AT Quack

[pete6835]

 

[davnlaguna]

Down one nothing
Kempe with an accidental spear
Mcnabb once again
Muzzin pushes the net

 

[pete6835]

Shore should be benched
World class players stink
McNabb again

 

[davnlaguna]

Only gave up one goal. So that is better
Had lots of chances at empty nets
Finish that is what is missing

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

This team is garbage right now (Maybe more than right now). That game should have been 4-0, but Budaj stood on his head. That last Power Play (I seriously don't think you can call it that anymore. I almost wonder sometimes if the Kings should decline the call like they do in football) with 6 minutes left, was just so uninspired and lifeless. At least Doughty showed some emotion. Kopitar... I don't even know anymore.

The Kings won 10 of 11 Playoff series from 2012-2014, but since then: They missed the Playoffs in 2015, lost to San Jose in 5 games in 2016, and this team is looking like maybe miss the Playoffs in 2017.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Go ahead and trade McNabb tomorrow too.

 

[smackdown380]

Kings looking like the furthest thing from a PO team. That power play was downright pathetic, makes you miss the days of Kompon. How Sutter starts King on the first line is beyond me.

 

[smackdown380]

Was listening to NHL XM radio and they had John Hoven on the show. He predicted this is the end of the road for DL. He hasn't changed the team, his offseason acquisitions were downright atrocious and the blame for the demise of Team USA at the world cup falls at DL's feet. Hoven also stated that he feels Rob Blake would the one to take over for DL. His radio spot will be up a bit later and I will post it.

 

[smackdown380]

Here is the radio link

NHL Radio Replay: Hoven Boldly Predicts Kings Future Plans

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Was listening to NHL XM radio and they had John Hoven on the show. He predicted this is the end of the road for DL. He hasn't changed the team, his offseason acquisitions were downright atrocious and the blame for the demise of Team USA at the world cup falls at DL's feet. Hoven also stated that he feels Rob Blake would the one to take over for DL. His radio spot will be up a bit later and I will post it.

Interesting. I'll check that out.

DL did a phenomenal job assembling this team, but I would just say going heavy on Lucic was the one big one that hurt the most. As for taking shots at players, DL gave this team a chance, and it worked out twice. Sekera trade hurt just because the guy got hurt and we missed the Playoffs. Then he signed with Edmonton. Lucic hurt because the Kings traded a fortune (Including Jones, who came back to kill LA). Then Lucic signed with Edmonton (Not loving that pattern).

I'm not really sure who to blame to be honest, but I would lean more towards moving on from Sutter before DL. But that's my opinion, and I'm not really convinced either way on that one.

 

[LoCal Kings]

Thanks for the link. Never been to that site before.

Been thinking for some time now that the lawyer side of Lombardi will find a way to package Voynov in a trade deal. Last summer I said for another d-man, but now clearly they need help up front.

Not saying its ethical to allow Voynov back in the NHL, just a possibility. Thought that after he was forced to miss the World Cup, maybe then NHL might back off and let him back in. Though as folks on this site have mentioned, doubtful he actually plays for the Kings again.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Been thinking the same thing about Dumbo the last 12-18 months, coaches and GMs have shelf lives in the NHL. You won't find too many who have stayed in one place for 10+ years often and Dumbo did exactly what he set out to do when he took over this team 11 years ago.

However, as noted, some of his moves have not panned out, and the loss of a few 1st round picks have really hurt LA in stockpiling. But I do give him credit, he had the gusto to send those off going for the fences. That is the GM we have always wanted right? And it paid off in 2 Cups? I'll take that over treading water like the Kings did for decades.

I feel bad for Taylor, he had the right idea but Leiweke and AEG handcuffed him putting a self-imposed cap figure on the team when there was no cap and they had fundage beyond God. He could have done something with this team but was forced to sign the Heinzes and Rasmussins of the world instead of making moves for guys like Lucic and Carter. I'll never forget after pushing Colorado to 7 in 2001 I'm thinking they are 1-2 upper end UFAs away and then we get the aforementioned two. A bit baffled considering money was never an issue with LA after AEG bought them.

Regardless, it does appear that unless something happens here soon to get the Kings on track and/or sustain another deep run his time is coming to an end. It may not be this season but another season like this and I think he will be gone. The trades are what have really gotten him IMO, the drafting has been standard, or at least well above what we were used to when Al Murray was the director who blew sure shot 1st round picks left and right and really only succeeded on a few late round picks unless they were overaged guys like Lilja or Visnovsky.

I can't really harp on him too much for last summer's crappy UFA signings, a) the Kings were capped out so unless they moved some serious salary key UFAs were not a possibility b) the guys he signed were all value signs, trying to fill some holes with veteran players who were not going to break anyone's bank anyway.

Bit of an unfair dig at him even though all the signings were busts - you get what you pay for and he didn't pay much.

