Confirmed with Link: The koala has been fired!! Todd McLellan fired, Jim Hiller named Interim Head Coach

[Play]

When’s the press conference ?

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Not sure if trolling now.

That is exactly part of Blakes job...

OMG

 

[Bandit]

Wouldn't that mean that your particular skill set would involve dribbling all over yourself, missing the bowl entirely, and engaging in a "you must shake it for two years before zipping up" philosophy?

I’m not too proud. I can walk around with my dick in my hand if it means a VP salary.

 

[bland]

I’m not as against it as most. I’ve seen some great left side RHD. I’m not saying it’s ideal but it’s probably better than Englund is delivering at the moment.

Lots of LHD can play the right effectively although I get that is because they need more often so in general the are more likely to be familiar with it. However it’s not that different, So I’m not against the D playing the wrong side as a default position. I suggested Roy as I understand he is comfortable there but if that’s not the case I’d definitely change my view. I certainly wouldn’t advocate putting someone there that hasn’t/can’t play the position.

If you have strong stick on your backhand then it helps position for being physical on the boards and keeps a strong stick for the middle lane making it less likely to expose the C lane when to hold the blue line physically (Stepping up). Sure it makes breakout’s and clearances a bit tougher but Roy struggles there at times anyway.

My brother was a RD that could play the left… the UK has too many RHS as they don’t know how to coach properly but that’s another debate. He was the right type of player to play off the ‘wrong’ side as it played to his strength… granted it was just semi-pro… where he’d play very physically. He often ended up right side but definitely better on the left for me (he didn’t agree though - so he was wrong ). I’ve certainly see other, much better fully pro players do it well also. So I’ve seen it a lot and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Sorry Statto, but that is just not the case.

Hockey is based on speed and speed is built thru routine. Two RHDs may be fine for ball hockey or in beginners play where stick handedness follows dominant handedness, but at the highest level you simply cannot afford to lose the seconds it takes to think instwad of naturally react about how differently you have to make and receive passes from that different angle. It doesn't just affect that player, but everybody that's involved with that player on the ice.

You never see it in the NHL for a reason. There are simply not enough reps at junior, college, or the AHL to have that routine down pat. It is a severe disadvantage that we literally just saw last year. Its a terrible idea.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Sorry Statto, but that is just not the case.

Hockey is based on speed and speed is built thru routine. Two RHDs may be fine for ball hockey or in beginners play where stick handedness follows dominant handedness, but at the highest level you simply cannot afford to lose the seconds it takes to think instwad of naturally react about how differently you have to make and receive passes from that different angle. It doesn't just affect that player, but everybody that's involved with that player on the ice.

You never see it in the NHL for a reason. There are simply not enough reps at junior, college, or the AHL to have that routine down pat. It is a severe disadvantage that we literally just saw last year. Its a terrible idea.

This is all recent....last decade maybe, maybe a bit longer, but hockey in the 80's, 90's early early 00's, was always built on best player available....not....best handedness, if a team's top 6 defenseman had a make up of 4 LH, and 2 RH, they didn't put up a weaker player just because he was RHD

 

[Statto]

This is all recent....last decade maybe, maybe a bit longer, but hockey in the 80's, 90's early early 00's, was always built on best player available....not....best handedness, if a team's top 6 defenseman had a make up of 4 LH, and 2 RH, they didn't put up a weaker player just because he was RHD

That’s essentially my take. It wasn’t that long ago we had Martinez playing the right side for us. Is that the best use of Roy? No. Is it worth a look to see if the group is better with Roy left to allow Clarke an Spence to play making it a better group of 6? Maybe. All depends on Roy’s comfort factor tbf, which plays to the reps etc.

@bland I understand the issues an limitations with it but we’d otherwise be sitting Clarke or Spence and have Englund in the line up which with a downturn in his physical game feels like a diminishing return.

That said 100% I’d prefer to see a trade to get the ideal balance on the roster.

At least we haven’t mentioned PLD… oh… damn.

 

[BigKing]

That’s essentially my take. It wasn’t that long ago we had Martinez playing the right side for us. Is that the best use of Roy? No. Is it worth a look to see if the group is better with Roy left to allow Clarke an Spence to play making it a better group of 6? Maybe. All depends on Roy’s comfort factor tbf, which plays to the reps etc.

@bland I understand the issues an limitations with it but we’d otherwise be sitting Clarke or Spence and have Englund in the line up which with a downturn in his physical game feels like a diminishing return.

That said 100% I’d prefer to see a trade to get the ideal balance on the roster.

At least we haven’t mentioned PLD… oh… damn.

