On Trevor Lewis’ assertiveness:
“To assess him, he’s assertive every night. You say that, because he’s on the scoresheet, right, and you want him to score. He’s one of my favorites, so I want him to produce.”
On evaluating the team’s consistency:
“It’s just shift to shift, period to period, game to game…We’re playing three defensemen that haven’t played in the NHL, so consistency is what all young players strive for and what coaches strive for them to accomplish or get to.”
On whether there’s any truth to the “Stanley Cup hangover”:
“Well, I know what a hangover is, and I didn’t have one. What does that mean? The hangover for us was a lot of injured players, and guys are still injured. That’s what it is. So we’re a different team, and I don’t think there was anything that held us back other than the injuries here.”
On if there’s a difference between the way the team played in the playoffs and right now:
“No, actually we’re playing the same. We just have a different team. We don’t have the same experience on the back end…We didn’t change our style, our system, or any of that.”
Lewis is hard not to like. You have to watch him regularly to appreciate all he does, but everything outside of the offensive zone is excellent.
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iansez Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 1:51 pm
@KC23, agreed! I think of Kyle Calders nickname, “grease”, that’s what Lewis does, he’s in there doing the work to make it all work around him. Teams in many sports need this kind of player..
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LB Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:17 pm
@KC23,
Still quite unusual for a coach to name a “favorite”… he certainly wasn’t a favorite of Terry Murray, he was often a healthy scratch last season before Sutter came on.
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HBFan Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 4:34 pm
@LB, Once Sutter started playing Terry’s scratches success followed. He never let them play aggressively. Once our forecheck was unleashed in the playoffs we we’re unstoppable. We just need Mitchell and Greene back before the playoffs and we’ll just as dangerous with the confidence those two bring on the back end
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Osaka Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:24 pm
@KC23, +4, 30 hits, 8 blocked shots….
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let’s just keep playing it tough, and if we play as a team, we’ll be tough to beat every night…
just like last year….GKG!!
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Nice to see Sutter respect Trevor Lewis play.
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Lewis! Getting high marks from the Alberta Arborist. No wonder he was part of the improbable game winning combination (http://kingsnewsdaily.com/nailed-it/) that inconceivably left Kings fans still wanting more and Oiler fans dreaming about a river named Denial.
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Bonvivant Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 3:17 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), Alberta Arborist? That must be a local rag.
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Yes, Darcy Regier’s ruff, I mean bark, apparently has some bite. But can you tell me who was the first coach to be fired last season? Bonus points for the number of games Lindy Ruff outlasted said trivia answer.
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com),
Davis Payne out, 6-7-0
Lindy Ruff out , 6-10-1
4
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kissmyblarneystones Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
@kissmyblarneystones,
What do I win?
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
@kissmyblarneystones,
A blarney stone, of course.
Still no goal though. Lewis has to produce a goal at some point. He’s a pro after all. Please show me a decent goal(not a garbage) once in for all. Then I’ll be sold.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
@goldielocks, didnt he drain a break away last year in the playoffs? Im pretty sure he did…forehand, backhand, goal if i remember correctly…maybe even 5 hole?
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
maybe its the penalty shot im thinking of…
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Osaka Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
@goldielocks, Why?
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goldielocks Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:51 pm
@Osaka,
Tell you why. It’s the difference between creating a scoring chance and waiting a scoring chance to be developed. Now how many times such juicy chances occur during 1 minute shift? If he can’t score the goal with his own shot, chances of scoring goal will be very shallow because he won’t get lucky all the time. You can’t just ignore the number he posted last season because it’s a solid evidence. And cut the BS like he’s defensively solid. Yes, he is solid defensively but while the team are struggling so much in production department, it has so little effectiveness for that.
I hope he’ll find the scoring touch but so far it hasn’t been an encouraging thought.
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YoBro Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 5:36 pm
@goldielocks, Those complaints of yours would be more valid were he on one of our supposed scoring lines. He’s doing his job, he’s doing it well, but doggone it, I’m still PO’d at Santa for not bringing TL a set of hands for Christmas!!
Go Kings
Osaka Reply:
February 21st, 2013 at 2:51 am
@goldielocks, Why do you need him to score? That would be a nice extra, but it isn’t what he is paid to do. Scoring goals is not his game. He is a defensive forward, he is a shutdown guy. He is a PK guy……
Michael J. Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
@goldielocks,
How about this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-Gb752V7jo
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goldielocks Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:53 pm
@Michael J.,
Yup. Nice wrap-around. But it’s still not a shot.
