alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />Practice started at 11 a.m., as the “GM breakfast” with Dean Lombardi, Ron Hextall and Jeff Solomon was ongoing on the roller-hockey rink. I’ll have a recap of that a bit later. The only real news is that Trevor Lewis has returned to Manchester and that Thomas Hickey and Andrei Loktionov might be able to return before the end of the month.
On the practice rink, no changes on the lines this morning.
Im starting to get a little worried about Thomas Hickey….seems to get hurt too often….hope he will shake the injury bug.
We have a lineup? I thought TM just picked names out of a hat and randomly put everyone together.
give brown the boot from the first line. he’s never in the right spot when kopi and smyth are cycling the puck down low
While I do love Brown, he is not a first line guy.
I think you guys are missing the point of Brown on the first line. He is not a finisher like a Williams. His role is to create space for Kopi and allow Smyth to get to the front of the net. Brown’s production may not show up on the stats but he gives Kopi room and Kopi has been able to capitalize on it.
EA–agree.
Brown also draws penalties by his activity.
@EASportsMgt, I’m sorry, but that’s not true at all. Brown has been completely lost in the offensive zone. He spaces himself out way too much on the forecheck and the cycle, so when Smyth or Kopitar need support he’s not there, and it’s an easy breakout for the opposing team. That happened numerous times last night. Brown kills the flow of that line.
And please, don’t respond by saying Kopitar scored because of Brown. Last night’s goal was all Kopitar; that had nothing to do with anyone else on his line. The goal against Dallas was on a slap shot from the point on the power play with 5 seconds left in the game. Hardly Brown “creating space” for Kopitar.
It seems all the kings fans have coaching degress and know what’s up…
@king dodger, Thank you. It’s obvious he does not work well playing that role.
Why was he so effective in the Olympics? Because he was playing a checking role; he wasn’t on the #1 offensive unit. It’s painful to watch Brown on that line because of his utter lack of puck control skills and his inability to read and react to plays in the offensive zone.
Is it surprising to anyone that the goal 22 seconds into the first and 36 seconds into the third were against that line? Yet Murray kept matching the Kopitar line against the Gomez line, and every time he did it ended up in extended puck possession time for the Gomez line in the Kings defensive zone.
@jake, You don’t think it’s possible that maybe, just MAYBE, some Kings fans actual have a solid understanding of the game of hockey? I know it sounds preposterous, but maybe people do know what they’re talking about.
“utter lack of puck control skills”
Uh, no way. Brown has phenomenal skills with the puck. The other half of what you said is correct though. His vision is the problem. That part is a gift that can’t really be taught.
@wavesinair, The only time Brown has puck control skills is in the shootout when he has no one pressuring him. Sure, he has his cute little between the legs move, but when it comes to basic control of the puck–either carrying it into the zone or holding on to it along the boards, he struggles terribly. I don’t want to count how many times the puck bounces off his stick or he lets it get too far ahead of him when there is even the smallest amount of pressure on him.
Is there such thing as a coaching degree? Cool! I wonder if its from DeVry, or perhaps University of Phoenix.
So when I say bad stuff about Brown everyone jumps on my back but now you guys finally see it?
Cool. Just quoting you. “Utter lack of control” is saying he is devoid of any control. In other words, Ivanans. Perhaps less hyperbole would bolster the legitimacy of your argument.
@wavesinair,
I got mine from ITT Tech!! :)
We are all just fans who are lovin this team so much this season we are emotional. We like to speculate and hope and discuss what could be better. Its what makes being a real fan so much fun.
The comforting thing is, that top line hasn’t stayed the same for over a week or so at all this season, so no worries, TM will change it!!
@wavesinair, Fair enough, he’s not as bad as Ivanans. I have no confidence in Brown holding onto the puck whenever he gets it, though.
Mini practice report through my eyes…
http://deepinsidethekings.com/2010/03/07/practice-the-lady-in-red/
“Is there such thing as a coaching degree? Cool! I wonder if its from DeVry, or perhaps University of Phoenix?”
========================================================
I got my NHL-Coaching Expert Degree from the National College Of NHL Hockey Couch-Potato Coaching School.
