The LA Kings Outsider

October Review: Forwards

2011-11-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

Top-10 Player in the NHL?

Anze Kopitar (6 G, 8 A, 14 PTS, +2, 0 PIM) Grade: A

Lady Byng? Selke? Hart? The sky is the limit for Kopitar. No one has benefited more from Mike Richards than Kopi. Like Jim Fox enjoys pointing out every game, Kopi is looking to shoot from all over the ice more than he ever has in his career. He’s playing like a true #1 center. He’s leading the Kings forwards in PP, PK, ES, and overall ice-time right now. His faceoff % is up too. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Gagne and Williams will stay relatively healthy all year, if so, Kopi should set career-high’s across the board. The only thing holding him back from a perfect score from me is the blatant turnover he had against NJ at home that led directly to a goal. Can’t get that one out of my head.

Trevor Lewis (0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS, +0, 2 PIM) Grade: B

I really like what I’ve seen from Lewis this season especially on the penalty kill. He’s seems stronger on his edges this season, last year, it seemed he’d always be falling down. He’s never going to light it up but with his skating ability, Lewis should be able to chip in 10-12 goals as a bottom-six forward. While his defensive awareness makes him valuable as a center his 39% in the faceoff circle again this season may mean an eventual move to the wing (wrote this before his move to RW tonight vs SJ).

Mike Richards (2 G, 8 A, 10 PTS, -1, 7 PIM) Grade: A

As good as advertised. His on-ice vision and playmaking ability brings me off the couch every night. His presence on the man-advantage may be the sole reason for the huge improvement this season. His combination of grit, toughness, and pure skill seem to compliment Dustin Brown’s similar game. Still not really sure what Philadelphia was thinking trading this guy but thank you so much for the gift. At a $5.75 million cap hit, he’s worth every penny.

Brad Richardson (0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, +/- 0, 4 PIM) Grade: B

Richie had himself a breakout performance in last year’s playoff series vs. San Jose, registering 5 points in the six-game series. And while he hasn’t come close to those numbers in October, he’s become a nice bottom-six forward who provides some speed and grit. He seems to have a lot more confidence this season carrying the puck and isn’t afraid to try and create on his own.

Jarret Stoll (1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, +/- 0, 4 PIM) Grade: B

The acquisition of Mike Richards sent Stoll down to the third line and good on him for stepping aside. Third line center is a much better spot for Stoll. He can focus on keeping the game simple by winning faceoffs and playing a strong defensive game. Hopefully in time, he can find chemistry with Penner as #25 continues to freefall down the depth chart.

Dustin Brown (3 G, 6 A, 9 PTS, +/-0, 10 PIM) Grade: B

Brownie is being more careful this year than he’s ever been out on the ice. Whether he’s afraid of getting fined or suspending, Brownie isn’t throwing his weight around like in year’s past. His 22 hits in October were third among Kings forwards. Even with Brownie pulling back on the hitting, he clicked early with Mike Richards who really makes all of his linemates better. Hopefully, Brown can find a compromise and ratchet up the physical play in November.

Trent Hunter (0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, -1, 0 PIM) Grade: C

I predicted Hunter would make this team and beat Scott Parse out of a job. Hunter appeared in 5 of the 11 October games. It’s doubtful that he’ll ever reach the 20-25 goal mark like he did on the Isle playing 4^th line minutes this season. He and Brad Richardson actually lead the team in Relative Corsi at +19. A nice complimentary bottom-six forward, I’d really like to see Hunter use his big frame and play the physical game more.

Scott Parse (2 G, 0 A, 2 PTS, +1, 12 PIM) Grade: C

Call me crazy but I think this is Teddy Purcell all over again. The Kings are giving him every opportunity to prove himself even after failing to grab his spot in training camp but I just don’t see what all the hype is about. I think he’s waived/traded before the New Year. He’s got two goals in five games and that’s great but he’s got six minor penalties (the hat-trick in Dallas). He looks to be a one-dimensional player that doesn’t have enough grit to play a bottom-six role and doesn’t create enough offense to play a top-six role. His Relative Corsi is 2^nd worse to Westgarth at a -10.9. This is Parse’s last real opportunity to show something (he was drafted all the way back in 2004!) before he’s passed up by the depth of the Kings farm system. If Oscar Moller were given this many second chances…don’t get me started…

Kevin Westgarth (0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, -1, 19 PIM) Grade: C+

I respect Westgarth for the job he has to do but I’m just not a fan of the guy that sits on the end of the bench and can’t contribute to the game other than with his fists. He’s improved his skating and continues to improve all aspects of his game. His assist on Clifford’s goal in Phoenix was a thing of beauty but his Relative Corsi of -30.4 is 20 points lower than anybody on the roster. For a team looking for offense, sitting Westgarth and starting anyon else would be a start.

Justin Williams (3 G, 5 A, 8 PTS, +2, 0 PIM) Grade: A-

I really enjoy watching J-Dub play. His finesse with the puck on his stick is unmatched on this team. I’m glad TM was smart enough to start Kopi off with Gagne and Williams because they all compliment eachother’s games nicely. Hopefully (knock on wood) this is the year that Williams can stay healthy. I’d consider another 73 games a healthy season for Williams.

Kyle Clifford (1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS, -1, 5 PIM) Grade: C

Whether it’s the pressure ‘The Colonel’ is putting on himself to fill the void left by Wayne Simmonds departure or the fact that he wasn’t playing to make the team this year, Clifford’s game has been missing that bite that we saw from him last season. Expectations were high for Clifford after his breakout performance in last year’s postseason in which he had five points (3 G, 2 A). We forget that he’s only 20 years old so there’s still some growing pains to go thru with Clifford. I’d really like to see TM use Clifford on the man-advantage every once in a while and be that front of the net presence. I really think he would thrive in that role.

Simon Gagne (3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS, +4, 8 PIM) Grade: A-

My choice for surprise player of the year, Gagne has been everything I expected. Crafty in the offensive zone, strong defensively, and bound to miss a few games because of maintenance. You hope like Williams, Gagne can stay relatively healthy this season and if that means missing a few games here and there to keep the legs fresh so be it. Gagne is the first left wing that could keep up with Kopitar since Michael Cammalleri back in Kopi’s first two NHL seasons; these two should play together all season long.

Ethan Moreau (0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, +/- 0, 6 PIM) Grade: B+

I really like Moreau’s game. At 36, I thought he’d be hesitant to throw his body around. Boy, was I wrong. 28 hits in October were only 2^nd to defenseman Matt Greene. I don’t know about all the off-ice politics but on-the-ice he’s the perfect bottom-six forward. Great skater who sacrifices his body on every shift. He welcomed Colten Teubert to the NHL with a nice cheapshot in his NHL debut…I love it!

Dustin Penner (0 G, 1 A, -1, +/-1, 21 PIM) Grade: D+ (+ for that fight he had in Philly)

It’s hard to feel bad for anyone who makes millions of dollars playing sports but I’m really starting to feel bad for Penner. He’s become the whipping boy for everything that’s wrong in the world. Unemployment, Earthquakes, Traffic…all Dustin Penner’s fault. I blame TM and DL for making this guy out to be a top-line player. Yes, he’s being paid like one but there’s a reason everyone called Kevin Lowe crazy for giving up that much to acquire Penner and then paying him that much money. Fans need to temper their expectations a bit.

The guy worked hard this offseason so you can’t question his work ethic anymore. He’s throwing his body around and while some say he doesn’t look like he’s trying; please checkout his highlights from Anaheim and Edmonton; he looks exactly the same.

He wants this to work more than anyone else and I think it wll. Right now, Penner is stationary for too long during his shifts. It takes him twice as long to get his feet moving so he should always be skating. He was never known to create much offense on his own so don’t expect him to carry guys on his back to the net like Jason Allison use to. He needs to play with a guy willing to do work in the corners to get him the puck. And Penner needs to work harder to get open in the slot. If you watch his goals in Edmonton, 90% of his goals are scored from 15 feet and in around the slot. Pairing him with Mike Richards, who can win puck battles in the corner and dish out front to Penner might just get this guy going. Or hell, go trade for Ales Hemsky who always seemed to find chemistry playing alongside Penner in Edmonton.

October Review: Goaltenders & Defense

2011-11-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

The $56-million man?!?!

Terry Murray (6-3-2, 2.36 GF/G, 1.91 GA/G, 22.5 PP%, 86.1 PK%) Grade: C

I only grade TM because I hated his decision to start Bernier vs. New Jersey. I heard his explanation and still disagree. I understand that he wanted Quick against the two division rivals but Quick and the Kings were on an absolute roll. I’m a big believer in momentum and without a doubt the Kings had it. The Kings played their worst game of the season in front of Bernier and got shutout by New Jersey.

Jonathan Quick (6-1-2, 1.52 GAA, .947 SV%, 3 SO) Grade: A

Quick has been outstanding for the Kings in the first month of the season. Three consecutive shutouts earned him a Player of The Week honor already. But don’t get too excited yet because Quick started off hot last October (7-1-0, 1.84 GAA, .936) only to never reach those numbers again for the rest of the season.

Jonathan Bernier (0-2-0, 3.55 GAA, .857 SV%, 0 SO) Grade: C

I thought Bernier looked shaky during training camp but how much can you rely on practice drills. The defense hasn’t done much to help Bernier in his two losses but there’s really no excuse for giving up seven goals on 49 shots.

Drew Doughty (0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, -2, 4 PIM) Grade: C-

The $56-million man was my pick for this season’s whippingboy. When I saw him get hit by Zac Rinaldo in the open-ice, I immediately said that Doughty rolls/spins off that check in the past. He sat out all of training camp and the pre-season and his timing hasn’t been there and he got hammered. No doubt he's playing big minutes for the Kings but for $7-million a season I want to see a Bobby Orr like performance every night. I can only cross my fingers and hope Doughty catches up sooner than later.

Davis Drewiske (0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS, +0, 0 PIM) Grade: Inc.

Drewiske dressed for one game this season vs. Philadelphia. A nice fit as a 7^th depth defenseman, there’s no doubt he was feeling the heat during Voynov’s brief stint.

Matt Greene (0 G, 0 A, 2 PTS, -3, 10 PIM) Grade: B+

Greener trails only Mitchell in penalty kill ice-time. He continues to play the tough and physical game that’s made him a fan-favorite in L.A. With that said, I always hold my breath when he steps up on a forward who’s dumped the puck in but surprisingly, Greener has been yet to be called for interference this season. Oh and he took another puck to the face. Warrior!

Jack Johnson (3 G, 2 A, 5 PTS, +2, 4 PIM) Grade: A-

Nobody was tougher on JJ than me last season. But at 24, his game is still evolving. While he’s made some blatant turnovers this season, Quick has bailed him out. What excites me the most about the JJ this season is his play on the man-advantage. His insistence on going to the net on the man-advantage is something I’ve been asking for ever since our power play went into the dumps. His three game winning goals is a nice reward for a strong start.

Alec Martinez (0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS, -4, 0 PIM) Grade: B-

Alec was a pleasant surprise last season mostly for his ability to get shots to the net. His 19 shots on goal this season are tied with JJ for most from the blueline through the first month of the season. With that said, his defensive zone play has struggled at times this season. The emergence of Voynov could bump Martinez down into a depth role sooner rather than later.

Willie Mitchell (0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS, +2, 2 PIM) Grade: B

Mitchell has been steady again this season. Nothing flashy but continues to play tough minutes against other team’s top lines. Once again, he leads the team in ice-time on the penalty kill, averaging 3:24 a game.

Rob Scuderi (0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, +4, 2 PIM) Grade: B

I tend to write the same thing about Scuds. He doesn’t do anything that stands out but he’s about as consistent as they come. The ideal stay-at-home defenseman, Scuds is absolutely no threat on offense.

Slava Voynov ( 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS, +3, 0 PIM) Grade: A

Voynov’s status with the Kings has been of the most debated topics over the past couple of seasons. After two all-star seasons in the AHL, the looming threat of Voynov heading for the KHL, Voynov finally got his chance in the NHL. Terry Murray gave him every chance to succeed, VV averaging over 20 minutes of ice-time and over three minutes on the man-advantage during his five games. A very special-talent, it’s a guarantee we’ll be seeing more of him before the season’s over.

Prediction Time

2011-10-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

Plan The Parade Now...Kings Are Winning The Cup

With the season only a few hours away, here are my predictions for the 2011-12 season...

EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Pittsburgh Penguins (Atlantic, 1st): Malkin wins the Art Ross.
2. Washington Capitals (Southeast, 1st): Ovechkin scores 53 goals.
3. Boston Bruins (Northeast, 1st): Tuuka Rask is starting by January.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning (Southeast, 2nd): Roloson's wheels fall off.
5. Philadelph Flyers (Atlantic, 2nd): Giroux makes fans forget about Richards/Carter.
6. N.Y. Rangers (Atlantic, 3rd): Richards flops on Broadway.
7. Buffalo Sabres (Northeast, 2nd): Miller wins the Vezina.
8. New Jersey Devils (Atlantic, 4th): Kovalchuk scores 50 and Parise stays.

9. Montreal Canadiens (Northeast, 3rd)
10. Toronto Maple Leafs (Northeast, 4th)
11. Carolina Hurricanes (Southeast, 3rd)
12. Winnipeg Jets (Southeast, 4th)
13. New York Islanders (Atlantic, 5th)
14. Ottawa Senators (Northeast, 5th)
15. Florida Panthers (Southeast, 5th)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Vancouver Canucks (Northwest, 1st): Luongo dominates the regular season only to fail in the postseason.
2. Detroit Red Wings (Central, 1st): Wings transition from Rafalski to White goes without a hitch.
3. Los Angeles Kings (Pacific, 1st): Doughty wins the Norris.
4. San Jose Sharks (Pacific, 2nd): Havlat misses 40+ games.
5. Chicago Blackhawks (Central, 2nd): Crawford stumbles Emery takes over the net.
6. Anaheim Ducks (Pacific, 3rd): Selanne is finally slowed by injuries and misses 40+ games.
7. St. Louis Blues (Central, 3rd): Halak finds his game and the Blues young forwards all mature.
8. Colorado Avalanche (Northwest, 2nd): Avs get average defense and outstanding goaltending from Varlamov to sneak into the postseason.

9. Columbus Blue Jackets (Central, 4th)
10. Nashville Predators (Central, 5th)
11. Calgary Flames (Northwest, 3rd)
12. Edmonton Oilers (Northwest, 4th)
13. Minnesota Wild (Northwest, 5th)
14. Dallas Stars (Pacific, 4th)
15. Phoenix Coyotes (Pacific, 5th)

Eastern Conference Finals
Washington Capitals over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Seven Games

The Caps have added some much needed grit by acquiring forwards Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer. Tomas Vokoun will thrive being back in the spotlight of the postseason. And stars Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Mike Green will take the necessary steps in the postseason to push the Caps over the top and into the Cup Finals.

Western Conference Finals
Los Angeles Kings over the Vancouver Canucks in Six Games

Over the past few seasons the Kings have built their identity on goaltending and strong defensive play while ignoring their offensive deficiencies. DL finally acknowledged the team's anemic offense by acquiring two top-six forwards in Mike Richards and Simon Gagne. If the Kings forwards can stay healthy, they'll give Vancouver all they can handle and may just run Roberto Luongo out of town.

Stanley Cup Finals
Los Angeles Kings over the Washington Capitals in Seven Games

I like the Caps to win the Cup in this matchup but if I've got the Kings advancing all the way to the Cup; they've got to win it all, right? If the Kings can acquire Zach Parise like many 'experts' are already speculating then the Kings would have to be heavy favorites. I think the Kings and Caps matchup well. The Kings defense first system will stifle the Caps dynamic forwards. The Kopitar-Richards combination will outplay Backstrom-Laich. And Drew Doughty will show everyone that he was worth every penny by winning the Conn Smythe Award for shutting down Ovechkin all series long.

Season Preview Time!

2011-10-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

My #1 Whipping Boy For the 2011-12 Season

If you haven't read it yet, check out The Royal Half's season preview. A blogger roundtable of sorts on the upcoming season. I submitted my answers to Chris Kontos about a month ago so I'm going to update a few of my answers regarding the team...

Who will be the leading scorer for the Kings this season and why?

Mike Richards. I’m not convinced that Kopi is 100% recovered from his broken right ankle. Richards is more than capable of putting together another 75-80 point campaign. Pairing Richards with Simon Gagne should be a no-brainer for TM and hopefully both players can regain their 2008-09 form, which saw them combine for 64 goals, 90 assists, a +42 rating and 58 points on the man-advantage.

UPDATE: After actually catching a couple exhibition games, I think Kopitar is fine and he will indeed lead the Kings in scoring. Putting up career-high's across the board. I'm thinking 90+ points this season.

Who will be the whipping boy for the Kings this season and why?

Drew Doughty. Regardless of whether he signs tomorrow, sits out the first week of camp, or the first month of the season. I don’t care if he’s pissed that DL traded his bosom buddy away or whether he thinks he’s the next Bobby Orr. Bottom line: He followed up his Norris-candidate/Olympic Gold Medal performance season with a very mediocre 2010-11 season that shouldn’t merit half of what Kopitar’s making. He’ll get his money eventually. I just hope he’s training hard and not sitting on his couch playing NHL 12 on his XBOX.

UPDATE: Well, as you know Doughty is signed but I'm not changing my answer. Missing all of training camp is a big deal regardless of what the players say. At $7 million a season, Doughty is the third-highest paid defenseman in the league at 21 years old; 5 years younger than the highest-paid blueliner Shea Weber. Let's keep our fingers crossed, he's more Weber than Brian Campbell.

Who will you miss most... Michal Handzus, Wayne Simmonds or Brayden Schenn? And why?

As a fan, I’m going to miss Simmer. I drove the Simmer bandwagon ever since his first development camp back in 2007. I’ve got his Owen Sound Attack game-worn jersey collecting dust in my closet to prove it. It’s tough to see one of Dean Lombardi first homegrown picks get dealt away but I’m sure I’ll get over it when I’m rioting on Chick Hearn Court after the Kings hoist the Cup this year.

If I’m Terry Murray or Jamie Kompon or the pet monkey that draws up the Kings power play, I think the Kings will miss Handzus and Smyth the most. Zeus & Smitty were two of the only Kings willing to stand in front of the net and I’m not sure who will fill that role now. Penner would be the obvious choice but he plays more like a 5’9 sniper than the 6’4 behemoth that he is.

Will Terry Murray be the coach of this team come December?

Yes. TM’s system works. But I wouldn’t be opposed to John Stevens and Terry Murray switching roles at some point during the season.

Who do you think will be the biggest surprise on the Kings team this season?

Simon Gagne. It feels like he’s been playing forever but he’s still only 31 years old. After a slow start, there weren’t many players that had a better second-half than Gagne last season. He posted 27 points (8 goals, 19 assists), a +7 rating, and 10 points on the man-advantage in 27 games after the All-Star break. If he can stay healthy and play alongside Richards all season, he could easily reach 30+ goals and 70+ points.

UPDATE: My numbers may have been a bit generous considering that Gagne will have to play under Terry Murray's system which seems to put a wet blanket on top of any offensive creativity. I'm sticking with Gagne but I'll temper expectations and say 25+ goals and 65+ points assuming he stay's healthy.

Quick or Bernier... who you got? And why?

Quick. Read mygoaltender review blog post. Call me crazy but I think Martin Jones might be the best of the bunch.

Which player on the Kings would you most like to have a beer with and why?

I don’t drink but based on some photos floating around the interweb, it looks like Mike Richards knows how to have a good time.

What is the biggest misconception of the Los Angeles-Based Hockey Fan?

That we’re ‘fair weather fans’ like all other L.A.-based sports fans. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Just a few short years ago, Kings fans were spending their hard earned cash to watch a team contending for the first-pick overall, a Kings team that played 11 different goalies over two seasons: Garon, Burke, Cloutier, Brust, Fukufuji, LaBarbera, Ersberg, Aubin, Quick, Bernier, and Taylor. We’re as passionate a fan base as they come. We’ve waited long enough. Now’s our time. It’s got to be!

Where are the Kings going to finish in the Pacific? In the Western Conference?

First in the Pacific. Third in West. With the acquisition of Mike Richards, the Kings are my favorites to win the division. A team’s success can always be traced back to their top two centers and/or their goaltending.

Here’s how I project the West based solely on top-two centers and goaltending:

1. Canucks: H. Sedin/Kesler – Luongo/Schneider

2. Red Wings: Datsyuk/Zetterberg – Howard/Conklin

3. Kings: Kopitar/Richards - Quick/Bernier

4. Sharks: Thornton/Pavelski – Niemi/Nittymaki

5. Blackhawks: Toews/Sharp – Crawford/Emery

6. Ducks: Getzlaf/Koivu - Hiller/Ellis

7. Blues: Backes/Berglund - Halak/Bishop

8. Avalanche: Duchene/Stastny – Varlamov/Giguere

9. Blue Jackets- Carter/Umberger - Mason/Sanford

10. Predators: Fisher/Legwand – Rinne/Lindback

11. Flames: Jokinen/Stajan - Kiprusoff/Karlsson

12. Oilers: Gagner/Eberle – Khabibulin/Dubnyk

13. Wild- Koivu/Cullen – Backstrom/Harding

14. Stars: Ribeiro/Ott - Lehtonen/Raycroft

15. Coyotes: Hanzal/Turris – LaBarbera/Smith

Ethan Moreau?...Sure Why Not

2011-08-21T02:50:00.000-07:00

Ethan Moreau's So Excited To Be A King He Got A Haircut

Ethan Moreau and the Kings will always be linked via Wayne Gretzky's trade to Los Angeles. Moreau was the final link to "The Trade." You can break out your media guides or check out this link to follow all the transactions thru the years.

