Voynov earned coach’s confidence

Depending on Drew Doughty’s status for tonight, Slava Voynov might have played his last NHL game for a while. When Doughty returns from injured reserve, the Kings will need to make a roster move in order to create space for him. Called up when Doughty went on injured reserve, Voynov has played in four games and hasn’t recorded a point but has a plus-1 rating while averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game. He also seems to have earned the confidence of Terry Murray…

MURRAY: “I think Slava has played very well. His game has gotten better, as he has gone through his first opportunity to play in the NHL. His game (against New Jersey) was good. He showed a lot of confidence. He was matched up against their best line, often, and handled it very well. His composure with the puck, to make plays when there is a lot of pressure on him, is very good. Overall, my confidence in him is very high.’’

55 Comments

  1. Brownkingsfan says:

    Voynov is a great asset to this defense. I’ll hate to see him sent down, but it’s the right move!

    [Reply]

    Jgomez Reply:

    @Brownkingsfan, He looked really good with the puck, hung on to it a bit too long at times, but as a rookie he looked good. His passing was solid and he jumped on a few rushes and looked like with more games under his belt, he can be ANOTHER solid addition to our D.

    Who would be the first to go from the current D?

    [Reply]

    MB Kings Fan Reply:

    @Jgomez, DD2 would be the first to go. He’s a little bit of a non-entity.

    [Reply]

  2. KingsGuy says:

    Last night on NHL of the fly – The shakeup in MTL –

    They said they are looking for to sign another D man.

    Anyone think a trade may be coming for one of our guys seeming as we have 7/8 solid dudes. Maybe DD2, AM, SV?

    [Reply]

    fsd1 Reply:

    @KingsGuy, trade for what? whom?

    [Reply]

    KingsGuy Reply:

    @fsd1, Dunno, draft pick, Pacioretty, or maybe get Cami back (joke). Someone on the wing?

    [Reply]

    FKA PakiFro Reply:

    @KingsGuy,

    Unless its a package for Tomas Plekanec, I’m not sure who else on that team is helpful to the Kings.

    Duckbasher Reply:

    @KingsGuy, How about we package up DD2 & Penner and see if anyone will offer up a decent draft pick(s) for next season? We’re pretty short on them.

    Scot Reply:

    @KingsGuy,

    Haha yeah, bring Cammalleri back.. Oh wait, his numbers would plummet because his game isn’t suited for Terry Murray’s system. No seriously, that’s what would happen. Can we get a new coach please?

    puck73 Reply:

    @KingsGuy, I am convinced more then ever that the only way this team is going to start scoring more goals 5 on 5 is to get rid of Murray and Kompon. Murray has done a good job teaching players how to play defense which is fine. But the fact is, if the Kings have aspirations of beating teams like Anaheim, Vancouver, San Jose, or Chicago in a 7 game series its time to make a change.
    I have said this before, and I will say it again….Terry Murray is a pre-lockout coach in a post-lockout era.

    [Reply]

    jackj43 Reply:

    @puck73, Puck, What available coach would you go with if it were your choice?

    [Reply]

    puck73 Reply:

    @jackj43, Punch Imlach.

    Cynic Reply:

    @jackj43, Not that I completely agree with the sentiment, but to answer the question, if I had a choice, I’d be trying to lure Tippett out of Phoenix the first chance I get. I thought he should have been our head coach when we had him as an assistant.

    jackj43 Reply:

    @jackj43, I like Tippett as well. Do we know what his contract status is?

    Michael J. Reply:

    @puck73,

    What’s the deal Puck? I thought judgment would only come after either a first-round exit, or a terrible start… Why the change so soon?

    [Reply]

    puck73 Reply:

    @Michael J., Burned out on the “Cant Finish Offense”. I watch other teams play an exciting brand of hockey with players who seem to finish, and with the exception of the St.Louis game, Terry’s team is once again putting me to sleep like that old man sitting on the porch drinking that country time lemonade.
    And, I am stiil steamed about starting Bernier the other night and putting the kid in a no win situation. And the other thing that did, was give the players a built in excuse to lose, and thats exactly what happened.
    I wonder how the Bernier fans on this site would have felt if he had 3 shutouts in a row, and the micromanager TM sat his butt down? I am guessing guys like @Kinger and @poorman would have wanted Murray fired immediately and rightly so!

    Scot Reply:

    @Michael J.,

    You can’t deny that starting Bernier on Tuesday was one of the worst coaching decisions you have ever seen. Jim Fox, without saying it directly, basically said he was shocked and offered NO support to that decision. All he did was explain on the air what Terry Murray said were HIS reasons. It was just a terrible, terrible decision, whether the Kings won or lost that game.

    red49er Reply:

    @Michael J., I totally agree it was a bad coaching move and I said so before the game, but PUck73, to say it was a no win situation for Bernier isn’t accurate. We all knew he had added pressure and to steal that game would have been recognized as more than just another win.