Was that when he and Muzzin would get routinely caved in?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Vegas just won a cup with gusy playing their off side

its not that cut and dry and i agree its generally less than ideal but when the alternative is a current Englund getting caved in there are certainly worse ideas

 

[tbrown33]

Even Durzi has played LD this year for Arizona. Soderstrom is doing it currently. It's not that rare.

 

[kingsfan28]

Was that when he and Muzzin would get routinely caved in?

people forget how bad they were until they were broken up.

 

[Sol]

Muzzin had some insanely bad gaffes even in Toronto

 

[All The Kings Men]

Even Durzi has played LD this year for Arizona. Soderstrom is doing it currently. It's not that rare.

There are 171 defensemen that shoot left
There are 123 defensemen that shoot right

I don't know how relevant that is but I was curious so I looked it up.

Seems to me there should be way more left shooting playing the right than vice versa.


EDIT: If you limit it to a 20 game minimum then its

126 left shooting
96 right shooting

EDIT EDIT: IF you limit it to a 30 game minimum it shifts to

105 LHD
81 RHD

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

I think everything is gonna be a half measure. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say Blake is fired when we miss the playoffs because he frivolously spent AEG’s money and didn’t produce!

Gonna be Black (Blake) hole season. We will miss the playoffs by 6 points and he will trade our 1st round pick with Arty for someone who puts in a Lucic type effect!

 

[bland]

Was that when he and Muzzin would get routinely caved in?

It is FAR more likely to see LHDs on the right side due to the majority of Canadian and European players being trained from a young age to have their dominant hand on the top instead of the bottom.

To address Jesse's point, there are RHDs playing now that are in the league simply because the team needs them. Its no different than left handed relief pitchers. The rarity makes them more valuable.

The number one tenet of playing defense is delay, delay, delay. You buy time so your teammates can read the passing and shooting lanes and have as many extra strides as you can provide.

When you have a RHD on the left you are requiring your partner AND forwards to think instead of naturally react. Your forehand release point is 8-10 feet closer to the middle of the ice instead of the safety of going up the boards. There just aren't enough reps at any serious level of the game to have that come naturally, so by picking up your head and looking you are doing the oppositions work for them. You just bought them a stride or two to close out the lanes.

And that is assuming that the RHD has the time and space to cleanly handle the puck. We all saw just how often Kings defenders on the left were closed out and pressured into throwing pucks meekly up the wall on their backhand instead of confidently moving the puck up ice.

Its a serious disadvantage and its why you almost never see it in the NHL. It doesn't work.

Even Durzi has played LD this year for Arizona. Soderstrom is doing it currently. It's not that rare.

And only four teams in the conference have fewer points than Arizona.

There is a huge, huge difference between "can" and "should", and frankly this one is remedial hockey 101. Its right there with "why not just put a fat guy in net?" level thinking.

 

[bland]

That’s essentially my take. It wasn’t that long ago we had Martinez playing the right side for us. Is that the best use of Roy? No. Is it worth a look to see if the group is better with Roy left to allow Clarke an Spence to play making it a better group of 6? Maybe. All depends on Roy’s comfort factor tbf, which plays to the reps etc.

@bland I understand the issues an limitations with it but we’d otherwise be sitting Clarke or Spence and have Englund in the line up which with a downturn in his physical game feels like a diminishing return.

That said 100% I’d prefer to see a trade to get the ideal balance on the roster.

At least we haven’t mentioned PLD… oh… damn.

Regarding Englund, I don't think his play has changed at all. During this stretch we have seen more and more turnovers up ice and some pretty garbage back checking. Englund is getting exposed due to his foot speed, but its not really his decision making as much as it is the lack of support and discipline from several forwards.

If they tightened up, you would see Englund being able to stand up at the blueline more and more instead of constantly back peddling on entries.

 

[LAKings88]

In my expertise as a lefty beer league defenseman. I love playing my off side more than the left side. I'm goofy tho. My strong hand is always high on the stick and my weak hand is low.

Just plain goofy overall.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

In my expertise as a lefty bear league defenseman. I love playing my off side more than the left side. I'm goofy tho. My strong hand is always high on the stick and my weak hand is low.

Just plain goofy overall.

Same, I'm a righty playing the left. But can also have a TON more time and buy your own time in beer league as opposed to Mackinnon barreling down on you while you're on your backhand

 

[Bandit]

In my expertise as a lefty bear league defenseman. I love playing my off side more than the left side. I'm goofy tho. My strong hand is always high on the stick and my weak hand is low.

Just plain goofy overall.

