Here’s what Mike RIchards said about Darryl Sutter’s hiring, and the first day of practice under Sutter…
RICHARDS: “It sucks, because Terry was a good coach. I’ve been through some stuff with him and played a lot for him, but that’s the unfortunate part of the business. It sucks, when the players don’t perform that the coaches have to go, but I’m excited for Darryl. He’s a hard-nosed coach. We’ve heard a lot of good things from different people around the league, and I’ve been talking to some players who have played for him and I’ve heard nothing but good things.’’
Question: How was the first day of practice?
RICHARDS: “It was good. It was up-tempo. We worked on some things. For me personally, it was just getting out there and being in a full practice again, working hard and feeling the puck with everybody and getting caught up with the speed. I thought it was a good practice for me and a good practice for the team.’’
There is a poll on the front page of nhl.com to vote for the best coach in Kings history.
Melrose is winning lol
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g smith86 Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:04 pm
@408kingsfan, Melrose was in charge of the most successful Kings team ever( if you value playoff runs as a high priority) so that is not surprising
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:18 pm
@408kingsfan, pfft!
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Kenny44 Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 10:27 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, Is that the Pat Burns puffy face
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 3:10 pm
@Kenny44, I really learned to respect Pat Burns…kinda the opposite of Melrose.
linny Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:21 pm
@408kingsfan, are you sure it didn’t say “worst” coach? There’s a reason he’s not coaching….he stinks. The only reason he got the votes was because those voting don’t know much about hockey. He only got as far as he did because of Gretzky et al. Then he blew up the team.
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Michael J. Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 9:29 pm
@linny,
Did puck73 change his name to linny?
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Mike J Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 9:39 pm
@linny,
Actually, you need to learn your history. It wasn’t Melrose who destroyed the Kings it was the stupidity of Sam McMaster and his horrible trades!
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Jeff Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:51 am
@Mike J, Melrose was good that one year, but with his help afterwards the team was set back 5 years. McMaster was also part of the problem, but he didn’t really have much of a choice as that was around the time Mcnall was put in jail and sold the team, which led to it being bought out of bankruptcy by AEG. I doubt we would be where we are today if it weren’t for AEG, although they had problems in their first half of ownership, they did a good job stepping aside and letting Dean handle things.
Raunq12 Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 9:22 am
@Mike J,
McMaster of Disaster? that guy was a joke
HBFan Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 11:30 am
@Mike J, It is a little known fact that Mc Maaster got his nickname not for what he did to the Kings but actually the damage and he chaos he left anytime he encountered a buffet.He is still banned in Las Vegas
Mik3ysfv Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 1:36 pm
@Mike J, Yeah, McMaster had to be a Buffalo Sabre in disguise. He sold out Zhitnik in the beginning of his prime for a burned out Fuhr
Philly Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 10:53 pm
@linny, Agreed!
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jonsey Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:24 pm
@408kingsfan, Andy is better.
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408kingsfan Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:48 pm
@jonsey, I voted Andy
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Goring 19 Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:33 pm
@408kingsfan, I’m old school. I voted for Pully.
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the hockey don Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 9:10 pm
@408kingsfan, Melrose did think out of the box bringing in Anthony Robbins and sent toronto the box of doughnuts…what an entertaining year that was…lol
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Poorman Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 3:10 am
@the hockey don, Yep. Compare that to this era. Not even close. Melrose was their best coach. He was the right guy at the right time. So exciting being a King’s fan then. Now, well you can see why I get annoyed and don’t believe this hype job by Lombardi.
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King Cobra Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:33 am
@Poorman, Bah Humbug…
wes Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 7:16 am
@408kingsfan, Melrose is an insufferable Melrose-lover, a narcissist, the next swaggering Don Cherry (wanna know how i really feel?). he’s always sought a spot light and a pulpit to display the wonder that is Melrose. ANY half-decent hockey coach could have taken the LAK rosters of his era at least as far as Melrose did. how long did he last in his last coaching gig? 2 weeks? he’s a clown. he wastes personnel assets. he’s a student of Melrose, not of his personnel.
there was more potential in Melrose’s LAK roster(s) than Melrose ever achieved.
