General Hockey Thread V5.0

[24champ]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

I guess when you suck for sooo many years, you can stockpile young "potential" studs.

That's true. There is no denying the Kings have a horrible record in Hockey, the fact is there is one way to be a consistent contender and that is through the draft. It is the way the Red Wings and Devils stay very competitive year after year. Dean Lombardi is trying to emulate that formula Lamoriello and Holland use for building this organization.

That being said, the Kings in its ENTIRE existence have NEVER built through the draft. We also never properly utilized the pipeline, see: Jamie Storr etc. This is why I firmly believe that we are on the right track, many hockey experts and fans would agree as well. It's also why we are considered one of the deepest and quality pipelines in the NHL.

Right now is not the time in the rebuilding process for the Kings to make big free agent splashes. Once the draft picks have been developed then Lombardi will add a free agent or two to bolster the team.


Now, let me educate you on your own team, the Anaheim Dinosaurs.

Here is your roster in it's correct format. In Bold are players over thirty-

20 Carter, Ryan C 6-2 203 8/3/83
53 Festerling, Brett D 6-1 208 3/3/86
15 Getzlaf, Ryan C 6-4 221 5/10/85
35 Giguere, G 6-1 201 5/16/77
3 Hedican, Bret D 6-2 210 8/10/70
1 Hiller, Jonas G 6-2 196 2/12/82
40 Huskins, Kent D 6-2 209 5/4/79
14 Kunitz, Chris LW 6-0 195 9/26/79
22 Marchant, Todd C 5-10 180 8/12/73
24 May, Brad LW 6-1 218 11/29/71
6 McIver, Nathan D 6-2 205 1/6/85
32 Moen, Travis LW 6-2 215 4/6/82
5 Montador, Steve D 6-0 211 12/21/79
7 Morrison, Brendan C 5-10 187 8/15/75
44 Niedermayer, Rob C 6-2 200 12/28/74
27 Niedermayer, Scott D 6-1 198 8/31/73
26 Pahlsson, Samuel C 6-0 205 12/17/77
16 Parros, George RW 6-5 229 12/29/79
10 Perry, Corey RW 6-3 209 5/16/85
25 Pronger, Chris D 6-6 213 10/10/74
54 Ryan, Bobby RW 6-2 218 3/17/87
8 Selanne, Teemu RW 6-0 204 7/3/70
17 Sutherby, Brian C 6-3 205 3/1/82

By next year more players will be highlighted in bold, the window is closing for your team rapidly. Some of Dinosaurs on that roster eat up major minutes, see: Pronger, Gaymu Salami. I have a hard time seeing your so called youth players filling in for them with zero problems.

Now on to your notion that you have young players that are capable of filling in for Gaymu Salami, Prongher, Neids etc. is wrong and misguided. Take off your orange blinders and see the reality that you have just depth players waiting in Iowa. There is nobody there that lights up the ice. The only good players you have are Gaytzlaf and Carter...and that is about it. You do NOT have blue chip prospects waiting in the wings, that is the main difference between our clubs. Once you exit from the playoffs quickly that will be the end of an era for the Dinosaurs.

In fact, I see a lot of comparisons between the Dinosaurs and the Stars and it won't be long before they are both in the bottom of the division. Other teams in the division like Kings and the Coyotes are going to be ascending in the next year or so. Coyotes have a lot of youth, speed and skill players. The Sharks I see holding the Division banner for a few more years.

[24champ]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

Seems those dinosaurs have some young or under 30 players right by them. Maybe it is the fact that Teemu, Pronger and Neidenmeyer or so dominant that you believe we need those exact players to be replace in a year or two. Free agency and farm system. No way we sit back and just have Francois hold the defense.

What are you, people? On dope?

