Thursday skate update « LA Kings Insider

Thursday skate update

Posted by Rich Hammond on 12 January 2012, 10:45 am

All-Star Jonathan Quick was the first goalie off the ice, so he’s the designated starter this morning. During the morning skate, Darryl Sutter announced Quick’s All-Star selection to the team, and they tapped their sticks on the ice to congratulate him. The extra skaters this morning were Davis Drewiske, Alec Martinez and Kevin Westgarth, meaning Slava Voynov is on track to return in Martinez’s place. More notes and quotes to come…

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61 Comments

John says:

January 12, 2012 at 10:47 am

Congrats again to Quickie!!!

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Michael_DD8 says:

January 12, 2012 at 10:50 am

This second half the season, we might be able to live up to some of that hype. I see it coming around, and we better start playing like it, cause we are gonna make these playoffs. However, we are almost better off not making them at all, then losing in round 1, so lets get it together now. Im excited, and im REALLY excited to see what a healthy Kopi, Richards , Brown , Williams , Doughty , JJ and even Penner can do in the playoffs. As well as everybody else! Sutter has been awesome, and i feel like the teams in “good hands”.

Still going back to last years round against SJ, with no Kopi, a half Williams, and not as strong of a lineup (Paper wise), and still almost had SJ. Should be good.

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Jeff_R Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:39 am
@Michael_DD8, Even though the last 2 years were one and done, I still think it is a heck of a lot better to make the playoffs then not to even if we lose in the first round again. This is still a young team learning how to win. Sooner or later it will click in. Some times it takes certain teams longer to win then others, so you can’t really compare.

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Stuart Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
@Jeff_R, that’s a tough call… on the one hand, I’m angry when the season ends and we’re on the outside looking in, on the other, I’m totally heartbroken/devastated for a week or two after we’re ousted, especially when a fool like Jumbo pulls his series ending antics. I will never forget the feeling of closing out playoff series, it’s almost like I was a part of the team. I guess that’s what fans live for…

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Perro Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:45 am
@Michael_DD8, I rag on DD a lot of the time, but I must say he always seems to play his best in the playoffs. Also rose up to the occasion in the Olympics.

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FKA PakiFro Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
@Perro, Same can be said for JJ. Those two guys take their games to a whole new level in the playoffs.

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Perro Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:45 am
@Michael_DD8, I rag on DD a lot of the time, but I must say he always seems to play his best in the playoffs. Also rose up to the occasion in the Olympics.

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EasyBob Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
@Michael_DD8, Penner can do it if he wants. On another front you cannot deny his greas humor:
http://oilersnation.com/2012/1/11/penner-speaks-out

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Stuart Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
@EasyBob, that was funny…and it seems for whatever it/he’s worth a lot of folks would like him back.

I’d pay a buck to have a shot at putting away some pancakes with Penns… but only if his wife made them!

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EasyBob Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
@Stuart, My check’s in the mail. Set the table for 4, You and Penner, his wife and me.

THEFL Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
@Stuart, predicting a big night from penner. Honestly its night and day from last season. Confidence has always been his detriment, hopefully the nice assists and power forward net drives as of late will end up in the back of the net. Once he pops a few in, look for a couple of point streaks from him. Make the playoffs, the magic of the playoffs is anything can happen – and experience goes a long long way. One day Kings fans…we will rush the ice with our team and lord Stanley in one of the greatest championship celebrations of this century. It’s the only way I can think as I know our time will come.

EasyBob Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
@Stuart, Two hours later DL is making nice to Tambellini. See above.

Stuart Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
@THEFL, I wonder if any fans have ever rushed the ice like college football fans rush the field? I would take some plastic scissors to that game and try to trim some net!!

Rushing the ice and getting arrested would be so worth it! Hopefully I’d be bailed out before the parade!!
wes says:

January 12, 2012 at 10:54 am

hard to keep a guy off the AllStar roster when almost everyone around the NHL is already including him in the Vezina discussion

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KC23 Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
@wes, People starting noticing Quick with his 3 game shut out streak, but all the talk was about how his coach benched him, not that he got the 3 shut outs.

The one game that really seem to wake up the NHL world to Quick … when we shut out Chicago in Chicago. Don’t know why, but ever since that game the top national media seem to finally come around to realise just how good Quick really is.

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IwantTheCup says:

January 12, 2012 at 10:59 am

AM had some strong games..but sorry..I’d much rather see SV on games right now. Congrats to Quicky!! Now everyone else can see just how good you are!! Proud that you’re representing! GO KINGS GO!

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KC23 Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
@IwantTheCup, It is amazing that a defenseman as good as AM can no longer crack the line up. We have one sick group of defensemen.

I got a feeling Voynov’s game is gonna take off from this point on. I also think Voynov is maybe two years away from being an all star. He doesn’t have the same skill set as Doughty, but imho he will be as good or better than Doughty in a couple of years.

