Spraying to all fields here…
First, a reminder that spots are still available for the 23rd-annual Dave Taylor/Jim Fox Golf Classic, which will take place Monday, June 13, at the Moorpark Country Club. The tournament, which benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, includes Kings alumni and personalities such as Fox, Taylor, Marcel Dionne, Gary Edwards, Daryl Evans, Mark Hardy, Glen Murray, Ian Turnbull, Rogie Vachon, Bob Miller, Nick Nickson and Patrick O’Neal. Registration — part of the fee is tax-deductible — and sponsorship information can be found by clicking here.
Also, my eventual replacement is being groomed, as Kings prospect Ray Kaunisto has started blogging about his summer and experiences as a player. Ray’s first correspondent piece is an item about Brandon Kozun. You can cheek out his blog by clicking here, and he’s also a self-described “Twitter Pro,” at twitter.com/RayK71.
Finally, there’s this gem. The talented Craig Custance of The Sporting News did an item on NHL trades that worked and didn’t work this season. Guess who made the list? Talking about Dustin Penner, Dean Lombardi gave this quote to Craig regarding Penner’s future: “Dustin is at the cross-roads of his career. He can choose to use his athletic ability to either become a dominant power forward in the National Hockey League or be a dominant number four hitter for the El Cid Lounge in a men’s softball league—the choice is his.” The El Cid Lounge, according to Yelp, is a bar in Ludlow, Mass., about a half-hour outside of Lombardi’s hometown of Holyoke. Tell `em Dean sent you, and maybe you’ll get a free drink. Or a spot on the softball team.
My only real hope for Penner is that he realizes in the last year of his contract that if he doesn’t produce he’ll take a huge pay cut — assuming anybody wants him. The talent is there. The effort seldom is.
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number 6 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 5:06 pm
@xhockeywriter,
Hey x…. the issue I have with the whole thing is that several people have said, hey, he’s in a contract year.
My response has been: is That the sort of player you want on your team, who can effectively Bring it, but it takes a contract year to do so? Otherwise, he can’t really be bothered?
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CB14 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
@number 6, I agree with you number 6. Dean’s in a no win situation with Penner. If he trades him now he’ll get nothing in return compared to what he gave up. If Penner plays bad next year too, people will blame DL for making a bad trade. If Penner plays great and DL re-signs him, people will say that the only reason Penner performed well is because it was his contract year and DL is stupid for signing a guy who only performed when he wants too (yours and mine opinions). If he plays well and DL doesn’t re-sign him, people will say why are you not re-signing him after his great year. The only way Dean looks good is if Penner plays great and DL re-signs him to a reasonable contract(see Williams, Justin) and Penner continues to play well in the new contract years.
If people think that Penner and Williams are similar situations, I disagree, Williams was injured, Penner played like he didn’t give a blank. I’m not pissed at Penner because he didn’t put up enough points, i’m pissed at Penner for not playing like he gave a blank.
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number 6 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
@CB14,
CB, just read this on my phone. So it was You! Great. Perfect post, you dug up little pieces I hadn’t even thought of. Good un.
CB14 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 8:20 pm
@number 6, Thanks! You had some great ones on the Vey/Berube page discussing with Jet and Osaka.
Token Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 8:56 pm
@CB14, @number 6, Don’t you think it might be a bit myopic to judge a guy based on twenty games of which he played seven really good ones?
If we were to judge Kopi or Brown solely on their 20 game slumps where they score one goal at best, would you conclude that they are also lazy rubbish?
Penns played fine for a half dozen games and then something in his life broke. Don’t know what it is, don’t care what it is. I just hope he figures things out and gets his head on straight for next season.
Penns will be the master of his own destiny, and it would probably help if his bosses and the peanut gallery were not tossing him under the bus all the time.
Feels like everyone is kicking a guy when he’s down instead of helping him up, despite the fact that it serves no one to beat on him. Lose-lose scenario.
CB14 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
@Token, It’s not so much that Penner had a scoring slump, it’s his effort in said slump. When Brown was in his slump he was still competing and hitting everything in sight. When Kopi was in his slump he was still playing great defense night in and night out against the other teams best players. Penner it seemed like he did nothing in those games that you mentioned. Even though he wasn’t scoring goals, he could’ve still done things on the ice to help his team out. Mabye it’s just me, but I don’t think he did anything other than glide around on the ice for 25 seconds before returning to the bench. Mabye that’s a little harsh, but is it that much to ask for a guy to compete every night?
As I said in my last sentence of the post that you’re referring to, “I’m not pissed at Penner because he didn’t put up enough points, i’m pissed at Penner for not playing like he gave a blank.”
Yeah i’m kicking him when he’s down, but i’m a fan who is sometimes irrational, ok ok most of the time, but in fairness to me it’s not like Penner is going to read my comment. I do understand your feelings about DL tossing him under the bus, it’s a calculated risk by DL who is trying to motivate Penner to become a better player. Will it work? I guess only time will tell. I think DL is counting on DP to realize what it takes to play in TM’s system, and is doing everything imaginable to get him to do that. If that means calling him out publically, like he just did, or guilt tripping him into it, DL will do it. TM wasn’t able to do it by being encouraging, then by getting mad at him, playing in the playoffs for the first time in 4 years wasn’t able to do it either, so you’ve got to try something else. I think DL realizes DP can’t go down from where he was at the end of the year, so why not try something to get him to change his effort and compete level?
In your comment in response to Lilly further down on this page you said, “Or he’ll fall apart, fail miserably, and as many already celebrate here, we can all laugh at this sorry …” . I know he’s only been here a short amount of time, but don’t you think he’s already done that? How can he get any worse?
If he wants someone to hold his hand and lift him up, he should go see his mommy. He is a 28 year old man, he should be able to handle a little constructive criticsm. If he wasn’t able to handle a little criticsm, he would’ve broken down when he played in Edmonton.
I too want him to get his head on straight and play lights out next year. I don’t think anyone on this site has said they want Penner to play like crap next year, we all want him to play great next year and beyond. People might’ve said they don’t want him with the Kings next year, but is that crazy considering how he played last year? Lets hope he comes into camp in great shape, has his head on straight, is ready to compete for a full 60 minutes, is ready to play the full 200 feet of ice in TM’s defense first system, and ready to help the Kings win the Stanley Cup.
Token Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
@CB14, It’s all good discussion. Your points are strong and I can see things both ways.
I truly hope Penner does figure things out and we are able to be a much better team with two scoring lines. That’s what we fans do. Hope beyond the reasonable savvy. If I was running this business, I’d fire his donkey. But I’m just a fan in section 324.
I just find that it is good to have some balance and alternative thinking to keep the conversation fresh. I am displeased with his performance in the playoffs, but I also recognize that it gave many other players a chance to shine, and shine they did.
Pro sports is complicated stuff and I find myself much happier once I find a silver lining in a clusterfunk.
Zen time! Funky Time Wisdom.
CB14 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 11:37 pm
@Token, I agree it’s all in good discussion, and you make some good points as well. It’s all just a matter of how you look at it.
Balance and alternative thinking is the only thing that brings out good discussions on this site, or on any topic for that matter. As much as I disagree with some people on this site, it’s what brings out the best discussions between all of us. (OK Mabye Sometimes the worst) If we all agreed with each other the comment section of this blog would be pretty boring. Not your part Rich, just the comments.
At least we both hope Penner plays his butt off this year, Go Kings.
vicarious Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
@CB14, I think Penner’s effort was there but he is a bit slow and plays a cerebral game based a lot on positioning. My guess is that since Penner came to the Kings late in the year and his instincts were honed under a different system, he found himself out of position a lot and so was struggling–a problem exacerbated by his relative lack of speed. IMO he also hit a bad patch at a bad time–maybe had a slight injury who knows. I always guess these guys averageing say .75 PPG a game for years who suddenly drop to .25 ppg have some injury they are playing trhough (like I’m pretty sure Smythe did this past year). Anyway, IMO, since the NHL game is so quick and the players so good it only takes being a player being slightly out of position for the other team to exploit.
I find it rather hard to believe Penner put up decent numbers in Edmonton then suddenly became out of shape when he came to LA. Maybe, but my guess is that its more likely other factors were more significant.
Whatever the excuses, IMO also the bottom line is that a hockey player needs to produce, and the more money they are paid the more they need to produce. While with the Kings, Penner did not produce at his usual levels. IMO the deal to bring him here made sense, but did not work out. Not surprising to see DL throw the guy under the bar now. Dl paid a lot for a rental who, for whatever reasons, failed to produce up to his normal levels.
I’d original wrote “under the bus” but DL used the bar analogy and so I guess we should stay with that term for consistency.
