The Kings had an earlier than usual skate this morning, due to tonight's game vs. the Blackhawks being at 5pm local time. Of course, the big topics around the locker room continues to be Jeff Carter and the upcoming trade deadline. Here's 10 tidbits that we picked up...
- Willie Mitchell on why he signed in LA now vs. testing free agency: "It's about having a shot at the Stanley Cup...it's all about winning. I want a Cup. I don't have that. A couple of guys around here do. I hear the stories, I hear everything...that's what drives me and that's what motivates me."
- Jeff Carter will wear #77 and play on a line with Mike Richards and rookie Dwight King to start the game, per coach Darryl Sutter. Carter will also get time on the power play.
- King on if he's following the trade rumors: "If you watch any sports program, you see a little bit of the action going on. But, I try not to pay too much attention."
Showing posts with label practice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label practice. Show all posts
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Will the real Darryl Sutter please stand up?
...or is that what just happened?
When the LA Kings were first rumored to be interested in hiring Darryl Sutter as the coach to replace Terry Murray, many scoffed at the idea. He was labeled a yeller, bombastic, hard-nosed, fiery, volatile, abrasive and several other less than flattering adjectives.
Then, at the team's press conference to announce his hiring, Dean Lombardi warned anybody who would listen - don't believe what you hear, Sutter is more than just a screamer.
The GM appeared to know exactly what he was talking about, as the new coach was as personable as can be for the first two months. Players would gush when talking about him and TV cameras often caught him giving words of encouragement to individuals on the bench during games.
"Kopitar and Brown (need) to get going. Neither one has done much for six weeks," Sutter said, when kicking off his post-practice press conference today. "These guys talk too much about the team. They should talk more about themselves, what they bring to the table."
And with that, the gloves were off.
Murray had rarely, if ever, criticized his players while leading the Kings. Sure, there was the occasional poke at somebody like Alexei Ponikarovsky. Yet, he never called out his star players.
Sutter? It appears he's seen enough.
Following Saturday night's 1-0 loss - the team's second in a row - he spoke with the players and then went to an adjacent room to meet with media. As he walked in with a lozenge in his mouth, the real surprise may have been that he wasn't on crutches after injuring his foot while firmly putting it up the...well, you get the idea.
"Kopi and Brownie have been stale, from my standpoint, for a little while together," he continued this morning. “(Kopitar) has to bring more energy and more purpose when he has the puck. It’s not that he’s playing poorly. If you didn’t look at him as a high-end offensive player, he’s playing well enough in the three zones, But, when he’s got the puck in the offensive zone, he’s got to be a lot more determined, purposed player when he has it in the offensive zone. He does a really good job of getting there with it and helping everybody else get there, but he’s got to do a better job once he has it there, because he’s capable."
When the LA Kings were first rumored to be interested in hiring Darryl Sutter as the coach to replace Terry Murray, many scoffed at the idea. He was labeled a yeller, bombastic, hard-nosed, fiery, volatile, abrasive and several other less than flattering adjectives.
Then, at the team's press conference to announce his hiring, Dean Lombardi warned anybody who would listen - don't believe what you hear, Sutter is more than just a screamer.
The GM appeared to know exactly what he was talking about, as the new coach was as personable as can be for the first two months. Players would gush when talking about him and TV cameras often caught him giving words of encouragement to individuals on the bench during games.
"Kopitar and Brown (need) to get going. Neither one has done much for six weeks," Sutter said, when kicking off his post-practice press conference today. "These guys talk too much about the team. They should talk more about themselves, what they bring to the table."
And with that, the gloves were off.
Murray had rarely, if ever, criticized his players while leading the Kings. Sure, there was the occasional poke at somebody like Alexei Ponikarovsky. Yet, he never called out his star players.
Sutter? It appears he's seen enough.
Following Saturday night's 1-0 loss - the team's second in a row - he spoke with the players and then went to an adjacent room to meet with media. As he walked in with a lozenge in his mouth, the real surprise may have been that he wasn't on crutches after injuring his foot while firmly putting it up the...well, you get the idea.
"Kopi and Brownie have been stale, from my standpoint, for a little while together," he continued this morning. “(Kopitar) has to bring more energy and more purpose when he has the puck. It’s not that he’s playing poorly. If you didn’t look at him as a high-end offensive player, he’s playing well enough in the three zones, But, when he’s got the puck in the offensive zone, he’s got to be a lot more determined, purposed player when he has it in the offensive zone. He does a really good job of getting there with it and helping everybody else get there, but he’s got to do a better job once he has it there, because he’s capable."
Friday, January 20, 2012
LA Kings coach Sutter opens up on his plans for Bernier
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| Bernier at practice (photo: David Sheehan) |
So, what does all this mean for Bernier? After all, by this time last year, Bernier had already made 13 starts.
After practice today, coach Darryl Sutter was asked if there's been any message to Bernier, in terms of staying prepared?
