a year of his contract for 4plus games.
This was the right decision.
[Reply]
Smartest thing they could do.
[Reply]
M.T. Net Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 10:56 am
@VanKingsFan, AGREED. sorry guys, dance with who brung you. Schenn and the other prospects will have their chance. just not now, and not at the expense of a CHEAP contract.
Go Kings!
[Reply]
Cry Baby Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 10:58 am
@M.T. Net, I would have been fine either way. I think one could argue both points.
[Reply]
Sam Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
@Cry Baby, I think the argument to bring him up is weaker. He didn’t dazzle in his time with the team in the beginning of the regular season. Now, with some extra Junior experience, he’s suppose to dazzle in the toughest part of the season at the NHL level? Not likely and not worth burning a year to find out.
Honestly, this team’s future is still 2 years off, at least. Schenn as a #2 center is when the team will likely take off, no sooner. When Schenn, Voynov, Hickey, Moller or Kozun or Toffoli or Vey come of age the Kings will be a powerhouse. Now, they’re working their way there. And trying to short cut the process and put extra pressure on young kids is just not the right way to go.
Moondoggie Reply:
April 15th, 2011 at 12:33 am
@M.T. Net, Good comments by both you and VanKingsFan….totally agree. Manchester will to Schenner wonders, plus why burn an entire year off a contract for a short series? This buys the Kings and Schenn an additional year and some great playoff experience with the Monarchs.
[Reply]
Will Hutchison Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:32 am
@VanKingsFan, Agreed. Senators stocked their AHL team. It will be huge if Manchester can make it out of the first round. Come on Schenner!
[Reply]
kozak Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:34 am
@VanKingsFan, agree 100%
[Reply]
Cynic Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:56 am
@VanKingsFan, Absolutely.
Now I want to see Schenn center Toffoli (And hopefully Holloway) and help them win the Calder.
We can always bring him up later if we need to, although I’m guessing not. Who’s to say we couldn;t bring him up and just let him watch from the bench for the experience also?
[Reply]
Arthur Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 4:00 pm
@VanKingsFan, If by smart, you mean stupid, then, yes.
[Reply]
This move makes the most sense to me. In DL we trust
[Reply]
Shakes Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:20 am
@tornado12,
… now what happens if Manchester gets eliminated before the Kings do….
(I’ll leave that fun thought for another day…)
[Reply]
FKA PakiFro Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:46 am
@Shakes, Then the Kings can recall the whole Monarchs team…
http://www.mlive.com/griffins/index.ssf/2011/04/red_wings_recall_15_griffins_t.html
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
@FKA PakiFro, is that why I’ve seen the ticker on NHL network showing a couple of playoff teams doing recalls en masse? Like 8-11 players.
Thats the right move. He will get some good experience there.
[Reply]
Works for me. Especially for Game 1. The roster we have got us this far, even if just barely in, so let them have a shot before you put in some kid from Juniors.
[Reply]
John Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 10:54 am
@JB,
Actually the roster that got us here was just a bit different…by one player
[Reply]
old man Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:20 am
@John, Ouick
[Reply]
Intelligence prevails.
[Reply]
Scot Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 10:54 am
@mrbrett7,
Yes. Correct move.
[Reply]
Capt Jam Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:46 am
@mrbrett7,
and Common Sense.
[Reply]
jmsalsa Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 2:29 pm
@mrbrett7,
best news all day.
[Reply]
Will be nice to see if he can keep dominating in a better league and lead them to the cup
[Reply]
M.T. Net Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 10:58 am
@KH, well, Schenn tore it up all season long for my video game-Kings on NHL ’11. clearly that proves he is ready for the pros.
[Reply]
Bluecoconuts Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:04 am
@M.T. Net, Schenn and Toffoli are on my second line in NHL 11 Be A Pro mode and have 12 goals combined in 6 games. Plus my 12 goals myself, they should bring all three of us up.
[Reply]
Hesperia STH Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:05 am
@M.T. Net, On mine we played Washington for the cup, and lost.
[Reply]
Dayman Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:11 am
@Hesperia STH,
you are suppose to turn the console off in the middle of the game if you’re losing, then keep replaying the game(s) until you win.
KH Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:21 am
@M.T. Net, I had schenn on my RW with kopitar and brown and he lead the league in assists with Kopi leading the league in goals and points
[Reply]
There comes a point when you’re a gm when you need to grow a pair. This proves a lot to me.
[Reply]
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:08 am
@andy, Yes, this proves he is smart.
[Reply]
andy Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:16 am
@mrbrett7, it proves what everyone speculates about him. all of the analysts. it’s the reason he was fired in san jose. he belives in a young core…the core eventually plateaus because he overestimates his players and the team goes nowhere.
