Is the Kings' glass half-empty or half-full?
by Quisp on Jan 8, 2012 1:35 PM PST
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Half-empty:
- Still last in the league in goals-for.
- Their 16 first period goals is last in the league by a mile. The second worst team has 24.
- Their 27 third period goals is third worst. Worst is 24.
- Just got shut-out by the worst team in the league.
- Simon Gagne appears to be out for the year.
- Dustin Penner felled by pancakes.
- Currently in ninth in the West.
- Third worst power-play in the league, at 13.2%
- Only one team in the league (Lightning, 4) has led after one period fewer times than the Kings (5).
- The Kings are 6-1-3 in their last ten games. That's 15 points out of a possible 20.
- Teams that have done better in their last ten: Rangers (18 points), Sharks (17 points), Avalanche, Bruins and Senators (16 points).
- The Kings have the second best penalty-killing in the league, at 88.9%
- The Kings are fourth in the league in GAA (2.1) behind the Bruins, Rangers and Blues.
- The Kings are 12th in the league in second period goals-for, with 39.
- The Kings lead the West in OT goals (and wins), with 3.
- The Kings are fourth in the league in PP opportunities (why is that good? Drawing a lot of penalties is good; and it means that when the power-play is fixed, the benefit will be relatively big).
- The Kings lead the league in hits.
- The Kings led in the league in W% when leading after one period (1.000).
- (this really belongs in its own "just weird" category) Despite being last in the league in goals, they are better than that (4th worst) in goals at home, and better than that (4th worst) in goals on the road. So, worst in goals overall, but better at home, and on the road. Yeah.
- Sutter seems to like Andrei Loktionov and Slava Voynov.
- Ethan Moreau is in Manchester.
- Colin Fraser has been a pleasant surprise.
- Loktionov recently revealed that Sutter allows all three forwards below the goal line in the offensive zone. (MayorsManor.com: "Oh I like him, he's a good coach," said the 21-year old Russian, with an ear-to-ear smile. "I like his system we play in the offensive zone [...]. He says in the offensive zone we can send three guys behind the net and keep it a live puck. I like it.")
- Dustin Penner recently revealed that Sutter frequently is in the locker room before the game, getting just as pumped up as the players, which is apparently something that Murray never did. (MayorsManor.com - "I've never seen a coach before Sutter come into the dressing room four minutes before we go on the ice and he's in there getting pumped up just like we are. He's a really good motivator.")
- Yesterday, Sutter mentioned that Jack Johnson needs to hit the net more.
- Bernie Nicholls.
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Half-full!
Too much talent and we can turn it around!
by drewtip on Jan 8, 2012 1:40 PM PST via mobile reply actions
forgot one point for half full
Jonathan Quick
"And in net, number 39, DAAAAAAN CLOOOOUTIER"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
I had to go back and read it a second time...
To see if he really left it out :) Hey, sometimes you miss the thing right in front of your face. I would have also added Jamie Kompon to the first half. Otherwise, solid list.
Thoughts on Jim Fox's proposal for trade
Of course, nobody can say why the King’s offense sucks, except for the common scapegoat of Jamie Kompon. But really, this team is too loaded for one assistant coach to be making all the difference. I think the King’s really are missing their top-six skilled player in Gagne, and this has been an issue for the last two years with the Kings that Dustin Penner didn’t fix, and although Gagne helped, he’s unavailable now, so now we’re back to square one.
Firing Murray helped get wins, but the overall offense didn’t improve, at least quantitatively speaking. I’m really curious what changes time will bring to the Kings. Moller leaving to Sweden really tied Lombardi’s hands, which means he probably has to look for a trade to bring in someone else, which seems like it will only complicate Moller’s future further if that guy occupies a place Moller could be fulfilling himself.
I'm a dominant number four hitter for the El Cid Lounge's men's softball team
Half full. The defense is really cool to watch…can’t say enough about that part of the game.
Fix the power play and we’re set…no trades, no ups, no extras, no desperate measures needed
Yesterday’s offense was sickening but the defense, while not as active a normal shut down a way below average team…but also got lucky as Nashville, like the Kings seemed totally unable to hand cross slot passes and finish. The D creamed Nash however.
