Sheng Peng: On Kempe & LaDue's Progress; About Last Night... Who can falling Kings catch? How do Kempe & LaDue look so far?

LaDue should be that right shot, 2nd pair D the team has been sorely lacking since Voynov.

24-8
6-38
3/53-27

assuming one doesn't get taken in the expansion draft and/or dealt for offensive help, which is the bigger issue. Kempe should lock down a spot on the opening nite roster, but will he be joined by anyone else like Mersch or Brodz?

lol good stuff

Quality write up Sheng.

Just goes to show that Corsi is not the be all end all - that said I'd be thrilled if Kings didn't get in - more than any other team in the west they scare me the most - all that high end talent and skill you just never know if they were to get in what could happen -

No (frank)ing grit whatsoever.[/img]

Quality write up Sheng.
- poisondhearts37

Thanks!

Just goes to show that Corsi is not the be all end all
- dozerD10

I don't know any decent analytics person who would claim it was a "be all end all" stat

LaDue should be that right shot, 2nd pair D the team has been sorely lacking since Voynov.

24-8
6-38
3/53-27

assuming one doesn't get taken in the expansion draft and/or dealt for offensive help, which is the bigger issue. Kempe should lock down a spot on the opening nite roster, but will he be joined by anyone else like Mersch or Brodz?
- hiway39

Unless the Kings trade one of Muzzin or Martinez or opt for the 8/1 setup rather than 7/3/1, I think Forbort will get taken by Vegas. If they do one of those things, Dowd is probably the one who gets snatched.

Unless the Kings trade one of Muzzin or Martinez or opt for the 8/1 setup rather than 7/3/1, I think Forbort will get taken by Vegas. If they do one of those things, Dowd is probably the one who gets snatched.
- DonzoBean

I think they do 8/1 Kopitar, Carter, Pearson, Toffoli, Doughty, Muzzin, Amart and Forbort. Kempe/La Due/Gravel not eligible to be picked.

Defensively next year they will be salty.

Offensively, they will probably be salt free again

I think they do 8/1 Kopitar, Carter, Pearson, Toffoli, Doughty, Muzzin, Amart and Forbort. Kempe/La Due/Gravel not eligible to be picked.

Defensively next year they will be salty.

Offensively, they will probably be salt free again
- fsanford

I do think 8/1 with the players you list makes more sense. Losing Dowd after he's emerged into a solid player will be too bad, but not the end of the world.

Listening to Nick Nickson and Daryl Evans post game last night, a very astute caller called in and asked with all the time given to the coaching staff to fix the offensive woes, why haven't they been able to do so.

Daryl Evans wasn't shy about replying that the trouble is the Kings are trying to put the puck at the net instead of into the net and that they should try to pick corners and such. A man such as Evans is an excellent analyst of the game who like many of us is tired of the poopshow corsi numbers that Sutter and crew intend to win night in and night out with absolutely no results.

This team has far too much firepower, a Norris Trophy winner on the back end, and an all world goalie to produce these kind of results of which will now be one playoff win in three season. It is a debacle of which the coaching staff should have paid for but didn't.

To Do list for the Kings:

1. Fire Davis Payne... immediately
2. Bench McNab and do not protect him in the expansion
3. Gravel 3rd pair with Martinez
4. Call up Brodzinski
5.
Kempe Kopitar Gaborik
Brown Carter Ignila
Pearson Dowd Tofolli
Clifford Lewis Brodzinski

6. Take carter off the 1st pp unit so we have a really good center on both units
7. Try to make the playoffs. if we are that dead in the water then this should be a worthy risk to take

Off Season
8 Iginla retires
9. Do not protect or move for picks : Brown, Gaborik, McNab, Bishop
10. Sign Pearson
11. Straight up Trade: Tofolli for Duschene.


now..... everyone tell me what an insane fvck-wit I am

To Do list for the Kings:

