The last morning skate of the calendar year was a short one, but it was followed by a lengthy meeting. Jonathan Quick was the first goalie off the ice, so he’s the likely starter. Alec Martinez also came off with the game group, so it’s possible that he might be a game-time choice instead of another defenseman. Davis Drewiske and Kevin Westgarth were the extra skaters. More notes and quotes to come, including why Sutter thinks the Kings’ power play has been “awesome.”
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Huh the PP is awesome? Have I been watching the wrong team
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Sutter thinks that the Kings’ PP has been “awesoome”??? Is he kidding? What team has he been watching? The PP is pathetic. The 5-3 that they had against Winnipeg the other night was shameful. Maybe sniffing those manure fumes at his farm has affected his judgment.
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Bobby Scribe Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:32 am
@Jeff, Ye who know little about motivation. I can guess what his quote will entail.
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puck73 Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:36 am
@Jeff, I agree. The powerplay the other night looked like they never played together ever! No way Sutter really believes that. He knows this thing needs to be fixed, and I am sure we might be seeing some new pp combinations in the following games to try and find chemistry, at least I hope. If not, then I will have to assume he is under some sort of spell that was left behind by TM.
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wavesinair Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:46 am
@Jeff,
Maybe we should wait for the actual quote before jumping to conclusions?
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fsd1 Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:47 am
@wavesinair, naw, not on this blog fire sutter!
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wavesinair Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:52 am
@fsd1,
Exactly. It never ceases to amaze me how gullible people are.
DEH Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:50 am
@Jeff, I think he may be referring to practice?
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GerLAmag Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:09 pm
@Jeff, maybe Sutter added the air quotes himself
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Ari Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:15 pm
@Jeff, Maybe he means awsomely bad
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Sutter thinks our PP has been awesome? I smell some type of mind game. Or maybe it has been and I jut woke up from a bad dream. I’m going to have to check the previous threads on this site because I could’ve sworn……
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USHA#17 Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:34 am
@40YearKingsFan,
Think of it this way…Uh, on second thought, skip it.
Maybe if LA plays shorthanded all night then “good things will happen”…there, that feels better! Why didn’t Sutter think of that?
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Awesome! Haaaah? Whatever!
I gues I’ll see how awesome it is tonight, when I’m at the game! Its a freebie in a suite. Niccce…
Let’s see how many goals the PP-Zombies will score tonight!
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I have two tickets available for tonight’s game with Parking. the tickets are section PR9 Row 6 seats 1 & 2 my phone # is 818 416-8996 I am in the san fernando vally these are for kings fans only
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wavesinair Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:51 am
@HockeyfanB4Gretzky,
“for kings fans only”
You just excluded half your market! LOL.
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HockeyfanB4Gretzky Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:53 am
@wavesinair, Seeing that they play Vancouver and what happened last year I had to put that in.
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wavesinair Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:56 am
@HockeyfanB4Gretzky,
Those greenheads buy huge groups of tickets as soon as they’re released. They’ll be here in droves I bet. It’ll feel like a Canuck home game.
goldielocks Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:58 am
@HockeyfanB4Gretzky,
How do you confirm they’re kings fans? Nucks fan might trick you!
Kevco Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:56 am
@wavesinair, Yep, too many Canucks fans to have fun at the game for me.
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HockeyfanB4Gretzky Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@HockeyfanB4Gretzky, @ Goldie Walk real close to them if they fall for no reason they are nucks fans
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goldielocks Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:04 pm
@HockeyfanB4Gretzky,
You know your stuff, sir!
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I suspect Sutter was referring to maintaining momentum. Clearly, scoring goals is the most critical element of a PP, but almost as important is the ability to maintain or obtain momentum both during the PP and immediately following. I’m sure that’s what Sutter is referring to. Plus, he probably wants to instill a little confidence in the boys and get them to start believing in their ability to score.
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Someone, maybe Rich, needs to start a new daily feature:
Sutter; what he said, what he meant.
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DEH Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:52 am
@40YearKingsFan, indeed, create a new website: KnowYourSutterisms dot com
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You guys fall for this stuff so easily! Hook, line and sinker.
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40YearKingsFan Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 11:53 am
@wavesinair, Damnit! I can’t get this thing out of my lip!
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Diminick Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@wavesinair, I keep runnin, but the line never ends.
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Awesome same as awfull?
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I wouldn’t of used the word “awesome” but maybe he is looking at things from a defensive point of view (like they haven’t gave up a goal on the PP in a while). As long as he’s talkin effort, than I’m with him. The strategy stinks, and I know a whole group of jr. players who play a more complicated strategy then the Kings do. Definitely not fooling any teams who have video consultants, scouts, and an entire coaching staff who can look at it and figure it out.
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fsd1 Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:27 pm
@Diminick, no you dont.
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fsd1 Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:28 pm
@Diminick, wait, is this Dom or Dim? Im so confused…..
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Rich,
How’d I end up on moderation? did I say something bad?
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Rich Hammond Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Spelling of your name. Does it automatically when you change name.
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Dominick Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:19 pm
@Rich Hammond, Great catch! I didn’t even notice. I should of put “Dimwit”
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Sutter must have started celebrating the New Year a little early if he thinks the PP has been awesome. Mabye he meant PK?
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goldielocks Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:02 pm
@CB14,
He saw the future vision of our PP.
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Martinez might be in? Could this be trade related?
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DEH Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:04 pm
@goldielocks, Sitting JJ?
