Westgarth, Muzzin updates

Here’s what Terry Murray said today about the status of Kevin Westgarth and Jake Muzzin. Westgarth left last night’s game after his fight with Anaheim’s Brian McGrattan — he took a big punch — while Muzzin has been out of action since he went face-first into the glass after hit from behind by Phoenix’s Mikkel Boedker.

MURRAY: “Westgarth, he’s not going to skate for a couple days. He took that punch to the head, as you saw. We’re just going to hold him off the ice and let him settle for a couple days before getting him going him again.

“(Muzzin is) not OK or he would be out there practicing with the team. No, he’s not doing good. He took a pretty big hit on that play. He banged his head. You can see the mark on his face, where he went into the glass. Again, it’s a lot of precaution. We want to do the right thing and give the players an opportunity to recover and be ready to go at the right time.”

44 Comments

  1. LB says:

    Lieweke interview about Doughty: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/09/kings-drew-doughty-nhl-dean-lombardi-hockey-tim-leiweke.html?

    I hope someone shows this to Doughty.

    [Reply]

    CB14 Reply:

    @LB, ‘We just gave Drew your extra money, because $6.8 [million] wasn’t good enough’? ZING!

    [Reply]

    M.T. Netter Reply:

    @CB14, WOW. I love that quote.

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    wavesinair Reply:

    Great quotes!

    The two sides of Tim Leiweke:

    Good Cop:

    - ‘I love Drew’
    - ‘He is the cornerstone of the franchise’
    - ‘He’s going to be a great player’
    - ‘Let’s not destroy this relationship’
    - ‘Please, Drew, come back. We love you.’

    Bad Cop:

    - Trade ‘not in the cards’
    - Dean ‘not trying to be cheap.’
    - ‘It’s an allocation issue’
    - ‘Offered to make him the fourth-highest-paid defenseman in the NHL’
    - Equal to ‘the highest-paid King in our history’
    - Drew needs to ‘stand up and take charge of the decision’
    - If they think ‘ownership is going to get impatient and blink, they’re wrong.’
    - Drew wanting more ‘not good for team chemistry.’
    - On possibly missing the trip ‘It would mean that we would begin to move on without him and that’s a bad thing.’

    I’d say the pressure just got turned up a couple notches.

    [Reply]

    xeropoint Reply:

    @wavesinair, Good summary. I hope this doesn’t turn out badly…

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    Bill M. Reply:

    @xeropoint, It might. I’d say that Leiweke saying this:

    - On possibly missing the trip ‘It would mean that we would begin to move on without him and that’s a bad thing.’

    Is either going to be the start of Drew falling in line, or the start of exactly what he said.

    gene Reply:

    @wavesinair, Excellent post, its take it or leave it now for DD. From a personal view, I dont see where making 6.5 million a yera for 7 to 9 years is that bad. Where do I sign up? Now for you bloggers who wrtie right back and say hockey is a rough spot. Dam right it is, roughest spot next to rugby. but so is being a cop or a fireman or a iron worker or beding in the US Armed Forces. I am sure anyone of those persons in any one of these job skills would gladly take 6.5 million a year. Grow up DD or go some where else.

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    EJ Reply:

    @gene, sorry, but your point is well off the mark. I don’t know anyone who’s going to pay money to watch a cop or fireman or iron worker do his job. Just because you may only want to pay a pro athlete a middle class workers’ salary doesn’t mean that there aren’t many hundreds of thousands of people (and I’m talking pro sports all over the world) who are willing to pay more . . . much more. These guys (and their parents) gave up their normal childhoods to become the best. They are only employable for a certain number of years and then become unskilled and unemployed.

    jet Reply:

    @EJ, and you think that cops and firemen have unlimited years of labor in them. The reason their retirement packages are usually 20 years is becasue they have been mentally and physically abused for their entire careers. I have a buddy who was a highway patrolman for 20 years and about 4 years in he saw a baby burn to death in a car crash. He has never been the same even after 2 years of therapy. I also know a number of firemen who are basically disabled. One has had hip surgury 3 times and he still walks off center. They injury is so common, they call it fireman’s hip. So, yes many professions have limited careers. The fact is DD gets to play a game and he get’s paid for it. The point we are at now is the kings need to decide how much they can pay and still be a viable canidate for the cup. How many of the top teams have players with a 6.8 million cap hit player? Notice that San Jose and Chicago each got rid of one this summer.

    Leo Reply:

    @gene, Great point

    vplaza Reply:

    @LB,

    So, the big question that still begs to be answered is what is DD’s counteroffer? What, in heaven’s name, are they looking for? I’m not saying he needs to advertise it on the net, but at least tell the Kings what he or his agent wants so that some progress can be made.

    What’s souring many people here is that it seems that the ball is still in DD’s court and no communication seems to be going back to the Kings to indicate what he wants.

    Maybe they’ve given it to the Kings, but from what the team is saying, it doesn’t sound like it.

    [Reply]

    jlhamon Reply:

    @LB, So if Doughty were to part ways with Meehan, assumming Meehan would have made 3% on the deal and Doughty was to get 6.8M, Doughty would save $204K. There’s your $200K, Drew!

    [Reply]

    USHA#17 Reply:

    @LB,

    Thanks for the post. There you have it, Drew or Voynov?

    Far as I am concerned I’m tired of seeing the Kings offer “two-season wonder” teams separated by 8 seasons of misery. As much as I would like to see Doughty sign, forget it if it means a return to that nonsense.

    Looks like AEG left all but a pinch on the table.