[Reply]
Cynic Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:59 am
@andy, Actually Andy, this goes beyond DL for the overall plan. It has been widely talked about that the Kings are going to finally stick to a long-term rebuilding plan and not go for quick fixes for the first time in this team’s history. It’s much bigger than DL’s issue of not pulling triggers (Which more times than not is a true thing.)
Michael J. Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
@Cynic,
Which is why DL was hired to do what he is doing-stick with a long term plan = no short cuts.
Sam Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
@andy, The only reason San Jose is where they are today is because of two widely odd things happening. 1) Thornton being moved; 2) Heatley wanting out of Ottawa. ONLY because of the surplus of talent, which DL was a HUGE part of, were those moves able to be made. And, had he stuck around to make them, he would have pulled the trigger on both.
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:57 pm
@andy, Who is everyone? What analysts? He was fired in San Jose after they had a terrible year, then the following year they rebounded with ALL of HIS draft picks. They then had Joe Thornton land in their lap, they then had Dany Heatly land in their lap.
Please, tell me again what it shows other than someone who is willing to stick to a plan and take zero shortcuts?
GW…is that you?
John Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
@mrbrett7,
We needed proof?
[Reply]
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:57 pm
@John, Me? no…so many others? Apparently.
King Doughnuts Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:28 am
@andy, It proves DL is not only thinking about the Kings long term, but also about the kid’s development also.
[Reply]
andy Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:42 am
@King Doughnuts, 4 weeks of nhl experience won’t kill the kid.
[Reply]
King Doughnuts Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
@andy, But burning one year off of his contract for 4 weeks might hurt the Kings in the long term.
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
@andy, Huge difference between playing in the NHL and playing in the NHL playoffs. It’s night and day.
before99 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:50 am
@andy, that your not a GM?!
[Reply]
andy Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:52 am
@before99, im not a gm…
[Reply]
King Doughnuts Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
@andy, Don’t think you would make a very good GM either.
King Doughnuts Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
@andy, Let’s see, Schenn’s #1 seeded Junior team just got bounced in four straight and now he’s supposed to lead a NHL #7 seed against a #2 seed.
Yeah, don’t give up your day job to become a GM.
fuzzerson Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
@andy, if by pair you mean breasts then yes.
[Reply]
Trust in the NHL guys that are here; give Schenn a chance for a long playoff run in Manchester; don’t burn the first year of the entry-level contract. Logical move to me.
[Reply]
Solid.
[Reply]
BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:06 am
@Undercover Brother,
–Beware the mayonaise!
[Reply]
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:09 am
@Undercover Brother, White She-Devil!
[Reply]
Dosnt mean he cant be called up from manchester….right?
[Reply]
M.T. Net Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 10:58 am
@chuckrocks, bring him up for game 7 of the finals
[Reply]
CUP4LA Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:02 am
@chuckrocks, Right.
[Reply]
At least we can close this chapter of our “Saviors” book. The last chapter was was titled Bernier – 2009-10… Who will be next years savior in wait??
[Reply]
Forum67 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:02 am
@Stuart,
Actually you forgot the chapter about Oscar Moller for this season.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:07 am
@Forum67, that was more like a lengthy footnote…
[Reply]
Bluecoconuts Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:06 am
@Stuart, Toffoli will be. 50 bucks says so. Vey will be runner up.
[Reply]
BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:29 am
@Stuart,
Next season will bring a cast of thousands, a plethora of choices, an army of possibilities…
…Sophomores stuffed in a phone booth!
The question will be:
–Which pretenders from this year will remain?????
[Reply]
Approve.
[Reply]
There it is! Let’s move on…
[Reply]
Makes sense. Hopefully he flourishes and if his performance warrants it, we can bring him up later (but I don’t see it due to the contract issue).
[Reply]
Brownkingsfan Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:05 am
@DesertKing, I agree, too much to lose a full season when he hasn’t even practiced with the Kings! Line chemistry takes time to develop. Good decision!
[Reply]
A little bit disappointed, but I completely understand.
IN DL WE TRUST!
I just hope to god not to see Westgarth tonight!
[Reply]
kevin from toronto Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:02 am
@John, Ditto
[Reply]
penguin76 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:33 am
@John,
did you guys not see Anaheim goon it up last night against Nashville? never mind.
[Reply]
John Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:55 am
@penguin76,
Well, the ducks are the Raiders of hockey, that’s their game – I won’t mind Westie in the line-up in the Kings-Ducks series…oh wait, they’re not moving on!
[Reply]
penguin76 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
@John,
lol. nice comparison, but i’m a fan of Oakland so maybe thats why i want Westgarth in!
the Fighting Ducks of Anaheim right!!!
my thing is San Jose has two big guys who we don’t match up very well against: Doug Murray and Ryan Clowe. Clowe won’t be as menacing Murray is, but none of our guys match up in size against him. Clifford comes close, but he may have problems with him. Murray is a beast and no one on our current roster can handle him. if they decide to go all Anaheim on our ass what are we gonna do? as i mentioned in a different article, they aso have Ben Eager, Jamal Mayers and possible Brandon Mashinter. we do not match up well against them physically is my point.
