Sunday 6:30 PST. No trade. No news. Not the no news is good news type. Just no news. Every hour that passes means it is less likely a major deal is going down. Absent one side caving in at the last minute (it could happen), the psychology of negotiations tells me opposing team(s) are still asking for X (Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn, something Dean Lombardi is unwilling to surrender) and our … [Read more...]
LA KINGS TRADE PREVIEW: ALES HEMSKY
February 18, 2011 By
Like most well-kept hockey secrets, news of Ales Hemsky's potential or prospective trade to the LA Kings became publicly traded information within a week. Let's get past the who said what to whom when and focus on the player the Edmonton Oilers wish to trade and the Kings may covet. Goals. We need more of them. There are two means to this end. Acquiring a goal scorer (sniper) or a play maker. … [Read more...]
THE LITTLE LOKI-MOTIVE ENGINE THAT COULD AND WILL
January 20, 2011 By
Oh happy day. So far. Andrei Loktionov, one of my personal favorite prospects possessed by the Kings (even moreso than Brayden Schenn... put that in your Canadian pipes and smoke it!), is back in Los Angeles and scheduled to play alongside Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes. While I'm under no delusions that calling up the great and powerful Loki will be any … [Read more...]
NEW LINES AGAINST DALLAS STARS IN SIMMONDS’ ABSENCE
January 17, 2011 By
With Simmonds not on the road trip, Kevin Westgarth takes a spot in the lineup over Peter Harrold. Changes are in bold. Clifford-Richardson-Lewis Sturm-Stoll-Brown Ponikarovsky-Handzus-Westgarth After Simmonds went out last game, Brown took most of the shifts with Sturm and Stoll. They played well, but I worry that the Richardson line is too young now. Also, this sort of destroys … [Read more...]
TERRY MURRAY TO RICH HAMMOND TO GOALIES: WIN AND YOU’RE IN
January 16, 2011 By
"He won. He won. He’s playing. He won. Period.” Not since "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit" has there been a more fun quote than "win and you're in." Actually, it's not Murray's quote. Terry just implied it. Rich Hammond came up with the beauty. Well, technically, it's not even Rich's quote as the rhythmic expression has been around for a while (generally applicable to qualifying for the … [Read more...]
KARMIC BALANCE BLOWS – SIMMONDS TO STAY IN LOS ANGELES
January 16, 2011 By
It just won't let us celebrate right now without a caveat. A wonderful win, an inspired performance by many players and a well deserved breath of relief to finish off a home stand gone horrible wrong ending in the right way, only to bolstered undeservedly by a major caveat... Simmonds won't make the road trip. Luckily, this road trip is only two games in two days. Unluckily, the fact … [Read more...]
I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING…
January 3, 2011 By
...and I feel your pain. But take a moment and reflect. The team before you is the same core as last season. It still lacks a sniper. Sturm? Come on. How many shots sailed high and over the net? How many went wide? It still misses a top four defenseman. It continues to struggle with inconsistent top two lines. It still misses the consistent necessary component on the left wing of the third. … [Read more...]
KINGS GO MASOCHIST IN 7-4 LOSS TO FLYERS
December 31, 2010 By
If the Kings were a 16 year old teenager tonight, they would be cutting themselves and investing in goth makeup. I don't know what the hell our boys thought they were doing out there but if it was hockey, then the entire defense needs to get off the football and stop acting like monkeys. Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson were shades of bad I have not seen in quite some time. Jack put on a clinic on … [Read more...]
KINGS VS ANAHEIM DUCKS GAME PREVIEW: ‘TIS THE SEASON
December 26, 2010 By
If you haven't read it, read it now. If you have read it, read it again. Corey Perry, Joffrey Lupul & Wayne Simmonds' Revenge. Let us not forget that a mere 2 months ago, Corey Perry and Joffrey Lupul waltzed into a Kings fans' Halloween party, uninvited, and destroyed said Kings fans' Wayne Simmonds bobblehead in an act of immaturity and jealousy that will be refreshed violently … [Read more...]
KINGS GET OUTWORKED BY BLUES 6-4
December 17, 2010 By
Erik Johnson, Andy McDonald, Alex Pietrangelo, David Perron, TJ Oshie, Roman Polak...all but with injuries. A walk in the park tonight? Not so much. Surly gave you his take of the game. Here is mine: I am concerned about the Kings' passing. So many of them from the defensive zone connect on the opposing team's stick. We saw this again tonight and it has been a consistent Achilles Heel. I … [Read more...]
KINGS SUCCUMB TO ST LOUIS BLUES AGGRESSION
December 16, 2010 By
The title says it all. The Kings battled. Tempers flared and fists flew. They took their licks and gave some back. However in the end, an inspiring and brutally hostile game by the St Louis Blues won out over the Los Angeles Kings in a struggle that could have gone either way. It started out less than perfect with the Blues controlling the majority of the first period, immediately … [Read more...]
FLAMES LEAVE L.A. FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONLY LOST 2-1
December 10, 2010 By
This game could have been 7-0. It should have been 7-0. I am not sure what Calgary thought it was doing on the ice tonight but if it was hockey they intended, they failed. I have seen spectators give more effort. By the middle of the third, after what I believe to be three goal posts and three additional glorious scoring chances up to that point, I began to feel sorry for Flames' fans. They are … [Read more...]
I WANT A PONI
December 6, 2010 By
For a month, we have been asking for our Poni back. Well, we got him. Ponikarovsky is expected back this Thursday. Let's all collectively give him a break and not expect him to play like he hasn't missed a game. It may take a couple or more. While Clifford has filled that role admirably, that beautiful shut down chemistry between he, Handzus and Simmonds was sorely missed. Willie Mitchell is still … [Read more...]
KINGS HAVE GONE FULL RETARD – LOSE TO DUCKS 2-0
November 29, 2010 By
I have little patience at the moment and the filter is gone for the purposes of this article. I despise those that spread rumors. Unfortunately, there are those within the NHL community (and the Kings are no exception) that have individuals who lie or exaggerate to drive traffic to their site or themselves. Attention whores or otherwise, doesn't matter. They don't do it for any reason other … [Read more...]
KINGS / DUCKS AFTER 20 MINUTES
November 29, 2010 By
The Kings came out flying. Wayne Simmonds has buoyed Kopitar and Brown to almost resemble a real first line, even if it is very apparent there are two guys who prefer the right side out there... three really. The line generated at the least 3 quality scoring chances, the first of which came on the opening shift when Kopitar passed from behind the goal line to Simmonds out front. Had Simmonds … [Read more...]
SPATZ SHOTS – PRACTICE PICS 11/26/10
November 27, 2010 By
Kasey took another round of pictures at the Kings first practice back at Toyota Sports Center. Click here for the full gallery. Couple of things... Clearly front of net presence is something Murray is stressing. Dwight King may have replaced Jack Johnson as possessing the most disturbing smile on the team. I can't decide if his eyeballs betray the soul of a hockey player or of a … [Read more...]
NEXT UP ON THE FIRST LINE LEFT WING ROTATION: DUSTIN BROWN
November 26, 2010 By
LA Kings Insider posted new practice lines this morning. They are: Brown-Kopitar-Simmonds Smyth-Stoll-Williams Clifford-Handzus-Lewis King-Richardson-Westgarth Lets break these down one by one, try and divine Terry Murray's reasoning. Brown-Kopi-Simmonds: Lots of potential there. Wayne Simmonds' game has been picking up of late with his retrieval of 50/50 pucks, the strongest part … [Read more...]
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