My LAKings.com feature for this week takes a look at Mike Richards, as he talks about his recent scoring struggles and attempts to get back on track.
Honest player giving honest answers
Also, as part of his regular look at Kings prospects, Daryl Evans gives his thoughts on forward Andy Andreoff, last year’s third-round pick who is playing for Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League. Also included are links to Evans’ previous looks at Tyler Toffoli and Kevin Gravel.
Daryl’s Development: Andy Andreoff
Finally, click below for the Kings’ weekly video highlights package…
All those highlights, and yet the Kings barely score. Kings must of used every goal from like 20 games to get 10 highlight reel goals. lol j/k
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Duncanz Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 9:02 pm
@Dominick, As my dad always says, many a true word spoken in jest! (j/k)
(btw, late congrats on the exacta yesterday!)
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Dominick Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 9:48 pm
@Duncanz, Thanks. Hopefully it’s just 1 of many. I’m going Kings next 3 games because I predicted they’ll be above .500 for this trip (after we lost twice). All 3 teams are below 8th place in their conferences, and the Kings could gain some ground here.
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Nice work Rich,thanks.
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Fitting that Daryl says Andreoff could use some muscle weight, that dude is ripped.
MR – “You can talk about playing the system and keeping the puck out of the net as much as you want, but you have to score goals to win hockey games.” I couldn’t agree more Mike, forget about the defensive system and do what you do, score goals.
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that’s a very tall soccer goal……this ain’t rugby…….
(yes there is one of us in every crowd)
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Funny, when other players are slumping I take notice. When Ricker and Kopi go into slumps I don’t barely notice. Even if he’s not finding the net he’s doing all the other stuff.. that’s a good hockey player.
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do we still have that kid Vey? is he supposed to be any good?
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408kingsfan Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
@Jefreyryan,
He is in Manchester after tearing up the WHL last year and I suspect next year he will be on our roster tearing it up as well.
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Oscar Moller's Beard Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 11:09 pm
@Jefreyryan, Yes, but I’m not sure if he’s in Machester or playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL.
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PP Anybody? Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 11:57 pm
@Jefreyryan, He’s in Manchester playing rt wing, and he is their 4th leading scorer with 13g, 14a in 48 games.
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Dominick Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 1:38 am
@Jefreyryan,
He is very much a future player for the Kings, and is taking his first steps towards playing with the big boys, by starting out in Manchester this season. He’s tied for 4rth on the team in scoring with 27 points, and 2nd in goals (13 g, 14 A). He’s also leading the entire team with an 18.1 shooting percentage.
At 19, the Kings drafted him 96th (I think, I’m too lazy to look it up), and he played in the WHL last season. He led the entire WHL in points with 116 points (46 G, 70 A) and won the Bobby Clark Trophy. He was also a WHL first team All-Star.
I think he’s still at least 2 years away from being where Lokti is (NHL rookie the Kings are keeping with the big club for the season).
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nice job, RICH…
hopefully, the ricker will get rewarded for his continued efforts…
andreoff sound like yr typical kings forward prospect during the dl administration…only time will tell if he pans out any better than the others…
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number 6 Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 11:41 am
@variable,
ouch
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GO flames! 2min left and the beat the guppies at home!
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Still using Flash. Old school in a bad way
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Kings need Rick Nash, make cap space for him. Drop penner, IR cagne. Trade bernier, JW, stoll and drewskie. With Nash on the team they become a feared and lethal offense to compliment the great defense. A good run at the cup and quick won’t leave and he is not greedy. Pick up a grinder like simmonds and the kings are all set, yes?
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fsd1 Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 7:54 am
@Name optional, response optional, actually none needed
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King Cobra Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:12 am
@Name optional, Yes do it!!!! Just keep Williams.
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Win tomorrow amd we are tied for first place in the division. GKG! !!
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SLIM Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 10:24 pm
@DesertKing,
Now…Wouldn’t that be loverly..
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variable Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 10:40 pm
@DesertKing,
considering everything, it’s kind of remarkable…
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Marbles Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:34 am
@DesertKing,
But the Sharks will have 4 games in hand after today’s game. But they lost yesterday against the Flames so hope they keep losing!
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Dear Kings,
Please watch reply of tonight’s Sabers vd. Bruins game. That was a hockey game. Boston got destroyed but didn’t take it lying down.
