SB Nation - Oscar Moller

Kings Training Camp Battles: "2nd" Line Wing

RudyKelly — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:12:26 -0000

The Kings line-up is fairly well set in stone; unlike the last few years, when you and the family dog were in contention to become the Kings' new goaltender (your dog had a weak glove hand), the Kings really only have the peripheries of their line-up to be filled out. The most prestigious spot up for grabs is that of left wing on the Stoll-Brown connection, incorrectly referred to as the 2nd line because people have this archaic assumption that lines that play good defense have to be known as the 3rd line.

Anyway, there are a couple candidates that are likely to fill the role and each would change the identity and chemistry of the line. The only thing any of these guys have in common are that they're on the Kings and their eyes are small. Here are the candidates:

The Front-Runner:

Teddy Purcell

#54 / Right Wing / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-3

Weight: 177

Born: Sep 08, 1985

(I would criticize the person that put that thing together but that is literally the best picture of Teddy Purcell I've ever seen.)

Most Kings fans would probably assume that Oscar Moller would be the front-runner for this position, but I think the Kings have been sending subtle hints that it was Purcell's job to lose all summer. They had him on the Kings cruise this off-season, put him on a panel at HockeyFest, and have done nothing but praise his conditioning and compete level since camp began. It seems clear that the Kings want Purcell to win the job, not only because it would give them a set-up man on a line with 2 shooters but also because it's Purcell's last chance to win a job with the Kings.

Purcell showed up to camp larger and more filled out than he ever has before and seemed to use his weight a lot better in the corners. There are some guys that show up one day and you can see that their demeanor has changed and they're ready to skate in the NHL; Teddy looks like one of those guys.

The Challenger:

It's odd to say when you're comparing a 24-year old to a 20-year old but Moller is probably the more easily projectable player of the two. Ted Purcell could be a 50-point winger next year or he could mope around like he did last year. Moller, on the other hand, is pretty predictable; he's going to get pushed around but he'll net you some nice goals and finish with around 35-40 points. I don't think the Kings necessarily want him on the team because they want him to learn how to play with men in the AHL, but they didn't want him on the team last year and he managed to make it then.

The biggest problem with Moller is that most of his value is derived from the power play but there won't be too much room for him there next season. Last season, Moller only had 6 even-strength points in 40 games, while he tallied 9 points on the power play. The Kings don't need another special teams ace, they need someone that can affect the game at even-strength.

Another problem with Moller is how he fits on a line with Brown and Stoll. Purcell fits because although he has a nice shot he is primarily a passer, while Stoll and Brown's biggest attributes are their shots. If Moller were on the line it'd be 3 guys skating around with their sticks half-cocked waiting for a one-timer while the other team takes it in on a 3-on-2.

I'm not a huge Oscar Moller fan. He's a little too small and doesn't really bring anything else that compensates for that lack of size other than a big heart. I'd much rather he figure out how to play against men (if he can) and then come to the NHL rather than figure out up with the big club. But we'll see; Dean Lombardi loves guys that compete and that's one area Oscar Moller has all over Ted Purcell, at least in the past.

The Dark Horse:

Trevor Lewis

#61 / Center / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-1

Weight: 204

Born: Jan 08, 1987

Lewis isn't really in contention for the spot with Stoll and Brown; Lewis is in contention if neither Purcell nor Moller prove capable of creating offense and the Kings have to move Alex Frolov into a more offensive role. Trevor Lewis is listed as a center but the Kings have been using him as a right winger pretty much exclusively in camp. A former first-rounder, Lewis' career potential isn't that of a scorer but more along the lines of a Rob Niedermayer, a former high pick who uses his physical tools to shut down the opposition. Lewis is big, fast, has a hard shot and isn't afraid to bang in the corners; what he lacks is great hockey sense. Like Niedermayer, Lewis will probably end up on a stopper line in the future somewhere and it could be in LA next season. If that happens the Kings are in a lot of trouble but you know, Murphy's Law and all that.

Dustin Brown sez...

"Hey there folks, Brownie here. What am I looking at? Oh, just the Kings' future; I'd say it's... looking up! Haha, good one Dustin."

But Dustin, you're the one looking up, that doesn't make se-

"-Anyway, I give this one to Ted Purcell. He's a passer, and that's what I need so I can really break the shit out of the glass this season. Plus he's got the look in his eye this year. You know, that look that says, "Hey Dustin, you're a really cool guy." I like that in a player.

Oscar Moller

#9 / Center / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 5-11

Weight: 180

Born: Jan 22, 1989

Game Recap: Kings v. Coyotes SuperSeries

RudyKelly — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:46:18 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

Man, Opie's really pissed that someone killed his wife.

Browse more photos »

-Staples had maybe 8,000 people there for their preseason game against the Coyotes; Peter Mueller remarked, "Hey, this is just like playing at home!"

-Above you'll see young Kevin Westgarth fighting ~~Grendel~~ Mitch Fritz. It was a spirited contest but I think Fritz won the fight because Westgarth tried to block every one of Fritz' punches with his face. Fun fact: Richard Clune got into a fight at the same time as Westgarth and beat the piss out of Stefan Meyer. A Kings goon that I actually like? It may just happen.

-The Kings' top line of Justin Williams-Anze Kopitar-Ryan Smyth played about 20 minutes of the game. Justin Williams had a really nice individual effort that led to a goal, toe-dragging around a sliding Coyote and then getting his own rebound to bury the goal. Ryan Smyth drew a penalty (he just has one of those faces you want to smash) and screened the goaltender on 2 Kings' goals. Kopitar just kind of skated around, he didn't do much.

-Ted Purcell was probably the Kings' best forward on the night, tallying a goal and an assist and making several nice plays to create opportunities, especially on the power play. It'll be interesting to see what happens to him, as he plays the same position on the power play that Kopitar and Frolov usually occupy (that half-wall on the left side). He also won a few good corner battles and looked noticeably bigger than he used to. He's going to make the team, I am almost 100% sure.

-Andrei Loktionov and Oscar Moller were Purcell's linemates and both looked pretty much the same: good skaters, a few nice plays, but very small and easily pushed around. The Kings should put them both in Manchester and let them grow for a year.

-Brayden Schenn had a few nice hits and Kyle Clifford used his body well, but they were kind of invisible for most of the night. Clifford was in front of the net on one play and got pushed in the back by Keith Yandle, then looked like a jackass when he dropped his gloves and Yandle just skated away. We'll see them in a few years.

