Jason Lewis: What Happens Now as the Kings on the Brink of Elimination?
- Jason_Lewis

i dunno maybe check the tee times?

When I think of team speed, I think of the late great Hall of Fame baseball manager Earl Weaver...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR8L_OW7kbY

Or...we trade some of the vets to up comers, then sign different d-men. It's possible. Fresh blood doesn't necessarily mean young blood. Mitchell and Greene haven't looked good in a long while. Stoll and Richards should be looked at as well.
- Ersberg

I actually thought Stoll was one of our better players in game 3. Excluding that last penalty of course. If up to me, I keep him at 3C. Don't know of many centers available that fit the role + faceoffs + pk quite as well.

In my opinion a 2-D is the same thing the Kings need. We have a couple of young talented Dmen besides Doughty, but none that can play Doughty/Karlsson type minutes. In my opinion at least.
- PancakesPenner

Exactly. We need a partner for Doughty far more than another center, as talented as Spezza is.

I think Sutter might be gone. We all know DL has loyalty. But its clear that Sutter has already got stale with this team. I think Greene and Mitchelle are both gone unless Mitchelle is willing to come back for really cheap. Both those guys being gone doesnt make me lose any sleep. Im fine letting Amart and Muzzin get more games. I feel its more a two way dman / offensive dman game right now anyhow. A strictly defensive dman needs to skate really good in this league.

Im also hoping that Clifford is gone. I hope we can get a 2nd rounder in this or next years draft for him. Like a previous poster noted. Id rather have Nolan. Id like to have King for another year on a 3rd line role. Id like to hope we can fit Gabby into the mix for next year. Id like to see a younger offensive minded coach come in. With assistants who can keep the defense in control.

Muzzin is a bigger risk than Amart only because he has major issues with himself when he plays bad. He cant seem to keep his head in check and brush off a bad game.
- poisondhearts37

I pretty much have to agree with everything here. Sutter in particular. Rearranging the lines right before round 1 from combos that were really working, all in the name of veteran presence (I'm looking at Pearson-Carter-Toffoli). Same as Murray, the constant changes hold us back, in my very humble opinion. Very disappointing.

Question is - who is out there to replace him? Or do we give Stevens the role back?

Mike Richards for Bryaden Schenn?

What about trading Richards, Toffolli, Voynov and LA's first round pick to the jets for Kane, Little and the Jets first round pick?
- TheUltimateJet

That's a little steep for my taste. I'd rather not sell low on Richards yet, give him one more shot at getting his poop together. And Voynov isn't expendable while our top priority most likely is to upgrade the d.

Kings in 7

I think Sutter might be gone. We all know DL has loyalty. But its clear that Sutter has already got stale with this team. I think Greene and Mitchelle are both gone unless Mitchelle is willing to come back for really cheap. Both those guys being gone doesnt make me lose any sleep. Im fine letting Amart and Muzzin get more games. I feel its more a two way dman / offensive dman game right now anyhow. A strictly defensive dman needs to skate really good in this league.

Im also hoping that Clifford is gone. I hope we can get a 2nd rounder in this or next years draft for him. Like a previous poster noted. Id rather have Nolan. Id like to have King for another year on a 3rd line role. Id like to hope we can fit Gabby into the mix for next year. Id like to see a younger offensive minded coach come in. With assistants who can keep the defense in control.

Muzzin is a bigger risk than Amart only because he has major issues with himself when he plays bad. He cant seem to keep his head in check and brush off a bad game.
- poisondhearts37

My dream coach would be Dave tippet ........imagine what he could do with this team. I for one would not be against a coaching change.
Kings just aren't playing desperate hockey. Sharks want this way more. They are losing these games with bad D...........and we all know this team knows D. The passion level is low and if Sutter doesn't have a TV worthy, epiphany type, pre game speech then this team is done tonight.

Kings probably take it to game 5, but out then. To me it doesn't matter if you're out in 4 or out in 7, out is out.

As for what to do for next year, find a permanent spot for Tanner Pearson, I really liked what I saw from him last game, especially the speed. He needs to play regular minutes. I want Toffoli back on the right side personally. If we can't resign Gaborik then after an offseason of healing (and an extra long one) we can see if Brown is playing better and can reunite with Kopitar and Williams. As much as he denies denies, I think a large part of his play has been due to his knee. He a lot better when he took the knee brace off during the Olympics and right after, then he started to fade again.. Most likely because the knee hasn't healed fully.

If it's not from his knee, then hopefully whatever happened this year is gone next year. He was great for us last year (second in goals) so I'm taking this year as an anomaly, and I don't even entertain the idea of shipping someone off after an anomaly of a year.

Richards, I'm more concerned, just because I think it has to do with getting his bell rung one too many times. However I'd still hold on another year and go from there.

On D, Greene is gone, I think McNabb is the player to replace him. Mitchell is also likely gone, but since Greene was mostly scratched, I think that we're going to be looking at a Defensive group of:

Muzzin-Doughty
Regher-Voynov
McNabb-Martinez

The problem is that McNabb and Martinez are both Lefty's. (so is Forbort, who is the likely Regher replacement and Campbell who I honestly don't see in the Kings long term plans)... Kevin Gravel is a righty, and has looked damn impressive but like Forbort probably needs another year in the minors. The good news is that after next year, we're going to have a young and talented defensive group up with us (not to mention tall, Forbort and McNabb are both 6-4 and Gravel is 6-5). Bad news is that next year not everyone will be ready.