Klein had his hands full last night with Perry and Brookbank, and O’Brien is the only guy Nashville has who matches up to Parros. we could be faced with this same scenario against the Sharks as we have a smaller line-up.
def not a shock whatsoever!
is this a sign that they know they’re not, even with schenn, deep enough to go anywhere?
what do you think they would have done if kopi & williams were healthy?
(first things first (sharks), but I cannot wait for this team to take shape next year!!!)
[Reply]
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:10 am
@roadtripper, If they both were healthy? Send him to Manchester.
[Reply]
does this burn a year in his contract?
I dont think so but im not sure since the AHL still is pro hockey
[Reply]
BobKnob Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:31 am
@Paul G,
No, it doesn’t. He already played a handful of games in Manchester after his stint with the big club was up.
[Reply]
Cynic Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@Paul G, No. Only if he’s with the NHL club and plays 2 games.
[Reply]
GO MONARCHS!
GO KINGS!
[Reply]
It really is for the best. Lets face it, he wasn’t exactly going to turn the series around by himself. You do remember the beginning of the season, right? Nothing bad about his play, but it’s not like we can expect him to change the outcome of a playoff series against one of the best teams in the league.
[Reply]
If one guy out of 22 (besides Brownie and Quickie) can step it up then it’s just like the miracle scenario that Schenn comes and has an impact.
Let’s roll boyz…
[Reply]
While this is probably not a popular fan decision, it is the appropriate business decision. We as fans, because we support the team with our hearts rather than our heads most of the time, tend to forget the business side of the equation plays a VERY important role in the decisions that are made. Management does not see the value in throwing away a year of Schenn’s contract so he can try to fulfill the unlikely role of savior of the Kings Stanley Cup run. It would not have been fair to him to have that kind of pressure, and believe me, he’s not living in a vacuum, so he would have felt the pressure. But more than anything else it was sound business decision by a Kings management that IS making decisions with their heads, not their hearts.
[Reply]
jess Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:57 am
@Forum67, it seems to be a very popular decision.
[Reply]
Does this take a year off the contract?
[Reply]
Kings Fan Vancouver, WA Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:03 am
@kevin from toronto, No. It won’t until he plays 2 more NHL games. But I think there might be a clause there somewhere. Quisp or Hammond could probably get the best answer.
[Reply]
launch Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:03 am
@kevin from toronto, no NHL count, not AHL
[Reply]
Jack the Lad Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:03 am
@kevin from toronto, No, unless the Kings call him up for two games in the finals!
[Reply]
Not what I had hoped for, but exactly what I expected from DL. Solid move.
[Reply]
Sidenote, I did this yesterday, and I think it may be of interest here. If you’ve got 5 minutes to kill follow this link. Here’s the intro:
Ok, so I’ve been reading a book about artificial intelligence and chatbots, programs that try to mimic human speech. They hold a competition each year called the Loebner Prize for the best one. I’ve also been wondering what other people think about the Kings’ chances against the Sharks in the first round. I decided to ask some of the chatbots who have done well at the Loebner Prize what they thought. Here are the transcripts (these are not altered, this is what they actually said):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pLCogS0I3j73niu7VW7vgUDVeWj7mcF95WhaoM5ZNho/edit?hl=en&authkey=CMq77pwF
[Reply]
bbb7 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:17 am
@OttoKing, Funny stuff; chatbots still have a long way to go. Oh, the quote you thought might be literary is a line from the song, “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot. It was a giant cargo ship that sank in high seas after the captain thought it was big enough to weather the storm… perhaps Cleverbot was comparing the ‘crew’ (the Sharks) and ‘captain well seasoned’ (Thornton) to the crew of the big ship that went down? A subtle prediction of a Kings win!
[Reply]
OttoKing Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:25 am
@bbb7, I like your reading of it. A little psychoanalysis of your own…
[Reply]
jp Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:19 am
@OttoKing, This was pretty funny.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:20 am
@OttoKing, very strange to seay the least. I like Alice’s q&a session. Yours (or the first one) wasn’t nice calling the silly cleverbot those names.. it seemed to get under your skin a bit???
[Reply]
red49er Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
@OttoKing, that is the funniest dang thing i have read on the internet. people in the office were all shaking their head as i was cracking up.
[Reply]
OttoKing Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
@red49er, Thanks. Maybe I’ll do this whenever the Kings face a major decision…
[Reply]
rontheking Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
@OttoKing,
Thank you…that was hilarious! It is a lot like talking to my girlfriend about hockey….