[broncocalijohn]

It is good to know that you still cant acknowledge that free agency exist in the NHL where we got players like Pronger, Selanne and Niedenmeyer. Free agency gives you the short cut where youth lacks experience to get you to the playoffs and beyond. When time comes, we will be hunting and gathering to keep the flow going. Highlighting Paulsson is correct but he is 30 right now. Not exactly close to a dinosaur. Others like Hedican are probably one year and done like we have had in the past. Fillers that do a good job for their line.
BTW: Did you happen to see the first goal last night by no other than Bobby Ryan? He is getting time on the PP too. Right now, he is far from a bust and one of the hotter players on the team. If there name has RYAN in it, they are sticking around. As for the young studs, you forgot Perry. Kunitz is up there also. I like this season but cant wait to see how wrong you will be in a few seasons. Maybe a hick up of one season but nothing like you guys produced after the Montreal Finals season. Kinda Clippers-isque for SoCal

[24champ]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

It is good to know that you still cant acknowledge that free agency exist in the NHL where we got players like Pronger, Selanne and Niedenmeyer. Free agency gives you the short cut where youth lacks experience to get you to the playoffs and beyond.

Once again, you show your lack of knowledge about your team. If you followed the Dinosaurs before their cup run, you would know that Pronger was not acquired via FA. You traded for Pronger by giving away Lupul, Smid, two first round picks, a 2008 second round pick.

This is the point I was making before, you guys lack top flight prospects in the system for this reason, trading away lots of long term assets for the short-term. With Neids and Pronger eating up lots of minutes on your team, when they retire it will leave big holes on your defense. "Giggy" will get older and won't be worth that albatross of a contract he has.

Going through the draft is where you build a sustained winner like the Wings, Devils, Sharks, Nordiques/Avalanche etc. Besides, the Kings have more cap space and assets than the Ducks have. So a player like Gaborik will probably sign with the Kings this offseason as it has been rumored.

You can believe that your team isn't going stumble down soon, but the fact remains that the Kings and Coyotes have been loading up on talent. It's due to happen in the next year or so...we have already surpassed the Stars. The Ducks are next and in a couple years the Sharks.

Did you happen to see the first goal last night by no other than Bobby Ryan? He is getting time on the PP too. Right now, he is far from a bust and one of the hotter players on the team. If there name has RYAN in it, they are sticking around. As for the young studs, you forgot Perry. Kunitz is up there also. I like this season but cant wait to see how wrong you will be in a few seasons. Maybe a hick up of one season but nothing like you guys produced after the Montreal Finals season. Kinda Clippers-isque for SoCal

Jury is still out on Ryan, he isn't anything great yet either. The Kings made a better selection about nine spots back in the same draft.

The one thing I am definitely looking forward to, is seeing even more empty seats in the Ponda when their team takes a dump. Who knows, maybe then Ducks will try and change the name to the Los Angeles Ducks of Anaheim to get more fans from LA.

[chadta]

if i may be so bold as to chime in, i dont really care one way or another about either team, so hear it is.

brian burke has shown that he hates draft picks, hell trade them for anything, and honestly john, im gonna have to agree with alf, i think your time is running out, free agents are great but less and less of them actually make it to free agency, as they get traded for just before the deadline or resigned by there current team. and your running out of picks to trade.

now onto the laughing stock of the kings, come on dood, the penguins are young and good, your just young, there is a difference.



anybody catch the young flyers team spot the hurricanes a 5-1 into the third and manage to pull off a win, not a real win i mean it was in the shootout, but just coming back to tie was an accomplishment.

[24champ]

Originally Posted by chadta

now onto the laughing stock of the kings, come on dood, the penguins are young and good, your just young, there is a difference.

What the **** does the penguins have to do with this conversation? Penguins have Malkin and Crosby. There isn't anyone on the Kings with that kind of talent, the closest is Kopitar who I project to be the next Joe Thornton. However the Kings have more younger players on the roster right now and a deeper pipeline than the Penguins. As a result, the Kings will have a deeper team and depth. Plus our Blueline, headlined by Doughty will be one of the best in the NHL soon.

Even your hero Bill Clement agrees...

Kings Aiming for a Rise to Royalty
By Bill Clement
NBCSports.com contributor
updated 3:58 p.m. MT, Wed., Dec. 10, 2008

Last season the Kings tied the Lightning for fewest points (71) in the NHL. Consider that rock bottom for them because they’ve gone to a full-blown youth movement that makes them the best positioned team in the NHL to within three years or so complete the great leap from poor house to powerhouse.

By the 2010-11 season the Kings should have the caliber of talent where they could not only contend for the Western Conference championship but also for the Stanley Cup.

