There was a lot to discuss when the Kings practiced at Centennial Sportsplex in Nashville on Saturday morning – the arrival of Keaton Ellerby, Anze Kopitar’s country of Slovenia qualifying for the 2014 Winter Olympics, and a vastly different set of lines and defensive pairings.
On whether he’s seen a lot of Keaton Ellerby:
“I haven’t. I’ve seen him in junior hockey and know his family. I’ve seen him in Kamloops. I’ve seen him in the Super Series a few years ago. Other than that, it’s basically film…We don’t see him. Quite honestly, I probably haven’t coached against Keaton – you’d have to check – but maybe a couple of times. My brother Dog (Duane Sutter) was familiar with him because he was in Florida when they drafted him. So he was with Keaton probably as an 18, 19, 20, 21 – four or five years. He’d know more, quite honest, about Keaton than I would. He’s a big kid. He can skate. Good skills. We can use him.”
On Ellerby’s development:
“They’re no different than any other high pick. If you look at that year‘s draft, quite honest…I’m thinking of the kids out west that were picked high. Kyle Turris, Brandon Sutter, Keaton Ellerby, Thomas Hickey – I’m just thinking of kids that I knew from out west. You know what? First round doesn’t mean that you’re an NHL player. I think that year in Chicago we (as Calgary) took Backlund. I think Jersey took Zajac…It’s a lot of pressure for a first round kid that’s picked in the top whatever he was. It takes time. It’s very simple. Who cares what happened or didn’t happen. He’s probably right about where most of these guys should be in terms of coming in. I’m just trying to think our team – other than Scuderi – do the rest of them in age groups and see where they are. Just do that breakdown…A boy like Marty is just starting to come on. Slava, even though it’s his third or fourth year, he’s just starting to come on. Two or three of them you don’t know quite sure where they’re at. They’re kids.”
On what “intrigues” him about Ellerby:
“He’s trying to improve. [There are] three or four guys here that haven’t played many NHL games or had much success while they’re doing it. Trying to improve. That’s what intrigues me the most. Trying to get better.”
On whether a change of scenery will benefit Ellerby:
“Very few players play one place their whole careers. Very few, especially defensemen. As I said, he’s big and can skate and he’s got character and we’ve seen times where he can play with an edge, so if he can do that, that overall is improvement. If he can develop consistency with any of them or all of them, then we’ll be a little better for it.”
On bringing back the King-Nolan-Richards line that was together for parts of last season:
“Quite honest, it changes quite a bit. I’m not really isolated on Mike Richards and Dwight King and Jordan Nolan. I think our top players – the guys that get all the credit for what they’ve done, but we’re nine games in, and to me that’s more significant than anything that happened last year. There’s some self-evaluation to be done. It’s not necessarily to do with King and Nolan.”
On whether that self-evaluation is taking place:
“Oh yes. I trust our guys in that way, but we need our top guys to be a hell of a lot better players. That’s clear. That’s not me. That’s clear. If you think about your top offensive guys, what they’re on for, for and against, and what [their] zone time [is], and the way you break things down, you need a lot more from them.”
And for some more reading, here’s my breakdown of the past few days…
Royal Shakeup – Is Lombardi and Company panicking or just being prudent? You make the call..
http://kingsnewsdaily.com/royal-shakeup/
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com),
I would say prudent. Lokti was a given – he wasn’t going to crack the NHL club and his contract was up after this season. Reference Campbell/Bonarchuk, I think that was just DL telling other teams “I ain’t desperate, I still got 2 guys I can plug in” and therefore was able to get Ellerby for a 5th instead of a 3rd or 4th. I DL we trust, it is still early in the season, still time for us to get our act together just as we go into the playoffs while other teams lose steam and falter at the end. For Penner, DL took a shot, it didn’t work, and we will have some real nice cap room come next season when we don’t renew Penner or Gagne and can then bring in Kovalchuk with a trade (and that is when we would know DL is panicking).
