alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />You can call him “Steven” or “Bugsy” — and I’m sure he’s heard too much of both — but no matter what you call him, it’s pretty clear that Brandon Segal is having a positive impat in his short stint with the Kings so far. Segal doesn’t have a point in his three games with the Kings so far, but he’s bringing some intense, gritty play on the fourth line.
Segal’s minutes, not surprisingly, are trending upward. He played 5 minutes, 29 seconds in his Kings debut Wednesday in Edmonton. The next night, in Vancouver, Segal played 6:34. In Saturday’s victory over Chicago, he played 8:20. Listed at 6-foot-2, 209 pounds, Segal plays strong but isn’t a liability. Here’s what Terry Murray said about Segal’s game so far…
MURRAY: “He’s better than what I thought he would be, quite honestly. He has played well. He has been here before. He’s been through Tampa and Anaheim and knows what it’s all about. Again, just to repeat what I have said, if he can just keep his mind set on, `This is what I am in this league, and this is how I need to contribute,’ and not think that he should be on a top line, then everything will work out really well. He’s got bulk, he’s got size, he’s got a good head on his shoulders, he makes the right decision with the puck and it allows me, on a pretty consistent basis, to have the confidence to play them later in the game.”
I was at the Blackhawk game last night and was impressed by Segal’s play. He makes the fourth line stronger and had a couple of big hits.
Is it pronounced see-gahl or Seh-gul regardless of the Steven or Bugsy?
Hopefully he can help chip in a goal here or there because correct me if I’m wrong, the fourth line total is still at zero….
Solid banger!
He just may be the 4th line player we’ve been missing.
I’d like to actually see Harrold in for Ivanans on the LW and put more pressure on Segal to be the mean guy. He seems willing to get in people’s faces.
So far, so good.
Good call, JDM!
JDM, that’s not a bad idea, but I would add in the stipulation that it would depend on the team we’re playing. If they’re icing a real legitimate heavyweight, I think Ivan serves a real place on this team and creates some tangible fear in the opponent. Segal has a lot of (4th line) upside, but I don’t know if he’s quite there yet.
agreed with JDM… like we spoke about during the 2nd intermission… for me, his heads up play and passing impressed me… he made a few ‘break-out-of-the-zone’ passes that opened my eyes… but was dissapointed when ivanans (ofcourse) couldnt handle recieving a pass… a harrold-richardson-segal line for a game or two… especially since Rat hasnt dropped the gloves (and i dont mean tangled arm wrestling) nor connected on a decent hit in recent memory
Now if we can just improve on the lw of that line with a moen type guy.
He certainly hasn’t hurt the team with his play.
It’s really funny that the Kings in years not too long ago were filled with lunch pail guys playing throughout the line-up, including the first two lines. Now it seems that we are struggling to get ONE in the line-up. I agree with the sentiments here. Ivanans should not be in the line-up every game. The guy is just too short on skill to carry continuously. His _only_ ability is fighting. If he could at least make a hit or play strong along the boards he might be worthwhile, but he can’t. Segal can be the answer for now and maybe Clune/Westgarth/Richardson/Segal in the future, when all are healthy and ready.
Since Segal came up, the fourth line has been playing much better. Segal is a better forward than Harrold period. His skating ability is not bad for a big dude, and he handles the puck pretty good as well. The fourth line, with Segal on board, have been playing more and more in the offensive zone as each game goes by.
re the criticism of Ivanans- I agree with most of you that the guy is a liability at times, but until DL acquires a new HW enforcer, he better play each and every game.
Kings fans are hysterical.
khanon …. westgarth showed hes more than ready last year …. we dont need to trade for anybody
why are lombardi and murray not bringing him up to replace ivannis??? …. as usual, who knows
For the person who asked… It was pronounced like ‘Seagull’ during his time in Manch.
And Segal is NOT the answer if you’re looking to replace Ivanans. His fighting skills are next to null.
If the Kings need an enforcer call up Kevin Westgarth. I would hate to see him leave NH, but he would kick the crap out of Ivanans and can skate a little better.
Segal loves to hit and has waited a long time for his shot. He might score a handful of goals for you, but his big thing is hitting and making good decisions.
Finally, he is not your answer for an enforcer. He will drop the gloves with anyone, but is not very good. But just the fact that he will drop them is good enough for me.