1. Fire Davis Payne... immediately
2. Bench McNab and do not protect him in the expansion
3. Gravel 3rd pair with Martinez
4. Call up Brodzinski
5.
Kempe Kopitar Gaborik
Brown Carter Ignila
Pearson Dowd Tofolli
Clifford Lewis Brodzinski

6. Take carter off the 1st pp unit so we have a really good center on both units
7. Try to make the playoffs. if we are that dead in the water then this should be a worthy risk to take

Off Season
8 Iginla retires
9. Do not protect or move for picks : Brown, Gaborik, McNab, Bishop
10. Sign Pearson
11. Straight up Trade: Tofolli for Duschene.


now..... everyone tell me what an insane fvck-wit I am
- MikeOxbyg

Sutter haa to go too.

Sutter haa to go too.
- verwustung

I forgot that one

LaDue's defensive stats are horrid, the worst on the team, but I'd give him the benefit of the doubt because he's been paired with the defenseman with the 2nd-worst stats (and worst to have played more than a dozen games), who dragged down Martinez before him. As I said last night, Lombardi should've traded Muzzin for a top-6 scorer when he had the chance. He should still do it before the expansion draft, IMO, since a protection should not be wasted on him and he has too much trade value to allow to be taken.

If the team misses the playoffs, everyone should be let go. Lombardi's judgment last offseason was tremendously poor (even at the time), but worse is that he didn't do a thing to address it for most of the season, until it was pretty much too late, and he still didn't go far enough. Sutter has to work with what he's given, but he still has to manage it well. For example, it's inexcusable to give Muzzin so many minutes and defensive zone starts despite him being such a defensive liability all season. Sutter's Corsi-focused game plan that emphasizes outshooting opponents, rather than outscoring them, is not cutting the mustard. Finally, the assistant coaches don't seem to know what they're doing anymore and haven't earned enough benefit of the doubt to be kept on. A fresh head coach is needed who is interested in bringing in new assistants, since holdovers detract from the fresh way of doing things that the team needs.

I don't know any decent analytics person who would claim it was a "be all end all" stat
- Sheng Peng

*Cough* Tanner *Cough*

*Cough* Tanner *Cough*
- tkecanuck341

He did say "decent analytics person." Even with the couple of different ways that that can be read, he may not have been including Tanner.

To Do list for the Kings:

1. Fire Davis Payne... immediately
2. Bench McNab and do not protect him in the expansion
3. Gravel 3rd pair with Martinez
4. Call up Brodzinski
5.
Kempe Kopitar Gaborik
Brown Carter Ignila
Pearson Dowd Tofolli
Clifford Lewis Brodzinski

6. Take carter off the 1st pp unit so we have a really good center on both units
7. Try to make the playoffs. if we are that dead in the water then this should be a worthy risk to take

Off Season
8 Iginla retires
9. Do not protect or move for picks : Brown, Gaborik, McNab, Bishop
10. Sign Pearson
11. Straight up Trade: Tofolli for Duschene.


now..... everyone tell me what an insane fvck-wit I am
- MikeOxbyg

i have a feeling LA will entice LV to take Brown (maybe throw in a pick as well), buyout Gabbo or both.

trading duchesne for toffoli doesn't make a ton of sense to me; toffoli is a fit in this system, and not more expensive than duchesne...the known for the unknown. and COL would likely want a D moreso than a fwd.

still guessing martinez will get moved in the offseason. he's too expensive as a 3rd pair lefty d, and they dont need him if ladue can fit that right side role in the top 4.

*Cough* Tanner *Cough*
- tkecanuck341

I didn't even want to go there - but I was thinking it for sure -

The Kings need to keep up their end of the bargain. These teams can't meet in the playoffs when the Kings have been out more than in since 2003. Come on boys! That's the matchup we all want to see.

LaDue's defensive stats are horrid, the worst on the team, but I'd give him the benefit of the doubt because he's been paired with the defenseman with the 2nd-worst stats (and worst to have played more than a dozen games), who dragged down Martinez before him. As I said last night, Lombardi should've traded Muzzin for a top-6 scorer when he had the chance. He should still do it before the expansion draft, IMO, since a protection should not be wasted on him and he has too much trade value to allow to be taken.

