The Kings player evaluations for 2010-11 are complete, and each of the polls had well over 1,000 votes, with several topping 2,000, so that’s an excellent sample size. How did the grades come out? I went through each player and noted the highest-percentage grade each player received. Perhaps the most interesting result is at the top. Near the end of the season, when we had a poll for “team MVP,” Anze Kopitar topped Jonathan Quick, 44.68 percent to 39.24 percent. But in the “grading,” Quick got a higher percentage of “A” votes (63.07) than Kopitar (61.56). Of course, different criteria could be used, and both polls were close. Here’s how the voting turned out…
A: Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams, Willie Mitchell, Kyle Clifford.
B+: Alec Martinez, Rob Scuderi, Dustin Brown, Matt Greene.
B: Jarret Stoll, Ryan Smyth, Jonathan Bernier, Jack Johnson, Brad Richardson, Drew Doughty, Andrei Loktionov, Michal Handzus, Trevor Lewis, Brayden Schenn, Davis Drewiske.
C+: Wayne Simmonds, Oscar Moller, Jake Muzzin, Kevin Westgarth.
C: Dwight King, Scott Parse, John Zeiler, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Peter Harrold.
F: Dustin Penner.
some of these votes are real head scratchers… really, for reals.
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garry Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 9:45 am
@brian, Too much emotion and not enough intellect. The Penner score is dumb and dumber!
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tornado12 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 9:57 am
@garry, yup. lets see what he does next year before he is thrown under the bus
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Lars H Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 10:21 am
@tornado12, He was graded on this year’s performance, not next year’s.
On the bright side, he’s got nowhere to go but up.
Brownkingsfan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:11 am
@garry, I think a lot of grades are based more on expectation than emotion. Everyone thought Penner was going to be the savior, and he wasn’t. Nobody expected Clifford to do anything but fight, and he surpassed that expectation. It’s hard to separate the expectation from the grade, but I think that’s what happens. Human nature! In any case I’m reserving judgement on Penner. Give him a chance to play the same line for more than 2 weeks, THEN give him an F! J/k. It struck me odd that not one person got a D! Everyone but Penner got a C or higher! Just an observation.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:35 am
@Brownkingsfan, I would have been happy if Penner appeared to try (didn’t give him an ‘F’.)
PRMan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:51 am
@Brownkingsfan, The grade SHOULD be based on expectations. Clifford was signed as a middleweight fighter/Zeiler type. He proceeded to lead the team in the playoffs in timely goals. That’s an A effort.
Penner was brought in as a lock Top 6 forward and in all honesty should have been benched in the playoffs and replaced by Oscar Moller, who at least tries.
So, that very much plays into whether they excelled or failed.
MacSwede Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 5:38 am
@Brownkingsfan, I agree of PRMan. The grades are ABSOLUTELY based on expectations. That is why Clifford got an A, and Bernier got a B. If a guy exceeds his expectations, he will get an A. Next year, Clifford will have higher expectations, thus harder to get an A again.
garry Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 9:19 am
@Brownkingsfan, I do not agree that Clifford was brought up as Zeiler type player. He was a offensive force in Manchester with speed, desire and talent. He will drop the gloves but will get hurt until he learns to protect himself. Not an “A” yet but tremendous upside.
garry Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 9:41 am
@Brownkingsfan, This team will get a slight upgrade when Schenn joins the team and get’s acclimated. However until we deal with, Stoll and Smyth, we will struggle just like the last two years Both have great character and heart but we can’t have two who can no longer score on your second line. Does anyone remember how many shot’s Jan Jose reigned on us because they have four lines that can score. Get it done DL! Smyth on waiver’s and trade Stoll.
DesertKing Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
@garry,
I guess you weren’t at the playoof games to watch him do ballet.
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Harty Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
@DesertKing, People can wait on Penner, he’s a solid “F” now and next year. Wait all you want folks……….
no change coming for this guy.
Soft as microwaved margarine……
tornado12 Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 12:34 am
@harty.You are funny dude. I know you hate Penner, but we have him under contract for 1 more year and DL paid alot for him so he is going to get another chance here no matter what we say. Why not root for the guy to play well for YOUR team? I dont get it. If he tears it up next year and is helping to win games, are you going to be mad we have him? Lets say this, if Penner comes back and does well, will you admit it and take your crow with a side of cheddar?
mcsorleyfan Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
@tornado12, well put.
terry crisps tie Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
@DesertKing, I think we are hoping that Penner seeing all this bad press will light a fire under his behind. If I were him I’d be mortified and anxious to redeem myself.
Pretty accurate IMO…Don’t agree with Harrold and Westgarth,they could have been higher.And I gave Penner a D.
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Dan H. Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
@Jack,
Harrold yes…westgarth was over graded IMO.
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mcsorleyfan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
@Dan H., Westgarth was under graded. For a guy who is supposed to be, according to certain commentors, completely useless, the guy played at a much higher level than many would credit him for being capable of. Rather than hate on the guy, try finding something to like about him and his game; like it or not, he is yours.
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snbrdsummit Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
@mcsorleyfan,
What constitutes a “much higher level”?
The guy could hardly keep his feet for most of the year and had a less significant impact as an enforcer than Kyle Clifford. He had fewer hits than more than 1/2 the team. Dustin Penner had more hits per game in the 19 that he played. Penner hardly skated as you can see by the numerous threads lamenting him.
To his credit, he had a few (somewhere less than 5) games where he wasn’t a burden to his line and actually was able to contribute something positive.
When we have players who can generate points whom are being passed over in this guy’s favor and he isn’t able to fulfill his single responsibility as an aggressive enforcer, I believe that constitutes a nearly failed effort. Hence over-graded.