-Juraj Mikus (pronounced "Mee-koosh," which is incredibly fun to say) had a few nice plays and didn't seem out of place on NHL ice. I don't remember if he can go down to Manchester or if he's going back to Europe and I can't really be bothered to do "research" or whatever it's called, but he didn't look like a dick out there so that's something.

-Drew Doughty looks bigger. He had the biggest hits of the night, including a bomb on Ryan Holweg, although he didn't really try to do too much outside of one nice rush up the ice that resulted in a penalty for the Coyotes.

-Thomas Hickey had one play where he grabbed a puck behind the net by skating backwards, collected the puck when it came between his legs and then passed cross-ice to a streaking Justin Williams. It made my dick flutter. He just looks better than Davis Drewiskie, at least for what the Kings need in a defenseman, but I won't mind if he logs heavy minutes in Manchester for a year.

-Colten Teubert, on the other hand, looked like dog shit. There was a sequence in the 2nd where he got burned to the outside by Taylor Pyatt, slashed Pyatt, punched him in the face, and then got the shit kicked out of him. He ended up with 9 minutes in penalties and gave the Coyotes a 4-minute power play. I don't know what the hell is wrong with him; it's like he thinks the quickest way to the NHL is by being a goon. Just play smart hockey, dickhead, and you'll make the league someday. Right now it's not looking too likely.

-Jack Johnson... is really good in the preseason. He had 2 goals, one a power play slap shot, the other a really nice move on a 4-on-3 for the Coyotes where he burst ahead of Kyle Turris, put it between a Coyote's legs and then roofed it backhand over Al Montoya. He was the Kings' best defenseman last night. Can he do that in the NHL? We'll see.

-Rob Scuderi... huh. He was mostly invisible, which is good for a guy like him, although he made a brutal pass that led to one Coyotes goal (update: it didn't lead to a goal, it led to a penalty shot that missed) and deflected another into his own net. I'll chalk it up to early Cup hangover.

-Joe Piskula is someone we will all soon forget.

-Jon Bernier looked... okay, I guess. I'm dubious about him supplanting Jon Quick someday because he's so small to be a pure butterfly goaltender, but we'll see. He didn't have much to do all night and 2 of the goals were fluky (the Scuderi tip and a ridiculous goal by Michael Boedker that he shot from about 1/2 an inch from the goal line... although Bernier kind of caused that one by leaving it behind the net instead of flipping it to Doughty, so I guess that's his fault).

-The Kings really only had one power play line on the game, but it worked pretty well. They had Smyth in front of the net, Moller around the net to collect rebounds, Purcell on the halfboards to run things, and Johnson and Justin Williams on the backend. I don't necessarily like the idea of having a forward playing defense on both power play units (Jarret Stoll being the other), but Williams did look pretty good back there.

-In the other game at Jobing.com Arena (nice name) the Kings fell, 4-2. Both Kings goals were by Wayne Simmonds, who could have a big year offensively if he's playing with Frolov. The Kings need to re-sign Craig Conroy and run a line of Frolov-Conroy-Simmonds so my heart can swell like the Grinch.

-There was this old couple in front of my brother and me that kept getting more and more hands on with one another the more they drank. It was horrifying. When Johnson scored his beautiful 2nd goal they immediately stood up and started making out. My brother and I thought of showing them up by going down on one another but we wanted to watch the rest of the game.

3 Stars:

1) Jack Johnson

2) Drew Doughty

3) Justin Williams

I'll have a look at the position battles that will kick into high gear this week (with a special guest!) coming up either tonight or tomorrow.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

RudyKelly — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:39:39 -0000

Training camp opens today! Yes, folks, the ice is forming, the weather's dropping, you can see people getting their cars ready for a long winter... haha, just kidding, it'll be like 75 degrees today. But camp is starting, and that means real, honest to god hockey is right around the corner.

The Kings have split themselves up into 3 groups, colorfully named A, B, and C. They're mostly random, but I wouldn't be doing my job as a team-centric hockey blogger if I didn't needlessly overanalyze every little thing.

Group A Notable Names: Brayden Schenn, Anze Kopitar, Ryan Smyth, Justin WIlliams, Jack Johnson, Rob Scuderi, Thomas Hickey, Colten Teubert, Drew Bagnall, Jon Quick, Peter Harrold

Thoughts: Kopitar will start camp with Smyth and Williams on his wings, as Terry Murray hopes they can congeal into a #1 line. Brayden Schenn is sharing camp with Kopitar and can hopefully learn a little from the talented center. Jack Johnson and Rob Scuderi are with one another, perhaps signalling that they might form a defensive pairing; or, alternatively, they might be paired with 3 young defensemen who have the best shot at making the team to see if those young men are ready to make the team.

Peter Harrold is listed as a center. What?

Group B Notable Names: Jon Bernier, Jeff Zatkoff, Matt Greene, Davis Drewiskie, Oscar Moller, Jarret Stoll, Dustin Brown, Ted Purcell

Thoughts: This is the 2nd line tryout group, with Stoll, Brown, Moller, and Purcell all present. 3 of those 4 should comprise the Kings' 2nd line. It's interesting that Moller is listed as a center, perhaps signalling that the rumors Stoll might not be ready for camp are true. Drewiskie is known as a defensive defenseman, as is Greene, and the Kings could be taking a look at making them their shutdown pair. While Jonathan Quick is given the young John-Francois Berube, Jon Bernier is paired with Jeff Zatkoff; they will likely be partners down in Manchester this season unless Bernier impresses.

Group C Notable Names: Sean O'Donnell, Drew Doughty, Michal Handzus, Andrei Loktionov, Wayne Simmonds, Trevor Lewis, Brad Richardson, Alex Frolov, Marc-Andre Cliche

Thoughts: This line-up is less filled with intrigue than the other two. O'Donnell and Doughty are the only NHL-caliber defensemen on their squad, and are likely together not so much because they'll play together but because they're friends. This grouping does kind of give credence to what most of us had known, that Frolov will likely be paired with Handzus on the stoper line again. Richardson and Lewis are there as well, and hopefully they'll be paired together on the 4th line. Marc-Andre Cliche isn't a notable name but I've been cheering for him for years and I hope he someday makes an impression.

