Last night, Alec Martinez played his second consecutive game since rejoining the Kings’ lineup, and Darryl Sutter — along with assistant coach John Stevens — appears to be carefully managing the minutes of the defensemen. Martinez played 13 minutes, 15 seconds, against Carolina, then played 13:12 against Tampa Bay, as the Kings appear to be increasingly top-heavy on defense.
Against the Lightning, Drew Doughty played 26:44, Rob Scuderi played 23:21, Willie Mitchell played 22:34, Jack Johnson played 21:05, Martinez played 13:12 and Matt Greene played 13:04. Sutter was asked specifically about Martinez, who also got 1:43 of power-play time, and talked about Martinez along with the defensemen in general.
SUTTER: “He’s a good third-pair guy, a little bit of second power play. He skates well and moves the puck well. He gives Greener a partner that is sort of the opposite of what he is, which helps him. It’s a little tougher on the road, because you don’t always get (matchups) you want, but he’s been fine. I’ve got no problem with those kids, any of them. When Marty is in, people ask about Slava. When Slava is in, they ask about Marty. They’re not playing bad. We need Johnson and Doughty, instead of talking about potential, to make it about `now.’ So that means they’ve got to play in more situations, and they’re going to play a little bit more and take a little more responsibility in it.’’
Translated – If we are going to get something for Alec we need to showcase him a bit.
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AZ King Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
@JWR,
So they’re “showcasing” him by having him play 13 minutes a night…Yeah I’m sure that’ll peak some teams interests. Not everything that happens is centered about trading players.
If you really think we would get anything more than a mid-level draft pick for Martinez (no matter how much you “showcase” him) anyways, than you’re fooling yourself.
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Michael J. Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
@AZ King,
It cracks me up that some people think that way. In that case I think the Kings are showcasing Richards to show other teams what he can do playing between two underpreforming wingers.
A-Mart’s play in his 100 games played in the NHL, nor his years of junior and minor hockey have any bearing on his value to a potential franchise. Only his last 26 minutes over the past two games are what counts.
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Michael J. Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
@JWR,
Exactly, because no other scouts or GMs have ever heard of him before the last two games. Good thing Sutter knows who the other teams are looking at.
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Sebastian Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
@JWR, NO! he meant exactly what he said..
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“We need Johnson and Doughty, instead of talking about potential, to make it about `now.’”
I doubt we would’ve ever heard that come out of TM’s gullet…
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Michael J. Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
@Stuart,
I like it. He needs his $7,000,000 player to start playing like one.
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Shakes Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
@Michael J.,
actually it’s even worse, because if you ascribe to the theory that we’re paying a higher cost this year in order to lock-in his future potential, we need our $7mm player to start playing like a $5mm’ish player this year
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Michael J. Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
@Shakes,
I’d be happy with that too.
California Royalty Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
@Michael J., I don’t get it. Doughty has been consistently the best Kings player night in and night out. He plays the most minutes out of anyone.
What else does he have to do to get in your good books.
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John Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
@California Royalty, Um, how about scoring from the point? Performing like he did 2 years ago would be nice too.
McSorleyfan Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
@California Royalty, whoa, there; hold the phone. I’m a Drew fan, but he has NOT played better, or more consistently, than Quickie, nor for that matter, Willie Mitchell.
Pili Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 4:03 pm
@California Royalty, I agree. He had some troubled moments in the game against the Lightning but overall he’s been very, very good. Goals scored and points in general are a deceivingly smaller part of a player’s contributions than I initially believed.
Kings Gal Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
@California Royalty, DD is not even their best defenseman night in and night out, let alone their best player.
ten for instigating Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:47 pm
@Michael J., Good thing he is only making 6m this year. Yes his cap hit is $7m but, he is not making 7m till 2015-2016. Here is the breakdown
$6m this year then, 6.5m, 6.7m, 7m, 7.1m, 7.45m, 7.6m, 7.65m.
