November 16 practice quotes: Darryl Sutter

On adjusting the practice schedule:
We just thought with all the games being in the Eastern Time Zone, that we’d start it today. So we [adjusted] our practice time. [Reporter: Tying some different stuff this year?] Some days when we’re getting there at three, four in the morning, then we’re getting guys up for a half an hour or an hour, and then going back to bed. So we decided when we practice in the big buildings, there are a lot of nights now where we stay over, other than if we come all the way home. If we can stay in that time – we’ve done it a couple times already – and then some of those border crossings, it’s way better to go further ahead instead of arriving at three or four in the morning. … Just going to try different things, especially this year for a couple of the longer trips, and this trip, they’re all Eastern Time Zone games, but between the first and second, there’s two days between. So, really, you go yesterday, today, tomorrow, getting us to Thursday, we only play one game in five days, when you look at it. So yesterday was a day off, practice today, fly, and practice the day after – stay in Philly, practice there – and we fly the next day. We’re just trying to work the schedule. There’s so much involved there.

On balancing Christian Ehrhoff and Derek Forbort’s playing time:
I think based on our schedule – and based on performance too – but we think that Christian, we’ve seen that when the schedule gets a little hectic, his game drops off, so if Derek’s here and available, then we think that’s a really good option. We sort of have to take a whole different look at it, because obviously with Greene being out long-term, and we’ve put Muzz and Marty together, how do we use that third pairing? We can move Christian over if we have to and take Jamie out. Like, there are so many different things we’ve looked at now instead of just straight partners.

-stick tap to Rich Hammond for audio
-Via Hammond: Kings shake up road routine in attempt to stay sharp