Finally, here's a guess as to how the line-up is going to look when camp ends (Note: not what I want, what I think will happen):

Smyth-Kopitar-Williams

Frolov-Handzus-Simmonds

Purcell-Stoll-Brown

Westgarth-Richardson-Lewis

Scuderi-Doughty

Johnson-O'Donnell

Drewiskie-Greene

Quick

Ersberg

Anyone Else?

RudyKelly — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:28:17 -0000

The Kings look to be pretty much done with their shopping this off-season, having acquired the mythical "missing piece" (Captain Crybaby) and The Piece (Rob Scuderi). Then they re-signed their two most important restricted free agents to excellent short-term deals: Jack Monkey Fighting Johnson got a 2-year deal for $1.5 million, while Ted Purcell got a one-way contract at $600,000. On top of that, Lombardi signed tricky little sprite Justin Azevedo and lumbering Joe Piskula to a minor league deal in hopes that those two will provide a little veteran leadership to the very young Manchester squad next year. THEN, Lombardi signed Juraj Mikus to a deal, and there's talk he might stay in Manchester this year because he really wants to play in North America. That's an excellent signing, if true. In short, the Kings were incredibly busy and only a fool would want to add anything.

So, let's add something!

For next year, 3rd line winger and 5/6 defender are the only two spots that are really available. The Kings do have a few open spots on the 4th line, but they have enough young talent/worthless idiots already under contract, so I don't know why'd they sign someone to fill that spot. I'm not saying the Kings need to add someone big, but I think Lombardi should sign one more person. (I'll explain why in a minute.) But first, let's look at a few option available for that third winger spot.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Alex Tanguay	50	16	25	41	13	34	5	0	3	0	76	21.1

Alex Tanguy is kind of like a less extreme Marian Gaborik: he's not quite as talented, he's not quite as injury-prone, and he's not quite as desirable. But still, he's a pretty damn good player that would fit in well with what the Kings are trying to do. I'm not advocating a multi-year deal, but if Tanguay were to realize that he needs a one-year deal to try to establish his value then I would be acquiescent to a one-year deal of, like, $5 million dollars or so. What the hell do I care, it's not my money. The Kings would be tight up against the cap if they did that, but why not sign Tanguay now instead of trading for him at the deadline?

Oh, and I know you're wondering about where Frolov would fit into all this, and the answer is that he'd fit alongside Handzus and Simmonds. Wouldn't that give the Kings one of the best forward cores in the league? I get giddy just thinking about it. And before you say I'm an idiot, you should know that I don't think this is reasonable, I just wanted to mention it. OK, now you may say that I'm an idiot.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Taylor Pyatt	69	10	9	19	0	43	0	0	1	0	99	10.1

Taylor Pyatt's one of those guys that I really like and I have no idea why. I watched a game the Kings played against the Canucks and came away really impressed with him, even though he didn't really do anything important. He's big, he's got an OK shot and he would cost next to nothing. Wait, why hasn't someone signed him yet? This doesn't make sense.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - P.J. Axelsson	75	6	24	30	-1	16	2	0	0	0	87	6.9

Axelsson is a surprisingly consistent player: every year, you're guaranteed about 25-30 points, pretty good play and an injury or two. I don't really think Axelsson is worth what it would take to sign him since he's on the wrong side of 30 and there's no reason to think his production couldn't be duplicated by someone the Kings already have, but I just really wanted an excuse to type "Per Johan."

Ultimately, the Kings don't really need to sign anyone to fill their 3rd line left winger spot. Someone like Oscar Moller, Ted Purcell or my personal favorite Marc-Andre Cliche will likely get the job, with people being shifted around as Terry Murray deems fit. There's a chance that stopper line role might be filled by Frolov anyway, with one of the younger guys getting a spot that doesn't require so much defensive responsibility.

***

The Kings have 5 defensemen that are guaranteed to be in the line-up on opening night: Drew Doughty, Jack Melon Farmer Johnson, Sean O'Donnell, Rob Scuderi, and Matt Greene. That's 2 guys that can play the power play and 5 that can roll on the penalty kill. The Kings have a few options for the 6th spot, among them Thomas Hickey, Vyacheslav Voynov, Peter Harrold, Davis Drewiske and the aforementioned Piskula. All of these options, for various reasons, do not fit perfectly into what the Kings need*, however, so I wouldn't mind if the Kings signed a veteran defenseman that was counted on for the power play; they would be similar to what Denis Gauthier was last year but the opposite and hopefully not completely incompetent. Here are three I like:

*Hickey should get a year in the AHL, Voynov is recovering from a shoulder injury and could use another year of seasoning, Harrold sucks, and Drewiske and Piskula can't play the power play in the NHL.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Mathieu Schneider	67	9	23	32	-12	64	6	0	2	0	128	7.0

Mathieu Schneider had a surprisingly good year for the Canadiens after playing like donkey balls for the Thrashers. I don't know if he has much left in the tank, but he would give the Kings a needed boost on the power play while not being relied on for much else. He probably still has a home in LA and I can't imagine he's getting a lot of offers that would drive up his price tag. Plus he's Jewish, and I want an excuse to make Jew jokes. C'mon Matt, don't be miserly, what are you a Je- wait, maybe he shouldn't come to LA, I like writing for this site.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Dennis Seidenberg	70	5	25	30	-9	37	2	0	1	0	129	3.9

He's a guy that I haven't seen very much, but based on his stats and what the Kings need I think he would fit in pretty well. Why hasn't he been signed, is he a dendrophilliac or something?

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Sergei Zubov	10	0	4	4	-4	0	0	0	0	0	15	0.0

If the Kings signed Sergei Zubov I would cum in my pants. I don't care that he hasn't been much of anything in 2 years or that there's no fathomable reason that he would take a sweetheart deal in LA, I've loved Zubov since I was like 12 years old and would give anything to see him in a Kings jersey. Plus, he would give Frolov and Voynov someone to talk to. Finally, him getting injured all the time wouldn't be that big a deal because the Kings would probably like to give guys like Hickey and Voynov a look during the season anyway. Sign here, Sergei!

I don't see the Kings realistically signing one for defense either, although I actually think that they should. We need someone to play point on the power play and I can't see Matt Greene or Rob Scuderi cutting it. They already have a guy with a shot on that 2nd unit (Jarrett Stoll), they just need someone that can move it around. And I swear to God, if it's Peter Harrold I will Arabian Goggle someone in the Kings' organization. Probably Jim Fox.