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Just listen to Helene on the NHL Network. You guys know the lady who writes for the Times. Man that chick has no clue on what the Kings are about. Yes she knows the basic stuff, but have some passion for the team you cover. She so bland and out of sorts. She says that dean is looking for a mid level player. Also she says that the club doesn’t have a goal tender to replace Bernier if he is traded. Last I heard we have a good goalie in Manchester. Jones isn’t all that bad either. She also mocked us who think that a Nash or Carter trade would hurt the Kings. I’m sure she has got her degrees in writing and has a good job at the Times, but come on get with it. Also stop reporting on both the Ducks and the Kings. That’s like mixing water with oil. The Times need to hire one reporter for each team.
On to Martinez Dude is playing much better which is good. We are going to have to trade either VV or AM if we are going to get a good player in a trade. I would hate to see them go, but we need scoring. It’s time for Dean to go out there and get a big name guy and a mid range guy. Look we are right at the edge of turning the corner. Maybe we don’t trade anyone and hope for the best. I guess that’s why We don’t get paid for making these kinds of choices. What you going to do Dean?
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Lake Forest Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
@King Charles of Salt Lake, I didn’t see it, but she is a journalist like RH. Do you see RH giving some passion?? No (and I mean that in a good way). She is not employed by the team and she isn’t a gossip writer. give us facts not opinions or rumors.
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KC23 Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
@King Charles of Salt Lake, IMHO Helen is very well connected with DL and it is my guess she is dead on with her comments. I disagree with her on Carter, but agree that Nash would be a good trade unless the cost was absurd. I also think Bernier could be used if we get a decent back up in return.
IMHO this hints that either Nash or Carter (both?) are very possibly going to be Kings and that a possible huge shake up is in the making. Anything with Nash in it would almost certainly involve a core player such as Brown, Doughty, Williams and/or Kopitar. Given what we need Vs what we are deep in I would think Doughty would be involved in the Nash deal.
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bbb7 Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 10:43 pm
@King Charles of Salt Lake, Helene is well connected and rarely wrong. I remember way back when she was the first to suggest Bruce McNall might have some legal problems and might have to sell the Kings, way before anyone else broke the story. Dont sell her short.
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“We need Johnson and Doughty, instead of talking about potential, to make it about `now.’”
Couldn’t agree more.
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Then he needs to send them on attack between the dots like they did in the 1 st period against TB. That will make the whole team better.
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I actually take what he’s saying at face value… literally that they’re good young defensemen and that we shouldn’t get overly caught up in worrying about them. At the end all debates about them go away if JMFJ and Drew perform
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Amart for radim vrbata or ray whitney!
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Trip Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
@Kingsfan602, Would fit under the cap but I don’t see it happening. Trading within a division doesn’t happen very often. Vrbata is having a good year and PHO is tied for the 8th seed so they will be buyers not sellers. For now.
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Kingsfan602 Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:57 pm
@Trip, as buyers though they need a dmen who can. move the puck up the ice. Donno
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I’ll be the first to tell DD how I feel, but I HAVE TO respect the minutes he’s playing and the players he’s paired against.
Bravo DD, but still need some more offense from you!!!!!
With $7MM and missing traning camp he set the bar high for himself in my eyes. I don’t think he has reached the bar, but again I REALLY respect the amount of minutes he has been playing. That is beast mode for sure!
if you look at our lineup (on paper) prior to this season, we are an elite team. Yes we are missing GREAT players like Parse and Gagne, but we really have a good team, just an offensive slump. I don’t think a HUGE trade is needed (nor a small one for that matter), but I was wrong on TM and so it’s a possibility.
GO KINGS GO (with this line up preferably) to get the cup!
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Kingsfan602 Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
@Lake Forest, parse is a great player? He hasnt proved anything in his nhl career im sorry. Only way this team woulbe be good is if they put up numbers like in the past and they arent. So yes a trade is needes maybe even bring in two scoring forwards. 1 superstar and 1 average to get over this scoring slump
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Stuart Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
@Lake Forest, IDK if those two players you named would fall under the “GREAT” label, but “solid” for sure…
If we can squeeze 1 more goal a game, oh what’s the use… we all where we’d be with one more goal per game…
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Lake Forest Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
@Stuart, correction taken and duly noted, but i think they would have been.
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California Royalty Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
@Lake Forest, How does Parse on paper make the Kings an elite team? Is his career high, 11 goals three years ago, it?