Go Kings!
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5 4 Fighting Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 10:24 pm
*vs.
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number 6 Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 11:42 am
@5 4 Fighting,
yes, I’d rather figured that out
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SDGolfer Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 10:48 pm
@5 4 Fighting, So gooning it up is the way to go?
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5 4 fighting Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:54 am
@SDGolfer,
Not so much as gooning up but toughening up in general.
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Johnson is rumored to be traded ]; wah
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Oscar Moller's Beard Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 11:10 pm
@Subby, Lies!
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JackKentCooke Reply:
February 8th, 2012 at 11:43 pm
@Subby,
True as of 10/1/2006.
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Dominick Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 1:16 am
@JackKentCooke, Nice.
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Penner, Stoll, Clifford…not exactly murderer’s row. What that means is Richards better hope he’s on the first PP unit cause that’s the only place he’s gonna find points. Unless he’s got some more shorthanders in him.
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I’m so torn on weather we should try a big move for an impact goal scorer or just wait and see. Someone brought up earlier while we are last in scoring right now it’s not due to lack of “goal scorers” on the team. I mean ak, jw, db, mr, dp, (and a few years back js) should all be 20, 25, 30 goal scorers easily. That’s 120-180 goals from just the top six forwards not even counting the injured sg. The team was put together by DL with the completely logical assumption that all these veteran, proven, and solid forwards would produce something similar to their career averages. Some higher some lower. Our defense is still amazing and the goaltending has kept our goals against among the leaders in the league all season. Heck, some hockey analysts even picked us as cup favorites at the start of the year. For these reasons I feel it’s unfair to say DL is doing a bad job. His job is to put the pieces together. The players job is to preform with the direction and supervision of a coaching staff. I’m greatull for what DL has done which some are so quick to forget. Take us from the clippers on the NHL to a solid contending team. But I’m getting off track…
I’m torn as to weather we go for an impact player or ride it out relying on defense and hoping (weak choice of words I know) that the offense comes around. We don’t need another 20-30 goal scorer really. We’ve got plenty. So that side of me says “no stay with what u got”. But the other half of me is saying “what we got ain’t scoring so we gotta do something to shake it up”. Maybe getting rid of Js dp and some of our “extra” defenseman for a scorer might just flip the switch we need to get the goals coming. You never know. That’s what we thought we were doing when we got DP in the first place. (no I’m questioning my own logic and contradicting my contradictions)
I think my final answer is to stay put, unless it’s for someone who is more than a rental. And completely unrelated to that sentence here is my list of “movable” players in my mind.
Stoll- liked him but he isn’t even playing center and all he can do for us is take faceoffs.
Penner- this is tough because something in me feels like he’s about to break out. (I know I know..)
AM or VV but NOT both- coach seems to feel this way too. Pretty much said “we don’t have room for both”
JJ- only, I repeat ONLY if it’s for someone great. Like sharp. I would feel really bad about it tho considering the favor he did the kings with his own contract and a very reasonable term. It would be like dumping the gf who didn’t do anything wrong just to go out with the hotter girl (then again girl friends don’t have plus/minus stats… Or do they?)
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Off topic for a moment here.
Did anyone catch Matthew Barry’s asinine comments on his blog re Dustin Brown’s reaction to the Bergenheim hit on Richards?
He is everything that is wrong with today’s media.
For those who don’t want to waste their time reading his trash, he talks about how he has no respect for DB because he didn’t go after Bergenheim the last time we played Florida. He felt Brown should have done something even if it warranted a suspension.
It’s a shame Barry never laced up a pair of skates and played hockey. You have a reponsibility to defend your fallen teammates, but not at the expense of hurting the other 19 guys in the dressing room.
We play them again tonight and if the opportunity arises, you take hyour shots at him, but you don’t go out of your way to put your team shorthanded and risk losing the ultra-important two points.
Give a cockroach a laptop and a forum and anything’s possible. See Matthew Barry!
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DesertKing Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 7:24 am
@nykingfan,
Who or what is a “Matthew Barry”? He must be legend in his own mind, but not the minds of others. As with anyting else that is insignificant, ignore it and it will go away.