"That's his job," said Sutter. "We have one season that's done on Monday or Tuesday (referring to the upcoming break in the NHL schedule for the All Star Game). Then, another one starts a week after that. That's the only way I look at it. I'm not about anything other than getting the max out of everybody. If the players have to stay ready and sharp in practice, that's going to be there problem, not mine. He's been fine though, he's been awesome. What more do you want? Obviously he probably wants to play more. But, it's about winning games right now. We're in a playoff battle. When he goes in, he better look at like it's game seven."
Do you have a rough plan for the goalie rotation?
"I think everybody that has an ace does that or tries to. But, very seldom does that hold. Especially in a year where our team gets a seven day break. So, that's what you have to try and manage. Quite honestly, we have 32 games left after the break and we have six back to backs and a lot of road games. So, you have to think that he's going to play more than he did in the first 50 (games)."
Last year, Bernier had a 5-8 record at this point and in five of those games he gave up four or more goals. In a previous interview, Bernier told us that it took him the first half of the season to feel comfortable in Los Angeles (interview here). One would have to agree with his assessment too, considering he posted a 6-0-3 record after the All Star break, including three shutouts.
Can he do it again?
The Mayor
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Friday, January 13, 2012
Kings coach Darryl Sutter wants to know 'What is history?'
LA Kings forward Mike Richards wasn't the only one with a lot to say prior to the Kings leaving for Calgary today. Coach Darryl Sutter shared thoughts on Anze Kopitar's health, the instigator rule, his return to Calgary, the Kings schedule and much more.
For you soundbite readers, here's a taste of the three-word Sutterisms - 'going to live' (status of Kopitar), 'moved past it' (his return to Calgary), 'What is history?' (Calgary's record at home). His full quotes were as follows...
On Kopitar - "It appears he’s going to live. Going to pull through...He was fine last night. I try to be as honest as I can without disclosure, right? I said he was fine. It’s a good hit, a hard hit. Nothing wrong with it...Assuming we had practice today, he would have practiced."
On the instigator penalty assessed to Richards after his scrap with Stars' captain Brenden Morrow (video linked below) - "It's sort of a funny rule, right? One penalty that you still deem as a good penalty is protecting your teammates, and with that heavyweight thing going away in the league, guys with heart and character are guys that have always protected their teammates. Without saying it’s grandfathered in, there’s not too many kids coming out that don’t wear visors, right? It may be a rule that’s gone past its time, sort of. It’s probably something that they should look at when you think about it."
On what the NHL should do about the rule - "You know what, I’ve been all over with it in the few years… the way the fighting part of it has changed, the intimidation part of it has changed in the game, really I don’t even know where I stand in it anymore. I think it’s more of a case-to-case thing with me."
For you soundbite readers, here's a taste of the three-word Sutterisms - 'going to live' (status of Kopitar), 'moved past it' (his return to Calgary), 'What is history?' (Calgary's record at home). His full quotes were as follows...
On Kopitar - "It appears he’s going to live. Going to pull through...He was fine last night. I try to be as honest as I can without disclosure, right? I said he was fine. It’s a good hit, a hard hit. Nothing wrong with it...Assuming we had practice today, he would have practiced."
On the instigator penalty assessed to Richards after his scrap with Stars' captain Brenden Morrow (video linked below) - "It's sort of a funny rule, right? One penalty that you still deem as a good penalty is protecting your teammates, and with that heavyweight thing going away in the league, guys with heart and character are guys that have always protected their teammates. Without saying it’s grandfathered in, there’s not too many kids coming out that don’t wear visors, right? It may be a rule that’s gone past its time, sort of. It’s probably something that they should look at when you think about it."
On what the NHL should do about the rule - "You know what, I’ve been all over with it in the few years… the way the fighting part of it has changed, the intimidation part of it has changed in the game, really I don’t even know where I stand in it anymore. I think it’s more of a case-to-case thing with me."
Richards - plenty to say about NHL rules, Morrow, Kopitar
After the game last night, Kings forward Mike Richards wasn't happy with the instigator penalty he was assigned in his fight with Stars' captain Brenden Morrow.
Prior to the Kings boarding a plane for Calgary, he had a chance to speak about the entire incident at the Kings training facility in El Segundo...
On the overall situation - "I think the most frustrating thing is if the NHL is trying to get us to wear visors, and then we get penalized for fighting with them on. I think it kind of defeats the purpose...You hear all the speculation of having the set fights and fighting in the moment and things like that, but then when you do fight in the moment, you get penalized for it because you had a visor on. I don’t really understand the whole thing about visors, and if they want people to wear them or not. It just seems like every day something new."
On similar situations in the past - "I can’t remember ever getting an instigator on plays like that. Usually it’s a two minute roughing or something like that, but the refs are there to call what they see. They made the right calls, I mean you can’t argue with that, but I just think it’s a dumb rule in place."
