Bye bye muffin man

[LoCal Kings]

Right on cue, an Expansion article, as it relates to the Kings:

How Seattle Expansion Draft Plays into Upcoming Kings Trades

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Muzzin to wear #8 in TO

Dude wanted to play defense like Doughty all these years.

=)~~

Number 6 is retired by the Leafs for none other than Ace Bailey.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Right on cue, an Expansion article, as it relates to the Kings:

How Seattle Expansion Draft Plays into Upcoming Kings Trades

Great read, thanks for the find.

I'll spare you guys the verbiage and get to the point, courtesy of The Athletic again. Mock draft based on writers providing lists of who may and may not be available:

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Since the Kings have an extra 1st round pick, the thought of the Kings screwing this up is a serious concern of mine more than it has been for a long time because of the state of the franchise and barren prospect pool. They simply cannot afford to take risky picks or off the map picks at this point in time.

They haven't turned out a decent prospect in over 5 years (Kempe hasn't completely shat the bed but he also hasn't been great either, I think the verdict is still out of him but it's getting close to seeing who exactly he is and how/if he fits in) and their track record has taken a hit after being so successful between 2006-2012.

This is a list of the top 57 prospects in the NHL (why 57? Why not 75 or 100?) and two Kings make the list: Pronman: 2018-19 midseason NHL prospects ranking

45. Gabriel Vilardi, C, Los Angeles

Age: 19 | Drafted: 11th overall in 2017


Previous ranking: 11


Skating: 45
Puck Skills: 60
Physical Game: 50
Hockey sense: 65


On talent, Vilardi is in the top 15. He’s got great skill and vision, is a big center, and is tough to dislodge from the puck. The tools point to a legit top level prospect. However, Vilardi’s prospect stock has diverted away from hockey and into the medical realm. He’s often hurt and barely played this season before reinjuring his back. He’s never been the best skater, either, and with all his ailments, there are concerns about how his pace will be when he returns.


This ranking is optimistic compared to a survey of NHL scouts who agreed on talent he’s a great prospect but would be hesitant to move one of their top prospects in a one-for-one for Vilardi with his current health status. I’m not a doctor, I know hockey (or at least pretend to), so this one is a tough one.

Pretty discouraging to hear but I m definitely in this camp. Hope the kid comes through - Muzzin had a serious back injury and has turned out to be a decent NHL player - but for a guy who already has a rep for being a bit slow footed, back issues really hinder your skating. The 34 slot drop is shocking.

To not be a downer however, great words about Kupari:

8. Rasmus Kupari, C, Los Angeles

Age: 18 | Drafted: 20th overall in 2018


Previous ranking: 18


Skating: 60
Puck Skills: 60
Physical Game: 50
Hockey sense: 55


There are times when I’m watching Kupari and I think he’s not only going to be good, but he could be a cornerstone player. The raw tools are off the charts. He’s a pro-sized center with high-end speed and puck skills who makes filthy moves seem routine, and he can do so at top speed. He’ll have rushes where he goes through several guys and you wonder just how high the ceiling is for him. I like his hockey sense, but I don’t think he sees the game at the same level as his other attributes and that’s the main thing holding him back from hitting the highest echelon for me. His production concerns from his draft season have all but subsided, and he looks on the fast track to the NHL.

Cal Petersen ranked 14th on the goalie list but no breakdown.

 

[Psych3man]

Sorry .. but between this season and the Villardi fiasco my old-time Kings PTSD is beginning to creep in ..

Kings prospect Rasmus Kupari is out for 2-3 weeks after sustaining an injury in yesterday’s Liiga game against Pelicans.

Kupari was supposed to debut with the Finnish national team in the upcoming Euro Hockey Tour tournament.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Kings prospect Rasmus Kupari is out for 2-3 weeks after sustaining an injury in yesterday’s Liiga game against Pelicans.

Kupari was supposed to debut with the Finnish national team in the upcoming Euro Hockey Tour tournament.

haha. I feel ya on being a negative Kings fan, but that's all in the past. Once they won it, it was over. That can't be taken away. Then they went ahead and did it again for a little "Once you're lucky, twice you're good". Just in case there was any doubt. I believe in the power of speaking stuff into existence. Gotta be positive. I think Kings will get this turned around in two summers. Going into 2020 season, I think we'll be singing a different tune. 16 months from now, and there will be some progression along the way.