Ethan Moreau was one of the most heralded third-line checkers in the NHL after Edmonton's improbable run to the 2006 Cup Final (along with current Kings Jarret Stoll and Matt Greene). But at 35 years old, Moreau is a shadow of his former-self and a walking band-aid. He missed 43 games last season with a laundry list of injuries: broken hand, rib injury, and bruised foot. Moreau was plucked off of waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets after the Oilers attempted to dump his $1.75 million salary on some unsuspecting victim. The Jackets bit.

Jackets fans didn't have much to be excited about going into the 2010-11 season but they were confident that their third-line of Moreau, Sammy Pahlsson, and Chris Clark would be one of the best in the league. Unfortunately, they were a huge disappointment.

With a price tag of $7.2 million, those three combined for 13 goals, 28 assists and a minus-25 rating. Moreau and Clark combined to miss 74 games because of injuries or as healthy scratches.

If Moreau can stay healthy, he'll be everything Terry Murray wants from a fourth-line player. A good skater who plays defense first, will throw some big hits, and block some shots. Expect some grit and toughness but don't expect him to generate much offense this season for the Kings. His -18.78 CORSI rating was worst among Blue Jackets forwards last season. To put that into perspective, Michal Handzus -6.75 CORSI rating was the lowest amongst Kings forwards. Two years ago with the Oilers, Moreau also had a team worst -22.99 CORSI rating.

During his career, Moreau has always been lined up against other team's top lines but numbers show he's lost most of his effectiveness as a shutdown forward. Last season, Moreau averaged 1.8 penalties taken per 60 minutes which led Columbus. Kevin Westgarth led the Kings with 1.8 penalties/60 also. Ironically enough, Moreau could be battling Westgarth for that fourth-line left wing spot all season long.

I was hoping Dwight King would get a shot on the Kings fourth-line this year but I like the signing of Moreau for $600,000. There's no doubt he's a true professional (although, I really hope he regrets posing for this photo) who's going to bring another veteran presence to the locker room. He'll help continue to develop some of the Kings young bottom-six forwards like Clifford, Lewis, and Richardson. Whether or not he can play 60-70 games is a big question but Moreau's true value will come off-the-ice and in the locker room. Now, let's sign Drew and get this season started.

Moreau's had his run-ins with the Kings over the years...

Don't Cry: Thanks For The Memories Smytty

2011-06-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

I'm sad Smytty's gone

No tearful farewell. Just a bunch of rumors. A denial. Some awkward negotiations. And finally, #94 was gone.

Smytty put DL and the Kings in a tough spot. Demanding a trade is hard enough for a GM. Requesting a trade to only one team is nearly impossible. Give DL credit for accommodating Smyth and his family. Hopefully, players around the league take notice that the Kings organization does have some class after all.

Everyone was all smiles a couple years ago

I was ecstatic when the Kings acquired Ryan Smyth two years ago from Colorado. I knew on July 3, 2009 that the Kings were beginning to transition from rebuilding to contending. The fact, that DL was willing to absorb a $6.25 million cap hit for the next three seasons said alot. Sure enough, Smyth was as-advertised if not better. His veteran leadership and presence in front of the net was something that the Kings sorely needed. His 45 goals over the last two seasons was third to only Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown (4th, if you include Dustin Penner's goals in EDM). His 20 power-play goals over the past two seasons is tied for the team-high with Kopi. Oh. And don't forget the Kings made the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.

Then out of left field, Smytty wants out and word is that the Kings would be willing to move Smytty for 'mid-range draft pick'. Smytty's $6.25 million cap hit is a tough contract for any team to take on but his value to the Kings was absolutely worth more than a draft pick (or so I thought). Even if the Kings were to clear his contract off the books; there's not many UFA left wingers that could provide the type of production that Smyth has brought over the past two seasons.

In the end, the Kings acquired Gilbert Brule and a fourth-round pick and I was genuinely excited. I'm a sucker for young talent and prospects. Still only 24, Brule has had an up-and-down pro career marred by injuries. He showed signs of life in 2009-10 before completely falling flat on his face last season. At a $1.85 million cap hit, the price was steep but the upside is still there. If he were able to play 70 plus games; Brule could have been a productive third-line player with second-line upside. Unfortunately, he's not healthy but he is a good person. Although, it saddens me to read that the Kings had no intentions of keeping Mr. Brule.

So instead, the Kings got a healthy Colin Fraser. Who by all accounts will probably be as much of an offensive threat as a concussed Gilbert Brule. Fraser comes with a cap hit of $825K and the pick went from a 4th to a 7th. So you could say the difference in value from a 4th to 7th round pick is roughly a million bucks. While most Kings fans expected Fraser to be bought out, DL says Fraser will get an opportunity to compete for a spot, presumably a 4th-line role. He's a defense-first forward and is serviceable in that role.

"...Colin Fraser was hardly a non-participant. That his best skill, shot blocking, is one that neutralizes the opposition as opposed to initiating something positive in and of itself, is something of a tell."

Don't get me wrong. DL filled a huge hole acquiring Mike Richards as the Kings #2 center but the departure of Smyth now leaves a gaping hole on the left wing. Colin Fraser won't be potting 20 goals anytime soon. Or leading the Kings in power-play goals. I don't know where the Kings look to fill the void left by Smyth. The Kings will lean on players already on the roster. Yes. That means Dustin Penner. Yes. That means Scott Parse. Unfortunately, I'm not sold on either. Paul Kariya anyone?

How The Heck Did We Get Mike Richards?!

2011-06-25T01:51:00.000-07:00

Mike Richards Is A KING?!?! Yeah...I'll Drink To That

Remember when it was rumored that the Kings might be after Vinny Lecavalier back in February 2010? I said this.

Take a look at recent Stanley Cup Winners. In addition to great goaltending; every team's had a great 1A/1B center combination. Penguins with Crosby/Malkin, Red Wings with Datsyuk/Zetterberg, Hurricanes with Brind'Amour/Staal, Lightning with Lecavalier/Richards.

As much as I love Jarret Stoll; he's not in the same-class as any of those players. Some would argue that Brayden Schenn could be that player but I'm not sure the Kings are prepared to wait 3-4 years to find out.

And then remember when the Kings were struggling in January this season and I said this.

DL will wait for a full season of Brayden Schenn before he even considers making a move for an impact player. Schenn will play next season as a 20-year old. A lot of ‘experts’ compare Schenn to Philadelphia’s Mike Richards especially after his breakout performance at the 2011 WJC. Keep this in mind, Richards also debuted for the Flyers as a 20 year old. His breakout year came three years later when he scored 75 points in 73 games. Just saying. Four more years is a longtime to wait.

Well, I guess DL agreed that the Kings needed a legit #2 center and just couldn't wait those four years for Schenn to develop. Instead, he dealt Schenn for the 26-year old Flyers captain. I have to type that again. Dean Lombardi traded prized prospect Brayden Schenn along with Wayne Simmonds and 2012 second-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Mike Richards.

My first reaction was, "We got Mike Richards?!" My next reaction was, "Has Philly lost their mind?"

I was under the impression that Philly had signed Richards and Jeff Carter to long-term deals to watch them finish their careers in Philly. Based on Flyers GM Paul Holmgren's reactions to the deal, I would say he was under the same impression as well.

Holmgren certainly didn't sound like a GM who was happy that he just dealt his team's captain and two players that he'd signed to a combined 23-years worth $127 million. With that said, the pair of trades are directly linked to the Flyers acquisition of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. The trio of moves seems to have the fingerprints of Flyers chairman Ed Snider all over it. A man who witnessed Bernie Parent backstop his Flyers to consecutive Cups in 1974 and 1975. Snider vowed the Flyers would fix their goaltending issues after being swept in the Conference Semi-finals by the Boston Bruins. A series which saw the Flyers tie an NHL record with seven in-game goalie changes. The Flyers goaltending carousel also failed to record a shutout all season.

Was Snider upset with his captain? Perhaps. Snider anointed Richards the 17th captain in franchise history for the start of the 2008-09 season. Richards scored a career-high 80 points but has failed to reach 70 points in each of the last two seasons. Mike Richards relationship with the Philadelphia media has been well-documented for years now. As well as some of his antics off the ice. It looks as though Snider got tired of the act and wanted a major shakeup. Mission accomplished. I would like to personally thank Mr. Snider for being one of the most proactive owners in hockey. I would also like to thank the inabilities of Sergei Brobrovsky, Brian Boucher, and Michael Leighton to stop a puck in the postseason. I would also like to thank Rich Winter, agent of Ilya Bryzgalov for getting his client a ridiculous 9-year, $51-million contract. Without you, none of this would have been possible. Welcome to L.A. Mike Richards!

2010-11 Season Review: Michal Handzus

2011-06-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

Michal Handzus
2010-11 Stats: 82 GP, 12 G, 18 A, 30 PTS, -5, 10 PPP, 20 PIM
UFA this summer

Zeus is serious. And experienced. And this is undisputed. Zeus may be one of the most overpaid players in the league at $4-million a season but he's been invaluable to the Kings over the past three seasons (he was pretty dreadful in his first year year). About as reliable as your 1991 Honda Civic, Zeus has only missed ONE game during his four seasons in Los Angeles. Considering the Kings history with signing oft-injured free-agent forwards, Zeus has been a huge success.

His ability to play up or down in the lineup and in all situations makes him extremely valuable. Zeus didn an admirable job filling in for Kopitar down the stretch and in the playoffs. He led all Kings in PK ice-time during the regular season with 2:24 which jumped up to 3:33 in the postseason. His 10 points on the man-advantage ranked 6th amongst Kings forwards during the regular season.

Watching Zeus kill penalties is poetry in motion. Maybe it's his lack of foot speed but watching him struggle to skate back and forth to cover the points and then poke the puck off a d-mans stick with his long reach or lay down and block a shot is pure awesomeness. It's no wonder Zeus has led all Kings forwards in blocked shots in each of the last four seasons. There's no question the guy is giving it his all every single night.

Alot of fans feel ike Zeus's time in L.A. is over and it may very well be. With Brayden Schenn looking to center the second line next season. Trevor Lewis may be ready to replace Zeus as a jack of all trades although his 39.2% in the faceoff circle is a far cry from Handzus's 51.7%. Having Zeus around to mentor Lewis and Schenn for another season or two might not be such a bad thing.

FINAL GRADE: B+; Yes. Zeus looks like he skates with cement blocks tied to his skates. Yes. $4-million a year for a guy that's averaged only 14 goals a season during his tenure as a King was way too rich. Yes. Zeus has some of the best hair in the NHL. Yes. Zeus's ability to win faceoffs leaves alot to be desired. With all that said...The Kings need to seriously consider bringing Zeus back for at least one more season. If the Kings can lock up Zeus on a one or two year deal at $2 million per; DL needs to consider it. Otherwise, thanks for the memories Zeus. Your hair will be missed.

2010-11 Season Review: Rob Scuderi

2011-06-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Rob Scuderi
2010-11 Stats: 82 GP, 2 G, 13 A, 15 PTS, +1, 0 PPP, 16 PIM
Signed thru 2012-13; $3.4 million

What a year for Rob Scuderi. He set a career-high in goals with...two. All kidding aside, Scuderi had himself a solid second year in L.A. Scuds and JJ were the only two Kings defenseman to appear in all 82 games this season. Here's what I wrote about Scuds in the 2009-10 season review...

Scuds is an interesting one; $3.4 million for 0 goals and 11 assists sounds crazy but that’s the price the market dictated last July. Scuds was as-advertised. A solid stay-at-home defenseman. Nothing more. Nothing Less. He's just a hard-working minutes cruncher that won’t put your team in danger.

In a nutshell, that pretty much sums up Scuderi's 2010-11 season also. He doesn't do anything flashy but plays a simple game based on positioning that makes him invaluable to the Kings. Adding Mitchell to the fold helped take some of the pressure of Scuderi to constantly play the big minutes against other team's top lines and power play units.

A bit alarming to some was Scuderi's +/- rating dip from a +16 to +1. A significant drop off considering that the Kings goal differential stayed relatively the same from last season. Scuderi's ice-time increased from just over 19 minutes to 20 minutes per game, his penalty-kill time increase slightly, and his quality of competition rating rose slightly. It appears that two factors played a role in his +/- rating drop. The first seems to be Scuderi's increase in giveaways this season which rose from 33 to 59 (his takeaways dropped from 23 to 22). His giveaway to takeaway ratio rose from 1.43 to 2.6, the only Kings defenseman that saw a significant increase.

Another difference this season appears to be Scuderi's quality of teammates. His QUALTEAM rating dropped from .163 which to -.088 this past season. For a player like Scuderi who isn't much of a threat to create offense on his own, his +/- rating relies heavily on the production of his linemates. Last year's +16 rating was likely a product of Drew Doughty's career year.

FINAL GRADE: B; I'd love to see Scuds play more physical but even more than that...I want to see Scuds shoot the puck. His insistence on sending the puck around the boards and not even fake a shot is frustrating to watch sometimes. A dominant cycle for 20 seconds will lead to a pass to the point where Scuds will pass up the shot to flip the puck back into a corner. Scuderi does so many things well in the defensive zone it's hard to fault his lack of offense.

2010-11 Season Review: Willie Mitchell

2011-06-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

Willie Mitchell

2010-11 Stats: 57 GP, 5 G, 5 A, 10 PTS, +4, 0 PPP, 21 PIM

Signed thru 2011-12; $3.5 million

Leave it to Dean Lombardi and the Kings to sign a player who missed the last 34 regular season games and all 12 playoff games of the 2009-10 season because of a concussion to a two-year contract. The pessimist that lives in all Kings fans thought this signing could easily follow in the footsteps of such blockbuster flops as Valeri Bure and Alyn McCauley. The Kings may have been the only team to offer Willie Mitchell a two-year contract and I don't think DL could be any happier with how his big free-agent acquisition worked out this past season.

I loved Willie Mitchell's game but had some reservations about his health going into training camp. After watching a full-season of Willie, I'm convinced that Mitchell is indeed a 33-year old version of Sean O'Donnell. He brings nearly all the same tools: leadership, grit, toughness, and an inability to handle the puck with any confidence. Mitchell doesn't hit much but positions himself well to make the simple play in his own zone.

Much in the same way Rob Scuderi helped the blueline last year, Mitchell provided more of the same. A veteran presence who focuses on defense first, keeps the game simple, and does all the little things that help win hockey games. Mitchell and Scuderi serve as the safety nets to Doughty and Johnson's high-risk, high-reward offensive games. TM leaned on Mitchell to play big minutes against other team's top lines and easily became the Kings #1 penalty killer. Mitchell averaged over 21 minutes of ice-time per game (and over 24 minutes in the playoffs) and led the team averaging 3:24 of ice-time on the penalty kill. Mitchell's quality of competition rating of .086 led the team, which reiterates the thought that Michell played against other team's top players on a nightly basis.

FINAL GRADE: B+; Mitchell's concussion looks to be a thing of the past but a broken wrist and lower-body injury still cost him 25 games this season. While DL has struck out with most of his forward free agent acquisitions during his tenure in Los Angeles; he's done well adding Scuderi and Mitchell to the blueline over the past two summers. Mitchell is another solid veteran added to a young group still trying to find it's identity. It's no coincidence that the Kings saw their goals allowed per game drop (2.57 GA/G to 2.39 GA/G) and their penalty kill percentage rise (80.3% to 85.5%) this past season.

2010-11 Season Review: Alec Martinez

2011-06-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

Alec Martinez
2010-11 Stats: 60 GP, 5 G, 11 A, 16 PTS, +11, 5 PPP, 18 PIM
RFA this summer

While Dean Lombardi may have blown the 2007 NHL Draft by selecting Thomas Hickey #4 overall; he grabbed another puck-moving defenseman in the 4th round that has already had an impact in the NHL. Alec Martinez started the 2009-10 season with the Kings but looked so uncomfortable in his first four NHL games that the Kings were forced to send him down. The pace and speed of the game seemed to overwhelm the 22-year old defenseman.

Fast forward a year later, Alec Martinez got the call in late-November and didn't look back. He quickly became the third puck-moving defenseman on the Kings blueline and became a reliable contributor on the Kings second power-play unit. Martinez's knack for getting shots thru to the net is what made him so valuable this season. He attempted 112 shots on net with 74 of them reaching target. Of the Kings six regular blueliners; Martinez's 66% was the highest. His five power play points in 60 games was the third highest total behind Doughty and Johnson (whether that's an accomplishment or warning...i'll let you decide).

When you see Martinez skate with his somewhat upright stride and head always up; you can see a bit of Scott Niedermayer/Brian Rafalski. You can tell that three years at Miami University (Ohio) and two years in the AHL have helped develop his game. His decision making in the defensive zone and knowledge of when to make the simple play is already light years ahead of Jack Johnson. With that said, Martinez's ceiling isn't nearly as high but his consistency is already there.

FINAL GRADE: B+; For the pessimist in all of us: Martinez serves as a reminder that Hickey has been a bust and the Kings don't trust Voynov who's already a two-time AHL All-Star. Considering no one really expected to see Martinez up again after his disaster of a debut in 2009; Alec was a nice surprise this year. Although his play tapered off towards the end of the season and the pace of the playoffs seemed to be a bit too quick for him. Martinez's 2010 season has sent a message to prospects like Hickey, Voynov, and Muzzin that it's his spot to take going into training camp next season. Resigning him is an absolute no-brainer. An extension similar to what Drewiske received would be ideal. My guess: 3-years, around $2.5 million total.

2010-11 Season Review: Jack Johnson

2011-05-07T02:27:00.000-07:00

Jack Johnson

2010-11 Stats: 82 GP, 5 G, 37 A, 42 PTS, -21, 28 PPP, 44 PIM

Signed through 2017-18; $4.35 million

On the surface, Jack Johnson had himself a career year. He appeared in all 82 games for the first time. His 42 points were a career-high. His 28 points on the man-advantage put him in the top-5 among blueliners. But just a little bit of digging and you realize that Jack Johnson was absolutely brutal this year. Fans calling Drew Doughty the biggest disappointment of the season are letting JJ off the hook way too easy. JJ recorded a career low and team worst +/- rating of -21 following seasons of: -19, -18, -15. Among Kings blueliners Rob Scuderi had the next worst +/- rating +1. Only SIX NHL defenseman out of the 303 that qualified had a worse +/- and three of those defenseman were from the Ottawa Senators.

Now, for those fans that don't believe in the +/- statistic; let's take a look at JJ's CORSI # of -2.39 and a REL CORSI # of -8.7. CORSI is a fairly simple formula: On-Ice Shot Differential (goals + saves + missed shots + blocks). The idea is simple: more shots attempted on the opposition's net equals greater offensive output. The most disturbing stat here are JJ's shot and missed shot totals. He recorded a career-high 153 shots but also missed the net a career-high 105 times (3rd most in the NHL among defenseman) for a total of 258 shot attempts at the net. Simple division tells us that JJ hit the net only 59% of the time. During the previous three seasons JJ recorded percentages of: 61% (212 shot attempts), 75% (67 shot attempts), 72% (113 shot attempts). Alec Martinez led all Kings blueliners getting the puck thru 66% of the time on his shot attempts.

To put these numbers into a bit of perspective, only Dustin Byfuglien and Shea Weber missed the net more among defensemen. Byfuglien missed the net 144 times but led all defensemen with 347 shots for 71%. Shea Weber missed the net 120 times but hit the net with 254 shots (3rd) for 68%. Byfuglien scored 20 goals. Weber scored 16 goals. Johnson scored 5.

At first glance, JJ's defensive counting stats lead us to believe that he's improved his positioning in the defensive zone. His hits dropped from 144 to 84 but his blocked shots rose from 86 to 133. But his end-to-end offense affected his giveaway totals which also rose from 42 to 59. Johnson's 2010-11 stats look very similar to his first full season in L.A: 84 hits, 136 blocked shots, 62 giveaways. Which has me asking the question: Is Jack Johnson is the same player defensively that he was four years ago?

FINAL GRADE: C; Don't let the career-high point total fool you. His -21 rating in addition to his disappearing act in the second half of the season made for a disappointing 2010-11 season. His 33 points (4G, 29A, -6, 21 power play points) in the first 50 games prior to the All-Star break were great. He emerged as the only consistent threat on the man-advantage but his 9 points (1G, 8A, -15, 7 power play points) in the final 32 games down the stretch were pitiful. Why hasn't anyone started questioning his conditioning yet?

At 24, Johnson is still young. But with each season that passes, Kings fans still wonder when JMFJ is going to show up. Where's the high-octane player that dominates both sides of the puck? Will he ever live up to the hype? Johnson signed a massive seven-year contract early in the season that will take him into the 2017-18 season at a cap hit of $4.35 million. With blueline prospects like Muzzin, Voynov, and Hickey all considered offensive defensemen; JJ will need to improve all aspects of his game because with each ill-timed pinch in the offensive zone, JJ's name and 'cap-friendly' $4.35M are inching closer and closer to the rumor mill.

2010-11 Season Review: Peter Harrold

2011-05-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

Peter Harrold

2010-11 Stats: 19 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS, +3, 0 PPP, 4 PIM

Unrestricted Free Agent

There were only a few guarantees from the Kings in the new calendar year: If the Kings went to a shootout; they were going to win. If the Kings scored first; they'd give up a goal within the next three minutes. And Peter Harrold was probably going to be a healthy scratch. By no fault of his own; Harrold just couldn't crack TM's lineup whether it be as 6th defenseman or the 4th line right-wing. He ended up being the Kings utility player all season long.