Poll

Who, if anyone, do you think the Kings should sign before training camp?

Alex Tanguay

103 votes

Taylor Pyatt

18 votes

Per-Johan Axelsson

11 votes

Mathieu Schneider

20 votes

Dennis Seidenberg

13 votes

SERGEI ZUBOV

59 votes

No one

62 votes

286 votes | Poll has closed

A Look Back At Vancouver's Draft History

Yankee Canuck — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:32:28 -0000

By the power of Coquitlam!

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We've all been here before. Waiting for the Canucks brass, ~~typically~~ always after a season that ends too soon, to work with their adept scouting sages and unearth the next franchise cornerstone. The man amongst men. The puck prodigy. He who shall, on his very back, be given the saddle of "savior", and told to go forth into that dark, winter's night with his stalwart army of Canucks behind him and seek out, with his talent and raw skill, that silver chalice that has eluded the franchise for many moons and return it to the lower mainland to the cries of "hero" and "will you marry my daughter?" and, indeed, the sheer adulation of an entire Province.

So of course, before he ever steps on the ice, he's put into a jersey that rarely fits, told to commit to a dozen corny poses for posterity and then subjected to "hey, you like Vancouver right?" over and over again. Poor guy.

Let's take a look back at what the drafts gone by have looked like. The good, the bad and the ugly.

1999 NHL Draft

Hits: Daniel and Henrik Sedin. This is a no brainer and not worth discussing. Burke tossed Bryan McCabe and the first round pick in 2000 over to the Hawks in exchange for their first round pick (3rd overall) thus completing the Sedin sweep. Atlanta, with the first pick, took Patrick Stefan and Pavel Bendrl and Tim Connolly round out the top five. Yikes. Burke nailed it.

Misses: Rene Vydareny, selected in the third round, never played a game with Vancouver and only three seasons in Manitoba. Currently plays in the Czech national league. Vydareny was selected ahead of NHL regulars Niklas Hagman, Frantisek Kaberle, Niclas Havelid and Mike Comrie.

2000 NHL Draft

Hits: Not much. If we stretch the definition of value razor thin, then maybe Brandon Reid (selected in the 7th round and 208th overall) fits the bill. Typically you don't expect too much from late picks and Reid was passed on by most teams because of his size (5'9''). But the Canucks took a chance and, while he only played in 13 regular season games for the Canucks, he did show up in 10 playoff games, the bulk of which was on the checking line back in 2002-03. In between his call-ups, he lead the Moose in goals, assists and points twice.

Misses: 22nd pick in the first round...you know him, you love him: Nathan Smith. Ugh, we've looked at this one already. Selected ahead of numerous quality players. Basically too infuriating to examine in detail any further.

2001 NHL Draft

Hits: 151st overall, Kevin Bieksa was taken in the fifth round, spent five more seasons between Bowling Green and Manitoba before cracking the Canucks roster in 2005. Fun fact: Of all players selected in the fifth round, Bieksa has the most games played at the NHL level. Runner-up? 134th pick from Toronto, Kyle Wellwood.

In the 7th round, Vancouver took Jason King at the 212th spot. He had great numbers in Manitoba, but it was his brief success with the Sedins (the Mattress Line anyone?) in 2003-04 that made him a popular name. He also snagged Rookie of the Month in November 2003.

Misses: Let's start at the top again! Selected 16th overall, R.J. Umberger was supposed to be the two-way center the team sorely needed back in the early part of the decade. Umberger would prove his worth with Philly and Columbus, but not in Vancouver where he played hardball with Burke and the Irishman tossed his rights to the Rangers for Martin Rucinsky. He never played for the Rangers either.

And who could forget Fedor Fedorov, selected 66th in the third round (and ahead of players like Tomas Plekanec, Stephane Veilleux and Patrick Sharp)? An underachiever and seemingly proud of it, Fedorov was given a few chances to prove himself at the NHL level, only to have his conditioning or his attitude get in the way. Burke grew tired of him too, trading him to the Rangers in 2005 for Jozef Balej. Fedorov would surface this past season in New Jersey. Guess what happened?

2002 NHL Draft

Hits: Absolutely nothing.

Misses: With no picks in the first round, Vancouver took Kirill Koltsov at 49th in the second round. He's had great success in Russia, but never suited up for the Canucks. He was selected before Duncan Keith, Matt Stajan and Jiri Hudler amongst others.

Other frowny faces can go to Brent Skinner (Rd 3, 68th overall) who is now a Thrasher and has never played a NHL game. Selected ahead of Valtteri Filppula and Matt Lombardi.

Rob McVicar, selected in the 5th round and 151 overall, was a career AHL and ECHL goalie. He appeared in only one game for Vancouver in a relief effort, playing three minutes and not facing a shot against the Oilers.

2003 NHL Draft

Hits: Selected 23rd overall, Ryan KesLORD was a slam dunk that damn near left the team a few years later when Philly tried to pry him away with a RFA offer. Though he had some stiff competition, Kesler remains a key component to the future of the Canucks and just finished his best year to date.

At 254th in the 8th round, Vancouver took Nathan McIver who has played in 18 NHL games to date. It's possible he'll make the bottom four this year, but management likes him enough to have traded pugilist Mike Brown to Anaheim to reacquire McIver this past February.

Misses: Marc-Andre Bernier was taken 60th overall in the second round and projected to be a top six power forward. Sadly he didn't mature as expected and never played a game with Vancouver. Bernier was taken two picks ahead of David Backes.

At 111th in the 4th round, Vancouver took Brandon Nolan. Nolan never played for the Canucks and became property of the Hurricanes in 2007. He missed this entire past season with a concussion. Chosen ahead of Nigel Dawes and Lee Stempniak.

2004 NHL Draft

Hits: Quite a few actually. Cory Schneider was taken 26th overall in the first round, Alex Edler was taken 91st in the third round, Mike Brown was selected in the fifth and Jannick Hansen was drafted in the ninth. Compared to previous years, this is a variable cornucopia of talent with both Schneider and Edler slated to be cornerstones of their respective positions starting as early as next season. Mike Green was selected behind Schneider in the first round so that kind of stings, but thems the breaks.

Misses: Andrew Sarauer (4th RD, 125th), Julien Ellis (6th RD, 189th) and David Schulz (8th RD, 254th overall) never made an impact at the NHL level.