On Kopitar being hit by Morrow moments prior - "I was obviously scared for Kopi and you never like to see a player like that. Even though it was a shoulder to shoulder hit, it was a dangerous play and it’s good to see that he’s healthy and doing well. Like I said, it was just one of those in the moment things. If you’re going to get penalized for sticking up for your teammates, it’s a tough message to send around the league."
Prior to the Kings boarding a plane for Calgary, he had a chance to speak about the entire incident at the Kings training facility in El Segundo...
On the overall situation - "I think the most frustrating thing is if the NHL is trying to get us to wear visors, and then we get penalized for fighting with them on. I think it kind of defeats the purpose...You hear all the speculation of having the set fights and fighting in the moment and things like that, but then when you do fight in the moment, you get penalized for it because you had a visor on. I don’t really understand the whole thing about visors, and if they want people to wear them or not. It just seems like every day something new."
On similar situations in the past - "I can’t remember ever getting an instigator on plays like that. Usually it’s a two minute roughing or something like that, but the refs are there to call what they see. They made the right calls, I mean you can’t argue with that, but I just think it’s a dumb rule in place."
On Kopitar being hit by Morrow moments prior - "I was obviously scared for Kopi and you never like to see a player like that. Even though it was a shoulder to shoulder hit, it was a dangerous play and it’s good to see that he’s healthy and doing well. Like I said, it was just one of those in the moment things. If you’re going to get penalized for sticking up for your teammates, it’s a tough message to send around the league."
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Coach Sutter and Kopitar talk about Practice at Bernie's
As reported earlier today, Bernie Nicholls was an on-ice guest at Kings practice this morning. He knows new coach Darryl Sutter well, having played for him with two different organizations - then, sticking around to 'help out' with the Sharks after he retired.
We already took a look at what Nicholls had to say about his former coach. Now, we turn to some comments from Sutter and Kings center Anze Kopitar about today's 'consultant'...
"He's a good resource to have, you know," said Sutter. "We're a team that's still trying to find our way, to contribute more individually, offensively. I coached him in Chicago and San Jose and I obviously know what he can offer. He’s in town and available, so it’s nice to have that. We have Nelson Emerson in here too when he's available and not out on the road. He can help us. It’s good to have."
Like Nicholls, Sutter wasn't clear how long Bernie would be around, only saying, "I’d like him to watch a couple games. He knows some of the young guys. He can help them a little bit."
When asked if he planned on bringing in any other guys from his past, Sutter said, "It’s awesome to have those guys that you’re comfortable with and that know the game. Why not? Why not use that resource when you have it? If you've been around long - heck, I was talking to Jimmy (Fox) about stuff the other day. You know what? That's what it's about. It’s not about having the blinders on. It’s about using everything you can."
We already took a look at what Nicholls had to say about his former coach. Now, we turn to some comments from Sutter and Kings center Anze Kopitar about today's 'consultant'...
"He's a good resource to have, you know," said Sutter. "We're a team that's still trying to find our way, to contribute more individually, offensively. I coached him in Chicago and San Jose and I obviously know what he can offer. He’s in town and available, so it’s nice to have that. We have Nelson Emerson in here too when he's available and not out on the road. He can help us. It’s good to have."
Like Nicholls, Sutter wasn't clear how long Bernie would be around, only saying, "I’d like him to watch a couple games. He knows some of the young guys. He can help them a little bit."
When asked if he planned on bringing in any other guys from his past, Sutter said, "It’s awesome to have those guys that you’re comfortable with and that know the game. Why not? Why not use that resource when you have it? If you've been around long - heck, I was talking to Jimmy (Fox) about stuff the other day. You know what? That's what it's about. It’s not about having the blinders on. It’s about using everything you can."
Bernie Nicholls on LA Kings, interest in coaching and love for Sutter
There was a surprise guest at LA Kings practice today.
When all was said and done, the full picture surrounding Bernie Nicholls' appearance was still a bit cloudy. However, in his own words, it was 22-below back in Ontario yesterday, so he couldn't get here fast enough.
When asked how long he'll be here, he offered a simple, "I have no idea."
For just about every other question - including his possible interest in helping coach the Kings - he provided a much more detailed answer, working the small crowd of media like the seasoned vet that he is. It was a mixture of stories, laughter and opinions.
Nicholls was all smiles and looked fit as a fiddle after spending an hour on the ice with the team. Here's a full transcript of the conversation that ensued afterwards...
On coming out to LA - "I talked to Darryl a little bit when he got hired. I always like being out and being with the guys. He just asked me if I wanted to come, kinda help out and talk to the guys, just be around to see what we could do."
Impressions on what he's seen from afar and then up close today - "I think the team is playing really well. I've played for Darryl twice, so I know what he's all about. Seeing the guys earlier in the season, it's a different team (now). I think they've always worked hard, they've always played great defense. But, for a skilled team, it's sad to say this - but, they were terrible to watch. They may get 15 shots in a game and you're going, 'Wow. They have too much skill and too much offense to do that.' I think Darryl has allowed them to create offense. Darryl's mentality has always been the same - work hard, no matter what aspect of the game. And Darryl, he was an offensive player. He understands how to create offense. He's allowing players to do that. You can see the big difference. They're always going to be able to play good defense and their goaltenders are great. Now, if you can get them to create an offense - and eventually goals will come from it - then, it's going to make them that much better."