At this time, Westy isn’t playing. He’s not on the Monarchs injury list, but it was obvious from where I was sitting that he was is a lot of pain Friday night. He dressed but didn’t play a single shift, he stood up for the entire game. Apparently Westy is banged up and has some stiffness. I’ve had back problems for years and it looked like possibly his back to me.
I’d like to see Westy called up at some point, but we need bodies in Manchester. Currently, the Monarchs aren’t even dressing the max. number of players allowed.
bring up wesgarth he reminds me of scrappy from scooby doo alwasy looking for a fight! and never backing down
Scrappy from scobby doo…..that’s a good one, I like it!
I agree about bringing up westgarth, and I don’t give a damn if Manchester is short on players. Some people forget that Manchester is in the AHL, whereas the Kings are in the NHL. The benefit to the Kings should be the only factor considered, not whether Manchester will be short on the roster.
Just Sit Ivanans 5 straight games and you will see this team step up physically. Please Please Brownie..even if you dont score another goal all year just hit and play like last night. That is all we ask of our captain is too show up every game (Ala Simmonds)
Off topic, but this is why teams are vague about the locations of injuries (i.e. this is in reference to this season’s 3rd most talked about topic, behind Fro and whether Ivanans should get minutes):
from Pierre LeBrun’s blog on the season ending surgery for Edmonton’s Ales Hemsky:
“Hemsky told Edmonton reporters what many of us had suspected for a while — that he had been playing through a bum left shoulder for about a month. Then, a hit from Michal Handzus of the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night did him in for good.
“The damage was done before,” Hemsky told the Edmonton Journal. “This was the last straw for me.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4696919&name=lebrun_pierre
I`m in agreement with 1`m just saying.Sit Ivanas for a few games.I know where playing the ducks tues.and i know they have Artyukhin and Parros.We have a better chance to win if we dress the best players.Seven thousand a year to watch this guy skate in circles is making me dizzy.Enoughs, Enough.
Well put my Old Old Old Old Friend! Happy Holidays to you and yours..I hope Santa puts 7 G’s in your stocking for next years seats!
Segal is a much better fit than Boyle. Another great move by DL.
Here is a well spoken piece on the Kings.
http://video.thehockeynews.com/mediadetail/1616156
I can’t believe how many of you put stock in Ivanans playing ability,or westgarth for that matter.As if one enforcer is going to change the dynamics of the teams toughness.I suspect TM has put the clamps down on this team expressing themselves with their fists.The 4rth line really needs a bonified agitater to go out and hit everything in sight(including opposing goalies)and generaly piss off anyone who comes within 20 ft. of him.This would make Ivanans or Westgarth far more effective.
I like Segal. He is a bonafide 4th line banger that may have a little upside. This is exactly the player we need. Seems to have some hockey sense to him. I can’t wait to get a middleweight in this line up as well. Clifford will hopefully fill that bill for years to come.
segal is a great addition to the 4th line. solid player with good hands too, so don’t be surprises if he pops a few in the net. hope they keep him around for a while.
Sit Ivanans immediately TM doesn’t have the confidence to play him in the 3rd. That’s why we see all the funky line combos in the 3rd period ususally double shifting whoever is the best player that night in place of Ivanans lately it’s been Simmonds. If you don’t have the confidence to play a player that is always a half step too slow in the 3rd why play him in the 1st or 2nd ? Richardson and Segal are playing shorthanded out there with Ivanans on the ice. Why do you think we see Richardson on the PK more now ? because he so use to covering for Ivanans he has become a PK monster.
I understand TM’s philosophy of having an enforcer but I don’t agree. We need the fourth line to give us some dependable minutes so we’re not gassed out in the third and double shifting people. This is a recipe to wear a team down over the course of the year. Help keep everyone fresh by getting three guys on the 4th line that can skate and contribute.
It got real chippy the other night in EDM after Hemsky got smashed by Handzus. Did Ivanans do anything ? No. The last couple of scrums I’ve seen him in he really didn’t do anything but eat punches while trying to free up his hands.
I think Richardson, Segal, Harrold makes since for a fourth line. Harrold understands defensive responsibilities and won’t be a step slow like Ivanans. The fourth line main responsibility is to give the other 3 lines a rest and not give up goals it would make since to have a 3rd defenseman on the ice during that time.
sima-
Thanks for the insight on Westy. Obviously don’t want to call him up if he’s injured or playing through something.