2005 NHL Draft

Hits: Luc Bourdon, 10th overall in the first round, was projected to be the blueliner to build around. We know the rest of his story, but suffice it to say that his impact is sorely missed.

Taken in the 2nd round, 51st overall, Mason Raymond is currently the fastest player on the team and was a Young All Star this past season. While he spent some time in the press box, was given ample playing time as the season rolled along and had his first taste of the playoffs this past spring where his PK skills, of all things, matured rapidly. Great things are expected of Raymond going forward.

Misses: Of the remaining picks (Alexandre Vincent, Matt Butcher, Kris Fredheim and Mario Bliznak) only Butcher is considered a potential prospect and even that's a bit of a stretch. You'll see Bliznak in camp too and it's possible he can make the jump with a strong showing.

2006 NHL Draft

Unknown: Optimistically speaking, Michael Grabner (1st RD, 14th overall) is a hit if he can make the NHL this year. He's been knocked in the past few years for not having a complete enough game and questionable conditioning when training camp starts. If Grabner can make the Canucks roster, his speed and offensive upside will be clutch. However, if he's sent to Manitoba again, then guys taken after him like Patrik Berglund, Simeon Varlamov or even Milan Lucic (though he was selected deeper in the second) will sting just a bit more.

Daniel Rahimi (3rd RD, 82nd overall) is another one who could make the jump into the bottom four on the blueline, but this upcoming training camp will have to a great one. Last year he pulled in a poor performance and spent the rest of the season with the Moose. While his game may be maturing, only time will tell if he's an NHL'er. The Canucks brass still has faith in him.

Sergei Shirokov (6th RD, 163rd overall) has been in Russia and, more recently, tearing it up in the KHL since he was selected. He just made news recently in that he may have inked a two year deal only to have the KHL step in and dispute it. Either way, Shirokov could be a valuable addition if he can parlay his offense and quickness for Vancouver. Jury's out, we'll see.

2007 NHL Draft

Unknown: It's still early to figure out if Patrick White, selected 25th overall in the first round, is going to be a Nathan Smith or a late bloomer. The year he was drafted White was named the Associated Press Minnesota High School Hockey Player of the Year, named to the Associated Press First Team All-State, a Minnesota Mr. Hockey Finalist and named to the St. Paul Pioneer Press First Team All State. Since then however, he's strung together a 10 and 16 point campaign respectively for the University of Minnesota. We'll see what condition the youngster comes to camp with this year, but if he's a bust, then the fact David Perron was selected one spot behind him is another giant miss with the first pick.

Selected in the second round and 33rd overall, Taylor Ellington is a Willie Mitchell-type player slowly in the making. This past March he inked a three year entry level deal based primarily on his steady improvement at the WHL level. He'll join McIver and maybe Rahimi as guys to watch on the blueline for training camp. Elsewhere in the second round, the Kings drafted both Oscar Moller and Wayne Simmonds who are already playing at the NHL level.

NHL 2008 Draft

Unknown: Cody Hodgson, taken in the first round and 10th overall, has all the talent you could want. Many fans are expecting him to be a lock for the team next year but, if you're read this far, you'll know that it's never a sure thing with Vancouver's first rounders so until Hodgson cuts his teeth and makes a definitive impact with the Canucks, he'll remain an unknown. Fun fact: Hogdson is one of two guys selected in the top ten last year who didn't make an immediate jump to the NHL. Ignoring Nashville's Colin Wilson who is still in college, the rest all suited up: Stamkos, Doughty, Bogosian, Pietrangelo, Schenn, Filatov, Boedker and Bailey. Now maybe keeping Hodgson down another year was a smart move for his maturation, but the ball is in his court come September.

Selected 41st overall in the second round, Yann Sauve is another project that needs perhaps two more years before he's NHL-ready. Prab Rai (5th RD, 131st overall), Mats Froshaug (6th RD, 161st overall) and Morgan Clark (7th RD, 191st overall) are all still too young to make a judgement call.

Conclusions

If you weren't convinced drafting is vitally important and you've ignored the casual correlation between Detroit's strength at both the draft table and in the playoffs for two decades now, then hopefully your keen eye noticed that many of the players selected behind our duds or selected near our still-developing players are property of either the St. Louis Blues or Chicago Blackhawks, two teams we know very well now and will only get better in the coming seasons as a result of their astute picks. Both had to tank for a few seasons to get the high picks, but they made the right choices in the middle rounds too.

In a way, this is the hardest day for the GMs, virtually betting the farm on the future development of teenagers. Keep in mind what some of the guys and gals over at PPP have been discussing here and here: only 39% of first rounders move on to play 200 or more NHL games, and if they do, they're only averaging 185 games played and a paltry 84 points. It gets worse after that: 5.5% of guys picked after the second round eventually play 200 or more NHL games. That's a pretty damn narrow margin for error and, interestingly, it shows how valuable those late round picks can be since, statistically, they're almost as valuable as a fourth round pick.

Maybe what makes a good draft is if you snag two guys who eventually even make it to the NHL level. If that's the measuring stick, then Nonis hit for the cycle in 2004. Vancouver's draft record is spotty at best, but a few right moves tomorrow could save this club as early as one to three years down the line. Gillis did decent in his first year at the helm, so let's see what he can follow it up with.

Now it's your turn. Having seen how the past decade has worked out for the Canucks, who do you think we need to take in the first round in about 24 hours time?

Poll

Who do you want Vancouver to draft in the first round?

Ryan Ellis

26 votes

Oliver Ekman-Larsson

10 votes

David Rundblad

4 votes

Stefan Elliott

24 votes

John Moore

30 votes

Landon Ferraro

14 votes

Tim Erixon

4 votes

Jordan Caron

5 votes

Calvin De Haan

3 votes

Carter Ashton

6 votes

Someone else (drop your thoughts in the comments)

7 votes

133 votes | Poll has closed

Report: Sens asking Kings for one or two players and fifth overall pick for Heatley

PeterR — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:29:28 -0000

More photos » by Sean Kilpatrick - AP

The Ottawa Senators asking price for Dany Heatley? One or two players and a first-round pick, at least where the Los Angeles Kings are involved.