[Reply]
harty Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:01 pm
@DesertKing, agreed prudent. DL has been doing this for sometime now, nothing is panic mode……..
Even if jobs were on the line no panic will occur……
[Reply]
KC23 Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:16 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), I don’t have a problem with any of it, but I do wonder why Penner is getting the scarlet letter treatment. Seems a bit harsh, but we don’t know what is or is not going on at practise.
[Reply]
paige Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 11:37 pm
@KC23, Penner seems like a likeable person, and I liked his play in the first game, but…inconsistency is a cancer.
[Reply]
KingsOfLA Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 5:48 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), With Greener and Mitchell out it seems the tough guy stuff has been left to Mike Richards to do. Add to that that teams have been running Doughty more and more and who’s their to protect him? Ellerby being paired with Drew should be an interesting dynamic not to mention the bodyguard effect. Another way to keep teams from running your best players is to start scoring a lot more on the power-play. Now how to fix the fact that we look like we’re playing half-assed pick-up hockey?
[Reply]
Hm. The Tampa Bay/Boston game has been postponed due to weather. I can’t remember ever hearing of a game being affected by weather before. Is this common up north?
[Reply]
Goring 19 Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 3:02 pm
@Wilmonde, it happened to the Kings in the 70s. Got snowed out in Buffalo. Had to make up the game on another road trip. They played 3 games in 3 nights. By game 3, they were out of gas. Only time I’ve seen that happen.
[Reply]
Mars Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 3:49 pm
@Wilmonde, I read something about that after reading one of Bob’s there used to be articles
They are usually only postponed if the team is delayed
They don’t typically hold out for fans unless its less than half full
I learned and remembered a lot after reading some of bobs articles
It really helped calm the shakes over the fall lockout
[Reply]
Shakes Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:31 pm
@Wilmonde, were the Kings the one involved in that game against Philly at the Spectrum when the glass started falling and delayed/postponed the game?
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:58 pm
@Wilmonde, They had to can it.
There was a chance of Lightning!
[Reply]
Kenny44 Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 5:09 pm
@Candyanz
East coast can’t take it! We had a lightning storm fly right over our Pop Warner game and we didn’t cancel anything. The coaches just gathered all the kids under an E-Z Up on the sideline until it blew over.
At least, that’s how it was until “adults” intervened and got everybody indoors
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 7:56 pm
@Kenny44, So did the poor kids tell those ultra responsible and otherwise-to-be-respected adults, “Hey, this aint hockey, dawgs!”, like they darn well should have?
Sutter says: “We’re nine games in. To me that’s more significant than anything that happened last year. There’s some self-evaluation to be done.”
Well, Daryl, how about doing some self-evaluation and sharing with us. We not only “need our top guys to be a hell of a lot better,” we need our COACH to be a helluva lot better!!
[Reply]
Sharts and Cryotes heading toward shoot out 0-0.
Looks like teams are starting to tighten up their games on the defensive end.
[Reply]
CB14 Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 3:42 pm
@Michael J., Just great, another 3 point game.
[Reply]
Mars Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 3:44 pm
@CB14, seriously.
While the 3 point system has saved our butts
I also loath it.
[Reply]
Russ Dynda Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:14 pm
@Mars, I hate it, too, especially the shoot out. The League has maintained that the majority of the fans like it. Anyone know if that still holds true? I would prefer using the time expended on the shootout to extend the 4on4 OT to ten minutes, or even longer. If the tie isn’t broken, leave it as a tie–one point each.
Gustavo Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 5:07 pm
@Mars,
LOL!!..I hate the 2 point system, too if it does not benefit my team.
Russ Dynda Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
@CB14, I don’t understand why the League doesn’t go to the Olympic Qualifying system where they give out 3 points for a regulation win.Any thoughts?
[Reply]
DS ““Very few players play one place their whole careers.”
That line makes me nervous.