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Michael J. Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:33 pm
@goldielocks,
Or this
http://video.stars.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20112012,2,641&event=L.A285
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Michael J. Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:34 pm
@Michael J.,
Or this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtW6KQAnzSk
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goldielocks Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:55 pm
@Michael J.,
Haha … that’s almost 2 years ago …
Michael J. Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:39 pm
@Michael J.,
Or these
http://video.avalanche.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20102011,2,1117&event=L.A487
http://video.predators.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20112012,2,991&event=NSH436
http://video.predators.nhl.com/videocenter/console?event=S.J428&hlg=20102011,2,535&lang=en
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goldielocks Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
@Michael J.,
Breakaway with no pressure. Still not impressed.
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Michael J. Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 3:06 pm
@goldielocks,
So what team did you play for in the NHL?
goldielocks Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
@Michael J.,
Did you?
goldielocks Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
@Michael J.,
Thanks. You showed me 2 of his 3 goals in 2011-2012 season with 72 games played. Another one was he pick up the garbage right after the line change.
Seriously, don’t you think it’s unusual or something wrong with that number? He took 103 shots on goal and only 3 of them went in. And those 3 are not the wrist shot or slap shot or snap shot of any kind, and he took 100 of wrist or snap shots but none went in. I don’t understand why people can’t see the simple truth like this.
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God forbid we change “the system” and ask our forwards to venture into the slot, or better yet, support the puck when entering the offensive zone. We look like little kids playing keep away along the boards!
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I’m kinda glad he said it about the injuries. You don’t expect a guy like him to say that. You expect him to say there are no excuses, and not even bring it up. Yet, it’s the elephant in the room. Best to acknowledge it, and figure out how a talented team gets around and beyond it. I think we’re seeing that happen.
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:58 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
Agreed. The Kings system requires the d-men to hold on to the puck. Pass it back and forth within their zone until they see a clear breakout. the last resort is a dump. By the time the playoffs rolled around, the 6 regulars had it down perfectly. Its a difficult system to play without enough practice and quite frankly most other teams just don’t do it as often as the Kings do, hence it so hard for younger guys to step in. It’s just not as simple as getting down and blocking shots or getting pucks out. The offense on the Kings starts from defense, perhaps as much as (or more so?) any other team.
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Wow. I am impressed that Sutter called someone “one of my favorites.” Not very Sutter-like but I like that he appreciates the style of play Trevor Lewis brings.
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Lewis is the next Draper
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Osaka Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:19 pm
@LGK!!, Or Peca.
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Lewie is one of MY favs too!
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Dear Mr. Rosen,
Is it possible to block @harty from reviewing this post? If he finds out that Coach Sutter has admitted to having favorites, we’ll never hear the end of it.
Thank you.
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
@Kenny44, As long as one of his favorites is Clifford, he won’t mind at all.
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harty Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:13 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), Now, now boys…….
But did I not tell you he has favorites……..its so clear……in his choices.
Not a good plan with professionals
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harty Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
@harty, Oh I should add I think Trevor Lewis is a good solid player……
Michael J. Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 3:09 pm
@Kenny44,
LOL
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Not a Lewis fan. I call a guy who has only produced over 10 points in a season once, and was drafted 17th overall, a bust. His Corsi numbers are better this year but still poor for someone drafted so high. For whoever said he is the next Draper, they should give their head a shake. He is a long way from that. Draper was a 20 to 40 point guy for the bulk of his career playing shutdown against the best players.
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Michael J. Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 3:08 pm
@Canuck75,
Is it Lewis’ fault that he was picked one round too soon?
Who cares where he was picked? What he does for the team now is what matters?
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jet Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 3:55 pm
@Canuck75, Some drafts are better than others. He is good for where we got him.
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Dominick Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
@Canuck75, There are guys with great corsi numbers that were picked in later rounds. Draft position doesn’t always translate to talent level.
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KC23 Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
@Canuck75, He is not being paid like someone being picked 17th overall.
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Canuck75 Reply:
February 20th, 2013 at 4:23 pm
@KC23, That is exactly my point! If he would of lived up to potential, he would be getting paid like it. Whenever you bring a player on your team, whether it is via draft/trade/free agent, there are expectations for their performance. A first round pick has high expectations. Lewis hasn’t lived up to his. We could get a 3rd or 4th line, 8 point player in the 6th round. Bottom line is he was a waste of a 1st rounder selection. That was a deep draft year. We could of had WAY more than what he is giving us and should be thankful he is getting paid what he is.
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