When all was said and done, the full picture surrounding Bernie Nicholls' appearance was still a bit cloudy. However, in his own words, it was 22-below back in Ontario yesterday, so he couldn't get here fast enough.
When asked how long he'll be here, he offered a simple, "I have no idea."
For just about every other question - including his possible interest in helping coach the Kings - he provided a much more detailed answer, working the small crowd of media like the seasoned vet that he is. It was a mixture of stories, laughter and opinions.
Nicholls was all smiles and looked fit as a fiddle after spending an hour on the ice with the team. Here's a full transcript of the conversation that ensued afterwards...
On coming out to LA - "I talked to Darryl a little bit when he got hired. I always like being out and being with the guys. He just asked me if I wanted to come, kinda help out and talk to the guys, just be around to see what we could do."
Impressions on what he's seen from afar and then up close today - "I think the team is playing really well. I've played for Darryl twice, so I know what he's all about. Seeing the guys earlier in the season, it's a different team (now). I think they've always worked hard, they've always played great defense. But, for a skilled team, it's sad to say this - but, they were terrible to watch. They may get 15 shots in a game and you're going, 'Wow. They have too much skill and too much offense to do that.' I think Darryl has allowed them to create offense. Darryl's mentality has always been the same - work hard, no matter what aspect of the game. And Darryl, he was an offensive player. He understands how to create offense. He's allowing players to do that. You can see the big difference. They're always going to be able to play good defense and their goaltenders are great. Now, if you can get them to create an offense - and eventually goals will come from it - then, it's going to make them that much better."
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Darryl Sutter to be welcomed aboard by Bob Miller
If there is one thing synonymous with the LA Kings, it would have to be Bob Miller - the voice of the team for nearly 40 years. Fittingly, he'll oversee tomorrow's press conference where Darryl Sutter will be officially announced as the Kings new head coach by GM Dean Lombardi.
Today is an off day for the team, as they returned home late last night from a week-long road trip that saw them go 2-2 (with victories over Columbus and Toronto). Sutter will 'coach' the team at practice tomorrow morning, just prior to the news conference.
As a reminder, all Kings practices are free and open to the public at their training facility in El Segundo. The on-ice workout is scheduled to begin at 10:30am and probably last about one hour.
Sutter's press conference will be for media only. However, the event will be streamed live on LAKings.com at 1pm PST.
For those unfamiliar with the 53-year-old Sutter, he's previously been the head coach in Chicago, San Jose and Calgary. He helped lead the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2004 and his career record behind the bench is 409-320-131 in 860 regular season games.
He will make his official debut as the Kings' coach on Thursday when the team hosts the Anaheim Ducks at Staples Center.
For more on Sutter, check out the article titled 'Making the case for Darryl Sutter as coach' we posted last week (linked below).
MayorsManor will be on hand for all the festivities tomorrow, so be sure to follow along on twitter and/or facebook for live notes and quotes.
The Mayor
www.twitter.com/MayorNHL
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor
RELATED ARTICLES:
In-depth interview with Bob Miller - great stories and insight about his time with the Kings
Making the case for Darryl Sutter as coach
Dean Lombardi evaluates coach Murray's performance - from exit interview last season
Lombardi - 'Kopitar may be the new Blake Griffin'
Today is an off day for the team, as they returned home late last night from a week-long road trip that saw them go 2-2 (with victories over Columbus and Toronto). Sutter will 'coach' the team at practice tomorrow morning, just prior to the news conference.
As a reminder, all Kings practices are free and open to the public at their training facility in El Segundo. The on-ice workout is scheduled to begin at 10:30am and probably last about one hour.
Sutter's press conference will be for media only. However, the event will be streamed live on LAKings.com at 1pm PST.
For those unfamiliar with the 53-year-old Sutter, he's previously been the head coach in Chicago, San Jose and Calgary. He helped lead the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2004 and his career record behind the bench is 409-320-131 in 860 regular season games.
He will make his official debut as the Kings' coach on Thursday when the team hosts the Anaheim Ducks at Staples Center.
For more on Sutter, check out the article titled 'Making the case for Darryl Sutter as coach' we posted last week (linked below).
MayorsManor will be on hand for all the festivities tomorrow, so be sure to follow along on twitter and/or facebook for live notes and quotes.
The Mayor
www.twitter.com/MayorNHL
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor
RELATED ARTICLES:
In-depth interview with Bob Miller - great stories and insight about his time with the Kings
Making the case for Darryl Sutter as coach
Dean Lombardi evaluates coach Murray's performance - from exit interview last season
Lombardi - 'Kopitar may be the new Blake Griffin'
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Breaking down the lack of scoring with Kings coach Murray
The LA Kings haven't been scoring enough goals to win hockey games on a consistent basis and everybody's talking about, including coach Terry Murray.