At the time of the trade, I’d say most of the folks on the Edmonoton boards were sort of upset to see Penner go, especially the guys at the Copper and the Gold who value various stats as good measures of play. The “hit’em” and the “fight’em” crowds among the Oiler faithful were glad to see Penner go. But the stats folk had mostly nice things to say about Penner and the #’s backed up their opinions. Over the long run, Penner can play NHL hockey for sure.
Let Pens go through camp so he’s more familiar with how the players play, then let him play with a healthy Kopitar for 20 games: I predict Pens will do just fine, contract year or no. Otherwise, Murray will send Pens back to the “house of dog” as the witty Penner wld say.
Last, this past year is no different then many others for me on yet another lousy point besides losing early: I hate those lateral late season signings. Seem to never work out for the Kings. Straka, Ronning, Halpern, Penner, etc.–exciting for a game or two then their game goes into the tank and its too depressing to think much on it. If Teubert makes the NHL he’ll torture the Kings for years. My hope for next year: No late season signing for the playoff push! History shows the Kings can lose perfectly well without bringing in another vet.
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
@vicarious, History shows the Kings can lose perfectly well without bringing in another vet. LOL. So true, so true.
I don’t think Penner was out of shape, just not in good enough shape to play in TM’s system. We all know that it takes more out of a player playing defense rather than offense, and in Terry Murray’s system you play alot of defense. That combined with the point you pointed out about him not knowing the system very well, along with him not bieng happy being here IMO, created a perfect storm of sorts that led to him floundering around out on the ice. I have to admit I thought it was a great trade when it was made, and I still think DP has plenty of time to turn things around. I still have hope that he will.
Garrett Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
@CB14, Gotta hold him next year and play him, then let him go. Use him like he’ll use us for one year, then cut ties.
jet Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 10:35 pm
@number 6, hey, I had no issue at all with your thoughts on the Kings youth, and if it is an excuse or a valid point. You have made hundreds of intelligent posts over the years and I admire your devotion to the team. We just disagree on the effect of youth and that is OK.
As to DLs dilemma, you are right on. But, I believe Penner was not in championship hockey shape, and compared to the other Kings he looked even worse. The Kings have been in the best shape of any Kings teams the past two years. That included stamina and strength. The question then becomes has Rich seen Penner at the gym yet this summer. We will know by July if he has the desire to be a player.
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xhockeywriter Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 9:19 am
@number 6, Well, yes, that is the sort of player I want on my team — during that contract year. If he doesn’t produce, he’s gone. If he comes through with a big year, offer him one year at what you think he’s worth. If somebody else comes along with multiple years or bigger bucks … see ya.
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Jeff Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
@number 6, You also have to realize that Penner had come from a situation where he wasn’t playing competitively. You can’t just turn it on when your situation changes. While yes it is a contract year, he is also for the first time in over 3 years starting a season where he has a good shot at winning a Stanley Cup. He never had that in Edmonton. Once he signed up there, the team went from bad to worse and hadn’t played a competitive game from when he signed to when he came here. You can’t just turn it on. So I expect Penner to come to camp in great shape and with a renewed confidence that he is finally playing on a team that expects a Cup come June, not to mention it is a contract year
.
Also that quote by Dean is classic…….
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oh snap! lets hope its not the ladder for penner
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USHA#17 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
Ladder up or ladder down?
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That is now number one on things to do when I get back to the states, have a drink at El Cid!
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It’s also a bar in Cabo
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LOL Dean is classic! Did they really have to bring up what we gave in exchange for this sack of potatoes? I never liked the guy. Always thought he was too much of a cruiser. I hope he turns into that power forward DL spoke about. Sure would be nice for a change outta this guy!
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What’s great about this quote is that Deano typed it in a email to Craig .No misquote here, love it.
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are you sure he wasn’t talking about El Cid on Sunset BLVD? the flamingo place…maybe he thought Penns might end up in tight black pants with a flower in his mouth. But he can’t have my tight black pants
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Ravens Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
@Ravens, Flamenco I ment of coarse
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DesertKing Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 7:26 am
@Ravens,
Penner does hit like my chihuahua!
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Kingsfanone Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 8:22 am
@Ravens,
But I bet you know how to ROCK much better than Penner in your tight black pants! And your EFFORT was better!
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By reading that, one could I suppose surmise that DL was, well, I guess not totally thrilled with the results on his trade.
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CB14 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 5:19 pm
@number 6, I believe that’s fair to assume.
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number 6 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
@CB14,
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Wow, what a burn. Nice Job DL
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Wow, pretty edgy stuff! LOL
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DL’s quote is great and I know Penner’s performance wasn’t what we’d hoped it would be but I really cannot get over the attitude shift towards him on this blog and so many others. I wanted us to trade for Penner for 2 years and I’m still glad we got him. Yeah, I was disappointed but I didn’t expect him to be the answer to all our problems nor do I blame him for all our troubles.
After watching this team under Terry Murray I’ve started to see why some offensive players don’t like to play for defensive minded coaches. It’s a huge change in mindset for goal scorers to suddenly be told they have to be responsible defensively as well and I think Terry Murray’s system may be a bit hard for some players to “blossom” under. I hold out as proof: Teddy Purcell, Matt Moulson, Brian Boyle, Ponikarovsky and Penner. These are all forwards that seem to score goals just fine elsewhere but can’t seem to find their scoring touch in LA. Even Kopitar seemed to struggle a bit but thankfully has turned into a great 2 way player. Plus, he played really well with Kopi and JW and then JW went down and then Kopi. A lot of change and transition there for him in a short period of time with LA.
So here I stand almost alone in defense of Penner. I say, let’s give it some time. I have high hopes for him next season.
Go Kings!
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Player-X Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
@Lilly, I wanted Penner, too, and still do, expecting him to react to the quote with an “I’ll show him” attitude.
Stunned that Lombardi would say that publicly. Wow.
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Lilly Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
@Player-X, me too! He can be outspoken sometimes. Kinda wish he’d say something like that about the power play!
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Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:31 am
@Player-X,
I have a feeling DL wouldn’t of said that, without having already establishing some sort of dialog with Penner before hand. They probably disussed things together during the exit meetings, and have an understanding between them. It’s probably not even meant to be as negative as it seems, and is probably a sort of inside joke, or inside reference that stems from their exit meeting, that those 2 understand perfectly.
This is all conjecture on my part, because I really don’t know, but DL has never been one to negatively critisize one of his players publicly. It’s just my own theory, but I have a hard time believing it’s tuff love like everyone thinks it is, or perform or else type of attitude.
DL could be pissed, but he’s spent 5 years here with players who have been under performing before, and yet never openly critisized guys like Cloutier, Jones, or a whole host of others publicly, so why start now after only 25 games, 2 injured linemates, and a brand new system? He’s taken some heat for some players not getting it done before, and Penner is no different.
That’s just my own thoughts on it.
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Hat trick Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
@Lilly, I don’t necessarily know if Boyle would have put up the numbers he did with the Rangers if he hadn’t hired that figure skating coach over the summer. It’s evidently true and it gave him a huge boost of confidence. Would he have done the same thing if was still in LA? We’ll never know. Plus the guys like 6’6 or something so he takes up a lot of space.
Don’t even get me started about TM and his system!
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CB14 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
@Lilly, I agree with pretty much everything you wrote about TM and his system, but I wonder how can you have high hopes for him next season while he’s still playing in Terry Murray’s system? It seems like a contradiction IMO to say that TM’s system is a bit hard for players to blossom under, (which is an understatement IMO), but still have high hope for him next season. IDK, mabye i’m reading it wrong.
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Osaka Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 6:38 pm
@Lilly, I’m with ya, go Penns!
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gmo Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
@Lilly,
dude im with you on the penner situation…..he is just the escapegoat for some on this blog……i think the real problem/issue is TM and his system
GO KINGS GO
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number 6 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
@Lilly,
Hey Lilly…. do you know the song ‘Pictures of Lillie’ by the Who? Nevermind…. great song actually. Annnyway, I’ll tell you what…. I can’t agree w you at all. If you watched the guy in the playoffs, he didn’t hit, he didn’t skate, he didn’t hustle. What else? Oh, he did score a goal.
It’s one thing to not score, but another thing to just coast. I suggest you watch a highlight package of Ryan Kesler of Vanc, from this years playoffs. Now THATS hustle. Not saying Penner had to play like that, but I mean you can tell a mile away that he (and everyone of his teammates) cared.
Dustin Penner looked like he couldn’t really be bothered.
Sorry.
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number 6 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
@Lilly,
Hey Lilly…. do you know the song ‘Pictures of Lillie’ by the Who? Nevermind…. great song actually. Annnyway, I’ll tell you what…. I can’t agree w you at all. If you watched the guy in the playoffs, he didn’t hit, he didn’t skate, he didn’t hustle. What else? Oh, he did score a goal.