So while it’s surprising that two weeks into December they are flirting with a .500 record, it’s not about this season for the Kings. They likely won’t make the playoffs but the future promises to be extremely bright.


Two months after last season ended, the Kings made a coaching change, hiring Terry Murray to replace Marc Crawford. Murray has been behind the bench with young teams before in Washington, Philadelphia and Florida. Although he was last a head coach with the Panthers in 2001, he’s a constant student of the game. He was an assistant coach with the Flyers last season and played a vital part in their run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Murray is the right man for the Kings because of his philosophical approach to coaching, which is preaching to your team the need for a deep dedication to defense. The quickest way to get competitive with any team is to improve defensively. Murray should be credited for his ability to get all his players on the same page and united towards achieving one objective – keeping the puck out of their net. The Kings are the most improved defensive team in the NHL because they have bought into Murray’s system.

Last season the Kings ranked 28th in the league in goals against average (3.21). Under Murray they have moved up to 12th, which clearly shows the coach is getting his message across. And what shows that even more is they have gone from last season’s average of allowing 32 shots per game (28th in the NHL) to being tied for first in that category (25.6).

A preseason look at the Kings’ defensemen didn’t knock anyone’s socks off. They are young, old or average but there have been two big surprises with this group. The first is the immediate emergence of Drew Doughty, who was taken with the No. 2 overall pick in June’s draft. He’s shown tremendous poise for a 19-year-old while performing excellently at both ends of the ice. On offense he’s very assertive in a confident way. He’s been anything but overwhelmed playing at the NHL level. He’s playing like he belongs and there’s nothing not to like about him. Doughty’s been so impressive that he leads the team in time on ice per game (23.27).

The second surprise from the rearguards is how well Kyle Quincey has played since the Kings claimed him off waivers from the Red Wings on Oct. 13. Quincey couldn’t get many minutes in Detroit given the logjam of blueline talent the Stanley Cup champions possess but he’s been a real nice addition to the Kings. He has jet-propelled skating ability, moves the puck and competes hard.

And actually a third surprise that ties into the overall improvement defensively by the Kings is that they have achieved it without one of their promising young blueliners in Jack Johnson, who underwent surgery Oct. 14 to repair a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder. He’s not expected back until late January.

So while the present is an upgrade over the recent past, the real excitement for this franchise lies ahead and it’s not that far away. In June’s draft the Kings had six picks in the first three rounds. Besides Doughty they also got a first-rounder in Colten Teubert, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound defenseman whose highly touted for his punishing play and his toughness.

Among the other high draftees of last summer who figure prominently in the team’s future plans are defenseman Vyacheslav Voinov (2nd round), defenseman Andrew Campbell (3rd round), center Robbie Czarnik (3rd round) and left wing Geordie Wudrick (3rd round).

By drafting Doughty, Teubert, Voinov and Campbell, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi has built a good portion of the infrastructure of Los Angeles’ future blueline. The Kings will have good quality depth in this unit very soon.


It will be interesting to see how the team’s goaltending picture evolves over the next couple of seasons. Gone is Dan Cloutier, who did not play nearly as well as expected and was hurt a lot during his two seasons in Los Angeles. Erik Ersberg and Jason LaBarbera are sharing the load at present but three talented prospects Jonathan Bernier, Jon Quick and Jeff Zatkoff are on the horizon.

The Kings struggle to score as they rank 23rd in goals per game (2.56). In the short-term Murray is stressing to his team to shoot more. But come the 2009 draft it would not be surprising for Lombardi to focus on adding scoring centers and wingers.

Besides having so much promising young talent in the pipeline, another huge factor in the expected transformation of the Kings into one of the league’s elite teams is they have the most salary cap flexibility of any team in the NHL. This season they have about $13 million in cap space. And beyond the 2010-11 season, they’ll have only three players under contract: center Anze Kopitar, who is an absolute blue-chipper, winger Dustin Brown, who is their captain and a young, tough defenseman, Matt Greene.


So with cap flexibility and no financial burden of long-term contracts, Lombardi has put the Kings in great position to fill any needs they might have in what will be a belt tightening stretch by NHL clubs as they weather the storm economically. With the economy in bad shape not only will a lot of teams not be willing to re-sign some of their players who are coming up for free agency in the next couple of years but there’s also likely to be less competition for the services of these free agents as clubs closely watch their bottom lines. That means not only will Los Angeles (providing ownership gives the green light) be able to get help on the open market, it might well get that help at discount prices.

