Game #1: Kings lose to Blackhawks 5-2

[damacles1156]

Not saying we will but I wonder if it is time to waive Richardson so we can send him down if he goes unclaimed. Not a bad player but we will have to do something when Kopi comes back and to me he is the most redundant forward that we have.

I can't see us doing anything with Gagne right away, he will get some time to gel.

Someone has to come out of the Lineup.....Unless I am missing something.

Kings going to play 5 D man >?

You can only Dress so many....

 

[The Butcher]

You guys may be right about Gagne but hasn't this coaching staff and management group earned the benefit of the doubt? Can't we wait at least a couple weeks before we're talking about giving up on players? Its gonna be a wacky season folks. Maybe everyone should put their pitchforks away because we've only played one game.

 

[Wildturkey12]

Did Stewart get waived yesterday? I didnt see anything on that.

 

[damacles1156]

I don't care the Kings lost the game.

We are discussing what forward you remove when Kopitar comes back.

I am not blaming the loss on anyone. I am simply making the case that Gagne is not a fit for this roster anymore. Gagne is also not a top six forward anymore.

Cause if he stays, that means Clifford or Nolan or King is in the press box.

 

[kingsholygrail]

You guys may be right about Gagne but hasn't this coaching staff and management group earned the benefit of the doubt? Can't we wait at least a couple weeks before we're talking about giving up on players? Its gonna be a wacly season folks. Maybe everyone should put their pitchforks away because we've only played one game.

That's what I'm trying to say. Give it the road trip before we really get an idea of where these guys are going. I really think going on the road will give them an opportunity to get some chemistry going again without all the distractions.

Did Stewart get waived yesterday? I didnt see anything on that.

I thought he got sent down, but they had him as scratched today I think.

 

[damacles1156]

Did Stewart get waived yesterday? I didnt see anything on that.

Scratched until Kopitar is added back to the roster most likely.

 

[etherialone]

Someone has to come out of the Lineup.....Unless I am missing something.

Kings going to play 5 D man >?

You can only Dress so many....

Yep, I guess the question is who? Like I said, to me it might be time to do something with Richardson. We know what he brings to the table and we have more than enough players who can do what he does and more so he would be my first choice.

I can't see us using 5d but then I don't think you are being serious. Gagne will get a full look no matter what we want to happen. Someone will have to sit or go down or both.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Define improved. Penner is supposed to be a top six winger. He hasn't played like one, at all, ever while with the Kings. Did he step it up in the post season? Yes and we all love him for that. But the fact is, his job is to score goals. He's not scoring them. None of the top six scored today. Our 4th line was the offensive powerhouse of the afternoon. That's not good enough.

Feel free to hang it all around Gagne's neck, but you're doing so with no rational basis.



Are you implying that Gagne made an impact on our finals...

I believe that was what you were implying considering you proposed that the team played better without him. I don't think he hurt the team by being on the ice and none of his teammates or the coach seemed to have an issue with it.

Are you questioning Sutter's decision to let him play?



They're gonna likely move Gagne down and get back to the lines from the playoffs. Brown back to the left side where he plays a lot better from, carter back on wing, etc. I don't think Gagne should be top line. I think he's a better threat lower down. It's like when we had Stoll as our second center and he improved greatly when he got bumped to third.

There's just no doubt being without Kopitar screws everything up.[/QUOTE]

I'm not questioning his decision but you claim that he was useful. Penner was great in the play offs, Gagne wasn't, Penner improved around the ending of the season, Penner had a good first game. Gagne played like crap almost all his time as a king and today I think I wasn't the only one who expected Gagne to have a great first game after his comment about his health in the off season but it just seems to me his health or not he's not good anymore. Penner actually got better and it carried through the off season

 

[etherialone]

You guys may be right about Gagne but hasn't this coaching staff and management group earned the benefit of the doubt? Can't we wait at least a couple weeks before we're talking about giving up on players? Its gonna be a wacky season folks. Maybe everyone should put their pitchforks away because we've only played one game.