It’s one thing to not score, but another thing to just coast. I suggest you watch a highlight package of Ryan Kesler of Vanc, from this years playoffs. Now THATS hustle. Not saying Penner had to play like that, but I mean you can tell a mile away that he (and everyone of his teammates) cared.
Dustin Penner looked like he couldn’t really be bothered.
Sorry.
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gmo Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
@number 6,
yes but if he didn’t hit or skate or hustle dont you think scouts and the gm are to blame too?scouts are paid to evaluate players and give all that info to the gm…..the gm takes all that info and processes and makes an evaluation based on that….i mean penner had all those bad atributes already attatched to him up in edm, im sure the scouts and dl knew about all that, so why did they pull the trigger and made the trade?and at such a high cost?do u ever think dl made the wrong evaluation and brought in the wrong guy for the system?
go kings go
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number 6 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 5:05 am
@gmo,
gmo, I hope that post isn’t for me… otherwise you’re preaching to the converted
Token Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 9:11 pm
@Lilly, Well Hockey is tough sport and tough love builds mean mother lovin’, tough as nails, hard men.
Kick him while he’s down and he will bounce back lean, mean and hungry for the win!
Or he’ll fall apart, fail miserably, and as many already celebrate here, we can all laugh at this sorry …
/sarcasm font
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BobKnob Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 1:36 am
@Lilly,
yeah, you know, I don’t care if a player doesn’t like to play defense. This isn’t beer league. Playing defense is a part of the professional game and you are paid to play a complete game.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t scoring, or his offensive prowess was stifled by the system (which it probably was, who are we kidding), it’s that he played like he didn’t give a crap. He played like a sad panda. Big, soft, cuddly, timid, disinterested.
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Kingstane9 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 7:01 am
@Lilly, well you’re not so alone, you know, it’s just that some of us are tired of defending/discussing that. All I’m gonna say is, we can expect much more from him next S. I believe that he and Kopi will be a huge part of our success, after all what I saw back then in those few games they played together wasn’t bad at all and they will only get better(if put together on the same line of course).
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Slapshot Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
@Lilly, ReeeEVVEERRRR! Howard Johnson is right!
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Bodoe Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 8:10 am
@Slapshot, I believe that would be Gabby Johnson
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#1- Wish I could make the tourney, just no time. ;-(
#2 – RK is no Juraj Mikus, but he’s a good kid. I wonder how he did in Russia this year? (Dumb question..AWESOME! He’s juraj Mikus.)
#3- You gotta love Dean’s candor. most times you know where he stands and ALL the time he speaks so much, you’d think there’s a hidden message in each paragraph or something. No secrets in this quote though. Totally agree. It’s up to Dustin and I’d hang batting gloves in his locker every day until he starts making that decision.
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Dean keeps the emotion out of it, he just states the facts.
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Rich,
What’s the latest on the Doughty negotiations? I’m pretty worried about him getting poached if he’s not signed by July 1. Any info would be great.
Thanks.
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Token Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
@DBking, I would be thrilled if someone gave him a fat offer sheet. All those picks could stock this team for a decade or more.
After watching his interview on KingsVision, this kid is nothing but ego and not in a good way. I might start calling him Dorian Grey.
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jet Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
@Token, yeah, just hope it is the Isles or Oilers
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CB14 Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
@Token, I wouldn’t let him go unless it’s for the maximum value in return. That would be 4 first round draft picks and Drew’s average annual salary would have to be over $7,835,219 for a long time, over 10 years for me to consider letting him go. I don’t think anyone would give him that kind of money, but I could be wrong. I wouldn’t count on those 1st round picks stocking our team for a decade. They could be middle or late first round picks that produce marginal players.
I know the last time a team did it and the team let that player go it didn’t work out very well for the team that let the player go. It was Anaheim who let Penner go to Edmonton. They got Edmonton’t 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks in return which turned out to bring them back pretty much nothing of any value what so ever. From what I can figure out with all the trades the Quacks made, they acquired 5 players back with those 3 picks. 4 of them were draft picks, not one of which has played a game in the NHL, and the other is Marc-Andre Bergeron. He played 9 games for Anaheim, and has bounced around the NHL since then. He has played with Minnesota, Montreal, and this year with Tampa Bay. Not a horrible player, but he was un-signed before Tampa Bay signed him in January.
Regarding your second topic: It’s only ego if you don’t back it up with your play on the ice. If you do, it’s called confidence. I think we can both agree that Drew didn’t this year.
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Token Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:41 pm
@CB14, I’m sure Buffalo had nightmares on Vanek after matching.
For a team on a budget it was a hard pill to swallow.
It’s all academic anyway. Doughty will get a qualifying offer so the team can clear Smyth’s salary before he lands the big contract. If not don’t be surprised if the Kings take him to arbitration just to fend off offer sheets.
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 9:55 am
@Token,
I watched that interview and didn’t come away with that asessment at all. I understand wanting to go for the picks, but DD’s still young enough, and talented enough to comeback and make you a fan. Probably a year from now, you’ll be saying “what was I think’n.
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Token Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 10:52 am
@Dominick, Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating he get an offer sheet. Just expressing that in the current circumstances his loss could open allot of interesting possibilities. Just a game of what if and my general acceptance of the possibility.
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
@Token,
On that I can agree with you on then. lol
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A little off topic here but I’ve found a video on youtube with some of the team’s players in the system. Honestly I’ve never seen some of these guys play and it’s hard to make an assessment from a short clip especially when they are going to be the stuff you see on the 11 oclock news. I would actually like to see them play several games but just can’t do it.
We’ve got some pretty good players coming up. Of course Schenn, Lokti, Bernier. Cliffy’s already in. Moller was flying out there no surprise he’s gonna be tough to catch on that olympic sheet. But a couple guys really stood out to me. Forbort and Teubert.
Forbort this kid looks like he’s gonna be a winner. (Again it’s tough to say because the clip was only so long) He plays D but the kid looks like he can stickhandle and dangle like a seasoned forward. Wow!
This Teubert kid, wow! Just a couple of short clips I would love to see this guy play some games but just from the clips I’ve got a really good feeling this guy is gonna be something special. The guy plays with some serious aggression. The open ice hit he laid on that guy is Exactly who I want to join the squad. Not to say that any of our other guys don’t do that and since I’ve never seen this guy play several games. Who knows maybe he was lining that guy up for last period’s hit on one of his players don’t know but he absolutely drilled him and that’s hockey baby. As clean as possible no need to purposely try and injure somebody but you know what I mean. Sure does get me fired up seeing an awesome hit especially open ice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SILcSDJaJWI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA9t6R1busA
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Hat trick Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 10:22 pm
@Hat trick, Aside from Teuberts aggressive play he looks like he’s got the speed and puckhandling skills.
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jet Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
@Hat trick, I loved Penners attitude, but he is still 3 or 4 years away. His pivot has not improved the past 2 years and his latteral movement still needs work. Second, the first rounder this year is not that valuable. Who at 19th could we have selected without some risk, maybe Saad?
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CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:32 am
@Hat trick, You realize Tuebert is with Edmonton right?
[Reply]
Hat trick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
@CB14, Man I haven’t seen that kid play until last night and man what a Huge let down. I can understand why DL isn’t very happy with Penner. Shoot if I was DL knowing that I gave up a guy like Teubert for a cruiser like Penner I’d be pretty upset also.
I have this bad feeling that he’s going to come back to haunt the team and he knocks guys out one by one.
bill donnelly Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:43 am
@Hat trick, Teubert was traded to the Oilers in the Penner trade.
[Reply]
Hat trick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
@bill donnelly, Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:57 am
@Hat trick, Forbart’s a big kid with some slick moves. I thought he was going to be a big lumbering d-man, but he’s got DD and JJ type moves.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
@Hat trick, Teubert? Boy are you late to the party !
[Reply]
Hat trick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
@puck73, I wish I never saw those videos of him. That kid is brutal….
[Reply]
Everyone posted some interesting comments on this thread, I would like to see D Penner play with the kind of effort Brad Richardson or Kyle Clifford does every game every shift. With his skill, size and that kind of effort he would be on of our best players.
On the other hand if he put in the kind of effort that he did most nights for the Kings I don’t think T Murray would have a problem with benching him. I would bench him in favor of someone who gives it all each time they hit the ice. Remember A Frolov?
We all hope for the best for and from D Penner and that would be best for this team!
[Reply]
If Penns can’t take the heat, then he’s weaker than I even thought, but I actually think he can handle this comment and get even by scoring and hitting. Win a cup Pens, then you can give us all the middle finger and we’ll fondly wave back in admiration.