I saw it on this really fancy book of matches from some chili-place and decided to apply. I was accepted and the rest is history–LOST history, like the Easter Island story, Roanoke, etc
Still, my degree authorizes me to comment on any aspect of hockey at all, at ANY time.
What I say might be as wrong as 2+2=13, but I can still say it, anytime I want to.
I don’t charge for my comments, and I must say that,
in my case,
you get what you pay for.
put simmonds on the 1st line and drop brown 2 play with richy and stoll
@Alen,
No, Alan, I think most people feel Brown is a great player who is not a good fit on the 1st line.
He had two mediocre games and over the season some line combinations that did not work out.
So, see what? Bench him? Trade him? Send him down? I don’t think so. Don’t know whats up with Brown but I imagine he’ll shake it.
@BakoCondor
Bako, you’re really well versed in lots of things here. Just wanted to run this one by you. This is MY problem, so not looking to off-load it. But I can’t help always think of that 2003 draft. In THN preview it said scouts had doubts about Brownie’s offensive capabilities. Evidently he’s reproducing pretty much in the pros what he did in juniors. A bit streaky.
Then there was an anonymous scout who said of Zach Parise something to the effect that ‘he was magical’. EJ Hradek was less than convinced of the Kings picking Brownie at #13. I do really like him lots and he brings certain intangibles for sure.
But I can’t help but think of Parise. Being in ny I see him a lot on the Devils telecasts, and what you saw in the Olympics is just how he plays.
By the time the Kings drafted Tambellini and Boyle he was gone @17 but Corey Perry was still available as was Shea Weber and Patrice Bergeron.
Well it could’ve been worse. The Rangers drafted Hugh Jessiman @12 right before Brown. Only 1st rounder of that draft to never play an NHL game. Yikes.
The kings need an enforcer in the line-up every damn game! They don’t play like a team when ivanans is not dressed
Follow up…. then again now we have DL and team running things and we got Simmer in the second round I believe so how cool is that. Bet a lot of teams woulda loved to have him. And Yes, I do realize what an inexact science drafting young players is.
@wavesinair,
How bout a pic of the lady from the front? :P
@Khanon,
Khanon the other day I stated that in the playoffs they’d better have him in there to protect DD. Someone responded by saying that teams don’t do stupid things in the PO’s for fear of hurting their team. Well just the other night on Versus they were talking about how other teams made life extremely challenging for Mike Green (physically) last playoffs and how that really hurt the Caps. So maybe I wasn’t that far off there.
@Alen, That is how TM does it.We all knew it we just didn’t tell you cause we figured you’d figure it out yourself.lol
@USHA#17, As I said above, I think Brown is much more effective in a checking role when he’s not relied upon for being an offensive threat.
I REALLY THINK FRO ZEUS AND STOLL MAKE A GOOD LINE . IT SEEMS LIKE WE CAN GET 1 OR 2 GOOD LINES PER GAME THEN THE REST CANT FIND THE CHEMISTRY CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG . CANT WAIT TILL WILLIAMS GETS HEALTHY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER ONE LINE WE LOVED IN THE BEGINING OF THE YEAR.
@Alen, I’m still blind.
@ number 6,
I agree. A lot of people on this site don’t understand the role and importance of an enforcer. A successful team has players that fill every role, including an enforcer role
@RomJan, Must protect the innocent. :)
@Khanon, I’m going to strongly presume that this is the last time this subject will need to be addressed, yet again, on an unrelated post. Thanks.
@Sergei Prozacutov, FLMAO,I got mine at Dennys.It was in a big box stffed with teddybears.It had a mini crane and took me about $6.00 to finally get it.
@Carey,
Yep, and I agree with your “kill the flow” observation, too.
@ Rich
why am I being consistently singled out on this site? Since there aren’t any posts on enforcers, am I supposed to refrain from discussing enforcers alltogether?
@number 6, I have no problem draft Brown where we did, it’s the other 2 pick we screwed up on. We could have easily moved up to get Parise, Richards or Kessler, but our bonehead drafting staff was in love with a 6′7″ high school project and a flashy winger from UM. Boyle should have been drafted in the 3rd round…period. You never take a project with a first round pick, and a smart GM would have know this. NJ not only won the cup that year, but they also were able move up and draft Parise.That how a smart GM works.