Stats obviously don't tell the whole story but if you're a stat geek and know what CORSI is. Peter Harrold led all Kings defenseman with a Relative CORSI number of 14.2. Now obviously, Harrold's sample size is smaller than any other Kings blueliner this season and his numbers could be skewed a bit by his time as a Kings 4th line winger but he did still appear in 19 games. Much like Drewiske, Harrold's role on the team was effected by the emergence of Alec Martinez and the current makeup of the blueline.

Listed at 6'0, he looks smaller on the ice and lacks the strength to win battles against most NHL forwards. At 27, he still has a chance to develop that part of his game much in the same way Mike Weaver has since leaving the Kings but I keep thinking an undersized d-man with offensive upside...he may be the next Kevin Dallman.

FINAL GRADE: B-; I really should have grouped Harrold and Drewiske together but I give a slight nod to Harrold because he showed more versatility as a forward than DD did. Harrold made his season debut on October 21st vs. Phoenix playing over 20 minutes in all situations while filling in for Doughty. His season went down hill from there; only appearing in 18 games after that. Harry will be a UFA in the summer and won't be back.

2010-11 Season Review: Matt Greene

2011-05-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

Matt Greene

2010-11 Stats: 71 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 PTS, +3, 0 PPP, 70 PIM
Signed through 2012-13; $2.95M

I love Matt Greene. One of the only Kings that plays a truly physical game. He's well aware of his responsibilities on the ice: play physical, play strong defensively, and protect teammates. He knows his game well and is aware of his limitations and makes the most of his skill set. He's not the best skater but makes up for it with sound positioning. The arrival of veterans Rob Scuderi and Willie Mitchell have helped Greene more than anything. When he arrived in L.A., Greene played nearly 20 minutes a night but over the past two seasons, his time-on-ice has dropped to 17:29 (2009-10) to 16:59 (2010-11). The decrease in ice-time has actually helped Greener's effectiveness on most nights not always having to face a team's top-line or power play unit. Always among the NHL's hit leaders; Greene laid out 243 hits on the season.

FINAL GRADE: B; Greene is signed to a relatively friendly cap-hit of $2.95M thru 2013-14. His role on the team goes beyond his production on the ice. While his aggressiveness and physical play often toe the line of what's a penalty; Greener's heart and effort will never be questioned. The Kings have alot of defensive prospects in the system but almost all of them are considered offensive defensemen; Greene should be here for the long haul.

2010-11 Season Review: Davis Drewiske

2011-04-30T02:25:00.000-07:00

Davis Drewiske

2010-11 Stats: 38 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 PTS, -1, 0 PPP, 18 PIM

Signed through 2012-13; $616,667

Davis Drewiske's 2011 season went much the same way his 2010 season did. Drewiske appeared in 36 of the first 38 games last season then suffered an upper-body injury in January and failed to claim his spot in the top-6 back; only appearing in two games for the rest of the season. In 2011, Drewiske played in 33 of the first 37 games of the season but only appeared in 5 games for the rest of the season and was a healthy scratch for the last two months. He had an opportunity to fill-in for Willie Mitchell but was passed on the depth chart by the emerging Alec Martinez.

Drewiske's role on the blueline is a bit undefined and in a sense he is the perfect 'extra' d-man to have on a roster. The Kings have three defined puck-moving defenseman: Doughty, Johnson, and Martinez. Those puck-movers are each paired with a stay-at-home presence: Mitchell, Scuderi, and Greene. Drewiske's game has always been low-risk and making the safe play. DD possesses good size at 6'2 and TM would love to see him get more physical but that part of his game hasn't developed. TM was so desperate to get DD into the lineup that he tried him as a 4th line right wing in December but that didn't work out for anyone involved.

FINAL GRADE: B-; My expectations for Drewiske were as the Kings 6th/7th defenseman. In that sense, he's done fine. He's been passed on the depth chart by Martinez but in a sense it comes down to what each defenseman brings to the backend. TM and DL love the traditional 3 puck-movers and 3 stay-at-home defensemen on the blueline. Unfortunately, Drewiske's offensive game is limited and he'll always be buried behind Mitchell, Scuderi, and Greene as a defensive-defenseman. He'll return next year in a similar role as the team's extra d-man but will probably be facing stiff competition from Jake Muzzin, Viatcheslav Voynov, and Thomas Hickey (hopefully).

2010-11 Season Review: Drew Doughty

2011-04-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Drew Doughty

2010-11 Stats: 76 GP, 11 G, 29 A, 40 PTS, +13, 15 PPP, 68 PIM

RFA this Summer

Plain & Simple: Drew Doughty letdown this year. Following a breakout campaign last season that included a 59 point regular season, Olympic Gold medal, and Norris Trophy nomination; expectations couldn't have been any higher for the 21-year old. After his sluggish start, his work ethic and off-season conditioning were called into question. The explosiveness and puck control that drew comparisons to Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey last season seemed to abandon Doughty at times.

His production was down across the board. He put up 40 points following a 59-point campaign last season. Whether Doughty's struggles were indicative of the power play's struggles or vice versa; his numbers were cut in half. From 31 points (9G, 22A) on the man-advantage to just 15 points (5G,10A) this season.

And who can forget Doughty's reaction to the fans booing the Kings following their second period performance against St. Louis on March 17. To refresh your memory...the Kings were being outshot 24-3. They lost the game 4-0. Not like those two points cost the Kings in the long run or anything. Oh wait...

“Booing us kind of pisses me off as a player, because every night we’re out there playing our hardest, obviously for the team but, at the same time, for them. For them to boo us off the ice, or whatever the case is, like I said we’re not just playing for us, we’re playing for them. We’re going to battle for them, and for them to boo us shows a lack of respect from them, but it’s a part of the game. Fans boo their teams all the time, so it’s nothing we can be really upset at.”

Doughty's playoff performance this year was a far cry from his dominance against Vancouver last season. This year's playoffs were a microcosm of Doughty's entire regular season. Flashes of brilliance followed by nothing. His Game Two performance was pure dominance but it was as if Doughty gave everything he had to tie the series 1-1 and nothing left in the tank for the rest of the series. No points, 8 Shots, and 4 penalty minutes in the following four games. So many glaring mistakes: His all-or-nothing hip-check attempt on Logan Couture that led to a goal in Game 1, his roughing minor with Scott Nichol that led to two SJ goals in Game 4, or his unnecessary high-sticking penalty on Devin Setoguchi late in Game 6.

FINAL GRADE: B-; Expectations were sky high. Too high? I really don't think so. If you've ever heard Dean Lombardi speak: He always refers to the Red Wings and how dealing with success is always tougher than dealing with failure. Doughty obviously didn't handle his success well.

Now, the big question is: How will this 'down' year affect his contract status? Will the Kings go with a short-term deal to keep him motivated or go long-term and look for a discount? It's going to be interesting. Following last year's performance...it was a no-brainer that he would receive a contract with a a Zdeno Chara/Jay Bouwmeester type cap hit in the $7.5-$6.5M range but now that his work ethic has come into question; he may have dropped himself down into the next tax bracket in the $4.5-$5.5M range. Most fans say Dustin Penner has the most to prove next season. We already know what type of player he is. Doughty's ceiling is still unknown; the sky is the limit. Is he going to be that perennial Norris Trophy candidate or is he going to be content with getting by on his skill alone. I'm saying it now: Doughty will win the 2011-12 Norris Trophy.

2010-11 Season Review: Goaltending

2011-04-28T02:03:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Quick Is A #1 Whether You Like It Or Not

About a year ago to the day, I wrote the following in my 2009-10 Season Review: Goaltending post.

The Kings may start out with a Nashville-type split in goal to start next season but it’ll be Bernier’s net by the All-Star break.

So that didn't quite happen. Jonathan Quick proved that last year was no fluke. Jonathan Bernier finally stepped into the NHL full-time as Quick's backup. The tandem provided the most solid goaltending the franchise has seen in decades. They combined for another 46 wins, .914 SV % (10th), 2.39 GAA (6th), and 9 shutouts on the season.

JONATHAN QUICK

2010-11 Stats: 61 GP, 35 Wins, 2.24 GAA, .918 SV%, 6 Shutouts

Signed thru 2012-13; $1.8M

Whether it was the embarrassment of his performance down the stretch and in the first round against Vancouver last season or the footsteps of Jonathan Bernier behind him; Jonathan Quick arrived to training camp on a mission. Quick came into this season in the best shape of his life. TM finally had a backup he could trust in Bernier and was able to cut Quick's games 'down' to 61 from a ridiculous 72 games last season.

The results were astounding. Quick improved his regular season SV% from .907 to .918 and his GAA from 2.54 to 2.24 (5th NHL) while recording six shutouts (6th NHL). And Quick was easily the Kings MVP in the first-round of the playoffs. After the Kings defensive system left Quick out to dry in Games 3 & 4 at Staples Center; he single-handedly won Game with a 51-save performance to give the Kings a fighting chance in the series.

FINAL GRADE: A-; There should be no doubt who the Kings #1 goaltender is going forward but you can almost bet that TM will have to answer all the same questions regarding which goaltender will be the Kings #1 next season. While Quick's stickhandling is still suspect and he is still susceptible to giving up a 'soft' goal every once in a while, his improved conditioning has allowed his athleticism to really shine through. If he continues to improve, 40 wins aren't out of the question next season.

JONATHAN BERNIER

2010-11 Stats: 25 GP, 11 Wins, 2.48 GAA, .913 SV%, 3 Shutouts

Signed thru 2012-13; $1.25M

After absolutely dominating the AHL last season, Bernier finally arrived in the NHL full-time for the 2010-11 season. Whether it was TM learning from last season that he needed to trust his backup more or just Bernier getting accustomed to the NHL grind; Bernier's game improved as the season progressed. His splits tell the story.

Pre All-Star: 14 GP, 5 Wins, .893 SV%, 3.08 GAA, 0 Shutouts
Post All-Star: 11 GP, 6 Wins, .939 SV%, 1.70 GAA, 3 Shutouts

In 23 starts, Bernier posted an 11-8-3 record with a 2.43 GAA and .912 SV%. Funny stat line: In the seven games that last year's backup Erik Ersberg started: 3-3-1 record with a 2.43 GAA and .911 SV%. Obviously the sample sizes differ and the similarities in numbers may be more a reflection of the Kings defensive system than anything elise but it's interesting none the less. It's all relative...I guess. Two goaltenders in completely different stages of their careers. Bernier still only 21 years old has his best years ahead of him and is regarded as one of the top goaltending prospects in the world. Erik Ersberg, a 27-year old NHL backup that garnered no interest around the league when he was placed on waivers by the Kings went to the KHL's Salvat Yulaev. EE backstopped Yulaev to the KHL Championship posting a 1.93 GAA, 93.3 SV%, and 3 Shutouts.

FINAL GRADE: B; Bernier provided a backup option that TM trusted which allowed Quick some much needed rest during the regular season. Had Quick suffered through any prolonged slumps Bernier may have had a chance to run with the job but it just didn't happen. Bernier will continue to knock on the door next season and may eventually become the Kings #1 option. But with Martin Jones impressive debut season with the Monarchs and Quick's improving game; don't be surprised if you hear Bernier's name discussed in possible trades going forward. Anyway you slice it, having two proven NHL goaltenders now and possibly a third on the way is a good problem to have.

The Curious Case Of Dustin Penner

2011-04-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

Dustin Penner: L.A.'s Newest Whipping Boy

Dustin Penner isn't the devil but he has quickly become the newest whipping boy amongst Los Angeles Kings fans. His lack of production, intensity, and perceived lack of caring on the ice are just a few of the reasons why the Kings faithful have turned on Dean Lombardi's most recent acquisition. He joins the likes of Randy Jones, Denis Gauthier, Dan Cloutier, and countless others who have faced the wrath of Kings fans' venom. But let's take a closer look at who Dustin Penner really is...

Penner never played major junior hockey. He was cut three times by his local junior team. He nearly gave up on playing hockey and then decided to continue his playing career for a junior college team in North Dakota. Spotted at an evaluation camp, Penner was offered a scholarship to the University of Maine, where he helped lead the Black Bears to the National Championship Game. After one year of college, he signed as a free-agent with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He spent two years in the AHL and then was a member of the Ducks 2007 Stanley Cup squad.

In the offseason following the Cup win, Penner signed a 5-year, $21.25 million offer sheet with the Edmonton Oilers that went unmatched by Anaheim. Penner instantly became the whipping boy of then Edmonton Oilers coach Craig MacTavish.

"When we signed Dustin we thought he'd be a top-two-line player. We thought the contract ($4.25 million average for five years) was a starting point for him but he views it as a finish line. I can't watch it, certainly not for another 21/2 years."

Now, it's early on but can't you see Terry Murray and Dean Lombardi saying those same words right about now. 2 goals in 22 games for the Kings.

Penner's response to MacT's criticism back in 2008.

"It's time for me to bring that part of my game (competitiveness) up ... that's a part of my game that's always been harder for me to attain.."

Three years later, Penner hasn't been able to 'attain' it. Fans want to remember Dustin Penner as the emerging power forward that complimented the finesse and skill of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry on 'The Kid Line' for the Ducks. He played his best hockey then. His most well-rounded game. He was getting 13:59 of ice-time in the regular season and 14:05 of ice-time in the playoffs. Eight other Ducks forwards averaged more ice-time than Penner in the postseason.

That's just about right for Penner. He's a solid third-line player that needs good playmaking forwards around him to produce. If Kings fans expected anything more from Penner...well shame on us.

He's not your classic big body forward. He shys away from the physical game but has a gifted set of hands when he has the puck on his tape. The problem for him is getting the puck. You'd think a guy that's 6'4, 245 would dominate along the boards. Protecting the puck. Driving the net. Sort of like...Alexander Frolov.

But Penner stays away from the boards. He does his best work from the hash-marks in. Watch him. He'll coast into the offensive zone and then just camp out about 15-20 feet in front of the net hoping a teammate finds him in the slot for a one-timer.

His biggest issue is his lack of foot speed and skating ability. He's been extremely exposed in this series by San Jose's transition game and the speed of their forwards. He can't keep up. He can't even hustle to the bench to get a change. His lack of foot speed was none more evident than on Devin Setoguchi's OT Winner in Game Three. The puck is in the net and the Sharks are in the locker room celebrating by the time Penner even enters the zone.

The fans and media continue to blame his conditioning for the reason he looks so lackadaisical out on the ice. At first, I wasn't buying it but after watching numerous Youtube clips; I think Penner is definitely out of shape (even by Penner standards). The Dustin Penner Kings fans are seeing this season is the same player that debuted in Edmonton after signing his 5-year deal.

Watch these highlights from the 2009-10 season when Penner netted a career-high 32 goals and you won't recognize him. A season ago Penner was driving the net, parking his big frame in front of the net, deflecting shots, engaging in physical play, etc.

What's the immediate solution? Drop Penner down into the bottom six. His best performance came in Game Two when he saw 14:35 of ice-time; his worst performance obviously came last night when he played 19:36. Move Alexei Ponikarovsky up to the top line. Poni's game has improved over the last month. He uses his big frame. He plays the body, drives the net, and skates well. Everything Penner is lacking from his game right now.

Simmer Down There Coach Murray

2011-03-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Terry Murray Apparently Shows More Emotion During Press Conferences

The Kings have 84 points and are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Alot of credit should go to Terry Murray and the coaching staff for staying the course with a defensive-first system and believing in this roster. With that said, his criticism of the fans after Thursday night's listless effort is ridiculous and completely out of line.

As proud as I was of Terry Murray for showing some emotion after the Kings controversial loss to Vancouver at the beginning of March; I'm equally disappointed with his criticism of the fans. Coach had this to say on Thursday.

“You know what the most disappointing, frustrating thing was? At the end of the second period, we were booed off the ice by our fans. That is the most embarrassing thing I have ever been through. That’s the worst I’ve ever been through, in all the years I’ve been coaching. I’ve been behind the bench almost 3,000 hockey games in the NHL, and booed off the ice by your own fans at the end of the second period, here after this road trip, going 4-0 in hard places, very disappointing.”

Really? The MOST disappointing and frustrating?

Not the fact that you had zero shots in the first period?
Not the fact that you may have lost Kyle Clifford for the rest of the season after he got knocked the heck out in a useless staged fight that served no purpose?

Not the fact that you got outshot 17 to 4 in the second period?
Not the fact that Jonathan Quick looked like Patrick Roy for the first half of the game only to turn into Dan Cloutier in the second half? Really???

I paid $60 bucks for the tickets. $7 for parking. $12.50 for some over-priced dried out chicken tenders and a bottle water. And what was I treated to?

An evening of disappointment. Great. The Kings went 4-0 on a road trip, came home, and forgot how to play hockey? As they like to say: Every Game Is A Must Win. Guess Terry Murray and the Kings didn't get the memo. The Blues played Anaheim tough last night and dominated the Kings for much of the game.

A coach can only do so much as far as a gameplan but his main responsibility is to get his players motivated to play. What I saw on Thursday night was a group that wasn't prepared OR motivated. The Kings came out flat in the first period. Kevin Westgarth made sure to leave his impression on the game with another staged fight.

Second period comes along. Kings show some signs of life. Fans are waking out of their slumber. A McFlurry looks promising with a faceoff in the offensive zone and under a minute to play. And then all of a sudden, Matt D'Agostini goes 200 feet and puts the puck shortside on Quicker with seven seconds left.

As a paying customer, I've got every right to boo that effort. It only got worse after that. For those that think true fans don't boo. You're crazy. Homers might not boo; true fans call a spade a spade. That was a stinker of an effort and we should all be upset.

The Ducks come in on Saturday night. If Terry Murray can't get his players motivated and ready to play for that one than we've got real issues.

Kings Acquire Penner And Extend Williams

2011-02-28T16:18:00.000-08:00

Don't Pay Any Attention To Those Two On The Right; Dustin Penner Is A Stanley Cup Champion

I woke up this morning to the news that the Kings resigned Justin Williams to a four-year extension. Then an hour later my friend texts me: "Four more years of Williams?"

My response: "Two years too long."

Behind Kopitar, Justin Williams is our second-most skilled player. This probably speaks more to the lack of offensive creativity of our forward core than the skill of Williams. Regardless a four year deal worth $14.6 million with a manageable cap-hit of $3.65M makes sense for both parties.

DL has to be praying to the hockey gods that Williams injuries are well behind him. After playing in only 130 games over the past three seasons; Williams has appeared in all 62 games this season. He's second on the team in scoring with 49 points and tied for the team-lead with 20 goals.

It has to be a good day for Williams considering all that's been through over the past year. Broke his leg in December of 09, worked his tail off to get back into the lineup for the stretch run and postseason only to be benched and healthy scratched by Terry Murray and now a year later he's signed a $14.6M extension.

I thought DL was done.

I never thought Dallas could afford to trade Brad Richards within their own division. And if Steve Tambellini wasn't moving off his demand of Brayden Schenn in any deal for Ales Hemsky there just weren't too many deals to be made out there.

Then BOOM! Dustin Penner traded to the Montreal Canadiens for Jared Tinordi and a 1st round pick. Oh wait. That didn't happen. Twitter is a place full of fake NHL Insiders apparently (and I'm not even talking about Eklund or Matthew Barry...).

Then about half an hour later. Dustin Penner was a King. The Kings sent 2008 1st round pick Colten Teubert, a 2011 1st round pick, and a conditional 2012 pick to Edmonton.

I had Penner highlighted as my #3 target on my Trade Deadline Shopping List. The 29 year old Penner has 21 goals and 18 assists on the year and gives the Kings five 20-goal scorers. He's under contract for one more season at $4.25 million and is young enough to grow with this core going forward.

Losing Teubert doesn't hurt me one bit. He didn't impress during any of the Development Camps and didn't physically dominate the WJC's like I expected him too. He still has plenty of time to develop into a strong NHL defenseman but the Kings still have a number of top defensive prospects.

Losing a first round pick in 2011 doesn't seem like DL's style but considering that many are calling this one of the weakest draft classes in a decade; the Kings could afford to sacrifice the pick. According to Pierre LeBrun the 2012 pick goes from a 3rd round to 2nd if the Kings win the Cup. I sure hope it's a 2nd!

Kings fans have to be excited about acquiring Penner considering that DL didn't move anyone off the current roster. Although it may sting a bit if you were a big fan of Marco Sturm during his short tenure in L.A. Wayne Simmonds? STILL HERE. Kyle Clifford? STILL HERE. Kevin Westgarth?........still here...

What's Penner bring to the Kings?

A left wing with size. Listed at 6-4, 250 Penner is a big body. He's a decent skater for his size but lacks the foot speed to make him an elite power forward. He possesses good hands around the net and is good in the corners. Penner can be extremely dangerous when he's engaged and willing to play the body but his inconsistent effort can frustrate coaches and fans alike. He's extremely durable, only missing four games over the last four seasons.

On a good team, Penner is a second-liner. Terry Murray will certainly try Penner on the first-line but it's anyone's guess how long he'll stay there. He'll add another big body that can help cycle the puck in the corners. Unfortunately, the Kings still lack that player who will carry the puck from the cycle to the net. Hopefully, Terry Murray will be able to bring the best out of Penner.

Don't expect Penner to instantly turn the Kings offense around. He's more Alexei Ponikarovsky than Eric Lindros. Penner doesn't put the Kings on par with Vancouver or Detroit but it's another solid acquisition by DL without giving up any core players. I would have liked to see Penner and Sturn in the lineup for the Kings but it wasn't meant to be.

2011 NHL Trade Deadline Shopping List

2011-02-25T14:26:00.000-08:00

I've ordered my Hemsky jersey...have you???