Ah the voice of reason. It is always nice to hear.

Yes, I think we can.

 

[damacles1156]

Yep, I guess the question is who? Like I said, to me it might be time to do something with Richardson. We know what he brings to the table and we have more than enough players who can do what he does and more so he would be my first choice.

I can't see us using 5d but then I don't think you are being serious. Gagne will get a full look no matter what we want to happen. Someone will have to sit or go down or both.

Richardson was not dressed, So We are talking King, Nolan, or Clifford.

Which would you pull out of the lineup...

 

[kingsholygrail]

I believe that was what you were implying considering you proposed that the team played better without him. I don't think he hurt the team by being on the ice and none of his teammates or the coach seemed to have an issue with it.

Are you questioning Sutter's decision to let him play?



They're gonna likely move Gagne down and get back to the lines from the playoffs. Brown back to the left side where he plays a lot better from, carter back on wing, etc. I don't think Gagne should be top line. I think he's a better threat lower down. It's like when we had Stoll as our second center and he improved greatly when he got bumped to third.

There's just no doubt being without Kopitar screws everything up.

I'm not questioning his decision but you claim that he was useful. Penner was great in the play offs, Gagne wasn't, Penner improved around the ending of the season, Penner had a good first game. Gagne played like crap almost all his time as a king and today I think I wasn't the only one who expected Gagne to have a great first game after his comment about his health in the off season but it just seems to me his health or not he's not good anymore. Penner actually got better and it carried through the off season[/QUOTE]

He was a gamble for the Finals, nothing more, nothing less. But he hasn't played a whole lot since he got hurt and I think the guy needs the opportunity to get into game shape, generate some chemistry and see what he can contribute. If he's dogging it out there still in a couple weeks, do whatever with him.

 

[etherialone]

Richardson was not dressed, So We are talking King, Nolan, or Clifford.

Which would you pull out of the lineup...

I saw that Richardson wasn't dressed, I was talking about a long term start to a solution.

Which of King Nolan or Clifford do you see as our second line LW?

 

[KingKopitar11*]

I'm not questioning his decision but you claim that he was useful. Penner was great in the play offs, Gagne wasn't, Penner improved around the ending of the season, Penner had a good first game. Gagne played like crap almost all his time as a king and today I think I wasn't the only one who expected Gagne to have a great first game after his comment about his health in the off season but it just seems to me his health or not he's not good anymore. Penner actually got better and it carried through the off season

He was a gamble for the Finals, nothing more, nothing less. But he hasn't played a whole lot since he got hurt and I think the guy needs the opportunity to get into game shape, generate some chemistry and see what he can contribute. If he's dogging it out there still in a couple weeks, do whatever with him.[/QUOTE]

I bet my car he won't change a bit. I don't think someone who hasn't shown much so far deserves more than a week.

 

[kingsholygrail]

He was a gamble for the Finals, nothing more, nothing less. But he hasn't played a whole lot since he got hurt and I think the guy needs the opportunity to get into game shape, generate some chemistry and see what he can contribute. If he's dogging it out there still in a couple weeks, do whatever with him.

I bet my car he won't change a bit. I don't think someone who hasn't shown much so far deserves more than a week.[/QUOTE]

Fair enough.

 

[Herby]

I love Mitchell. One of my favorite Kings probably of all time. I don't know if we have ever had a more underrated player. He is without question a top 5 player on this team, but if it came down to only getting him or Kopitar back, it's Kopitar every day of the week. Nothing against Mitchell at all, Kopitar is just that good.

If Kopitar doesn't play, you are forced to use Richards as your #1 center, which he isn't, then since the Kings 3rd line center is not capable of moving up to a scoring role you have to move your 2nd line RW to 2nd line C, which then weakens the skill on the wing, which is one of the few areas of concern with this team.

Kopitar is without question the most important player on the Kings, and very few if any teams around the league rely so much on one guy.