Are Teemu Selanne and Melanie Griffith Twins?
Half-empty
While the power play (or lack thereof) is maddening, the team has regressed in five on five scoring from last year and that’s an even more worrisome trend.
OK guys, I figured it out:
While at even strength, simulate the penalty kill by leaving four in the defensive zone and leave a cherry-picker at center ice: we do our penalty-kill thing like nobody’s business, and we have a better chance of scoring on breakaways vs. playing actual hockey (check: Kings’ shooting percentage in the shootout ranks 22nd league wide, which is WAY better than 30th in playing “real” hockey so far). Sounds great, right? … eh, didn’t think so.
by maxwellian_demon on Jan 8, 2012 4:08 PM PST reply actions
Sadly, I believe he’s missed every penalty shot/shootout attempt/breakaway he’s had this year…
by maxwellian_demon on Jan 9, 2012 2:35 PM PST up reply actions
It's yet to be decided
It depends on which breaks first (or the most): our PP or our PK. That right there will determine our season.
Being in such a rut, the PP needs a major overhaul (genius right?) Whenever you realize that you’re stuck in your thinking, you need to do something dramatically different to shake your mind. Good thinkers do this all the time, from going for a jog, writing with your opposite hand, taking a shower, all sorts of gimmicks to get out of that mental rut.
The Kings need to do this, whether it be fire Kompon (because his mere presence is rut-re-inforcing), totally changing who is on the power play, or switching players’ positions on the PP, using a crazy formation, whatever, they need to do something(s) to change their perspective.
Not saying DS was the best hire, but at least TM's gone.
half full - d and goal half empty - forwards
I personally am not convinced that firing Jaime Kompon will make the difference everyone seems to think it will. The team is terribly average at wing. Brownie is a good serviceable 2nd line winger. And after that……? JW…. yeah he can be fine. Depends. No one on this team up front seems to have anything resembling a knack for finishing. Kopi up to a point barring his seemingly regular mid season meltdown. MR, he can finish.
Then thats about it.
Teams that have done better in their last ten: Rangers (18 points), Sharks (17 points), Avalanche, Bruins and Senators (16 points).
I don’t get even the comparison there. It’s most down to Quick. Even the Avs who everyone seems to think are an average team have four guys with more than 10 goals and three more with at least 7.
As for the Bruins Sharks and Rangers I won’t even go there.
If they don’t sort that problem up front out (and I don’t know how DL could do it quite frankly…. what could they even get for Bernier at this point?)…. they can probably only go so far. For those who missed it, Quick has given up four goals in the last five games… and won two of them. That doesn’t scream massive playoff success to me…. unless something rather dramatic happens to shift things around a bit.
what could they even get for Bernier at this point?
What? The Avs wanted him or Schneider badly and overpaid for a third option, and Tampa Bay reporters keep bringing him up as the kind of guy Yzerman wants. Young blue chip goalies like Schneider and Bernier are targeted because they are not just seen as a one year replacement, but a possible long term solution in goal.
I’ve never thought Bernier straight up would get a sniper or anything, but he definitely has value; but I don’t even want to be moving Bernier until they can figure out what Quick’s demands will be. A lot of GMs have needs — top 4 defenseman, goalie, top 6 forward — but no one’s pulled anything dramatic off yet. We’ll just have to see where the trade market goes.
Dinglebarnin' It JftC
Neisy, my point is that as Schneider who you mention is Playing this year and winning, I can’t see where Bernier who is playing (rarely) and losing (too often, even though the acceptable GAA), I don’t see where DL could get let’s say ‘as much’ as he really warrants. It would most likely go back to what Rich Hammond used to say about Quick after his first year. OK, he did well, but what happens when he has to shoulder the load as a first goalie for the whole year.
You don’t think someone as smart as Yzerman would bargain very very hard with that? I do.
And Kevin, yeah, he could for sure get something, but all these LAKI who think he’d bring in a Zach Parise…. I think are wishing rather than being realistic.
Goalie scouts value him. They know he plays better with more starts and, more importantly, that he has had shitty goal support before tonight.
His value is as it ever was.