Aside from being older, I look at their roster and still can't believe why they're playing so poorly. Like what has really changed for this team? But the proof is in the proverbial pudding, and you are what your record says you are, so it is what it is.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Leafs in 45 minutes against Detroit. I assume that's Muzzin's debut.

Predictions?

 

[PuckinUgly57]

haha. I feel ya on being a negative Kings fan, but that's all in the past. Once they won it, it was over. That can't be taken away. Then they went ahead and did it again for a little "Once you're lucky, twice you're good". Just in case there was any doubt. I believe in the power of speaking stuff into existence. Gotta be positive. I think Kings will get this turned around in two summers. Going into 2020 season, I think we'll be singing a different tune. 16 months from now, and there will be some progression along the way.

Completely agree with everything, especially the bold stuff. After my train wreck of a 2016 where just about every piece of bad karma I was carrying called to cash in the note, I changed a lot of my mindset, perception and reflection. One thing I got into was the power of manifestation, the whole "you believe it, put it out in the world and it will happen" and God honest truth, the last 2½ years have been some of the best of my life.Not saying it's all been roses - it hasn't been - but it's been way more roses than thorns.

You have to have a clean soul, face your demons honestly and admit that you are a fuck up and it's a clean slate to begin over again. That was the lowest point of my life but I owned up and here we are. Life could not be better (well, kind of, we're about $250K in the hole we're trying to pay off haha) and I had to go through some of the toughest times of my life to get here. Wouldn't change a thing.

Back on point, I agree - 2012 and 2014 were a clean slate for me as a fan and as a franchise, that''ll never be taken away and I expect it to return sooner than later. Blake needs to own up too though relating to the point above, and wash the franchise of the core because they have run their course.

Aside from being older, I look at their roster and still can't believe why they're playing so poorly. Like what has really changed for this team? But the proof is in the proverbial pudding, and you are what your record says you are, so it is what it is.

It is really strange, this has been a bizarre year. On paper this is a very talented team, and at that price point they are paid like one. Sometimes you get a flat, and that is expected, but for all 4 wheels and the spare to get a flat at the same time is almost unheard of and almost improbable but that's exactly what has happened here. It's almost like strange, perfect storm of suck somehow occurred.

The only thing I can equate it to is complacence, which is directly related to that locker room. I'm not in the "Kopitar sucks as captain and it should never have been taken away from Brown" camp - it should have been and rightfully was, he sucked for almost 5 years before last season and couldn't lead a horse to water - but that collective leadership as a whole has failed because they allowed this to happen.

I equate it to a father passing on a business, the Greenes/Mitchells/Williams/Richards/Regehrs/Frasers/ etc were the dads and the Browns/Kopitars/Quick/Toffoli/Pearsons were the sons and they royally fucked up the family business.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Leafs in 45 minutes against Detroit. I assume that's Muzzin's debut.

Predictions?

You should read the comments on the Muzzin articles, it's some pretty funny stuff. There are so many ignorant TO fans, it's great reading material.

So many of these morons thought he played the right side his entire time in LA, I had to correct them and got into it with them but facts don't alter a Leafs fans POV. I started calling him Bobby Orr because of the knob gobbling and trolled a bunch of them, kept me entertained all week.

The Leafs may be talented, but they will be a one round and out again this spring. Andersson has never won anything or won under pressure in the POs and expectations with Muzzin on their back end is off the charts.

They will be sorely disappointed yet again.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Dude wanted to play defense like Doughty all these years.

=)~~

Number 6 is retired by the Leafs for none other than Ace Bailey.

Saw this in the thread and not sure why I didn't clarify, this is not the Kings' Ace Bailey from 9/11, this is Irvine "Ace" Bailey who played in the 1920s and 30s. He was hit from behind by Eddie Shore, sustained a skull fracture and ended his career.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Toronto Maple Leafs Top Ten Prospects 2019 (Part 2)

Found a Leafs article from 3 weeks ago listing their prospects. Good article on Grundstrom. Speed and some grit, which I would argue are are the main things missing from our team. I miss the Kings being physical.

For note they had Sean Durzi as #6 internally for them, but nothing elaborated on.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Completely agree with everything, especially the bold stuff. After my train wreck of a 2016 where just about every piece of bad karma I was carrying called to cash in the note, I changed a lot of my mindset, perception and reflection. One thing I got into was the power of manifestation, the whole "you believe it, put it out in the world and it will happen" and God honest truth, the last 2½ years have been some of the best of my life.Not saying it's all been roses - it hasn't been - but it's been way more roses than thorns.