Murray may play him, but in my opinion, we’d do better with someone productive in his place. Let “The Big Red Dog” enforce.
garry Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 11:36 am
@mcsorleyfan, I agree! To much heat for a player who plays hard for his team. Just hope that he can learn to throw his body into some bigtime hit’s.
Hum, the only one that surprises me is Simmonds with a C+ instead of a B. And perhaps DD2 with a B instead of a C+.
Thanks for all your hard work Rich.
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I agree..pretty acurate IMO too. Poor Penner! But, his fault..show us something next season Penner…please..we were so excited to get you but so far..nada..
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garry Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 9:25 am
@IwantTheCup, That frozen tundra in Edmonton took the heart right out of Penner. Or, maybe has never had one.
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Bodoe Reply:
May 16th, 2011 at 7:48 am
@garry, He went there without a heart. He was on the Ducks before Edmonton….
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LMAO only person gets a F and it had to be Penner LOL
there was alot of B that i seen my opinion shouldnt get a B is Doughty and JJ they more like a C+ to me
but the A people deserve it
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I agree with the list for the most part. I also gave Penner a D, but the most glaring gap is between the A I gave Richardson and the B he got. He does the little things well and from my point of view works the hardest on the ice night in and night out. He’s not Kopi, but he’s got heart, and heart is enough.
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spidey35 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 9:13 am
@Lavoie42, That’s the thing I love about Richarson, always working hard every shift and a huge heart.
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Rich, you forgot one…….
Rich Hammond = A+
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Tmik Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 9:14 am
@spidey35, Nope.
Rich Hammond: S class.
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 9:24 am
@spidey35,
Rich Hammond = FTW
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MM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 9:46 am
@spidey35,
Rich Hammond = Gold Star
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Dan SanDonkey Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:00 am
@spidey35,
Rich Hammond = A++
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furrylats Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:12 am
@spidey35,
Don’t suck up to the help people!
Just kidding-good job Rich. You deserve a vacation. I’m in Chicago for Cubs/Cards in August! Let’s pregame in Wrigleyville.
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spidey35 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:12 am
@furrylats, Geez, talk about sucking up……..lol
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furrylats Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
@spidey35, I’m glad somebody got that. Yes…I’m shameless too. Whatever we’re all guilty of having a secret crush on Rich’s job, and consequently, Rich.
BluLiner Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:47 am
@spidey35,
Rich Hammond = 5 bars
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The Third Vopat Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:48 am
@spidey35, Rich for President…..I mean A+…yeah, what he said
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:59 pm
@spidey35,
Is Z the highest letter in the alphabet, or the lowest?
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DesertKing Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
@spidey35,
Rich Hammond = ice cream with sprinkles
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Harty Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
@DesertKing,
agreed A++ for Rich Hammond
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Kingsfanone Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
@spidey35,
RICH HAMMOND? Our own double double!
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I think we were too nice.
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I am actually really hoping penner sees this and it lights a fire under his butt. Lord knows he looked like he was half asleep at times. Time to hit the gym with Greener, Cliffy, and the Kings personal workout master the Cluneatic
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garry Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 11:39 am
@TradedForAPick, Penner will not change. He is what he is!
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FRO gets a K grade. deported to the KHL!
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 9:24 am
@jkking,
I really gotta make a new username.
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SLIM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
@FKA PakiFro,
How bout….FKA PakiTar…..
What’s your handle mean anyhow?
If that’s not too personal…
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jet Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
@SLIM, pakitar? is that fancy for skidmark?
It’s clear that most everyone grades on a curve(including me). It’s how they did versus expectations. But in a classroom, it wouldn’t matter if you worked your tail off, if you write a crummy essay you get an ‘F’. If we graded based upon where they stand against others in the NHL, how would we have graded? Doughty higher, Penner higher, Matt Greene lower, etc. It would be interesting to do another poll, met, didn’t meet, or exceeded expectations.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:39 am
@donald_s, That’s not how a grading curve works. If no one scores above 65% on a test, that’s considered an ‘A’ on a curve. You compete with your classmates on a curve. Competing with expectations is another thing, and I’d more or less agree that the players who didn’t meet expectations were graded that way.
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donald_s Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 5:51 am
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
What a pedantic reply Kenneth. You understood exactly what I meant. I was using a cliche to make a point, not to have a discussion about grading methods. Or so I thought. Why post just to prove that you know the definition of a word?
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Not much of the “C Average” bell curve here, huh? 20 out of 30 were above a “C/C+”… and only 1 person didn’t “pass”. How interesting.
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PRMan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:53 am
@Decker, Just like American schools. No child left behind™.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:56 am
@PRMan, i have to know…..are you American?
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
@PRMan, Im a dual Citizen myself (America/Australia) and have been to school in both countries. I realize this was a joke and it made me chuckle for sure, I was just wondering which view point you were coming from? An American making a joke about his own country or a national from another country telln it how he sees it. And is that really a trade mark? oh snap………. just googled it, looks to be so. seems pretty Ironic to me.
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How do does one justify giving Bernier a B? He had 3 shuouts…as a back-up.
A for sure.
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Jkking Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:01 am
@Ersberg, He had a bad start. B+ maybe
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Ersberg Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:05 am
@Jkking, 3 shuouts as a back-up doesn’t warrant anything less than an A. Quick had several bad games and still go an A as starter.
Have to be consistant when grading.
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7holesniper Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:22 am
@Ersberg, I think the start had a lot to do with it. JB lost his first 8 games and didnt really settle down until jan-feb. Quick had some bad games but i feel he was more consistent through the season. B+, if he looked more confident in shootouts/breakaways i’d give him the A
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:41 am
@Ersberg, He has to be consistent when playing. All his games count, not just the quizzes he scored 100% on.
