There’s been a lot of talk, video and practice, but so far the Kings’ special teams are pretty much where we left them at the end of last season. Entering tonight’s game, the Kings are 2-for-19 on the power play and 8-for-8 on the penalty kill. Of course, there’s been a lot of personnel shuffled in the first three preseason games, but if we’re going to praise the penalty kill, we have to critique the power play also, right? In fairness, the movement with and without the puck has seemed to be improved, but in Sunday’s game against Anaheim, it seemed as though a lot of one-time shots were still being telegraphed. Here’s what Terry Murray said today when asked to assess the power play, followed by some discussion of penalty-kill personnel.
MURRAY: “I’m seeing better movement in the offensive zone. It’s not new, but it’s something that we’re really stressing from the first day of training camp, on the power play, is that kind of movement, the rotations, the quick puck movement and support. I don’t think we did it very well last year. So a lot of this is guys getting habits back in place now, that are not yet instinctive. … The other part is, we have some guys who are holding the puck too long. It’s puck movement that breaks down the penalty-kill box, and I’d rather see the puck coming up top, to your blue-line guys in the umbrella look, more consistently, than the way we do it sometimes.’’
Murray also talked about his seemingly very strong set of options in terms of his two penalty-kill units.
MURRAY: “I think we’ve got four pairs here. We’ve got Richards and Gagne, we’ve got Kopitar and Brown. Kopitar and Brown, their role on the penalty kill is, `Get on, get off quickly.’ The puck is in your end, faceoff, you spend a little time in your end, get it out and get off the ice and get the next group out there. Then there’s Stoll, and we can use different guys with Stolly. Lewis, last year, was right there last year as my No. 1 guy. Brad Richardson is a good guy, so there are a lot of good options.’’
It doesn’t really matter whos doing what we’ve kept doing. The fact is we keep doing what we’ve been doing and we’ll keep getting the same results. But what do i know? ::rubs temples:: spectator sport, mikey..
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Kings Fan In Temecula Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
@Mikey, yeah my thoughts exactly, waaay to predictable and nobody roatates D:
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Scott Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
@Kings Fan In Temecula, I hate to be that guy again… but next week LA will be in Europe. Will DD make the flight?
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Mikey Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
@Scott, doughtable…. da dom chshhhhh
RobSD Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
@Mikey,
The actual definition of INSANITY!!!! Doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results! With the talent we have, there has to be a coaching issue here. I feel like they should just tell them to go out and score. No coaching and see what happens.
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FanoKings Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
@RobSD, exactly what I was thinking. No one on our team can even hit the net from the point let alone score. Come on TM or JK please not another season of the same PP
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I agree with Murray. Richards brings a new dynamic. He is willing to try passes that last year no one would have even thought of.
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Stuart Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
@tullskull, I saw a few of those in the game against ANA… they didn’t connect but like you said, at least they were attempted!
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Kings are moving the puck better…but nobody’s finishing with a one-timer off the pass–put it down to preseason timing….
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There was no attempt to thread a pass through a seam, just perimeter passing and no blocking out in front of the goalie. Sigh.
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EASportsMgt Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
@Krusher, I don’t know if that’s true. I recall one power play when they found Martinez on the back side with a half empty net and he wasn’t able to get a good shot off. I think he missed it wide left. And a few other times there was also a similar okay but instead of shooting there was another pass and a shot that never made it through. So I think its more about timing than anything else. I feel like if they eep moving like they have, eventually the timing will get there and the goals will come. We have not seen one game yet with full two power play units. So I don’t think we are getting the right assessment. In regards to the penalty kill, as Murray described, there are more guys who can fill those roles so that’s why we’ve seen success with it.
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To quote the Talking Heads, “Same as it ever was, Same as it ever was….” which is good for the PK (outstanding) but bad for the PP. The first game against the Yotes showed some promise with players going to the net, nice cross ice passing by Richards and good traffic in front. In the next game against the Ducks the PP was, for lack of a better word, predictable.
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Stuart Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
@DesertKing, nice, I was totally singing that refrain but I couldn’t put my finger on the song/artist… letting the days go by…
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DesertKing Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
@Stuart,
Now we know what type of music Rich likes……
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When I watch teams with a good PP they do things instictually that you can’t really teach it. Its like how Magic Johnson played the game. A lotta flow and creativity. Coming up the court he would look one way then pass the other. The better PPs have that “element”. Point Guy winds up for what may be a shot on net but he may be a pass to the weakside wing dumping it into the back of the net.