You have to have a clean soul, face your demons honestly and admit that you are a fuck up and it's a clean slate to begin over again. That was the lowest point of my life but I owned up and here we are. Life could not be better (well, kind of, we're about $250K in the hole we're trying to pay off haha) and I had to go through some of the toughest times of my life to get here. Wouldn't change a thing.

That's all great to hear. I know you've posted some peaks and valleys on here, so I'm glad it's trending upwards and you're good. Honestly, if everything was perfect, it'd be boring anyway. I think humans need a little chaos to keep our survival instincts sharp.

Buckle Up for my thoughts on thoughts (Heyo!). I see this so much more now as I've gotten older and allowed myself to be open to it. However you want to look at it, it's starting to be understood more and more that we're all connected by our consciousness (There exists a Collective Consciousness). The ancients called it aura or chi or "breath" from Asia to Greece to The Americas. "Where attention goes, energy flows". There is a presence or a vibration you give off with your thoughts and with your actions. If your thoughts are powerful, imagine your words? Literally speaking negative stuff into existence creates negativity. They also call it living in a low vibration. Let's say we live in The Matrix, and the theory is that media/government whatever, is able to impose control through fear because people are living in their base vibration. Energy level is low and they have people waiting around for bad things to happen (Low/Base vibration is fear and negativity). Makes them/us easier to control.

My ex was crazy, and she'd make Dream Boards and stuff, where she'd cutout pictures and words and literally make a collage to focus her energy on. Something to try to focus on to mainfest this stuff. I was so jaded at the time and resented her as crazy, so I dismissed all of that for many years. I still think she's crazy but there is more to the power of thinking and speaking than I ever appreciated.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Back on point, I agree - 2012 and 2014 were a clean slate for me as a fan and as a franchise, that''ll never be taken away and I expect it to return sooner than later. Blake needs to own up too though relating to the point above, and wash the franchise of the core because they have run their course.



It is really strange, this has been a bizarre year. On paper this is a very talented team, and at that price point they are paid like one. Sometimes you get a flat, and that is expected, but for all 4 wheels and the spare to get a flat at the same time is almost unheard of and almost improbable but that's exactly what has happened here. It's almost like strange, perfect storm of suck somehow occurred.

The only thing I can equate it to is complacence, which is directly related to that locker room. I'm not in the "Kopitar sucks as captain and it should never have been taken away from Brown" camp - it should have been and rightfully was, he sucked for almost 5 years before last season and couldn't lead a horse to water - but that collective leadership as a whole has failed because they allowed this to happen.

I equate it to a father passing on a business, the Greenes/Mitchells/Williams/Richards/Regehrs/Frasers/ etc were the dads and the Browns/Kopitars/Quick/Toffoli/Pearsons were the sons and they royally fucked up the family business.

"It's hard to eat when your belly is full". I love that quote and I'd always hear it from Kelly Chase on NHL Network. You can hate losing, but there is a deeper drive when you're fighting for your livelihood and chasing something. A refusal to lose. I don't know that we have that on this team anymore. I'm such a fanboy for Quick because I think he has that. He just never stops fighting until it's completely over.

I think this team still has talent, but there is a hunger and grit we need more of. We need our bottom 6 to be energy lines, not just minute killers. True checking lines that can contribute occasionally. Make a big hit or harrass the other team'st top line for a minute. That's why I like that Carl Grundstrom mold or archetype. Not projected as Top 6, but a Top 9 guy with some skill/speed/Edge.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Toronto Maple Leafs Top Ten Prospects 2019 (Part 2)

Found a Leafs article from 3 weeks ago listing their prospects. Good article on Grundstrom. Speed and some grit, which I would argue are are the main things missing from our team. I miss the Kings being physical.

For note they had Sean Durzi as #6 internally for them, but nothing elaborated on.

Thanks for the link, good read. I also think the Kings have gotten soft not only from a team identity standpoint but from an individual standpoint. Clifford and Phaneuf are the only guys willing to drop the gloves it seems, and whenever someone gets a chance to put a big hit on someone they seem to lay off. Brown destroyed someone not too long ago (Wild?) but that was the first time he has done that in years for example.

That smells of lack of passion to me, even in my beer leagues and at the ripe age of 40+ a few years ago I was still playing as physical as I was years earlier. I don't get it and teams have pushed the Kings around in recent years.

And I'm not saying go back to the 80s and 90s for Kings/Flames/Oilers/Canucks bench clearing brawls but the lack of physicality is alarming. The Kings are no longer tough to play against which was a mantra during the majority of the last 10-12 years.