Following practice today, he not only answered questions, he also had some facts to share...
Question: Is the parity in the league - and the fact a lot of teams play the same system - part of the reason for the lack of scoring?
TM: Pre-lockout (2003-04), the number one scoring team in the NHL scored 262 goals (Ottawa). Last season, the top scoring team in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks, put up 262 goals (note: it was actually 258 last year). So, it hasn't changed much. The thing that has changed now though is the neutral zone play is much tighter. We saw it last night with Anaheim and we're seeing it, basically, with every team in the league. Everybody's pulling back to their own blueline. It's a very tight structure now in the middle of the ice. It is difficult to have a possession entry. Organized attacks, you can get organized, but there comes a time when you're being fronted - now, you just have to go get pucks in deep and you have to go recover them. So, it's hard and it's hard for everybody in the league right now.
Question: Has there been any change in the system that has led him to believe the offensive numbers would go down?
Following practice today, he not only answered questions, he also had some facts to share...
Question: Is the parity in the league - and the fact a lot of teams play the same system - part of the reason for the lack of scoring?
TM: Pre-lockout (2003-04), the number one scoring team in the NHL scored 262 goals (Ottawa). Last season, the top scoring team in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks, put up 262 goals (note: it was actually 258 last year). So, it hasn't changed much. The thing that has changed now though is the neutral zone play is much tighter. We saw it last night with Anaheim and we're seeing it, basically, with every team in the league. Everybody's pulling back to their own blueline. It's a very tight structure now in the middle of the ice. It is difficult to have a possession entry. Organized attacks, you can get organized, but there comes a time when you're being fronted - now, you just have to go get pucks in deep and you have to go recover them. So, it's hard and it's hard for everybody in the league right now.
Question: Has there been any change in the system that has led him to believe the offensive numbers would go down?
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Xbox is hurting Dustin Penner, Richards might be helping
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| Penner remains out for Kings (photo: D. Sheehan) |
About an hour later, Penner was the last player off the ice at practice and we had a chance to catch up on a few things...
MM: So, (Trevor) Lewis tells me that (Mike) Richards likes to eat candy. I remember last year you saying you were trying to get off the Sour Patch Kids. Has that been a problem this year, with him sitting next to you?
DP: No, he shares and we have an understanding - 'What's yours is mine.' So, we've strengthened our friendship through Sour Patch Kids.
MM: You might be able to bully him into sharing, given the size difference. But, what about the guy to your right [Kevin Westgarth]?
DP: Westy usually just mostly grunts. We don't talk unless I'm grunting with him.
MM: Is it intimidating at all, having to sit next to a Princeton grad?
DP: No, I went to Maine.
MM: Oh, that's the same level now?
Friday, November 25, 2011
Kings coach Murray not a fan of Moreau slashing 'his buddy'
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| LA's coach Murray (photo: D. Sheehan) |
Terry Murray was still a little hot under the under collar when asked about it today, more than 36 hours later.
"He took a horseshit penalty, that's ridiculous," began the Kings coach. "You can't take a slashing penalty with two minutes left in the game, a veteran player. Just come out and run over that guy. You don't slash. I don't like those penalties."
He wasn't done though. Murray was just getting warmed up.
"Ones in the crease, the scrums, where you're grabbing a hold of a guy, giving him a facewash once and a while or cross checking a guy, whatever - I don't mind those, we'll kill those off. Those are hard penalties. It's a part of the game and it's a part of our team that we want to (continue with). But, penalties have to be timed, you have to have awareness, you have to know how the flow of the game is going. When you get into the latter part of the game, you have to move your feet and keep your sticks in - no slashing, no hooking. Don't bring the referee into the game. Unfortunately, we've had some situations this year where we've brought the referee in a little bit too often."
Moreau has played in all 22 of the Kings games this season. Will his 'mistake' cost him a spot in the line-up tomorrow vs. Chicago?
Monday, November 21, 2011
Alec Martinez talks injury recovery and Slava Voynov
Alec Martinez is slowly recover from injuries he sustained against the Minnesota Wild nearly 10 days ago. However, the 24-year old defenseman did leave LA with the team today, as they began a two-game road trip with a flight to St. Louis for tomorrow's game against the Blues.
Following practice today, he shared the following comments...
"I'm feeling better every day," said Martinez, when asked how things are coming along. "I know it's a cliche. But, it really is true. I've just been getting in here and doing my exercises, trying to strengthen the area. I've been getting on the ice for about four or five days now. So, the legs feel good. I just have to keep getting better."
Slava Voynov, who was recalled from Manchester to fill the spot opened up when Martinez was placed on IR, has been paired with Willie Mitchell (where he played last month in place of Drew Doughty).
"I'm happy for him," said Martinez, when asked what he thought about Voynov getting a 'higher' pairing, rather than just taking his role as the sixth defenseman.