PRMan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:54 am
@Jkking, He was definitely a little unreliable at the beginning of the season.
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Belexes Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:15 am
@Ersberg,
The Teacher has spoken. Bernier gets a B, if he wants to get a better grade he must attend Summer School.
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SLIM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:58 am
@Belexes,
Which he is at right now and is a top student..
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PP Anybdoy? Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:56 am
@Ersberg, First half of the year he didn’t play that well. He didn’t win a shootout. He also didn’t play well enough overall to surpass Quick and take the starting job, so not an A. B is a good grade. If he keeps improving, his grade will go up.
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Ersberg Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
@PP Anybdoy?, Disagree. Strongly. Quick had many bad games. His grade please? No, 3 shutouts as a back-up s plenty enough to earn him an A.
If you had read Murray’s comments regarding his position on the starter, he stated Quick was the starter and it was his job to lose. It didn’t matter how well Bernier performed.
Please list how many back-up’s with a similar amount of games started with 3 shutouts. You won’t find many.
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408kingsfan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
@Ersberg, More confusing is how Shenn got graded so high
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Ersberg Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
@408kingsfan, Yeah, Schenn was plain terrible away from the puck. He gets a D.
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Dan H. Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
@Ersberg,
By that logic he was 0-2 in shootouts so we should give him a D?
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Can anyone tell me how/why Doughty won “Best Defensemen” on the kings this season?? Being our franchise D- man, did he just need the pat on the back? You left one person out of the voting Rich. I’ll do it for you
Rich Hammond – A++++++
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puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:42 am
@TMagz37, Willie Mitchell is in a class by himself on this team currently, nobody clamps down like this guy.
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raitis Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
@TMagz37,
whos better on the kings D than doughty?
Overall D
Doughty had a bad season and still was the best on the team.
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wheels49 Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 6:41 am
@raitis, It has to Scuderi. Anybody that spends as much time as he did paired with JMFJ and still end up a + for the season has to be voted best D.
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Tmagz37 Reply:
May 16th, 2011 at 8:03 am
@Wheels49, hands down It was Scuderi. He was unreal on the PK and did ALL the small things that you need from ur D. He’s not flashy like DD but that’s not what being a solid Defensemen is all about. A great coach once told me that “ahem scouting a defensemen, if you don’t notice him, find a way to notice him. “
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I wish Frolov the best of luck with his new contract in the KHL
As for the grades, they are pretty accurate, and hopefully next season we can raise those bottom dwellers up a couple of letter grades.
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Praise for Bernier. I’m not starting a Quick/Bernier debate. Just passing the links.
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Bernier+play+between+pipes+earns+Canadian+goalie+shot+Russians/4769454/story.html
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SLIM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
@FKA PakiFro,
He plays calm and keeps the players calm..
Were have we heard that before?
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
@SLIM,
Yep. Crow said it after the first game in London.
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What about the grades for Lombardi and Murry?
I have to say, I think JJ grade was too high! IMO he deserved a C at best! He is a defenseman, and he did not do a great job at that.
And was Fro on our team last year? Why was he even mentioned? He should get an F! All of you that complained about Penner, Fro was just as lazy and phoned it in just as many times. Great when he wanted but lazy! Glad to have gotten rid of him.
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KC23 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
@Jason, JJ was crap at 5 on 5, but he was the only PP guy worth a darn. I gave him a C+ and felt it was a bit generous. Giving him a B is over the top though imho.
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Rich, this is amazing. The season is over and we still have access to reading up on Kings’ news and information.
I don’t know if other journalists (if that’s your title) for other NHL teams do what you do, but you do a great job, so thanks a lot!
Go enjoy a much deserved summer break!
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The grades only prove it’s a good thing the fans don’t run the team. Too many grades based on emotion rather than performance.
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puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:43 am
@Minnesota Kings Fan, thats a no brainer, I agree.
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Frolov – signing with the KHL.. Did anyone else see that on Puck Daddy?
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:59 am
@dduffy, Yea, Sure could of used at least 1/2 of those 51 points he had before he left, on that 3rd line left wing position this season. Oh well! se la vie.
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Rich- It’d be interesting for you to post last year’s grades as well, just as a comparison!
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tornado12 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:15 am
@driller1, there is an archive section tab on the right up top.
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Both Clifford and Penner
were over-rated. Lewis and Richardson were under-rated. Noted the Golden Boy (DD) didn’t receive nor deserved and “A”. The rest I can live with.
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Harty Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
@crashin’ da net, disagree, again I argue if half of this team had Clifford’s heart and effort we would still be playing hockey.
Clifford is a solid A and deserves nothing less, Penner is lazy, and has no motivation, he will stink for years in this league.
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I didn’t vote but I checked and read everyday. I don’t agree the grade for Kyle and Jake. Both of them should be B.
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:09 am
@zdfun, Your vote might have made the difference. Maybe we could get P-Diddy to do a rock the vote commercial for Hammond next season. LOL
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I disagree with my favorite player Matt Greene. He was great until the playoffs I would give him a F in the playoffs B in the regular season so should be a C..
And I call Stoll traded for more cap and roster room to make room for Brad Richards and Schenn.
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
@Ducksuck,
Stoll wouldn’t be enough, and the other team would send salary back the other way. That would also leave us without anyone who could even win a faceoff from a 12 year old.
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Bob Miller – A+ – Hes calls the wrong player a few times per game but his voice and excitement for the game are still amazing.