I think there’s comes a point where to much analysis causes paralysis. Too much thinking on the ice is Not good. The game is way too fast for you to process all that info in less than a second. Leave the major thinking on the golf course. There’s a fine line between the X’s and Os and just letting your PP squad go to work. This is where team chemistry comes in huge IMO.
I don’t attend the practices so I don’t know how they’re coaching the PP but I would give the guys like 15 to just go at it with their own professional abilities and skills. Doing that over and over will start to build that familiarity amongst each other.
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KingsGuy Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
@Hat trick, Good point.
Too bad TM doesn’t like to leave lines alone to build chemistry…
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DesertKing Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
@Hat trick,
You are right. When they examined the success of the Canuck’s (gag, cough, choke) PP last year, their coach said it was simple. Let the players go on the ice, figure out what the other team is going to give them and then work to exploit it. The other team then has to readjust to take that option away, thus creating a weakness in their original defense strategy. We have some great talent and I think we should let them play and not use one set stratgey all of the time which everyone has already scouted and developed a defense for it.
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Hat trick Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
@DesertKing, I agree moving around is good but it doesn’t really do much if you’re just changing positions. The d is going to be covering some kinda zone. I’ve been using the canucks PP all last season not to imitate but its the fact that they go out and play. Talk about ownership and responsibility!
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there was no movement. everyone is still just standing around. at the ducks game, kopitar came on the ice and just stood there.
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Off topic here………With all the DD8 scuttlebutt in the past 24 hours with possible offer sheets from other teams (Oilers?) and public comments from Leiweke, should we be concerned or read into the fact that not one shread of this discussion has been post here by Rich??? I myself believe that if nothing happens on the DD8 front by the final horn on Fri in Anaheim, its not gonna happen for a few months………..anyone??? hello??? Is thing on???
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CheezyPoofs Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
@Johnny Virgil, Nothing has happened except that Doughty still isn’t skating with the boys yet. Rumors are just that and nothing more. This will come down to who blinks first. I think its going to be Doughty, and it won’t be until beginning of December.
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Dan H. Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
@Johnny Virgil,
Rich has said many times he hats rumors and doesn’t feel the need to report on them.
forgive me if I mis-spoke Rich.
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Helvetica Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
@Johnny Virgil,
1. Rich already mentioned before he doesn’t really deal in tumors.
2. Browse the comments on a number of threads recently. DD come sup in almost every single one and the issues you mentioned have been discussed mostly to death.
There really isn’t much to discuss at this point. Kings have apparently made their final offer. DD doesn’t seem interested. Kings management has made a few comments indicating their position. All thats being discussed at this point is what we think each sentence out of some guy’s mouth might mean. It’s fun, but mostly pointless.
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Helvetica Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
@Helvetica, haha… i meant “rumors”
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408kingsfan Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
@Helvetica, rumors tumors same thing
Rich Hammond Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
Sides haven’t talked in days. Nothing to update. If you want to fret about Internet rumors, that’s your choice.
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Steve Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
@Rich Hammond, What’s going to end up happening is this. If the Kings get off to a fast start in the first month, they can then dictate to Doughty. The media and fans will say “what, we dont need Doughty.” If they get off to a slow start, then Doughty will be in a great bargaining position. The media and the fans will be all over the Kings management to get a deal done to save the season.
This deal will get done when it has to, not a minute sooner. Whether it be before the start of the season or on Nov. 30th.
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I pose this question….what’s more beneficial….an average PP and PK, or a stellar PK but crap PP?
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
@FemaleFan #1, option C……a stellar Pk and a Good PP.
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Stuart Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, or D stellar PK and so-so PP…
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
@Stuart, Ill take that one too
DesertKing Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
@FemaleFan #1,
Maybe its a prostate problem?
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
@DesertKing, haha, PP….I got it!
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Helvetica Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
@FemaleFan #1, Probably depends on how disciplined your club is. If you don’t take a lot of penalties, you can afford to be less than stellar on the PK.
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Shotongoal Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
@FemaleFan #1, I would take the second one as long as the team dominates 5 on 5. But no matter, I would always want stellar defensive play.
