Forum answers III

The third set of Open Forum questions and answers follows…

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Jay asked: Rich, in the next 5 years, not counting draftees we will get in the future, which players currently in the Kings system, be it AHL or CHL do you think have the best future in the NHL. It can be with or w/o the Kings.

Answer: I know it’s kind of a cop-out, because they were just in the NHL, but you have to look at Loktionov and Muzzin. In their happiest dreams, the Kings have visions of having Kopitar, Loktionov and Schenn as their three centers for the long-term future, and Muzzin’s mix of offense and defense project well to the NHL. In terms of players we haven’t yet seen, Derek Forbort’s size projects well to the NHL. It’s not to say that Doughty and Johnson don’t play “hard” games, but Forbort’s size brings a different dimension on the blue line.

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kozak asked: In your opinion, who or what is the biggest surprise so far this season?

Answer: In no particular order… The offensive production of Jarret Stoll, the improved play (not numbers, necessarily, but actual play) of Jonathan Quick, the outstanding penalty kill, the inconsistent power play and the improvement of Davis Drewiske.

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frisking asked: Did you or anyone in the organization see/hear how channel 7 put a picture of the Sacramento Kings vs the TB Lightning on their sports segment on 11/4? Why is the local media so anti-hockey? Most of the time they just say what the score is and don’t show any highlights.

Answer: I believe it was Channel 2, not 7, and I saw a screen capture of it, yes. I agree that it would be great to see the Kings, and hockey in general, get more local coverage, but remember that this is a tough market. The Lakers are in full swing, as are USC and UCLA, and the Dodgers are always a year-round story. It sounds simplistic, but the formula for getting increased coverage is usually pretty simple: win. If the Kings keep winning, it’s hard to imagine that increased coverage won’t follow.

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edwood2 asked: I live in Casper, WY. We get a lot of charter flights from Canada that land here to clear customs before going on to their final destination, because it is much quicker than at a big airport. Do the Kings flights back from Canada ever do that? If they are ever in town, let me know! Thanks.

Answer: Interesting. I had not heard of planes doing that, but no, the Kings have never stopped in Wyoming to my knowledge.

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Quisp asked: On this topic, Rich, can we get confirmation on this one point? For some reason, I have it stuck in my head that players returned to juniors can be recalled whether or not their team’s season is done, provided that they have an NHL contract before the NHL season starts. I have been trying to find my source for this, but so far no luck.

Answer: Yes, that is my understanding as well. The nine-game deadline simply represents the maximum number of games a junior-eligible player can play at the NHL level before burning a year of his entry-level contract. Technically, I believe the Kings (or any team) could also return a junior-eligible player to his junior team after, say, 20 games, but they would still burn a year off the contract. I could be wrong, but that has always been my understanding, on both issues.

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Stagger asked: If Kyle Clifford is sent back to juniors, is he eligible to go to Manchester when he turns 20 in January? I assume that this would have the same affect contract-wise as if he was brought back up to the Kings. I’m just wondering if it’s possible for him to go to Manch. as soon as he turns 20 or does it depend on his age at a certain date, (IE he has to be 20 by say, Dec 1st)?

Answer: The “magic date” that you’re looking for is Dec. 31. As you noted, Clifford doesn’t turn 20 until Jan. 13, so he will not be AHL-eligible until his junior team completes its season.

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ice is nice asked: Rich, how often do you talk with other writers or journalist through the course of a day, week, or season? Any personal media favorites you have? Last question, Could you start a rally for a Kings vs Ducks/Sharks outdoor game? Always appreciate your in sight Rich, keep up the fantastic work.

Answer: Good question. I’ve never really kept track. There are some print journalists, in some cities, that I know better than others, and in this current job I’ve been fortunate enough to meet more of the broadcasters from around the league as well. I’ll chat with other reporters, either at the game or practice, but a lot of it is also email, just quick questions back and forth, etc. I’d love to see a Kings-Ducks outdoor game, and I think it would be a fantastic event, but it wasn’t encouraging to hear Gary Bettman made a snide comment about the possibility, the last time it was mentioned publicly. I would hope that he would be a little more forward-thinking.

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Tim asked: Rich, how tired do you get of answering the same questions over and over and over and over?

Answer: For the most part, it’s not repetitive. The only tough part is trying to come up with answers to questions that don’t really have answers — mostly questions about trades — without sounding as though I’m dismissing the question.

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Crash Davis asked: Did we ever answer this question:
What is the arrangement for an NHL player who goes to Europe (but whose rights are still retained by their NHL club)?
Might be unique with each situation…NHL club paying some, none or all of the European contract.
Ersberg left Monarchs team w/o permission (perhaps on purpose), and is now in KHL. Status on Fransson? Do the Kings still have rights to Brady Murray, who has played in Switzerland for past few seasons?
Finally, can a European based player be recalled during an NHL season or Playoffs to their parent NHL club?

Answer: To some extent, yes, it’s unique with each situation. In Ersberg’s case, the Kings voided his contract and cut ties with him altogether. More commonly, such as in Fransson’s case (and Murray, and a couple others), it’s a loan situation, which means the Kings still retain their NHL rights. A player on loan to Europe cannot be “recalled” during the NHL season.

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Bob Bobson asked: Do you think the Kings are still a Winger away from being a legitimate contender? If we trade for a winger of any consequence, we will have to give up a prospect (starting with Brayden Schenn most likely). And once we get that Winger, the time he gets on the ice means less time for our other prospects to get playing time with the big club. I think we should forget about trading and focus on developing the kids we have.

Answer: I’ll try to give a different take on it. My answer would be that I don’t think there’s such a thing as a “legitimate contender.” There’s just too much balance in the NHL right now for that term to have any meaning. Look at Philadelphia and Montreal last season. Look at Nashville, up 2-1 on mighty Chicago in the first round (and very nearly up 3-2). My take is that all you can do is a) get in the playoffs and b) be healthy and be playing well when the regular season ends. Now, does home ice and a higher seed help a bit? Sure, but I’d rather be a seven seed playing well in early April than a two seed playing poorly. Now, you can say that adding a “big piece” will help you achieve those goals, and it might, but my point is that simply having a sparkling roster doesn’t guarantee anything to anyone.

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Dave asked: My question is what specific roles do the assistant coaches play for the Kings? Another words, what are Kompton’s and Stevens coaching responsibilities?

Answer: I’m sure I don’t know the exact extent of the duties, but John Stevens handles the defensemen and the penalty kill while Jamie Kompon would work more with the forwards and the power play. Coaches will also take roles in scouting different upcoming opponents.

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Tony asked: Is there any concern about Doughty’s lack of production? He has only one assist through 7 games. I doubt anyone is exactly hitting the panic button, but I’m curious if anyone is saying anything about it. Or is the thought just that once the PP starts clicking, Doughty’s points will come.

Answer: More than half of Doughty’s points last season came on the power play, so I would agree that the power play is the key to seeing his point total rise, but it would be a massive overstatement to say there is concern. Again, with the team off to a 10-3-0 start, worrying about any individual player’s statistics is like worrying about a piece of lint on a $1,000 suit. If the team results start to go south, then you start looking at areas for improvement, and individuals who might need to improve, but not on a team that is exceeding expectations. I would argue that Doughty is playing a better defensive game than he did last season, so again, goal prevention can be just as important as point production.