    Scot Reply:

    @puck73,

    I am so with you. And I am SO over Terry Murray. Don’t let the door hit you in the ego on your way out.

    [Reply]

    PLAY2WIN Reply:

    @puck73, It is obvious that even tho the Kings are one of the FAVORITES to win the Cup, there are many of you that has to find fault in something!! The Kings are off to a great start and you want to fire the coach!! Are you serious, bro? C’mon, TM has helped the Kings become an elite team. You want more offense? Tell me who did that work out for Washington the last few years? Or San Jose? DEFENSE wins Cups NOT offense!! Stop being haters and ENJOY the season, our team is very gifted and you should SUPPORT the team and stop focusing on the negatives all the time, it’s getting really old and tired. Oh by the way, I think what TM did with Bernier was the RIGHT thing to do, no sense in having your back up lose his confidence. TM showed Bernier and the team that he earned a spot on the team and he can and will be counted on for production.

    [Reply]

    puck73 Reply:

    @PLAY2WIN, He put Bernier in a no win situation, and slapped Quick and his history making accomplishment right in the mouth. As far as I am concerned , Murrays decision went against the grain, he rocked the boat and made a change when one wasnt needed and put the attention on himself. As far as I am concerned, TM deserves criticism from me, and anyone else on this site that feels like it is warranted.

    fsd1 Reply:

    @puck73, ok puck, lets talk, there have been alot of comments by alot of people who say that TM must go if we are going to be successful and I have tried to argue it but soon tired of repeating the same things over and over without getting any different responses other than TM sucks, he is an old coach with an old system that just wont work. What i need is someone to explain to me how the defensive system doesn’t “work” If we miss the playoffs for 6 or 8 years straight and a new coach takes us to the playoffs in 2 consecutive years and perhaps even get past the first round last year had we not lost our best player and we start out this year 5-2-1, and we have had gams this year that we dominated other teams using TM’s antiquated system, what changes would a new coach bring that would actually make us even better than we are now? We have added two major pieces (3 if you count Pens, cause he really is still new to the system) is it not possible that it will take more than 7 games to see if the team can play dominating on a consistent basis? This is not meant to be against your opinion on TM or anyone elses, it is just I get frustrated that with so much success the last 2 years that the passion on this blog can be so impatient. It is my opinion that the “system” works when the team plays it. I never want to go back to the 8-7 or 6-4 kind of games we used to lose on a consistent basis in the past. thought please, and has anyone heard from MrBrett7? I miss him… Thanks for reading.

    [Reply]

    fsd1 Reply:

    @fsd1, games, not gams, the blonde has gams….

    puck73 Reply:

    @fsd1, MBrett7 and I had a battle for quite some time, and a very spirited one at that. I would not be surprised if he was either on an extended moderation or possibly even banned from this site permanately.
    Sure do miss him….

    Crown Royal Reply:

    @fsd1,

    Wouldn’t you agree the talent level on the team is deeper than it’s been in many years?
    That’s DL’s work along with Hextall and the scouts. It has nothing to do with TM. On the contrary many of us feel his poor handling and misuse of players has actually hurt the development of some while not using others to their best abilites.

    I agree totally with @puck73 that TM has effectively taught defensive hockey to the team but that’s as far as this outdated coach can go.

    fsd1 Reply:

    @crown royal, yes i do agree, i also think that 7 games is not enough time to decide

    #1faninVegas Reply:

    @fsd1,

    You made some very very very good points. I would rather win games 1-0 than lose games 6-5. How accurate you are. The fact that TM has made our team an elite team, we should sit back and give him a chance.

    Great words!

    KingsGuy Reply:

    @puck73, I am going to give it another 10 games or so before I start calling for TM’s head.

    Lets see if our new guys can start clicking and get used to this “amazing” system we have. LOL

    I think our PP is getting better and looks decent. Now we just need some 5 on 5.

    [Reply]

  3. McFame says:

    Send him back to the Monarchs so he can continue to play top minutes instead of sitting in the press box. He’s ready for the NHL, unfortunetely the Kings are real deep on defense. This can only make guys like AMart play their best hockey w/ Voynov right behind him on the depth chart…

    [Reply]

    puck73 Reply:

    @McFame, I totally agree. I do think that Voynov ultimately has higher upside then Martinez but time will tell.

    [Reply]

  4. #1faninVegas says:

    I enjoyed Voynov, has a bit of work left to be a premiere defender, but he is NHL ready!

    [Reply]

  5. lakingsphan0427 says:

    Like I said before, send AMartinez and keep SVoynov..alot of you might not agree but thats what my instinct’s telling me..

