That's retarded, I think LA will be better this year but I still don't think you guys will be a super high scoring team. It will be enough to win the Pacific hands down though. SJ could give you problems if they win the Nash sweepstakes though. Well and if Niemi decides to play to what hes capable of.
- Steve-B

We were NEVER slated to be a high-scoring team, due to our system. Allow our players to flourish on a run-and-gun team, and thigs might be different. No, we're a structured club, poised to beat teams with talent, coupled with a structured defense.

The idea is, we'll average just enough goals against the opponent, while they struggle to score against us.

It's not a tough system to figure out.

I agree with this one.
- robin_steele264

We were NEVER slated to be a high-scoring team, due to our system. Allow our players to flourish on a run-and-gun team, and thigs might be different. No, we're a structured club, poised to beat teams with talent, coupled with a structured defense.

The idea is, we'll average just enough goals against the opponent, while they struggle to score against us.

It's not a tough system to figure out.
- Ersberg

The Kings got lucky at the right time, ended up on a hot streak just in time to steal a Stanley Cup. Congrats, enjoy it, but don't act like your team has any chance of repeating. Much like the Carolina Hurricanes & Edmonton Oilers of 2006, the LA Kings are "one & done". Enjoy it for the rest of the summer.

Agree with all that.

As far as SJ goes, they always give us trouble. But my only contention would be with regards to Nash. SJ usually pulls off good trades, so take this for what it's worth, but depending on who SJ has to theoretically give up to get Nash, does that make them worse off? Or does Nash + whoever they bring in make them better overall?
- StayTunedMTC

Depends, If they give up Pavelski as the only major roster player. Couture can easily be their #2 center. They have the centers to burn and the size..

We were NEVER slated to be a high-scoring team, due to our system. Allow our players to flourish on a run-and-gun team, and thigs might be different. No, we're a structured club, poised to beat teams with talent, coupled with a structured defense.

The idea is, we'll average just enough goals against the opponent, while they struggle to score against us.

It's not a tough system to figure out.
- Ersberg

It's not a slight, the most impressive thing about LA is how they score against some of the best goalies in the NHL. When you can score with big bodies driving the net or with skilled plays your a dangerous team. Colorado is being built much the same way, to be a balanced attack team. We won't have the pure size but the mix of physicality and skill is there. We have a little more of a blue collar defense though unless EJ breaks out with 35+ points.

I like how LA is built.. Teams like Vancouver are built for the regular season where teams like LA are built for the playoffs.

The only sad thing here in the West is that Edmonton will tank. Th young kids are great but where is the experience and leadership coming from?

Then more pressure on the kids....

Then unhappiness in Edmonton....

Then trade demands.....

Then Coach fired....

Then.... lets say.... Christmas.....

Then #1 draft pick again.

The only sad thing here in the West is that Edmonton will tank. Th young kids are great but where is the experience and leadership coming from?

Then more pressure on the kids....

Then unhappiness in Edmonton....

Then trade demands.....

Then Coach fired....

Then.... lets say.... Christmas.....

Then #1 draft pick again.
- Beatle_john

hush puppy.

The only sad thing here in the West is that Edmonton will tank. Th young kids are great but where is the experience and leadership coming from?

Then more pressure on the kids....

Then unhappiness in Edmonton....

Then trade demands.....

Then Coach fired....

Then.... lets say.... Christmas.....

Then #1 draft pick again.
- Beatle_john

I don't think they will be last, just to much offense. They don't have the balance of skill and physicality to do as much damage late in the season when the games are closer to playoff style games. They will come out hot but the young skilled guys will get ground up in 2013.

The only sad thing here in the West is that Edmonton will tank. Th young kids are great but where is the experience and leadership coming from?

Then more pressure on the kids....

Then unhappiness in Edmonton....

Then trade demands.....

Then Coach fired....

Then.... lets say.... Christmas.....

Then #1 draft pick again.
- Beatle_john

Admit it. You're envious of the Edmonton Oilers, because they're going to be the next Canadian Team to win the Stanley Cup. The Oilers are so full of young raw talent, it's only a matter of time before the Dynasty 2.0 begins. Don't be jealous, I mean, your team made it to the Stanley Cup Finals just last year. 1982, 1994, 2011....Don't feel bad, your team will be back to the cup finals just in time for another loss.............. in 10-12 years.

The teams that are missing are pretty much locks. St. Louis, Vancouver, Los Angeles I don't figure to regress to the point of missing the playoffs. I just added that into the blog though. No use leaving even the locks out.
- martok2309

Is LA really a lock? They were only an 8th seed last season. It wouldn't be the first time a Stanley Cup Champion missed the playoffs.