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I couldnt help but think about the talking heads when i read that title. To bad the power play woes arnt “once in a lifetime”
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I caught like 20 seconds of the PHIvsNYR game and saw PHI set up their 5-3 and within 10 seconds of entering the zone, Jagr found a soft spot, he was fed a nifty little (and I mean little) soft pass, quick wrist, 2-0 Jagr… sad that we can’t do something like that with a 5-3.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
@Stuart, Jagr has been a beast since they unleashed him. The guy gets his shots off so quick the goalies cant do anything about it.
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Hat trick Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
@Stuart, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. It doesn’t always take a huge slap shot from the point to get the job done. Use your peripheral vision to your advantage.
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Sam Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
@Stuart, Um…Jagr has been known to score some goals in the NHL. I’d say you can’t replicate what he brings. You either have it or you don’t.
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Why were the Kings so successful a year ago against Vancouver in the playoffs? What changed?
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Lake Forest Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@markisonfire, Seemed like both play off rounds we were good against sharks and canucks.
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wavesinair Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
@markisonfire, I don’t know the stats on him but I recall Kyle Quincey getting his shot through at will. Seemed like everything clicked when he was at the point.
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puck73 Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
@wavesinair, your spot on waves. Kyle Quincy was very good at getting that shot thru on the PP, good memeory.
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Sam Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
@wavesinair, Too bad he was horrible at everything else AND he wasn’t around for either of the two playoff series where the PP excelled.
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Sebastian Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
@markisonfire, a lot of it is confidence…momentum, when youre on it you can keep it going both on the power play side, and on the PK side, if you keep getting scored on, you go out there scared and keep getting scored on. Doughty and Johnson were at the top of their game moving around and getting shots off quickly and through to the net, Doughty became ineffective at shooting from the point, and Johnson shoots high or wide all the time now. my opinion anyway, but the season has not even started yet. kings have only played 3 preseason games, technically 2 as a team, so the numbers arent there yet, but theres plenty of time to figure it out.
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Ian Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
@markisonfire, Nothing. That’s just what it looks like when Doughty and Johnson are both on top of their game.
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Both items are all effort – getting pucks out of corner – net hard – we dont have a guy that takes a beating in front of the net – like Zues used to do – and we dont seem to win many one on one battles for the puck – – the kill is all JQ – plus lots of effort and hustle – season should be very interesting with all the drama -
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c
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Hockeyfanb4Gretzky Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
@Hockeyfanb4Gretzky, whoops did not mean to do that.
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Found this on NHL.com. I read all but the last paragraph yesterday. Man, If that plea doesn’t get DD back i dont know what will..
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=590136
The Los Angeles Kings remain without top defenseman Drew Doughty but Tim Leiweke, the team’s Governor and President of its parent company AEG, supported general manager Dean Lombardi’s negotiation strategy Tuesday while offering a plea for resolution to the Los Angeles Times.
Leiweke said the Kings remain committed to Doughty and to be being a team that spends to the salary cap, but also agreed with Lombardi’s top offer of $6.8 million per season.
“This is not a matter of the Kings or AEG saving money. That is zero of the conflict here,” Leiweke told Helene Elliott of the Times. “This is a matter of allocation of dollars and the fight here is how do we ultimately respect Drew. And we respect the world out of Drew. I think the world of the kid. He is the cornerstone of the franchise long term and we’re not going to let him go anywhere.”
Leiweke also confirmed Lombardi’s assertion that a trade is not an option. Doughty, 21, had 11 goals and 40 points last season for the Kings, and was a Norris Trophy finalist in 2009-10 after producing 16 goals and 59 points.
He is clearly one of the top young defensemen in the sport, and Doughty reportedly is seeing upwards of $7 million per season. Lombardi’s offer of a deal with an average annual value of $6.8 million would make Doughty level with Anze Kopitar as the two highest-paid players on the team.
“I support Dean on what he’s trying to do here,” Leiweke said to Elliott. “He’s not trying to be cheap. He’s not trying to be disrespectful. We love Drew. It’s an allocation issue here and everyone, including most of the players I’ve run into in the last week, they get that we are desperate to try to keep enough resources to keep this team together long term.