    [Reply]

    Cutty Sarkn3ss Reply:

    @lakingsphan0427, He’ll be claimed if he goes on waivers . . that I’m sure of

    [Reply]

    puck73 Reply:

    @Cutty Sarkn3ss, No Question about it. But if you think about it, so would Drewiske, Muzzin, Hickey, any of those guys.

    [Reply]

    Cutty Sarkn3ss Reply:

    @puck73, But what I’m saying is, it’s too early to give up on A-Mart and send him to the waiver wire to be claimed . ..

  6. Sammuch says:

    I think TM THINKING of keeping SV up for the road trip, so he can get some more pro experience! I say he’ll get 2 more games in before he gets sent down.

    [Reply]

  7. Harry says:

    According to Helene @ LA Times, Dean Lombardi said Voynov will play today, and Doughty will sit out, and return over the weekend. Plus, the flight might be cheaper from the east coast to Manchester vs from LA.

    [Reply]

    Harry Reply:

    @Harry, Lisa Dallman* not Helene.

    [Reply]

    puck73 Reply:

    @Harry, I now see why Voynov was a plus 21, and an all star last season in the AHL. But the think that has surprised me the most about him would have to be his poise in his own zone at 21 years of age!

    [Reply]

    Harry Reply:

    @puck73,

    Yep, he plays like a Russian! heh

    [Reply]

  8. Cynic says:

    I believe Voynov is strong enough to play a shut-down roll if he has to which would leave a guy like Drewiskie free to lose. To me, the choice seems obvious to see what team (If any) would like Drewiskie. I believe he’s peaked at a 5-6 and we are too stacked at D- to just accept him as a 7th man. You could rotate Martinez & Voynov on a regular basis to see who pans out.

    I also understand that to maximize potential, sending Slava back to Manch would get him maximum playing time and help them out this season (Which they seem to need right now). I just don’t like paying a guy to sit as the 7th man if he’s never/hardly gonna play. Rotating Martinez and Voynov seems like the right option and lets see who comes out on top.

    Voynov is full up ready. The sooner you push him to excel in the NHL, the better I believe.

    [Reply]

  9. Jgomez says:

    Parse is playing tonight with Brown and Richards. Does that mean Penner sits or is moved down?

    [Reply]

    Harry Reply:

    @Jgomez,

    Penner will play on the 3rd line…which he did towards most of the previous game.

    [Reply]

  10. Purple Ghost says:

    The role of Matt Greene and his future should be part of the discussion. Would Murray have the guts to try a 5/6 pairing of Martinez and Voynov? It would add to our offensive potential.

    [Reply]

    red49er Reply:

    @Purple Ghost, I think Greene will either be traded or not signed at the end of his contract. I’m sure the guys love him and he’s got grit, but of the established players, he’s the who will g0.

    [Reply]

  11. goldielocks says:

    Hey, Slava. I’ll let you know the secret.

    Shoot the puck whenever you can even though you don’t know what you are shooting at. I guarantee you will become a coach’s No.1 favorite.

    [Reply]

    fsd1 Reply:

    @goldielocks, you have become so bitter so early in the season…..Im sure glad we are such losers at 5-2-1.

    [Reply]

    goldielocks Reply:

    @fsd1,

    ‘Shot mentality’ didn’t start this season. It was long long time ago.

    [Reply]

    fsd1 Reply:

    @goldielocks, Agree, every coach of every team ever in the NHL has used the term “shot mentality”

  12. Replace Penner with Martinez. Give it a shot, it wouldn’t hurt.

    [Reply]

  13. Is this the year? says:

    I wholeheartedly agree that Murray was a good teaching defense coach. However, he cannot coach offense at all. As for the power play….. yikes. He has reached the ultimate of his ailit and until the Kings can lose his “system”, scoring will be very sparse AMAZING ISN’T IT THAT MOST GOALS HAVE BEEN SCORED BY CRASHING THE NET not by shooting from the blue line al a Murray

    [Reply]

  14. KC23 says:

    Congrats on playing extremely well and you time is quickly approaching. Love Voynov’s game.

    [Reply]

  15. mike says:

    Look TM should stay but a very strong offensive coach should be added to assist

    [Reply]

  16. Datacloud says:

    I saw Slava make an incredible play while being hounded along the glass. He worked hard to keep that puck in possession and move it up to the forward, I think with one hand on the stick. I think it was last game. The guy was all over him, and I was just super impressed with his ability to stay composed and in control. In general, he moves the puck very well. A little more time and confidence on the offensive side and I think he can eventually pass up Martinez from a offensive potential perspective.

    [Reply]

  17. LUCALACA says:

    Ok… why can’t we keep Voynov and scratch Martinez…. I would like to see Drewiske leave!!!! Voynov is just like Doughty just not as talented!

    [Reply]

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