    [Reply]

    KC23 Reply:

    @LB, I just don’t see how DD can look himself in the mirror and believe he is doing the right thing. So disappointing.

    [Reply]

  2. CB14 says:

    It would almost be good for the Kings if Westy starts the season on the I.R. That would allow them to keep Lokti and Parse with the team for the European/East Coast trip, and give Parse time to get back to where he was 2 years ago, and give Lokti time to see if he can cut it on the 3rd or 4th line. Plus it would give Westy time to get back to 100%. The last thing you want to do when you’re not 100% is fight 250lb guys.

    [Reply]

  3. wavesinair says:

    On a side note, I uploaded HD versions of all the video I took at today’s practice. Enjoy.

    http://deepinsidethekings.com/2011/09/post-ducks-loss-practice-video/

    [Reply]

    bbb7 Reply:

    @wavesinair,Thanks for your postings. Always a treat to get a look-in while at work.

    [Reply]

    Token Reply:

    @wavesinair, Yay Waves!

    [Reply]

  4. kinginsaltlake says:

    Let’s hope that nasty bug stays away from us this season. oh what bug you might ask… The injury bug.

    [Reply]

  5. King Alex says:

    I hope Westie hurt that guys hands with his face at least. Jeez, our tough guys need to learn to keep those hands up during a fight. As I was taught, hands up, elbows in & protect yourself at ALL times! We need a little payback for the cheap shot Muzzin took too! Nothing cheap mind you, just some payback!

    [Reply]

    puck73 Reply:

    @King Alex, Dude! I hope you are feeling better man !

    [Reply]

    King Alex Reply:

    @puck73, Thanks Puck! I really appreiciate it and I am feeling much better. There was talk of losing part of my prostate & a colostomy bag for 6 months but luckly, I did not need surgery and I am making a full recovery. Nothing that 10 days in the hospital won’t cure!

    [Reply]

    Gary Livingston Reply:

    @King Alex, Oh damn. Glad you avoided that. Good to see you with a good attitude too!

    King Alex Reply:

    @Gary Livingston, Thanks Gary! What does not kill us makes us stronger!!!

    [Reply]

  6. Derek says:

    I’m still in amazement that no disciplinary action was taken on the hit to muzzin after all the shanahan crackdowns this preseason.

    on a sidenote rich: when is the facebook connect happening for this blog?

    [Reply]

    CB14 Reply:

    @Derek, Hopefully never!

    [Reply]

  7. Nyck says:

    Good thing Boedker got suspended for that hit from behind…oh wait.

    [Reply]

  8. Roger says:

    Is the NHL looking at the hit on Muzzin?

    [Reply]

  9. Bill M. says:

    Woot! My Tickets arrived for my 10-game weekend pack. Some big games in that pack – Detroit, Vancouver, Chicago, San Jose, Anaheim, Nashville. I hope these guys start to pull it together and develop some chemistry, or its going to be a LONG season.

    [Reply]

    petemagoop Reply:

    @Bill M., relax ->the season hasn’t started yet

    [Reply]

    Bill M. Reply:

    @petemagoop, I know. I realize that they could all Gel in a week and if they do, they are going to be AWESOME. I’m just saying that if they don’t gel, and it continues to look like yesterday, it’s going to be painful to watch, knowing the potential of this roster.

    It’s one thing to know you are an underdog and fail. It’s another to expect greatness and have it vaporize. Much worse.

    [Reply]

    DesertKing Reply:

    @Bill M.,

    Got the same pack. Can’t wait!!

    [Reply]

  10. Helvetica says:

    You know, i really want this Westy to be the the next coming of Parros, but maybe another year in Manchester would do him some good. He REALLY needs to work on his fighting style.

    [Reply]

  11. Is Brian McGrattan’s hit not going to be reviewed by the league?

    Shanahan is on a roll right now. And, some of these look about the same.

    [Reply]

    bonvivant1 Reply:

    @Gary Livingston, Shananhan is the Robspierre of NHL discipline. I like his hard stance and he is not sparing the guillotine. Crosby’s concussion was really the impetus because he’s the face of the game. Can’t have players taking head shots and pyle driving guys through the boards. A safer, hard hitting game is better for all.

    [Reply]

    xeropoint Reply:

    @Gary Livingston, To which Brian Mcrattan hit are you referring? The right cross that KO’d Westy? Or do you mean the Boedker hit on Muzzin?

    [Reply]

  12. kngfan004 says:

    TM,

    Can you sit Westie until July?

    [Reply]

    mcdangles Reply:

    @kngfan004, an orange traffic pylon can take a hit better then WIMPGARTH and get as much done :)

    [Reply]

  13. Ganio says:

    What is Westgarth’s purpose, exactly? He’s and “enforcer” that intimidates no one and gets clobbered in preseason action. Why does anybody see a need for this guy to be on the Kings, let alone the NHL. TOTALLY WORTHLESS. I propose a new adjective to describe something with no value whatsoever: “Westgarthian”. Who’s with me?
    BTW: Drew, sign and PLAY already. Don’t let your agent turn you into one of the whiny primadonna “superstars” that everyone hates (giving you the benefit of the doubt). What exactly are you planning on doing with the extra couple hundred thousand dollars man? 6.8 million isn’t enough? Need to get more in a few years? Get over yourself.

    [Reply]

    Old Man Reply:

    @Ganio, I agree,

    [Reply]

  14. blackthrone says:

    I believe McGrattan was actually a Dave Taylor pick

    [Reply]

  15. TS19 says:

    bull that theres no suspention!!!!

    [Reply]

    TS19 Reply:

    @TS19, it was a total hit with intention to injure him!

    [Reply]

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