Whiskeypete
Registered User
this current "funk" in my mind is attributable to both Sutter, DL and the players
Sutter
* keeps monkeying with the line combos. this team has historically struggled when a coach does this. all he has to do is look back two years ago when his predecessor did the same which did nothing and ultimately his dismissal. he has been quoted in the press as saying he is doing this so guys have familiarity with one another, so when the injury bug hits they remain consistent. if this is his reasoning how much longer and how many more lost points are worth this 'experiment'?
* his desire to create an 'elite' line of 11 & 77 is killing the overall offensive ability of the team. it has created a totally top heavy line and is making it easier to defend the Kings overall for opponents. this 'elite' line imo is NOT producing to the extent that it can produce and score to make up for the diminished scoring of the other lines.
* his desire to create this 'elite' line has further pushed some of his top forwards to all go into a slump. JW, DB, MR and DK aren't producing anything. all of them look lost and adrift out there. this pairing has pushed some of the guys on to a line with Stoll as C, which makes no sense to me at this point. Stoll struggles to maintain a #3C role at this point and expecting him to suddenly become a playmaking center for the likes of DB, JW and TT is asking for to much. the team tried for years prior to make Stoll into their #2C and it never worked. that is why Richards was brought in.
* Sutter is for some reason trying to re-cast and turn players into something they aren't and have not been able to do for quite sometime. the Stoll example above is one. another is the overuse of the "2013-14 whipping boy" (as selected by us, but not Sutter) T Lewis. i love Trevor's heart and will "to try", but it isn't working. it hasn't worked for quite some time. he struggled most of the abbreviated last season, did well in the playoffs and has now dipped even further in his on-ice productivity.
* it is a one-time occurrence but his pulling of Jones last night was simply awful. that was one of the most rash, ill-timed goalie swaps i can recall. Jones was playing well and only the first of the two, could even possibly be ruled his fault. i wouldn't even go that far, because he was in position for the point shot. Jones then began to re-position to the post for the rebound (skate on the post) and moving to the rebound. Morrow made a nice play on a very sharp angle off the wide shot. i find more fault in DD's positioning than what Jones did/did not do. Drew fronted Morrow and lost Morrow, once the point shot went wide and banked (intentionally) it left Morrow wide open at the post.
Sutter's pulling of Jones and then post-game comments were harsh. saying the goalies need to make those saves (something along these lines) was rubbish.
* Sutter's Philosophy - he is alluding to the fact he wants LA to get shutouts or 2-1 wins every game. sorry but it won't happen consistently. you can't keep ratcheting a team to play that tight each game. LA goes through spells where they will do this, but once the wheels fall off it takes even longer to correct the wrongs to get back to 2-1 wins for a small window of success.
a coach that is walking this line has no answer to the scoring woes, so they go the other route - play tighter defense and limit the opponent's chances. this team has enough talent to open things up slightly and produce offense, while still playing very good defense.
i am not advocating playing PIT or PHI style hockey where they hang the defense and goalies out to dry. at the same time they've got to let these guys run a bit and open it up a little. the answer lies somewhere in the middle between playing very defensive and all offense. this team struggles to find this happy medium and has for years now, which i think keeps them from reaching their potential.
Players
* if today they aren't holding a players only meeting then i've got issue with the leadership in the locker room. they are at the mid-season mark and can at this point control their destiny into the post-season. a bit of improvement and they can battle for home ice.
they need to collectively come to terms with what is and isn't working. whether this is system or personnel, they have to come out with this. afterwards then it comes down to 23, 11, and 2 to talk with Sutter. they need to discuss what they need and want from the coaches. players and coaches work together, that is how it works
to me at this point the players and coaches aren't working together, if they were the on ice results would not be what we see currently. i don't think they've tuned Sutter out, but i don't think they are seeing everything on the same page.
RR's post game comments last night show me they know as players (himself included) they aren't making the extra effort individually. in past interviews the players have commented about the respect and teaching they get from Darryl. i think this is there, but for some reason they aren't communicating in sync right now. hey it happens. as parents we know this with our own kids. as players and coaches, we know this happens. they just need a 'reboot' to the system.
* the players need to address the current line-up with Darryl. if they are unhappy with the current situation, then they have to let him know this. stop sulking around and going through the motions and tell him. if they think they will play better going back to some form of earlier line combos that worked then tell him this, but be prepared to tell him why. "be part of the solution, not the problem"
Lombardi
* DL needs to seriously consider making a move(s) just internally to improve the roster and even just to "shake things up". the last time he did this was bringing King and Nolan up. presently this team is stale, lacking confidence and playing with a lack of desire at times.