Kopi, Brown Quick and DD must remain Kings!
They need to retire as kings.
We do not get a lot of Kings and only Kings,
I would love to see this happen with them.
[Reply]
KC23 Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:18 pm
@Mars, Pretty sure he was referencing our new defenseman.
[Reply]
I seriously doubt that Sutter has seen him on film. Video maybe, film no.
[Reply]
Mars Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 3:45 pm
@Mk Ultra, I bet he made them do it on film
He’s old school, no Betamax, no VHS, DVD or blue rays for this country coach
[Reply]
Mars Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 3:51 pm
@Mars, damn should’ve included YouTube and .avi mp4 wmv etc
[Reply]
Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 3:53 pm
@Mars, If he’s so old school then he had a troupe come in from out of town to perform Ellerby’s moves on a makeshift stage in the barn.
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com),
“To Ellerby, or not to Ellerby, that is the question”
Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 4:17 pm
I also see a Sir Ellerby – Grey Poupon photoshop happening…
“Pardon me, would you have any defense?”
You’re welcome Royal Half
Duncanz Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 5:08 pm
@Mk Ultra, Sure he’s probably seen him.
I heard he had a speaking role in some movie called, ‘Beetlejuice’..
[Reply]
“Slava, even though it’s his third or fourth year”
Uh, ok. I guess he means in the AHL! Odd statement to read.
[Reply]
“It’s not necessarily to do with King and Nolan.”
lolz – sounds like Richards is about two games away from the dogcar. I just hope someone leave the window cracked on that car for he and Pens to get some fresh air.
[Reply]
Wilmonde Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 5:19 pm
@MmmmYummy, Reminds me of that scene in Austin Powers where Dr. Evil shouts for everyone to get out of the room, but then goes through the long list of all the people he didn’t include in ‘everyone’ until only one person was left.
Richards does need to step it up, though, and hopefully getting called out by his coach will do it.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 5:54 pm
@Wilmonde, Ha ha, it’s like the not-so-diplomatic Sergeant Major informing the Private of news from home.
“Alright, all those who’s parents are still alive, step forward! Not so fast, Richards!!”
[Reply]
Duckbasher Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 9:43 pm
@Wilmonde,
Richards is a former team captian, has won at all leves and is a gentleman / professional. Calling him out publicly shows lack of respect in my opinion. And besides, he (or Penner for that matter) haven’t played any worse than anyone else has.
[Reply]
MmmmYummy Reply:
February 10th, 2013 at 12:14 am
@Duckbasher, yes, yes they have. That is where I will disagree. I won’t even say the name Car-no won’t say it. Or Cliff-no won’t say it. Nol-no won’t say it.
Wrt analysis of where any given player was chosen in the draft:
“Who cares what happened or didn’t happen.”
That’s one for all those who go on endlessly about why we chose X instead of Y and then traded him for Z.
DS doesn’t care about numbering lines, numbering draft picks or that you get nuthin’ for three …
All that matters is it’s a 3-2 league.
Simple math, right?
[Reply]
I hate this team right now. They’re painful to watch.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 7:29 pm
Ok @Bon, you seriously need to meet the LA Kings Insider’s top blogger (equal with the envious @DessertKing),
@GailWeb!
[Reply]
TiredOfIt Reply:
February 10th, 2013 at 2:12 am
@Duncanz, I love “our” Kings. I hate “their”(McD’s) Kings. And I don’t mean McDuncanz’s. LOL
Go Kings Go!!!!!
[Reply]
TiredOfIt Reply:
February 10th, 2013 at 2:17 am
@Bon, P.S. You want to talk about pain? 45 years of it surgically removed 6/11/12. I know exactly what you are saying but we will never really be in pain again, now. Go Kings Go
[Reply]
What they need is a big forward with soft hands that is hard to move at the front of the net on the powerplay. Oh wait a minute we have one of those but Sutter wont let him play him!!!!! #25
[Reply]