[Reply]
SLIM Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
@Ravens,
Hey Ravens…Was El Cid the bar across from Guitar center
on Sunset?…cause if it was it was a very cool Bar/ Restaurant in the 80′s..
Also, seeing that Penner has a penchant for hoisting a few….
With the Softball…Bar…reference…Was he maybe referring to that?
Why mention a Bar’s team? …I might be reaching…but I wonder
[Reply]
I was one of those who supportd the trade when it happened so it would be somewhat hyprocritical to bash DL for a trade I thought was a good one at the time.
It’s nobody’s fault but Penner.
Someone commented that some guys can’t play for a defensive minded coach. I don’t agree, but even if you’re correct, why the lack of hustle or intensity? That would piss me off even more than his horrible play.
It seems like he’ll be back in LA again next year. It’s up to him to motivate himself and get ready to play at a high level..you know, for that huge paycheck he’s been stealing.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
@nykingfan, Andre St. Laurent would not be happy with Penner’s effort !
[Reply]
nykingfan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
@puck73,
That is correct my man!
Andre would have done a lot better if he was 6’4 250 instead of 5’9 175
[Reply]
Classic Rich!
Much has been made of Penner’s lack of effort and offense, but there might be more to it than that. I’m sure this has been a topic of late, but it seems we have a lot of offensive talent but it never works out in TM’s system. Moller left likely since he was never going to crack the lineup, and great King’s busts Purcell and Moulson are doing great with their respective new teams. You can make the counter point O’sullivan is not but it makes me wonder if part of the lack of scoring is coming from the coaching.
TM’s frequent line changes and no set line combinations can really tinker with a offensively gifted player’s timing and game. TM does a heck of a job putting in a defensive system, but there is a drastic trade off in the scoring department. I hope Penner and TM can come to an agreement to at least get him to not glide around the ice for 25 seconds at a time if he doesn’t need to win the Selke each shift.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 10:17 am
@oldthunder,
Penner will be the next Frolov. He’ll show signs of possible production next season, and see himself transfered to the 3rd line. He’ll be awsome defensively, and see his numbers drop from inconsistant offensive production, then he can walk away dejected, and leave the rest of us to ponder what could of been.
[Reply]
Token Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 10:54 am
@Dominick, Hey Now! That’s Kitsyn’s job! Don’t go stealing the title from the Russians!
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
@Token,
No kidding. I almost used Ponikarovsky’s name instead of Frolov.
Hey Penner, we all hope you get the clue that DL has placed in front of you. You have a whole city and fan base ready to support you and cheer you on to the Cup. We just need you to step up to your (dare I say it!!) Anaheim level of play. If not, not only will you be playing beer-league softball, but we will probably see you walking around the beach each morning with a metal detector (lookin’ for buried treasure, arrrgh!).
[Reply]
Call out by Lombardi, plain and simple.
We’ll know Penner’s decision the first day of camp.
He’ll either be in the best shape of his life and in an ill mood, or have pine tar on the palms of his gloves.
Dean essentially says, “Your cruisin’ days with the Kings are over.”
Best quote by the GM since he’s been here.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
@IceGuy, Called out by Dean Lombardi? I find that hard to believe. Dean Lombardi is very classy and would never stoop so low as to insult someone…Sincerely Jack Johnson Minus Defensemen, Los Angeles Kings Hockey Club.
[Reply]
Wait a minute, Rich. You my friend are irreplaceable, so don’t even think Kaunisto, or ANYONE, could even plug in your laptop!
Don’t even joke about it. And you’ll notice your comment didn’t raise an eyebrow here. (except maybe with me!)
[Reply]
Wow. Pretty harsh, but those of us who got to watch Penner in person in several games could clearly see Penner’s lack of effort. It reminded me of those weak sports movies with the plot is of a player just not putting any effort for whatever reason.
During the first several games with the Kings you could see what Penner could do. Then he just seemed to quit. I can live with Poni’s play. It was obvious he was putting out for the team despite his lack of scoring. The only jump in Penner’s step seem to be towards the end of his shift getting back to the bench … and I’m being serious with that comment.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
@KC23, I think he mailed it in as soon as Kopi’s ankle went SNAAAAAAAP !
[Reply]
If, as some have surmised, Pens might step up his play because of the contract year, why not offer a decent one-year contract? Would anyone other the KLowe driven Oilers offer this Schwinn a multi-year? Doesn’t seem to be the consensus. A nice one-year carrot dangling off the edge of his CCM might keep him motivated for years to come.
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:38 am
@Stuart, It only takes one GM who wants a player to offer a multi-year deal. Even if the other 29 GM’s wouldn’t dare offer him a long term deal.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
@CB14, have you been naughty? You’re on moderation, aren’t you because I’ve been on the site all day and you’re comment just posted within the last hour or so but it’s stamped before noon??!!?? WTHeck! LOL
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
@CB14, You sir are smart.
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
@Stuart, Whoops, That was meant for Stuart.
Intersting article i just found on Purcell. Im not gonna go into the Purcell, Moulson, boyle debate just thought you all might want to read it
http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/997812–purcell-rises-from-obscurity-to-lead-lightning
[Reply]
Sebastian Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 9:31 am
@BrokeKingsFan, good article. thanks for posting it.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 10:07 am
@BrokeKingsFan,
Funny, he kind of looked at it as a coaching issue. Maybe he’s totally wrong too.
[Reply]
KC23 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 10:22 am
@BrokeKingsFan, That was the most damaging article on TM I’ve ever read. I have been defending TM much of the time, but this even shakes my confidence in him as the right guy to develope offensive players.
[Reply]
fsd1 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 10:51 am
@BrokeKingsFan, uh, that link has a virus attached to it fyi i would be careful clicking on it
[Reply]
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 10:59 am
@fsd1, sorry buddy! no ill will meant if it caused you problems. i just clicked it and it worked great for me.
[Reply]
fsd1 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:05 am
@BrokeKingsFan, No prob, I do tech support for a living and some of you might not get the same kind of warning i get but it popped up a window that said a virus was installing “click here to fix” (message from the website) of course if you click it will install the virus on your machine. So just a be careful is all, I’ve spent the entire week fixing virus issues on customers computers.
Stuart Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:03 am
@fsd1, wish you would’ve posted that 2 minutes before you did… D’oh
[Reply]
fsd1 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:06 am
@Stuart, I can fix it if you get a virus my friend…..
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:06 am
@Stuart, not sure what issues you guys are having but it works great for me and im having no virus issues. Sorry!!!! Rich…… can you delete the original post since it is causing people computer problems?
Stuart Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:15 am
@fsd1, thanks brother… nothing of mention happened when I clicked on it. Opened like normal. And my work has a pretty good security firewall. It’s blocked other links in the past. But I will let you know if it turns out to be the case. Thanks again.
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:04 am
@fsd1, if you google la kings its the first article that comes up in the news section if you were not able to get there through the link
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:46 am
@fsd1, I’ve got a virus detector too and it didn’t go off. Mabye yours is more high tech than mine, or mabye you just didn’t want people reading it because it’s very damaging to Terry Murray’s reputation as a good coach. LOL Just kidding!
Seriously though, mine didn’t go off.
[Reply]
fsd1 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
@CB14, lol, we may not agree all the time but you are funny…..
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
@fsd1, Thanks, I try to liven it up a little.
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
@fsd1,
I am not a tech guy by any stretch of the imagination, and know nothing about viruses. I was just wondering why someone would even porposely put stuff out there to try and damage other peoples computers? Is it some sort of sick form of vandalism, or is it just people trying to make money ilegally?
[Reply]
fsd1 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
@Dominick, when you click on it it says the only way to repair it is to purchase the program, and after you pay it does nothing. Sorta like my long lost uncle in nigeria that left me a million dollars which i can get if i send 1300.00 in a money order…..
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
Ahhh! I have a virus protector, but I’ve never understood how they work, or why I need them, other than my computer will crash if I don’t have one.
Hat trick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:01 am
@BrokeKingsFan, No comment….
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:02 am
@BrokeKingsFan, sounds to me that he just needed his mommy to tell him that he’s special… Yeah, he never earned TM’s trust, and he was bounced around a bit between line but he did play with our top lines, too. Granted our top lines never had VC and MSL with an up-and-coming high scoring winger (which I only mention because Bouche said that TP learned from them), so who would TP have learned from? At the time, everybody else was learning the same TM system, everybody else must have had confidence issues. It sounds to me that TP was/is really weak and fragile, mentally. He’s played this game forever, wasn’t wanted by anybody in his junior years, yet still found the confidence or ability to play in a few places and make into a college team where a pro team then took a chance on him. Sack up and play the game with what you’re given. Stop sobbing to yourself about your confidence, because if you’re not confident in yourself how can you expect others to be confident in you? I’ve said it before and I’ll say even after he lifts the cup (if he gets so lucky) GOOD RIDDANCE.
