Bobby Kittleberger: Kovalchuck, a Healthy Jeff Carter and the King's Power Play The signing of Ilya Kovalchuk and a healthy Jeff Carter combined with Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, and Drew Doughty all coming off career offensive seasons, is going to change the makeup of the LA Kings and the western conference.

Yeah Carts has turned into a great trade ... always loved his game .... speed, size and finish could never understand how philly traded him ...

Yeah Carts has turned into a great trade ... always loved his game .... speed, size and finish could never understand how philly traded him ...
- dozerD10

Philly did get Voracek, Couturier, and Cousins when they traded him, so they did well for themselves. Now, when Columbus traded him...

I thought that was really odd too. If I remember correctly, that was a bizarre Holmgren thing where he shipped off Carter and Mike Richards.

Philly did get Voracek, Couturier, and Cousins when they traded him, so they did well for themselves. Now, when Columbus traded him...
- PancakesPenner

Wasn't that the trade that brought over Simmonds, too?

Wasn't that the trade that brought over Simmonds, too?
- BobbyKittleberger

Simmonds was part of the Mike Richards trade. Along with Brayden Schenn and a 2nd.

I think Simmonds was a part of the MR trade...

Welcome to the buzz... you're already better than the last dude.

Re PPs, I'd rather flip Brown and Toffoli, especially if that will be the way the lines play out 5v5. Let them build that chemistry every time they're on the ice. And IMO DB needs to have Kopi on the ice for him to thrive.

if i remember correctly rumor had carter banging hartnall's wife and richards had a problem with an addiction and that was the reason for the trades.
- nyislsbossy

At the time I had a friend who worked with the Flyers and he said those rumors were true. Along with Richards and Carter partied hard all the time.

I would actually have Kovi on the point with Doughty and slot Brown in front of the net. Kovi should be set up like the Caps have Ovi, he’s almost as lethal in that spot.

I still have question marks for Brown. Yes he had a great season and was a bounce back one but before that he had a few years of mediocrity and below. So this up coming season we will need to see what Brown we get. If he continues were he left off then the Kings will be in great shape. If he shows up the few years before last then that isn't good. Not sure if the Kings tried or are trying to trade him this summer but imo now would be the time and use that money for more of a consistent top 6er.

I would actually have Kovi on the point with Doughty and slot Brown in front of the net. Kovi should be set up like the Caps have Ovi, he’s almost as lethal in that spot.
- LAkings96

I wondered about Kovs up there too, though I know in most cases protocol is to have a center who can pickup some defensive slack, if needed.

I think Simmonds was a part of the MR trade...

Welcome to the buzz... you're already better than the last dude.

Re PPs, I'd rather flip Brown and Toffoli, especially if that will be the way the lines play out 5v5. Let them build that chemistry every time they're on the ice. And IMO DB needs to have Kopi on the ice for him to thrive.
- Stu17

Yeah, you're right. They were around the same time if I remember correctly.

Thanks for the kind words.

Flipping Brown and Toff makes sense. Man, they have a lot to work with either way.

Muzzin and Phaneuf are slow and terrible, and were part of the problem on zone entry and the setting up of the power play. The supposed 2nd unit was horrid. Doughty was of course the reason why we were even 25th on the PP. We would be last without him.

Amart, at least can skate and be that 2nd unit D, but to me, this team needs another guy that is fast and is a good passer and has a shot on the PP. I look for Ladue to take up a possible 2nd unit role, once they realize, Muzzin and Puffnstufff are not PP guys.
They should know that by now jeez.

I expect the Kings cannot get any worse than last season with Carts 100% and Kovy on the first unit. It will really be a better PP this next season, but please, stop putting Muzzin and Puffnstuff as key PP guys when they are slow after the puck is cleared, and slow on zone entry and PP set up....its a mess with them, see videos all season. #repeatsville

I still have question marks for Brown. Yes he had a great season and was a bounce back one but before that he had a few years of mediocrity and below. So this up coming season we will need to see what Brown we get. If he continues were he left off then the Kings will be in great shape. If he shows up the few years before last then that isn't good. Not sure if the Kings tried or are trying to trade him this summer but imo now would be the time and use that money for more of a consistent top 6er.
- Bojangle

Yeah, I think 36 points the year prior. Although that was his first season out of the 20s in four years. I dunno, my gut is that he might regress to the mean, but I still think he's a 50 pt. player.

Muzzin and Phaneuf are slow and terrible, and were part of the problem on zone entry and the setting up of the power play. The supposed 2nd unit was horrid. Doughty was of course the reason why we were even 25th on the PP. We would be last without him.

Amart, at least can skate and be that 2nd unit D, but to me, this team needs another guy that is fast and is a good passer and has a shot on the PP. I look for Ladue to take up a possible 2nd unit role, once they realize, Muzzin and Puffnstufff are not PP guys.
They should know that by now jeez.

I expect the Kings cannot get any worse than last season with Carts 100% and Kovy on the first unit. It will really be a better PP this next season, but please, stop putting Muzzin and Puffnstuff as key PP guys when they are slow after the puck is cleared, and slow on zone entry and PP set up....its a mess with them, see videos all season. #repeatsville
- Kings fan since72

I agree in part, but I think Phans is on there for his shot. The name on the jersey - at this point - is carrying some weight as well.