Andy Murray was the anti-Melrose. an unassuming student of how to get the most from the hand he was dealt. Andy’s LAK teams had bottom half-dozen of the league talent but almost always played over their heads. looking at Andy’s rosters, you have to admit he was an overachiever, and the same could be said of his tenure in St Louis. the game’s had plenty of good rosters that produce good results and poor teams that play poorly. Andy’s teams were [usually] poor teams that [usually] played pretty well. An extremely ‘earnest’ coach with his personnel, but without throwing tantrums.
Vote Andy.
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Mik3ysfv Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 2:05 pm
@wes, how about Tom Webster’s tantrum? He threw a stick at Kerry Fraser.
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KC23 Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 7:31 am
@408kingsfan, Bob Pulford was by far the best coach. No one close.
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HockeyOnlyAwaitingModeration Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:58 am
@KC23, Sorry, but I would vote for the Irishman, he, if I’m not mistaken was the coach who won 100 games faster then any King coach. The ownership stepped on their crank when they wouldn’t let him be the GM and coach. Oh, his name, Pat Quinn.
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Bickleton Wigglesworth III Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:53 am
@408kingsfan, Melrose is great at what he does, which seemed to be some sort of motivation thing, but he’s a bit of a one trick pony beyond that. Not a great tactical mind, not a great teach coach.
He was the right coach at the right time to almost do something great, and I greatly appreciate him for some of my fondest Kings’ memories but the “greatest Kings coach of all time” is a stretch. Additionally, I do believe he was a significant part of the dismantling of that team.
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Sounds like MR respected and was happy playing for TM…
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g smith86 Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:07 pm
@Stuart, He may, in some way, feel responsible
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:19 pm
@Stuart, He didn’t have enough time in to get tired of the same old limp messages.
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Stuart Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:34 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, but he had worked with him before in the Flyers org… “I’ve been through some stuff with him and played a lot for him”
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Harry Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:44 pm
@Stuart,
If Mike didn’t get hurt, I don’t think we would of seen Terry out the door so early. We were on a roll there before he got hurt. Unfortunate loss
Kenny44 Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 10:24 pm
@Harry,
We were on a roll, alright, like the one on your little icon there.
Jeff Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:54 am
@Kenny44, While the team wasn’t lighting up the lamp, it wasn’t like they were playing poorly. Once Richards got hurt everything went South, especially the PP. Richards is a big cog in the lineup and helps Kopi be able to do his stuff without having other teams top defensive guys on him all the time.
KC23 Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 7:33 am
@Stuart, I thought it sounded more than he thought his team mates stunk so bad they got him fired.
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Got to love richards honesty…he just tells it how it is…I expect good things now from him as well as the Kings
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We better get ready for friday´s game those sharks are kiking some buts tonite
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It will be interesting to see how this team responds to coaching change.
Anyone think part of Sutter’s shake up might include naming a new team Captain and/or Alternates?
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:19 pm
@Coach Mike, It’s not sounding like it. It’s sounding like he’s going overboard to ease in.
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Lake Forest Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 9:41 pm
@Coach Mike, I asked the same question earlier. I don’t think it will happen. We’re not looking for an overhaul, just some minor tweeks.
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Silk Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:02 am
@Lake Forest, That’s what DS has to say,”minor tweaks”. I assure you that as he gains more understanding of each players abilities and work ethics, he will make all types of changes regarding lines and playing times. Those that don’t do as he instructs will have splinters on their butts! He will expect “hustle” and hard work…and no stupid penalties. Can’t wait to see this team develop over the coming weeks.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:27 am
@Coach Mike, I think the Kings should inquire about Magnus Pajaarvi. He is playing down at the minors. He’s got really good speed and skating abilities. Maybe trade a d-man for him.
That’s if the Kings don’t start scoring.
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Jeff Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:56 am
@rogiesbackup, I’m not sure just how fast the Kings/Oilers are going to get together in trades at this time. I think should look elsewhere and not to Oil country.
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Helvetica Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 10:09 am
@Coach Mike, While i think the day could come, i doubt it happens this season. Firing the coach (who by all accounts was very well liked by the players) has probably created enough of a shake up at this point.
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I think I just found my new favorite current King. Obviously there were some locker room problems.
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Who Knows? Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:44 pm
@DesertKing, How can you tell?
