Top Six Forwards On The Kings

[Cobiemonster]

Saw some interesting stuff on twitter last night from kingsofhockey - he said that the Kings have five really good top six players but they don't have that sixth guy that can slide into the 2nd line spot - there are a bunch of different guys there and it messes up the lines sometimes - he mentioned Tanner Pearson as a guy that could slide onto the 2nd line because he's a LW'er and he'd fit well with Mike Richards and Jeff Carter

What do you guys think? I wouldn't be opposed to trying it out - I like what Dan Carcillo has done but he's not a finisher nor a 2nd liner and Matt Frattin has struggled so far - is it worth the try?

 

[davnlaguna]

I think that is well known.
Kings need a true left wing
That being said they won a cup with Penner.
In the age of the cap teams will always have holes.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I think that is well known.
Kings need a true left wing
That being said they won a cup with Penner.
In the age of the cap teams will always have holes.

That's true, can't deny that - every team has holes - but the Kings could possibly tap into their system for a guy like Tanner Pearson - he's young, talented and can grow with this team - not every team has guys like him and Tyler Toffoli in their systems

 

[Psych3man]

Our big problem right now and going forward is that our scorers don't score--they don't finish, they don't take advantage of the opportunities that are created, and all the others are non-scoring role players.
If this team is going to compete Kopitar, Richards, Brown need to start scoring regularly, and I think they need to bring up a couple of skilled kids (Toffoli, Pearson) to replace the brick hands on lines 3 & 4 (King, Nolan) and LW on 2. Look at Hawks--they put their talented kids on 3 & 4 and let them grow and contribute.
Plus, 10 games with no goals from any center?!? Has that ever happened before? Kopitar 26 games no goals?!?
I am worried the hockey gods are rebounding the Kings from Stanley Cup & WCF back to jinxed and weirdly frustrating.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Our big problem right now and going forward is that our scorers don't score--they don't finish, they don't take advantage of the opportunities that are created, and all the others are non-scoring role players.
If this team is going to compete Kopitar, Richards, Brown need to start scoring regularly, and I think they need to bring up a couple of skilled kids (Toffoli, Pearson) to replace the brick hands on lines 3 & 4 (King, Nolan) and LW on 2. Look at Hawks--they put their talented kids on 3 & 4 and let them grow and contribute.
Plus, 10 games with no goals from any center?!? Has that ever happened before? Kopitar 26 games no goals?!?
I am worried the hockey gods are rebounding the Kings from Stanley Cup & WCF back to jinxed and weirdly frustrating.

Of course the big guys have to score - it's still October, they are in the beginning of 8 out of 9 at home, there's a good chance for those guys to get going

I wish I could tell you guys not to panic but it's hard to if you guys can't take the initiative yourself

 

[PuckinUgly57]

No one is panicking, but the shortfalls of this team always show themselves quite early in the season. A few years ago it was scoring struggle, this past season it was the lack of defensive awareness with Greene and Mitchell out and Muzzin and Martinez in.

Dumbo addressed that in 2011-12 by moving Johnson, bringing in Carter and bringing up Voynov full time and he tried to patchwork the defense last season acquiring Ellerby and later on Regehr so I have no doubt if these struggles continue he will once again address them. The top guys have to play like top guys on any team, and right now almost none of the Kings top players are producing.

This is mere fan frustration. Get used to it, we've been posting together as a group for the last 13+ years. Nothing to be worried about.

Wait until you meet TTran. Love the guy but definitely the most skeptical and negative fan of our bunch. Almost MIA since the Kings won the Cup but I'm sure he lurks.

 

[pete6835]

Wait until you meet TTran. Love the guy but definitely the most skeptical and negative fan of our bunch. Almost MIA since the Kings won the Cup but I'm sure he lurks.

I was wondering about him. Also, have we lost Seksiwidow, Burns & Joseph??

 

[CaptHowdy00]

I have been singing the praises of Pearson since camp opened. I would love to see this kid called up. But I noticed one thing. The Kings have none to very few goals coming from the centers. Kopi is a glaring example of this.
Evans was on the Point with Scot Laughlin on NHL radio. He mentioned that though Kopitar plays a great 2 way game, the coaches want him to shoot more.
I'm of the opinion, that once Kopitar and Richards start shooting and scoring, things will get better.
That said I want Pearson called up, and put on the second line.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I have been singing the praises of Pearson since camp opened. I would love to see this kid called up. But I noticed one thing. The Kings have none to very few goals coming from the centers. Kopi is a glaring example of this.
Evans was on the Point with Scot Laughlin on NHL radio. He mentioned that though Kopitar plays a great 2 way game, the coaches want him to shoot more.
I'm of the opinion, that once Kopitar and Richards start shooting and scoring, things will get better.
That said I want Pearson called up, and put on the second line.

