Line Combos: at practice today

deeshamrock

Registered User
Jul 25, 2011
8,748
2,291
Philadelphia, PA
The Big Red Dog got moved up to the second line!

He did get moved up, he soared...good for him, he deserves it. And remember last Feb when king and nolan came up and got put on Richards line? Good things happend that game.

Cliffy plays the game the way Sutter did, which is why Sutter rewards that and respects it.

GKG
 

Captain Mittens*

Guest
I wonder if Penner is gonna sit tomorrow

He looked awful last night
 

deeshamrock

Registered User
Jul 25, 2011
8,748
2,291
Philadelphia, PA
I wonder if Penner is gonna sit tomorrow

He looked awful last night

Sutter sat him last year for several games and wasn't shy about telling the media why. Maybe he'll rotate them, Gagne vs the OIlers ,who aren't as physical and Penner vs the Yotes who are.
 

KingCanadain1976

Registered User
Jul 8, 2009
18,345
1,893
Thunder Bay Ont. Can
Nice to see the red dog rewarded for his excellent start to the season. Hope he gets at least 12 mins of ice time. Maybe some power play time for him is in order. Sure wouldn't hurt to have a hard working grinder there.
 

YP44

Registered User
Jan 30, 2012
27,021
7,378
Calgary, AB
Hopefully Cliff helps light a fire under Richards and Carter. Richards and him on the same line shoudl be very intimidating.
 

YP44

Registered User
Jan 30, 2012
27,021
7,378
Calgary, AB
I wonder if Penner is gonna sit tomorrow

He looked awful last night

I sure hope so.
Althogh maybe instead of watching in the press box they should toss him on a tread mill or somethng. Make him run during the periods and let him rest during the intermissions.
 

I Am Ziggy Palffy

Registered User
Sep 9, 2003
2,152
15
After watching Mike Richards for a season now, I'm still not sure exactly what he's great at.

I loved the trade when it happened, but that was entirely based on reputation alone from his PHI days, not on observation or knowledge. He seems to have great instincts, which usually leads to nice positioning..but that usually leads to nothing b/c of a lack of other skills/size. So again, what exactly makes Mike Richards so great? Please inform.
 

likid

Registered User
Mar 27, 2011
637
64
Maribor
After watching Mike Richards for a season now, I'm still not sure exactly what he's great at.

I loved the trade when it happened, but that was entirely based on reputation alone from his PHI days, not on observation or knowledge. He seems to have great instincts, which usually leads to nice positioning..but that usually leads to nothing b/c of a lack of other skills/size. So again, what exactly makes Mike Richards so great? Please inform.

If you ask me, what he shown in first match in Vancouver last PO is what made his reputation.

I'm quite sure that performance was eye-opener for Kopi, Brown and others homegrown players how play-off must be played if you want to win SC and without that I'm not even sure if they would pass Vancouver...
 

topliner967

Registered User
Dec 14, 2011
629
1
Northern Europe
He's been inconsistent with the Kings. I think he was great in the Vancouver series. As I remember it, he was playing well early on in the season but regressed after the concussion. He reads the game very well. He's got decent speed when needed (4 shorties last year). Hopefully he'll get going soon.
 

drugold

drunk, goals&swagger
Jul 13, 2009
2,585
44
Brisbane,
i love the idea of richards. i love watching old philly games of him beasting. i think his style of game is wearing him down into a dangling jarret stoll. Richards for Subban.
 

bobafettish*

Guest
not sure if i like this, if carter and richards still suck then we get two ineffective lines.
 

Ziggy Stardust

Master Debater
Jul 25, 2002
63,046
34,003
Parts Unknown
Speaking of obliterating, Carcillo is out for the season after Doughty nailed him with a hip check in the first game of the season. And now we find out that the Avs lost Downie for the season to a torn ACL after his failed check attempt on Davis Drewiske. I guess the Oilers losing Hemsky in the next game is highly probable.
 

deeshamrock

Registered User
Jul 25, 2011
8,748
2,291
Philadelphia, PA
After watching Mike Richards for a season now, I'm still not sure exactly what he's great at.

I loved the trade when it happened, but that was entirely based on reputation alone from his PHI days, not on observation or knowledge. He seems to have great instincts, which usually leads to nice positioning..but that usually leads to nothing b/c of a lack of other skills/size. So again, what exactly makes Mike Richards so great? Please inform.