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DesertKing Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 8:49 pm
@Who Knows?,
This guy tells it like it is. When you watched the tea play during the losing streak, you could see that the players were playing for themselves and not each other. They didn’t have that problem in Toronto and looked much better. MR confirms it when he blames the players not performing for TM’s termination.
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Choralone Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 9:18 pm
@DesertKing, He said it sucks when players don’t perform that a coach loses his job – that’s a general platitude with a long history (it’s easier to fire the coach than fire the team, etc.) He didn’t say that they sucked on purpose to make Terry Murray lose his job.
DesertKing Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 9:29 pm
@Choralone
I understand that. My point is that he is indicating that players were not playing to their potential and not playing as a team.
DesertKing Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 9:29 pm
@Choralone
I understand that. My point is that he is indicating that players were not playing to their potential and not playing as a team.
I’m with you on MR. Guy tells it like it is. We are really fortunate to have a player of his caliber and locked up for so many years
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Richards is the real captain of this team. Love how his first comment was “It sucks”…. Richards is an old school type of dude and I love that…
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In the past week, only 18 of 63 games were won by MORE than 2 goals.
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jimrad Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 10:34 pm
@kingszzz, add 3 out of the 6 games tonight
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Dominick Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 10:34 pm
@kingszzz, That is better than 50% if you figure 31.5 of those games were wins, and 18 of them were by more than 2 goals.
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Dominick Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 10:36 pm
@kingszzz, My math is wrong somehow.
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FiG17 Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 11:35 pm
@Dominick,
Yeah… All 63 games were won by one team or the other. Lol
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Dominick Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 11:46 pm
@FiG17, Got it! It should of been 28.5%, but I screwed it up.
HEY HAMMOND, what are YOU doing for the holidays?
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This article includes a few comments by players as well:
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nhl/story/_/id/7377441/darryl-sutter-comfortable-leading-first-los-angeles-kings-practice
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Great to have our #2 center back.
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King Cobra Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 1:29 am
@Mikey J., You should have said #1B center back…….
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I watched the press conference and almost everything else about the official hiring in video online. Sutter seems like a nice enough guy. Good solid farm dude. Lombardi’s portion of the press conference told me a lot. He’s really set in his ways. So inflexible. So lacking imagination. You won’t get an innovative coaching change from him ever. I’ve been following the Kings a long time. Used to go to the Forum by myself, because no one else wanted to watch the Kings (or they didn’t want to hang with me). When I tell you the Gretzky era was the best in King’s history, please believe me. So much excitement. So much innovation. But anyone who tells me this is an exciting time in Kings history, I’m telling them it isn’t. We’ll see what Sutter does. Hopefully, I’m proven wrong with this Coach.
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nykingfan Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 5:23 am
@Poorman,
Hey man…my post below was in reply to yours…sorry
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Was the excitement due to the amount of goals that were scored or the personnel we had at that time?
We were winning and losing games 6-5..There was never a hint of defense on those teams.
My other “issue” with that team was we were the Edmonton Oilers West…Pretty much the entire roster was made up of ex Oilers. Now you can say the same here that our front office is made up of Flyers..but the product on the ice now is more LA Kings than anything else.
I was rooting jut as hard for them with Gretzy and before Gretzky, but I like the team we have with some of our homegrown talent.
The days of the high flying teams are long gone. Like Sutter said..its a 3-2 league we’re in now.
I’m excited to see how they respond to Sutter. I have a completely open mind going in.
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Poorman Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:13 am
@nykingfan, I also have an open mind, do like a lot of the players (don’t like all the grinders), but in the Gretzky era, the Kings did regularly win playoff series, they did reach the Stanley Cup Finals, and the city was really turned on by hockey. Witness all the Hollywood people who attended games. I’m not saying this group won’t achieve that, but I’d be surprised. The Kings are desperately in need of something creative and fresh.
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nykingfan Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 9:36 am
@Poorman,
No question the Gretzky era was like the Oscars every night. He brought with him incredible star power and they were successful..although they should have been a lot more successful than they were..especially with the talent they had. Gretzky’s back injury didn’t help…Coffey and Fuhr’s play was brutal to watch.