Browse more photos »

The Los Angeles Kings are tweeting the goings-on at the NHL Entry Draft in Montreal this week, and one of their most recent tweets involved word from Ron Hextall, general manager of the Los Angeles Kings, of what the Senators were asking in exchange for winger Dany Heatley:

Just spoke with Hexy about what OTT is asking for in exchange for Heatley. He said "1 or 2 players and our fifth pick." DE

The Twitter account is official, and is linked-to from the Kings' official website, so the question is: Who might the one or two players in play be?

It's long been reported that the Kings are in the running for Heatley, and unconfirmed reports have indicated that they're on Heater's list of preferred teams. So the deal, if the Kings are willing to go with it, might be close. The Kings are also looking to make a splash at the draft, and Heatley might be the biggest splash made in the next two days.

Defenceman Jack Johnson has been churning in the rumour mill for a while now, and he's got the potential to greatly add to the Senators powerplay. Still, given that the Senators have Alex Picard and Jason Smith both on the trading block, he might not be at the top of the Senators' wish list. Still, it's hard to say no to a potential franchise defenceman, and the Kings may be telling the Senators that we're going to have to take their 'problem player' if they're going to take ours. (Johnson has had certain issues that I don't know enough about to discuss, but are generally well-known.)

Other names that have been linked to the Senators in the past are Dustin Brown and Justin Williams, both of whom were rumoured to be very close to coming to Ottawa in the past. Brown is a power forward who, in my opinion, might fit well alongside Mike Fisher on a very strong, if perhaps not so offensive, second line unit. Brown has had better numbers than Fisher for the most part in his career, including a career-high 33-goal, 60-point 2007-08 season, and is slated at a reasonable $3.175M for next season and four more afterwards. As for Williams, he's had significant injury problems in his career, but is still able to put up points when he's playing. Williams is to make $3.5M this season and next.

Jarret Stoll may also be on the block, and is a cap-hit of $3.6M for this season and next. He's a good offensive player, with 306 points in 360 career games, and would look good centring the Senators' second line.

The Kings have also got a plethora of prospects, as well as a whole whack of draft picks this season. On key prospect is Oscar Moller, who may very well be a part of any 'splash' the Kings are making. He's on his entry-level deal for two more years at a cap hit of $875k, which works well for the Senators--the low cap hit would allow Ottawa to sign someone off the free-agent market this off-season. Although Moller's undersized, he has the offensive abilities to be a top-six forward.

Poll

Which player would you most like from the Los Angeles Kings?

Dustin Brown

158 votes

Jack Johnson

60 votes

Oscar Moller

24 votes

Jarret Stoll

19 votes

Justin Williams

12 votes

The Sens should have a higher asking price

47 votes

Whoever, as long as we get the fifth-overall pick

64 votes

384 votes | Poll has closed

Burke, Heatley, and the Power of Perception

RudyKelly — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:09:42 -0000

More photos » by Ryan Remiorz - AP

8 months ago: Ottawa Senators' Dany Heatley celebrates after scoring the first of two goals against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal on Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

Browse more photos »

I don't think it's unreasonable to say that the Kings are in the cat bird's seat for this draft. (It is, however, very foppish to say "cat bird's seat.") I would assume the first 3 spots in the draft are virtually unreachable, as Tavares, Hedman and Duchene have separated themselves from the rest of the pack. The 4th pick might be reachable, but I doubt Atlanta is anxious to give up the opportunity to draft Evander Kane. That leaves the Kings with the first real open slot in the draft, barring some sort of crazy trade. There are two popular theories out there about what the Kings might do with the pick: either trade it along with some other stuff for Dany Heatley, or they're going to move back to spots and let the Maple Leafs draft Brayden Schenn and pick up someone like Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi. While the likely result is still that the Kings will simply draft Brayden Schenn, both offers are enticing. The key here, though, is the power of perception. I think that power will ultimately nix the Dany Heatley deal and might clinch the Toronto deal.

Dany Heatley is a fantastic player. He's a consistent goal scorer, one of those guys that is a goal scoring leader almost every year. There's a difference between players like Heatley and Heatley and guys like Ryan Smyth or Jonathan Cheechoo, guys that happen to have a great year. With 5 guys on the ice, goal scoring can be kind of a luck thing, but the truly great ones can overcome that luck and consistently score a certain amount of goals. That's definitely worth something. How much is a matter of debate.

The problem the Kings have in trading for Dany Heatley is that they can't really trade anyone on their roster that the Senators would actually want. The guys that Ottawa would probably want are: Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, Justin Williams, Wayne Simmonds, Jack Johnson, Alex Frolov and maybe Matt Greene. They're all important parts of the team and in most cases would be untouchable because of either contract reasons or because they're awesome. The only two guys that are really available are Alex Frolov and Jack Johnson. The problem with Frolov is that he's the only left wing on the entire team. Trading him for Dany Heatley is an upgrade, sure, but the Kings are still left with the same problem they had before they traded for Dany Heatley. Johnson could probably be had, but is he a big enough piece to satiate Ottawa fans? If the Kings packaged together Johnson with, say, Oscar Moller and the 5th overall, would that be enough? I think that would be the best deal Ottawa is going to get, but I don't think it'll be the one they want. Moller and whoever the 5th overall ended up being would instantly be the Senator's best two prospects and Johnson would probably love to play in Canada, but I think Senators fans would probably be upset with that. They want to compete next year (as they should) and they don't want prospects. I imagine Bryan Murray will probably wipe his mouth and say he needs someone bigger, like Frolov, and Dean will say no. And that'll be the end of that.

The other option, like I said, is to trade down to the 7th overall. The popular pick for the Kings (and one I made in my mock draft) is Brayden Schenn, but no one knows what is in the head of Dean Lombardi. No one thought he would pick Thomas Hickey, but he did, so everyone thought he wouldn't pick Doughty last year, but he did. He's, like Ron Burgundy might say, a mysterious fig. There's definitely a possibility Dean might have someone in mind (Jordan Schroeder) that he would probably take over Brayden Schenn (Jordan Schroeder) and he is probably willing to trade the pick to Toronto and draft someone else 7th (Jordan Schroeder).