* Vey - the writing is on the wall. it is obvious the kid is ready for the NHL. yeah he's going to make some mistakes, but that is part of the process. Vey improves this team down the middle especially in the offensive zone and neutral zones with his IQ, vision and skating. his D zone IQ and reads need to improve, but this comes from experience at the NHL level.
* DL has over stacked this team with the same parts on the bottom end of this roster. it provides very little alternative to Sutter to tweak and change the team's on-ice dynamic for starters, but more importantly it severely limits the lines Sutter can roll over the boards. this team MUST be able to roll 3 lines that can score, if they wish to topple CHI, SJ and ANH. LA can still play it's "heavy" game, but they need to be able to put offensive pressure that can score on their opponent. at this time they are unable to do this.
* LW......the gift that keeps on giving. all four LWs are a mess right now face it. Brown's lackluster play has only made this worse. thankfully King's play has improved and slightly countered Brown's lack of offense, but it isn't enough.
the most straightforward and cost effective way to "fix this" is with Pearson. i don't think he at the same point as Vey when it comes to "NHL ready". he needs further seasoning in the AHL, but this team has a left side that is very deficient. they either go ahead with at least one LW out of position or take a chance on moving Tanner up.
i don't think Lombardi will make a move for a true 1-2 LW before the deadline. it will be to costly for a rental and there are solid options this summer with free agents. to me a #1 pick and top prospect isn't worth the long term damage trading for a top LW will cause. this team has and i think can "make do" with a "LW hole" in the line up.
the rest of the season they need to just play King/Brown/Carcillo/Clifford at LW. Sutter can flip around King, Brown and Carcillo but Clifford just needs to remain at the #4LW spot. Carcillo gives them a better option at the #3 than Clifford and i think has done a good job this year of not getting into penalty trouble.
if Pearson is called up then you play him at the #2 or #3 LW spot this season. if he is only to skate as the #4 then leave him in MAN. ideally i wish Tanner was ready for the #1 or #2 LW role, but he isn't. if he was ready for this then it would be easy to see the LWs as Pearson/King/Brown/Clifford-Carcillo. to me this makes the most sense and gets all of them playing in a situation better suited to their abilities.
* D pairings
my biggest issue is the lack of AMart playing time. the stats and the team's record speaks for itself when he plays. as others described above and i agree with, his transition game helps the team get the puck up ice and stay up ice.
there have been to many games that both players and Sutter talk about the problems they faced getting out of their zone, or no T2T passes. Alec gives the third pairing the wheels and skill it needs to move the puck north.
the NHL game and particularly the Western Conf has a style of play that calls for strong forechecks and up ice pressure. if you have D men that can't read and execute quickly, then you get hemmed into your zone. as the other said this leads to D breakdowns, penalties, faceoffs and limited offensive zone time.
RR and Greene are struggling in this area, even Mitchell is having a tougher time than what we saw two years ago. these guys are to often just chipping the puck blindly to clear the blue line. the way the game is played now this can't be done, because the opponent plays for and is waiting for this on transition.
the D men MUST read, react and execute up ice to their own player. this means either with a pass or being able to skate and escape. DD and VV are able to bring this element to the 1st and 2nd pair, which is why they can tilt the ice for LA (and typically against stronger opposition). Alec does the same for the 3rd pairing and i think more effectively, because he gets to play against lesser competition.
why is the formula for PMD - SHD on the first two pairings sound? but the third pairing isn't? instead they keep going with a heavier and extra traditional D pairing on the third set.
to me this makes no sense and shows a defensive mind set first and foremost. in the past when DD wasn't quite as sound defensively i understood the need for having an extra SHD in the line up. he is well past this now and is somewhat of a hybrid ( i think Muzzin can develop in this also).
forward thinking, this is a match up situation that a team can exploit. when you've got an opponent's fourth line grinders out there that don't quite skate as well, then take advantage of them. a Dman with some wheels does this and stretches the ice and causes mismatches. it tilts the ice back to their zone, which leads to O zone time, faceoffs and penalties.
to me LA as an organization thinks first and to often, defensively. this is true from the top of the organization to the bottom. they must slightly move the needle a bit in the other direction. the most immediate reason they can't is because of personnel. they lack the skill on the bottom six to do this and in one top position. i think when they do make this adjustment, they will become a more consistent elite team. one that plays sound defensively, but will force offensive pressure on its opponent. this is what the Hawks do almost every night. it is what LA has to do.