[Reply]
The right move, maybe he and Toffoli can create some chemistry in Manchester.
[Reply]
K9 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:11 am
@Jack the Lad, Hope so I would love to see those two tear it up and make the jump together next season.
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ow it’s time to move away from the Blades and root against the Monarchs!! Dean will have no other choice after that!!
[Reply]
Another side note:
347 comments previously on the topic…
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/3466504/lakingsinsider.com-2011-04-13-schenns-junior-team-eliminated-
[Reply]
rontheking Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
@BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy,
That’s nice that it came out almost exactly the shape of the zeppelin–the one that crashed and burned in a huge conflagration!
[Reply]
Great news for Manchester.
[Reply]
they can always move him to the kings later.
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He will be called up to play ONE game with Kings at least.
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This is not the right move,
Who cares about when his entry level deal expires, if hes going to be good as everyone think he is, the kings will find a way to sign him
Were in the playoffs, anything can happen, go for it
[Reply]
king-goph Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
@Matt,
if they brought him up he would not be a top 6 player. let him go to Manchester and be that guy there not the 4th liner in LA.
[Reply]
Lombardi/Murray don’t think the Kings can beat the Sharks. They’re like the experts and people on television; they think we’ll lose in four or five games. They don’t think Schenn can help us win the series, so they would rather just cut this season with who we have in the locker room. Schenn would benefit this team, and they aren’t doing their job. This is the Stanley Cup playoffs. You put out the best team you possibly can to win it all. Lombardi isn’t doing that, so I think it’s a bad decision.
[Reply]
nykingfan Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:20 am
@Wally,
That’s not the case at all. Schenn has nothing to do with how far we will advance in the playoffs, whether he was here or not.
He’s not a savior..if he was, he would have stuck with the club early in the season. I like the kid and think he’s going to be something special in the future, but was he lighting up the score sheet when he left? He was a kid who needed professional seasoning. He’ll get that now.
The team in the locker room is what got us to the playoffs this year. No small accomplishment considering how many years we didn’t get a playoff sniff.
He gets the experience he needs at the proper level.
Just because a guy can score in juniors, doesn’t equate to scoring on the NHL level…see Moller!
[Reply]
CupRun2011 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:49 am
@nykingfan, Agreed. The thinking here is, would Schenn make SUCH a difference that he would swing the series in the Kings favor? He hasn’t been playing in the Kings system long enough (8 games this year) and during Playoff time…he didn’t make enough of a difference at the junior level. MAN was the right choice where he could get quality minutes on legitimate AHL contender.
[Reply]
fsd1 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:22 am
@Wally, I think you could not be farther from the truth.
[Reply]
Helvetica Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:31 am
@Wally, moving Schenn to the Kings roster is not the best long term decision for this team. It’s not just a matter of what this guy could bring to the team (if anything) right now. Its about what this kid can do for the team long term. If, it wasn’t going to burn a year off his ELC… AND, there was a bit more time between now and the start of the playoffs then maybe you bring him up and get him integrated into the system. As it sits now, he’s a young kid, that needs some time to develop his game a bit more. Sorry, but this is the best move for the team.
[Reply]
BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
@Wally,
Think of it this way: If you put all of your faith in a junior player who has played 8 games in the NHL this season, you are simultaneously taking all of your faith away from all the players who toiled and bled their way to a 98 point 7th place Western finish.
This team without Schenn was a sneeze and a twist away from 4th in Conference, and likely (I haven’t done the research) is the best 7th place Conference/4th place Division team in NHL history. The sneeze was JW’s dislocated shoulder, crunched as he rested on the boards; the twist was AK’s fractured ankle, fixed in the ice by his skate as his body was twisted violently.
Don’t be surprised if A): The Kings get punished tonight, 1-6 or worse, and then B): The Kings then rally and win 2-3-4 games in a row. There is a lot of pride in that room, and this season’s playoffs is an audition for next season’s powerhouse team.
Brace yourselves, folks! Premonition suggests this may be a fun, fun series…
[Reply]
rontheking Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
@BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy,
I hope you’re right…I love seeing experts with egg all over their talking heads.
[Reply]
so, apparently bringing him up would not make the team better.
[Reply]
King Doughnuts Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:34 am
@Dayman, A better player would not necessary make the Kings a better team.
[Reply]
wavesinair Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:34 am
@Dayman,
The cons outweighed the pros. True to form, DL isn’t going to rush him.
[Reply]
The bottom line is Brayden Schenn would’ve improved this hockey team (The Kings) and Dean Lombardi decided NOT to do so.
And I’m wondering if some of you guys on here would rather win the Calder Cup than the Stanley Cup. We CARE about Manchester, but they are NOT a priority. Brayden Schenn could’ve gained valuable playoff experience, ala P.K. Subban and HELPED this Kings team who is already thin at the center position. That didn’t happen..