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nykingfan Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:50 am
@DesertKing,
It’s good for toilet bowl material..not much else. lol
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puck73 Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 7:34 am
@nykingfan, I did read it. I read that stuff, but I realize that alot of it is also entertainment value. The fact is, if he is really an insider, and is well connected, he would have known about the Mike Richards trade in the off season before we did. The fact is, he was blind sided like the rest of us.
As far as Dustin Brown responding? I dont care if he does or doesnt. If the Kings win tonite I will be happy. If they lose, then I will come on this blog and blast away like many.
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King Cobra Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:17 am
@nykingfan, Bergenheim must be smashed tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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nykingfan Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:47 am
@King Cobra,
yes, but not at the expense of a penalty that could cost us the points tonight.
Also do we really need our captain getting suspended as that moron suggests??
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King Cobra Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 9:16 am
@nykingfan, Do it clean, but make sure he has to be dragged off to the bench.
3 team trade, kopi, brown and jw and doughty to NJ, Bernier, Stoll, Penner, Richards, toffoli, vey and Quick to Columbus, we get parise, Nash and Carter. There now, everyone happy? We get Parise and Carter and Nash. Now we have a SC team! Right? everyone agree? Do it Deano! LMAO, this blog has gone CRAZY.
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DesertKing Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:05 am
@fsd1,
I like it! You forgot to send Mitchell and Hickey to Anaheim for Hiller, Ryan and Fowler. Also, Kompon to Saskatoon for 1 season ticket in the upper deck.
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King Cobra Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:26 am
@fsd1, God forbid we try to think of ways to improve our team.
I would trade Doubty for Nash in a heart beat. If you say Columbus would never do it, then you validate the fact that DD is over paid and is over rated. If you say DL would never do it you expose another problem.
I don’t know about you but I am tired of being laughed at by the league as the team that can’t score goals. Why do you ridicule the idea of making a bold move to make our offense better???
What Kings offense have you been watching all year that has you so locked in to not tweaking it a little??
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fsd1 Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:32 am
@King Cobra, I would NOT trade DD, and yes, I am of the belief this team will start socring at a better pace. And no one in the league is laughing at me, not too sure what contacts you have. If we have such a crappy team how can we be in 7th 2 points out of 1st? Most of the BS on this blog is totally without a doubt bloggers wanting a “quick Fix”. We dont need a fix, we have the personnel to do it. I dont want Nash or Carter or Ignila.
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King Cobra Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 9:30 am
@fsd1, I follow all the North American NHL media and ALL of them don’t miss a chance to giddily laugh about how the Kings can’t score goals. This does not really matter, but the fact that our team has put themselves in the position (last in the league in scoring) to be ridiculed so often for this does.
I honestly believe that we over paid Drew Doughty and Voynov is good enough to take his place. That 7 million should have been spent on someone “like” Nash or Parise (when available).
Our team is awesome, we just need that 1 or 2 pieces.
KC23 Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
@fsd1, I would trade any one for the right price, including DD. Nash is one of the most dominate players in the league. I’d trade DD for Nash in a heart beat. While I don’t think we have anyone in DD league defensive wise, we do have strong fill ins. We ain’t got jack for depth at forward. What Nash would give us is a more balanced attack with skill at defense and forward.
fsd1 Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 8:39 am
@King Cobra, in addition, how can you call trading dd for nash a small tweak?
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King Cobra Reply:
February 9th, 2012 at 9:36 am
@fsd1, Meaning not blow up the whole team, just trade one 7 million dollar player for another 7 million dollar player. Nash would have a much bigger impact on us winning games than DD does.
Here is the story on Drew Doubty –
One night game winning goal +1 next night game losing missed hip check -1
plus 1 minus 1 = ZERO
I will respect your opinions if you respect mine GKG
ToughD Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 1:43 am
@fsd1, broken record but it’s too bad Parse got hurt again, because with our offensive struggles I’m sure he would have been given a long look in our top six. DL has just put together a team with too many fringe players among our top six. Penner, Stoll, Gagne, and to a lesser extent Brown and Williams disappear for too long stretches. Cliffy may be a good checking line player one day and he is improving, but he’s an instant killer for any top six line he is on. Obviously due to our cap space limitations the only way we really improve here is to give up some good talent, which is gonna be hard because we are overpaying many of those top six players (except for maybe Brown).
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