You actually only saw him until Dec 1, when his regular season ended. Prior to that the 11 goals and 20 points in 24 games was the best start he's ever gotten off to. He
was the best forward for the kings in Nov, those 9 goals he scored 7 were game winning or game tying. Take those points away and they don't make the playoffs. At thanksgiving last year, he was rated in the top 5 for defense for forwards in the NHL's quarter season marks.

Then the head injury happened. That's a 9 -12 month total recovery. Jonathan Toewes had the same issue, said recently he wasn't 100% until August.
Sutter said post cup that he was aware of the injury when he cam e over and that Ricahrds didn't' 'start' to recover until late March.

I'm guessing by your comments above, that you missed al lthe Kings playoffs games because he was terrfic, esp taking the pressure of Kopi and lettingh Kopi have a lot more freedom on the ice. He can agitate , irritate and frustrate the opposition right off their game . He had Burrows so rattled after game 1 in Vancouver , Burrows never recovered, 2 shots on goal thru the remaining 4 games.

Since you didn't see the Blues series, he was terrific. Backus and Berglund had over 25 lbs on him and he won just about every battle and board confrontation. He's all heart and hustle and has a mean streak a mile wide. The oppositon hates playing against him. He's an impact player, inate and intense.

That's why Dean got him, to give the Kings a 1 ,2 center combo that just about any team would be hard to match.
And it worked...

Oh and what makes him so special, a lot. But this stands out -Hes' the only player in the history of the NHL (NHL.com, August 2012 article) to win chamnpionships at every level he's ever played at. (Memorial Cup, World Juniors Gold, Calder Cup Olympic Gold, Stanley Cup) for reason. The only one ...and he's only 27. He's a natural born leader, Bob McKenzie called him a proven winner and pure champion and for his money, one of the most complete players in the league (PP, PK, offense, defense, physical, fights , does it all)

Thanks to DL, the Kings have 2 of the top 2 way centers in the game who are liked and respected by their teammates, leaders who will give this team a chance to go deep for years.

The Flyers made a HUGE mistake trading him. At 23, he lead them to the 2008 conferenc finals, at 24 he had a gold medal around his neck (and was per Steve Yzerman, along with Toewes, the best forward on team canada) a few months later at 25 he led the Flyers to the Cup Finals
Three Conference Finals since 2008 and 2 Cup finals since 2010
That's pretty special...
 
Last edited:

Johnny Utah

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
10,822
2,707
Santa Monica, CA
I was reamed for my negative comments on the Richards' trade last year. He did help us get the Cup BUT he is def a shell of his former self in Philly. I think at his size and build, he won't be effective for much longer as guys get bigger, stronger and faster. He is getting older and playing in the faster but also bigger Western conference where star centers have the combination of all, size, speed, skill...like Getzlaf, Benn and Kesler...Now he is another year older and he admittedly has some injuries that have taken a toll on him...ie wrist, concussion. I just watch him out there sometimes get knocked off pucks easy...Doan did it to him in the playoffs as well.

Everyone looks bad except Nolan and Clifford though so far...But Carter, Richards, and Penner look REALLY bad.
 

scramble91

Registered User
Jul 6, 2010
1,246
12
Great post Dee.

I was worried about Richards start to the season because of him not really playing a lot of hockey, but a lot of us feel that once he gets his timing back, he will be the monster that we all saw in the playoffs.

I figured carter, Richards, penner, gagne, williams, greene, and Mitchell would struggle early since they didn't play any competitive hockey.

Brown is one that baffles me since he did play in Europe. Lets give it a few games before we rush to judgments. And pray the lakers bad mojo doesn't transfer over to the kings lol
 

Johnny Utah

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
10,822
2,707
Santa Monica, CA
Brown let up on a few big hit last night....I don't know why.

We all saw this coming with Penner...he had 1 big goal in the playoffs, but really, was he great? No. 3 goals in 20 games. Even Sutter said he almost didn't play him toward the end of the game against Phoenix where he scored the big GW.
 

deeshamrock

Registered User
Jul 25, 2011
8,748
2,291
Philadelphia, PA
Good news...from practice today



mayorNHL #LAKings Sutter on @Willie_Mitch33 after practice - 'He’s got doctor’s clearance, trainer’s clearance. The coaches want him 2 clear himself'

Willie is SO MISSED...just having him back there < I think> makes the players around him more comfortable and confident.
Hope we see him Sat vs. Yotes...
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->