Adam Kirshenblatt: Kings wake up to salvage point, but not good enough for win

the kings played well enough to win, certainly after tying the game and having a questionably disallowed goal (did OEL push Doughty into the crease?), and still having a 4 on 3 PP in OT and simply didn't convert. and yet they still held square in the shootout after 3 shooters.

and ARI has played well in the past 15 games or so...something like 11-4? its not like the STL game where the LAK had simply mailed it in, ARI played well and it showed.

Why bench Folin? He’s been playing solid and one of the few Kings D throwing his body around. Forbert is the guy that should be sitting a couple games.

Every game is so tough. Kopitar with 80 points so far! Can we say MVP? His best season he had 81 points! Tough game coming up! GKG!!

Why bench Folin? He’s been playing solid and one of the few Kings D throwing his body around. Forbert is the guy that should be sitting a couple games.
- LAkings96

Agreed...Forbort blows.

With the puck still in the neutral zone and his partner (Ladue) going to the bench, Forbort was all of the way up in the neutral zone, himself. Doughty had to scramble back on defense from the moment that he stepped on the ice to cover for him. because Forbort didn't understand what his job was on a simple line change.

With the puck still in the neutral zone and his partner (Ladue) going to the bench, Forbort was all of the way up in the neutral zone, himself. Doughty had to scramble back on defense from the moment that he stepped on the ice to cover for him. because Forbort didn't understand what his job was on a simple line change.
- Osprey

Shall we pick apart Doughty for messing up on a few plays? Did Ladue communicate his intentions of changing while Forbort was in the neutral zone thinking he had support? I think there’s a lot of blame or miscues to go around but you seem to have a hard on for Forbort!

Shall we pick apart Doughty for messing up on a few plays? Did Ladue communicate his intentions of changing while Forbort was in the neutral zone thinking he had support? I think there’s a lot of blame or miscues to go around but you seem to have a hard on for Forbort!
- arh777

Perhaps you're the one with the "hard on" for Forbort if you're getting upset that he's being singled out, and, ironically, you're singling me out, considering that the guy above me said that Forbort "blows" and another said that he should sit for a couple of games.

The fact that blame could be spread around doesn't mean that players can't be singled out when they're not pulling their weight. Doughty is pulling his weight... actually, more than his weight. Ladue is a rookie and can be excused of a few rookie mistakes. Forbort, on the other hand, is being played as though he's a veteran, even though he still makes rookie mistakes. A 26yo 5th-year pro needs to be better if he's going to get top pairing minutes.

I'm not blaming him as much as I'm blaming his usage. He's being over-used for how good he is and I think that it's perfectly valid to focus on instances like that on the team and excuse cases (like Doughty and Ladue) that are being used appropriately and meeting the expectations of their roles.

I still wanna see
Phaneuf-Doughty
Muzzin-Folin
Amart-LaDue

Is it bad that like last year I kind of want LA to miss the playoffs again for a better 1st round pick?

Perhaps you're the one with the "hard on" for Forbort if you're getting upset that he's being singled out, and, ironically, you're singling me out, considering that the guy above me said that Forbort "blows" and another said that he should sit for a couple of games.

The fact that blame could be spread around doesn't mean that players can't be singled out when they're not pulling their weight. Doughty is pulling his weight... actually, more than his weight. Ladue is a rookie and can be excused of a few rookie mistakes. Forbort, on the other hand, is being played as though he's a veteran, even though he still makes rookie mistakes. A 26yo 5th-year pro needs to be better if he's going to get top pairing minutes.

I'm not blaming him as much as I'm blaming his usage. He's being over-used for how good he is and I think that it's perfectly valid to focus on instances like that on the team and excuse cases (like Doughty and Ladue) that are being used appropriately and meeting the expectations of their roles.
- Osprey

Not at all! I think Forbort is underachieving at best. I see some of the good things he does and a lot of the bad! I agree, I would like him to sit and see Folin! There’s plenty of people making errors ( Muzzin) who’s been around how long??

I’ve seen Doughty stroll of the ice in a line change like he’s walking in the park and we get caught. My point is there’s plenty of blame to go around!