 

[kingsholygrail]

I love Mitchell. One of my favorite Kings probably of all time. I don't know if we have ever had a more underrated player. He is without question a top 5 player on this team, but if it came down to only getting him or Kopitar back, it's Kopitar every day of the week. Nothing against Mitchell at all, Kopitar is just that good.

If Kopitar doesn't play, you are forced to use Richards as your #1 center, which he isn't, then since the Kings 3rd line center is not capable of moving up to a scoring role you have to move your 2nd line RW to 2nd line C, which then weakens the skill on the wing, which is one of the few areas of concern with this team.

Kopitar is without question the most important player on the Kings, and very few if any teams around the league rely so much on one guy.

Don't forget moving Brown to the right side where he doesn't play well from.

 

[damacles1156]

I saw that Richardson wasn't dressed, I was talking about a long term start to a solution.

Which of King Nolan or Clifford do you see as our second line LW?

I would assume Gagne is not going to be in the top six anymore when Kopitar comes back.

The lines are going to go back to playoff lines. I doubt Gagne plays on the third line, Sutter already said he wants King/Stoll/Lewis together.

So that leaves

Nolan or Clifford. I keep both of those kids in the lineup.


Brown/Kopitar/Williams
Penner/Richards/Carter
King/Stoll/Lewis
Clifford/Fraser/Nolan

 

[johnjm22]

One other note... Willie Mitchell is critical to this team's success, and if he's out for 2 months, the Kings will be scraping for playoff spot #8. They need Mitchell back in a hurry. More critical than Kopitar.

Yep. Took the words right out of my mouth.

Call me crazy, but there's only a handful of defensemen in the entire NHL that I'd take over Willie Mitchell.

 

[etherialone]

I would assume Gagne is not going to be in the top six anymore when Kopitar comes back.

The lines are going to go back to playoff lines. I doubt Gagne plays on the third line, Sutter already said he wants King/Stoll/Lewis together.

Brown/Kopitar/Williams
Penner/Richards/Carter

I think that we will give Gagne more than a game or two to prove himself and that he will be in the line up until he proves without a doubt that he doesn't belong there (if he does). Either way I can't see us simply sitting Gagne, if he is out he will be out for awhile and like I said, they will give him imo a couple of weeks worth of games before doing anything as severe as pulling the plug on him.

That said I am guessing that if we waive/send down Stewart (though I would guess he will at least get a look but maybe not) and then do the same with Richardson it will make it easier to establish a rotation while we look at Gagne.

Putting Penner up where Gagne is playing leaves us with

King/Stoll/Lewis
Clifford/Fraser/Nolan

We can still carry Richardson etc.

I see us leaving Gagne where he is until he re-establishes himself or proves that it will never happen. We rotate the kids in and out of the line up.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Wasn't the whole point of having Gagne was to fill a LW hole?

 

[johnjm22]

Don't forget moving Brown to the right side where he doesn't play well from.

Were you saying that in 2007-08 when he scored 33 goals as a RW?

Brown is effective on both sides of center.

 

[damacles1156]

So people are ok with Carter or Penner being moved out of the top six so Gagne can find his game ?

That's what people are telling me. ?

Cause

If you leave Gagne in the top six, someone has to come out of it when Kopi comes back.

 

[bobafettish*]

So people are ok with Carter or Penner being moved out of the top six so Gagne can find his game ?

That's what people are telling me. ?

Cause

If you leave Gagne in the top six, someone has to come out of it when Kopi comes back.

well penner spent most of his time on the 3rd last year so.

 

[damacles1156]

well penner spent most of his time on the 3rd last year so.

If people are ok with that then Who am I to argue I guess.

 

[driller1]

I really don't understand why we need a whipping boy every game we lose. Gagne wasn't even the weakest skater on the Kings, nor was he responsible for the 5 freakin goals. It was a team loss.

It's not going to matter who our forwards are unless we fix our transition D. Four goals in transition is unacceptable.