6 million dolls bench rider

[CaptHowdy00]

It's more bench time than ice time lately for Kings' Ilya Kovalchuk

 

[Kings4OT]

I didn't like the signing at the time, but it's retarded not to play him. He still leads the team in points without any play time. he has never been good defensively it's not like to kings did not know what they were getting. He isn't the reason the team was failing so badly

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I actually think he's looked pretty good in general. It's something about the team as a whole that looks off.

Maybe this is just tactics, to see what Kovy's character is. This is probably part from Blake too, like "Shake it up, because he's here for 2 more years".

I read on some Vancouver chat that they said Willie "Falls in love" with random 4th liners and randomly throws top 6 guys on lesser lines. I mean, maybe they're just saying that because that's exactly what just happened with Clifford in the Top 6, and Kovy on the 4th line. Who knows? I mean, it wasn't working before, so I am not super opposed to Clifford up there if he's able to create room for his linemates.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

I always said that it was a bad signing. The Kings were the only ones to offer 3 years.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

 

[Fox4Kings]

I actually think he's looked pretty good in general. It's something about the team as a whole that looks off.

Maybe this is just tactics, to see what Kovy's character is. This is probably part from Blake too, like "Shake it up, because he's here for 2 more years".

I read on some Vancouver chat that they said Willie "Falls in love" with random 4th liners and randomly throws top 6 guys on lesser lines. I mean, maybe they're just saying that because that's exactly what just happened with Clifford in the Top 6, and Kovy on the 4th line. Who knows? I mean, it wasn't working before, so I am not super opposed to Clifford up there if he's able to create room for his linemates.

Great, Andy Murray all over again..

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I actually think he's looked pretty good in general. It's something about the team as a whole that looks off.

Maybe this is just tactics, to see what Kovy's character is. This is probably part from Blake too, like "Shake it up, because he's here for 2 more years".

I read on some Vancouver chat that they said Willie "Falls in love" with random 4th liners and randomly throws top 6 guys on lesser lines. I mean, maybe they're just saying that because that's exactly what just happened with Clifford in the Top 6, and Kovy on the 4th line. Who knows? I mean, it wasn't working before, so I am not super opposed to Clifford up there if he's able to create room for his linemates.

Me too, he has looked pretty good for a 35 year old who has been out of the league for 5 years. I haven't seen him get burned or look out of place at all. He may not be a speedster but old man is hanging in fine, it's the rest of the team as a whole that is an issue as you mentioned.

Slick Willie is out of his skull to put him on the 4th line and not on a PP unit, makes no sense at all to me. Complete mismanagement of an asset, albeit a diminished asset compared to years past, but still a threat. It's moves like these, the "interim" tag and the way the team has been non responsive to him just as they were with Stevens that is telling me he won't be back as the permanent head coach after this season barring some miracle turnaround.

And yes, he had a penchant for falling in love with B6 players when in Vancouver and also making some really puzzling moves, meaning in the way he deploys those B6 players. Remember Linden Vey, he of Kings lore? Somehow this guy was getting significant PP time even though it was apparent even in LA that he would never be more than a plugger. Same thing with Derek Dorsett at one time, somehow this guy was getting more ATOI than both the Sedins.

He also has never really been a line matcher, which is stupid when you are home team and the other team has their first line out but for some reason you have chosen to to put the fourth line out.

It's stuff like that that makes zero sense to me, he's been doing it in LA since about Day 3.

Great, Andy Murray all over again..

Andy Murray, circa 1999; "Jaroslav Modry is the best 7th defenseman in the NHL".

Willie Desjardin, 2018: " Ilya Kovalchuk is the best $6.75 million fourth liner in the NHL. Even better than $5.85 million Dustin Brown".

=)~~

That zinger from Andy Murray gets me every time, that has to be one of the most epic backhanded compliments ever in the history of backhanded compliments.

I really liked him as a coach too overall, although I could have done without the usual late season flame out or creative writing assignments he would slip under the door. He was good at getting a lot out of players however at times.

 

[Fox4Kings]

He has totally reminded me of Andy Murray and I think we now know who Slick Willie's crush is, Nate Thompson. What is the deal with this guy? Has anyone else noticed the amount of ice time he is getting? I've even seen him get brief stints on the PP, makes zero sense and this was while Ilya was playing. I'm sure he plays hard but come on, in this NHL you need to play hard and have some skill.

 

[Psych3man]

Hire Q at end of the year

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Hire Q at end of the year

Honestly I wouldn't mind a complete off the map hire, maybe a younger guy who is innovative and a fresh voice.

I'm sure Sturm falls into that category and is being groomed for that position but personally I wouldn't mind some college coach or beer league coach (literally) who may be an unknown but can do the job. I'm over the refries and cycling of coaches who have been around since I was in my early/mid teens.

Andy Murray had no NHL head coaching experience prior to coming to LA and I think overall he did well considering the restraints AEG handcuffed him with. Granted he was an Assistant prior to that and also had AHL experience and Canadian National Team experience , but he was a high school coach when LA interviewed him and hired him.

He was a bit quirky and stubborn, but I think he was a solid coach that wasn't on the radar for having an NHL gig at the time.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

Honestly I wouldn't mind a complete off the map hire, maybe a younger guy who is innovative and a fresh voice.

I'm sure Sturm falls into that category and is being groomed for that position but personally I wouldn't mind some college coach or beer league coach (literally) who may be an unknown but can do the job. I'm over the refries and cycling of coaches who have been around since I was in my early/mid teens.

Andy Murray had no NHL head coaching experience prior to coming to LA and I think overall he did well considering the restraints AEG handcuffed him with. Granted he was an Assistant prior to that and also had AHL experience and Canadian National Team experience , but he was a high school coach when LA interviewed him and hired him.

He was a bit quirky and stubborn, but I think he was a solid coach that wasn't on the radar for having an NHL gig at the time.

Wot of what the Rams did with McVay?