"The coaches want to do whatever gives the team the best shot to win a game. If that's what they see fit, that's fine. I'm just focusing on getting better now and I'm happy for Slava. He's playing well and he's my buddy. Good for him and hopefully we can win a few more games."
Is there any estimate on when he might return to the line-up?
Following practice today, he shared the following comments...
"I'm feeling better every day," said Martinez, when asked how things are coming along. "I know it's a cliche. But, it really is true. I've just been getting in here and doing my exercises, trying to strengthen the area. I've been getting on the ice for about four or five days now. So, the legs feel good. I just have to keep getting better."
Slava Voynov, who was recalled from Manchester to fill the spot opened up when Martinez was placed on IR, has been paired with Willie Mitchell (where he played last month in place of Drew Doughty).
"I'm happy for him," said Martinez, when asked what he thought about Voynov getting a 'higher' pairing, rather than just taking his role as the sixth defenseman.
"The coaches want to do whatever gives the team the best shot to win a game. If that's what they see fit, that's fine. I'm just focusing on getting better now and I'm happy for Slava. He's playing well and he's my buddy. Good for him and hopefully we can win a few more games."
Is there any estimate on when he might return to the line-up?
Mike Richards on his latest left wings - Stoll and Loktionov
Earlier today we heard from Kings coach Terry Murray and center Jarret Stoll about the line shuffling that took place during the third period on Saturday afternoon.
Now we check in with Mike Richards, who saw his left wings swapped out...
Richards on Andrei Loktionov - "He's a smart player. I think he's going to get better as he gets more comfortable. It's not an easy situation for him to come into - two division rival games and then against Detroit. So, I think time is going to be valuable for him, just to get his feet wet, more comfortable on the ice and then build his confidence. But, right now he's playing well, has a lot of good vision on the ice and works hard. So, hopefully he can just keep getting better."
Richards on the move that put Stoll on his left wing - "It's tough. Stollie and I are both centermen. So, I think we have a lot off of reading off of each other. Even though you're on the ice, you read off of each other anyway. It's just, you have set positions and in the third period you're just looking for offense and you're pushing a little bit more."
Still to come, notes from our talk with Loktionov following practice today.
The Mayor
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www.facebook.com/MayorsManor
RELATED ARTICLES:
Mike Richards on the return of Sidney Crosby to the NHL
Stoll and Murray talk center vs. left wing, plus possible changes
Murray on Doughty - 'It's important that we find the answer'
Now we check in with Mike Richards, who saw his left wings swapped out...
Richards on Andrei Loktionov - "He's a smart player. I think he's going to get better as he gets more comfortable. It's not an easy situation for him to come into - two division rival games and then against Detroit. So, I think time is going to be valuable for him, just to get his feet wet, more comfortable on the ice and then build his confidence. But, right now he's playing well, has a lot of good vision on the ice and works hard. So, hopefully he can just keep getting better."
Richards on the move that put Stoll on his left wing - "It's tough. Stollie and I are both centermen. So, I think we have a lot off of reading off of each other. Even though you're on the ice, you read off of each other anyway. It's just, you have set positions and in the third period you're just looking for offense and you're pushing a little bit more."
Still to come, notes from our talk with Loktionov following practice today.
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Mike Richards on the return of Sidney Crosby to the NHL
Stoll and Murray talk center vs. left wing, plus possible changes
Murray on Doughty - 'It's important that we find the answer'
Stoll and Murray talk center vs left wing, possible changes
During his post game presser on Saturday, LA coach Terry Murray said he wouldn't be sticking with the third period line combinations he used against Detroit - which featured Andrei Loktionov as the third line center and moving Jarret Stoll to the second line left wing.
However, after practice today, he seemed to soften his stance just a bit...
On the thought of Loktionov at center - "I've thought about it a lot. Before we got him back up here, that was part of the thought process - where am I going to play him, is it going to be left wing? I felt good about him on the left side and I still do."
On where Loktionov will play versus St. Louis - "I'll leave that line the way it is (the second line), with him on the left side, for the game tomorrow. I know I have an option. I know I can make some moves there and he would be one of those players who I could move to a different position if I feel I need to."
On playing Stoll at center or left wing - "He prefers to be in the middle of the ice. But, sometimes you have to make those kind of changes and we'll see where this all goes. Loktionov might be fine on the left wing and we'll just leave him there. I don't want to put any doubt in anybody's head here, as to what I might do."
However, after practice today, he seemed to soften his stance just a bit...
On the thought of Loktionov at center - "I've thought about it a lot. Before we got him back up here, that was part of the thought process - where am I going to play him, is it going to be left wing? I felt good about him on the left side and I still do."
On where Loktionov will play versus St. Louis - "I'll leave that line the way it is (the second line), with him on the left side, for the game tomorrow. I know I have an option. I know I can make some moves there and he would be one of those players who I could move to a different position if I feel I need to."
