SB Nation - John Zeiler

Kings Send Down Schenn, Bernier, Hickey... and Westgarth

RudyKelly — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:06:51 -0000

The Kings have made their final cuts of camp, sending Brayden Schenn to Junior and Jonathan Bernier, Thomas Hickey and Kevin Westgarth down to Manchester. (Would you rather watch Manchester or LA at this point? I think I'd enjoy watching Manchester more if Wayne Simmonds were down there.) That means the Kings' opening night line-up will look like this:

Smyth	Kopitar	Williams
Frolov	Handzus	Simmonds
Purcell	Stoll	Brown
Ivanans	Lewis	Richardson/Harrold
Harrold/Richardson	Clune (IR)

Drewiske	Doughty
Johnson	Scuderi
Martinez	Greene
O'Donnell (Susp.)

Quick

Ersberg

The Kings went with experience over the allure of youth. Thomas Hickey lost out to Alec Martinez, who has a year in Manchester under his belt;* Jonathan Bernier was beat out by Erik Ersberg, whose inability to be a #1 goaltender actually helped him; and Kevin Westgarth was bested by Raitis Ivanans, mostly because it's easier to send him down then convince someone to trade for Raitis.

*Martinez kind of gets a bad rap because the Kings have so many good defensive prospects. If it were 4 years ago everyone would be really excited about him, but most people think he's a scrub because he's not Thomas Hickey.

Overall, I'm not too upset by any decisions made in camp. Ted Purcell won the big job, that of 3rd line winger, while Richard Clune banished John Zeiler to the minors. We'll see Bernier and Hickey this season; it's just not quite as soon as we all hoped.

It's weird, I think most fans are pretty happy with this team.. Who is going to be the whipping boy this year? I guess Raitis, but he at least fights. It'll probably be someone who's contract is expiring soon like Cammalleri was before he left, someone who is enigmatic and easily moc-

Shit.

Training Camp Battles: 4th Line Agitator

RudyKelly — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:19:19 -0000

The Kings haven't had an agitator since Sean Avery and have missed that middleweight figher ever since. They've had an enforcer, sure, but enforcers don't really intimidate anyone because they can't get away with facewashing and all that extra-curricular stuff. The Kings should have one this year, though, which should make the fans happy and haters of power plays cringe. Dean Lombardi and Terry Murray love agitators, though, so we might as well get a good one.

The Favorite

Richard Clune

#56 / Left Wing / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-0

Weight: 196

Born: Apr 25, 1987

Richard Clune was traded to the Kings in the deal that sent Lauri Tukonen to the Dallas Stars. He surprised many people last year with his... interesting moral code and almost made the team before a chest injury knocked him out for a good bit of last season. Dick (and that is your name... Dick) is distinctive for two reasons: he looks like a burn victim and he's a complete, utter asshole. He has a problem with penalties, both majors (13 in 35 games last year) and minors (11), but he plays with that edge that is desirable in an agitator. He also has a surprisingly deft touch with the puck and isn't as bad as, oh, I don't know...

The Challenger

John Zeiler

#13 / Right Wing / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-0

Weight: 204

Born: Nov 21, 1982

...John Zeiler. Instead of questioning the legitimacy of his birth for the thousandth time, I'd like to compose my feelings in a haiku:

John Zeiler sucks balls

And he eats babies for fun

Enjoy Manchester

The Dark Horse

Kyle Clifford

#0 / Left Wing / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Jan 13, 1991

Clifford was the 2nd round draft pick this past year and looks to be a future 3rd line winger for the Kings. Clifford only had 23 points in the OHL last year but he could end up being similar to Wayne Simmonds, a guy with a simple game that translates well to the NHL. People may be upset that Clifford will never be a 2nd liner, but the likelihood of him being an NHL'er is pretty good. Probably not this year, but in 3 or so, definitely.

Dustin Brown Sez...

"Oh, these guys. These guys crack me up. Still, gotta keep them in their place. If you don't, these guys will come in, push you around, make fun of your lisp, well now's the time I say, 'Fuck you, Sean Avery! I'll kill you!'

"...I'm off message. I think Clune will win the job but Zeiler is a nice enough guy. We go bike riding together sometimes. He always thinks he's going to win but... no."

Poll

Who should be the Kings' agitator this season?

Richard Clune

77 votes

John Zeiler

10 votes

87 votes | Poll has closed

Kings Gameday: Powder Keg

RudyKelly — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:23:29 -0000

LA Kings (18-20-7) @ Colorado Avalanche (23-22-1)

6:00 PST, Fox Sports West

Johnson Watch: 17:44 TOI, 0 P, +2, 2 PIM, 2 Special Team Shifts (PK)

You ever just get the feeling that a game is going to be wild? The Kings and the Avalanche have played two games this season: one was a tightly-checked and rough contest that saw the Avalanche prevail in a shootout, while the other was an embarrassing loss for the Kings as they fell, 6-1. In the first game, John Zeiler knocked Adam Foote out for a while with a brutal check from behind; in the second game, TJ Hensick knocked Derek Armstrong out for a while with a hit to the head. The Kings have been looking for an opportunity to come together as a team and I think tonight is going to provide it. Plus, this is probably the last game Kevin Westgarth is going to get for a while and I imagine he wants to make the most of it. Plus, this is the 1st game Jack Johnson will play against Colorado since he decapitated Ryan Smyth and maybe they still might want a little revenge for that. Plus... well, no, that's it. The Avalanche have a lot of guys that can hit and fight, as do the Kings, and I imagine tonight is going to get a little rough.