Welcome Bobby, look forward to seeing your content. Losing Sheng to VGK was tough, despite being a Kings fan i still read his content as he does such a fantastic job of backing up his statements with great data.
That's a pretty heavily stacked PP1, leaving PP2 a bit lacking. Last season LA experimented with a 4 forward set, i think we might see that again. Move Kovi up top for the one-timer, bring Brown onto PP1 so they have a front net presence (which they don't in your current alignment). I suspect they'll stack PP1 and have Carter there, too.
That allows Muzz to move to the 2nd PP, Pearson is there to be the net front guy. TT is your shooter. I think both Ladue and Fanti have shown to be very strong on the point and both will get long looks. Kempe played on the PP with Carts out and showed strong entry ability and some nice Finnish (err finish, sorry Adrian). And can Villardi or AI push to join that group?

PP1

FWD: Carter - Kopitar - Brown
DEF: Kovs - Doughty

PP2

FWD: Pearson - Kempe - Toffoli (Villardi/Amadio?)
DEF: Martinez - Muzzin (Ladue/Fanti?)

I still have question marks for Brown. Yes he had a great season and was a bounce back one but before that he had a few years of mediocrity and below. So this up coming season we will need to see what Brown we get. If he continues were he left off then the Kings will be in great shape. If he shows up the few years before last then that isn't good. Not sure if the Kings tried or are trying to trade him this summer but imo now would be the time and use that money for more of a consistent top 6er.
- Bojangle

I'd be good with moving him to BUF where his "leadership" might be helpful, but I think he might sustain his numbers this season. The key is parking his rear in the crease. He was reluctant to do that under Sutter but did it last year and it paid off. He gave up carrying up the puck and picked up his lunch bucket and took his lumps in front of the net!

First.. Welcome to the buzz. Dont let the dweebs run you off.

Second. I have no doubts in Carter. When he returned after injury last season he played really good. So he showed the injury wasn't to much of a factor in his return. Now with more time to heal. I expect him to have more jump.

I'd be good with moving him to BUF where his "leadership" might be helpful, but I think he might sustain his numbers this season. The key is parking his rear in the crease. He was reluctant to do that under Sutter but did it last year and it paid off. He gave up carrying up the puck and picked up his lunch bucket and took his lumps in front of the net!
- Stu17

Another point on Brown. He was a tad more physical than he had been in years past. Which was always a key to him being successful. When he was suspended for the hit on Pomminville thats when we saw the decline in Brown. He changed the way he played. And one has to assume it was due to the fear of being suspended.

Man offseason isn't even over yet and Iafollo is already MIA. The kid is going to surprise people this year. That is if coaching will allow the 3rd line to actually play offense and not just be the other energy line like years past.

Man offseason isn't even over yet and Iafollo is already MIA. The kid is going to surprise people this year. That is if coaching will allow the 3rd line to actually play offense and not just be the other energy line like years past.
- kingsfan626

I'm fine with the third line playing offense, but not at the expense of defense. Stevens and Blake have both said that Kempe is going to center the third line this season, and part of the reasoning is because they like his defensive game in that position.

Instead of having a defensively solid, but offensively incapable line of Clifford-Shore-Lewis as we had for much of last season, we'll now have a more offensively capable line of Iafallo-Kempe-Vilardi, assuming Vilardi doesn't have a huge setback in training camp. Those guys would be capable of putting up 15-20g each on the third line (maybe a little less for Iafallo), which would be our most offensively productive 3rd line in a decade.

However, if more goals from the third line leads to a significant influx of goals against, then it's not worth it.

I'm fine with the third line playing offense, but not at the expense of defense. Stevens and Blake have both said that Kempe is going to center the third line this season, and part of the reasoning is because they like his defensive game in that position.

Instead of having a defensively solid, but offensively incapable line of Clifford-Shore-Lewis as we had for much of last season, we'll now have a more offensively capable line of Iafallo-Kempe-Vilardi, assuming Vilardi doesn't have a huge setback in training camp. Those guys would be capable of putting up 15-20g each on the third line (maybe a little less for Iafallo), which would be our most offensively productive 3rd line in a decade.

However, if more goals from the third line leads to a significant influx of goals against, then it's not worth it.
- tkecanuck341

I'm not sure how that "light" 3rd line would play out on the road... Lose that faceoff and it might be trouble the entire shift.

I'm not sure how that "light" 3rd line would play out on the road... Lose that faceoff and it might be trouble the entire shift.
- Stu17

I watched Vilardi play several games in Kingston in the Calder Cup playoffs a few months back. He is very good bordering exceptional at face-offs. Kempe will get better over the next several seasons, but in the meantime, Vilardi can take key situational face-offs.

Is it really any "lighter" than the Gaborik-Kempe-Lewis 3rd line they iced for much of last season?

It is easy to see why Philly traded Carter, lol They have also traded vanRiemsdk for nothing and now got him back, traded Schenn for draft picks that may take years if ever, trade Hartnell for Umberber, traded Bobrovsky for Mason, just to mention a few. The Flyers team of Coma Man Hextall are right in the ball park with Peter Chiarelli. That is why Carter got traded and even though Hextall did not trade Carter the Philly management are in a different world. Could have signed Weal for 600 grand but waits till all the other teams start bidding and has to pay a fortune to keep him. Brain dead in Philadelphia.

I watched Vilardi play several games in Kingston in the Calder Cup playoffs a few months back. He is very good bordering exceptional at face-offs. Kempe will get better over the next several seasons, but in the meantime, Vilardi can take key situational face-offs.

Is it really any "lighter" than the Gaborik-Kempe-Lewis 3rd line they iced for much of last season?
- tkecanuck341

It's the equivalent of that line which was a negative factor. I mean Gabo played 30 games for the Kings last season, so he was a non-factor wherever he played. On the road, I'd see them getting very unfavorable match ups that might exploit their youth and lack of grind experience. Give them favorable starts and situations and it's probably a different story.