Jim Fox – A – He finishes sentences funny, but hes a great match for Bob. I love his “Woe!” after a great save/play/hit.
Patrick O’Neal – B+ – He is a Kings fan, you can tell by the passion he shows towards the team, and hes not afraid to criticize the team after bad performance. I enjoyed him on the telecasts.
Heidi Androl – B+ – First of all, shes pretty hot in a classy way. She did a lot of good work with Kings Vision in addition to the FSN broadcasts. Shes still a little awkward in conducting interviews but getting better.
Marty McSorley – B – Saw a little bit of him in pre game and post game during the playoffs. I enjoyed having him around, hope to see more of him.
FSN West & My 13 – A+ for amount of games covered, basically ALL of them (except the ones done by versus) in beautiful high definition. NOT having to resort to crappy quality streaming to watch some road games was amazing. Please do your best to keep televising ALL Kings games.
As far as coverage on the ice – B- – They didnt come up with any stupid ideas again like the “Rinkside view” to try to attract hip new fans or whatever. Their camera seems to always delay when play is stopped and there is “action” behind the play, such as a fight or rough stuff. They miss some stuff on the bench at times but I cant complain too much beyond that. Interviews from the bench are great, after a home win, its nice to see the first star get interviewed, and sometimes they show interviews from the locker room which is great as well.
FSN Commercials – Lets see less of the lady smoking with the hole in her throat and the dead car accident texting kids, and more beer commercials. Beer commercials are always funny. Maybe talk Staples into making some new commercials too, gladly they got rid of the “wow thats a low price” guy, but went back to their old commercial with the annoying music. Lets also see less of the Carls Jr commercial with the dumb office girls, and more of Miss Turkey!
Kings Vision – A+ – Took it to the next level this year with the “Undisputed” series. Lots of great work with pre and post game interviews and even the post game celebrations. Great behind the scenes access. The Kopitar Bailey All-Star roommates skit was absolutely hilarious as well as the Hammond “Undisputed”. Should win some kind of award for that one.
Rich Hammond – A+ – Incredible coverage. Dont know what else can be said that hasnt been said already.
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bbb7 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:52 am
@Sebastian, Nicely wrapped up!
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Goring 19 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:43 am
@Sebastian, Great observations Sebastian! Agreed on Miss Turkey. I had a profound hatred for the rinkside camera, it’s all too real. Definitely want to see more of McSorely, he has good insight and I always liked him, nice guy. I’m already dyeing to hear Bob’s voice. Like Jimmy but he tends to wear me down after about oh, the first game. Heidi, great job. Rich Hammond, thank God you’re here or else I wouldn’t be typing this. GKG
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puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:45 am
@Sebastian, You forgot the succinct analysis of Rob Blake….Bahaaaaaaa
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
@Sebastian,
Awsome. Totally agree with everything.
I would like to add an F- for Prime Ticket coverage. Only being available to LA county viewers, and long distant viewers, while at the same time cutting out the viewers in the middle, like San Diego county, and then blacking the games out for us, because the cable companies won’t pay extra is absolutely criminal, and greedy.
I didn’t get KCOP either, but that station is a local LA station, so it gets a pass. Prime ticket is not. Their missing out on a lot of viewers.
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HawKings Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
@Sebastian, Excellent analysis. Could add an A+ for Nick Nickson and an A for Darryl Evans. When it comes to the calling of games on TV and Radio, the Kings are second to none. I always knew our guys were great but once I started listening to others on satellite radio, I came to appreciate that not only were our guys great, they were amongst the best in the business.
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Sebastian Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 8:39 am
@HawKings, how could I forget about Nick and Darryl, i guess the only time i actually heard them was on my way home from games. they did make the long drive back to the OC a lot easier. A+ for both.
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jet Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
@Sebastian, Perfect, but I would go with an A for Patrick this year. I actually missed his segments when he was on assignment. Oh, and HIedi is always an easy A.
I agree with you about Carl’s Jr commercial with Hiedi as Miss Turkey. WOW.
But, the other great commercial ran in the first half of the year. Two guys sitting on a leather sofa watching a game, suddenly the roof caves in and the living room is soaked. Announcer, “Our insurance gets you back to the game quickly”. The guys are now on a COTTON sofa watching the game. YAA, sign me up for that insurance!!
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408KingsFan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
@Sebastian, That was all stuff I agree on (that never happens)
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
@Sebastian,
How did Luke do?
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Puckn-A Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 11:07 pm
@Dominick, Luke blew up the Deathstar, Luc did a great job for the Kings
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Bodoe Reply:
May 16th, 2011 at 8:08 am
@Sebastian, Patrick O’Neal a Kings fan? lol
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The more I think about this, the more I see the whole premise of this “grading” system as faulty. By the way, I’m a teacher and know a little something about grading. If I was in a group of teachers grading essays, for eaxample, on this sort of scale, the results would NOT be what we see above. Let me give an example…
We all read an essay and grade it (using this system with no ‘minus’ grades), and we get the following results…
A – 10%
B+ – 23%
B – 27%
C+ – 28%
C – 10%
D+ – 2%
Now, according to the way this is blog’s grading system works, this student gets a C+, because it has the most votes, which makes absolutely no sense. 50% of us think the essay should receive some type of B grade, and 60% thimk it should be a some type of B grade or an A. Only 28% think it should be C+, and their grade stands? Instead of “most votes wins,” we would most likely toss the 10% on the top as being too generous and 12% on the bottom as too punitive, and go with the middle three, with the consensus being that this person most likely deserves a B, not a C+.