“So from my standpoint I want Drew to come back. Please, Drew, come back. We love you. Let’s not destroy this relationship or his reputation or our reputation over something like this. We need to get this done. He needs to get back in here. And we need to get him ready to go to Europe. He should not miss that trip. It would mean that we would begin to move on without him and that’s a bad thing.”
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As it was stated by me some time last week, if you all saw the post… AEG is just about money and not wins… And lierwiki just proved that… And man can simmons not stay out of the news or what?
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Change takes time. I like that TM has at least correctly identified what the problems are and is looking to change them. I think the scoring chances will be the telling tale sign if he made the proper adjustments. Can’t look at finnish because nobody finnished, but at least if the chances are there you know their on the right path.
I do want more movement and would like to see the 4 man box spread out more. The support on the puck is really a key. The Ducks made adjustments after the 1rst power play to cut off the point pass. As soon as the Kings got penetration, the pass high got picked off, and sent down. They seemed to do a good job of isolating the puck carrier. The Kings did get some really good chances regardless, but the guys didn’t finnish which made it seem inefective.
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number 6 Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
@Dominick,
Dominick, I know you have a good feel for all things hockey, so if you say there was some good elements there, it’s good enough for me. I for one remained a bit skeptical overall. The PP seemed so completely stifled all last year that I felt lots was needed to shift it. Maybe it will, maybe not, but clearly this element of the game needs some serious help.
It was so predictable and in order to advance they need to find a way to make it less so.
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Dominick Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
@number 6, I agree. Last season I don’t think enough attention was put to it early. This season, TM has made it a priority. Just hope it works out for all our sakes. A strong PP will put the fear back in the NHL, and I think most are waiting to see if TM can make that happen.
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some more inside on AEG
they traded bernie nicholls at the all star game and the reporters asked him how does it feel to be a ranger no class organization
‘they walled the lakers in since the lakers didnt want aeg running the way they setup for games, and aeg said fine walled them and only them in. kings and clippers go right into arena from their offices lakers must go up or down. Petty crap man
the best coach they had and #1 on special teams for one season was tippett and they let him go morons
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Special teams will be the same as it ever was. As long as the management continues being blind of just WHY this team can’t score on the powerplay. But I give them a huge hint why; Jamie Kompon.
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Sam Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
@Brown23, That doesn’t explain the exceptional nature of the power play in the playoffs. It should be harder to score then, not easier.
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PP Anybody? Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
@Sam, The way I’ve seen it in the playoffs the last couple of years, it just seems like our guys get hyped up and stray away from the”system”, and look to push the tempo and open things up more offensively. Scoring was not a problem in either series. It was not being able to balance the up-tempo offense, with TM’s slow it down defense. Until they figure out how to open things up more, but still be responsible, we shall still see a PP that struggles, and an anemic offense, regardless of who is suiting up for us.
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Steve Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 8:34 pm
@Brown23, When does it quit being Kompon’s fault and start becoming the players fault? The Kings have some new pieces to work with and this is going to take some time, probably too much time for some KIngs fans out there.
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Absurd to draw any conclusions about our PP or PK during pre-season. I would say our PK looks the same, but our PP looks rusty, but much better movement overall.
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The reason the PP hasn’t changed is the PP coach hasn’t changed. “More of the same”, fixes NOTHING. The “shot mentality with a body in front”, is a great idea for a team with little talent. We have the talent on this roster to do a lot more than that. That will still work when set plays don’t, but for Kompon to keep running the same play, the same setup, and the same look PP after PP, is going to get us NOWHERE! Will Dean finally see the light when we are 3 for 102? We are not a B team anymore, we just have B coaching. Get a REAL PP coach, and our team will be incredible on the PP with the talent on this roster. Oh, and Murray…you can’t build chemistry if you don’t just leave it alone and let them play together for more than 1 game….just sayin
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Steve Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
@kingsfan77, As I posed to Brown23. When does it quit being Kompon’s fault and start becoming the players fault? The Kings have some new pieces to work with and this is going to take some time, probably too much time for some KIngs fans out there.
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Buster Reply:
September 28th, 2011 at 12:25 am
@kingsfan77,
I hate to disagree with you here, BUT that B coaching seems to be rating them a bit too high. They’re more like a D-.
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Movement, cross-seam passes and QUICK shots. All missing this past season… add them!
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Now if we can only see the Shinola part of the PP.
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