For Los Angeles this season will have its growing pains for sure. But with the youthful blueprint put in place by Lombardi, Kings fans have something to look forward to and it could well be something real good real soon.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/28164543/

Now you can all shut the **** up.

[24champ]

Also Kings win their second straight game, beating the Wild 3-1 and pushing themselves over .500

[chadta]

congratulations on achieving mediocrity

[phillybroncosnut]

Sorry NHL fans but...... it's time for the league to say fu.ck the fans. I think it's time to take the all star voting away from the fans.
Every season there are guys who get snubbed in every sport. This year is a complete embarassment in the NHL. Montreal is desroying everyone in all star voting unless your name is Malkin or Crosby. Montreal doesn't have 1 guy in the top 30 in points, goals, and only 1 in assists (Markov). Yet, Tanguay, Koivu, and Kovalev are right behind both Crosby and Malkin? All three Habs forwards have 400,000 more votes then Ovechkin!!!
There are teams out there who have players who are way more deserving. Flyers have Carter, Gagne and Richards who are all in the top 13 in points and goals in the NHL not just Eastern conference. Look at Kessell in Boston, nowhere to be found. hell, the guying leading the entire NHL in goals (Vanek) just barely cracks the top 10 in voting. He's 500,000 votes behind the 3 headed monster in Montreal.
One more thing.... Carey Price is leading the voting by almost 100,000 votes. He is 11th in GAA, and save percentage.

NHL, please taking the priveledge of voting away from these bafoons!!!

[24champ]

Originally Posted by chadta

congratulations on achieving mediocrity

We haven't achieved anything or reached our goal yet. As it stands now, we are 1 point back of the playoff spot.

[24champ]

Words cannot describe my contempt for Labarbera right now. Ersberg holds the fort till the third period when he got injured. Game was 2-1 Kings over the Sharks until Labs comes in and blows it. Go to OT nothing happens, SO comes...and the Sharks go gloveside on Labs on the first try. Then the second time the Sharks were up, they do the SAME ****ING move as before, went gloveside. Labs is now Cloutier.

I don't know the extent of Ersbergs injury, but I assume Bernier is probably about to be sent on a flight to LA.

Though we went toe to toe with the best team in the NHL.

[broncocalijohn]

Not a bad game for the Kings against the best team out there but once again, you dont finish them off. You arent battling the Sharks, you are battling almost everyone else to get that playoff spot. One point earned but another one taken away in the 3rd. Sharks are just sick. Wonder if Bruins fans watch the box score of the Sharks just to purposely feel sick.

[24champ]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

Not a bad game for the Kings against the best team out there but once again, you dont finish them off.

Ya I know, been saying it for a few weeks now. Good to know your coming along.

[phillybroncosnut]

Hey!!!! Where all the Avs fans??

[Bronx33]

Iam usually the only one here.

[24champ]

Originally Posted by phillybroncosnut

Hey!!!! Where all the Avs fans??

They are on the PUT list, Physically Unable to Type after pulling a Sakic with their snowblowers.

[24champ]

Team USA
There's been a staff addition of late.

"Because I've shifted to the Eastern Conference, we've added another GM as a scout, [Los Angeles Kings GM] Dean Lombardi," Team USA GM Brian Burke told ESPN.com on Monday.

The Olympic management committee also includes Nashville Predators GM David Poile, Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell, Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren and Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero.

They've been hard at work.

"We've been rating players since the regular season began, we have our own rating system," said Burke, GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. "I don't know exactly how many reports we've filed, we're in the hundreds.

"Each guy on the committee has had to do a ghost roster, looking ahead and saying this might be how the team could look like. We've also put together a priority watch list. Every night we see an American player, we file a report. We'll have a pretty comprehensive database by the end of the season, which will help us put our orientation camp together."

Team USA's orientation camp is slated to be held in late August and Burke hopes to have "30 or fewer players" attend.

The management group has already had two full staff meetings. They'll meet again in February, then again at the March GM meetings in Naples, Fla., and again at the June NHL draft in Montreal.