How quickly things change. The last time I blogged the Kings had dropped 8 of 10 games and were dead last in the division. Well, The Kings not only survived the record road trip that was supposed to kill their playoff hopes but they earned 15 out of a possible 20 points on the road trip.
A flurry of moves have been made over the past couple of weeks leading up to the deadline. The Western Conference is loading up on talent and it may be time for the Kings to respond...

Before you start asking: "Where's Brad Richards?" "Where's Marian Gaborik?!" "Where's David Booth?!?!" Please read my qualifications for making it onto this exclusive shopping list.

I used Sportsclubstats.com to distinguish which teams are selling. Any team with less than a 30% chance of making the playoffs was considered a seller (Oilers, Senators, Devils, Islanders, Maple Leafs, Avalanche, Panthers, Thrashers, Blues, Blue Jackets). Then I searched each seller's roster for upcoming UFA's all the way up to the 2013-14 season.

I'm assuming the Kings are content with their defense going forward so I focused on acquiring a forward to help the offense.

Here are 12 players I think the Kings may/should target in the coming days. (SPOILER: It's not pretty...)

1. ALES HEMSKY RW AGE: 27 $4.1M Cap Hit (UFA: 2012-13)

With the debuts of Hall, Eberle, and Pajaarvi; Oilers fans aren't as enamored with the 27-year old fan favorite as they once were. Hemsky is one of the most-skilled players in the league but unfortunately for him and his fans (myself included); he's been injury-prone over the last couple seasons. He missed all but 22 games last season after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury versus the Kings.

His quick stride and world-class vision make him one of the premier playmakers in the NHL. He can stickhandle the puck through crowds and get passes through the smallest of openings making him absolutely deadly on the man-advantage. He brings valuable playoff experience; Hemsky reached the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals along with current Kings Ryan Smyth, Jarret Stoll, and Matt Greene. Hemsky recorded 17 points in 24 playoff games that season.

Do the Kings need a first-line LW? Yes but if you can add a first-line player at any position especially on either side of Kopitar; you make the move. Hemsky instantly becomes the second most-skilled player behind Kopi. He turned Shawn Horcoff into a $33-million man; surely he can help Kopi develop into that 40-goal scorer we all know he can be. Hemsky also played on a line with Smyth in Edmonton. A Smyth-Kopitar-Hemsky line looks good to me.

2. ANDY McDONALD C AGE: 33 $4.7M Cap Hit (UFA: 2013-14; NTC)

This one is thinking out of the box. McDonald signed the four-year extension in February 2009 which came with a NTC. But St. Louis has made the playoffs only once in the last four seasons. The Blues shook things up last week by moving former #1 overall pick Erik Johnson to Colorado. They've established their core: David Backes, T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund, David Perron, Alex Steen, Chris Stewart up front. Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk on defense. Jaroslav Halak in goal. Moving a big ticket like McDonald may be the answer.

McDonald is listed at 5-11 which is quite generous but he makes up for his lack of size with quickness and hockey smarts. He's got good offensive instincts and opens up the ice for teammates. He can quarterback a power play or play the forward spot and isn't afraid to go to the high-traffic areas to score.

Primarily a center, McDonald can play the left wing. Not surprising, he had his most productive NHL seasons in Anaheim with Teemu Selanne on his right flank winning a Stanley Cup in 2007. He's missed a good majority of the 2011 season with a concussion but has returned in February with ten points in eight games and is among the Blues leaders in ice-time and PP time. Would help Kopitar on the LW and could slot in as the Kings #2 center if needed. He's got a high-price tag and a NTC for the next three seasons which probably makes him less attractive but if Andy Mac wants to return to Southern California the Blues may take less than market value to move his contract.

3. DUSTIN PENNER LW AGE: 28 $4.25M Cap Hit (UFA: 2012-13)

While Oilers fans get frustrated with Hemsky's inability to stay healthy; they're equally frustrated with Penner's inconsistent effort over the course of an 82-game season. With his blend of size and scoring touch; Penner has all the tools to be the prototypical power forward. Unfortunately, his lack of drive leaves management, coaches, and fans wanting more. He can dominate and a game and then disappear for weeks.

At 6-4, he moves decent for a guy his size but his lack of foot speed keeps him from being an elite power forward. He possesses great hands around the net. When Penner decides to play the body; he can take over shifts but those instances are few and far between. With those marks against him, Penner is still a 25-30 goal scorer in the NHL. Unfortunately for L.A., they've already got plenty of those types of players. He's a big body and those are always valuable come playoff time; it's just unfortunate that he doesn't use it more often.

4. KRISTIAN HUSELIUS LW AGE: 32 $4.75M Cap Hit (UFA: 2012-13)

A prime example of why the Blue Jackets are where they are right now. When you're paying players like Mike Commodore $2.75M and Huselius $4.75M; your team is bound to struggle. With that said, Huselius is still a very good hockey player. He's put together seasons of 77, 66, 56, and 63 points over the past four seasons. He's got the talent to be a first-line player as evidence by his success playing alongside Jarome Iginla in Calgary and Rick Nash in Columbus.

Huselius possesses some of the best hands in hockey and makes him a value commodity on the man-advantage. He also has a good shot with a quick release but doesn't use it nearly enough. His streaky play and shaky defensive zone play has earned him multiple healthy scratches this season. Obviously, Rick Nash and Jakub Voracek are the players Kings fans want the most but I can't see Columbus moving either. At one more year of $4.75M; Huselius is probably available and may just be worth the risk.

5. CORY STILLMAN LW AGE: 37 $3.53M Cap Hit (UFA: 2011-12)

Every Kings fan wants the #61 out of Columbus; I think we end up with #61 from Florida. Would David Booth or Stephen Weiss be great fits in L.A.? Absolutely but I can't see DL overpaying to get either player out of Florida. Stillman just seems like the type of acquisition DL would make at the deadline. A pure rental. At 37, Stillman has been around for a while. He reached the 1000 game milestone this season. A winner of two Stanley Cups; he could some valuable experience to the locker room.

Not the greatest of skaters; Stillman's hockey IQ allows him to continue to play and contribute as a top-6 forward. His vision, anticipation, and passing skills make him a mainstay on the PP. I can't see Panthers GM Dave Tallon asking for anything more than a late-round pick for Stillman which maybe just enough to persuade DL to take a flyer on the 16 year veteran.

UPDATE: OFF THE MARKET! Traded back to Carolina for Ryan Carter and 2011 5th Round Pick.

6. MILAN HEJDUK LW AGE: 35 $3M Cap Hit (UFA: 2011-12)
With Colorado struggling with injuries this season; it seemed like veterans Hejduk and Adam Foote could be moved at the deadline but it appears at least Hejduk won't be going anywhere. Per Pierre LeBrun.

So what now for the Avalanche after their blockbuster trade with St. Louis? A lot of people are wondering about veteran winger Milan Hejduk because he's an UFA July 1. But GM Greg Sherman told ESPN.com Saturday that Hejduk is not moving.
"We're not trading Milan," Sherman said.

7. RYAN JONES RW AGE: 27 $975K Cap Hit (UFA: 2011-12)
With rumors swirling around that Wayne Simmonds is being dangled by DL to acquire anything resembling a top-6 forward; Jones may be the perfect replacement for Simmer if he's moved. If Simmer stays Jones could still be a valuable bottom-six forward. He was picked up by Edmonton on waivers last season from Nashville and has emerged as a decent utility player for the Oilers this season.

He's netted 13 goals this year despite only playing around 12 minutes a game as a fourth-liner. He plays the game hard and never take a shift off. His hardwork has made him one of Edmonton's most valuable penalty killers this season. He skates well and likes to shoot the puck more than most fourth-line players. Could be a great addition for a long postseason run.

8. BRAD BOYES C/RW AGE: 28 $4M Cap Hit (UFA: 2012-13)
It's difficult to believe that a player could start his decline at 26 years old but Boyes is making me into a believer. After a 43-goal campaign 2007-08; St. Louis looked like they stole Boyes from Boston for defenseman Denis Wideman. Boyes followed that season up with a 33 goal campaign. He netted 14 goals last season and is on pace for 16 this season. A far cry from the player who flirted with 50 goals just three seasons ago.

Digging a little deeper, Boyes had the second-highest shooting percentage (20.8%) in the NHL during the 07-08 season. His career shooting percentage is 12.7% which suggests that Boyes is probably more of a 20-30 goal scorer than 30-40 sniper. At 28, Boyes career isn't over by any means but his days in St. Louis may be numbered.

9. STEPHEN WEISS C AGE: 27 $3.1M Cap Hit (UFA: 2013-14)
Weiss is a very good #2 centerman that's being miscast as a #1 in Florida. He's got three years left on his deal at a reasonable cap hit with a NMC. Weiss isn't much of a scorer but a very good playmaker and passer. With Florida's lack of depth up front; Weiss has emerged as a jack of all trades. He plays nearly 20 minutes a game while logging key minutes in all situations.

Weiss's name has been the topic of trade rumors for quite a while and it's beginning to wear on him a bit but is very happy to be a Panther. Per Miami Herald.

“I love it here and I don’t want to go anywhere. I’ll stay here until my career is over if they’ll let me,’’ Weiss said Thursday morning, his eyes affixed on the locker-room floor. “But it’s not up to me. If management feels like they want to make a move and want to move on, I’ll have to consider it.’’

Florida seems to always be looking to rebuild. Unfortunately for Dave Tallon the Panthers don't have many assets to rebuild with. Tallon's is looking for an overpayment to move his #1 center.

10. TRAVIS ZAJAC C   AGE: 25   $3.88M Cap Hit (UFA: 2013-14)
Kings fans are infatuated with the idea of Zach Parise coming to L.A. as an RFA next season. I just can't see the Devils moving Parise who's one of the top-5 players in the league. After the signing of Kovalchuk, Parise won't be taking any sort of discount to stay in NJ which means GM Lou Lamiriello will have to clear more cap space than just the Jason Arnott's $4.5M expiring contract.

Zajac is only 25 years old and one of the better second-line centers in the league. He's more known for his strong game in the defensive zone than any of his contributions offensively. He's developed chemistry playing alongside Ilya Kovalchuk since Parise went down earlier in the year. The Kings are high on Schenn and Loktionov as their centers of the future behind Kopitar. Therefore trading for centers like Zajac or Weiss may seem like a stretch but both are under contract for the next three seasons; both players will retain their trade value going forward.

11. BRIAN ROLSTON LW   AGE: 38   $5.062M Cap Hit (UFA: 2012-13)
Yes. Rolston is older than dirt. Yes. Rolston is overpaid. Yes. Rolston has even been put on waivers this season and gone unclaimed. There's no doubt he's towards the end of his career. Acquiring Rolston would only make sense on a re-entry waivers type deal at half the price but he can still help any NHL team. At 38, Rolston still possess one of the hardest shots in the NHL and makes him valuable on the man-advantage from the point.

He's not the all-around player he was three years ago but in spurts can still be a top-6 forward. He's still not a liability in his own end. His ice-time is actually the highest it's been in three years. After being put on waivers in December; Rolston has tallied 17 points in 21 games in the new year. The hardest part about acquiring Rolston would be absorbing half of his salary for next season as well.

12. SHELDON SOURAY D   AGE: 34   $5.4M Cap Hit (UFA: 2012-13)
Despite my numerous pleas on this blog to get Souray back to the NHL; Dean Lombardi refused to acknowledge my blog and didn't put a claim in on him when the Oilers put him on re-entry waivers last week. Hard to believe he spends another season in the AHL after this one but it's entirely possible...

Same Old Kings

2011-01-19T18:18:00.000-08:00

Jonathan Quick Has Struggled In January

I‘m with every other Kings fan that’s frustrated with this team’s inconsistent play this season. I decided to look at some monthly splits; hoping that the stats would shed some light on why the Kings have looked so terrible. Instead, I found something a little more interesting: the team’s statistics through 46 games this season fall right in line with last season’s averages.

The Kings had some expectations going into this season. The next Chicago Blackhawks was repeated more than once by the so-called 'experts.' DL failed to acquire an impact forward. Instead, he made a couple lateral moves/slight improvements looking for ‘the right fit.’ He replaced Frolov with Ponikarovsky. O’Donnell with Mitchell. And proclaimed that Scott Parse was the next Kris Versteeg. Nothing ground-breaking. He put it on the ‘core’ group to improve and take their games to the next-level. It looks like they’ve decided that they’re comfortable with where they are: Middle of the pack.

They are who we thought they were! I still think the Kings make the playoffs and finish anywhere between 6th and 8th but all the Stanley Cup contender talk was a bit premature.

RECORD THROUGH 46 GAMES
2009-10: 25-21
2010-11: 24-21-1

OD And Fro Are Both Gone But It's More Of The Same

GOALS PER GAME
2010-11: 2.82 (9th)
2010-11: 2.83 (13th)

The Kings replaced Alexander Frolov with Alexei Ponikarovsky. Poni has three goals in 27 games battling multiple injuries and spending a good amount of time in Terry Murray’s doghouse. He’s exactly who we thought he was: somewhere in-between Alexander Frolov and Fredrik Modin. Inconsistent. A second/third-line player. Another ‘right fit’ acquisition Marco Sturm has four goals in 15 games.

DL can acquire as many secondary pieces as he wants but the gaping holes on both sides of Kopitar are only growing. He’s failed to lure impact forwards like Gaborik, Hossa, or Kovalchuk and it’s showing again this season. Kopitar is the only first-line player on this roster. Kopi’s surrounded by a bunch of second-line talent. It’s not hard to figure out. The Kings need more scoring up front.

Anyone that says the Kings ‘lucked’ out when they didn’t land Kovalchuk is a fool. New Jersey has bigger issues on that team than Kovy. And as bad as things have been this year for the Devils; Kovalchuk is still going to end up with 30-35 goals.

DL will wait for a full season of Brayden Schenn before he even considers making a move for an impact player. Schenn will play next season as a 20-year old. A lot of ‘experts’ compare Schenn to Philadelphia’s Mike Richards especially after his breakout performance at the 2011 WJC. Keep this in mind, Richards also debuted for the Flyers as a 20 year old. His breakout year came three years later when he scored 75 points in 73 games. Just saying. Four more years is a longtime to wait.

GOALS ALLOWED PER GAME:
2009-10: 2.57 (9th)
2010-11: 2.54 (8th)

Terry Murray has brought structure to this team whether fans want to admit it or not. The Kings essentially replaced Sean O’Donnell and Randy Jones with Willie Mitchell and some combination of Davis Drewiske, Jake Muzzin, Alec Martinez, and Peter Harrold.

The signing of Mitchell looks like a miss so far. He’s managed to play in only 21 of the Kings first 46 games this season. Fans were worried about his concussion; should have been worried about everything else.

Alec Martinez has been a pleasant surprise this season. After really struggling during his NHL debut last year; he returned to L.A. this year with a lot more confidence and poise.

SHOTS PER GAME:
2009-10: 29.1 (22nd)
2010-11: 29 (23rd)

These stats can be a bit misleading. San Jose is leading the league with 33.9 shots a game. The Minnesota Wild are 30th with 26 shots per game. But none the less, the Kings find themselves in the bottom third of the league.

The Kings don’t have much elite talent up front. With that said, they need to value puck possession. Too many times you see the Kings start out from their own end with a pass through the neutral zone and when the puck gets there; it’s a dump and chase into the zone. Then they’re put on the defensive again. Possess the puck and get something out wide and to the net.

SHOTS ALLOWED PER GAME:
2009-10: 27.6 (3rd)
2010-11: 27.7 (2nd)

Once again, a prime example that Terry Murray’s structure works at limiting opponent’s shots. This statistic doesn’t necessarily show the quality of chances given up. Keep this in mind as well. The Thrashers have given up the most shots per game at 34.4 while the Devils have given up the fewest at 27.6. New Jersey is currently 30th in the NHL in the standing so you be the judge. The Kings shot differential for the season is +1.3; while last year it stood at +1.6. The NHL leader last season was Chicago at +9.0 shots. San Jose leads the league this year with a +5.3 shots per game.

Bernier Hasn't Challenged Quick Much This Year.

SAVE PERCENTAGE:
2009-10: .907% (18th)
2010-11: .907% (16th)

Maybe the Kings biggest question going into the season was who would emerge as the Kings #1. As much as Quick has struggled in January; his SV% still sits at .919% for the season (well above his .907% last year and more in line with his 2008-09 numbers). He’s still susceptible to giving up a softy and it can become quite an adventure when he decides to stickhandle the puck.

Jonathan Bernier’s first full season in Los Angeles has probably disappointed quite a few fans. Most (including me) had him pegged to grab the starting job away from Quick by this point of the season. His 3.08 GAA and .893 SV% have been pretty underwhelming.

One good thing: Bernier has already started 12 games this year. Erik Ersberg (2.40 GAA, .906 Sv%) started seven games all season last year.

Stoll Managed To Hit The Net Here

POWER PLAY PERCENTAGE:
2009-10: 20.8% (7th)
2010-11: 17.5% (19th)

Can you blame Drew Doughty for the struggles of the PP this season? The Norris Trophy finalist from a season ago had 9 goals and 22 assists on the man-advantage in 82 games last season. He’s got one goal and six assists in 40 games this year. Jack Johnson’s success on the PP (3G, 18A) has helped to offset Doughty’s lack of production.

Bottom line: The Kings setup and execution is flawed. Kopitar needs to shoot the puck. Doughty needs to shoot the puck. Jarret Stoll should not shoot the puck. Jarret Stoll is a faceoff specialist. Guess what? So are Zenon Konopka, David Steckel, and Manny Malhotra but you don’t keep guys like that out on the PP. Especially, guys that can’t consistently hit the net.

Jamie Kompon continues to setup in an umbrella formation. Doughty at the blueline setting up Kopitar and Stoll along the boards for one-timers. It doesn’t work if Stoll can’t find the net with his shot. He shoots it wide. He shoots it high. It just doesn’t work. Kopitar and Doughty are the Kings two most dangerous weapons on the PP and they need to assert themselves. Jarret Stoll needs to find himself a cozy spot on the bench and park it.

I might be in the minority but I miss Alexander Frolov and his wraparound attempts. Who on the Kings takes it to the net on the PP?

Sheldon Souray can help this team. Yes. I am a broken record. He is still only two years removed from a 53-point season that saw him record 12 goals and 11 assists on the man-advantage. 12 PP goals would have been second on the team last year. Is he great in his own end? No but even Marc-Andre Bergeron carved himself out a spot on the Habs blueline as a PP specialist and Souray is more defensively responsible than him.

Worst case scenario: TM dresses seven defenseman and sits Westgarth…

Mitchell Helps The PK But His Health Is A Huge Question

Penalty Kill Percentage:
2009-10: 80.3% (20th)
2010-11: 82.7% (11th)

The Kings PK (75.9%) in January has been horrendous. They overachieved in October, killing penalties at a nearly 90% clip but everyone should have known that wouldn’t last. The saying goes: your goaltender is your best penalty killer. Quick’s .891 SV% in January says it all.

2011 WJC Review: Schenn, Forbort, & Kitsyn

2011-01-08T00:40:00.000-08:00

What A Game

I don’t blame you if you don’t care much about the IIHF U-20 World Junior Championships. Canada is the only country keeping this tournament going. With that said, you owe it to yourself as a hockey fan to watch the Gold Medal Game between Canada and Russia. And read this article.

The Kings had three players at this year’s tournament: Brayden Schenn, Derek Forbort, and Maxim Kitsyn. Check out Dean Lombardi's comments on the kids. I’m no scout but here’s my impressions of the three Kings prospects and how they fared at this year's WJC.

BRAYDEN SCHENN (Canada) 5th Overall, 2009
The pressure was on Schenn to lead Canada this year. One of only four returnees from last year’s squad (and the only returning forward); Canada relied heavily on the 19-year old to carry the offense. He responded with one of the most dominating performances in WJC history; recording 18 points (8 G, 10 A) in the tournament, tying Canada’s all-time record in a tournament. He was selected as the tournament’s MVP, Best Forward, and earned a spot on the tournament’s All-Star Team.

No Taylor Hall. No Tyler Seguin. No Problem. Schenn-sational. Schenn was by far the best player at the tournament. His two-way game and ability to play in all situations for Canada should have Kings fans extremely excited. His vision, poise with the puck, and playmaking ability are NHL-ready. He led the tournament with eight goals; opportunities that were being denied during his eight-game NHL stint earlier this year were finding the back of the net in Buffalo. The majority of his eight goals came from outworking defenders in front of the net for rebound opportunities. His four-goal performance against Norway was impressive but three of the goals went right thru the goaltender (which you see a lot in a tournament like this).

They’re saying Schenn will miss the next two weeks to recover from a separated shoulder suffered in Canada’s victory over the Swiss. Where Schenn continues to play this season is anyone’s guess. There’s been widespread speculation that the Kings would prefer that Schenn be traded from the last-place Wheat Kings. Schenn’s hometown Saskatoon Blades currently sit atop the WHL standings; adding Schenn might guarantee them a spot in the Memorial Cup.

You have to appreciate everything about Schenn’s performance. After being in limbo for nearly a month in Los Angeles, traveling to Manchester for a two-week ‘conditioning stint’, being returned to Brandon, and then responding with a record-setting individual performance while playing through an injury speaks volumes about the character makeup of this kid. The possibilities of having Kopitar and Schenn down the middle for the next decade should have Kings fans extremely excited.

DEREK FORBORT ( USA) 15th overall, 2010
Forbort had a pretty uneventful performance for the underachieving Americans. I tuned in to watch Forbort in the USA-Sweden Bronze Medal game and couldn’t find him on-the-ice. The WJC rules allow for teams to dress 20 skaters (as opposed to the usual 18) which means an additional defenseman and forward on the bench. Forbort seemed to slip on the depth chart as the tournament progressed. For a player to dress for six games and not record a single statistic: SOG, +/-, PIM is quite a feat. I actually had to go back to the archives on TSN to get a glimpse of Forbort.