Sutter
* keeps monkeying with the line combos. this team has historically struggled when a coach does this. all he has to do is look back two years ago when his predecessor did the same which did nothing and ultimately his dismissal. he has been quoted in the press as saying he is doing this so guys have familiarity with one another, so when the injury bug hits they remain consistent. if this is his reasoning how much longer and how many more lost points are worth this 'experiment'?
* his desire to create an 'elite' line of 11 & 77 is killing the overall offensive ability of the team. it has created a totally top heavy line and is making it easier to defend the Kings overall for opponents. this 'elite' line imo is NOT producing to the extent that it can produce and score to make up for the diminished scoring of the other lines.
* his desire to create this 'elite' line has further pushed some of his top forwards to all go into a slump. JW, DB, MR and DK aren't producing anything. all of them look lost and adrift out there. this pairing has pushed some of the guys on to a line with Stoll as C, which makes no sense to me at this point. Stoll struggles to maintain a #3C role at this point and expecting him to suddenly become a playmaking center for the likes of DB, JW and TT is asking for to much. the team tried for years prior to make Stoll into their #2C and it never worked. that is why Richards was brought in.
* Sutter is for some reason trying to re-cast and turn players into something they aren't and have not been able to do for quite sometime. the Stoll example above is one. another is the overuse of the "2013-14 whipping boy" (as selected by us, but not Sutter) T Lewis. i love Trevor's heart and will "to try", but it isn't working. it hasn't worked for quite some time. he struggled most of the abbreviated last season, did well in the playoffs and has now dipped even further in his on-ice productivity.
* it is a one-time occurrence but his pulling of Jones last night was simply awful. that was one of the most rash, ill-timed goalie swaps i can recall. Jones was playing well and only the first of the two, could even possibly be ruled his fault. i wouldn't even go that far, because he was in position for the point shot. Jones then began to re-position to the post for the rebound (skate on the post) and moving to the rebound. Morrow made a nice play on a very sharp angle off the wide shot. i find more fault in DD's positioning than what Jones did/did not do. Drew fronted Morrow and lost Morrow, once the point shot went wide and banked (intentionally) it left Morrow wide open at the post.
Sutter's pulling of Jones and then post-game comments were harsh. saying the goalies need to make those saves (something along these lines) was rubbish.
* Sutter's Philosophy - he is alluding to the fact he wants LA to get shutouts or 2-1 wins every game. sorry but it won't happen consistently. you can't keep ratcheting a team to play that tight each game. LA goes through spells where they will do this, but once the wheels fall off it takes even longer to correct the wrongs to get back to 2-1 wins for a small window of success.
a coach that is walking this line has no answer to the scoring woes, so they go the other route - play tighter defense and limit the opponent's chances. this team has enough talent to open things up slightly and produce offense, while still playing very good defense.
i am not advocating playing PIT or PHI style hockey where they hang the defense and goalies out to dry. at the same time they've got to let these guys run a bit and open it up a little. the answer lies somewhere in the middle between playing very defensive and all offense. this team struggles to find this happy medium and has for years now, which i think keeps them from reaching their potential.
Players
* if today they aren't holding a players only meeting then i've got issue with the leadership in the locker room. they are at the mid-season mark and can at this point control their destiny into the post-season. a bit of improvement and they can battle for home ice.
they need to collectively come to terms with what is and isn't working. whether this is system or personnel, they have to come out with this. afterwards then it comes down to 23, 11, and 2 to talk with Sutter. they need to discuss what they need and want from the coaches. players and coaches work together, that is how it works
to me at this point the players and coaches aren't working together, if they were the on ice results would not be what we see currently. i don't think they've tuned Sutter out, but i don't think they are seeing everything on the same page.
RR's post game comments last night show me they know as players (himself included) they aren't making the extra effort individually. in past interviews the players have commented about the respect and teaching they get from Darryl. i think this is there, but for some reason they aren't communicating in sync right now. hey it happens. as parents we know this with our own kids. as players and coaches, we know this happens. they just need a 'reboot' to the system.
* the players need to address the current line-up with Darryl. if they are unhappy with the current situation, then they have to let him know this. stop sulking around and going through the motions and tell him. if they think they will play better going back to some form of earlier line combos that worked then tell him this, but be prepared to tell him why. "be part of the solution, not the problem"
Lombardi
* DL needs to seriously consider making a move(s) just internally to improve the roster and even just to "shake things up". the last time he did this was bringing King and Nolan up. presently this team is stale, lacking confidence and playing with a lack of desire at times.