***

The Kings have pretty much decided that grit is better than talent for now and have banished guys like Ted Purcell and Brian Boyle in favor of guys like Raitis Ivanans, John Zeiler and Kevin Westgarth. The weirdest thing? The grit guys played great last night. Seriously, Kyle Calder had his best game since he joined the Kings, John Zeiler was hitting people in a meaningful way, Raitis had a couple good moves... hell, even Sean O'Donnell made a few good moves on offense. The Kings haven't been getting good play from their 4th line this season and it has cost them in a lot of games (the last game against Colorado is a great example), but those guys played great last night. If they can keep it up then a lot of space will be opened for the Kings' top guys.

***

If the Kings go to a shootout tonight, they're fucked. The Kings have played in 7 shootouts and have a record of 2-5. Colorado is 7-1. Of course, Jonathan Quick (who will probably start tonight) looks to be an excellent shootout goaltender, so maybe the Kings' luck can change.

Prediction: Kings win, 4-3 (SO). Hey, they have to win one eventually. Mile High Hockey has your Avalanche perspective, which I imagine is as follows: "I'm cold."

Kings Gameday: Roster Clog

RudyKelly — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:45:03 -0000

LA Kings (15-15-6) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (15-16-4)

7:30 PST, Fox Sports West

Here are 7 players:

-Trevor Lewis

-Derek Armstrong

-Oscar Moller

-Raitis Ivanans

-John Zeiler

-Ted Purcell

-Kyle Calder

You have to get rid of one of them: who is it? This is the question facing the Los Angeles Kings. Right now the Kings are playing Trevor Lewis, Ted Purcell, Raitis Ivanans, Kyle Calder, and John Zeiler, with Derek Armstrong sidelined by a concussion and Oscar Moller currently at the WJC. (Additionally, Brad Richardson is still injured and might be out for a while, according to Rich Hammond.) Armstrong will be back soon, however, and when Oscar Moller returns the Kings will have some decisions to make. Trevor Lewis and Ted Purcell are both eligible to be sent to the AHL, but neither has really merited a demotion in their time up so far. Kyle Calder and Derek Armstrong have the least amount of upside, but both provide veteran leadership. John Zeiler and Raitis Ivanans are kind of worthless, but they're the good kind of worthless where you don't have to worry about stunting their growth if they get only 4 minutes a game. It's quite the conundrum. It's worthy of a healthy beard-stroke.*

*I've recently grown a beard. It's marvelous.

I'll be honest: I don't know what the Kings are going to do. No matter what, they're probably going to have to waive someone, whether it be Armstrong or Zeiler. I'm guessing Zeiler, since it's not like anyone is going to pick him up anyway. You might think you would need to demote one of Lewis, Purcell or Moller when he gets back, but I think the Kings can make it work without it coming to that. I'd like to see:

O'Sullivan	Kopitar	Moller
Frolov	Handzus	Simmonds
Calder	Stoll	Brown
Ivanans	Lewis	Purcell

Moller is a pretty gritty player despite his size and would give the top line another shot for the defense to account for. I like Frolov's line, and Brown's line has a nice identity to it. The 4th line is weird, but, as Earl fucking constantly points out, it's the same thing the Ducks did with Getzlaf and Perry and that seemed to work out OK. Plus, it gives Ivanans two guys he can leech off of and protect, perhaps leading him to play with a little more violent intent. Lewis can skate up with Kopitar and O'Sullivan when Moller sits (or, better yet, skate with Stoll and Calder when Brown moves up for a shift) and then Purcell can step in for Moller on a few power play shifts. Lewis and Purcell need about 12 minutes a game, and that's easily doable. This gives the Kings 4 solid, young, dynamic lines that can skate, rumble and score. It gives me a woody just thinking about it.

***

Another roster clog is coming soon in the goaltending department. Erik Ersberg's imminent return means some goaltender is going to have to get sent down. It's not Quick, who has played the best of any goaltender for the Kings thus far, and it's not Ersberg, who played well before he got hurt, so that means it's Labarbera. Does he get picked up off the waiver wire? If he doesn't, he most certainly will on re-entry waivers, so that means he's gone. Are the Kings ready to do that? I don't know. It'll be interesting to watch the next couple days.

So, that's the best solution as I see it. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Or, you know, don't. Whatever, you people don't care about me and my feelings.

Prediction: Kings win, 3-0. Goals by Calder, Lewis and Brown. Oh yeah, the Kings are playing the Blue Jackets tonight, too. I'm Sorry, Columbus, I forgot you were there. You may go now.