[quote=Beatle_john]The only sad thing here in the West is that Edmonton will tank. Th young kids are great but where is the experience and leadership coming from?

Then more pressure on the kids....

Then unhappiness in Edmonton....

Then trade demands.....

Then Coach fired....

Then.... lets say.... Christmas.....


Another jelaous Van fan. I gaurantee you Van does not win the presidents trophy or the cup this year. And Edmontons Defense will be solid as long as they stay healthy. They will surprise alot of teams this year. Cant wait to watch them chase Schneider in the first period a few times this year!

Is LA really a lock? They were only an 8th seed last season. It wouldn't be the first time a Stanley Cup Champion missed the playoffs.
- flamminghead

LA was not a real 8th seed. They were predicted by most to take the Pacific at the beginning of the season. They were the 2nd best team in the league in the last month and a half and went into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams. They should get off to a better start this year and take the Pacific easily.

[quote=Beatle_john]The only sad thing here in the West is that Edmonton will tank. Th young kids are great but where is the experience and leadership coming from?

Then more pressure on the kids....

Then unhappiness in Edmonton....

Then trade demands.....

Then Coach fired....

Then.... lets say.... Christmas.....


Another jelaous Van fan. I gaurantee you Van does not win the presidents trophy or the cup this year. And Edmontons Defense will be solid as long as they stay healthy. They will surprise alot of teams this year. Cant wait to watch them chase Schneider in the first period a few times this year!

- Iggysbff

Fast pretty plays don't work as well in the NHL as in junior. Edmonton is going to have to balance out their forward ranks with some size if they want to have success. How is Hall going to be right after his shoulder sugery? RNH needs 20lbs, Yakupov is small and just as reckless as Hall.

The faster all of those guys skate the harder they will get hit and who on your team is going to do a damn thing about it? Shultz is also like what 185lbs?

Edmonton is going to be icing a junior all-star team versus NHL teams for at least the next two years.

The Kings got lucky at the right time, ended up on a hot streak just in time to steal a Stanley Cup. Congrats, enjoy it, but don't act like your team has any chance of repeating. Much like the Carolina Hurricanes & Edmonton Oilers of 2006, the LA Kings are "one & done". Enjoy it for the rest of the summer.
- Sammy Van Hagar

Admit it. You're envious of the Los Angeles Kings, because they just won the Stanley Cup. The Kings are so full of young talent mixed with veteran leadership, it's only a matter of time before the Dynasty 1.0 begins. Don't be jealous, I mean, your team made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 05-06. Don't feel bad, your team will be back to the cup finals just in time for another loss.............. in 5-10 years.

Fast pretty plays don't work as well in the NHL as in junior. Edmonton is going to have to balance out their forward ranks with some size if they want to have success. How is Hall going to be right after his shoulder sugery? RNH needs 20lbs, Yakupov is small and just as reckless as Hall.

The faster all of those guys skate the harder they will get hit and who on your team is going to do a damn thing about it? Shultz is also like what 185lbs?

Edmonton is going to be icing a junior all-star team versus NHL teams for at least the next two years.
- Steve-B

You hope so at least.

Fast pretty plays don't work as well in the NHL as in junior. Edmonton is going to have to balance out their forward ranks with some size if they want to have success. How is Hall going to be right after his shoulder sugery? RNH needs 20lbs, Yakupov is small and just as reckless as Hall.

The faster all of those guys skate the harder they will get hit and who on your team is going to do a damn thing about it? Shultz is also like what 185lbs?

Edmonton is going to be icing a junior all-star team versus NHL teams for at least the next two years.
- Steve-B

Agree that some size will have to be added but just to answer some of your doubts. Hall has been playing through his shoulder injury since junior, looking forward to seeing what he can do when fixed, yes RNH is smaller but if you watched any Oil games last season you would see the way he plays he doesn't have to be 200lbs. Hold judgement on Yakupov before he plays some games, Schultz right now is 190 could come into camp as high as 200

You hope so at least.
- robin_steele264

Haha, nah..

That is reality.. You really think teams like LA, Phoenix, SJ, STL, NSH, COL, DAL & VAN are just going to let your skill guys skate around them? Think about it.. There is a reason players don't jump directly to the NHL very often even with high skill.

Most of EDMs best players would not be in the NHL for at least another year if they were not top 5 draft picks. That is fine when adding one or two of them to the mix or if they are physically mature like Landeskog. But a top 6 of junior speed/skill guys are going to get ground up like hamburger in the second half of the season when the games are more bloody.