"If you look what we're going to have, there's a good chance we're going to have a real young team," Burke said. "The World Hockey Championships in Halifax [last spring] marked a turning of the page for USA Hockey with respect that it's the first team that we put into international competition without one of those great warriors on it -- those guys that have carried the flag so well for so long."

Burke was referring to the great core of American players who have long been at the forefront of the team, players such as Mike Modano, Keith Tkachuk, Chris Chelios, Doug Weight, etc.

"And we're not saying that this team wouldn't have one of those warriors on it," Burke said. "Tkachuk had a great start and Modano is playing better. We haven't ruled out anybody, but it's clear, looking at the names, that it's going to be a younger team. There's going to be significant turnover."

Zach Parise, Dustin Brown, Phil Kessel, Patrick Kane -- the American team won't have a shortage of young talent.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/...=lebrun_pierre

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by A.L.F.

They are on the PUT list, Physically Unable to Type after pulling a Sakic with their snowblowers.

TA t si r is notTT funy....

[24champ]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

TA t si r is notTT funy....

You mean they wouldn't like it if I posted that over on HF?

[24champ]

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lolbarbera is driving me ape****. Thats TWO ****ing games in a row now that he blew a lead. This Kings team must be deflated ,they can play with the best like the Sharks and the Rags. However lolbarbera is in the way...

[broncocalijohn]

That shot was screened ALF. Dude moves out of the way just in time. We softened them up for you though. At least you got a point on them. We lost at least a point. Horrible turnover and Pronger getting his skates left 5 feet behind him gave up the leading goal with a few minutes to play. If it went to shotout, you would have probably lost. Dude has stopped 22 of 25 shots in the extra overtime frame.

[24champ]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

That shot was screened ALF. Dude moves out of the way just in time.

Doughty did what every defenseman does, clear the trash. In this case it was Drury. The fault lies with LaCloutier, because in this case, the play was developing very clearly. He should have known how the play was going to develop, and he would have been more positionally sound.

Besides the point, it should have never went to OT. He allowed 1 goal on 3 shots in the first period. 2 goals on 8 shots...you think that is a good goalie?

We had that game, it should have never went to OT but LaCloutier had other plans. If Ersberg was healthy, we could be looking at 4 points instead of 2 that we got.

[Ray Finkle]

Originally Posted by A.L.F.

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lolbarbera is driving me ape****. Thats TWO ****ing games in a row now that he blew a lead. This Kings team must be deflated ,they can play with the best like the Sharks and the Rags. However lolbarbera is in the way...

As a Ranger fan, he was never good....

Also as a Ranger fan, I am glad Sundin went to the Canucks....

[24champ]

Originally Posted by Ray Finkle

As a Ranger fan, he was never good....

Also as a Ranger fan, I am glad Sundin went to the Canucks....

Ironic that your backup Vally was drafted by the Kings...stood on his head and LaCloutier drafted by the Rangers wasn't good...to put it nicely.

As said before, Sharks and Rangers are two really good teams that are very likely to be in the playoffs. It just pisses me off to see the hard effort of our young team go wasted because LaCloutier can't make decent saves.

By the way Ray Finkle, your guy Zherdev looks like a steal. From what I heard when he was with the Blue Jackets, was that he was a total head case. He looks like he got his **** together with the Rangers.

[Ray Finkle]

Originally Posted by A.L.F.

Ironic that your backup Vally was drafted by the Kings...stood on his head and LaCloutier drafted by the Rangers wasn't good...to put it nicely.

As said before, Sharks and Rangers are two really good teams that are very likely to be in the playoffs. It just pisses me off to see the hard effort of our young team go wasted because LaCloutier can't make decent saves.

By the way Ray Finkle, your guy Zherdev looks like a steal. From what I heard when he was with the Blue Jackets, was that he was a total head case. He looks like he got his **** together with the Rangers.

NY + Brighten Beach (sp?) = Russian Haven.....

To clear space for Sundin, they would have had to trade Rosie (which I don't mind) and Dubinsky (to get someone to take Rosie).....I would have been pissed.

The Rangers need to drop Kalinin and let Potter play....boy Kalinin blows.