[Reply]
Capt Jam Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:44 am
@Josh N.,
With or without Schenn, this team is dead in the water. No pun intended.
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John Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:59 am
@Capt Jam,
With the series tied up 0-0, we’re dead in the water? How so??!
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Capt Jam Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 4:00 pm
@John,
By virtue of the fact that: they went into the playoffs on a 2-4 slide; they played themselves out of home ice in the first round; the offense is anemic; there’s almost no collective offensive attack (instead, we usually have 5 players trying to take the bull by the horns and score alone); the much vaunted PK is down to under 80% in the last 5 games; and our no. 1 goalie is giving up more soft goals in the last few weeks than I’m comfortable with at this time of the year. That’s a lot to overcome.
Stuart Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@Capt Jam, seriously I hope you and the like don’t watch not even 1 minute of game time in this series…
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Capt Jam Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
@Stuart,
I guess I won’t be needing my season tickets then.
nykingfan Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
@Josh N.,
I can’t agree with you.
What give you the idea that he can be the savior for the franchise?
You’re telling us that we’re weak at center, which without Kopi we are, but why do you think he can take Kopi’s place any better than Stoll/Zeus/Richardson (also a big scorer in juniors)?
His valuable playoff experience will come with Manchester. He and the Kings would have been better served by him spending the year at Manchester, but the rules didn’t allow that. He wasn’t ready for the NHL, but was too good for juniors.
If he would have spent the year in Manchester, he probably would be with the Kings as we speak.
Having him play in Manchester is the best thing for the player.
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Josh N. Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
@nykingfan, Nobody is saying he’s going to be the SAVIOR. Where did you and other get THAT notion? He HELPS this team who already is depleted at the center position. In his first 9 games he was INCHES away from having goal after goal. After a full season in the WHL and seeing him in the World Junior Championships, he could ONLY have progressed. It’s not about taking Kopitars spot – its about Kopitar not being here – Schenn being very very skilled and a world class prospect who is ready to go.
I disagree with you about Manchester being the best option for him. It’s a small sample size but he has 7 points in 7 games down there. We already know he would’ve torn it up down there.. He’s ready to be a King and he should’ve been tonight or in Game 2, but for some reason the Kings have this strange obsession with Kevin Westgarth being in the line up.
Penner-Schenn-Brown
Smyth-Stoll-Williams
Clifford-Richardson-Simmonds
Ponikarovsky-Handzus-Moller/Lewis
That’s four lines that can all play the game and COMPETE.
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Shotongoal Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
@Josh N., I am not going to play GM on this decision because I have no idea what’s going on behind closed doors, but I will play fan on this, and as a fan this move pisses me off! I DO NOT think Schenn is a savior for these playoffs, but I do think they are possibly better with him than without him. And that should be the only thing that matters, putting the best team possible on the ice to register the best results. I pay a lot of money to the Kings every year as a season ticket holder. I spend a lot of money at the Team LA store every year on Kings jerseys, authentic and game worn (I know, this is my choice), but I do these things because I am a fan and believe that the team is trying to do whatever is best for the team to register the best results on the ice. Unfortunately, this move makes me only think that ownership (Freakin AEG!!!) is more concerned about having to negotiate Schenn’s contract one year earlier. Which obviously will possibly make him a little richer or a lot richer one year earlier. I’m sorry folks, but anyone here, and I respect many of your opinions, who thinks this decision is made for any other reasons than to have to pay Schenn earlier, I think are wrong. This just smells of bad AEG money decisions when it comes to the Kings….
We can talk all day long how the “kid” can use the experience at Manchester and that maybe he’s just not ready, or dance with who brought you, etc etc….But, this makes no sense if the Kings’ main goal is to try and win the Cup this year. And I’m sorry but THAT should be the goal every year!!! Having the injury situation the team does puts a damper on possible playoff success, but geez, Schenn certainly wouldn’t hurt the situation any!
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Dave Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
@Josh N., I don’t know if you can say he would have made the team better. he didn’t really make the team better in his first 8 games with the team.
Schenn is 19 and not ready for top-6 duty in the NHL playoffs w/o having played any NHL games in 4 months. the best thing for him is to have some success and he is more likely to succeed in Manchester than with the Kings. give him minutes and responsibility in important games and see how he responds.
the only reason to bring Schenn to the Kings is if he can play top-6 minutes. putting him out there on the 4th line as some have suggested isn’t worth burning a year on the contract and doesn’t give him a chance to have much of an impact.
DL has to consider both the present and the future – that is his job. Most on these boards only care about tonight’s game and this series. this is the only move DL could make that both helps Schenn and the Kings going forward.