When the tournament began Forbort was consistently paired with Nick Leddy, an offensive-minded D prospect for the the Chicago Blackhawks. Forbort was Leddy’s safety net. The more I watched Forbort; the more I thought I was watching Rob Scuderi.

At 6’5, you’d like to see Forbort be a more physical force on the blueline. Instead, he utilizes his long reach and an active stick to stop attacking forwards. He skates well for his size although his first stride is always back towards his own net; he never strayed too far from there. Hence, he was always well-positioned in the defensive zone. He didn’t show much of an offensive game, often choosing to chip the puck off the boards instead of skating it out of the zone himself or trying to hit a streaking forward with a pass.

When the competition ratcheted up against Canada; Forbort was a bit more exposed. Somewhat of a gentle giant, he consistently lost battles along the boards against the more physical Canadians. Dean Lombardi is obviously high on Forbort’s upside; DL gave up one of his coveted second-round picks to move up four spots in last year’s draft to select him. With that said, I was more impressed in the tournament by the forwards drafted with the Kings original draft picks: Nick Bjugstad (19th overall) and Jason Zucker (59th overall). But as the line always goes: It takes longer for defensemen to develop. Being the second youngest defender on Team USA’s blueline, Forbort will get an opportunity next year to take on a bigger role for the Americans.

MAXIM KITSYN (Russia) 158th overall, 2010
Drafting Kitsyn in the 6th round (158th overall) at last year’s draft was an absolute no-brainer for the Kings. Kitsyn’s KHL contract probably scared off a lot NHL GM's but after watching Kitsyn’s impressive WJC performance; there are more than a few GM's kicking themselves for passing on this kid. Kitsyn gave North American fans a glimpse of his promise back in November by leading Team Russia to victory in the 2010 SUBWAY Super Series. Kitsyn led the series in scoring with six points (4 G, 2 A) in six games.

At this year’s WJC, Kitsyn took more of a supporting role behind his highly touted linemates Vladimir Tarasenko and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The two first-round picks carried the play for Russia but Kitsyn didn't look out of place one bit. The Russian Trio combined to form the most dominating forward line in the entire tournament. The line combined for 31 points in seven games (13 G, 18 A, +22, 77 SOG). Kitsyn finished the WJC with nine points (5 G, 4 A) in seven games.

At 6’2, Kitsyn skates very well for his size and possesses good offensive instincts. He has an obvious knack for scoring. He was consistently buzzing around the net all tournament long banging home rebounds and passes from Kuznetsov and Tarasenko. His hands and ability to finish around the net reminded me a lot of Alexander Frolov. It’ll be interesting to see how Kitsyn’s game looks when he’s not skating with two gamebreakers like Tarasenko and Kuznetsov.

The speculation began in early-December that Kitsyn would stay in North America following the WJC and join the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors of the OHL. It was confirmed on Thursday that he will in fact suit up for the Majors. Ironically enough, Kitsyn will be playing for Dave Cameron, the head coach of Team Canada’s WJC team. The Majors are currently the top team in the OHL and hosting this year’s Memorial Cup. His career path may remind a lot of Kings fans of another Russian prospect Andrei Loktionov who joined the Windsor Spitfires in time to win the 2009 Memorial Cup.

Dimitri Chesnokov confirmed on Hockey Night In Canada Radio that Kitsyn would join the Majors for the remainder of this season but also speculated that a possible agreement had been reached between Kitsyn’s KHL club, Novokuznetsk Metallurg and the Majors that Kitsyn would be returned back to the KHL at the end of the season. Only time will tell but it should be exciting to see what Kitsyn can accomplish over the next four months in the OHL.

VERTIGO!...& Marco Sturm...::Yawn::...

2010-12-17T16:06:00.000-08:00

Sturm Sometimes Wears Eye Black To Intimidate His Opponents

VERTIGO
First off, vertigo is no joke. I woke up with ringing in the ear and the room spinning. It's been two weeks now; after a trip to the ER and a trip to the doctor's office...the spinning has gone away and only the ringing remains. My symptoms were so severe that I was forced to miss Jarome Iginla's first-visit to Staples Center this season. I'll have to wait until March to debut my converted Patrick O'Sullivan #12 game worn jersey that now reads IGINLA. Moving on...

MARCO STURM
So Sturm is a King after all. Yippee. And the Kings ended up saving themselves a few bucks in the process. The Kings got a 32-year old seven-time 20-goal scorer for free. Well, not free. They'll be paying him a little under $2.5 million for the remainder of the season which should leave them plenty of cap space to acquire Brad Richards when Dean Lombardi grows a pair (w0ah, thaaat was harsh; must still have a bit of vertigo...).
If you caught his interview with Jim Fox during the second-intermission of the Kings/Blues game; Sturm seems like a likable guy that smiles alot and you can understand why many of his Bruins' teammates were so bummed to see him leave. Marc Savard on 'Sturmie':

“...I’ll remember most I think, the play when I set him up when he first returned from his first knee surgery in ’09 and him just thanking me. He was a class act. He’s going to get a great chance at a Cup there and they’re getting a great person and a great player in LA. I wish him nothing but the best unless he’s playing us.”

Nice to know that Marc Savad thinks of us as Cup contenders, eh? Sturm gave a scouting report of himself: speed, speed...speed and I can score goals. He's had major surgery on both knees so let's hope that his speed comes back sooner than later. The Kings have set a tentative return date of December 23rd. We'll see...

I'm still bitter about losing out on Tomas Fleischmann. Flash has found instant chemistry with Matt Duchene in Colorado and quickly put up 10 points in seven games for the Avs. He'll be a UFA at the end of the season if the Avs don't lock him up before then. Would be a nice secondary option to Brad Richards and Paul Kariya...of course.

Marco Sturm To The Kings...Just Kidding!

2010-12-04T03:27:00.000-08:00

Dean Lombardi:"The San Jose Sharks are proud to select from EV Landshut of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga Marco Sturm."

Tomas Fleischmann was rumored to L.A.. He's a member of the Colorado Avalanche now. At 26 years old, Fleischmann could have been a part of the Kings core group going forward. His situation reminds me alot of Patrick Sharp. Sharp was buried on a deep Philadelphia Flyers roster and Philly dealt him to Chicago. Given the opportunity to play in a top-6 role with the Blackhawks; Sharp has become the team's most consistent goal threat. Have the Kings let the next Patrick Sharp slip by? Only time will tell. In limited time; Flash netted 23 goals and 51 points in 69 games.

The Kings responded quickly...sorta...by acquiring a player very similar to Fleischmann. Just six years older and coming off major knee surgery.

TSN's Bob McKenzie's twitter with the play-by-play on the botched Marco Sturm to Kings rumors.

Marco Sturm has been traded to the LA Kings. Details to follow.
Sturm is UFA at end of this season. $3.5M cap hit. He is 2-3 weeks away from playing. Thrilled to land in LA. Waived his NTC to go there.
Hearing the Bruins received a conditional draft pick for Sturm.
Medical issues clouding potential Marco Sturm trade from BOS to LAK. No deal in place at this time. Some uncertainty whether it gets done.
Sturm waived NTC to go to LAK and thought he was on his way but fact he is still injured complicated matters. Stay tuned. No timeline.
BOS GM Chiarelli says he spoke to Sturm about waiving NTC but no trade with another team was ever consummated.
Sturm, tho, thought trade was going thru. Sources say LAK backed off over how long before/uncertainty over when Sturm would be back.
Final word on aborted Sturm deal: LAK were furnished with player's medical records. They had concerns with what they saw.
My own personal opinion is that once Sturm is actually ready to play, this BOS-LAK deal could get re-visited. We will see, I suppose.

Sturm is coming off a torn-ACL and MCL that he suffered in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals back in May. His recovery time was quoted at six months but in reality it takes most players at least a full calendar year to recover. Anyone that remembers Michal Handzus's first season in Los Angeles will remember him lumbering around the ice at what seemed about 60% after coming off major-knee surgery. Zeus eventually bounced back but it took a full year for him to get back to his career averages.

For a player like Marco Sturm who relies more heavily on his speed and skating ability to create offense; it's a shaky proposal at best to think Sturm could return to form in time to help the Kings this season. At a cap hit of $3.5 million and Sturm expected to miss at least another 2-3 weeks; the Kings would be paying Sturm close to $400,000 before he even laces them up in a game. It's just good business sense not to make a deal for the 32-year old until he's completely healthy.

BOTTOM LINE: Considering it's been made public that Chiarelli approached Sturm about waiving his NMC; it's only a matter of time before this deal gets done. Once Sturm is completely healthy; Chiarelli will be forced to clear more cap space and moving Sturm is the likely solution. Lombardi and Hextall love players they're familiar with and Sturm fits the bill. I'll say Sturm is a King by the new year.

A little Marco Sturm highlight reel so you know what to expect when he's lined up next to Kopi.

Struggles, Ray Whitney & Fleischmann To The Kings?

2010-11-29T11:07:00.000-08:00

Willie Mitchell More Important To Kings Than Drew Doughty?

I could do a recap of the Kings pathetic road trip but Kingscast has that covered. I could do a recap of the Kings loss to the Hawks but TheRoyalHalf has that covered. So I'm going to do what I do best: Spin the Rumor Mill.

Wow. Who knew that the Willie Mitchell/Alexei Ponikarovsky loss would affect L.A. more than the loss of Drew Doughty. (I wonder if Dean Lombardi points to the team's splits at the negotiating table with Drew's agent?...). Had it not been for Jonathan Quick's miraculous shootout performance in Boston; the Kings could easily be winless in their last seven games (Although, one could say the Kings were robbed in Ottawa, which we were, but moving on...).

Coach continues to pull names out of a hat to fill the Kings first-line left wing spot. Coach has tried seven different players there and no one has stepped up. Lombardi went shopping in Manchester and the best Hexy could offer was Dwight King. In Dwight's defense, he has played his game but most fans can agree his game is best suited to play in the bottom-six. In six games, he's averaging slightly under 12 minutes a game while registering zero points and three shots on goal. I wouldn't be surprised if we see John Zeiler up on the Kings first-line tomorrow night.

The Kings need to look outside the system for help.

RAY WHITNEY RANT
Remember when the Kings almost traded for Ray Whitney at last year's deadline? Remember when Whitney was a free-agent? Remember when Phoenix signed Whitney to a 2-year deal worth $6 million while the Kings were still trying to court some Russian dude? I'm not a huge Whitney fan but he can still play and would have looked great setting up Kopitar. 'The Wizard' has 16 points in 20 games and seven points on the power play. Yeah. He could have helped.

'Flash' To The Kings? Kings Marketing Staff Has Been Waiting Ever Since 'Felix The Cat' Left

TOMAS FLEISCHMANN RUMOR?
Dmitry Chesnokov is a PuckDaddy blogger based out of D.C. and is one of the most well-connected Russian hockey sources out there. He set HFBoards ablaze with this series of tweets Sunday afternoon. Per DChesnokov's twitter.

A trade may be in the works very soon involving #Caps. Trying to confirm right now (trade info). Rumor has it a forward for a def. But I haven't got a confirmation yet. It may as well involve a forward who was a healthy scratch last game.

Now if Eklund or Hockeybuzzbarry sends this vague series of tweets to the masses; most fans disregard it as garbage. But Chesnokov is a pretty trusted source on all things Caps. Chesnokov's four tweets led to a 14-page thread, 350 post responses and counting. Pretty impressive. Most fans have come to the conclusion that the Caps player most likely being discussed is 26-year old underachieving left wing Tomas Fleischmann. I prayed to the Twitter gods that L.A. was in on him.

HFBoards is blowing up over possible #Caps trade. Hopefully it's Fleischmann to the #LAKings. Would look nice on 1st line.

And the Twitter gods responded with a barrage of tweets Monday morning regarding a possible Caps-Kings deal. I have zero insider information; that's why my site is called LA Kings Outsider. Late Sunday evening, a Canucks beat writer releases this article and a series of tweets regarding a possible Fleischmann for Bieksa rumor that had surfaced.

Latest twist in Fleischmann rumours has the Caps forward headed to the Kings, not Canucks. Stayed tuned. He's obviously going somewhere.

Am I the source? I've got no idea. I discussed a hypothetical Schenn for Iginla deal a couple weeks before it was shot down by TSN's Bob McKenzie. And now this latest doozey. With a twitter account, Capgeek.com's revamped Trade Machine, and some creative thinking...you too can spin the rumor mill with the likes of Eklund and Hockeybuzzbarry!

I'll drop my full scouting report on 'Flash' when he's officially ours. Cliffnotes: He immediately becomes our top-skilled winger. But who knows. Maybe the Kings are talking to Washington about Alex Semin. Or his Russian comrade...Alex Ovechkin. I hope I didn't just start an Ovechkin to L.A. rumor. I need to stop this!

Panic, Defense, and Dwight

2010-11-20T14:50:00.000-08:00

PANIC TIME!
With the Kings in the midst of a three-game losing streak; it's time to hit the panic button. The Kings defensive zone play in the past three games has been terrible. Untimely penalties, terrible zone coverage, and just a lack of intensity at times have cost the Kings in the last three games. Only four points separates all five teams in the Pacific Division. Yikes!

Thomas Hickey...Where are you?

WHERE'S THOSE PROSPECTS?!?!
The loss of Willie Mitchell has exposed the lack of NHL-ready defenseman in the Kings system. Davis Drewiske has played solid this season but he can't anchor a defensive pairing. When Coach Murray pairs him with Peter Harrold or Jake Muzzin; Kings fans everywhere start getting the sweats. If Campbell, Hickey, Martinez, Teubert, Voynov, etc. aren't ready to step in now; it's time to acquire someone who can. Souray anyone? I thought former Flame Ian White may been the perfect acquisition but those dreams were crushed when he was dealt to Carolina earlier this week.

LEFT WING
The Kings failed to sign Ilya Kovalchuk and while Kovy's contract seems to have single-handedly destroyed the New Jersey Devils franchise and 23 years worth of work for Lou Lamoriello; the Kings miss Kovy (or at least a player like him). The Kings have lost a number of 30-goal scorers that played the left-side. Michael Cammalleri, Alexander Frolov, and yes...even Matt Moulson. The rumors of Iginla to L.A. continue (which I think I started...Schenn for Iginla???) but their need for a left wing is more pressing. Dean Lombardi should be monitoring Paul Kariya's health and interest in playing this season. It's been a revolving door on the first-line alongside Kopitar and Brown all season long with no success.

First, Scott Parse played decent enough during his five games but he'll be out 3-4 months after surgery to repair the labrum in his hip. Any hope of Parse emerging as the next Kris Versteeg will have to be postponed until at least the 2011-12 season. Then Coach Murray tried Brad Richardson there. He's got some good speed with decent hands but he's best served as a bottom-six forward.

And now...Dwight King.

Dwight King: The missing link?

DWIGHT WHO?
Five random facts on Dwight King so you can impress other Kings fans with your vast knowledge on our new 1st line left wing.

Dwight was selected with the Kings 4th round pick in 2007. A pick they acquired from Calgary along with Jamie Lundmark and a 2008 2nd round pick in exchange for Craig Conroy.
The Kings had ten picks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Dwight is the fourth Kings selection from '07 to make his NHL debut joining Oscar Moller, Wayne Simmonds, and Alec Martinez. Only Thomas Hickey and Joshua Turnbull remain in the Kings system.
King spent five seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL. The Hurricanes selected Dwight 4th overall in the 2004 WHL Bantam Draft. Other notable draftees: Thomas Hickey (3rd), Brandon Sutter (6th), Luke Schenn (20th), Kyle Turris (41st).
Dwight has a brother D.J. who currently plays for the Washington Capitals. D.J. spent the last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues.
My Dwight scouting report: Possesses good size at 6'3, 218. He's a grinder that plays a physical style. His game reminds me a bit of Wayne Simmonds minus the flashes of offensive flair and awkward skating stride. He's a bottom six forward that's ideal in a checking-line role. More well-suited replacing Ponikarovsky on the Kings third-line than 'Kovalchuk' on the first.

Photo Drop: Kings Warmups v. Dallas

2010-11-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

LASERS!

Dallas came to play against the Kings but L.A. stood their ground and won a close one 3-1. Game got physical in the second and third periods. Former King Brandon Segal stopped Kyle Clifford's fists with his face. Jonathan Quick played outstanding once again, earning the game's first star, and then refusing an interview with Heidi after the game...

Justin Williams sniped a beautiful goal on the power play in the third. He's been playing outstanding this season (knock on wood). A fan actually called into Kings Talk and asked about the Kings extending Williams's contract past this season...who would of thought after the way he finished last season...

Some of my favorite photos after the jump or see them all on my Flickr page.

Subway Super Series: Maxim Kitsyn

2010-11-10T01:40:00.000-08:00

The Kings may have missed out on Ilya Kovalchuk in the off-season but they have their own high-scoring Russian left winger garnering alot of attention at the annual Subway Super Series. The Super Series is a six game exhibition between the best Russian junior players and All-Star teams from the OHL, WHL, & QMJHL.

Maxim Kitsyn, a 6th round pick of the Kings at the 2010 Draft, recorded two goals and an assist in Russia's 5-4 win over the QMJHL and earned the star of the game for the Russian squad. Kitysn, led the event with four goals in six games last season. Read my initial impressions of Kitsyn at Development Camp back in July. Russianprospects.com provides this scouting report of Kitsyn.

A power forward with smooth hands...good skater, doesn't have a great technique of skating, but has a good top speed and acceleration...good balance, it's not easy to knock him off the puck, but he needs to work on that as well...must improve his defensive commitment and play...he has a promising frame, but needs to bulk up and play more physical...soft hands, can bring up the puck and dribble past blue liners...rarely exaggerates with the puck, unlike many other Russian junior players...excellent finishing touch around the crease...can get in front of the goalie and score after a rebound...quick wrist shot and one timer...passive on defense, but not bad forechecker...an interesting player that can potentially play also on checking lines if he works on the defensive coverage...

Kitsyn was drafted 17th overall by the Mississsauga St. Michael's Majors at the 2010 CHL Import Draft but remained in the KHL. He actually grabbed alot of fan's attention with his hat-trick last week playing for Metallurg.

Other Kings prospects at the Subway Super Series: Defenseman Nicolas Deslauriers, an 8th round pick in 2009, scored a goal for the Q. Goaltender Jean-Francois Berube, a 4th round pick in 2010, played 29 minutes for Team QMJHL giving up two goals on 14 shots. Check out highlights from the Russia-QMJHL game and analysis.

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Bill Plaschke Likes Hockey?!

2010-11-09T17:37:00.000-08:00

Bill Plaschke says, "I Like Hockey!"

If you didn't read the Sunday L.A. Times you missed out a rare gem. Bill Plaschke, one of the last sports columnists at the Times decided to write an article about our beloved Kings. Read it here. If you don't want to read it all; here's the Cliffnotes version: Plaschke can't believe that Kings players actually like spending time with each other. The Kings are winning and the rest of Los Angeles should start jumping on the bandwagon with him. Now for my favorite part of the article.

I'm not sure if Plaschke was using some sort of literary device to exaggerate how little he knows about the game of hockey but I had to read it over twice because it read so terrible...

But until then, they are fun enough that even while UCLA's Kai Forbath was kicking a game-winning field goal against Oregon State on Saturday night, I was perfectly jazzed watching as Kopitar took a pass off the boards from Brown, juked two Nashville defenders and stuck the puck in the upper corner of the net.

Juked? I believe the word he's looking for is 'deked.'
...stuck the puck in the upper corner of the net? Shot the puck top shelf sounds a bit better, eh?

I'm going to e-mail him right now...

Hockey Cards

2010-11-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

I use to collect hockey cards. ALOT of hockey cards. More hockey cards than any kid should have. I quickly learned that 1990-91 was the year to collect. You could pull rookie cards of superstars like Jeremy Roenick, Mike Modano, Alexander Mogilny, Curtis Joseph, etc. It looks like alot of trading card companies including Upper Deck will release a set with a vintage look from 20 years ago. I've been playing around with Photoshop and decided to give it a shot with my own pictures on a couple custom cards.

Photo Drop: Tampa Bay Lightning

2010-11-08T15:02:00.000-08:00

Jack Johnson Checks Mattias Ritola

A little late to the show but check out some pictures I took at Thursday's 1-0 victory vs. Tampa Bay. Check out some of my favorites after the jump. And check out all of them on my Flickr page.

Vincent Lecavalier

Anze Kopitar Shot Attempt on Mike Smith

Steve Downie Is Crazy

Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla

2010-11-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

King Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla

Pierre LeBrun jumped on Hot Stove on HNIC and speculated that if the Calgary Flames were to move Jarome Iginla; the Kings would be a perfect fit. He reiterated his point on HNIC Radio that he's got from sources that Iginla is atop the Kings 'wish-list' if he were to become available.

(Iginla) would go along with the character-type guys the Kings have added over the last two years, players like Ryan Smyth and Willie Mitchell.

I couldn't agree more. The Kings failed to acquire Kovalchuk. The cap space is still sitting there. The team is still missing that top-line scoring winger. Dean Lombardi has exhausted the point that he doesn't want to jeopardize the signings of Doughty, Johnson, and Simmonds. I absolutely get that point but look at any of the teams that have won a Cup in the post-salary cap era and all of them went 'all-in' for a couple of seasons before losing some key contributors as part of the salary cap. It's part of building a team now. The Kings are one or two players short from being considered legit contenders and the time is now to pull the trigger on a deal.

WHY NOW?...
The latest drama out cowboy town came last week when Coach Brent Sutter called out his team, especially it's top players. Per CBC.