So, by this grading system, Dwight King and John Zeiler performed better than Dustin Penner? Oh, please. We had better release Penner then and promote King and Zeiler right now before other teams gobble them up! If fans really believe that, then please, PLEASE apply to other teams as GMs so Lombardi can take all your talent from your team and get them on the Kings’ roster.
Again, this poll makes no sense to me, except as a popularity poll, and once again serves only to show me how glad I am that the fans don’t run the team.
MKF
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PRMan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:59 am
@Minnesota Kings Fan, King and Zeiler were 4th liners. Penner was supposed to be a 1st liner, but ended up on the 4th line.
This isn’t school (despite the similar grading system).
Hockey players have “roles” and are expected to perform them.
To me, the biggest travesty is Bernier. For his backup goalie “role”, he performed at an A+ level.
[Reply]
Minnesota Kings Fan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
@PRMan,
I realize it’s not school. But grading systems of any kind need to make sense, and this one doesn’t.
[Reply]
Minnesota Kings Fan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Additionally, I seem to recall that King was on the first line there for a while, though I understand your point about roles. My point is that majority rules doesn’t work in ranking players, even in their designated roles.
puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:50 am
@Minnesota Kings Fan, Dude, dont get so caught up in what the fans say and do or you will have a nervous breakdown like @crownroyal, or go completely ballistic like @HBKingsfan. And then you know what happens after that? Take it from me, a guy who has been there, ready for it?….Comments awaiting moderation. YOU DONT WANT THAT, TRUST ME.
[Reply]
Minnesota Kings Fan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
@puck73,
I hear you, but I’m calm, cool, and collected. It is a little annoying to read the nasty remarks from people who call themselves fans and then don’t support their team, and/or take a player’s poor performance on the ice personally. I don’t think I said anything anyone would find offensive. I was being sardonic about the GM comment, or at least I felt I was. Guess there’s nothing I can do if Rich thinks I was trying to provoke people.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
@Minnesota Kings Fan, Its all good bro, I just dont want you or anyone else on here to get put on moderation. Especially a guy like you who makes good points. I hope you get a chance to come out from Minnesota and come to a Hammond event.
I was really hoping to grade Jamie Kompon. Where was his evaluation???
[Reply]
PRMan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 10:59 am
@Kingsrock80,
D
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:05 am
@Kingsrock80,
N/A. Did he really do anything, or just teach them to pass it around before shooting from the point?
[Reply]
BobKnob Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@Dominick,
I’m puzzled why everyone complains about us passing the puck around on the power play when we weren’t even able to do that. If by passing, everyone means “digging the puck off the boards and then sending a sloppy bouncing pass to the point or losing the puck”, then I agree with the complaints. We were basically one and done on most power play chances. Dump, recover, barely get a pass to the point, throw it towards the net, miss, puck cleared, repeat.
Our magical ability to allow 4 players to defend all the passing lanes for 5 Kings is what prevented us from passing the puck around freely and having success on the power play.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
@BobKnob, Naaa, I was referring to the passing around the perimeter that the Kings so eloquently exhibited, all season long when they tried to actually connect on passes without having them blocked.
Player-X Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
@BobKnob, amen brother!!
Spacing and movement, it is all about the guys that don’t have the puck getting to a place where they have a 4 foot bubble of open ice.
puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:53 am
@Kingsrock80, I hope Dean pulls the plug on this guy. If he does, some of us veterans can sing Van Halens…Jamies Cryin !
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
@puck73,
As long as he doesn’t sing Aerosmiths…Jamies got a gun!
[Reply]
SLIM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
@Dominick,
Although I always thought it was Jamie..
It is actually” Janie’s”got a gun….
Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
@SLM,
Totally ruined my joke.
And what timing! Shorty on Bernier. I hope you don’t ruin my day even further with you nonsense. LOL
Overall A to all the blog particpants. Thanks guys and gals. (Oh, and C- to anyone who disagreed with me about anything. You few kept us from an A+)
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:01 am
@vicarious,
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These grades are crazy. Even if you grade on expectations these grades would indicate that we are in the Western Conference finals. There are so many above average grades that the only way this would be acceptable is if at the start of the season you didn’t think the Kings would even make the playoffs. If you believed that they would either match or improve on last year then it should look like a bunch of C’s and a few A/B’s and a few D/F’s. I don’t know that anyone on the team should get an A and no one deserves an F.
[Reply]
number 6 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:40 am
@west coast ram,
Funny, in looking at the grades that was the ‘feeling’ I had but I couldn’t put it into words. Thankfully you did.
Are you a poet? (just joking)
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PP Anybdoy? Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
@west coast ram, Yeah, I’d like to know how Dwight King gets a C? The guy came in and did nothing. Granted, it was a little too much to ask, but he didn’t succeed at even taking a fourth line spot and was returned to Manchester, so if anything is considered a fail, it would be that. Too much fanboy grading, and not enough critical analysis of what is really going on with this team.
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Minnesota Kings Fan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
@west coast ram,
Maybe you read my posts above. I completely agree.
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I don’t think Penner deserved an “F” , I think a “C” under the circumstances would be more accurate.
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hey is there a reason why Doughty is not playing for Canada? Did I miss something?
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Barry's Mullet Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:52 am
@txkingsfan, He got stuck in line at Dunkin’ Donuts and missed his flight.
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puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:55 am
@Barry’s Mullet, Dude, I was totally waiting for an offseason Doughty Blast and you deliverd…like pizza hut ! lol
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
@Barry’s Mullet, Maybe he’s with Hiedi at 24 hour fitness.
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overall, i think Kings fans did OK. Johnson should be a little higher and Penner is far too low. other than that, i don’t have too much of an argument about the rest.