I always shot right and I'm right handed. I can't even imagine trying to stickhandle with my right hand on top. Might as well club me over the head with a pipe wrench and tell me to recite Pi to 10,000 decimals.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It is FAR more likely to see LHDs on the right side due to the majority of Canadian and European players being trained from a young age to have their dominant hand on the top instead of the bottom.

To address Jesse's point, there are RHDs playing now that are in the league simply because the team needs them. Its no different than left handed relief pitchers. The rarity makes them more valuable.

The number one tenet of playing defense is delay, delay, delay. You buy time so your teammates can read the passing and shooting lanes and have as many extra strides as you can provide.

When you have a RHD on the left you are requiring your partner AND forwards to think instead of naturally react. Your forehand release point is 8-10 feet closer to the middle of the ice instead of the safety of going up the boards. There just aren't enough reps at any serious level of the game to have that come naturally, so by picking up your head and looking you are doing the oppositions work for them. You just bought them a stride or two to close out the lanes.

And that is assuming that the RHD has the time and space to cleanly handle the puck. We all saw just how often Kings defenders on the left were closed out and pressured into throwing pucks meekly up the wall on their backhand instead of confidently moving the puck up ice.

Its a serious disadvantage and its why you almost never see it in the NHL. It doesn't work.


And only four teams in the conference have fewer points than Arizona.

There is a huge, huge difference between "can" and "should", and frankly this one is remedial hockey 101. Its right there with "why not just put a fat guy in net?" level thinking.

This is some GBH level condescension, congrats.

Yes, all things being even remotely equal, balance the handedness.

When those things are not remotely equal, do not.

Englund is struggling his absolute ASS off lately and there are worse thoughts than sitting him a game or two to rest and recover and go a handful of games with 4 righties.

Edit: actually I would prefer Moverare to get a few games in his spot but when that's not an option...its' like you're suggesting if we had an Englund injury as well that it would be better to bring up Cole Krygier than to play Spence. Saying it's a hard and fast rule is farcical.

 

[Bone Density]

 

[bland]

This is some GBH level condescension, congrats.

Yes, all things being even remotely equal, balance the handedness.

When those things are not remotely equal, do not.

Englund is struggling his absolute ASS off lately and there are worse thoughts than sitting him a game or two to rest and recover and go a handful of games with 4 righties.

Edit: actually I would prefer Moverare to get a few games in his spot but when that's not an option...its' like you're suggesting if we had an Englund injury as well that it would be better to bring up Cole Krygier than to play Spence. Saying it's a hard and fast rule is farcical.

No RJ, this is as black and white as it gets. Thats why I am taking this tone - this isn't some great mystery, its a tried and true part of the game that frankly isn't really up for debate. Suggesting otherwise is laughable.

Name the successful RHD/RHD pairings you have seen in your lifetime. Hell, name the ones you have seen that didn't work.

The Kings had a game maybe 20 or so years ago where injuries forced them to dress 5 RHDs. It was literally inheard of to have one RHD/RHD pair in a game, much less two.

It just doesn't happen, and its a terrible idea. Thats why it was talked about so damn much here last year, its a major handicap to your team.

 

[bland]

Same, I'm a righty playing the left. But can also have a TON more time and buy your own time in beer league as opposed to Mackinnon barreling down on you while you're on your backhand

I LOVED playing on the left in ball leagues, pick ups, hell, I think the last year I played as part of the Ontario Jets as a kid we had 15 of our 16 skaters shooting right.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

No RJ, this is as black and white as it gets. Thats why I am taking this tone - this isn't some great mystery, its a tried and true part of the game that frankly isn't really up for debate. Suggesting otherwise is laughable.

Name the successful RHD/RHD pairings you have seen in your lifetime. Hell, name the ones you have seen that didn't work.

The Kings had a game maybe 20 or so years ago where injuries forced them to dress 5 RHDs. It was literally inheard of to have one RHD/RHD pair in a game, much less two.

It just doesn't happen, and its a terrible idea. Thats why it was talked about so damn much here last year, its a major handicap to your team.

here's one we've seen succeed emphatically even during the shittiest stretch of hockey we've seen in 20 years

and before you say small sample size yes that's exactly the point, not advocating for permanent all righties, just for a change of pace

 

[Johnny Utah]

DJ Smith joining the Kings.

Thank god for a tough outside voice.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I LOVED playing on the left in ball leagues, pick ups, hell, I think the last year I played as part of the Ontario Jets as a kid we had 15 of our 16 skaters shooting right.

Yeah I don't think there was much alternative in southern california haha. We didn't much pick up on the "if you're righty shoot left" part of the game until much later. Lefties everywhere now but even my beer league teams are still unscientifically 90% right shots.