 

[Psych3man]

Only difference between the Hawks and Kings is Bowman has been marvelous at getting important moving parts for the Hawks at bargain prices and Lombardi has SUCKED at it.
Where the hell was Lombardi while Bowman and the Hawks were wooing Penarin? Why did we never hear the Kings name there? Lombardi should have been sending every available beautiful LA girl to Russia trying to get him to sign for the minimum (kidding....kind of...but you know what I mean). HAVE to get that guy.
Then this past off-season he gets Campbell to take a severe cut to come to Chicago and signs Euro d-man Kempny for minimum. Where the hell are the equivalent King moves?
Bowman has kicked Lombardi's ass every year in cheap moves for quality and it shows on the ice...and in the results. And the Hawks have lost way more talent every year than the Kings have.

And don't even get me started on Sutter handcuffing our offensive talent, and never having a potent power play in all the years he was here. It's like this team is afraid to score...maybe because they won't be able to forecheck or hit someone if they score. This shit is getting harder and harder to watch every year.

 

[Kings4OT]

The Kings don't have the "winner" tag even tho they were great. Many players would sign for less just to win but you have to have the "air" of winner....for whatever reason Toews has it...the Kopitar/Carter do not. Its a dead horse, but it started with Brown and Richards and been a steady decline as a few of us knew it would be. When your a winner in a cap era it only takes 1 bad move to prevent you from winning again. The PP is stupid, I understand D first play for 5v5/4v4/pk but at some point just let those guys go and see if they can do anything.

 

[pete6835]

I see Brown stepping up more. If he continues to play this way, they will have a better chance.

Replace King with Brown on Kopitars line.

 

[Vegas]

I see Brown stepping up more. If he continues to play this way, they will have a better chance.

Replace King with Brown on Kopitars line.

Kopitar and Brown have had a lot of success playing on the same line.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Why Are the Rangers Scouting the Kings?

Anyone see this? Lots of speculation, but I would imagine it's probably surrounding a guy like LaDue, and not one of the more regular guys.

If you check the comments, it's exactly like we talk about often. The league loves Muzzin.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Blackhawks have done well to trade the players they can't afford for draft picks and young prospects, that they then call up, and have ready to play with their stars. They have gotten a few free agents, but I don't know if Bowman has been that much greater than DL. I think maybe the real argument is that the Hawks had a few more guns than LA the past few years, and that was just the difference between 2 and 3 cups. Toews and Kane vs Kopitar and Carter. Keith vs Doughty. But then you got a guy like Hossa who was pretty dominant in his own right, just sort of balanced their lines a little stronger in the top 6, and allowed them to mix and match better than LA when guys get called up and mixed in.

Trade-wise DL went for it and it worked out a few times, and then it didn't work out other times. Carter was a monster pick-up, Gaborik was instrumental. I still think Sekera could have been perfect if he didn't get hurt and then walk for more money. He was hurt for that last push, and the Kings just didn't make the Playoffs in 2015 (The Kings lacked depth on the backend and he was the ideal trade on paper and when he actually played). That Lucic trade really was a nightmare in the end, but DL got Boston to retain most of Lucic's salary, so the more you think about it, you see what DL was going for. He basically iced a team that was $5mil over the cap for one season. So DL was all in on the team last year, and it just fell apart when Martinez went down and the Kings blew the division/ended up playing SJ (also without Martinez).

 

[smackdown380]

Why Are the Rangers Scouting the Kings?

Anyone see this? Lots of speculation, but I would imagine it's probably surrounding a guy like LaDue, and not one of the more regular guys.

If you check the comments, it's exactly like we talk about often. The league loves Muzzin.

I think it's smoke, what could the Rags even offer us?

 

[Vegas]

Blackhawks have done well to trade the players they can't afford for draft picks and young prospects, that they then call up, and have ready to play with their stars. They have gotten a few free agents, but I don't know if Bowman has been that much greater than DL. I think maybe the real argument is that the Hawks had a few more guns than LA the past few years, and that was just the difference between 2 and 3 cups. Toews and Kane vs Kopitar and Carter. Keith vs Doughty. But then you got a guy like Hossa who was pretty dominant in his own right, just sort of balanced their lines a little stronger in the top 6, and allowed them to mix and match better than LA when guys get called up and mixed in.

Trade-wise DL went for it and it worked out a few times, and then it didn't work out other times. Carter was a monster pick-up, Gaborik was instrumental. I still think Sekera could have been perfect if he didn't get hurt and then walk for more money. He was hurt for that last push, and the Kings just didn't make the Playoffs in 2015 (The Kings lacked depth on the backend and he was the ideal trade on paper and when he actually played). That Lucic trade really was a nightmare in the end, but DL got Boston to retain most of Lucic's salary, so the more you think about it, you see what DL was going for. He basically iced a team that was $5mil over the cap for one season. So DL was all in on the team last year, and it just fell apart when Martinez went down and the Kings blew the division/ended up playing SJ (also without Martinez).

Great post. Agree 100%.

King and Nolan should have improved more than they have since they showed such promise in their callup year. Bigger contributions from those two would have made a lot of difference.