Did find this on Durzi:

Top 20 Maple Leafs Prospects 2018: #6 Sean Durzi

This is an interview with him from last year:

Durzi perseveres, aims to prove Maple Leafs right

Keep in mind the Kings will know what they have in him sooner rather than later, he is in the OHL as an Overaged Junior. CHL teams can only have 3 OA players on one team, designed to a) prevent a team of 19-20 year olds destroying 16 year olds and b) to move these older guys to the professional ranks after age 20 or so.

To play in the minors (AHL/ECHL), a Junior player must be 20 by 12/31 of that season or completed 4 years in Junior. He turned 20 in October so he will be close to 21 when the 2019-20 season begins. He was eligible for the 2017 draft but was passed over and reentered last June.

This will be his fourth complete season in Juniors, so in the fall he will either be in Ontario (my guess) or have one more season in Junior but I can't see that happening as he is dominating at that level currently.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

That's all great to hear. I know you've posted some peaks and valleys on here, so I'm glad it's trending upwards and you're good. Honestly, if everything was perfect, it'd be boring anyway. I think humans need a little chaos to keep our survival instincts sharp.

You guys pretty much know my history, bad decisions, struggles with alcohol, all kinds of stuff. I'll be 44 soon (crazy, some of us have been posting together since I was 24-25) and I have a nice bled of excitement in my life but the old crazy Puck stuff...yeah no, I'm good.

=)~~

Buckle Up for my thoughts on thoughts (Heyo!). I see this so much more now as I've gotten older and allowed myself to be open to it. However you want to look at it, it's starting to be understood more and more that we're all connected by our consciousness (There exists a Collective Consciousness). The ancients called it aura or chi or "breath" from Asia to Greece to The Americas. "Where attention goes, energy flows". There is a presence or a vibration you give off with your thoughts and with your actions. If your thoughts are powerful, imagine your words? Literally speaking negative stuff into existence creates negativity. They also call it living in a low vibration. Let's say we live in The Matrix, and the theory is that media/government whatever, is able to impose control through fear because people are living in their base vibration. Energy level is low and they have people waiting around for bad things to happen (Low/Base vibration is fear and negativity). Makes them/us easier to control.

My ex was crazy, and she'd make Dream Boards and stuff, where she'd cutout pictures and words and literally make a collage to focus her energy on. Something to try to focus on to mainfest this stuff. I was so jaded at the time and resented her as crazy, so I dismissed all of that for many years. I still think she's crazy but there is more to the power of thinking and speaking than I ever appreciated.

The Vision Boards? Those things are awesome haha.

I haven't done one yet but wouldn't mind doing it, I think it's great to continually see what you are striving towards. The repetitive nature of it eventually becomes permanent in your subconscious and drives you to reach that goal without even knowing it.

I've heard about the vibrations and energy, and while I haven't gone that far down the rabbit hole I have been told my energy and vibe is good.

 

[Vegas]

Saw this in the thread and not sure why I didn't clarify, this is not the Kings' Ace Bailey from 9/11, this is Irvine "Ace" Bailey who played in the 1920s and 30s. He was hit from behind by Eddie Shore, sustained a skull fracture and ended his career.

Old Time Hockey

Eddie Shore

Toe Blake

 

[Kings4OT]

Muffin scores and has s couple helpers against the ducks...for a minute he had as many g as a leaf as Paylander

 

[Psych3man]

Paylander?!...lmao

 

[Kings4OT]

TSN gushing over Muffin...heavy hitter haha. Wait until he isn't facing the Ducks and he is shooting into skates, missing the puck at the blueline, turtling along the boards in the Dzone...passing to the opponent in front of his own net....Mathews just got a huge deal ….almost Mcjesus money....not worth that. They will have issues soon enough

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I call him William Bystander, since he got that deal that's pretty much what he's been. TO got fleeced on that deal even though Dumbass thinks otherwise. He's an arrogant little prick of a GM. So glad LA didn't make a move for him.

Matthews also signed a bridge deal today - probably the largest bridge deal in NHL history at 5 years/roughly $58 million, AAV is about $11.5 million - and they have guys who need deals this summer, their cap situation is going to be hell real quick. At least Dumbo capped the Kings out after winning 2 Cups, this guy hasn't even been out of the first round ever.

Nice to see Muffo set the bar high his first week as a Leaf, he is well on his way to being vilified when they flame out in April.