Admit it. You're envious of the Los Angeles Kings, because they just won the Stanley Cup. The Kings are so full of young talent mixed with veteran leadership, it's only a matter of time before the Dynasty 1.0 begins. Don't be jealous, I mean, your team made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 05-06. Don't feel bad, your team will be back to the cup finals just in time for another loss.............. in 5-10 years.
- StayTunedMTC

Even after winning a Stanley Cup we still don't get any respect. All that matters though is that Kings fans know that this team has what it takes to be top team in the league for many years to come.

Agree that some size will have to be added but just to answer some of your doubts. Hall has been playing through his shoulder injury since junior, looking forward to seeing what he can do when fixed, yes RNH is smaller but if you watched any Oil games last season you would see the way he plays he doesn't have to be 200lbs. Hold judgement on Yakupov before he plays some games, Schultz right now is 190 could come into camp as high as 200
- freelancer

I think I put EDM around 13th (Scratch that I had them at 11th.) , which I think is fair. Experience and physical maturity is going to be the killer. But high skill and high scoring will keep EDM off the floor. I just don't think they are going to hold up yet over an 82 game schedule.

The west is getting better and better defensively and bigger as well.

Even after winning a Stanley Cup we still don't get any respect. All that matters though is that Kings fans know that this team has what it takes to be top team in the league for many years to come.
- canuckssuck9

I was just taking his post and reversing it. The guy is obviously a biased homer.

The thing I love about the Kings is that while they probably won't be a Vancouver of the regular season, they are clearly built for playoff hockey and we just saw what they are capable of. I'm not saying they'll make a crazy run like that every year, but we turned a lot of heads.

Edmonton will have to add 1 or 2 pieces of size in the top 6 and some size in the bottom 6, as well as get some good D and the goaltending situation is iffy as of now. I believe they can add the size easier than the skill, so they are more than capable. But that guy shouldn't be so cocky until they actually, you know, make the playoffs and not be last or close to last year after year.

Fast pretty plays don't work as well in the NHL as in junior. Edmonton is going to have to balance out their forward ranks with some size if they want to have success. How is Hall going to be right after his shoulder sugery? RNH needs 20lbs, Yakupov is small and just as reckless as Hall.

The faster all of those guys skate the harder they will get hit and who on your team is going to do a damn thing about it? Shultz is also like what 185lbs?

Edmonton is going to be icing a junior all-star team versus NHL teams for at least the next two years.
- Steve-B

Yeah maybe for the next two years. Our bottom six is pretty decent size (most at or above 200, a couple of heavy-hitters).

Our top six is not really worth re-tooling when the size "problem" will solve itself.

The Kings got lucky at the right time, ended up on a hot streak just in time to steal a Stanley Cup. Congrats, enjoy it, but don't act like your team has any chance of repeating. Much like the Carolina Hurricanes & Edmonton Oilers of 2006, the LA Kings are "one & done". Enjoy it for the rest of the summer.
- Sammy Van Hagar

Uh oh.....

I think I put EDM around 13th (Scratch that I had them at 11th.) , which I think is fair. Experience and physical maturity is going to be the killer. But high skill and high scoring will keep EDM off the floor. I just don't think they are going to hold up yet over an 82 game schedule.

The west is getting better and better defensively and bigger as well.
- Steve-B

Like who? Vanouver is worse, Calgary is worse, SJ is worse, Chicago is worse, Dallas is worse, Phoenix is about to get worse. Minny added Suter so will be tougher, LA will be tough, Anaheim is worse. Tell me how the west got tougher and better defensively?

Admit it. You're envious of the Los Angeles Kings, because they just won the Stanley Cup. The Kings are so full of young talent mixed with veteran leadership, it's only a matter of time before the Dynasty 1.0 begins. Don't be jealous, I mean, your team made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 05-06. Don't feel bad, your team will be back to the cup finals just in time for another loss.............. in 5-10 years.
- StayTunedMTC

When it comes down to it, the team that will win or make it to the SCF is the team that clicks at the end. The Devils clicked and the Kings clicked. One could argue that Philly, Boston, NYR, Pitt all had a much better roster than the Devils did, but the Devils meshed at the right time. Same can be said about the Kings. To repeat in this league is tremendously hard to do. Some said Bruins were going to repeat and they were out in the first round. There's a good chance another team will click just like the Kings did and run over your asses, there's a solid chance the Devils won't even make the playoffs this year, barring a new top-six forward or breakout seasons.

To call the Kings a potential dynasty after one Stanley Cup ring, and an 8th place finish, regardless of any stats you want to bring up, is foolish.

Like who? Vanouver is worse, Calgary is worse, SJ is worse, Chicago is worse, Dallas is worse, Phoenix is about to get worse. Minny added Suter so will be tougher, LA will be tough, Anaheim is worse. Tell me how the west got tougher and better defensively?

- Iggysbff

How is anaheim a worse team than last year? We're only a second line center away from being a very competitive team.