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Sebastian says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:02 am

And it seams coach made the right choice getting Voynov back in the lineup. Good call coach!

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Marbles says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:02 am

Congrats to Quick, you’re finally getting the national recognition that you deserve. Also, glad Voynov is back!

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letswinthecup2012 says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:04 am

Love it! All good news. Congrats to Quickie, glad he’s getting some recognition.. Glad to see Voynov back in the lineup. AMart played well, so we have some depth at D. Keep it rolling tonight against Dallas boys!!

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AZ King says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:05 am

Wow, after a the whining yesterday about how poor Voynov might have to sit in the press box he gets the nod to play anyway.

I’d like to hope that this might lead people to wait and see what happens before complaining about something, but I know realistically that will never happen.

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Lake Forest Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:17 am
@AZ King, AZ i think you are being a bit sensitive. While both had played very well, most people chose VV over AM. Nothing wrong with that, each are good players.

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CabbagesAndKings Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:25 am
@AZ King, I didn’t see to much whining in the posts (certainly not enough to comment on) — just a lot of people putting forth their opinion of who should play and who shouldn’t. What’s wrong with that?

The majority of posts on here are either commenting on the past or making suggestions on the future. Should Richards get moved back to Center? Should Loktionov be sent back down? Should we fire our coach? Should Voynov get put back in the lineup?

Just because it happens, doesn’t mean people were wrong in voicing their opinion.

Keep up the Should’s and Should Not’s everyone — that’s the dialogue of hockey fans.

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AZ King Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:37 am
@CabbagesAndKings,

Okay whining was the wrong word. What I’m talking about was the amount of assumptions that where happening. No one new whether or not Voynov was playing, but people where already getting on DS’s case, saying he was making a bad decision by not playing VV.

It’s like when DL hired DS, and this place blew up saying DL should pack up his office. Now that decision doesn’t seem so bad, but people were complaining about something that had even happened yet.

I have no problem with the Should’s and Should Not’s, but at least wait until there is a decision made before complaining about it.

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CabbagesAndKings Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:53 am
@AZ King,
@purple and gold

I see what you guys are saying, and I also don’t like when the posts get a bit over zealous. I just didn’t see it in this siutation. I think complaining because you want someone in or out of the lineup is just fine.

And I know the idea of complaining about something the hasn’t yet happened sound absurd, but it actaully happens all the time.

Like with everyone complaining that Quick might not make the All Star game. How can they complain when it hasn’t even happened yet? But they can, and it does in fact make sense to do.

How else are we ever going to say I Told You So?

Lake Forest Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
@AZ King, AZ totally agree with you on that. Sorry I didn’t say anything about DS dropping the ball yesterday by NOT putting VV in, so I guess this is null n void haha!

purple and gold Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:41 am
@CabbagesAndKings, For a while after we got the info that SV was healthy every 3rd post was a complaint he was not playing or a statical support of AM. I have to agree with AZ King it was annoying that people were making the complaints he was going to play when it now appears he maybe.

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KC23 Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
@AZ King, I never for a second thought Voynov would sit … why? Because this ain’t baseball!!!

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chuckrocks says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:07 am

Congrats Quick, maybe the Kings will score 8 tonight to celebrate and give Quick the night off.

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cup4kings says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:08 am

Could not happen to a better person or goaltender in the NHL than the QUICKPUCK STOPPER.We hope you you remain a Los Angeles King for the rest of your career..

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Todd says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:08 am

Lets Go Voynov. Welcome back to the starting lineup.

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Cup B4 I Die says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:13 am

BIG game tonight!! FN’g Right!

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go says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:23 am

Voynov and Martinez have basically played the same amount of games.

Voynov has 4 goals and 6 assists in 24 games while Martinez has 2 goals in 23 games. Of course this is just the stat view.

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purple and gold Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:43 am
@go, And as Dom pointed out yesterday AM has some of the best advanced stats on the team, especially if you look at the last 5 games.

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Stuart Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
@purple and gold, AM plays a heavy fenwick and corsi/rel corsi game – the Dommer!

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AZ King Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:58 am
@go,

paging Dominick to the white courtesy phone…. Dominick please pick up the white courtesy phone.

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KC23 Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
@go, People like to compare AM to Voynov, but Voynov is clearly the better player. I think the better argument is comparing AM to JJ. I could put up an excellent argument for AM over JJ.

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Stuart Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
@KC23, do tell

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CabbagesAndKings says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:33 am

So what options do we have with our Dmen — and more importantly, what does everyone think we should do? I think it’s pretty unusual for a team to carry eight Dmen for very long, which is what I believe we are doing now. So what are our options and what sounds the best?

Keep 8 Dmen?
Send someone down to Manchester? (only Voynov wouldn’t have to clear waivers)
Make a trade?