When I say to bench Ivanans, it’s not just to do it. It’s been a while that he has shown inconsistent play and that (lack of) play has not been vital to our gameplans of winning games. TM said before that he is a deterrent for getting pushed around. It seems to me that guys like Simmonds and O’Donnell have been doing more in the protection department than Ivan these days.
If Ivan was contributing in some way as a PLAYER, I’d be all for his 5 minutes a game. Right now, I’d rather see Harrold get those 5 minutes. At least he can dump a puck into the 0-zone before his fellow winger crosses the blue line with speed (As he’s supposed to).
Unless there is a new benefit to having Ivan on the ice I don’t know about, I’d rather see Harold if Westy is not 100%.
BTW RICH- Did you ever get an answer to the question as to why Ivanans was on the ice in the 1st period with Kopi & Williams for one shift? It was in the beginning of the CHI game, like the 1st 5 minutes. Just curious if Fro had an equipment problem because he was back on LW the next shift. Thanks
RIch, or someone please help. If you buy tickets on the ticket exchange on the kings website, can you pick them up at roll call?
Check out this Westgarth scrap from the other night. http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/88962
I noticed the same thing.I thought I made a mistake because I wasn’t necessarily paying attention at the start of the game.I also noticed a little later coming up the Ice and Richardson (I think)trying to head off on a change.He started to retreat to cover the player and then while covering the player he just dissapeard leaving the player wide open to really wind up and shoot.Quick made a beautiful save.I was wondering if anyone else caught that or did I miss something.Since he backed up all the way into our zone .Leaving the guy at that point was a bad call.
Jay-
That is the kind of response necessary when one of our guys gets leveled. Yeah, it was a clean hit and well executed, but Westy made him pay to dish out that hit. Westy’s decision was concise and immediate. No waiting or looking around. I think that kind of decisiveness builds up your team confidence a lot more than just your hulking presence on the ice.
Thanks for the link. Nice work by Kevin.
That was beautiful! Westy to the rescue-Nice. Call him up when healthy!
khanon says: “I agree about bringing up westgarth, and I don’t give a damn if Manchester is short on players. Some people forget that Manchester is in the AHL, whereas the Kings are in the NHL. The benefit to the Kings should be the only factor considered, not whether Manchester will be short on the roster.”
Sorry, but the Monarchs are a part of the total King organization. Crippling one part of the org to benefit another is not good asset management. Cetainly, the ultimate goal is the parent club hoisting the Cup, but development is critical to that goal. The attitude in the above quote is, quite frankly, arrogant and short-sighted.
A lot of the time I agree with Khanon,but EJ well said.
Someone said something about how hard it is for us to find a lunch pail guy and that’s what the Kings are missing…I wouldn’t mind if they had a couple more top-six left-wingers. Just sayin’.
jeff, regarding tickets, there’s a number you can call to ask that question. but the easiest way is to just print them at home, which you can do the moment after the payment goes through…
The main purpose of the Monarchs is to teach the best players there to eventually become NHL players for the Kings, when needed. Sometimes that means taking the player that is the heart and soul of the Monarchs and making him a King. I’m not talking about anyone specifically, but in general.
folks..are you serious about Westy/Ivanans?
what’s the difference between the two?
Clippers…”westgarth showed hes more than ready last year”
When did this happen? He showed less than nothing during his brief tenure with the Kings last year. Although I saw all of the games he played in with the Kings, I must have missed something. He didn’t fight, hit, make plays or score.
This is completely ridiculous. The enforcer serves a purpose whether he’s on the ice or on the bench. Teams are less likely to take a run at your better players when a guy like Ivan is in the lineup.
I don’t want him getting ice time in the 3rd period of a tie game. But for argument sakes…how many times have the Kings double shifted a guy to take Ivans place later in games? Numerous..and yet they still don’t have a point. So someone suggests putting Harrold in there to take his place. And how many points does Harrold have? How much scoring have guys like Harrold and Richardson done when they aren’t playing with Ivanans or how many quality scoring chances did they generate?
Old Man…We don’t need Ivanans in the lineup against the Ducks..just because they have Artuykin and Parros…..
ok..then against what teams should the Kings use their enforcer?