Not at all! I think Forbort is underachieving at best. I see some of the good things he does and a lot of the bad! I agree, I would like him to sit and see Folin! There’s plenty of people making errors ( Muzzin) who’s been around how long??

I’ve seen Doughty stroll of the ice in a line change like he’s walking in the park and we get caught. My point is there’s plenty of blame to go around!
- arh777

Muzzin is nothing new though honestly. Hes always like that. His first pass is often very bad. But the entire team passes the puck like a junior team. I dont think Forbort is underachieving. Forbort is Forbort.

Not at all! I think Forbort is underachieving at best. I see some of the good things he does and a lot of the bad! I agree, I would like him to sit and see Folin! There’s plenty of people making errors ( Muzzin) who’s been around how long??

I’ve seen Doughty stroll of the ice in a line change like he’s walking in the park and we get caught. My point is there’s plenty of blame to go around!
- arh777

Are you giving me permission to criticize Muzzin more? I actually thought that I was getting a bit tiring by appearing to single him out so much and would show that I could spread the blame around by directing some at Forbort for a change. If I'm not being hard enough on Muzzin, though, I'll work harder on that.

FWIW, I don't think that Forbort is underachieving. I think that he overachieved last season, partly because Sutter's system covered up his mistakes better, and we're seeing the real Forbort this season.

Are you giving me permission to criticize Muzzin more? I actually thought that I was getting a bit tiring by appearing to single him out so much and would show that I could spread the blame around by directing some at Forbort for a change. If I'm not being hard enough on Muzzin, though, I'll work harder on that.

FWIW, I don't think that Forbort is underachieving. I think that he overachieved last season, partly because Sutter's system covered up his mistakes better, and we're seeing the real Forbort this season.
- Osprey

Im still of the mindset that Muzzin gets traded to find a top tier winger. Or hopeful rather.

For the record, I think that Forbort is decent, but that he's a bottom-pairing defenseman no better than, say, Folin. If he were played in that role, he'd be receiving far less negative attention. In fact, most of us might even be happy with him. Instead, he's getting 1st-pairing minutes mostly because he's a homegrown 1st-rounder that is Kings property for a while and it's in the club's interests (both for a matter of pride and for the health of the team) to try to make the square peg fit into a round hole (next to Doughty).

Im still of the mindset that Muzzin gets traded to find a top tier winger. Or hopeful rather.
- poisondhearts37

I was hopeful of that happening three years ago, when his value was at its highest. I lobbied pretty hard (not here, but elsewhere) for the team to sell high on him. They could've gotten a very nice haul for him. Now, though, after his disastrous last season, being only two years from UFA and being 29 years old, his value is likely a good bit less. I would still trade him, but it's too bad that he wasn't traded when the team could've made out like bandits. Perhaps the last three years would've gone a lot differently.

I was hopeful of that happening three years ago, when his value was at its highest. I lobbied pretty hard (not here, but elsewhere) for the team to sell high on him. They could've gotten a very nice haul for him. Now, though, after his disastrous last season, being only two years from UFA and being 29 years old, his value is likely a good bit less. I would still trade him, but it's too bad that he wasn't traded when the team could've made out like bandits. Perhaps it would've been enough to keep the team's window open.
- Osprey

We have seen the trade market be very odd the last couple of years. Value for lesser dman was pretty high. Im still hopeful. But perhaps more in a package. I hope the Kings aren't running with a mindset of we need to keep playing Forbort because of past 1st round picks being lost to waivers or simply not panning out like Teubert. I do like Forbort with Doughty more than Muzzin. But wanna see Phaneuf with Doughty. Also I already miss Doughty and Phanuef on the PP like when Dion first showed up.

Are you giving me permission to criticize Muzzin more? I actually thought that I was getting a bit tiring by appearing to single him out so much and would show that I could spread the blame around by directing some at Forbort for a change. If I'm not being hard enough on Muzzin, though, I'll work harder on that.

FWIW, I don't think that Forbort is underachieving. I think that he overachieved last season, partly because Sutter's system covered up his mistakes better, and we're seeing the real Forbort this season.
- Osprey

Permission granted!