Doughty has been their best offensive player for… I don’t even know how many games. He creates at least one scoring chance in just about every shift he plays. Like you mentioned, he’s doing that against the other team’s best players. If he keeps playing like this, his numbers will continue to rise.
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Lake Forest Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
@California Royalty, What I am trying to say is ignore how this season started. With what we had on paper, we all thought this was an elite team. I still think we have the potential. That’s all.
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AZ King Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
@Lake Forest,
The expectations that some fans on here have put on Doughty are just unrealistic. I understand the basic principle behind the idea that he needs to earn his money, but expecting him to be at that level of play right now is just nonsense.
At 22 years old he’s still 2-3 years away from really breaking through. That being said he’s already a star in the league, and can flat control a game when when he’s on his game.
Sometimes it seems like he’s trying to hard to make something out of nothing out there, but maybe that’s because he feels like he needs to make a difference every time he’s out on the ice. Maybe he’s putting too much pressure on himself to be the kind of player that everyone thinks he’s supposed to be. as he continues to mature he’ll learn to deal with all this pressure and expectations better.
You’re entitled to your opinion about the whole thing. Just trying to put things into perspective.
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tacomakingsfan Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
@AZ King,
+1… I don’t think people understand that he was given 7 mill on potential rather what he can do now. Give him a couple years then we can evaluate if he was worth 7 mill.
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Stuart Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:47 pm
@tacomakingsfan, yes, but when coach says “We need Johnson and Doughty, instead of talking about potential, to make it about `now.’” it means start putting up some numbers today for what you’ve got paid on yesterday!
Lake Forest Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
@AZ King, I agree with you, just stating that I HAVE high expectations for him to do everything for $7MM. They might be unrealistic, but not entirely. Most want him to play like he did 2 years ago or better. I’m just stating I have high expectations and because I have always been negative about him i wanted to express my respect for him even though he is not meeting other stats that i think he should.
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Dominick Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
@Lake Forest, DD had a slow start, but what everybody fails to acknowlege is that since Sutter has been here, he is playing like he did 2 years ago. His last 10 games alone he has 6 points, and before that he had 9 points in 10 games. Nobody is even looking at what he’s doing now, just taking the season totals and complaining that it’s down. If DL signed him on time, and Murray wasn’t his coach, DD would probably be leading the league with the numbers he’s putting up under Sutter.
CB14 Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 4:24 pm
@AZ King, I disagree. He showed what he could do for a whole season 2 years ago when he was a Norris trophy finalist at age 19. Why the drop these past 2 years? As Dominick has noted, he is playing better under Sutter and if he keeps playing this way there won’t be many complaints about him, but the expectations are warranted IMO.
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purple and gold Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
@CB14, 2 yrs ago no one was watching footage of him and learning how to play him, now that are he he’s learning to adjust.
*Trade speculation:
Speaking of Martinez – anyone have an opinion on The Leafs as a trade partner? The two things they keep talking about needing are size up front (Penner) and a defensive center whom can help on faceoffs/PK (Stoll) – add Martinez (or Voynov) to that and that’s a decent looking group that might net MacArthur and Kulemin.
Penner and Kulimen are both UFA’s, and are both potential 25-30 goal scorers who are doing horrible this season (5 goals each, I believe) so why not swap them and see what happens?
Then trading Stoll + Voynov for MacAthur (17 goals this season, 2 more years on his contract) seems like a pretty good trade both ways.
Two teams in the playoff hunt making lateral moves to help improve their rosters now. In my mind it works for both teams – what do you guys think?
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Trip Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
@CabbagesAndKings, WTHN……….I’d do it!
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Trip Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
@Trip, But, I doubt Burke would bite.
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Pili Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
@CabbagesAndKings, Penner has been much better this season, especially in the last few games, than I thought we would see. He is finally starting to play like I had hoped. At one point in the last game he even showed some speed. Who, in the words of the great Chick Hearn, would have thunk it.
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ToughD Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 12:22 am
@CabbagesAndKings, really doubt burke is gonna want Penner’s 4.25M salary when he raised a big stink about the Oilers overpaying him when they stole him away some years back.4.25M for 5 goals is as bad as you can get.
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