Plus, the Kings have battled all year to get in and even if they are underdogs they deserve a chance to play. bringing up a kid who hasn’t been there all year battling sends a bad message to the locker room. let these guys battle together and see what happens.
hopefully Schenn can join Manchester and they can go on another run like last year and give him and some other key younger players some valuable experience so that they can come into camp next year and try to win a job.
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Good move DL, and the sensible one too. Look forward to Schenn battling at training cap in September. Now,turn the page. On to the game tonight! GKG
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i agree with this choice
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Thank you DL for making the right long term choice for the Kings on this one.
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That was my choice in the other thread, go to Manchester.
LA will not win a Cup with or without him in the lineup THIS YEAR.
Nice move DL.
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The logical decision. Burn one year for just a couple of games? Not really sure it’s worth it.
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Stamp…. my seal of approval.
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0:4 w Shenn in junior team. Good luck in Manchester.
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tantrum4 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:55 am
@vladimir,
Actually they won their first round series
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The illogical decision. If the Kings don’t win this series, then we’ll wonder. They go into this series with two givens: minimal offense and a shaky pressure goaltender in Jonathan Quick. It’s disappointing that this organization doesn’t take a few chances to become the top club in the NHL. When I hear that Murray will wheel Quick into goal in every game no matter how he performs, that disturbs me. Then, needing offense, they send a gifted offensive player to Manchester. Remember this, the Kings haven’t won a playoff series in a decade and they barely squeaked into the playoffs. There’s no guarantee they’ll be back in a year. Sorry, but this is loser thinking.
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KingzzFan Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@Poorman, I’m with you on this. Moller is no way effective against the sharks. He’s kept to the outside and rubbed out in the boards. He’s smaller than their smallest guy. He brings absolutely nothing to this series for the Kings. Schenn being 6″1″ and 198 lbs with his limited NHL games is more suited for this game in a 4th line roll and the playoff experience he will get is far more valuable then burning a year of his contract for his development.
Mark my words, the ones agreeing with this move will be the ones calling for TM and DL’s heads on a block after were eliminated. Bad decision and lack of Ball$ by this executive group. I’m highly disappointed and truly believe this was the wrong move.
Go Kings. I’m still your #1 Fan
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number 6 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
@KingzzFan,
I personally won’t be calling for anyone’s heads, because to believe that by bringing up Schenn we wouldn’t have been eliminated just because he came up is naive. Or more precisely that that would be the determining factor. The determining factors IF they are eliminated are imo 1) Kopitar’s injury 2) Williams not being at full strength 3) The Sharks have way more playoff experience at this point and they are clearly a deeper and more talented team up front -irrespective of their past playoff failures.
To say that they are not quicker and more dangerous offensively is to deny the facts. And yes, i know the Kings may be a bit better defensively, but if you can’t score you’re not likely to win.
Don’t think I need to remind anyone that the Kings have had trouble scoring goals all year. Brayden Schenn isn’t gonna change that.
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PP Anybody? Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
@KingzzFan, I agreed with this move earlier, and I still want TM on the block even before we get eliminated. Just to go on record.
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EJ Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
@Poorman, sorry, but the strategy that you are trying to champion — win now, worry about the future later — is one that has kept the franchise in no-man’s land for 40 years. Have a little patience and faith in professional hockey executives that have been around the game just a little longer than you.
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number 6 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
@EJ,
Oh, thank you EJ. Yeah, and perhaps actually do understand the dynamics a bit better even if we don’t necessarily agree with every step they take. I like DL ALOT, but still feel that in concentrating solely on building from goal out that he’s done it to the exclusion of more skill and speed up front. So, I would have done it differently. Do I know more or better than DL? Absolutely not.
Things always look easy…… Monet’s paintings look easy…. until you try it yourself.
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SLG1013 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
@Poorman,
I don’t see how this is illogical… Who sits if they bring in Schenn? Westgarth should already sit with the return of Williams… Do you sit Moller? I believe he was close to a point per game player in Manchester when the Kings brought him up. Schenn is a gifted offensive player at the junior level. I didn’t see much offense from him in the 8 games he played early in the year. He had some amazing chances and didn’t convert on any of them. Maybe he’s progressed, but his competition has been boys; the last thing I want to see is Schenn creamed in the corner by Douglas Murray (that guy is a friggin’ menace).
The real problem with offensively gifted players is that they don’t seem to be able to continue to score in the defensively oriented Kings system. Poni has a wicked shot and is a 20 goal scorer, however, he needs to be able to take some shots from the middle of the ice instead of worrying about banging around in the corners and throwing the puck towards the goal, hoping that it will bounce off someone’s leg, etc…
You are right that there is no guarantee they’ll be back next year, but I don’t agree that this is loser thinking. Seems like the logical choice in this stage of Schenn’s career and in the context of the current King’s roster.