In fact next year should be the final year in the minors for a few players.

But back to next year. Unless they find a D-man in UFA to play the right side, we probably need to have a lefty move over. We also need to hope that Muzzin takes that next step that he didn't do this year.

On forwards, again find Pearson a regular spot, Vey probably replaces Fraser, and Toffoli needs to play on the right.

My dream coach would be Dave tippet ........imagine what he could do with this team. I for one would not be against a coaching change.
Kings just aren't playing desperate hockey. Sharks want this way more. They are losing these games with bad D...........and we all know this team knows D. The passion level is low and if Sutter doesn't have a TV worthy, epiphany type, pre game speech then this team is done tonight.
- dprice818

Tippett. Just...

Tippett. Just...
- cryptical77

I've always been a big fan of Tippett. I haven't heard if Trotz accepted the office job Nashville offered him, and I think Laviolette is still available as well.

In other news...

Due to recent history, if there's any team that can win 4 straight, its the Kings.

If there's any team that can lose 4 straight, its the Sharks.

I love the Sharks and I think this may be their year. But you never know.. one game at a time

Due to recent history, if there's any team that can win 4 straight, its the Kings.

If there's any team that can lose 4 straight, its the Sharks.

I love the Sharks and I think this may be their year. But you never know.. one game at a time
- HabsRUs

Yep you never know. But man the Sharks are looking good right now. Its just killing me to say that.

Due to recent history, if there's any team that can win 4 straight, its the Kings.

If there's any team that can lose 4 straight, its the Sharks.

I love the Sharks and I think this may be their year. But you never know.. one game at a time
- HabsRUs

I want to hope but...
"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man." – Friedrich Nietzsche.
I just want at least one win, so it's not a sweep.

I want to hope but...
"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man." – Friedrich Nietzsche.
I just want at least one win, so it's not a sweep.
- Stu17

True, but if they get one, there's no reason they can't get two. If they get two they're only down one game. That changes everything. Win or lose tonight, I just want to see 60 full minutes of hard, dedicated Kings hockey.

True, but if they get one, there's no reason they can't get two. If they get two they're only down one game. That changes everything. Win or lose tonight, I just want to see 60 full minutes of hard, dedicated Kings hockey.
- PancakesPenner

Well put..........l just want to see the kings make SJ earn the series and play their hearts out like the Sharks are. One game at a time. I'm going to be on a boat in Maui so I am missing my first game in years I feel like the Kings will win tonight and I hate to miss it. I just hope I have a signal for updates

Well put..........l just want to see the kings make SJ earn the series and play their hearts out like the Sharks are. One game at a time. I'm going to be on a boat in Maui so I am missing my first game in years I feel like the Kings will win tonight and I hate to miss it. I just hope I have a signal for updates
- dprice818

You chose Maui over the greatest series comeback in Kings history?!

Yep you never know. But man the Sharks are looking good right now. Its just killing me to say that.
- cryptical77

Why? They've been good for many years and it's finally looking like they will get somewhere. Personally, I don't think they have it in them to go all the way. They're playing great against the Kings, but the Kings suck right now so...I don't know, I just don't see the Sharks win a cup with this line up.

You chose Maui over the greatest series comeback in Kings history?!
- cryptical77

Thats what I'm talking about! It's gonna be great, it's gonna be magical, it's gonna be absolutely effed up.

Well put..........l just want to see the kings make SJ earn the series and play their hearts out like the Sharks are. One game at a time. I'm going to be on a boat in Maui so I am missing my first game in years I feel like the Kings will win tonight and I hate to miss it. I just hope I have a signal for updates
- dprice818

You know what that means, don't you? If they win tonight, you've gotta stay on that boat!!! you're doing it for the team!!

You know what that means, don't you? If they win tonight, you've gotta stay on that boat!!! you're doing it for the team!!
- Stu17

I never wear any Kings jerseys, shirts, hats or anything else on a game day (Unless i'm actually at one) and when we won the Cup I only put my jersey on with 2 min left and a 5 goal lead and was still nervous...Tonight, i'm wearing the Kopitar Jersey because something's got to give.

I never wear any Kings jerseys, shirts, hats or anything else on a game day (Unless i'm actually at one) and when we won the Cup I only put my jersey on with 2 min left and a 5 goal lead and was still nervous...Tonight, i'm wearing the Kopitar Jersey because something's got to give.
- Anjin

Tonight is the night to pull out all the stops!!!

IT ENDS TONIGHT!!! The 3 game losing streak, that is!! GKG

You chose Maui over the greatest series comeback in Kings history?!
- cryptical77

If kings can do it then I will have to come here every april

Sharks are playing some damn good hockey against the team with the lowest GAA during the season. That just proves the regular season doesn't say much other than placement in the playoffs.

Well I go to the game tonight. Hopefully the boys can pull off the win so we all get to watch some more Kings hockey.