With Mike Richards out of the lineup, Andrei Loktionov is getting a chance to shine. In third- and fourth-line roles, at times this season, Loktionov has looked a little tentative with the puck on his stick. The Kings moved Loktionov back to his natural position center — he started this season on left wing — largely because they wanted him to feel more comfortable playing and moving the puck in the middle of the ice. On Thursday, in a second-line role with wingers Simon Gagne and Justin Williams, Loktionov looked more comfortable and effective, Terry Murray said, and Loktionov will stay with that look tonight.
MURRAY: “I thought he played well. There’s still areas that I can see that, as he matures, where he will become a better hockey player, but his possession time was really good. He moved his feet. He was very good with composure on breakouts. He’s got some instincts that are hard to find. He’s going to be a good player. He got an opportunity (against Minnesota) to play with a couple pretty good hockey players, and I think he took advantage of it and had nice energy and had a smile on his face. It was a good thing. It’s coming.’’
Question: Do you have to encourage him, still, to take that puck and really carry it through the middle of the ice?
MURRAY: “That was the one thing, through the training camp, that I was looking for all of the time, in the practices and in the exhibition games, that just was not there. That was probably the reason we ended up getting him down to the minors as quickly as we did. The puck-possession play, the attack possession entries, it just wasn’t there for some reason. He looked a little distracted. He went down and he worked on his game. He’s back up here and I think he’s starting to grab a hold of that again.’’
i agree with lokti having to continue to improve on offensive zone entry…
he has made some progress…true…
but he still has some ways to go with it and that probably has a lot to do with gaining confidence/nhl experience and getting top 6 opportunities…
he’s in a crucial role again tonight…i hope that line can put some points on the board…
we really, really need them to produce…
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Kingsfanone Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
@variable,
We need Terry Murray to get us a win.
So does he!
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variable Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
@Kingsfanone,
i think terry needs not only a win, but a signal that his players haven’t tuned him out…
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toemas_sandstrom Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 6:13 pm
@variable, He looks tuned out behind the bench. Every time they cut to him on the telecast it reminds me of the kid in the playground with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground, kicking rocks with that sad “I got no friends” look on his face. It’s just a sad, sad state we’re in.
I hate going into game nights feeling so nervous.
Come on boys…lets turn this thing around!!
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Why is it the whole team has to rearrange around the AHL call up that has yet to prove anything more than being too small to stay on the puck. I don’t know. Hope I’m proved infinitely wrong and he becomes the savior everyone is waiting for him to turn into.
Unless we’re just dangling him as trade bait.
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KingsFletch Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
@ET219, I wouldn’t say we’re looking/waiting for him to be the savior just hoping he can progress and get better. He only dropped so low in the draft because many teams thought he would bail out and go play in Russia, so we got a steal. I’m hoping he can continue to improve and replace Stoll indefinitely because Stoll needs to go lol. Or if he can really improve, move Richards onto a line with Kopi and keep Lokti in that second line C role.
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Kenny44 Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
@ET219, What do you mean? We finally have the lines set up where he fills the empty spot – The missing MR center role. Fraser can’t do it, and Stoll is more of a shooter and cycler guy than a puck possession guy. Lokti-Williams-Gagne is the most sensible thing we’ve tried with Lokti.
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I feel a big win coming
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KingsFletch Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
@Griffin, boy do we need it.
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Patience is needed with this player. He’s very talented but also very young and lacks confidence at this point. More time on this line is actually the right decision by Murray.
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Lotki has the talent and skills…..hopefully TM wont ruin it …or bench Lotki for not playing a heavy game. It would be nice for the Kings to devolop a forward and keep him.Kopi was good from the start…other players need more time.Lotki wouild really be an asset if he is allowed to play center and play his game….
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Wow. Is stoll worried?
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variable Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
@OahuKingzfan,
if anyone should be looking over his shoulder, it would be stoll – i agree…
we know he’s a great guy and all that…but you have to produce, especially for someone possessing his skills…and for someone whom the team is relying on to provide goals…
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“That was probably the reason we ended up getting him down to the minors as quickly as we did. The puck-possession play, the attack possession entries, it just wasn’t there for some reason. He looked a little distracted.” By TM’s logic the whole team should be in the minors…
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There are a couple of Kings fans in Tampa Bay right now
waiting for the Kings game to start…That’s me and a roadie…
We have to win tonight to right the boat…
The natives are restless….
GKG…
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Would like to see voynov tried at wing. Keeps AM in the lineup and VV could be more of an offensive threat than some of our “big bodies”.
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Ashykon Reply:
December 10th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
@JackKentCooke, He’s a defenseman…
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I’m expecting more of the same from the Kings and Murray tonight.
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Stoll gets 3.6 mil this season. Nobody is going to take him. Just like Penner, can’t trade something nobody wants.
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Next season $13,675,000 comes off the books. Maybe they resign Mitchell for the same or less. But that still leaves 10+ mil in cap space to do something. Right now, I just don’t see who has trade value that the Kings would want to move.
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Lokti definitely looked better last game… if only someone would finish when he makes a nice set-up.
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