* Vey - the writing is on the wall. it is obvious the kid is ready for the NHL. yeah he's going to make some mistakes, but that is part of the process. Vey improves this team down the middle especially in the offensive zone and neutral zones with his IQ, vision and skating. his D zone IQ and reads need to improve, but this comes from experience at the NHL level.
* DL has over stacked this team with the same parts on the bottom end of this roster. it provides very little alternative to Sutter to tweak and change the team's on-ice dynamic for starters, but more importantly it severely limits the lines Sutter can roll over the boards. this team MUST be able to roll 3 lines that can score, if they wish to topple CHI, SJ and ANH. LA can still play it's "heavy" game, but they need to be able to put offensive pressure that can score on their opponent. at this time they are unable to do this.
* LW......the gift that keeps on giving. all four LWs are a mess right now face it. Brown's lackluster play has only made this worse. thankfully King's play has improved and slightly countered Brown's lack of offense, but it isn't enough.
the most straightforward and cost effective way to "fix this" is with Pearson. i don't think he at the same point as Vey when it comes to "NHL ready". he needs further seasoning in the AHL, but this team has a left side that is very deficient. they either go ahead with at least one LW out of position or take a chance on moving Tanner up.
i don't think Lombardi will make a move for a true 1-2 LW before the deadline. it will be to costly for a rental and there are solid options this summer with free agents. to me a #1 pick and top prospect isn't worth the long term damage trading for a top LW will cause. this team has and i think can "make do" with a "LW hole" in the line up.
the rest of the season they need to just play King/Brown/Carcillo/Clifford at LW. Sutter can flip around King, Brown and Carcillo but Clifford just needs to remain at the #4LW spot. Carcillo gives them a better option at the #3 than Clifford and i think has done a good job this year of not getting into penalty trouble.
if Pearson is called up then you play him at the #2 or #3 LW spot this season. if he is only to skate as the #4 then leave him in MAN. ideally i wish Tanner was ready for the #1 or #2 LW role, but he isn't. if he was ready for this then it would be easy to see the LWs as Pearson/King/Brown/Clifford-Carcillo. to me this makes the most sense and gets all of them playing in a situation better suited to their abilities.
* D pairings
my biggest issue is the lack of AMart playing time. the stats and the team's record speaks for itself when he plays. as others described above and i agree with, his transition game helps the team get the puck up ice and stay up ice.
there have been to many games that both players and Sutter talk about the problems they faced getting out of their zone, or no T2T passes. Alec gives the third pairing the wheels and skill it needs to move the puck north.
the NHL game and particularly the Western Conf has a style of play that calls for strong forechecks and up ice pressure. if you have D men that can't read and execute quickly, then you get hemmed into your zone. as the other said this leads to D breakdowns, penalties, faceoffs and limited offensive zone time.
RR and Greene are struggling in this area, even Mitchell is having a tougher time than what we saw two years ago. these guys are to often just chipping the puck blindly to clear the blue line. the way the game is played now this can't be done, because the opponent plays for and is waiting for this on transition.
the D men MUST read, react and execute up ice to their own player. this means either with a pass or being able to skate and escape. DD and VV are able to bring this element to the 1st and 2nd pair, which is why they can tilt the ice for LA (and typically against stronger opposition). Alec does the same for the 3rd pairing and i think more effectively, because he gets to play against lesser competition.
why is the formula for PMD - SHD on the first two pairings sound? but the third pairing isn't? instead they keep going with a heavier and extra traditional D pairing on the third set.
to me this makes no sense and shows a defensive mind set first and foremost. in the past when DD wasn't quite as sound defensively i understood the need for having an extra SHD in the line up. he is well past this now and is somewhat of a hybrid ( i think Muzzin can develop in this also).
forward thinking, this is a match up situation that a team can exploit. when you've got an opponent's fourth line grinders out there that don't quite skate as well, then take advantage of them. a Dman with some wheels does this and stretches the ice and causes mismatches. it tilts the ice back to their zone, which leads to O zone time, faceoffs and penalties.
to me LA as an organization thinks first and to often, defensively. this is true from the top of the organization to the bottom. they must slightly move the needle a bit in the other direction. the most immediate reason they can't is because of personnel. they lack the skill on the bottom six to do this and in one top position. i think when they do make this adjustment, they will become a more consistent elite team. one that plays sound defensively, but will force offensive pressure on its opponent. this is what the Hawks do almost every night. it is what LA has to do.