Dinglebarnin' It JftC
by Niesy on Jan 9, 2012 11:11 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Parise
I’m really REALLY interested to see what happens with Parise. He only signed a one year deal … Devils need a goalie. Think the world of MB but that horse is getting tired.
Guess there are two ways it could go:
Parise does nothing further and tests the market.
NJ signs Parise to some kind of meaningful term and then he would be available as a package.
Either way, next year, Kings need a LW and NJ need goal tending.
If he’s not going to sign it would make sense to get some sort of package. But the Devils are in a playoff hunt, so it wouldn’t surprise me if Lou did nothing, and risked letting him walk. Just like the Stars last year with Brad Richards.
Dinglebarnin' It JftC
On the bright side
David Staples’ creepy Penner shrine got a new update. Haha, modern journalism is so refreshing.
Dinglebarnin' It JftC
I’ll vote half full because there’s no way the offense and PP can get any worse right? If the PP can go from awful to just bad, I think the Kings can get a couple of wins just from that alone.
And speaking on that, when are they going to come to the conclusion that maybe they need to change up the PP personnel up, even if it’s just one or two players? With the line changes Sutter is implementing tonight, I’m hoping this means the PP is going to get a face life. Heck, I’d like to see Richards at the point (apparently he played it in Philly) just to give what has been a predictable PP attack a different look. Personally, I’d like to see:
Doughty/Richards
Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Johnson/Stoll
Richardson-Loktionov-Penner
I may be delusional but I am still pretty confident that the kings are going to win the divison and go deep into the playoffs.
Fanatic
I don’t know about delusional but probably fanatic.
Just don’t see us going all that far with us half way through the season with a 2.0 GpG average.
I love your enthusiasum, and hope I’m wrong, but don’t think I am.
I must be your alter ego, because I have growing concerns about the team even making the playoffs. I think it’s likely but not a gimme by any means…
Afraid
Afraid that’s the camp I’m in as well.
It’s just the whole GoalsFor thing … I can’t get my head around 2 GpG average and say “I’m a believer”.
Fuck that pisses me off too … I had really REALLY high hopes until we came to game 41 with the same results … I kept telling myself this has to be anomalous … we are better than this …
I must be your alter ego, because I have growing concerns about the team even making the playoffs. I think it’s likely but not a gimme by any means…
Barring significant injury, I think the Kings will make the playoffs easily as a 7 or 8. Euro trip, Doughty contract, and TM being fired all before the all-star break and yet the Kings are one point out to of the 6th to 8th seed to date. I won’t count injuries because all teams go through them, some worse than the Kings. I don’t think any Kings fan can say that the team is performing at or above expectations so it is reasonable to say the team will improve.
Defense is strong, goaltending is outstanding. Offense is horrible but can change with a deadline acquisition. I think I heard on Kings Talk that if Gagne is injured for the rest of the season, DL can use that salary amount as extra cap space, assuming the Kings spend to the cap. I have to believe that with the cap space and a quality farm system, the team can acquire an impact player.
I said before Sutter came in: I think they’ll make the playoffs or get close to it. I’d think that no matter who their coach was.
They’ve made huge gains possession-wise BEFORE Sutter was hired so I’d be surprised if they missed. Would like to see them try to open it up again, though. Just because you try to open it up under Murray doesn’t mean it’s never going to be successful. Sigh.
Dinglebarnin' It JftC
I couldn’t help myself… Apologies to Elton John…
Pancake Man
She broke my fast daylight pre-skate
Zero hour nine a.m.
And I’m gonna be stuffed as a tic by then
I miss L.A. so much I miss my wife
It’s lonely out on ice
On such an aimless skate
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time
Till game time brings me round again to find
I’m not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I’m a pancake man
Pancake man throwing out his back out here alone
Rink ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it’s cold as hell
And there’s no one there to raise them if you did
And all this science I don’t understand
It’s just my job five days a week
A pancake man, a pancake man
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time…
by BakoCA on Jan 9, 2012 4:09 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
A masterpiece – ny times
Some would say contrived, we say convivial and thoughtful – the independent, u.k.
Hockey may not happen here, but every sports fan can beam a broad smile at the genius of BCA – missouri star ledger
Finally, a journalist who understands what we saw for weeks on end – edmonton sun
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