Only thing I can knock TM for is never letting chemistry build, but at that time I thought TM was shuffling the deck to see who could play with who, I didn’t know that was just how he rolls…
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
@Stuart,
That’s fine if Purcells the only one.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
@Dominick, True, but I don’t foresee Moulson racking up ANY playoff points anytime too soon, and maybe Boyle, but they (NYR) had to prod him big time to get him to play to his potential, and over the course of a considerable chunk of time, at that. There is no way anyone here would have been comfortable waiting on either of these players to be pushed/coddled long enough to have reached their blossoming point. Nobody expected TB to be where they are right now, especially with their situation in goal, to start the season, so they too probably expected TP to bloom closer to next year than this… He was a project that has worked out for them, had he not, I don’t feel Stevie Y. would be getting all the GM-OTY hype.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. I don’t ever recall a man’s trash one day miraculously turning into his treasure the next. TP had to be a star in somebody else’s skies…
PP Anybody? Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
“Sometimes when you’re a younger player with that high level of skill, they (shouldn’t) put you in there on the fourth line.”
“I just couldn’t find my role with the coach. I’d play some games. I’d play well, then I wouldn’t play the next game. I couldn’t find that consistency, and I couldn’t earn his trust.”
Nice! Have fun Schenn. Have fun Lokti. Have fun Toffoli. Have fun Vey…
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:43 am
@BrokeKingsFan, Are you sure that’s not an interview with Oscar Moller 3 years from now? Seems eerily similar.
[Reply]
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
@CB14, Lets hope not!
[Reply]
Silly me, I thought Deano was referring to the El Cid restaurant on Sunset Blvd in Silverlake. Would seem like an odd choice for a softball team, though.
[Reply]
First, I hope Penner joins his teammates for the summer workout. That would be a huge first step in his commitment to the team. Peer pressure among your teammates can go a long way, even with professional athletes. Second, I hope he does read that comment from DL and gets pissed so that he comes into training camp with the attitude “I’ll show you.” Pride plays a big part to an athlete who is expected to perform. Hopefully, this works and doesn’t backfire. It doesn’t help the team nor his situation in a contract year. Besides, if he does well enough throughout the season, we can maybe package him in a deal before the playoffs.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
@gr81scores, I hope he works out with the team also, but not for the peer pressure. Comradery might form a bond that would be a positive motivation.
[Reply]
Off topic interesting fact…If the Canucks manage to win the Cup this year, they would be the first Canadian team do to it in 18 years, since Montreal beat the Kings in the 93 finals. It has been 18 years since the Kings were in the finals. thats a long time, im getting old.
[Reply]
penner is only here for next year only.Reagardles, even if he has an 80 point season. thats what i got form DL’s comment.
[Reply]
Maybe he meant El Cid in Silverlake, Los Angeles?
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With the season over and my anger at Penner dissipated, I have come to the conclusion that he must have had something happen in his personal life to cause such a ridiculously poor performance on the ice. I really have no other way of rationzlizing how a professional athlete could play with so little effort, intensity or drive.
[Reply]
Sebastian Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:44 am
@rick, plain and simple, he was traded to a place where he did not want to be.
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:51 am
@Sebastian, Absolutly, you could see it in his exit interview from Edmonton. People mentioned it at the time, but most of us just shrugged it off as him not wanting to show so much joy when leaving Edmonton. I think some of it also had to do with playing in a defense first system, as opposed to the wide open system in Edmonton.
[Reply]
Bkrs-Bud Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
@CB14, Evidently you are not required to be in top shape in Edmonton.
What a hypocrite Dean is – as the GM, Dean traded for Penner. Then, when he doesn’t play up to expectation, he threatens ex-communication? Pfffff!
Should make for another unnecessary dressing room tension that could have been avoided…
[Reply]
fsd1 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
@Mucker, There won’t be any problem in the dressing room, if penner doesnt come into camp in his best physical condition and with a sneer on his face and a hunger to play the Kings game style then he wont be playing, simple as that. Hypocrit? No, we needed a left wing, he had 22 goals already and he was the best available.
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
@Mucker,
That what GM’s are supposed to do: find the best player available, obtain them, and then hold them accountable for their performance. I would be more worried if DL made a statement where he thought Whenner had performed well or made some excuse for his poor performance (aka – cover up for a bad deal). DL did what we as fans asked him to do, the player just didn’t hold up his end of the deal which will be reflected in his next contract.
[Reply]
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
@DesertKing, @fsd1
I agree with both of these posts
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
@DesertKing, I think I’m going to start calling DP, Schwinn, as well, since Schwinn is famous for their beach CRUISER…
[Reply]
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
@Stuart, drum roll, cymbal crash!
Stuart Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
rumpa#19 Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 8:41 am
@Stuart, With a sissy bar?
Hat trick Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
@Stuart, LOL That’s classic Dustin “Schwinn” Penner.
Helvetica Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
@Mucker, What is hypocritical of calling a guy out for not meeting expectations? We liked his play. We traded for him. He sucked. Now the GM is telling him, and i’m sure he’s already said this to his face, “shape up or ship out”. This is business and business is based on performance.
[Reply]
just read on NHL.com that Manny Malholtra was cleared for practice. I dont like Van but im really happy that the guy got his eye taken care of and he can continue his career. really scary for him and his family im sure. I hate it when athletes get there lives and carrers cut short due to playing the game they love. Im happy for you Manny just hope you dont win the cup!
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Vancouver is already good, if Manny plays in the finals, and he is healthy, that would be huge.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
Happy, but not that happy? LOL
[Reply]
Sebastian Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, great for him, you never want to see a guy get a career ending injury. the important question, will he learn and wear a shield for the rest of his career?
[Reply]
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
@Sebastian, In this situation im pretty sure he will. The guy almost lost his eye sight for good and that is a huge and scary ordeal that required alot more than just stiches to fix. If he doesnt then……… I dont know. He should though thats for sure!
[Reply]
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Its like when you break up with a long term girlfriend and start sleeping with other people. You havnt worn a condom for a long time and really dont want to but you know its neccesary or else………….
Kind of unprofessional for Dean to say that Penner might be out of work after his next year with the Kings.
[Reply]
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
@jonsey, Dean has been known to say some questionable things in the heat of the moment. Unprofessional? maybe, ill give you that….. but i agree with the comment non the less.
[Reply]
KC23 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 4:00 pm
@jonsey, True. Kinda like not putting out a full effort when your getting paid a full salary.
[Reply]
Whoa Whoa Whoa… Rich is retiring?
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
@kevin from toronto, Re-read it and you will notice the word “eventual” in there. Lets hope Rich is around for a long while.
[Reply]
Loskingpride Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
@kevin from toronto, Not until the Kings win the cup! And we all know how long that could be
[Reply]
IceGuy Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@Loskingpride,
“Rich Hammond:
Secret Lovechild of Bob Miller?!”
[Reply]
Kingsfanone Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
@IceGuy,
Shudder!
Dominick Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
@Loskingpride,
But I don’t want him to retire next year.
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 27th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
@Dominick, I like your way of thinking!
DD needs to do what Ray Kaunisto did and posted about on May 20th. It reads, “Today we did a full body lift at the gym and then went home to cook some chicken and eggs with asparagus and mushrooms. I’ve put on 4 pounds since Monday just eating properly and cutting out McDonalds meals. Thats a pretty good first week for gains, so I won’t be changing anything up for a while.”
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 9:50 am
@CB14,
If he puts on any more weight, people will complain that he ate too much Mickey D’s during the summer anyway. Better go with alfalfa sprouts, and wheat grass. No chicken and eggs till he drops to 170lbs.
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 10:43 am
@Dominick, As long as he isn’t in the bottom three of the Kings fitness test at the beginning of the year i’ll be happy.
[Reply]
I sort of see this whole thing differently than many of you. If DL doesn’t start making effective trades and team moves, it’ll be him sipping a tall 1 at The El Cid Lounge reminiscing about his days as an ineffective GM while scouring the classifieds for a scouting job. I personally like Penner and see him not being the problem, but rather “the system” that chased Purcell, Moulsen, Camillieri, and Boyle to other teams. BTW, to Puck73 and others, just because you don’t agree with the majority of “bloggers”, and that’s what we all are, doesn’t mean your opinion counts any less, you’re not as knowledgeable, or you should root for another team.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 8:47 am
@Poorman,
I personally have no problem with your comments Poorman. There are going to be those who see DL as the problem. I love the job he’s done myself. I think where you get the mistreatment directed at you, is when you post 5 to 10 posts, over a few days, and they all say the same thing. Others complain about DL (or Bernier), but not obsessively.