"The only way you can be a consistently good team is that it doesn't matter who you are, this is what you have to do; it doesn't matter what you've done here in the past, what you've done somewhere else in the past. This is our team and this is the way we have to play," Sutter said.

According to Hotstove panelist Eric Francis of Sun Media, the words were aimed straight at Iginla, despite attempts by Sutter and the coach himself to back-off the comments"It seems pretty obvious, everyone in the city is connecting the dots, it's all about Jarome Iginla," Francis said. "Iginla is not the power forward he used to be and that's what I think is driving Brent Sutter crazy."

Both Sutter and Iginla have denied any rift. Reminds me of when Sutter called out Phaneuf's play, denied that he was on the trading block, and then dealt him within weeks. CBC's Elliot Friedman weighs-in.

Two things about Jarome Iginla: First, there clearly are some high-ranking people in the Calgary organization who want him to go. Second, I was told in the summer that Iginla will not agree to a trade unless the Flames make it public that any move is the team's choice, not his.

It's obviously too early in the season to speculate about a possible trade but if the Flames continue to play .500 hockey and are sitting outside of the playoff race in a month or two; the Kings would be foolish not to approach Calgary about acquiring Iginla.

Phaneuf Was A Franchise Cornerstone Too...

IGINLA IS THE FRANCHISE IN CALGARY...
Some fans may think that the thought of even discussing Iginla leaving Calgary is ludicrous. I was under the same impression until Calgary dealt 24-year old defenseman Dion Phaneuf last season to Toronto for a collection of second-and-third-line players (PS- I prefer Phaneuf to Bouwmeester anyday). The Flames were a desperate bunch then and I'd argue an even more desperate squad now. GM Darryl Sutter surprised alot of fans when he brought back veteran center Olli Jokinen in the hopes of getting Iginla going again but seemed to overlook the fact that the two had absolutely zero chemistry last season.

The Flames roster is dominated by overpaid second-and third-liners and eleven players with no-movement clauses (including Iginla). Sutter has over $18-million committed to his top-four defenseman next season after re-signing Mark Giordano to a 5-year/$20.1 million deal. With no real top talents at the AHL level or anywhere in the system; something has to happen in Calgary.

IGINLA'S OVER-THE-HILL...
Yes. He's 33 year old. Yes. His PPG average has dropped over the last five seasons: 1.34, 1.20, 1.09, 0.84 and so far this season - 0.64. With that said, he's scored at least 30 goals in nine consecutive seasons and is only two years removed from a 50-goal campaign in 2007-08. For all the veteran band-aid acquisitions that Dean Lombardi's made over his tenure as GM: Dan Cloutier, Alyn McCauley, Justin Williams, Ryan Smyth, and Jeff Halpern; Iginla is about as durable as it gets. In the five seasons since the 2004-05 lockout, Iginla has played in all 82 games four times. He's still annually among the league leaders in ice-time and led all forwards in even-strength ice-time last season.

There are some skeptics that believe Iginla is on the decline and has been for quite some time. I'd agree to an extent. You can read all about Iginla's offensive decline complete with Corsi numbers and trend models comparing Iginla's decline to Markus Naslund's here. Even more analysis here.

"However, the true extent of his degradation as an elite player is captured by the WOWY analysis: previously a driver of results, Iginla acted mostly as an anchor in 2009-10. Every single line mate saw their possession numbers go down while skating with the club’s most expensive player. The explanation does not lie in contextual factors like quality of opposition or difficulty of zone starts either: Jarome’s circumstances varied widely throughout the season, but the results were depressingly consistent."

I'd agree that Iginla isn't the dominant player he was earlier in the decade and can't carry a team's offensive load anymore. With that said, Iginla's linemates have gone from good to average over recent seasons. From Kristian Huselius, Alex Tanguay, and Michael Cammalleri to the likes of Jokinen, Matt Stajan, and and Tanguay again after stops in Montreal and Tampa. I'd argue that Iginla has been asked to carry a line more last season than ever before because of the lack of talent surrounding him. The game plan for any team going into Calgary: Stop Iginla and you stop the Flames.

PERFECT FIT...
I'd argue that Iginla is still one of the league's top power forwards and point to his tournament-leading five goals at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver playing alongside Sidney Crosby as proof. Per Flames Nation.

"(Crosby) and Jarome, when paired, were deployed by Babcock in purely offensive surroundings (o-zone draws, power play time), while feeding guys like Bergeron and Toews the tougher assignments...That said, this may be why it makes sense for a club already possessing the likes of Crosby or Bergeron to acquire Iginla presently - they already boast the pieces to effectively shelter Jarome and therefore leverage his contract to something approaching full value."

L.A.'s checking line of Handzus-Ponikarovsky-Simmonds is regarded as one of the best in the NHL and Kopitar is among the top-10 centers in the NHL. Iginla would seem like a perfect fit but I asked Kent at Flamesnation.ca who provided the Corsi analysis on his thoughts:

I think Iginla could definitely work in LA alongside Kopitar. Not only because Kopitar would be the guy carrying the mail on that line (instead of Jarome, who can't really do it anymore) but because it looks like LA is splitting hard minutes duties between Kopitar and Handzus' line this year, meaning some easier assignments for Iginla. He's still a capable enough player in his own right, but he's not amongst the elite anymore.

WHAT ABOUT BRAD RICHARDS...
Some would say that Brad Richards of Dallas is a better fit. He's younger (30) and a UFA at the end of the season. Richards is in the last year of a 5-year, $39-million contract. He's one of the best two-way centerman in the league and the reason Tampa Bay defeated Calgary in the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals. With that said, I think Iginla fits a more pressing need. Richards is a playmaker who's never scored more than 26 goals in a season. With the way the second-line of Smyth-Stoll-Williams are skating; the need for a second center to help support Kopitar doesn't seem as pressing as it did in September. The Kings need an impact player on the wing.

Schenn Would Grab Calgary's Attention

SO WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST...
I thought up numerous proposals. The one I keep coming back to is: Brayden Schenn, Colten Teubert/Thomas Hickey, and a 1st-round pick for Jarome Iginla. I asked Kent's thoughts on the return.

The package you suggest would be a pretty good starting point. I would personally seriously consider it myself, although it wouldn't surprise me if the Flames would like someone at least partially established as an NHLer in the deal. That said, if the organization ever decides is time to start some sort of rebuilding process, that may not be an issue. If the team struggles to make the post-season again this year, that may happen sooner rather than later.

I also asked Pierre Lebrun during his weekly chat.

I would if I were you Darryl. But not sure Dean would offer that much.

Iginla has two more years remaining at a cap hit of $7 million after this season. That's alot of money. Dean may certainly have to send another roster player to Calgary in return. If the Kings were to acquire Iginla. It would create a log-jam on the right wing with Iginla, Brown, Williams, and Simmonds. A possible inclusion of Williams and say puck-moving defenseman Ian White may make sense for both sides. Both players are UFA's at the end of the season.

But any package based around Wayne Simmonds or Jack Johnson seems a bit far-fetched. Simmonds is a second-line player at best, Calgary already has nearly $20-million tied up in four d-men next season. If Darryl Sutter is willing to make a deal with either of these players as centerpieces; it would seem like a no-brainer for Dean Lombardi.

Dean Lombardi has built the Kings the right way. He's put the organization in a position to make a deal of this magnitude. The days of dynasties in the NHL are done. Most contending teams will have a small window to contend for a Cup; the Kings window is just now opening. It's time for the Los Angeles Kings to breakthrough and and for Dean Lombardi to make a statement that they're serious about challenging for the Cup now. Acquiring Jarome Iginla would be a good start.

Thanks Matty!

2010-11-01T02:17:00.000-07:00

Mattias Norstrom: A Class Act

The Kings really know how to throw a party. Nothing says, "Thank you Matty!" like a Swiss Coffee Maker. Did you know that Matty was a two-time All-Star?!?! It was great to see fan favorites like Ian Laperriere and Rob Blake (I kid...I kid) back at Staples Center. Ilya Kovalchuk haters filled the arena as he was booed every time he touched the puck. Kovalchuk had his moments but the Kings took the game 3-1.

The Kings 'secondary scoring' continues to carry the offensive load for the Kings. Justin Williams (1G, 1A) and Jarret Stoll (1G, 2A) continue their strong play. Jack Johnson (7 points in 6 games) continues to improve with each game in the absence of Drew Doughty.
I appreciate Rob Scuderi and the simple game that he plays but I really wish he'd threaten a shot every once in a while. He's guaranteed to slap the puck into the corner without even looking to shoot and it drives me crazy. The one time Scuds shoots; the puck deflects off the end boards and leads directly to Stoll's goal. Just saying...Shoot!
The Devils took their game to a different level in the third period. New Jersey out shot the Kings 20-4 in the final period. Jonathan Quick stood tall and and turned away all 20 shots; stopping 39 of 40 shots.
The Devils have a ton of talent and are better than they've shown in the first three weeks of the season. They are sorely missing defenseman Anton Volchenkov who will instantly become their top defenseman when he's fit to play.
I love that the Kings have the best record in the NHL but watching Kovalchuk play live. I really wish he was a King...
P.S.- I had the answer to the second trivia question last night on Kings Talk. Who's the only King in franchise history to be chosen to two NHL All-Rookie Teams? Jamie Storr. Storr was a better goaltender than you think. Kings selected him 7th overall in the 1994 Entry Draft and rushed him into their net for the 1994-95 season; he would shuttle between the Kings and their IHL affiliate for the next four seasons before establishing himself as an NHL backup. Every time I heard a fan clamor for Jonathan Bernier; I couldn't help but think about 'what could have been' with Storr.
I was super excited to see Martin Brodeur play. And he was just as awesome as he is in NHL 11. Check out the pictures I snapped of Brodeur, Kovalchuk, and the Swiss Coffee Maker on my Flickr page. I'll post a few of my favorites below.

Martin Brodeur

Jamie Langenbrunner

Ilya Kovalchuk

Halloween Treat

2010-10-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

Brent Sopel or Bruce Wayne?...You Be The Judge

Although his time with the Kings was short-lived, Brent Sopel quickly became a fan-favorite amongst hockey fans in Los Angeles....OK...who am I kidding. Nobody liked Dave Taylor's last ditch effort to save his job by trading former first-round picks Denis Grebeshkov and Jeff Tambellini to the Isles for an injured Sopel and Mark Parrish.
But Halloween is this weekend and who wouldn't want to see an NHL defenseman dressed as Batman and babble on for a couple minutes. He actually writes a blog too that I stumbled upon (Life of a Hockey Widow).

For All You Canes Fans...

2010-10-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

Eric Staal

I shot a couple pictures of the Canes during warmups. Managed to get a few shots of former Kings Joe Corvo, Tom Kostopolous, and my favorite Patriiiick OOOOOO' Sullivan (Sorry, Tim Gleason fans). Check them all out on my Flickr page.

The Blindside

2010-10-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

Doughty Should Take All The Time He Needs

The 2010-11 NHL season has gotten off to quite a controversial start. We've seen seven suspensions and six fines thrown out in the first three weeks of the season. The Kings have found themselves right in the middle of a couple controversial hits over the past week. Let's take a look at both of them.

Exhibit A: Erik Cole's hit on Drew Doughty

I was at the game last week and saw the collision. Immediately, I saw Doughty hunch over and was a bit stunned but stayed on the ice for his shift. I had a bad feeling it was a concussion based on the stunned look he had. If it was his shoulder; he would have grabbed for it right away. The contact looked incidental at the time but after watching the replay numerous times; I didn't like it one bit.

First, Doughty releases the puck before he hits the red line; the contact is made past the blue line. A distance about 35-40 feet. The play is developing in front of Cole; Doughty's head is turned towards the puck after he released it. It appears that Cole chooses to turn at the exact time Doughty attempts to retreat towards his own blueline and then Cole decides to make his turn, line Doughty up, get his shoulder down, and brace for the hit.

The fact that absolutely nothing was called on the play really bothers me. OK. So maybe the ref didn't see a 'blindside' hit but he hit him a good three/four strides after he released the puck. Can we get an interference call at least?

If Doughty is able to get the puck in deep instead of turning it over; I guess we're not having this conversation but still...

Dean Lombardi's comments regarding the hit. Per Hammer.

“They viewed it as incidental contact, that these were two guys turning up ice and that he [Cole] wasn’t necessarily trying to finish his check, he was just more braced for it. This wasn’t a guy, in their interpretation, finishing a check. It was two guys turning back up ice when the puck was turned over. If they apply that standard, it’s not a suspension. In fairness, if you think about the Calgary game, with Westgarth, it’s very similar. They view this as the same type of situation, and if that’s the way they see if then, quite frankly, they’re right.”

The distance traveled between Westgarth and Bourque is alot longer but you can clearly see Westgarth attempt to jump out of the way at Bourque at the last-minute. Cole didn't attempt to avoid the contact at all but initiated it.

EXHIBIT B: Dustin Brown's hit on Antii Miettinen

Call me a homer but I disagreed with the call when I saw it live and I hate it even more after watching the replays. I actually thought Brownie might have gotten a charging/boarding penalty for crushing Greg Zanon into the end boards before his hit on Miettinen. The 'blindside' hit is at the referee's discretion. In this case, it was an overreaction to everything that's gone on over the year and could have cost the Kings two points.

In real-time, the hit didn't look good. Miettinen's body goes flailing after releasing the shot. But watching in on replay; Brown takes an extra stride to get in front of Miettinen. If it's a blindside hit, Brown's skates should be parallel with Miettinen's; Brown is clearly in front of Miettinen when he makes the hit. The initial point of contact was shoulder to shoulder. Miettinen is leaning during his follow thru which may make it appear that Brown 'targeted' the head but on replay it looked like a shoulder on shoulder hit.

Did anyone take notice of the Minnesota Wild players after the hit? Were they in uproar chasing Brown wanting to get even? Absolutely not because it was a hockey play. A player in a prime-scoring opportunity that's shooting the puck should be fair game. Brown shouldn't and won't get suspended for the hit.

Coach Murray and I may differ on having an enforcer take up a spot on in your lineup and play five shifts a game but we agreed on our assessments of the hit. Per Hammer.

“They have a split-second to see the play happen, but Brownie actually comes around in front of the player and hits shoulder on the front of his shoulder. There was no blow to the head. You have an offensive player in a prime scoring area, shooting the puck. The defending player has to have the ability to get contact there. You have to defend against that kind of a shot. It’s a prime scoring situation. I thought he made a tremendous effort to get in front of the shooter and it comes right from the front. There was not, in my view of it, on the replay, a blindside hit.”

Dear Versus programmers...If Brown was kicked out midway through the second period...maybe you shouldn't spotlight his matchup versus Mikko Koivu five times in the final 30 minutes. His stats aren't going to change when he's not on the ice. That is all.

2010-11 NHL Rookie Class

2010-10-18T00:43:00.000-07:00

The NHL Post-Lockout has given alot of young players the opportunity to make an immediate impact. I found a couple Youtube videos featuring the best of the this year's and last year's rookie classes. Pretty impressive stuff...

What Happened?!?!

2010-10-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

This news may have flown under the radar for most Kings fans but for me this is a crime. An absolute shame. The Manchester Monarchs for some odd reason decided to change their jerseys for the 2010-11 season. I got my first glance of these new sweaters in NHL 11 but thought EA Sports just didn't get the design in for some reason. Once the AHL season began; the new jerseys were unveiled on the ice. The Monarchs went from having one of the cleanest looking jerseys in the AHL to having one of the ugliest. I'm glad I got my Trevor Lewis gamer. Remember?

They use to look like this...

And now they look like this...

If it ain't broke...don't fix it!

Opening Night Recap

2010-10-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

You Know It's Opening Night When All 20 Kings Are Standing On The Blue Line For The National Anthem

The hockey season doesn't officially start for me until the home opener. It's always fun to get reacquainted with the Kings equipment managers and training staff. I didn't get there early enough for all the pregame fun outside of Staples Center but Chris Kontos over at The Royal Half did. Kings won 3-1.

I didn't get there early enough to shoot photos of the Kings during warmups but there wasn't anyone watching the Thrashers so I walked over there. Got lucky enough to shoot some pictures of the game too from some decent seats. Check out some of my favorites at the bottom of this post and check out the rest on my Flickr page.

I was pretty disappointed that the Kings didn't have any of the new retro jerseys for sale. I want the Edge-cut jersey; Team LA is trying to get away with selling the same vintage CCM jersey that's been available for years.

Kings pulled out all the stops with their pre-game ceremony this year. Laser show, cheesy early 90's CG video introduction, and the National Anthem performed by Slash (sidenote: I've now seen Slash perform the Anthem at a Clippers, Dodgers, and Kings game).

There was good energy from the crowd early but it seemed like the Kings went through the motions for the first two periods.
Three goals in the third period made up for their lackluster effort in the first two.
Ryan Smyth shut up all his doubters with a three-point night (2 G, 1 A).
Jonathan Quick had another strong performance stopping 31 of 32 Atlanta shots. Alot of fans seem to be jumping on the Bernier bandwagon and with good reason but Quick won 39 games for the Kings last season and he's not going to give up the #1 job without a fight.
The Smyth-Stoll-Williams had a strong showing.
The Rookies: Loktionov, Schenn, and Muzzin all looked comfortable. Loktionov got over 17 minutes of ice-time. Schenn received only nine minutes; about six minutes less than the 14 minutes he received in the previous two games.
Jack Johnson gave fans another reason to doubt his hockey IQ by taking a penalty for closing his hand on the puck in the first period.

Your 2010-11 Equipment Managers, Trainers, Coaching Staff, & Healthy Scratches!

Kings 2009 First-Rounder Brayden Schenn

Ben Eager Likes To Talk

Kings Celebrate Smitty's 2nd of The Game

Opening Weekend Recap

2010-10-11T02:30:00.000-07:00

Kopi's Ready For Halloween (PHOTO: ESPN)

THE GOOD

Kings score two goals this weekend and manage a split. Can't really complain about that.
The Kings throwback jerseys on Saturday were awesome. Jonathan Quick's pads and mask were great too. I like his throwback mask more than his current one. I was really hoping to see some names but the Kings didn't permanently add names to the back of their Road uniforms until the NHL required them for the 1977 season.
Kopitar wasn't seriously injured from an unintentional high-stick in the corner from Manny Malhotra that led to Kopi receiving 15 stitches on the outside; four on the inside, and the loss of a fake tooth.
Brayden Schenn looks like he belongs and should grab that open slot on the second-line any day now. Kyle Clifford seems to have lost all that aggression that earned him this opportunity. He may be on his way to Barrie before the week is over.
Jarett Stoll dominated the faceoff circle with ease this weekend: 9-11 v. Vancouver & 11-13 v. Calgary. Good for 83%.
Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier both looked solid in net. Their contrasting goaltending styles are entertaining to compare. Quick relies on his athleticism while Bernier is so positionally sound that he makes difficult saves look easy. Some will question Calgary's second-goal scored by...Craig Conroy...but I'm willing to guess that Drewiske screened and tipped that shot past Bernier. Besides, Bernier kept the Kings in the game on a number of occasions like this one...

THE BAD

The Kings 4-on-3 power play at the end of OT on Saturday was downright ugly. I'll give credit to the unit for keeping the puck in Vancouver's zone for the entire PP but watching Kopitar pass up open shooting lanes and instead defer to Stoll for one-times off the side boards and watch him miss the net three consecutive times was beyond frustrating. Sheldon Souray anyone?
Raitis Ivanans was unable to answer the bell on Sunday for Calgary after getting his own bell rung on Opening Night versus Edmonton's Steve MacIntyre. But in true Terry Murray fashion; he skated a fourth-line of Schenn-Clifford-Westgarth. And in true Ivanans-form; Westgarth proceeded to take two minor penalties for hooking and interference. FYI Coach: Tim Jackman isn't scaring anybody on the Kings.
Andrei Loktionov sitting in the press box. Either play him or get him back to Manchester. Please Dean...Don't let Coach give him the Oscar Moller-treatment.
My buddy picked up Alexei Ponikarovsky in our fantasy league auction draft for $9. I don't think I saw Poni or Simmer play in Calgary last night. I picked up Alexander Frolov for $18. I'm going to go out on a limb right now and say we both overpaid.

Prediction Time!

2010-10-06T15:16:00.000-07:00

My 2010-11 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings

With the season starting tomorrow; it's prediction time...

EASTERN CONFERENCE
The Capitals and Devils are head and shoulders above the rest. The Penguins added some nice pieces to their blueline but forcing Sidney Crosby to spend another season playing with Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz on his wings should be against league policy. If Philly can acquire a proven goaltender like Tim Thomas or Tomas Vokoun; they should be recognized as legit contenders as well.

1. Washington
2. New Jersey
3. Boston
4. Pittsburgh
5. Philadelphia
6. Ottawa
7. Buffalo
8. Tampa Bay

ATLANTIC
1. New Jersey- Will the $100-million man show up in the postseason this time around?
2. Pittsburgh- Will the additions of Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek to the blueline be enough to help M.A. Fleury get his game back on track?
3. Philadelphia- Can a combination of Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher lead this team again?
4. New York Rangers- Can the Rangers get enough secondary scoring behind Marian Gaborik and Alexander Frolov to compete in the Atlantic?
5. New York Islanders- Will the injuries to Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo end the Isles season before it even began?

NORTHEAST
1. Boston- Will a happy Nathan Horton carry the offensive load with Marc Savard on the shelf?
2. Ottawa- Can the Senators solve their goaltending issues before it’s too late?
3. Buffalo- Will the loss of Toni Lydman and Henrik Tillander be too much for the Sabres defense to overcome?
4. Montreal- Is Carey Price the franchise goaltender that fans anointed him three seasons ago?
5. Toronto- Can the NHL’s most expensive defense corps chip in enough offensively to make up for their lack of talent upfront?