On playing Stoll at center or left wing - "He prefers to be in the middle of the ice. But, sometimes you have to make those kind of changes and we'll see where this all goes. Loktionov might be fine on the left wing and we'll just leave him there. I don't want to put any doubt in anybody's head here, as to what I might do."
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Penner on missing the Ducks game, when he'll be back
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| Penner after LA Kings practice |
Well, yesterday, it wasn't quite up to the level of the Greene story - but, Penner was practicing with a yellow jersey on, due to his 'upper body' injury.
As Jarret Stoll referred to him - Penner is just a large, bear of a man. So, that's a lot of yellow and perhaps too much for the eyes.
He was the last one off the ice. In fact, by the time he made his way to the back, all other players were gone. Yet, as The Killers played on the ipod in the background, we had time for a quick chat...
MM: Any idea when you'll be back?
DP: Day to day, month to month, to week to week.
MM: That's about as clear as a middle body injury.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Murray not impressed with Loktionov so far, chance is now
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| Loktionov in preseason (photo: M. Zampelli) |
For the second day in a row, Murray had the 2008 NHL draft pick playing on the Kings' second line, with Mike Richards and Dustin Brown.
Following practice, Murray talked a little bit about the expectations surrounding Loktionov right now...
"He'll be playing on one of the top two lines here, playing with Richards, that's an important position that he's in. Same as Voynov, he's in a position to play some important minutes."
The move to put him on the left wing is at least eyebrow raising, as Murray and Loktionov both spent quite a bit of time late last season and over the summer talking about the fact the young Russian is better suited for the center position. Murray addressed that point as well...
"Well, I had many different scenarios in my mind on how it would all come together in the summertime, thinking Loktionov would really feed off of his opportunity from last year. I felt his training camp was off, quite frankly. in the exhibition games, in the practices, I saw some hesitation, I saw him not handling the puck, not transporting the puck through the middle of the ice and creating in the offensive zone, as I envisioned it would be. So, with that, that's where it ended up at the start of the year - with him back in Manchester. Now, it's a situation where I need a player to fit into a position. We're pretty much set down the middle. If he's going to fit in and be a player for us, he's up on an IR replacing Penner, we're looking for offense and we're looking for goals. We feel with Loktionov fitting in there now, he's going to give us that same look - creativity, he's a hockey player, he has a high IQ on the ice, I think. He's going to make plays with Richards and Brown."
He went on to talk about any motivational tactics he may use on the two players just called up from Manchester...
Murray gives major props to Martinez, talks Voynov's return
As noted in the post last hour, after Kings practice today coach Terry Murray discussed he defensive pairings he'll be using tomorrow night against the visiting Anaheim Ducks.
With Slava Voynov back in LA, to replace the injured Alec Martinez, things were mixed up a bit - as Voynov will be partnered with Willie Mitchell, Drew Doughty's regular partner, rather than just sliding into the spot Martinez held alongside Matt Greene.
When asked about the pairings, the first things Murray noted was how impressed he was with Martinez in the last game...
"Voynov's back and you know why he's back - that's the only way you can bring him back up is through putting a player on the IR. Unfortunately, for the Marty (Martinez), that will give him a little bit of time to get some rehab and get back back into the line-up. I was very surprised that he came back and played the other night. He really showed me a lot of character. He sucked up quite a bit of discomfort to be able to come back and play. And he scored a huge goal, that was good for him."
As for why Voynov will be paired with Mitchell, here's the explanation...
With Slava Voynov back in LA, to replace the injured Alec Martinez, things were mixed up a bit - as Voynov will be partnered with Willie Mitchell, Drew Doughty's regular partner, rather than just sliding into the spot Martinez held alongside Matt Greene.
When asked about the pairings, the first things Murray noted was how impressed he was with Martinez in the last game...
"Voynov's back and you know why he's back - that's the only way you can bring him back up is through putting a player on the IR. Unfortunately, for the Marty (Martinez), that will give him a little bit of time to get some rehab and get back back into the line-up. I was very surprised that he came back and played the other night. He really showed me a lot of character. He sucked up quite a bit of discomfort to be able to come back and play. And he scored a huge goal, that was good for him."
As for why Voynov will be paired with Mitchell, here's the explanation...
Kings coach Murray 'Jack and Doughty are coming of age'
One of the more newsworthy items coming out of Kings practice this morning was coach Terry Murray revealing how he'll use the just-called-up Slava Voynov.
With Alec Martinez going on the injured reserve list yesterday, it allowed the Russian blueliner to return to Los Angeles.
Murray said he'll be pairing Voynov with Willie Mitchell, moving Drew Doughty to play with Jack Johnson, and leaving Rob Scuderi with Matt Greene.
On the reuniting of Johnson and Doughty, a pair Murray went to quite a bit following both having success for their national teams at the 2010 Winter Olympics, here's what the coach had to say...