If the team misses the playoffs, everyone should be let go. Lombardi's judgment last offseason was tremendously poor (even at the time), but worse is that he didn't do a thing to address it for most of the season, until it was pretty much too late, and he still didn't go far enough. Sutter has to work with what he's given, but he still has to manage it well. For example, it's inexcusable to give Muzzin so many minutes and defensive zone starts despite him being such a defensive liability all season. Sutter's Corsi-focused game plan that emphasizes outshooting opponents, rather than outscoring them, is not cutting the mustard. Finally, the assistant coaches don't seem to know what they're doing anymore and haven't earned enough benefit of the doubt to be kept on. A fresh head coach is needed who is interested in bringing in new assistants, since holdovers detract from the fresh way of doing things that the team needs.
- Osprey

Fire Sutter? You finally find a coach who can get it done after a half century of ineptitude and you already want him sacked? How about the GM for his ghastly Gaborik and Brown contracts? How about having some patience and understanding after having such a remarkable run in 12-14? Good lord it's almost like "what have you done for me lately" Lakers/USC fans in here. Oh wait.

Fire Sutter? You finally find a coach who can get it done after a half century of ineptitude and you already want him sacked? How about the GM for his ghastly Gaborik and Brown contracts? How about having some patience and understanding after having such a remarkable run in 12-14? Good lord it's almost like "what have you done for me lately" Lakers/USC fans in here. Oh wait.
- gtrman09

If it makes you feel any better, here is who we want to hire:

So you don't watch this team nor read the post game nor pre game interviews. You don't know about the infamous trash can incident or how the players have dislked listening to the farmer for some time now. You don't know about all the lies and excuses.

Did he get it done? That's up for debate. Voynov
ov coming up, Jeff Carter coming in certaiy helped him a lot along with an already talented team that was defensively elite and had a great leadership group. Now that many are gone he has no answers, only excuses. But you wouldn't know anything about that.

Quack Quack

Fire Sutter? You finally find a coach who can get it done after a half century of ineptitude and you already want him sacked? How about the GM for his ghastly Gaborik and Brown contracts? How about having some patience and understanding after having such a remarkable run in 12-14? Good lord it's almost like "what have you done for me lately" Lakers/USC fans in here. Oh wait.
- gtrman09

Kind of like Honda Center being empty all the time.

Fire Sutter? You finally find a coach who can get it done after a half century of ineptitude and you already want him sacked? How about the GM for his ghastly Gaborik and Brown contracts? How about having some patience and understanding after having such a remarkable run in 12-14? Good lord it's almost like "what have you done for me lately" Lakers/USC fans in here. Oh wait.
- gtrman09

If they miss the playoffs, they'll have had only one playoff win in the last 3 seasons, all while players who have proven that they can win a Cup were in their primes. Where do you draw the line? Do you just keep doing what you're doing, expecting different results, until the window has fully closed and your elite players are all declining? No offense, but I imagine that Ducks fans would love to see the Kings continue as they have been until it's time to rebuild.

If your argument is that replacing just the GM should be enough to turn the team around, you might not realize that, in the same way that the GM handcuffs this coach, this coach handcuffs the GM. It's very hard for Lombardi to improve the team when he has to get specific types of players who will fit Sutter's style and whom Sutter will actually use. Even then, the players are likely to produce a lot less than they would for a different coach. A 20-goal scorer is liable to score only 14 in Sutter's system, a 30-goal scorer is liable to score only 21, and so on. A new GM is not going to have it any easier, as long as the success and usage of any players that he gets all runs through the coach. You won't get the most out of a new GM unless a new coach comes with it.

All of that said, it's not just about results. It's also about just being tired of the uncreative system and games that are more often boring than exciting. When it leads to success (as it did from '12-'14), it's easy to tolerate. When the games are boring and the team hasn't won in 3 years, you just want a change. Just like how players often need a change of scenery, viewers can use something like that, themselves.