But here's that perception thing again. If Brian Burke has a flaw as a GM, it's that he likes to be cute. He traded up to nab both the Sedins in 1999, he conspired with the Niedermayers to bring them together in Anaheim, and I think he probably wants both Schenn's in Toronto. Dean probably knows this too. There's a report in the Ottawa Citizen today with a quote from Brian Burke that reads, "Everyone's being entirely unreasonable," and I think he's right. I think Dean is telling him, "Look, Brian, I know how much having both Schenn's in Toronto would mean to your franchise, both on and off the ice. I'll trade down to the 7th if you throw in either Tomas Kaberle or Pavel Kubina." That's of course ridiculous, but Lombardi wants a veteran defenseman on the team. He could try to sign Mattias Ohlund on July 1st, but why not get someone better than him with a better contract in Tomas Kaberle? If Burke says no, then Lombardi could just stand pat and select Brayden Schenn and everyone's happy; Burke can draft someone else and let the press criticize him (because he's in Toronto and that's what they do). I think the idea of having the 2 Schenn's and being able to stand there with a big smile on his face in front of all those cameras might be too much for him to ignore.

So those are the two big draft day possibilities to watch for tomorrow. The key in both instances is that Dean Lombardi can do nothing and still come out a winner on draft day. The distractions surrounding Dany Heatley won't go away until he is moved and Toronto fans will feel like kids who thought they were getting a bike for Christmas and ended up with that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle blimp that would never stay inflated for more than 2 minutes. I don't know, we'll have to wait and see. God do I hate waiting.

A Quick Question

RudyKelly — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:48:12 -0000

Oscar Moller couldn't play in Manchester this season because he was only 19 and had to play in Junior if he wasn't in the NHL. However, now that the Seattle Thunderbirds have been eliminated from the playoffs, he can get sent down to the AHL, right? That makes sense to me but I don't know for sure.

Also, Thomas Hickey was also eliminated so he'll probably get sent to Manchester as well. They should be a pretty cool team to watch in the playoffs.

Next Season

RudyKelly — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:38:38 -0000

Next season, the Kings will make the playoffs.

Next season, the Kings will capitalize on their chances.

Next season, the Kings will rely on experienced players like Alex Frolov, Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar to lead the team.

Next season, the Kings won't give up 40 shots on goal.

Next season, the refs will give the Kings the benefit of the doubt.

Next season, Terry Murray will give the Kings' forwards more freedom because he knows they will be still be responsible defensively.

Next season, the Kings will make the playoffs.

Next season, Jonathan Quick will face stiff competition in goal that will make every goaltender in the Kings' system better.

Next season, the Kings will have to send a great young defenseman (Teubert) back to Junior because he will be beaten out by another great young defenseman (Hickey).

Next season, Oscar Moller will score 40 points.

Next season, Wayne Simmonds will use his strength to move the points out of the corner.

Next season, Derek Armstrong, Kyle Calder and Denis Gauthier won't be on the team.

Next season, the Kings will make the playoffs.

Next season, the Kings will make the playoffs because they lost games like tonight this season.

41 Games In: 2,000 Words to Say, "They're OK"

RudyKelly — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:00:09 -0000

LA Kings (14th in West) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (12-19-10, 12th in East)

Record: 17-18-6

Last 10: 4-6

Special Teams: 18.5 PP% (15th), 82.4% (T-12th); 184 Power Play Opportunities, 182 Times Shorthanded

Top Scorer: Anze Kopitar, 32 points

1st Half Most Valuable Forward: Alex Frolov

1st Half Most Valuable Defenseman: Drew Doughty

1st Half Best Goaltender: Erik Ersberg

1st Half MVP: Mark Hardy

1st Half Highlight:

I'm not quite sure how to feel about the Kings thus far. On the one hand, they are a lot better than I thought they'd be. They're on pace to cut their goals against by 40 goals and have made great strides on the penalty kill. They've gotten great performances by 3 rookies this season and managed to snatch a good young defenseman for free. The off-season trade of Lubomir Visnovsky has worked out pretty well and should only look better as the years go by. Terry Murray has been a great hire thus far and has instilled a sense of defensive responsibility that the Kings have never had. Overall, the Kings have exceeded expectations and actually look competitive with some of the best teams in the league.

But I can't shake the feeling that the Kings should have a better record than the one they have right now. Due to a competitive Western Conference, the Kings currently sit in 14th place. (If they were in the East they'd be in 10th.) Their best player (Kopitar) has played poorly for most of this season, they lost their best defenseman (Johnson) in the 2nd game of the season, and their #1 goaltender going into the season (Labarbera) ended up buckling under the pressure.* The problem, of course, is that the Kings have played 2/3 of their games this season at home (27 vs. 14 on the road) and that will flip during the 2nd half. The Kings will get Johnson back and Ersberg & Quick will combine to give the Kings better goaltending down the stretch, but those gains are going to be counterweighed by the tougher schedule. The Kings needed to be about 5 or 6 games above .500 through 41 games to have a shot at the postseason; they aren't, and now they're screwed.

*And I know about pressure; after all, I have kissed a man.

The biggest disappointment so far this season has been the production by the top offensive talent. Look at these projections: do they seem good to you?

Anze Kopitar: 64 points

Dustin Brown & Alex Frolov: 56 points

Patrick O'Sullivan: 46 points

Jarret Stoll: 41 points

Michal Handzus: 34 points

No one's total is anywhere near their career best. Of course, it's stupid to judge the play of a player purely by his point totals (and indeed, Frolov, Handzus and Stoll have all played well this season), but there does seem to be a little growing pain associated with some of the young guys. Kopitar has been the biggest disappointment of anyone so far. The 21 year-old Slovenian has been progressing well on the defensive end, but he looks tentative and insecure entering the zone. It's now well-known that Kopitar likes to take the puck to the outside on the rush and look for a pass through the slot or take it behind the net, and defenses have shut that part of his game down. Last season, he countered that by cutting inside and taking a shot, but this season he hasn't done that. Instead, he's skated a couple feet into the zone and then either flipped the puck to a teammate or shot it into the corner. It's like he's worrying about his defensive assignment before he has even entered the offensive zone. It's great Kopitar is adapting to Terry Murray's defensive scheme, but great offensive players need to know when it's OK to break protocol and go for broke. Look at a guy like Pavel Datsyuk: he's a great defensive player, but he also knows that sometimes it's best to make a move one-on-one and try to score. Sometimes it doesn't work out and the other team gets a good opportunity out of it, but a guy like Kopitar will make up for any deficiencies on the offensive end. I'm not saying he should not care about defense, but he needs to "selectively gamble," I guess. 64 points from a guy with Kopitar's talent is not acceptable.