If you want to get along with fellow bloggers (not conform), don’t be so singleminded in your persuits. Change it up a bit. Interact with posts that have other views on other subjects, because everybody gets it when you post the 1rst time. No need to do it 10 more.
Just a thought.
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 10:52 am
@Dominick, I’m pretty sure you meant (or Penner), not Bernier.
You’re absolutly right in what you said to Poorman, if he keeps complaining about the same thing over and over again pretty soon he’s going to be put in the penalty box. Guys like you and I change back and forth between who we complain about, one day it’s TM, the next day it’s Penner. Variation Poorman, Variation.
[Reply]
Player-X Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 10:55 am
@Dominick, I concur.
Also, it may be just about time to lay to rest the entire Boyle/Moulson/Purcell/etc argument. The whole idea is based on a flawed premise, which is: If those guys would have stayed here, they would have progressed equally as after they left.
Besides being impossible to confirm as pure conjecture, it also would require other players that were here to have not been here since then, would require similar life-experiences in one city that may not be available in another city (such as New York press in the case of Boyle, for example) and would require cap space committed to such a degree that it would negate the possibility of signing one of the major impact players (in Cammmmmalllllerrrri’s case, maybe we couldn’t sign Mitchell, for example).
If we want to discuss alternate universes, and alternate realities, then here is mine: If time is infinite, than eventually time travel is more likely to become possible. If someone does travel time, they need to not only come here to get me, but they will need to calculate my physical position in an ever-expanding universe, also accounting for orbit, planetary and galactic rotation, or else they would travel time but appear in open empty space or else within a solid object. If they miss by just a foot, they could rematerialize with their “feet” in the ground. So be careful.
[Reply]
holly Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 11:08 am
@Player-X, Boyle, to me, is a moot point. There’s no reason to argue it because there’s no reason to suspect that the Kings would have offered him the same opportunity to utilize someone like Barb Underhill to improve his skating game. Without that improvement, Boyle wouldn’t have made the impact he did this season.
Moulson and Purcell on the other hand are a valid point. Neither of their games have changed substantially from what they were in the minors. The issue is that they’re players who never got the opportunity to show their ability because they were buried on lower lines rather than getting quality minutes with players who could capitalize on their abilities. When they got those opportunities they proved their abilities. Purcell and Moulson never panned out in LA because of the system. That doesn’t mean the system is wrong and I think it’s too soon to even make the claim. But it does appear that it is flawed if players like Purcell and Moulson were overlooked because of it.
rumpa#19 Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 11:22 am
@Player-X, Cammy was gone anyway,and we had to get what we could.Nice time travel comparison,Spock logical.
Dominick Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
@Player-X, As long as time travel possibility is linear. If it’s independant than some one coming from the future will only be able to take you as far back as the deviation in linear time allows. Thus you cannot see a possible outcome from another point in time that doesn’t exist outside your spectrum of possibilities.
Player-X Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
@holly-
Are you telling me Purcell didn’t get to play on the top lines? He was played on every line, he had all the chances he should have needed with our top guys. Moulson, as I was taught by a blogger here but I forget whom, only got 29 games with the Kings, so the complaint there is that he did not get chances, and not that the system is wrong or flawed.
My point is that these things happened for good reason at the time, have had consequences since, and even if you took the entire Tampa Bay organization and plopped it down in L.A. at the same date and time as they acquired Purcell, it cannot be accurately stated that Purcell would have had the same impact. Likewise, had he stayed here under a similar system, or even with the same coach, it cannot be stated certainly that Purcell would have produced the same results.
Basing a criticism of Terry Murray’s system on a bunch of un-provable what-ifs, only because a few guys did better somewhere else than they did here, is inherently fallacious.
It is the reasoning behind the criticism more than Murray’s system that is flawed.
Poorman Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
@Player-X, Dude, that is so deep and so beautiful. I’m in awe of your knowledge that has lost me several acid trips ago hahahha. Let me summarize. It sucks that the Kings can’t ever get beyond the first round. You have to hold leadership to the fire. As for me repeating the same stuff, I have an obsessive, compulsive personality disorder. I invite many of you to call my radio show and debate me on this stuff anytime. maybe, we can get into it when Rich comes on. I think I’ll email him an invite to be on my show on the Eve of the Stanley Cup Finals that Vancouver will win. the station is in the I.E. My show airs 1-3 PM M thru F KCAA AM 1050 kcaaradio.com
Hat trick Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
@Poorman, wait a minute are you The Poorman from old school Kroq?
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Poorman Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 10:20 pm
@Hat trick, I hate being called Old School when people like Dr. Drew (whom I discovered) and KROQ threw me off the air, and continue today to use the show I created, Loveline, I’m new school in my progressive ideas, but no mainstream media will hire me. So, my current media is spewing on Rich’s blog. Not the way I thought my career would evolve.
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Hat trick Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
@Poorman, No offense by that but I grew up with that and really miss that music. Can’t get into today’s music really but there’s some really, really good bands not really being played.
Steve Jones had a really cool station then that went south. Who knows bro I think it’s time something cool came on.
But I hear ya man I’m just as frustrated as you are with the Kings. I think it starts from the ownership down and it looks like these guys want a team that’ll contend for the cup. I dunno hopefully they’ll win the cup sooner than later. 1993 sure was a Long time ago.
Unless a new CBA cap is negotiated, or key players are willing to take less than they can definitely get elsewhere or work short-term deals similar to what DL and JJ came up with a coupla years ago, I don’t see how we can keep the essential core AND pick up a big name in the off-season.
What do we give up to get a Brad Richards? Even without re-signing Zus and Poni and keeping AM and Richie on reduced contracts, we gotta lay out some hefty dough to hold onto DD and Simmer. There’s simply not enough space to take on a big obligation — and Richards’ expiring contract was paying him $7.8 mil per year.
I’m just hoping to lose as little as possible. For all our fussing about offense, there weren’t many teams this past season with six 20-goal scorers.
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Dominick Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 5:46 am
@tuan jim,
That’s why I say “If”. Some have broken the numbers down, but forget the fact that if it happened, we’d still have to get rid of the players they propose, just to make room. I don’t see the Kings making those moves before we get Richards.
It’s too risky. Word is DL will go for it though, but I still don’t see it working out yet.
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PP Anybody? Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
@tuan jim, We never get the big fish, and most probably won’t be anytime soon either.
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Osaka Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 7:46 pm
@PP Anybody?, We don’t need a big fish.
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tuan jim Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 3:19 am
@Osaka,
Right.
rick Reply:
May 31st, 2011 at 10:08 am
@tuan jim, Cannot agree with you that Simmonds deserves big money. He is a 3rd liner at best, and the elite teams have better 3rd line wingers than he is. I don’t know what the market is for players like him ($2 million per?), but he certainly does not deserve a big ticket contract.
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tuan jim Reply:
May 31st, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@rick,
Simmer did have a disappointing season. No denying that. And it probably will limit his negotiating leverage. But even if we keep him for bargain money, it’s gotta be at least $1.5 mil and probably more — unless DL contrives another two-year “test contract”, like he did with JJ.
And he’s not the only RFA in the box. Martinez was a pleasant surprise this past season. What will he make? It’s gotta be more than the 600 grand we now pay DD2. Richie is right around a million now. Even without an increase — (and don’t forget he threatened to go to arbitration last year) — he’s still close to a seven-digit price tag. Lewis is another RFA. Let’s say we keep him for a bit more than we pay now.
What about the elephant in the room? If Schenn cracks the team’s line-up this year it’ll mean a $3 mil-plus cap hit.
All this without even calculating what Dewey’s gonna get. And no matter how you slice THAT salami, his chunk has gotta run anywhere from mid-5s (unlikely) to high 7s or even 8 per season.
Personally, I’d love to keep Zus (and even Poni) for radically reduced, short-term contracts. But that’s a fairy story. As UFAs you KNOW they’re gonna test the market.
So summing all this up, I just don’t see the big gun coming to L.A. without a sacrifice I’m not prepared to make. We really have some excellent personnel and, to be frank, I don’t wanna trade ANY of them — especially to a decaying team anxious to unload a has-been superstar with a fat contract.
DL was successful with Smyttie. He wss a big cap hit when we got him, but we dished off about half as much in Preissing (who was a hole in the ice) and Quincey (whom we’ve replaced). We also had space to burn, and as a business decision, Smyth’s cap hit was really monopoly money. His actual out-of-pocket was significantly less. Moreover, he brought to the Kings exactly what we hoped he’d bring.