SOUTHEAST
1. Washington- Can the Caps learn to play some defense?
2. Tampa Bay- Will the addition of Simon Gagne rejuvinate captain Vincent Lecavalier?
3. Carolina- Can Eric Staal and Cam Ward carry a team of youngsters?
4. Atlanta- Will all the former Blackhawks teach this young team how to win?
5. Florida- Can David Booth stay healthy long enough to carry this team offensively?

WESTERN CONFERENCE
The Red Wings have a third-line of Hudler-Modano-Cleary; that could be a first-line on alot of NHL teams. The Canucks addition of gritty veterans like Raffi Torres and Manny Malhotra should help their team in the postseason. The Sharks lost Blake and Nabokov and I'm not sold on a Niemi/Nittymaki tandem in goal. The Blackhawks core of Toews, Kane, Sharp, Keith, and Seabrook remained intact but it cost them alot of their key secondary contributors.

1. Detroit
2. Vancouver
3. San Jose
4. Chicago
5. Los Angeles
6. Phoenix
7. Colorado
8. Edmonton

CENTRAL
1. Detroit- Will the extra-time off help veterans Datsyuk, Lidstrom, and Zetterberg carry this team to another Cup?
2. Chicago- Will the loss of some key role players be too much for the reigning Cup champions?
3. St. Louis- Can their core of Oshie, Perron, Berglund, and Johnson take their games to the next level now that they’ve got Halak in goal?
4. Columbus- Can Steve Mason return to his Calder Trophy form?
5. Nashville- Will Shea Weber and Ryan Suter be able to get this team out of the first round?

NORTHWEST
1. Vancouver- Is Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard that much of an upgrade over Willie Mitchell and Sami Salo?
2. Colorado- Will Craig Anderson prove that last year wasn’t a fluke?
3. Edmonton- Will a combination of the Kids: Eberle, Hall, and Pajaarvi and healthy seasons from veterans Hemsky and Khabilbulin make this team the ultimate sleeper?
4. Calgary- Can Jokinen and Tanguay help Jarome Iginla regain his form as one of the league’s top power forwards?
5. Minnesota- Can Niklas Backstrom and the Wild D adjust their game to the Wild’s new attacking style?

PACIFIC
1. San Jose- Is a Niemi/Nittymaki combo an upgrade over Evgeni Nabokov?
2. Los Angeles- Can the Kings get enough scoring to be legitimate contenders?
3. Phoenix- Can the Ilya Bryzgalov and the Yotes prove that last season wasn’t a fluke?
4. Anaheim- Can the Ducks defensive corps survive with the loss of Scott Niedermayer?
5. Dallas- Will Kari Lehtonen put everything together and stay healthy for all 82 games?

PLAYOFFS?!?!
In the Eastern Conference Finals...I've got the Washington Capitals defeating the New Jersey Devils in Seven.
Ovechkin finally gets to the Cup Finals. Ovie & Semin outperform Kovalchuk and Parise. Varlamov proves to everyone that he's the real deal.

In the Western Conference Finals..I've got the Detroit Red Wings defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Six.
The Red Wings offensive fire power is too much for Vancouver. Jimmy Howard outperforms Bobby Lu and Niklas Lidstrom proves that he's still got plenty left in the tank shutting down the Sedin twins.

In the Stanley Cup Finals...I've got the Red Wings defeating the Capitals in Six.
The two-way play of Zetterberg and Datsyuk dominate Backstrom, Ovechkin, and Semin. The Wings get plenty of secondary help from Filppula, Hudler, Holmstrom, and Modano. The veteran Wings overwhelm the Capitals and take the Cup easily.

Frozen Fury XIII: Kings 3, Avs 2

2010-10-05T00:29:00.000-07:00

FF XIII: No Pacquiao-Mayweather But We Got Clifford-Wilson

Got back from Frozen Fury XIII earlier today. It was my fourth consecutive Frozen Fury weekend. Never gets old. Check out Chris Kontos's writeup on his first-ever F.F. experience at The Royal Half for the complete experience. I'll just get to my impressions of the game.

National Anthem: Kings Starting Lineup: Schenn, Clifford, Simmonds, Scuderi, JJ, Quick

I must bring out the crazy in Kyle Clifford. After seeing his linemate Brayden Schenn get nailed with a clean hit in the second period; Clifford chased down Avalance defenseman Ryan Wilson and dropped the gloves. If I remember correctly; Clifford received: 5 minutes for fighting, 2 minutes for instigating, and a 10 minute game misconduct. Now, he didn't quite reach the 19 PIMs that he got the last time I saw him play but he's going to be fantasy hockey GOLD if he keeps this act up. As I watched Clifford skate straight to the players tunnel after the fight, it reminded me that Wayne Simmonds did something very similar at FF XI. Instigated a fight in the first period and was watching the rest of the game in street clothes by the time the buzzer for the end of the first period rang. He went on to make the team, so maybe it's a good omen to fight at FF and receive a boatload of penalties.
I have to give credit to Clifford or as the guy sitting behind me would like to call him: "THE BIG RED DOG!" He threw his body around and made plays in the corners. 'The Clunatic' should have taken some notes on the way Clifford played in the preseason beacause I think Cliff took his job. Clifford and Schenn skated on a line with Simmer. One thing is clear: Simmer can't carry a line yet; he looked lost without Zeus.
Trevor Lewis earned himself a spot on this roster. Whether it's as the fourth-line center or 13th forward; Lewis did everything right on Saturday night. He skated hard and got in the forecheck a number of times. He really shined on the PK; carried the puck into the offensive-zone and took on about three Aves in the corner to kill valuable time off the clock.
Drew Doughty scored a goal and took all sorts of minor penalties. I think he ended up with four minor penalties; one of them was a cross-checking penalty that he took immediately after he left the box. His offensive game is in mid-season form;. a couple end-to-end rushes brought the crowd to their feet.
Justin Williams had a tough game. A couple terrible turnovers on the power play stuck with me. Our second-line still worries me. Brad Richardson is NOT the answer. Oscar Moller? Andrei Loktionov?
Smyth & Kopitar look to have that chemistry working already. Kopi got the 1st. Smyth got the GWG.
Thank you to Erik Ersberg. Kings put him on waivers today. He's a solid NHL backup that Terry Murray didn't trust. I wrote this up at the end of last season.

Why didn't Terry Murray play this guy more?! This may come as a shock to Kings fans but Ersberg numbers are nearly identical to Quick. He posted a 2.40 GAA and a .906 SV% for the season. In the seven games that Ersberg started this year: 3-3-1 record with a 2.43 GAA and .911 SV%. If you throw out the early season 7-0 blowout loss to Atlanta, where Ersberg gave up four goals on seven shots in relief of Quick; his overall numbers are stellar: 2.07 GAA and .921 SV%. He's proven over his three seasons in Los Angles that he's a capable backup goaltender. Now whether Terry Murray or Kings fans are willing to admit it is another story. With Bernier pretty much a lock for next year's team; it'll be tough for Ersberg to stay in L.A. but hopefully Dean Lombardi can find E.E. a spot on an NHL roster somewhere.

Thomas Hickey Back To The 'A'

2010-10-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

Thomas Hickey: This Season's P.K. Subban!

Hammer reports that the Kings have sent Thomas Hickey back to Manchester. I'm not against this move considering Hickey only played in 19 games last season in Manchester; he needs to be able to show he can stay healthy for a full-season in the AHL before he gets killed in the NHL. I'm just not very confident in the Kings other options. With Matt Greene expected to miss at least the first month of the season; Terry Murray will have to choose a bottom-pairing from the likes of Davis Drewiske, Peter Harrold, and Jake Muzzin. Sheldon Souray?

Best-case scenario: Drewiske finds his game pre-last season's injury, Harrold plays like Mike Weaver, and Muzzin plays like Randy Jones?
Worst-case scenario: Drewiske doesn't find his game, Harrold plays like Harrold, and Muzzin plays like an over-aged junior player with 14 games of AHL experience making the jump to the NHL.

I'm thinking it falls somewhere in-between.

Jake Muzzin Has The Golden Ticket

MUZZIN OVER HICKEY?

There's a bit of irony in the Kings decision to give Muzzin an opportunity of Hickey. Both players were selected in the 2007 NHL Draft. Hickey was selected 4th overall by the Kings while Muzzin was selected 141st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. I'm sure some Kings fans are ready to call Hickey a flop because of his demotion (Probably the same fans that are still bitter about the Kings decision to move down and draft Colten Teubert over Tyler Myers...but that's an argument for a different day). I wasn't all that impressed with Muzzin when he was paired with Johan Fransson against Phoenix in the first home exhibition game of the season but at 6'3 you have to like Muzzin's size if nothing else.

Talk about a whirlwind calendar year for Muzzin. Not retained by the Penguins, signed to the Kings after a breakout overage-junior season, voted the OHL's Top Defenseman, and then arrives to Kings Training Camp with a spot on the NHL roster. You have to feel for Viatcheslav Voynov and even for Colten Teubert. Both players are nursing injuries and were unable to even compete for a spot on the blueline.

2007 NHL DRAFT REWIND?
I remember being at Hollywood & Highland for the Kings Draft Party when they selected Hickey 4th overall. Most Kings fans there thought that Lombardi would take Karl Alzner because he was the most 'NHL-ready' defenseman available. I personally wanted Sam Gagner, Jakub Voracek, or Alexei Cherepanov because I'm a sucker for high-ceiling offensive talents (Ah..Vitali Yachmenev & Pavel Rosa where are you...). When it was announced that the Kings selected Hickey, everyone was frantically flipping through the pages of their THN Draft Previews that were handed out at the door trying to find his profile. And about 20 pages later; we found him.

Taking a look at the 2007 NHL Draft Class there haven't been many players that have emerged yet. Patrick Kane has turned into a superstar. James Van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris have yet to make their mark in the NHL. Dean Lombardi made it clear he was looking to bolster his blueline. Of the 11 blueliners drafted in the first round; only Karl Alzner (51 games), Keaton Ellerby (22), and Alex Plante (4) have appeared in an NHL game. And if it makes you feel any better; only 5 players have recorded more than 50 NHL points from the '07 Draft Class: Kane, Gagner, Voracek, David Perron, and Wayne Simmonds. Simmer was taken 61st overall with the last pick of the second round.

So let's just give Hickey some time to develop in the same way the Kings handled Bernier and allowed him to dominate the AHL for a full season. Will Hickey be the next Scott Niedermayer? Highly unlikely. But he's only 21 years old and has plenty of time to develop into the top-four defenseman he was projected to be. I'm going out on a limb here but I'm predicting that Hickey is this year's P.K. Subban. A full year in the AHL will do wonders for his game and he'll be up with the Kings just in time to be an impact player down the stretch and into the postseason. BOOM!

Matt Moulson Hits Primetime

2010-10-01T02:21:00.000-07:00

I was watching 30 Rock last night and I spot Paul Giamatti in a guest-spot wearing a Tavares Isles Jersey. And then out of nowhere...well just watch the video. It's the only video on youtube I could find.

Matt's got a Twitter: 30 Rock tonight there's a new character on the show who's an Isles fan...chirps me...all in good fun

Frolov's Rangers Debut

2010-09-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

I promise I won't keep updating you on what Frolov does during the regular season. Well, unless he scores 40 goals this year like I think he will. He was the game's first star last night and had this nice little dangle.

ESPN Interviews Rich "Clunatic" Clune

2010-09-24T03:37:00.000-07:00

ESPN's Pierre Lebrun was in LA on Monday covering the Kings. He discussed the Doughty/Mitchell D-pairing, the Kings backup goaltending situation, and Rich Clune.

What We Learned Tonight

2010-09-24T03:12:00.000-07:00

"Yes Kyle...You still look just as crazy on the beautiful new Panasonic HD scoreboard."

Lessons learned from the first home preseason game of the season.

Staples Center should have installed an HD Scoreboard a long time ago. That thing is beautiful.
Kyle Clifford is crazy. He racked up 19 minutes of penalties trying to retaliate on a clean hit. He's the forward version of Colten Teubert. I know alot of people are excited about him possibly making the team this year but I just don't see it.
Clifford fought Paul Bissonnette. Bissonnette has a twitter (BizNasty2point0): "Drew 5 minors tonight. Is that a league record? And clifford suckered me 3 times, dropped my mits and pumped him with 3 then he wrestled me. Anyone who saw the fight as a win for clifford ur a meat stick. But then again there are a lot of u out there. Go yotes. Boom."
Our top four defensemen: Doughty, Mitchell, Johnson, and Scuderi were all shaky. They allowed Phoenix way too much room to operate in the offensive zone. Mitchell's play along the boards was strong but he didn't look comfortable handling the puck at all.
Wayne Simmonds was outplayed by Kings ECHL/AHL prospect Dwight King tonight. Not a good sign. Simmer didn't look good in Monday's scrimmage either.
Brayden Schenn got credit for the Kings' lone goal but Dustin Brown did all the work setting him up. Schenn's going to be awesome but I think he's back in Brandon for one more season.
Andrei Loktionov has continued to impress me. His offensive instincts are NHL-ready.
Brandon Kozun was checked off the puck at least four times in the first period. Gabe Gauthier? Justin Azevedo? Mike Cammalleri? Too soon to tell...
Jake Muzzin & Johan Fransson could be a nice D-pairing.....in Manchester. Sheldon Souray?
Gone but not forgotten. Patrick O'Sullivan scored in Carolina's 3-1 defeat of Nashville. Alexander Frolov had a 3-point night (1 G, 2 A) in the Rangers 4-3 OT win.

Check out some photos from last night's game after the jump.
Check out all the photos from warmups on my Flickr page.

Old Friend Says Hello

2010-09-22T00:48:00.000-07:00

So I visit TSN to catch up on all the exhibition games from tonight and who's there on the homepage waiting to say, "Hello!"

Why it's former Kings enforcer Raitis Ivanans! In true 'Ivanans Form,' Raitis managed zero points, zero shots, -1 and a minor tripping penalty in 6:28 of ice-time. Looks like Raitis may have played on a line with Bryan Cameron, an unsigned 3rd round pick of the Kings in 2007. Cameron led the CHL in scoring with 53 goals for the Barrie Colts during his overage season in the OHL.

Bud Vision: Bud Holloway

2010-09-22T00:34:00.000-07:00

Bud Vision: Bud Holloway
The Manchester Monarchs look like they've handed Kings prospect Bud Holloway a Flip video cam to document some of the off-ice experiences of training camp. An exclusive interview with Monarchs defenseman David Kolomatis and a trip to 'supper' with some of the Kings top prospects. Pretty entertaining videos.

Photo Drop: Training Camp Opens!

2010-09-21T01:21:00.000-07:00

Finally finished going through all the photos. You can check them all out on my Flickr page. Day One here. And Day Two here. Check out a few of my favorites after the jump.

Round 4 Home Game 1

2010-09-20T02:04:00.000-07:00

I'm working at a feverish pace trying to get through all the pictures I took at Training Camp this weekend. Hopefully, I'll have them uploaded tomorrow.

Went to check on Fro in New York. He didn't do much. Just a hat-trick playing alongside Marian Gaborik in the first scrimmage of camp. Sigh.

Our season tickets came in the mail a while ago. No upgrades, no free jersey, not much of anything really but they did include all the postseason tickets in the booklet this year. A bit of a tease perhaps...but Round 4 Home Game 1! Let's do it!

I'm So Excited!

2010-09-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

Training camp opens tomorrow. I plan on being there all day. Hopefully, I get some decent pictures to post up here in the next couple days. Hammer has all the details regarding the groups and schedule for this weekend and the next couple weeks.

See you there!

(P.S. The track on this video reminded me...Linkin Park's new album is awesome!)

Sheldon Souray Anyone?

2010-09-14T02:33:00.000-07:00

Souray Is Done In Edmonton; Re-entry Waivers Next?

Edmonton Oilers GM Steve Tambellini issued a statement Monday evening that the organization would not allow defenseman Sheldon Souray at camp when it opens this weekend. Per TSN.

"We've been trying to move the player for some time obviously," Tambellini explained to reporters at the Young Stars Tournament in Penticton, B.C. "Sheldon has expressed strong interest over a long period of time that it's best for him to move and we're going to try and help him with that. I couldn't get that done prior to this camp. I hope to get it done during camp, but it's best for the Oilers for him not to be at camp right now."

The relationship between the organization and Souray has been strained almost since the day Souray signed a 5-year, $27-million deal in Edmonton. In his first season as an Oiler, he played in a career-low 26 games after suffering a separated shoulder. Their tumultuous relationship came to a head following Souray's criticism of Oilers' management back in April. Per Sportsnet.

"I got challenged by management on the very first day of my first training camp. The very first day," he said. "They said, ‘When are you going to play?’ I said, ‘I have a six month (shoulder) injury and I’m at five months.’ But I played.
"I’ve had the experience of playing in great organizations (in New Jersey and Montreal), and experienced a vastly different approach to things like that. I was a captain in Montreal. I never had my character questioned there, or in New Jersey. I feel that’s all I’ve had since I’ve been here.’"

Souray has two years and $9-million on his contract with a cap hit of $5.4 million. The Oilers placed the 34-year old defenseman on waivers back in July but he went unclaimed. The Oilers have put themselves in a tough spot with Souray. He's a top-four defenseman with a bad contract and there aren't many teams that can absorb $5 million.

Souray's a three-time all-star who holds the NHL single-season record for most power play goals by a defenseman. Tambellini has most likely shopped Souray around to all 29 teams with no takers at a $5.4 cap hit. The Oilers last ditch effort to move Souray will most likely be to put him on re-entry waivers which will cut Souray's contract and cap hit in half.

With the Kings inability to add another impact forward in the off-season; the Kings should look to add more offense from the blueline. And at a $2.7 million cap hit, Souray could be a nice short-term fit. With Doughty, Johnson, Scuderi, Mitchell, and a healthy Greene forming a strong top-five; Souray could round the Kings defense into the best in the league. When healthy, Souray can log big minutes in any situation. He's only one year removed from a 23 goal, 53 point season. Souray's ability to shoot the puck has made him one of the premier power play quarterbacks in the entire NHL. He could immediately help the Kings already improving powerplay by quarterbacking the second unit removing Jarret Stoll from a position that he just never fit into. He's a fluid skater who jumps into the rush. He's a physical presence on the blueline who's willing to drop the gloves.

Souray is a veteran with some playoff experience that could bring some much needed toughness to the Kings. At 6'4, he'd be a nice big body to have on the blueline to compete with all the great forwards in the Western Conference. His strong two-way play could be the perfect compliment to the Kings blueline and buy another season of development for Thomas Hickey, Colten Teubert, and Jake Muzzin.

Check out this video and learn more about Sheldon Souray...and watch Jason Strudwick give some of the most awkward answers ever.

Souray's goal reel with Montreal.

Hockey Season Has Arrived!

2010-09-10T01:34:00.000-07:00

I always know hockey season has arrived when EA Sports releases their new NHL game. If you're reading this blog and have a Playstation 3 or XBOX 360; you owe it to yourself to go pick up NHL 11 first thing tomorrow morning. I've been a loyal supporter of the NHL series since NHL 94 on the Sega Genesis. I strayed a few years to the NHL 2K series during my Dreamcast days but have been loyal to EA for quite a while now.

EA's motto has always been: "If it's in the game, it's in the game." And this year is no different. Tons of new gameplay tweaks, broken sticks, new revamped faceoff machine. No longer is it the same game with updated rosters. With the PS3's Blu-Ray Disc; developers can load up an endless amount of content into each game.

For NHL 11, EA got the licensing to the CHL. Which means all the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL players, jerseys, logos, etc. are in the game. If you want to play as Brayden Schenn on the Brandon Wheat Kings, you can. If you want to play with Brandon Kozun and Martin Jones on the Calgary Hitmen, you can. If you jump into GM Mode; all the junior players will be affiliated with the NHL team that drafted them! Say you want to revamp the Edmonton Oilers; you can bring Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson over from his Swedish Elite League team.

Unfortunately, the KHL refuses to be in the game because they want nothing to do with the NHL. Pretty stupid that they're the only major hockey league not featured in the world's #1 selling hockey hockey. But who knows...maybe there's some Russian game developers developing KHL 12.

EA's Hockey Ultimate Team has to be the most addicting mode I've ever played on a sports game. It's awesome. You take the reigns of a team. Are given a salary cap and EA Pucks currency to shape your team with trading cards of every player in the game. You can play offline or online with your team to earn more cash to spend on new cards. It's awesome.

Anyways, I could go on for pages. If you're on a Playstation 3; my PSN is cikiri. Friend me & let's play if you dare. Beware! I'm pretty good!...haha...Just kidding....or am I...

NHL Backup Goaltender's Twitter Controversy

2010-09-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

Dan Ellis: "I make millions of dollars to play hockey & I'm stressed!"

It's been a while since my last blog post. I'm still recovering from the news that Paul Kariya is sitting out all of the 2010-11 season. I've been a bit sidetracked since the arrival of NHL 11 which I'll be writing about soon enough if I can ever put it down. But moving on..

The majority of NHL fans have no idea who Dan Ellis is. A few fans will remember him as the Predators starting goaltender who lost his starting job to Pekka Rinne last season. Well with the power of Twitter; Ellis has some new found fame. I was going to blog about Dan Ellis and his controversial tweets right after I read them. I was too lazy but Puck Daddy took the story and ran with it. Here's what Ellis tweeted.