The Brown/Kopitar combo has been hit-and-miss at best. The argument, floated quite a bit last year, was that Brown’s and Kopi’s styles had outgrown each other. I really like Brown. So when I say he’s probably the best third line RW in the league, it’s not a back-handed compliment. You can put him on the second line if you want. But he’s not getting it done on the first unit and he hasn’t for at least a couple of years.
Richardson/Kopitar/Simmonds
Smyth/Stoll/Brown
Frolov/Handzus/Parse
Modin/Halpern/Clune
then…
Smyth/Kopitar/Williams
Richardson/Stoll/Brown
Frolov/Handzus/Simmonds
Modin/Halpern/Clune-Parse
@Khanon, Nobody is being consistently singled out. I ask everyone to follow the same simple rules. In this case, I’m asking you to please follow the last part of the second posted rule and not relentlessly make the same point over and over, particularly within a post that is completely unrelated. There are plenty of posts that are related to this subject. Thank you.
@Khanon, thread hijacking maybe?
So manythings going on now. The Olympic break did nothing good for Quick. Simple nothing to be unexpected. This is March we are now in playoff mode and if you are not … you wont be when the cup games come… Quick has played alot of games, this is his 2nd year. And now the games really count and so do the mistakes.. No more rookie mistakes you dont get that excuse anymore. It has been alot to expect from him. These are the game when sometimes the net is a little “Bigger” and the puck a little “smaller” and you just dont get the bounces you did before and now something is really riding on them. It alot harder to shake off these loses when they come, but this is where you learn the hard leason and see what you are really made of and if can you hang in there and excell. Its on his shoulders now and he has take it up another level if the Kings are to go farther because its not going to be Ersberg and I would be surprised if they brought up Bernier because he means so much to the Monarchs right now. It not all just him but he is the one that has to deal with the mistakes by the players and himself. As the old saying goes what job is similar to being a goalie.. you make a mistake and then a red light comes on and 18,000 people yell at you…. Its not fun after 2-3 bad games in a row.. But you have to shake it off. If he doesnt we wont be going anywhere….
The Kings played better last night than the night before. The first 60 games of the season have shown they have the skill required to make and complete in the playoffs. The last three games have me worried as to whether they are up to it mentally.
The win against Dallas was a win against an old team with little chance of making the playoffs. The losses to Nashville (7th in the West) and Montreal (tied for 8th in the East; 10th based on tiebreakers) are losses to teams fighting for their playoff lives that have stepped their game to the next level. That next level IS mental toughness. The Kings are more skilled than either Nashville or Montreal, but it appears there not yet ready to go to playoff mode.
The Kings schedule over the next three weeks include the Blackhawks, Predators and Avalanche twice each. It time for the Kings to start adjusting their attitude to playoff mode.
Go Kings go!!
Go Kings go!!
@Mark1967, As you see by the next posting I agree with you completely.
@jake, lol
Have to point out clunes battle in the corner in the first? Or second, he battled I believe hall gill(6′7″ 243lbs) and kept battling for the puck, then goes out to scrap. What a warrior!
@Dominick,
lol, trust me I know how he is. I just don’t understand it sometimes. If everyone else can get moved around why does Brown always stick on the 1st line? He seems better off playing with Stoll.
@Dominick,
I hate to make a basketball comparison but he reminds me Odom, he’s just better off not being on the 1st line. I’m not saying trade him, bench him, or send him down. Just change his role! I’d really like to see Simmonds on the 1st line, that seemed to work better when Williams was out the first time.
@Alen, Give it some time.It will go back eventually.Brown is very capable of learning different roles.Nothings permanent and putting Brown their might create a spark.I like Brown and think the 1rst line can suit his speed and tenacity.If things don’t work TM will make the adjustment.If things work it’s a bonus.
@Quisp,
Seems to me Kopi and Smyth have been the most consistent pairing, not sure I would break them up, and Smyth and Brown have seemed to negate each other’s game the last few games, both behind net at same time, on wrong sides of ice from each other when trying to cycle.