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goldielocks Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:07 pm
@DEH,
I brought this up cause I thought if DL is working on something, he would never make a trade during that father trip. But now it’s over so he can make a move. JJ? Nah. Greene? Maybe.
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Scarletcat Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:22 pm
@goldielocks,
There’s been that talk of dangling Johnson for weeks now.
(Sorry everyone. Couldn’t resist- and someone had to do it)
DEH Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:44 pm
@goldielocks, Greene or JJ, and/or prospects, and draft picks to Islanders for Matt Moulson?
goldielocks Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:50 pm
@DEH,
Or showing off Martinez to other team’s scout.
DEH Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 1:01 pm
@goldielocks, indeed! We have more defensene and center prospect than we know what to do with, in fact half of our wingers are actually centers. I would figure Martinez, Hickey, Whiskey, and JJ (only for major trade) are all trade bait right now. I think Matt Moulson would fit what we need, 30 goal scorer, not afraid to go through the middle, young, low cap hit, and family (Quick’s brother in law). I could be off my rocker, but it would make a lot of sense going after him.
40YearKingsFan Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:15 pm
@goldielocks, With Sutter I would read more into who’s sitting than who’s playing.
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DS is right. Our PP is awesomely bad!! Talking to the Staples staff and they are not looking forward to the Nucks fans being here tonight. Apparently their rudeness has surpassed that of the Wings bandwaggoners.
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Diminick Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:15 pm
@DesertKing, Hopefully The Kings send them home unhappy. Have fun tonight, and represent with class.
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puck73 Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:29 pm
@Diminick, Diminick ? Cmon bro, your not serious? !
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Dominick Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:32 pm
@puck73, You know it’s getting bad, when you can’t even spell your own name right. lol
Relax people, no need to turn into paranoid freaks..:)
Sutter is absolutely right.
The LA Kings power play has been awesome…..(FOR EVERY OTHER TEAM WHO PLAYED US)
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awesome, huh…
well, regardless, just imagining dr. freddy venkman’s inflection…a la jeff spicoli…makes it “awesome”…(!)
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ta Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 1:25 pm
@variable, Hey dude i know that song!
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Was he trying to hold back a laugh when he said that ?
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Speaking of starting goaltenders, what are the rules these days about ripping up a contract? I know in days gone by, sometimes players would hold out even if their contract was still valid (i.e. Tkachuk) hoping management would do a redo. But can DL and Quick tear up the contract for next year and do a 7 year deal or something? Or does the current contract have to run out? It would make sense for DL to lock up Quick as soon as possible. They don’t want him pondering unrestricted free agency. The price could go way up next season.
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Dominick Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:38 pm
@Donald_S, As per NHL rules, a team can only negotiate in the final year of a contract, and Quick is free to sign a new contract after this season has ended. His new contract still won’t kick in till his old contract runs it’s course, but he will be free to negotiate all through next season.
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Gustavo Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 12:57 pm
@Donald_S,
The team does not have cap space today to pay Quick what he is worth without sending expensive pieces to Manchester or waivers or trade for picks. In addition, contracts can only be negotiated during the last year.
I don’t think Quick wants to play anywhere else (yet). He knows he is the most important player in the team right now and his payday will come sooner than Bernier’s.
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Donald_S Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 1:26 pm
@Gustavo,
Note that I said the contract for “next” year, when Penner and (probably) Stoll will be gone and there will be about $7 million in cap space. I *did* think of the cap space situation. My question was more about can contracts be torn up now, and apparently the answer is *no*. Which is interesting.
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Dominick Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 1:27 pm
@Gustavo, The Kings have a projected 14.1 mill in capspace coming off the books, and the cap might go up adding more space. They will still need to sign 4 players, plus negotiate a few others (like Bernier, and Quick), but can free up more money by finding a deal or 2 that could upgrade at a cheaper price.
I would imagine that the Kings don’t want to lose Quick at any point, but that is what makes Bernier so important. If negotiations breakdown, they still have Bernier, and the Kings can use that as part of the negotiations in case Quick asks for too much of an increase.
Many want to use him as trade bait, but that just means the Kings would be forced to pay Quick anything he wants to keep him, and the Kings want him, their just not stupid enough to paint themselves into a corner.
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PP Anybody? Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 5:20 pm
@Donald_S, Considering Pekka Rinne was handed a 7 year, 7mil a year contract just a couple months back, I think Quick’s price already went waaaay up.
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You gotta love DS. Can’t wait
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If Alec Martinez will return to the LA Kings line up we need to change the lines like
1 Kopitar Lewis Clifford
2 Richardson Richards Fraser
3 Stoll Penner Brown
4 Hunter Williams Loktinov
and for Defenseman is if Martinez was in for the Defenseman lines will be
Johnson Doughty
Mitchell Martinez
Greene Scuderi and give Voynov a day off rest for Tonight’s game
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puck73 Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 1:06 pm
@Adam M, Like the Jack in the Box commercial with the guy in the van who was going thru the drive thru said with glazed eyes….”Dude, thats what I was thinking”
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Gustavo Reply:
December 31st, 2011 at 1:07 pm
@Adam M,
No, thank you!!
JJ / Doughty is a turnover tandem disaster waiting to happen. We cannot afford that against a team like Vancouver. They both still need a stay home defense man like Scuderi, Mitchell or Greene.
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This will be my first Canucks-Kings game. Hopefully we win! And I’m glad Martinez is going to play but I wonder who sits out?
GO KINGS GO!
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