DL is under pressure to import a run-and-gun winger or playmaker. We don’t have the cap space to get anyone spectacular without giving up more than I think it’s worth. The available UFAs are sparse this year, and I don’t wanna trade away anyone who’s essential to our chemistry. Unfortunately, few teams learn the truth of that lesson until it’s too late to profit from it.
DL’s deal for Penner was a masterstroke. He got a top-six winger without giving up a single roster player — got him long enough so that he wasn’t an expensive rental. And if Muzzin and Martinez were starting, with Hickey and Voynov in the wings, how long would it have been before Teubert woulda gotten his chance to become another Pronger with the Kings?
I gotta ask again: Whom would you give to get what you want? If this game is all business and nothing else, what deals would YOU try to make?
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It is all perspective and expectations.
Lokti 19 games 4 goals 3 assists 7 points, Penner 19 games 2 goals 4 assists 6 points. Lokti is spoken of as a savior and Penner as causing the downfall of Western civilization.
Murray stifles offense?
Let’s look at Boston who had the 5th best offense in the league this year (244 goals scored). Add the goals scored by the top 2 centers, RW’s, and LW’s. 119 goals. Now do this with the Kings and throw in Penner’s 23 goals for the season for our number 1 LW. Our top 2 centers, LW’s, and RW’s scored 141 goals. The Kings also outscore Bos if you use total point for the top six forwards. Where the Kings have trouble is in the bottom six. Simmer, Zues, Poni, Richie….. is where Bos outscored us. Clifford, Simmer, and Richie did click at the end of the season and playoffs so I can see the secondary scoring improving next year. I would like to see Schenn or Lewis center that third line. Anyways the point was Murray supposedly stifles offense when the real problem was depth and scoring from the bottom 6 forwards.
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Dominick Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
@Osaka,
Bostons’ top 6
126 goals
Kings’ top 6
110 goals.
Penner only scored 2 with the Kings so you can’t throw all his goals into the total.
Also the Kings top 6 were a combined +49.
The Bruins top 6 were a combined +138.
More offensive pressure lead to more dominence in the offensive zone. The Kings had pressure but it was mostly trying to hold on to the puck, or chase it, not create havoc.
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CB14 Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
@Dominick, Correction, Our top 5 scored 118 Goals.
Stoll 20
Williams 22
Smyth 23
Kopitar 25
Brown 28
Total 118
If you want to count our next highest LW it’s Clifford with 7 goals, even though he was on the 3rd or 4th line the majority of the year.
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Dominick Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 10:07 pm
@CB14, Clfford isn’t a top 6 forward. He’s lower 6.
Osaka Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
@Dominick, OK I didn’t have Marchand of Bos as a LW, 126 for BOS. Now where are you getting 110 for the Kings? OK take out Pennr. Kopi 25, Brown 28, Williams 22, Smyth 23, Stoll 20: the top five goal scorers for the Kings have 118. I am sure all the players filling in on LW had 8 goals combined. Boston’s top 6 forwards had 8 goals more goals than the Kings top five! I will go out on a limb and say Penner is good for 8 goals next season even with our “system”.
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Dominick Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
@Osaka, Point is, the Kings play to much defensive coverage to make a comparison to Boston valid. Bostons’ offensive players play more offensively when on the ice. Kings offensive players play 2 way, so the +/- is closer to even in over all team play. So the +/- numbers really tell the story of how we match up to them offensively.
Osaka Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
@Dominick,
EEHHH, the numbers don’t come out your way so you say it isn’t valid? The Kings’ top 5 scored as many goals basically as Boston’s top six and you see it as bad because they play two way? Dude that is ideal! The point is the Kings bottom 6 needs to score, or we need depth players. If our top six can match up with the top six of one of the leagues best then the system isn’t at fault. You are trying to find stats that prove your point instead of letting the stats show you the truth. +/-? Yeah Boston is a better deffensive team, they were number 2 in the league.
Osaka Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 10:46 pm
@Dominick, “The Kings play to much defensive coverage to make a comparison to Boston valid.” Did you read what you wrote? We play to much defensive coverage yet score as much as they do. If we score as much as one of the leagues best then how could it be too much? If the bottom six scored more we could tighten it up some more could be the argument.
tuan jim Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 11:06 pm
@Dominick,
How we match up against Boston is demonstrable by our head-to-head meetings over the past couple of seasons.
What were the outcomes of those games?
CB14 Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 11:06 pm
@Osaka, Boston’s system is what gets their bottom 6 forwards all their goals, not their skill level. How else can you explain Shawn Thornton having nearly as many Goals and Points as Tyler Seguin? Seguin was the second overall draft pick and played two more minutes a game yet only had 2 more points than Thornton. Thornton did play in more games than Seguin, but Seguin had over 100 more minutes than Thornton, and averaged over a minute more of ice time on the Power Play. It’s the system that got Shawn Thornton all his points, not his skill level.
Your top 2 lines score your goals, your 3rd line plays great defense and chips in a little bit offensively, while your 4th line provides energy out on the ice along with physical play. Our 3rd line of Poni-Zues-Simmonds all played very good defense, and chipped in a little offensively. They did their job. The 4th line of Clifford-Lewis-Richardson provided energy, physical play, and Lewis was one of our best PK guys all year. They did their job. If TM wanted scoring out of his 4th line he wouldn’t of played Kevin No Goals Westgarth over Brad Richardson. That alone should tell you he wants physical play from his 4th line, not goals.
It’s our top 6 forwards who needed to score more. The lack of a top line LW did limit their output some, but the fact that we had 5 20 goal scorers, no 30 goal scorers, and only one forward over 25 goals means the system is keeping their goal totals down. We have the potential to score more goals than we did. Kopi and Williams are both 2 time 30 goal scorers, yet even without their injuries wouldn’t of had 30 goals. Brown has scored over 30 goals once, yet failed to meet that total in any of the 3 years he’s played under Terry Murray. All 3 of those players are either in their primes, or will be in their primes eventually. None of them are on the downside of their careers. The only reason why we would need better players on the bottom 2 lines is because they can’t count on the system to help them score goals the way other (Boston) teams can.
CB14 Reply:
May 29th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
@tuan jim, The past 2 years the Kings are 4-0 against Boston, yet 3 of those have come via the shootout. Not exactly dominating performances. But even still, what does it matter what our record is against Boston? If we use head to head matchups as a way of determining which team is better, then St. Louis is way better than us because they beat us all 4 games this year, and took 3 out of 4 from us last year. Yet we finished 11 points AHEAD of them each of the past 2 years. That doesn’t make any sense, because if they beat us all 4 times we played them they must be better than us. See how that works against that belief?
Dominick Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 12:16 am
tuan jim,
We played them, what 4 times in 2 years? That means our offensive system isn’t too defensive? Ok you guys our system is so offensively creative. Too bad I disagree.
tuan jim Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 1:18 am
@Dominick,
I wasn’t referring to how defensive or offensive our system is, only to how we’ve matched up against Boston in those seasons when the personnel has been more or less the same. Had they been play-off games we might have lost them all — or won them all.
But I don’t think plus-minus stats are an accurate way to compare two teams who had radically different schedules in different conferences.
For all our defensive system, we still gave away a playoff game — the first at home — after running up a 4-0 lead. And as good a defensive team as Boston was this season, it still allowed the Bolts to scratch back from a 3-0 deficit. Do I even have to bring up what happened to the Bruins last year?
We already have guys who are creative and who can put the puck in the net. The system is not “too defensive”. It is sound and designed to win — not simply put glitter and a few goals up on a scoreboard, only to crow how wonderfully successful our offense is while other teams are marching past us into the playoffs.
What struck me about the series against the Sharks is that we really did have the weaponry to win. Three Shark victories came in overtime, only one was a blow-out. Yet the Kings victories were absolutely decisive — and they were the clear, inevitable product of a system for which you seem to have little respect. If there’s one lesson that’s clear from this playoff series, it’s that the Kings did not lose for lack of offense.
tuan jim Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 1:46 am
@CB14,
I must have misread something. Wasn’t this discussion about how we matched up against Boston?
And in trying to answer that question I brought up our head-to-head games. I realize that the results of those games don’t decide the issue. But is it really meaningless for me to mention the relevance of games where we actually did play each other? Does that information have NOTHING to do with deciding how well we match up against the Bruins?
By the way, I was praying that St. Louis didn’t make the playoffs, for the simple reason that they beat the pants off us and I feared meeting them. Even though our season record was superior to theirs, was I wrong to have that attitude? Didn’t their winning stats show how well they matched up against us?
And maybe you can answer this question honestly: Were you hoping that Dallas would sneak into the playoffs and not Chicago — who wiped the floor with us all season long? I was.
Gee, why would I worry about that? After all, the Kings season record was better than the Hawks’. Doesn’t that settle the issue?