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king-goph Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
@Poorman,
has nothing to do with burning a year on his contract. if you can give a kid a chance to go play playoff games in a top 6 roll rather then a limited roll you give that kid the chance to develop in a much more sucessful manner with a lot less pressure. this kid needs to be able to play with out the pressure of “your our only chance to get a shot at the cup”. let him go down an be sucessful against younger players and not force him into a role he may not be ready for.
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This is even moreso the correct move because this Kings team, based on their 2-4 slide to close the season, is just about ready for the golf course.
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Poorman Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:45 am
@Capt Jam, so just give up and don’t try and improve, unacceptable!
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Capt Jam Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:57 am
@Poorman,
The playoffs aren’t the time for improving. The playoffs are the time for peaking. This team is nowhere near its peak form – not because of 2 injuries, but because they couldn’t come together as a team to play a complete game on both sides of the puck. Their issues are not going to be solved by adding one inexperienced player; they have to be solved one player at a time.
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rontheking Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
@Capt Jam,
I agree for the most part…but it is still possible for a team to put it together once the playoffs start–if they can get a little luck in the first round and some breaks from the hockey gods. It doesn’t happen often…but it does happen now and then….
buzzkill
that’s me though … admittedly if I had the reigns I spend to the cap and play everyone
anyway … I trust those that know more than me about this kinda thing (which of course is just about eveyone)
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Poorman Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:51 am
@Matt George, If they knew more than you, then they’d win a playoff series.
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John Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 11:56 am
@Poorman,
Gotta start playing first…
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EJ Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
@Poorman, this is not a console game; this is the real thing.
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Poorman Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
@EJ, Not winning playoff series is even more real dude.
schenn played great with the kings at the beginning of the season, just didnt get any bounces his way, but definitely showed he can play at the nhl level. this talk about burning a contract year is ridiculous, he would still be rfa, and only exceptional play would warrant arbitration in his favor which in our eyes we would hope would happen. he should not have been sent to juniors to begin with. he obviously showed he doesnt belong there, he will do the same in manchester while the kings struggle. after williams’ shoulder falls apart tonight they will wish they brought schenn to sj to at leat practice with the team and get a better feel of the situation. they still have a game to use on him. weak decision, shows the character that manages this team. i dont think the 5 year plan in 2006 ended with us squeaking into playoffs and then giving up before the first playoff game even started. but apparently we are dead set on still looking to the future and “developing” players. Schenn doesnt need anymore development than doughty needed.
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This is not about business or about having schenn replacing kopitar … It’s about adding something to our team which we haven’t had all year : CREATIVITY WITH THE FREAKING PUCK. our game is very predictable (dump and chase),and good teams know that so they create matchup problems for us in the defensive zone (Chicago ,Vancouver ,Anaheim ,Phoenix ,Philadelphia etc) so whoever thinks this was a good move must not know that schenn while young, is very skilled with the puck and very creative in the offensive zone something our teams has lacked for years. Yes our team is very good defensively but unless we score some goals we are not going anywhere … Dean why must you insist on holding our talent down, don’t forget what you did when you sent lotkionov down to Manchester, he was lost for the year and another good young offensive weapon was replaced by another old washed up useless player( sturm ) Bring up schenn he has been playing playoff hockey for over a month he is ready. And as far as loosing a year of entry level …. WHO THE HELL CARES . WE HAVE ALOT OF MONEY AND WE CAN OFFER HIM A GOOD CONTRACT, The future is know I’m sick and tired of waiting for next year …. It’s now or never GO KINGS GO!
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I guss they happy averaging 1 goal per-game! They will be Down 2 games with 1 goal and say heeeelp someone help us! KIngs to wait tell they despret before they do anything. When are the kings going to think like Champs, oh! Are history says evrey 5 years BS!!!
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Disappointed, but not surprised. Whatever DL thinks is okay by me
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SPIDEY35 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
@KC23,
Me too. Probably for the best though.
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Just a thought: what if someone goes down, which is highly likely in the playoffs, will Schenn be the call-up?
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KingzzFan Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
@John, Naaaa, They Have Westie waiting in the Wings… He’s our Guy, We’ll be OK (shaking head side to side)…
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Slightly off topic, but if Schenn’s junior team was swept, in other words, lost 4 straight games, how much of an impact did he even have??? I know one player doesn’t make a team, but really, losing 4 straight in the playoffs…
On another note, DL did bring us this far. No one in their right mind thought that Kopi would have a freak injury that would cost him the season. And with that said, most teams, Pitt and Vancouver notwithstanding (and btw, Sid AND Malkin have both been out for the longest time), don’t have TWO first line centers. At this time of year, if one guys does down, you make do with what you have. And if that means making do with Stoll, Zeus, Richie and Lewis, then so be it!