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Puckn-A Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@Dave, Yeah looks like the fans get 2 scapegoats next year in Penner & Johnson. I wonder if any of his “haters” realize he didn’t get a + for any of the power play points he had, which led the team.
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seems like a fair assesment IMO. Its pretty much how i graded most of them with the exception of Richardson. I feel B-rad deserves an A for HHH (hard work, Heart and Hustle) and i feel he got shafted a couple time by TM throughout the season for no apparent reason IMO. I also think Harry deserves better than a C. He does his part when called on and has a great attitude considering he rides pine more often than not. Otherwise its pretty much just how i see it.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Well, Peter Harrold played well when he actually got to play defense, his Natural position. I think Harrold got a raw deal here, and I felt Ersberg did as well.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
@puck73, agreed on both! how is ol Ice berg doin now a days anyway?
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puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Not sure how Ersberg is doing currently. Also, this is a heads up for you, but you will be one of my guests next season at the first..Rich Hammond meets the bloggers in a suite night. I know you didnt get to make it this season, so dont worry, I got you covered. BTW, make sure you come see me at rookie camp which is free, and I will remind you about that.
txkingsfan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
@puck73, how did they get a raw deal? This is professional hockey not the local YMCA. If you don’t excel when you are given the opportunity to do so – and Ersberg did – then you have no one to blame but yourself. I’m sorry but I don’t buy this “they didn’t get a chance” here argument.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
@txkingsfan, I will meet you half way on this bro, because you make a persuasive argument. In reference to Ersberg, it maybe hard to criticize the Kings because he was put on waivers and nobody claimed him. As for Harrold…stay tuned.
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
@puck73, sweet buddy! I really appreciate gesture. Ill be sure to make it to rookie camp and look forward to meeting you. Thanks again Puck!
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1-0 Canada…
Spezza…breakaway…
Bernier is playing lights out so far..
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SLIM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
@SLIM,
I just realized this might be a spoiler
for those of you who don’t want to know..
You might be Recording it…So i’ll stop..
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Worst overgrades: Clifford and Ponikarovsky
Not that Clifford wasn’t a pleasant addition to the team, but give an “A” to Skinner, Couture, Grabner, Fowler, Subban, and maybe even Bobrovsky. Those were the rookies who made a real impact. Clifford was fun, but far from impactful.
Ponikarovsky was an F, plain and simple. 3 million dollars for THAT? Hell, if he had been billed as Brad Chartrand he still would have gotten a D…
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
@Marc Nathan,
Well, on a team that plays defense first, Poni improved greatly on defensive play. Expecting offense at the same time was a stretch, even if it was what we signed him for. It kind of defeated his porpose, but not completely his fault.
I suspect most understood that, and graded him properly. If you just expected goals than yes, he was an F.
Cliffy was graded mostly for heart, and playoff perfomance, from what I could see.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
@Dominick, When all the tall guys, Mitchell, Handzus, Ponikarovsky, and Kopitar were in the lineup at the same time, and putting their sticks in the passing lanes, the Kings were not only tough to beat, but I believe we win the division going away if all 4 of those guys play the whole season.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
@puck73,
Hard to argue that. We were pretty lucky with total man games lost to injury, but not to who got injured, and especially when. We really missed Mitchel for a spell, and that Kopi injury killed us.
Harty Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
@Dominick, you mention heart and playoff performance for Clifford, and what else should he bring as a rookie, should he had led the team in scoring?? Should he had led the team with ice time, trust me if he had played up the roster more often and given more of a chance with ice time, he could have been a highier scorer, especially those that think Penner should play with Kopi, guess what put Clifford in there and tell him to go to the net, something Penner can’t even spell let alone get too.
Wrong Clifford is solid A, and should wear a A on his jersey to bark in some of these guys ears.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
@Harty,
I didn’t offer up an opinion on what he deserved. I just offered up what I think most graded him on. Your opinion is duely noted though, and thanks for play’in. Tune in next week, same bat time, same bat channel.
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
@Marc Nathan, I have to disagree about clifford. You cant compare him to the guys you mentioned because they are completely diferent types of hockey players. Cliffy is not a skilled guy like the ones you mentioned and brings other intangables to the table. He is a power forward, grinder type and i think he did his job extremly well and exceeded all of my expectations at least and was our only forward who elevated there game to a new level come playoffs and deserves nothing less than an A. He also picked up some slack on the fist throwing which was the + in the A+ that once again i think he deserves.
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
Exceeded my expectations. I thought Clune would be here all season.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
@Dominick, Clune…..now thats a guy i would like to see succeed even if its not with the Kings! Love the work ethic and tenacity
I was looking forward to grading Kompon
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
@king Doughnuts, somehow i feel he was ommitted for a reason. Rich would of had his work cut out for him mediating posts
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Sebastian Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
@king Doughnuts, Kompon works for Murray, grade him through TM. Can you really blame Kompon for the crappy PP and not the head coach?