Of course, it doesn’t. You can talk players and first-six forward point accumulations and plus-minus stats all you want. But nobody is gonna tell me that THOSE stats carry more clout than head-to-head games in determining how one team matches up against another. So the Kings’ four wins were all shoot-outs. Doesn’t that fact alone persuade you that the Kings and Bruins are well matched?
Tell you what. Let’s forget about playoff series and the Cup finals. From what you say, head-to-head games aren’t all that decisive anyway. All we gotta do is compute the season stats, project our expert opinions into the post-season, use a little algebra and some sophisticated plus-minus mumbo-jumbo, then we don’t need teams to play each other at all. We can award the Cup with just a bit of brain power and a little paperwork.
Forgive me for not grasping the force and elegance of your argument. I didn’t realize how simple it is.
Osaka Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 1:46 am
@CB14, Seguin was a rookie. He played on the 3rd line. He has talent but it is not developed yet. Just because a guy is chosen 1st or 2nd in the draft doesn’t mean he is better than an NHL player who has been in the league. That goes back to my whole the Kings are a young team rant. I don’t know if you guys have ever played the game but it isn’t a skills competion. Unlike football where an olympic sprinter has become a reciever I have yet to see an olympic speed skater become an NHL player. I think Seguin will become a good player someday, after he has some experience. With your logic Schenn should score more than Kopi because he was drafted higher. Now your saying the same system in Boston is limiting Seguin but propeling Thorton? Really? Is it a kind of hockey communism?
Your saying Boston’s forwards don’t score more because they don’t have to? Really? Do you believe that? I used Boston as an example because they are in the finals, have a great defensive team, have the 5th best offense in the league, The Kings are being built like them, and our top six match up with theirs. We just need more production from the bottom six. How can someone say our system is too defensive if our top 6 match up. Here’s another one, 5 on 5 scoring we are 17th in the league (2 goals away from 15th) so we are middle of the pack. Not the most stifling system! Our PP drags us down to 25th in scoring overall.
BTW we did have 2 guys with 25 goals, Kopi 25 and Brown 28.
CB14 Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 10:39 am
@Osaka, First of all I wrote OVER 25 goals, not 25 and up.
Yes I have played Hockey, and i’m not stupid enough to think that because he was drafted higher Schenn should score more goals than Kopi. My whole point is about the talent level of Boston’s bottom 6 forwards compared to the Kings. I don’t think they are that different. It’s the system that helps them score more, not their talent. Seguin is the perfect example of that. He’s not scoring goals just because of his talent, he’s getting them due to the system, just like Shawn Thornton is. I realize he’s young, but the different in talent level is so huge that they shouldn’t be close in goals and points, the fact that they are suggests to me that their talent level has nothing to do with it. It’s their system. The same system which had them 1st overall in 5 on 5 goals scored.
I never said Boston’s forwards don’t score more because they don’t have to. I don’t know how you came up with that.
I’m not saying our top 6 don’t match up with Boston’s, i’m saying our top 6 are MUCH better than Boston’s. They should be scoring MORE goals because they are more talented than Boston’s top 6. Our system is what is limiting these guys scoring output. We finished 25th in goals per game, here’s the teams immediatly ahead of us in goals per game and the number of 20 goal scorers.
25-LA Kings : 5
24-Columbus : 2
23-Toronto : 4
22-Montreal : 3
21-Nashville : 2
20-Atlanta : 2
19-Washington : 3
That shows that we have the talent to compete. The fact that we have that many top scorers and we are still 25th in goals per game means our system is limiting our bottom 6 forwards with a bad offensive system. If our top 6 guys were scoring their goals because of a great offensive system, then our bottom 6 shouldn’t be as bad as they are, they should be scoring goals like Boston’s bottom 6 do. Boston only had 3 20 goal scorers yet was 5th in Goals per game, that tells me their system is helping all of their bottom 6 forwards score goals. Ours isn’t.
@tuan jim, Playing 2 games a season against one another doesn’t prove that much of. That’s why I brought up the total points argument.
Osaka Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 5:06 pm
@CB14 Again we were 17th in the league 5 on 5 scoring, 2 goals out of 15th. Our PP drops us down to 25th. So actually so are middle of the pack in offense. If our PP was better we would be in the top half of the league in offense. Our PP is like Boston’s. Also the Kings are one of 6 teams in the league with 5 or more 20 goal scorers with only Phil and SJ having more than 5. How can we have so many guys score that many goals if our system is flawed?
CB14 Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 5:55 pm
@Osaka, Those 5 guys are very good players, that’s why they scored their goals, not because of the system. The six teams with 5 20 goal scorers were Phil, SJ, St. Louis, NYI, NYR, and the Kings. Every one of those teams besides the Kings were in the top 16 in Goals per game, the Kings were 25th. I agree with you that our PP was bad this year and that contributed to our low Goals Per Game Average, but it’s not like the other teams on that list were all great on the PP. The Islanders, Rangers, and Flyers were 17th, 18th, and 19th in PP% while the Kings were 21st. Not a big difference in PP production, yet a big difference in Overall Goals Per Game.
Lets look at it this way: When a goal is scored it is usually due to the system or the players skill, most of the time a little bit of both. Obviously a highly skilled player is going to score more goals than unskilled player. If Terry Murray’s system is very good, then lesser talented players should be able to score goals on a slightly less consistant basis than the top 6 guys because of the drop in skill level. That is not the case with the Kings. There’s 5 20 goal scorers, 0 15-20 goal scorers, 2 10-15 goal scorers(not counting DD because he’s a d-man), and the rest are all 7 or under. That’s a significant drop off in goal scorers. That tells me that when the skill level drops off, the bottom 6 forwards can’t count on the system to get them their goals. Now then lets look at Boston. A team that when you compare the top 6 forwards to the Kings, the Kings outscore them alot because we have better talent. They have 1 30 goal scorer, 3 20 goal scorers, 1 15-20 goal scorer, and a whopping 6 10-15 goal scorers. That’s a pretty even and balenced scoring team because when the skill level drops off significantly, the system is their to give them their goals. Something the Kings system lacks IMO.
If you disagree with everything I just wrote, don’t worry about it. You’re entitled to your opinion and I am mine. Even if we completly disagree.
Osaka Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
@CB14, The year before (2009-2010) with TM’s system the Kings were 9th in the league in offense with their PP clicking. If the PP wasn’t so bad this year the Kings would be in the same place again. 9th is in the 10 ten! How did that happen with TM’s system? Also that year the Kings had more scoring from the bottom 6 forwards with Frolov skating with Zues. Our 3rd line had much more production using the same system we use now. I don’t know what your trying to spin dude, but it is the same system!
Happy Memorial Day! Have a good one. Go Kings!!
CB14 Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
@Osaka, I’m not trying to spin anything. I know it’s the same system as last year. We were below average last year in 5 on 5 scoring, and we were below average this year in 5 on 5 scoring. 19th 2 years ago, and 17th last year. Not much changed other than our Power Play covering up the fact that we were below average 2 years ago. When the PP dropped down below average this year, it made the fact that our 5 on 5 scoring struggled more visable. You have a good Memorial Day as well!
Hat trick Reply:
June 2nd, 2011 at 6:26 pm
@Osaka, Well if you look at the stats I think it’s pretty telling.
Shots per game – Ranked 23rd (3 way tie with Nash & Tor)
Goals per game – Ranked 25th
Shots against per game – Ranked 3rd
PP% – Ranked 21st right behind Boston. Top 5 teams in order Van, SJ, Ana, Blackhawks, Red wings
If you look at the teams in the offensive regular season stats I think you’ll see the pattern.
Post season stats.
Goals per game – Tied with Ana Ranked 1st
Goals against per game – Ranked 13th (remember there’s only 16 teams in the playoffs)
Shots per game – Ranked 15th
Shots against per game – Dead last 16th
PP% – Ranked 7th (TM Finally did something about their dreadful PP and the boys responded)
Do you see a pattern offensively on both the regular season and playoffs? And TM’s system is not stifling??? You’ve got to be kidding me.
But there were those incredible games (notably against Detroit) when they had like 40+ shots on goal. What happened there? Why was that team that particular night so on fire? For me it all goes back to the coach. Yes the players are responsible but imo it’s the coach that leads, inspires, recognizes each players strength/weaknesses, etc to bring out the best in each player.
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I for one, love DL stepping out and calling a spade a spade. I was pumped about Penner coming to LA. I thought it would be a chance for him to shake the bad press, a fresh start. As many have said, it isn’t his point total, it’s his passion total (which equaled nothing).
You can say a lot of things about the Kings under DL, but a lack of passion isn’t one of them.
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