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The shame of it all is that the Kings and Schenn would have benefited by him playing in Manchester during the season. If that was the case, there’s probably a real good chance he’s be in the Kings lineup and able to help the big club.
The rules didn’t help us in the least.
He needs the experience in Manchester.
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we need a new thread…
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I would have liked to see him have a day or two to clear his head. Well, I wish him the best.
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Rich — will you know if Westy is playing after practice? I understand the Sharks are coming out smashmouth style. They do not want to get banged up in a 6 or 7 game series, so expect some hard hitting in this one. I think we can play that game with them and maybe outplay them 5 v 5. While Moller’s speed would present some issues for them, I like our chances playing a rugged game.
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Kings fan, worked for them, robbie fortorek, went to over 30 seasons without missing a game, but i must say, No Power Play, we could have had 10-14 more points during the regular season with 1 in all those 1 goal games we lost and went 0 for, no wins.
for next season, we must fix the Power Play. we need a quarterback, and or, another scheme, and or, another coach for it.
i am very disappointed. 1 goal a game from the offense with no PP help. ouch.
i am still hoping for the best.
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Common sense dictates that a junior is only going to be of marginal help in the playoffs. Makes sense to me. I could have accepted it either way.
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Bernier in net and Shenn as 2nd/3rd line center could help the Kings be close in this series.
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Josh N. Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
@camarillo andy, Absolutely. Only thing is I think you put Schenn in with Penner/Brown, and stick to what has worked this season already:
Penner-Schenn-Brown
Smyth-Stoll-Williams
Clifford-Richardson-Simmonds
Ponikarovsky-Handzus-Moller/Lewis
All four of those lines can compete..
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1) Why does anyone believe Schenn would add anything substantial to the Kings when he didn’t do so in the regular season? He had two assists. His excellent performance in juniors will not translate. Look at Dwight King.
2) Schenn obviously didn’t make a significant impact in the juniors. His team was expected to go farther than they did, and they got eliminated.
3) Why waste a year of contract time on a whim?
Let’s face it. This will be a tough series, but it’s winnable. We have to trust the best coach and best goaltender in Kings history to get us through. And our veterans have to step it up: Williams, Smyth, Handzus, and even Ponikarovsky. Remember last year? Handzus was our best forward! Everything changes in the playoffs. GKG!
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Josh N. Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
@WeNeedGoal, I’ll give it a try.
1) You compared Schenn to Dwight King. I think it’s back to the drawing board for you. Schenn was incredibly snake-bit, he was RIGHT THERE every game. It wasn’t a case of he CAN’T finish like it is with Trevor Lewis.
2) Major Junior Leagues are competitive leagues. One player can’t do it all by himself. Obviously if you get swept, you weren’t good enough despite one player.
3) Because its not guaranteed that the Kings make the playoffs next year, nor is it ever and Schenn will improve the hockey team.
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puck73 Reply:
April 14th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
@WeNeedGoal, What ? You didnt like Dwight King ? But he is playing really well at Manchester and blah blah blah..lol!
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What a disappointment….. Oh well. Guess DL is saying see how we do next year
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To the people who say schenn didn’t play well remember he had 11mins a game. 1 goal 2 assists in 88 minutes of play. We have guys who haven’t recorded a point in 15 games and they are still here.
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It’s probably the smartest thing for his development, but I’d rather see him on the ice than Phony-Karovsky. Let him play wing on Lewis’ line, what could it hurt?
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smart.
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Anything Lombardi can POSSIBILY do to make us wait longer he will. I see no point in this. He already proved he can play in the A. Thanks for the constant committment to winning there Deano. You know, some people actually PAY to come to these games you know, thinking that we’re actually putting out our best players and best effort to win. I guess we’re already folding up the tent.
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its not worth 1 year off an entry level contract. brayden is a great player but wont be the key to get us past the sharks. our defense needs to be flawless (we CAN play flawless and have proven we can) and our veterans need to step up. along with penner who i have no doubt will play a great series!
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Of course everyone WANTS to see this guy play, and obviously we all WANT him to come in and light it up. Those expectations are pretty unrealistic though. The more LIKELY outcome of Schenn on the KIngs roster is a young kid, with tons of pressure to score, getting bounced around by grown men and likely making some rather large rookie mistakes while trying to do too much.
If he was ready to play at the NHL level, he’d have been here already. As it stands, hes just not quite ready… and that’s ok.
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This is the right move
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Predictable.
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This is the ONLY move that makes sense to me. This is why I am surprised that DL actually made it. Schenn will get his chance to make the Kings next year.
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GKG….that’s it.
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Trade him for Moulson!
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Trade him for Moulson! Double mistake Lombardi
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Sound judgment.
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