Should Gretzky's Kings Have Won a Stanley Cup?

[Malice430]

the only thing that the kings did right in that series was this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkBBvaLn-QY

 

[Fish on The Sand]

Without the call, there chances of winning that game are still 50/50...

I know, that is exactly what I said. Im not handing Buffalo the cup, but put yourself in their shoes. 50% or 0%? Which would you prefer?

 

[Fish on The Sand]

the only thing that the kings did right in that series was this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkBBvaLn-QY

A blatant charge, how charming....

 

[Malice430]

I think that comment was more about the fact Brett Hull didnt actually kick it in...

seriously. what game was that guy watching?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_URO6cwLbM&feature=related

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

I think that comment was more about the fact Brett Hull didnt actually kick it in...

BINGO!

 

[Malice430]

A blatant charge, how charming....

he got called for it

 

[Fish on The Sand]

he got called for it

haha well then carry on

 

[Puck Dogg]

Gretzky would have been the MVP of the 1992-93 Stanley Cup if the Kings would have won it. I mean, he was on fire that spring. When Kings were on Conference finals against Leafs he scored a hat trick in Toronto (including game winner) and led the Kings to finals.

Gretzky was injured during the regular season and had very mediocre 65 point season, but then compensated by scoring 40 points in 24 games.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

seriously. what game was that guy watching?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_URO6cwLbM&feature=related

Your own clip shows him not kicking it in.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Want to know the only thing that kept the Kings from winning the cup in 1993?

Patrick Roy

well that and McSorley getting caught with a illegal stick with under 2 minutes left in game 2, and the Kings up by 1, and LA had allready won game 1.
If McSorley wasnt a idoiot who knows what happens.

 

[Malice430]

Your own clip shows him not kicking it in.

i know that, i was agreeing with your comment. i posted this clip to prove that to the guy who said it was kicked in

 

[Snap Wilson]

Los Angeles's rank in goals allowed for the duration of Gretzky's tenure:

1989: T-16th (of 21)
1990: 18th (of 21)
1991: 4th (!) (of 21)
1992: 15th (of 22)
1993: 21st (of 24) ahead of Hartford and two recent expansion teams
1994: 24th (of 26)
1995: T-23rd (of 26)
1996: 23rd (of 26)

1991 really jumps out, doesn't it? Overall, the Kings allowed the most goals of any franchise over Gretzky's eight-year stretch. This was partially a product of the tempo the team played at (Lemieux's Penguins allowed the second most), but they only scored eleven goals more than they allowed over those eight years, so the benefits were slim. They had some talent on defense (Blake, Sydor and Zhitnik from that '93 team are all still playing, for chrissakes) but they were young and not the polished players they would later become.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Los Angeles's rank in goals allowed for the duration of Gretzky's tenure:

1989: T-16th (of 21)
1990: 18th (of 21)
1991: 4th (!) (of 21)
1992: 15th (of 22)
1993: 21st (of 24) ahead of Hartford and two recent expansion teams
1994: 24th (of 26)
1995: T-23rd (of 26)
1996: 23rd (of 26)

1991 really jumps out, doesn't it? Overall, the Kings allowed the most goals of any franchise over Gretzky's eight-year stretch. This was partially a product of the tempo the team played at (Lemieux's Penguins allowed the second most), but they only scored eleven goals more than they allowed over those eight years, so the benefits were slim. They had some talent on defense (Blake, Sydor and Zhitnik from that '93 team are all still playing, for chrissakes) but they were young and not the polished players they would later become.

Actually, I'd say that Zhitnik played the best hockey of his life in the 1993 playoffs. The Kings often matched him up against the opposition's best players. Blake and Sydor were excellent.

A lot of people expected big things from the Kings in the future following the 93 Cup run, thanks largely to that trio of young defencemen. We know what Blake became. When he's been healthy, he's consistently been among the best. Sydor tailed off after 1993, and didn't really regain his form until a trade to Dallas in 1996. Zhitnik really struggled, and the guy who was supposed to be a star defenceman for years to come was dealt to Buffalo in the middle of the lockout-shortened season.

The Kings GAA rating in 1993 is largely due to a mid-season slump by the team, but especially by Kelly Hrudey. He has said several times that he thought he might get demoted to the minors that year. He was really good early in the year, and started to regain that form late in the year, but in the middle of the year, it was really bad.

As for 1991, I've always wondered what the Kings did right that year. They seemed to find the best of both worlds. They were third in the league in goals. Fourth in goals against. Gretzky won the Art Ross. Hrudey was great. For whatever reason, they were able to keep the puck out of their own net, without sacrificing the offence that made them a dangerous scoring team.

 

[Brownies]

i know that, i was agreeing with your comment. i posted this clip to prove that to the guy who said it was kicked in

Sorry if I'm wrong, I have the worst memory ever, but I tought that the problem with this goal was about Hull's skate being in the goalie's circle, not about him kicking the puck in.