The enforcer plays a part in the NHL game. Guys like Ivanans, Brashear, etc only get a few minutes a night, but their role is just as important as any other player. This is not fanatasy hockey…you don’t put your 12 best scoring forwards out on the ice. A hockey team is made up of scorers, checkers, grinders, enforcers…all have an important role in a team winning or losing.
nykingsfan, are you quoting other people then commenting on it? maybe it’s just me, but I have no idea where the other guy’s words end and yours begin…??? I’m confused…
waves
This is what happens when you try and write something on a miserable Monday. I just re-read it and have no idea what the hell i’m writing….
Yeah..I quoted Clippers then commneted on it…same with Old Man
lol, ok, at least that part makes sense to us both! i’d try to look for those comments from which you quoted, but i’m too lazy…
NYKing – You are of course dead on with your explaination of roleplayers on Hockey clubs, many here are unable to comprehend this. Westy/Raitis are the same guy as far as role goes. neither will score, both will fight. Don’t kid yourself believing Westy is tougher either.
also, the role of the 4th line is to provide minutes of rest for the others and not give up goals?? I do believe that is what’s happening already. swapping in PH onto the 4th isn’t going to improve those areas.
I’ve been pretty impressed with Segal as well. Somehow he seems a lot bigger than 6′2″. As Terry Murray indicated, I feel comfortable seeing him on the ice in the third period.
I’e stated the same sentiments in the past regarding enforcers.I pose the question,Is TM using that role properly.
has anyone considered that the fact we haven’t seen many fights is BECAUSE Raitis is in the lineup?
NY-
I’m going to agree with you on the role of an enforcer in an NHL lineup. The problem is though, nowadays, it’s not that simple anymore. Enforcers CANNOT be a detriment on the ice or the team will get SCHOOLED by the opposition almost every time because the talent level is so much higher than 20 years ago.
Having a role playing enforcer for the sake of having a role playing enforcer is not smart in today’s NHL. Whoever is gonna be your pugilist on the ice better have a skill set or the team will pay. That being said, Ivan’s skill set has DRAMATICALLY declined and (I believe) it is a BIG negative to our team. It leaves us WIDE OPEN at times to get caught turning the puck over or out of position. Add the unnecessary penalties and lack of response to team protection situations and Ivan has simply dropped off. He needs to sit for THOSE reasons, not just because we want to see Westy.
I don’t want Westy unless he’s 100%. He won’t help the situation otherwise.
Arty is a big dummy. I’m only concerned about Parros. O’D or Greener could handle him fine. Therefore, put Harrold on the 4th line with Ritchie and Segal. Harrold has WAY more skill than Ivanans.
I also don’t believe the lack of fights is because Ivan is in the lineup. Yes, he’s ugly and has 96″ pythons, but guys at the NHL level do what they have to and are not going to run away from Raitis, (Staubitz of SJ was the exception and that was DAMN funny. He definitely took hell from his teammates after that display) especially if their teammates are ready to back them up.
Basically, Raitis has had his opportunities and (I feel) he’s costing our team possession time. I simply feel it could be better spent with Harrold and a speedy 4th line.
On a side note, we’re not just double shifting guys for him in the 3rd period alone. I’ve seen it some in the 2nd as well. That’s a good way to get guys tired early.
Cynic,
I would rather not see Harrold in the lineup period. Every team needs an enforcer, and unfortunately for us King fans, Ivanans is not in the upper eschelon of enforcers, so we settle for the rare fight and lack of smack talk.
but Cynic, if Ivanans is only playing 5 min or less..there’s only so much trouble he can get into. Granted, he takes some dumbass penalties, but aside from that he’ll make little or no difference in how we play.
His job is to be a deterrent to others when it comes to guys like Doughty and Kopi.
I agree that the double shifting sometimes starts sooner than the 3rd period, but these guys are supposed to be in top physical condition and should be able to handle the occasional double shift..especially if he’s having a good game..He’ll want to be out there more. I don’t see double shifting as a detriment It’s a reward for good play.
Also on your point about lack of fights..It doesn’t matter, when we need him to fight he’ll be there. It doesn’t matter whether anyone’s afraid of him, it’s more about he’s not afraid of anyone.