The Kings' 2 secondary centers are Michal Handzus and Jarret Stoll, and they've done a great job of cutting down opposing teams' shots. Michal Handzus has been the Kings' best forward this season. Handzus has the highest quality of competition on the Kings (according to Behind the Net) and yet has been on the ice for only three less goals against than goals for (18 GA vs. 15 GF). He is the top penalty killer on the team as well and uses his reach and size to block lanes better than anyone else on the Kings. Jarret Stoll has won 56.9% of his faceoffs, good for 9th in the league, and is (I believe) responsible for the improved performance by Kopitar in that area. Neither center is ideal for a 2nd line role, much like Craig Conroy before them, but both are good defensively responsible veterans that set a good example for their teammates. I could see the two of them combined with someone like Wayne Simmonds or Oscar Moller to form an elite shutdown unit in the near future.

The depth guys for the Kings are a mix of youthful exuberance and aging grit. I think we will see more and more ice time for the younger guys (Moller, Simmonds, Boyle, Purcell) as they "earn" their ice time. (I think earning ice time is more about just hanging around for a while so the other guys in the locker room don't think a player is being handed the time.) Terry Murray has made comments recently that make it sound like Purcell and Boyle may finally be up for good, and guys like John Zeiler and Kyle Calder will probably see reduced ice time as a result. It will be interesting to see how the Murray juggles everyone's ice time to keep them happy, but if the problem on your team is that you have too many good young forwards to play then you're doing alright.

Overall, the offensive unit has been subpar in the area of scoring goals but must also be commended for their improved commitment to defense. Last season, the Kings gambled too much and left their defense out to dry an awful lot; this season, it's almost the reverse, where the Kings are too cautious and need to open it up a little bit more. I expect the Kings to score more in the 2nd half of the season as players become more comfortable in the new scheme, but they will probably become more lax defensively as well.

Oh, and Raitis Ivanans has played in every game so far. Stop that.

***

Defensively, the Kings have been good. Not great, not outstanding, but good. They were missing that last season. When Jack Johnson gets back, hopefully they will contribute a little more on the offensive side of the puck and become a great defensive unit. The Kings have been getting good contribution at even strength (they're actually on pace to get more points from their defense than last year's team), but the defensive contribution on the power play has been non-existent. It's the price you pay when you substitute Lubomir Visnovsky and Rob Blake for Sean O'Donnell and Kyle Quincey: better defense, yes, but nowhere near the offensive acumen. That is just something the Kings are going to have to live with for the rest of the season unless, you know, they decide to let Tom Preissing play.

(It feels kind of nice to only write that much about the defense. Last season I think I wrote about 20x as much, and most of it was just, "GODDAMMIT JON KLEMM!")

***

Jason Labarbera... hey, did you know he didn't play that well? Nothing sets fans afire like mediocre goaltending, mostly because the position is zero-sum and hardly anyone has played it. Labarbera has been shipped off to Vancouver, where he is currently playing pretty well for his home territory. Meanwhile, the Kings have been running a duo of Jonathan Quick and Erik Ersberg. The Kings are actually in a pretty good position, goaltending-wise, because both goaltenders are on two-way contracts. The Kings aren't stuck like they were the past two seasons because, 1) they have flexibility if a goalie sucks, and 2) they actually have depth in the minors. Quick and Ersberg are both pretty good goaltenders and both are fighting for their jobs; if either one is poor for any length of time, the Kings can just call up Jonathan Bernier and give him a shot. They could even call up Jeff Zatkoff if they want to, since he's actually older than Bernier and has dominated every level he's been in. The Kings will get occasionally poor goaltending (like they did against the Devils) but overall I'd expect their team save percentage (.898, 24th in the NHL) to go up as the 2nd half continues.

***

The Kings are in the 3rd year of their 5-year rebuild. This is the season that young players begin to contribute and find their way as professionals in the NHL while the team begins to gel as a whole. One good thing about the Kings is that most of the people I hate aren't expected to be with the Kings much longer. Here are the people I can guarantee will be on the team next season:

Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Alex Frolov, Patrick O'Sullivan, Jarret Stoll, Michal Handzus, Oscar Moller, Wayne Simmonds, Ted Purcell, Kyle Quincey, Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson*, Matt Greene, Erik Ersberg

*Unless he gets traded, like Pierre McGuire keeps predicting. Why the Kings would do that, seeing as how Johnson hasn't played all year and would get nothing in a trade right now, I have no idea.

Notice anything? The only player that is currently a meaningful contributor on the team that is not on that list is Sean O'Donnell. All the major contributors on the Kings right now are good young players that will only get better. The only major contributor that is over 30 will be Michal Handzus, and the only ones that will be over 25 will be Alex Frolov, Jarret Stoll and Matt Greene. That's pretty amazing.

Here is how things are going to go the rest of the way:

The Kings will stumble a little bit during the 2nd half of the season and people will whisper that Kopitar and Terry Murray don't get along. The team will trade Tom Preissing and Kyle Calder for peanuts at the trade deadline and get criticized that they didn't make any other big moves to get to the playoffs. The Kings will pick in the 4-7 range in the entry draft and will take a dynamic offensive player like Jordan Schroeder. They will then surprise everyone by signing one of Marian Hossa/Henrik Zetterberg in the off-season and will enter next season ready to compete for a playoff spot. That whole "Kopitar and Murray don't like each other" will go away real quick.

OK, some of that probably won't happen (who would offer peanuts for Tom Preissing?) but it's all pretty reasonable. The Kings aren't making the playoffs this season. No buts, no caveats, they just aren't. However, they are making the strides that will help them win a Stanley Cup one day. The Kings need one more elite player to put them over the playoff hump and I imagine they'll get him, whether through a trade or free agency, next off-season. The Kings may not be very much fun to watch right now, but it's like dating a woman: yeah, you have to listen to her talk ("Oh really? Oprah said that? FASCINATING.") and do stupid stuff (nobody on Earth actually likes bowling) and everyone kind of laughs at you ("What, you would sit through Twilight too if it meant you got laid, don't lie!") but it's all worth it when you finally get to poo on her chest.

(That's how I'm ending this? Yes. Yes it is.)

Prediction: Kings win, 4-1. Goals by Doughty (x4), while Steven Stamkos watches from the press box.

Poll

How would you grade the Kings' performance so far this season?

Terrible

4 votes

Better than I thought

60 votes

Not good, but about where they should be

28 votes

You really need to get a life, Rudy

18 votes

110 votes | Poll has closed