Even if this team won the cup I don’t think they would get the same star treatment as the Gretzky teams did, but it would be so much sweeter..IMO
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Sutter will have my full support. My first impression was, I like this guy. Even though I respected Murray a lot, I think Sutter will be a good coach going forward. Sutter said he promised the team something and the team made him a promise. I wonder what the promises were.
Time to pick up some points. The Kings need to start a wining streak tonight, let’s make it two in a row and counting! Go Kings Go!
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Merry X/Mas to my dear friends in New York!!!
I to give Sutter his due. The guy seems to want to coach again. My hope is that he has learned a little about the new NHL. I believe he has his own way of communicating with players. Gotta love the way he ended his welcome with the peace signs. It was like he was very happy to have this chance. He even said that he never thought he would coach the Kings. He also said that the Kings were a “Good” team.
You know for all the bad rap that @poorman gets around here, I must take this time to thank him for being one of the most honest of all of us insiders. I do believe he wears his emotions on his sleeve and is not afraid to call it the way he sees it. Happy {whatever you believe in}.
We all want the same thing around here. A win.
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neil Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:10 am
@King Charles of Salt Lake, I can relate to poorman(in a weird kind of way)..fan since the 70′s…enough talk..I want results….So far this year is more of the same so far..Kings out of the playoffs…not playing hard every game…etc..etc…If Sutter cant change things then I dont know where to turn to….Looking forward to tonight as much as I was looking forward to opening night…It Starts tonight(I hope)
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40YearKingsFan Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:29 am
@King Charles of Salt Lake, Hey King, with all the story lines swirling around this game tonight, what a special win it would be!
Kings vs Ducks
2 new coaches
Boudreaux vs Sutter (they played together)
Mike Richards return
This is the kind of game that you look back on as a pivotal point in a season and maybe im wrong, but I’ve got a good feeling about tonight!
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nykingfan Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 9:39 am
@King Charles of Salt Lake,
Merry Xmas buddy
Nothing better under the tree than a 3 game winning streak!
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As I said in past, the next 20 games will tell if the present king system will work or not! 13-5-2=28pts!
Let’s give Sutter a chance, I have my doubts on the system, but if anyone going to make it work it’s Sutter!
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Gotta love Richards. The guy is the real deal on the ice and also doesn’t mince words. Sounded like he is genuinely disappointed that TM was fired and that the team needed a drastic change like this to wake up.
He hasn’t been around long enough to know the history of TM with the Kings, but he had enough familiarity with TM to have a good idea of what TM was about, so I actually think he was ticked off, maybe privately, at the other players for playing the way they did to cause TM to get fired. Just my read into his comments.
Can’t wait to see him and the new coach behind the bench. We’ll see what this team is made of soon enough.
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vplaza Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 9:48 am
@vplaza,
sorry, can’t wait to see MR on the ice…
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KC23 Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 2:32 pm
@vplaza, That was my take on Richard’s comments as well. I took what he said as the team threw TM under the bus … and I’d have to agree. TM’s decision on benching Quick with 3 straight shut outs was pretty unforgiveable though. Be hard pressed to find anyone who could make much sense out of that decission.
I also wonder what happened to Clifford. You got to think the coach told him not to fight this season and it took the very soul out of Clifford’s game. When Clifford dropped the gloves in Toronto I actually stood up in my living room with a fist pump. Don’t know about how the team felt about it, but it sure lifted me up.
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I’ve been talking to some players who have played for him and I’ve heard nothing but good things.
Well, Duh… what’s he gonna say one day into life with a new coach, “I’ve been talking to some players who have played for him, and I’ve heard nothing but terrible things.” ???
LOL.
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wavesinair Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 10:14 am
@Marc Nathan,
If it’s negative, he just doesn’t say anything.
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KC23 Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 2:33 pm
@wavesinair, Exactly. Richards is a lot of things, but a kiss arse isn’t one of them.
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I think Brown is a fantastic player and a good captain — but it’s easy to see the difference between him and Richards just in these responses…
Brown says (to sum up): I had no idea what was going on and don’t know what to expect from Sutter.
Richard says (to sum up): I’ve looked at the video footage and have recieved full reports from my various sources around the league. I know exactly what to expect from Sutter and what I need to do to help this team succeed.
A bit of a hyperbole, of course — but the distinction in the answers still exists.
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