Personally, I don’t see Whiskey or Martinez clearing waivers — and no way I want to lose either of those players for nothing. So maybe send Voynov down until a some sort of trade can be made — and if we can’t find a legitimate trade, then just wait until next season?

It seems like a pretty tough decision — what do you guys (and gals) think?

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AZ King Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:39 am
@CabbagesAndKings,

I think a trade is going to happen, and it’ll most likely be Martinez that gets traded. It’s going to be something pretty low key though, since Martinez is not going to bring a scoring winger in return. There is always the option of making him part of a package though, so I guess we’ll just have to see.

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JWR Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:42 am
@CabbagesAndKings,

Until Gagne is ready to come off IR or DL decides to make a trade I expect we will keep the 8 Dmen. The fact in the current physical games we have been playing it is good to have some depth there.

When a roster move is needed I honestly see Alec being traded and Voynov being kept.

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Perro Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:52 am
@CabbagesAndKings, I thnk we should trade AM for a pick. Then at the deadline try and package that pick into a winger.

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AZ King Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 11:57 am
@Perro,

I’m confused…If your going to trade the pick than why are you trading Martinez for the pick in the first place? Why not keep Martinez and make him part of the package?

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Stuart Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:16 pm
@AZ King, I would think it would be to free up room on the roster in the immediate since that package trade doesn’t seem eminent.

AZ King Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
@AZ King,

ah, okay that makes a little more sense.

KC23 Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
@CabbagesAndKings, Well this next argument will likely upset some folks, but I think JJ is the better one to trade. JJ is far more over rated than AM and therefore would likely get a better trade value.

That being said, I don’t want JJ to leave. I still think he’ll get to another level, just gonna take a bit more time.

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castle dweller says:

January 12, 2012 at 11:52 am

I think we move Voynov down. Murpy’s law would dictate if we cut a player loose, or took a chance clearing waivers, that a d man would fall to injury, and we would need to call someone else up. The safe play is moving Voynov. On the upside, when a d man falls to injury we have a hungry young stud ready to be called up and prove he belongs here. If he completes the season in Manchester, he stays hungry, and uses the summer to add more muscle and earn his spot.

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Stuart Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
@castle dweller, but don’t we have some young studs also waiting in MAN at the moment? I really don’t know, therefore the question. It seems that w/ VV a regular, and the possibility of injury, we could then call up a MAN hand who can audition/learn/experience some time on a playoff contender during a serious push. I see it as a win-win; a roster spot is solidified for VV and in the case of injury, it gives another young Dman a chance to come up to the big club…

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castle dweller Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
@Stuart,

I agree, we have others available, but AMart hasn’t been a negative, and is a good shot from the point. You could look at his lack of production so far this year as a negative, but to a man, that could be said about all our players. Martinez, even though he’s by no means a veteran, has more experience than any of our options in Manchester.

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Stuart Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
@castle dweller, I whole-heartedly agree that AM is NOT a negative at all, it’s just a musical chairs situation and 2-3 other guys waiting to even get a sniff at a song (in MAN). I just feel that he is movable and the handful of games, or longer, that a dman from MAN could get would be very valuable.

KC23 Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
@castle dweller, I think it’ll be a moot point. It is very hard to keep ALL your defenseman healthy in this league for very long.

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castle dweller Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
@KC23,

I agree, plus we wouldn’t have to make any kind of a decision until gags is ready to come back.

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InTheCrease Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
It’s good to see Voynov back in the lineup. Martinez ain’t bad, but Voynov is a phenominal young talent. Moving him down is a bad idea.

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Carlsbad Kings Fan says:

January 12, 2012 at 12:13 pm

Congrats to Quicker!!

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pr0cess says:

January 12, 2012 at 12:20 pm

All-Star Quick, has a nice ring to it.

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loskingpride Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
@pr0cess, and a $4M+ Price tag at season’s end.

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goldielocks says:

January 12, 2012 at 12:34 pm

Voynov’s showing a remarkable progress while he’s playing in the NHL level. I believe sending him down would slow it down. He’ll make a mistake or two but that’s a good thing for a young raw defenseman like himself. Voynov will become yet another franchise defenseman if he stays in NHL. Martinez is also a good but I think VV has more upside and a room to improve.

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puck73 Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
@goldielocks, I agree.

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Kingsfan602 says:

January 12, 2012 at 1:00 pm

I’m hoping Kings win tonight. 6-0 Kings. Kopi with a hat trick and Quickie with his leauge leading 7th shutout! Go Kings Go! And again sorry Rich! And thanks for the awesome job that u do!

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KC23 says:

January 12, 2012 at 1:25 pm

Congrats Quickie … get used to it.

I hope Clifford starts to break out. Love to see him put several excellent offense games together like the last one.

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Harty Reply:
January 12th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
@KC23, he can do it if given the chance, Murray would give him 4 minutes on average and Sutter is giving him twice at 8 minutes per game………..

just play him

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