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I havn’t checked in with you bloggers in a bit, so here’s my two cents. I think all in all the Kings slipped a bit in over all this year. We expected a little more from this group. With Kopi going down it’s hard to put what happened this year into any kind of clear words. Even with him in the line up we wern’t nailing goals on a normal basis. I really thought we would get pass the frist round of the playoffs, but we feel short. The regular season was so up and down that we never seemed to get on track. We were always fighting up hill and never brought our A game at home. On the road we were warrior’s. It seemed to me that when we were on the road we played like a team. We had each others back and always gave a good effort. At home the club seemed to change. It was like the though that their crap didn’t sink and they were prviliged LA sports stars and it was ok to sniff the fans and have all the hot chicks hanging out befor the game. I got the chance to be a vip for the greenroom night and it was like a big party going on in the locker room before the game. The players were to busy with other “ego” type of things. A hockey game was the fertherest from these guys minds. We showed our youth and and at times played awful at home. When hockey resumes in October hoprfully the guys are done with this LA addityude stuff. Hockey has always been a game for men. It’s the best sport going these days and there is no room for ego rich LA starlet, skating wossies. Look if we are ever going to challage for a cup, then we are going to have to put all the off ice stuff away and do nothing but put our minds on each and every game. It’s along season and with the playoffs even longer, but each game next year will be a game that we can grow from. No we won’t win every game and I’m even worried a little about haveing a let down season next year. If we don’t look at ourseleves in the mirror things may go back to what were used to. I want nothing but the best for our club. I’ll be ther in Vegas to start this upcomeing season right. Can’t wait for the frozen fury. I’ll also but Center Ice so I can watch every game from my lazy boy here in Salt Lake City. To boot I’ll also make a few home games at the Staples. See folks I’m a Kings fan and nothing will change that. I’m in it till the wheels fall off. I don’t know what got into me I just started typeing and the words just started to flow. If there is any messed up gammer and spelling don’t blame me Blame on the Jim Beam Please. Yes I’m drinking this afternoon, so should you know we are stuck having to watch a game 7 tonight without our Kings playing. Oh well Hope to read you guys troughout the summer…. Good Night now!!!!
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
@kinginsaltlake, Make sure you save some of that booze for frozen fury. BTW, good ta hear from you again Charlie, your posts are usually good and positive. Hopefully you will make it out this season for a Hammond suite event, which IMO is better then the green room. If you could have been there for game 6 in the 5 suites with all of us regulars, I think you would not have wanted to leave. Have a good offseason bud.
[Reply]
Harty Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
@kinginsaltlake, you have players that didn’t play on this team last year how can you say “all of the kings have slipped bit”, be careful with paintbrush colouring.
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KC23 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
@kinginsaltlake, Williams, Quick, Mitchell, Kopitar, Brown all did not slip one bit imho.
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Someone yesterday under DL’s thread mentioned how he should try to get Jason Spezza w his 7M a year contract. Spezza was just the last guy back on a Canada PP and instead of taking the Russian’s body (which he was perfectly positioned to do) he took a feeble swipe at the puck. Missed it. Break away. Short handed goal.
Commentators called him out big time.
That’s what you want for the Kings? You can have him….. for the bargain price of 7M a year.
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tornado12 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
@number 6, for what its worth, I dont want him. He is a one dimensional player and for 7 mil cap hit? NO WAY! What has he done for OTT since the cup finals run?
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KC23 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
@number 6, Sounds like the perfect bookend for Penner … no thanks.
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Stuart Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 9:47 am
@number 6, Spezza has always reminded me of that Euro-bust that got paid large and played small…Yashin, had to look him up.
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LOL Penner with a F, thats pretty harsh i would say a D
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Sebastian Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
@kennynakamoto, F PENNER! get it? get it?
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Ow, poor Penner.
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Im off to lunch now but wanted to get everyones opinion on the DET/SJ game 7 tonight. I have mixed feelings myself about it considering i hate the wings just like i hate the yankees and i have a new found dislike for SJ even though they have been a division rival for quite some time now. I think i would rather see SJ take it but i feel with the wings on the roll that they are on currently it will be hard to close them out even though SJ is at home.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:47 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, go red dudes.
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Sebastian Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Im going for the red wings, so naturally, SJ will move on.
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Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 2:03 pm
@Sebastian, I hope you didn’t just jinx it for us. LOL
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Sebastian Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
@Dominick, i root for the kings every year and they never get anywhere. only team that i was rooting for that actually won were the preds over anaheim and the lightning over washington.
KC23 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Those cheep shots on TM in the blog sealed the deal for me. Gonna laugh me arse off at SJ if they lose. Go dead things.
[Reply]
SLIM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
Don’t really like the Wings, but hate
the San Choke-say Sharts…So Wings..
Then Wings over the Cansucks who I really hate..
Change hate to strongly dislike…
[Reply]
Osaka Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, The Red Wings are one team I have a hard time hating, I have a lot of respect for them. I wish DL would use the Wings as his model to build a team instead of the Flyers.
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Am I choking because I swallowed my soda wrong, or is it just from watching the game? ha ha ha.
Just kidding. Tough break for Bernier, 2 goals and still loses. Almost like playing for the Kings. At least the trade Quick, Berniers ready talk won’t go any further.
Anouncers can’t mention it enough how Russia dominates Canada in this tournement. Better than my team did.
[Reply]
Hat trick Reply:
May 14th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
@Dominick, I think a large part of it is the size of the rink. N American hockey is still played on that same rink they played on 50 yrs ago but guys now are bigger and faster. N American hockey is more physical which makes sense when you got 10 guys out there over 6 ft there’s really not a lot of room out there.
Russian hockey is more passing, puck possession, overall skill with the puck which makes sense since there’s more ice to work with. I was hoping the NHL would move over to the olympic sheet but I guess not.
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ahahahahhahahahahahah “F” when westgarth is doin better that you, thats sayin something
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I cant believe Penner got that score, it would take a tool to give him an F. Hey come over to a new team a new system, new line mates and get your family settled in at the end of the season. Oh and make sure that you score a ton of points.
Dont pat any attention to it Penner its all nonsense.
[Reply]
Harty Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
@slapshot, really, the game is played on the ice not in the home in Beverly Hills, too much more for little effort and talent.