If you lost 18% of your income would you be happy? I can honestly say that I am more stressed about money now then when I was in college. I can't explain it and I never thought it would be the case but it is true. $ in no way makes u more happy or makes life much easier. If you don't make a lot of money I don't expect u to understand the same way I could never understand what it is like to risk my life daily as a fire fighter or police officer...especially not a soldier. There r pros and cons to every profession. U r kidding yourself if you think money makes things any easier.

Dan may be right but talk about being insensitive and being way out of touch with reality. He just signed a 2-year deal worth $3-million. He made $2-million last season. $1.5 million during the 2008-09 season. Are we supposed to feel for him? He gets paid to play a game. What's causing him so much stress?

What rims to get on his new Jaguar?

Whether or not to add the slide to his pool?

I enjoy when athletes are candid but this is the exact reason why team's usually monitor their players' Twitter and Facebook accounts. These guys make such ridiculous amounts of money that they're completely out of touch with reality and the sad thing is they don't even realize it. He tried his best to explain himself in his half-apology/explanation.

Twitter was a great way to see inside the life of athletes outside of public media. But this is even too much for me. I feel bad for the sincere followers/fans who just wanted a glimpse of things from the inside. But with the recent explosion. I am shutting down my twitter because in no way shape or form do I want this to disrupt my team. I deeply care for my teammates and faithful followers. This has all been misconstrued to no end and ppl's feelings are getting hurt. There was never any intention in my tweets to undermine ppl who are in different income brackets. I donate 10% of my salary each year to help under privileged kids across the world. as long as I play in the NHL my peldge (sic) will remain the same to The Garth Brooks Foundation. I deeply care for the less fortunate and make many efforts to be of even marginal help. I wish you all a happy twitter experience and hope you do not allow this misunderstanding to form the basis of your opinion of me. I welcome any of you to meet me in person to chat. But no longer will I xpress things through this medium. Thx again to all the good ppl I have met on twitter. I wish you all the very best. Peace out twitter!

Ellis donates 10% of his salary to the Garth Brooks Foundation. That should be commended but let's get real here; he can afford to donate 50%-75% of his $2-million salary and still live pretty comfortably. 10% of $2 million is quite a bit different than say 10% of what the arena concessions, ushers, ticket sales, game operations, and the majority of NHL fans make..

Welcome To L.A. Willie!

2010-08-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

I'm Guaranteeing That Willie Mitchell Works Out Better Than Sopel Did In L.A.

After attending the Kings Development Camp in July; I became worried. The Kings lost Sean O’Donnell to free agency and had yet to sign a defenseman. Jake Muzzin wasn’t ready. Thomas Hickey wasn’t ready. Colten Teubert was hurt. Viatcheslav Voynov was missing and now threatening a move to Russia. Then the news broke that Matt Greene was going under the knife, all of a sudden, leaving two gaping holes to fill on the Kings blueline.

I began searching the list of remaining free-agents for bargains (or scraps). Two names jumped out at me: Ruslan Salei and Mike Weaver. Salei has been steady his entire career up to last season when he battled back injuries last season. Mike Weaver left Los Angeles as a fringe NHL defenseman and has slowly developed into a solid reliable bottom-pairing defenseman for Vancouver and St. Louis. Both were snatched up within the week.

Willie Mitchell was the only remaining player on my Free Agent Shopping List. But I figured he was a longshot to sign in Los Angeles. Well, because quite frankly, every top free-agent seems to be a long shot for the Kings.

I began asking the question that I never thought I’d ever ask: Who is going to replace Sean O’Donnell?

And then it happened. The Kings announced the signing of Mitchell for two-years, $7 million (big shout out to Eklund for confirming the signing with an E5 an hour after everybody else). The 33-year old Mitchell will bring toughness, grit and a veteran presence to the Kings. Mitchell is an above-average skater and will jump into the rush a bit more than people think.

I see Mitchell as an upgrade over OD. Ironically enough, the two were dealt for each other ten years ago. The New Jersey Devils dealt a 23-year old Mitchell to Minnesota for O'Donnell at the 2001 trade deadline. OD helped bolster New Jersey’s blueline as they advanced all the way to Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Mitchell went on to thrive under coach Jacques Lemaire's system in Minnesota, becoming one of the league’s top shutdown defenseman. In 2006, Mitchell jumped at the opportunity to play for his hometown Vancouver Canucks. His homecoming was cut short by groin injuries and concussions. Mitchell has played in 62, 72, 82 and 48 games over the past four seasons. In 2010, he missed the last 34 regular season and all 12 playoff games with the third concussion of his career.

The Kings are taking a calculated risk here. Some already feel the Kings overpaid for him. Signing an injury-prone defenseman to a two-year deal worth $7-million. Helene is reporting that the Kings were the only team to offer a two-year deal.

Deano had this to say. Per Hammer.

"When you’re talking about players with risk, all of those guys that I talked about, whether it was Ricci or Stoll or Granato or a Willie Mitchell, these guys are all character guys, and sometimes you go out on a limb a little, but I think the payoff is way too big."

Market value takes precedent here. The Kings gave $13.6 million to Rob Scuderi, a bottom-pairing defenseman on a Stanley Cup winner. Sometimes you have to overpay. $3.5 million doesn’t buy you what it used to. I love the signing. Look at what other UFA defenseman got this off-season.

Martin ($25 million, 5 yrs) = $5M/yr

Hamhuis ($27 million, 6 yrs) = $4.5M/yr

Volchenkov ($25.5 million, 6 yrs) = $4.25M/yr

Michalek ($20 million, 5 yrs) = $4M/yr

Kubina ($7.7 million, 2 yrs) = $3.85M/yr

MITCHELL ($7 million, 2 yrs) = $3.5M/yr

Tallinder ($13.5 million, 4 yrs) = $3.375M/yr

Leopold ($9 million, 3 yrs) = $3M/yr

Lydman (($9 million, 3 yrs) = $3M/yr

Morris ($11 million, 4 yrs)= $2.75M/yr

Eation ($5 million, 2 yrs) = $2.5M/yr

Mitchell is a top-four defenseman that's a bit of hybrid between (the positive aspects of) Sean O’Donnell and Randy Jones. Mitchell is a very steady influence on the blueline who takes care of his own end. He’s an absolute warrior; he’s never among the league leaders in hits or blocked shots but has been regarded as one of the league’s best penalty killers for years. He’s also not afraid to drop the gloves to protect a teammate. He’ll surprise some teams with his skating ability and willingness to jump into the rush with his hard accurate shot.

Mitchell sounds excited about coming to Los Angeles. Per Hammer.

"They have really good young defencemen there, I like their mix," he said. "They have a lot of good things going on down there as an organization, to be honest, I really felt they were really genuinely excited to have me down there."

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Doughty keeps his jersey #8.

Mitchell claims to be symptom-free and 100% healthy. Per Hammer.

“I started feeling better in the middle of June....Then, starting about July 11 or 12, I hired my trainer and I was kind of doing two-a-days, where I was skating in the morning and training after that. I started feeling better in June, but really when I said, `OK, everything is according to plan, it’s great,’ that was probably after I jumped all those hurdles — like I said earlier than I wanted to do — that was probably mid-July.”

Concussions are always scary. And I’m going to be a bit skeptical for a while. He’s already suffered three; the last one being very serious. Every Kings fans know how costly concussions can be after watching Adam Deadmarsh's career cut short.

The Kings blueline is beginning to take shape. Deano seems pretty content. Per Hammer.

"I'm totally comfortable with our top five...It was a huge hole. It was something that was obviously staring at us all summer, and it’s hard to imagine getting a perfect fit like this. His defensive skills are textbook, and I don’t think people appreciate, at times, the fact that he can make plays. He’s underrated in terms of his puck play. If you put that in the mix of our top four, it’s got a real nice blend to it, so I think we’re pretty comfortable right now."

Only time will tell whether or not Mitchell will return to form and be the same player he's been throughout his career. But one thing is for certain: On paper, the Kings blueline looks a lot better now than it did 24 hours ago. Their top-five could stack up against almost any in the NHL. If one of the Kings puck-moving blueline prospects emerges at camp; the Kings could have the best blueline in the NHL by season’s end.

Jersey Pickup: Trevor Lewis Game Worn Manchester Monarchs

2010-08-23T18:49:00.000-07:00

My First Monarchs Gamer!

I've wanted a Manchester Monarchs Authentic Edge jersey for a couple seasons now. The authentic version sells online for $280 and sometimes you can get them on sale for $165 from the team store.

I've watched Monarchshockey.com for game worn jersey auctions only to see the prices sky rocket to ridiculous amounts. I also spend alot of time on eBAY looking for any deals. And finally my search paid off!

I had been hoping to get my Kings jerseys lettered with Kovalchuk #71 or Kariya #9 this summer but since both look like a longshot; those funds were allocated to this purchase: A game worn Trevor Lewis Manchester Monarchs jersey.

The jersey was purchased from a collector who attended the Monarchs sidewalk sale. He had about 10 jerseys up for auction on eBAY. It came down to Lewis or Davis Drewiske. I liked Drewiske's solid play this year before he got hurt but I think Lewis still has some untapped potential.

Last season was a wash for him after he suffered a serious shoulder injury that knocked him out for the majority of the season. But he recovered in time for the postseason and was one of Manchester's best players. He was third on the team in scoring with 9 points in 16 games and led the team with 52 shots. At 23, he still has alot of upside. Lewis could be the Kings third-line center next season with Handzus's contract expiring at the end of the season.

$100 for a game worn jersey of a current Kings prospect was hard to pass up. Quite a discount from the $595 that Meigray.com is trying to sell theirs for.

Here's some basics on the jersey:

- Size 56

- Edge 2.0

- Everything sewn directly to jersey; LEWIS on matching nameplate

- Assistant Captain 'A' glued on

- Multiple holes and stick marks on the sleeves and body

The seller was unsure if the jersey was worn during the 2008-09 or 2009-10 season. After checking box scores and photos; I've come to the conclusion that this was Lewis's last jersey for the 2009-10 season because of the assistant captain 'A.' I can't find any box scores or photos that designate Lewis as an assistant captain except for the 2009-10 Calder Cup Eastern Conference Finals Game Six; where Lewis wore the 'A' as a replacement for the injured Marc-Andre Cliche.

Here's a couple of game photos off AHL.com:

Poni-Kopi-Willie: Best Line In Hockey?

2010-08-17T01:28:00.000-07:00

Is Ponikarovsky The 'Missing Link'?

Since the Kings haven't done much of anything this offseason; I'm forced to over-analyze the one player Dean Lombardi did acquire. While searching for 'Alexei Ponikarovsky' I stumbled across this Puck Prospectus article. Puck Prospectus thinks very highly of Poni and they've got some obscure statistical analysis to back it up.

CORSI number is the relatively new statistic being discussed in-depth by hockey geeks. It was actually derived by long-time Buffalo Sabres goaltending coach Jim Corsi.

Corsi is a plus/minus stat that measures shots directed at net. For example, if the Edmonton Oilers direct 30 shots at even strength at the Calgary Flames' net in a game, while the Flames direct 45 shots at the Oilers' net, the Oilers have a Corsi of -15 for the game.

This team Corsi number is also broken down and applied to individual players. For example, if Sheldon Souray is out on the ice for 10 shots directed at the Flames' net, while the Flames direct 15 shots at the Oilers' net while Souray is on the ice, he's said to have a Corsi plus/minus of -5.

So now that we all have a general understanding of CORSI. Let's take a look at Ponikarovsky. His CORSI number last season was 18.99; good for seventh in the league (50+ games).

...if the LA coaching staff is in any way of the Corsi-persuasion, they will pair Ponikarovsky with Anze Kopitar (8.94) and Justin Williams (16.78) to create a line capable of uber-possession.

Based on last year’s Corsi value, the Kings new line could rank 5th in the league on combined Corsi, and even better considering that Andrew Ladd is now with the Atlanta Thrashers.

The Blackhawks top two-lines of Hossa-Ladd-Sharp and Toews-Kane-Brouwer were among the leaders. As well as Detroit's Holmstrom/Franzen/Datsyuk and Washington's Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin. Now, no one is going to confuse Ponikarovsky-Kopitar-Williams with any of those lines but the statistic IS intriguing. It ultimately means that if Terry Murray decides to flank Kopitar with Poni & Williams his wings; Kings fans can expect alot of puck possession and shots on target.

Ponikarovsky’s career shooting percentage is a respectable 11.4%, while Williams (9.4%) and Kopitar (12.7%) are above average as well.

Hypothetically speaking the puck possession and shots should lead to more scoring chances which should ultimately lead to more goals. This statistic obviously doesn't take into account Justin Williams's fragile body and inability to stay healthy. But in a world where the CORSI number statistic rules: A Ponikarovsky-Kopitar-Williams line is among the best in the NHL.

Weird Looking...

2010-08-13T03:08:00.000-07:00

A Bit Awkward?...

I know I'm kind of late but the photo was so disturbing; it deserved it's own blog post.

The Red Wings finally announced last week that they've signed Mike Modano to a one-year deal. The 40-year old signed on to be the Wings third-line center. It was a difficult situation in Dallas where the management team led by GM Joe Nieuwendyk, a former teammate of Modano's finally decided that he was no longer in the organization's plans moving forward.

Modano, the all-time leader among U.S.-born players in points and goals scored will wear jersey #90 for obvious reasons (Gordie Howe). Modano will always be a Minnesota North Star/Dallas Star just like Ray Bourque will always be a Boston Bruin. Bourque chased his Cup; Modano already got his so I guess he' just chasing the dream of playing one more NHL season back home in front of family & friends in his home state of Michigan.

Either way, it's all a bit awkward for me. Especially considering how the 2009-10 season ended for him in Dallas and Minnesota. You couldn't really ask for a better way to go out. I'm sure if Michael Jordan could take back that stint with the Washington Wizards and leave everyone with the lasting memory of his NBA Finals Game 6 game-winner; he'd do it in a flash . Don't remember how Modano finished out last season? Don't worry! Youtube & I got your back. We start in Dallas for the Stars final home game of the season.

He tied the game in the 3rd and then scores the game winner in the shootout.

Then check out the reception he received in Minnesota a couple nights later.

And then he was named the first-star of the game. And he comes out wearing a freakin' North Stars jersey! Come on!

I'm going to prefer to remember Mike Modano like this...

or like this...

Or maybe I'll just choose to remember Mike Modano's wife, Willa Ford. When the Wings finally visit Dallas and Minnesota next season; things could get a bit awkward considering most of the fans already said their goodbyes.

One Dream Crushed...Another Lives On...Sorta

2010-08-13T02:21:00.000-07:00

Teemu Selanne will be back at least one more season with the Ducks and he's still trying to lure Kariya to Anaheim. Kariya doesn't owe anything to those fans in the O.C but I think the thought of reuniting with Teemu intrigues him especially after their disappointing reunion in Colorado. I think Kariya is a Duck by the end of the week. I think both guys stay healthy and terrorize the Kings. Both Kariya and Selanne have been Kings Killers their entire careers (check out the career numbers versus L.A.).

Kariya: 63 GP, 34G, 38A, 72 PTS, +13, 26 PPP, 5 GWG

Selanne: 86 GP, 47G, 57A, 104 PTS, +26, 40 PPP, 9 GWG

So the dream of having Kariya and Selanne reunite in Los Angeles is dead. The dreams of Kariya finishing out his career in a Kings uni are most likely dead. I'm clinging to Willie Mitchell right now. The Selanne/Kariya story was a bigger deal to me than the arbitrator ruling in favor of the NHL in the Ilya Kovalchuk case but here's a quick take.

The 17-year $102 million contract that Ilya Kovalchuk signed with the New Jersey Devils pushed the envelope further than it had ever been pushed. The contract was so heavily front-loaded that he would have made 97% of his total salary by Year 11 with six more years left on the deal. The NHL had to draw the line. It's really as simple as that.

Bob McKenzie put it best...

I'm a little surprised so many seem so surprised at Bloch ruling on Kovalchuk. I just figured there was a chance for following reasons: Kovalchuk contract pushed envelope further than it had ever been pushed. 17 years? Unprecedented. Age 44. Unprecedented. 6 big dropoff years at end? Unprecedented. I'm no lawyer but if it was 15 yrs, age 42 and 4 dropoff years, it's a lot more defensible, IMO.

So Kovalchuk is currently an unrestricted free-agent again but all signs pointing to him returning to New Jersey and the Kings staying out of it. Hopefully, Kovalchuk signs soon in NJ so the Kings can finally hold that Alexei Ponikarovsky press conference we've all been waiting for.

My Dreams Crushed Again...

2010-08-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

My Photoshop Job of Kariya Headline On Ducks.com

I've come to accept that the NHL doesn't have much of a case against Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils and will most likely lose their arbitration hearing. Kovalchuk won't be a King. Who could fill that void? Paul Kariya! Of course! If you're reading my blog for the first time; you should read this post first to understand my loyalty to Paul Kariya.

Three players off my Free Agent Frenzy shopping list are still out there: Kariya, Teemu Selanne and Willie Mitchell. I don't think we get any of them. Dean Lombardi seems pretty content rolling out the same team we did last year minus Frolov, OD and Greene (for the first month). The addition of Ponikarovsky will not drastically improve this team.

Andy Strickland got my hopes up a couple weeks ago...

Paul Kariya will play only if the fit is right....think west coast...Los Angeles Kings???

But then he hits me with this yesterday...

Anaheim is doing their due diligence behind the scenes on Paul Kariya...Appears a pretty good chance Kariya lands back with Ducks

Now this really kills me. I always thought Kariya to the Kings was a longshot. I figured he'd go to Pittsburgh or Detroit and try to pull a Robitaille or Blake and get his Cup. But the Ducks??? The majority of Ducks fans hate his guts more than Kings fans for the way he left. And I don't think anyone is considering Anaheim a Cup favorite. Either way, I'm perplexed and confused. I don't think it's a good fit but I'll support Kariya none the less. It won't be the first time I've rolled into Staples Center with a Kariya Ducks jersey on...

Kings Get A Poni

2010-07-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Ponikarovsky Is Frolov 2.0: Better Defensively; Not As Good Offensively

Just hours after it became official that Alexander Frolov was a New York Ranger; the Kings made their first acquisition of the off-season signing winger Alexei Ponikarovsky to a one-year deal worth $3.2 million.

The 30-year old Ukrainian-born Ponikarovsky is almost a mirror-image of Frolov. Poni, similar to Fro, is as streaky as they come. He'll show glimpses of world-class talent only to disappear for weeks at a time. His inconsistent play frustrated Leafs management and fans alike. The Pittsburgh Penguins outbid a number of teams for Ponikarovsky at last season's trade deadline to lineup with Sidney Crosby only to have Poni disappear and be a healthy scratch during the playoffs.

Poni isn't nearly as skilled as Frolov but Poni is a better defensive player. Poni's 6'4 frame adds size up front and he definitely likes to hit more than Frolov. He'll help the Kings cycle the puck in the offensive zone; four-20 goal seasons prove that he's got a nose for the net.

Here's what Poni had to say about the Kings. Per Helene.

"Kings were trying to bring me in at trade deadline but it didn't work out...I knew they still had interest in me. With the the Kovalchuk situation everything was on hold but they came to me and said they want to see me in their lineup."

Poni is a nice complimentary player but he's just that. A complimentary player. He's another fringe second-line player who joins a battle with Smyth, Williams, Parse, Brown and Simmonds to battle it out for the chance to skate on the first-line with Kopitar. With that said, the Kings still have a gapping hole in their top-six. The Kings forward core looks decent but how much better does it look with Frolov AND Ponikarovsky? Terry Murray's head would have exploded having to deal with both of them but still...

I'm going to continue to rally for a Paul Kariya-Teemu Selanne reunion in Los Angeles.

PREDICTIONS for the 2010-11 season

Ponikarovsky- (17 G- 29 A- 46 PTS)- I don't see Poni getting the same opportunities in L.A. that he did in Toronto. He'll play on the second and third lines for most of the year; assuming that Smyth stays relatively healthy.

Frolov- (36 G- 44 A- 80 PTS)- Call me crazy but I think Frolov is going to do wonders in New York playing first-line minutes with Marian Gaborik. A few Kings fans think that Rangers Head Coach John Tortorella won't be much of a fan of Frolov's inconsistent play. I'm of the belief that once Frolov gets some top-line minutes again; his game will take off.

Voynov: NHL-Ready or KHL-bound?

2010-07-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Is Voynov NHL-ready?

While the Kings wait for the next chapter of the Ilya Kovalchuk Saga to unfold...

It appears that Viatcheslav Voynov or his KHL team may be forcing the hand of Dean Lombardi and the Kings come October.

Traktor's (KHL) Director said #LAK prospect Voinov and #FLA prospect Dadonov will return to KHL if either can't make NHL team this season.

Voynov surprised alot of people when he made the jump directly to the AHL as an 18-year old. He's a smooth skating defenseman who's got some offensive upside. He's made huge strides over the past two seasons but it didn't sound like Ron Hextall was totally convinced that Voynov could make the jump to the NHL next season during his wrap-up session with Hammer.

Slava improved this year, defensively, and played a much more sound defensive game. He’s got to get better at communicating with his teammates. I think the language is part of it. I was a little surprised when I met with him at the end of the year, though, that he talks a lot better than he did a few months ago, even. But it’s the real quick communication on the ice. He’s still got some work to do there. He’s got to get better at that. Offensively, I think he can push his game to another level next year, but again, this is a 19-year-old kid playing in the American league. I wouldn’t say he’s knocking on the door. He’s got a little bit of work to do, just like the rest of them.

If the Kings fail to acquire another top-four defenseman before training camp opens; the Kings will have two spots open on their blueline with the departures of OD and Randy Jones. Voynov will most likely battle other prospects like Andrew Campbell, Davis Drewiske, Thomas Hickey, Alec Martinez and Jacob Muzzin for the remaining spots.