"I used it on the power play, going back a couple years ago. They played very well together. They're coming of age where they play hard for each other. There's always a time early in a career, when you're young, when you want to try to do a lot of stuff out there. Right now it's about the team and a pair of d-men being very good, playing a lot of minutes, playing in important and critical situations, and getting the job done. All four of those guys that we're talking about are mobile, they pass the puck, see the ice and, ideally, you want to get the puck going as quickly as possible and have those guys joining as part of the attack. And helping on that secondary part of the scoring."
Did the fact the Kings are playing Anaheim, a division opponent, twice this week have anything to do with how Murray decided to put the pairs together?
With Alec Martinez going on the injured reserve list yesterday, it allowed the Russian blueliner to return to Los Angeles.
Murray said he'll be pairing Voynov with Willie Mitchell, moving Drew Doughty to play with Jack Johnson, and leaving Rob Scuderi with Matt Greene.
On the reuniting of Johnson and Doughty, a pair Murray went to quite a bit following both having success for their national teams at the 2010 Winter Olympics, here's what the coach had to say...
"I used it on the power play, going back a couple years ago. They played very well together. They're coming of age where they play hard for each other. There's always a time early in a career, when you're young, when you want to try to do a lot of stuff out there. Right now it's about the team and a pair of d-men being very good, playing a lot of minutes, playing in important and critical situations, and getting the job done. All four of those guys that we're talking about are mobile, they pass the puck, see the ice and, ideally, you want to get the puck going as quickly as possible and have those guys joining as part of the attack. And helping on that secondary part of the scoring."
Did the fact the Kings are playing Anaheim, a division opponent, twice this week have anything to do with how Murray decided to put the pairs together?
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Murray - 'That line could be together another three games'
Sometimes, with guys like Kevin Westgarth and Matt Greene, it's hard to tell if they're being serious. The humor is always present. With other people, say - Kings coach Terry Murray - you're not always expecting a joke or even a wise crack. Like any good leader though, he'll keep you on your toes if you start to get too comfortable.
After practice yesterday, he was standing in his normal spot answering questions from the gathered media. It was noted that through all of his line shuffling during the first 11 games, one constant has been the pairing of Dustin Brown and Mike Richards on the second line.
So, has he liked the chemistry between those two?
"That's a big part of (what you're) looking for coming out of training camp," explained Murray. "You're looking for individual confidence to be high. You're looking for team confidence to be high. And, certainly, when you have new players coming on board, you want to see some chemistry starting to develop. I felt pretty good about the look that Brown and Richards were showing coming out of camp.
"In Richards, you have a guy who's a very good puck handler, he sees the ice extremely well," explained Murray, as he described their styles of play. "Brownie plays that power forward kind of role and has speed, size, strength and goes to the net. We've seen some good things happening with those two playing the game with that kind of an attitude. There's (been) some good plays to the net. Brownie gets to the top of the crease, he's in his tripod, he presents his stick and Richards being such a good passer, he just has to stay strong in that situation and usually the puck will be able to find a stick."
After practice yesterday, he was standing in his normal spot answering questions from the gathered media. It was noted that through all of his line shuffling during the first 11 games, one constant has been the pairing of Dustin Brown and Mike Richards on the second line.
So, has he liked the chemistry between those two?
"That's a big part of (what you're) looking for coming out of training camp," explained Murray. "You're looking for individual confidence to be high. You're looking for team confidence to be high. And, certainly, when you have new players coming on board, you want to see some chemistry starting to develop. I felt pretty good about the look that Brown and Richards were showing coming out of camp.
"In Richards, you have a guy who's a very good puck handler, he sees the ice extremely well," explained Murray, as he described their styles of play. "Brownie plays that power forward kind of role and has speed, size, strength and goes to the net. We've seen some good things happening with those two playing the game with that kind of an attitude. There's (been) some good plays to the net. Brownie gets to the top of the crease, he's in his tripod, he presents his stick and Richards being such a good passer, he just has to stay strong in that situation and usually the puck will be able to find a stick."
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Scott Parse, Terry Murray and their 'issues'
Last year, Scott Parse missed nearly the entire season due to hip surgery. A December trade for Marco Sturm wasn't the answer. A February trade for Dustin Penner yielded few points. And then, Ryan Smyth asked for a trade over the summer.
It's been challenging to say the least.
Earlier today, Kings coach Terry Murray gave us the latest on Penner. Now, let's focus on Parse.
His march to the dog house during training camp was well documented here on MayorsManor. And just a week ago, Parse was on the sidelines, talking about having to wait his turn.
Then, he slipped into the line-up last Thursday. After practice today, he reflected on the joy of hearing he was going to play vs. the Stars.
"Very excited," was how Parse described the news. "No one likes sitting out. So, it was nice to get back in there."
Not only did he play, but he picked up a goal too.
"Goals are nice. I haven't scored in a year. So, that felt real nice," said Parse. "You don't really think about it at the time though. The injury's in the past. You just think about the game. I was thinking about what I had to do for the next shift. I'm just kind of in the moment out there."
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