Penner is finished as a player, on his way down. No way he should play with our top line, why he doesn’t deserve it, lasy big useless body. Trade the bum
[Reply]
SLIM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
@Harty,
I think we get your point…You don’t like Penner…
Be careful about being moderated….
One of the rules is….. Posts that continually express the same singular opinion will be deleted…
[Reply]
KC23 Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
@slapshot, You can dress up a pig all you want, but in the end its still a pig. Penner played like a lazy gutless wanna be. He got what he deserved. The only burst of speed we saw from him was at the end of his shifts going back to the bench.
Oh, he’ll be better next year when its time to earn a new pay check and the King’s will cash in on that, but don’t confuse it with any kind of heart cause he ain’t got none. I doubt DL will re-sign the bum after next year and I doubt Penner will want to.
[Reply]
Osaka Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
@KC23, Penner wasn’t as bad as an F. Of course he didn’t play up to expectations or as well as we needed him to be, and after we waited so long for DL to bring in some scoring I think emotion has taken over judgement here. Penner was not a physical player but we knew this coming in, he never was. The knock on him was he was hesitant and indecisive, that doesn’t mean he doen’t have heart. That means he was unsure or thinking too much on the ice. A player who doesn’t care has no concerns by definition right? The Kings play a tough system to adapt to. Their system involves a lot of reads and decisions to be made. Conversly the Tampa Bay system is being praised because the players don’t have to make reads or decisions so their is never any hesitation.
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Puckn-A Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
@Osaka, That’s a great post, as upset as I was at Penner’s play, I don’t think he deserves these harsh personal attacks. Even though he is a professional and should give his all, maybe he had some personal issues that he brought to work that affected his play. If I were him I would feel awkward enough coming to a new team with the ” savior” label when his old team had been out of it by the first month of the season, then he gets here and is just trashed by the fans when he is adjusting to our D first, second & third system . Some posters are so harsh when they can hide behind their keyboard, I bet those same people would kiss his butt if they met him.
Zambo drivers B+
[Reply]
SLIM Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
@jet,
How bout Ice Girls?
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
@SLIM, The little Asian girl gets an A.
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jonsey Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
@Dominick, Link?
How Jack Johnson got a “B” is beyond me. He was a -21 on the season. If he scored 10-12 goals, I could live with a -10. When you only score 5 goals, a -21 is completely unacceptable. Johnson is a -78 for his career and has only scored 22 goals. Are you kidding me? He must have gotten a “B” in name only.
I’d rather have Jason Demers of San Jose. He only scored 3 less goals than Johnson this season, but was a +19…a 40 goal difference!!!!
[Reply]
Bonvivant1 Reply:
May 14th, 2011 at 11:14 am
@Steve, can you explain why Lombardi locked him up for several years then?
[Reply]
Steve Reply:
May 14th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
@Bonvivant1, I can only hope and pray that Jeck gets better, and Im sure the King’s front office feels the same way. If his next four season are like the pervious four (22G, 78A, 100Pts, -78 +/-) than this team is in trouble along the blue line. A defensemen should not be a -21 for a season, pure and simple.
If anyone else on this team was a -21, they would be getting ridiculed, but because its Jack Johnson its ok to overlook it? I want more of a consistent defensive effort for $4.3 mil/year!!
[Reply]
Interesting results i didn’t feel anyone deserved an A or an F as far as the team goes i have to grade it as incomplete why? no cup!maybe next year.
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jonsey Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
@Bkrs-Bud, I gotta give Quick an A. He did everything that he personally could to get us a cup. Same with Williams. Kopitar had a few too many streaks. He gets a B/B+. No one does get an F, you’re right, because no one absolutely failed. Penner did great when he was along Kopitar and Williams on a new team. No one mentions that. He’s no worse than Carter, Ronning, co.
[Reply]
Steve Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
@jonsey, I agree. There should have been a grade category of “incomplete” because that’s what Penner would get. He played well alongside Kopitar. When Kopitar went down, he just vanished. He was only here for 16 games, so its kinda hard to give him an honest grade.
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Bkrs-Bud Reply:
May 14th, 2011 at 1:25 am
@jonsey, I gave Quick a B+ he was our best player this season,but when the team has 2 long losing streaks i could not give any player an Outstanding grade.
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Emotion driven votes. Or people voted on their playoff performance or at least end season performance.
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Dustin Penner is spelled S-C-A-P-E-G-O-A-T in LA now-a-days.
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tornado12 Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
@Sam, not by all my friend
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Harty Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
@Sam, I don’t consdier Dustin Penner the scapegoat of the team. I diagreed from the outset with this trade, he isn’t what we need to push us over the top. Richards yes, in fact someone big is going to be traded next year and the league will be shaked by it. Like……………
-Mike Richards
-Zetterberg
……someone big for sure. Maybe the Kings can cash in??
[Reply]
So last night I commented to this blog installment with words a bit too derisive. Well, bad on me. Rich axed the post, which is probably good.
Here’s my striped-down, focused, cleaned-up input to the LAK fan ‘grades.’:
Westgarth’s C+: Not a good showing, voters. Word has it “C” means average, so a C+ is better than average. In nearly 60 games averaging a modest 6-9 shifts/game, Westgarth posted 3 points. 3 points. 3 of those 3 points were assists, I’m thinking 1 of them was a primary assist. He took at least a dozen times that many indefensible penalties. If that warrants an ‘above average’ grade, what could possibly be below average?! Most of Westgarth’s 2010-11 season was an F minus. In all truth and fairness, he cleaned that up the last couple of weeks of the regular season, so much so that a D+ for the season seems reasonable.
Thinking LAK fans can only hope the Westgarth of April is the guy that reports to training camp in September.
[Reply]
Penner – F
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