- Stoll thinks possibly his LW is Smyth and is more sure that his RW is Brown (maybe that’s from the Inside the Kings comments section, I forget).
- Terry Murray is going to start Smyth on the first line with Kopitar and Williams.
- SOD is going to start off camp paired with Doughty.
- Scuderi is going to start off paired with Johnson.
- Drewiske is essentially considered a top six d at this point.
- TM thinks Bernier, Hickey, Teubert and somebody else (Voynov?) should probably spend a year in the minors.
- DL is thinking of adding a 4th line center and a depth defenseman.
- DL is high on Purcell.
- DL is scared of Dany Heatley, in the best possible sense (and so am I).
Here’s my question. If DL expects big things from Purcell, doesn’t this mean he’s going to find room for him in the top-six? If not, wouldn’t we then have to have a viable third line that’s not a checking/shut-down line? You can’t expect big things from an offensive player and then put him on the fourth line playing six minutes a game. So, if you’re me (and I am), I think we’re looking at:
Smyth/Kopitar/Williams
Frolov/Stoll/Brown
LW3/Moller/Purcell
LW4/Handzus/Simmonds
But wait. What about the possible C4 addition DL alluded to? That makes just about zero sense unless he’s thinking Moller might be starting the season in Manchester. WHICH IS ANNOYING. Grrr. Okay, let’s pretend he does pick up some old vet to center the 4th line.
Smyth/Kopitar/Williams
Frolov/Stoll/Brown
LW3/Handzus/Simmonds
LW4/Crusty Old Guy/RW4
Purcell on the off wing on the third line? Maybe. No Moller? (again, WTF.) To me, the “maybe a fourth line center” thing means they’re still thinking about a knuckle-dragging fourth line. Which sucks. A third line of Purcell/Handzus/Simmonds, and a fourth line of Zeiler/Crusty/Westgarth, and Moller and Lewis in the AHL. Maybe he’ll wait till camp to see how Moller, Purcell, Lewis et al look, before he brings in Cliff Ronning or whoever.