They talked a lot about that in preseason, that Kopi was going to shoot more, and unfortunately so far he hasn't - I hope Kopi does shoot more, it'd really help him

 

[Kings4OT]

I would go for Toffoli on that line myself. I would also keep Carcillo/Stoll/Frattin, they seemed to create a lot of havoc and decent chances.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I would go for Toffoli on that line myself. I would also keep Carcillo/Stoll/Frattin, they seemed to create a lot of havoc and decent chances.

I think the issue there is that Tyler Toffoli doesn't play LW - he plays RW - Carts is on RW so I'm not sure they'd want Tyler Toffoli up yet - that's why Tanner Pearson seems like a better fit for that line

Although I agree with the premise, I've always thought Tyler Toffoli was already good enough to be in the lineup, but I get why the Kings have taken it easy with him

 

[Psych3man]

Spot-on diagnosis by Dr Puck, both of the Kings and the pulse of us die-hard regulars.
Nice job, bro.

 

[inthecrease]

u are soooooooooooooooo damn lucky U do not root for the NY rangers! lol

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I was wondering about him. Also, have we lost Seksiwidow, Burns & Joseph??

May be, haven't seen them on any of the SH boards.

The Cup win killed anything TT had to say about the Kings negatively, they proved him and all his conspiracy theories wrong. Probably feels like he was let down.

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

Then there was Pez who got hitched and had a kid (maybe more by now) and we haven't heard from him since. Also from the old days there was McDeath and Puck's laundry buddy who's screen name somehow escapes me.

Ox

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I think the issue there is that Tyler Toffoli doesn't play LW - he plays RW - Carts is on RW so I'm not sure they'd want Tyler Toffoli up yet - that's why Tanner Pearson seems like a better fit for that line

At the NHL level it doesn't really matter what wing you play on, I believe too much emphasis is put on that because the player is drafted as a certain position. Toffoli isn't being brought up because he would be playing away from his natural position, and the Kings don't feel he is experienced enough for that. That's the only reason why he isn't up.

Lewis for example is a natural C, but he plays RW most of the time. He fills in at C when necessary. Carter too is a natural C but plays RW. Unless you play a specific system based around a position (the Left Wing Lock for example - Brendan Shanahan as we know was a huge LW and his skill set and size was required to play that system. Toffolli would have struggled more than likely because he would not be strong enough to lock down that entire left side) natural positions don't really matter.

The Kings don't play a position-specific system so players have to adapt to it. The responsibility is on Toffoli to show he can do what the Kings ask.

Although I agree with the premise, I've always thought Tyler Toffoli was already good enough to be in the lineup, but I get why the Kings have taken it easy with him

I believe he is ready too, acquiring Carcillo pretty much squashed that idea. Toffolli would have had to blow people away at camp to stay on the roster.

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

Then there was Pez who got hitched and had a kid (maybe more by now) and we haven't heard from him since. Also from the old days there was McDeath and Puck's laundry buddy who's screen name somehow escapes me.

Ox

I just remembered he named Wupmaster or just plain Wup.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Then there was Pez who got hitched and had a kid (maybe more by now) and we haven't heard from him since.

I played hockey with Pez in 2004, he called me up last second and said he needed a sub. I was at a bar with my hand up some girl's shirt (literally) and I said sure, I'll be there. I was hammered and tripped going into the rink and got my stick caught in the door after. Pretty embarrassing but I somehow pulled it together and had a good game.

Not bad for a drunk bastard.

Also from the old days there was McDeath and Puck's laundry buddy who's screen name somehow escapes me.

Ox

MacDeath was awesome, miss that guy. Wupmasta is on my FB page, he is doing good. Finished law school and doing his thing.

 

[pete6835]

That's true, can't deny that - every team has holes - but the Kings could possibly tap into their system for a guy like Tanner Pearson - he's young, talented and can grow with this team - not every team has guys like him and Tyler Toffoli in their systems

Where are we getting the cap space again??

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Where are we getting the cap space again??

NFL baby.

$25.8 million contract on Monday, you made $6 and cut by Sunday.