Kings Gameday: Roster Clog
LA Kings (15-15-6) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (15-16-4)
7:30 PST, Fox Sports West
Here are 7 players:
-Trevor Lewis
-Derek Armstrong
-Oscar Moller
-Raitis Ivanans
-John Zeiler
-Ted Purcell
-Kyle Calder
You have to get rid of one of them: who is it? This is the question facing the Los Angeles Kings. Right now the Kings are playing Trevor Lewis, Ted Purcell, Raitis Ivanans, Kyle Calder, and John Zeiler, with Derek Armstrong sidelined by a concussion and Oscar Moller currently at the WJC. (Additionally, Brad Richardson is still injured and might be out for a while, according to Rich Hammond.) Armstrong will be back soon, however, and when Oscar Moller returns the Kings will have some decisions to make. Trevor Lewis and Ted Purcell are both eligible to be sent to the AHL, but neither has really merited a demotion in their time up so far. Kyle Calder and Derek Armstrong have the least amount of upside, but both provide veteran leadership. John Zeiler and Raitis Ivanans are kind of worthless, but they're the good kind of worthless where you don't have to worry about stunting their growth if they get only 4 minutes a game. It's quite the conundrum. It's worthy of a healthy beard-stroke.*
*I've recently grown a beard. It's marvelous.
I'll be honest: I don't know what the Kings are going to do. No matter what, they're probably going to have to waive someone, whether it be Armstrong or Zeiler. I'm guessing Zeiler, since it's not like anyone is going to pick him up anyway. You might think you would need to demote one of Lewis, Purcell or Moller when he gets back, but I think the Kings can make it work without it coming to that. I'd like to see:
| O'Sullivan | Kopitar | Moller |
| Frolov | Handzus | Simmonds |
| Calder | Stoll | Brown |
| Ivanans | Lewis | Purcell |
Moller is a pretty gritty player despite his size and would give the top line another shot for the defense to account for. I like Frolov's line, and Brown's line has a nice identity to it. The 4th line is weird, but, as Earl fucking constantly points out, it's the same thing the Ducks did with Getzlaf and Perry and that seemed to work out OK. Plus, it gives Ivanans two guys he can leech off of and protect, perhaps leading him to play with a little more violent intent. Lewis can skate up with Kopitar and O'Sullivan when Moller sits (or, better yet, skate with Stoll and Calder when Brown moves up for a shift) and then Purcell can step in for Moller on a few power play shifts. Lewis and Purcell need about 12 minutes a game, and that's easily doable. This gives the Kings 4 solid, young, dynamic lines that can skate, rumble and score. It gives me a woody just thinking about it.
***
Another roster clog is coming soon in the goaltending department. Erik Ersberg's imminent return means some goaltender is going to have to get sent down. It's not Quick, who has played the best of any goaltender for the Kings thus far, and it's not Ersberg, who played well before he got hurt, so that means it's Labarbera. Does he get picked up off the waiver wire? If he doesn't, he most certainly will on re-entry waivers, so that means he's gone. Are the Kings ready to do that? I don't know. It'll be interesting to watch the next couple days.
So, that's the best solution as I see it. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Or, you know, don't. Whatever, you people don't care about me and my feelings.
Prediction: Kings win, 3-0. Goals by Calder, Lewis and Brown. Oh yeah, the Kings are playing the Blue Jackets tonight, too. I'm Sorry, Columbus, I forgot you were there. You may go now.
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22 comments
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Comments
Six posts in a row? Nice work, Rudy.
I’ve shipped my siblings back out of town now, so I suppose I’ll get back to this whole “posting” thing for Wednesday’s game.
The 4th line is weird, but, as Earl fucking constantly points out, it’s the same thing the Ducks did with Getzlaf and Perry and that seemed to work out OK.
Just be wary of Lewis or Purcell developing a “Perry attitude” from that whole experiment. Too much free reign with a guy like Ivanans (Fedoruk) constantly watching your back can develop an awfully yappy mouth.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
I'm here huckleberry
I’d love to see the Kings give Quick 10 games to see if he can keep it up. Right now we’ve seen a handful of good games this season, but the next 5 or 6 should show if he’s really ready. I think he is, but I also thought LaBarbera would be ready this season…
Go Kings!
Knowing the Kings, they’ll trade Lewis and Moller to the Red Wings for “future considerations”, which turns out to be $100K in cash.
As for the game… Yay! I’m going. I think that’s a yay, but who knows. The Kings are 2-0-0 against the Jackets so far this year, winning each game 3-0. That’s why I’m not knocking your 3-0 prediction, Rudy.
Anyway, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have three jerseys that I seemingly randomly choose to wear each night. 1) My favorite of the bunch, my autographed Luc Robitaille third jersey. It’s an awesome jersey, but the Kings never seem to win while I’m wearing, 2) My autographed Anze Kopitar third jersey, which I received after I went down into the tunnel to give Kopitar his third jersey after warmup the game that they debuted theirs. It’s got memories, but the Kings have not won a single game that they have worn their third jersey, and 3) My lucky Ziggy Palffy jersey, which is the oldest and isn’t autographed, but it fits perfectly and the Kings absolutely dominate whenever I wear it.
So, I’m going to let Sleek choose for me. Sleek, the choice is up to you. I won’t try to influence your decision (Palffy), but just know that the fate of the Kings rests on what jersey (Palffy) you want me to wear (Palffy). See? I’m not trying (Palffy) to influence your (Palffy) decision at (Palffy) all.
(Palffy).
Fuck you, Denis Gauthier
Sleek, the choice is up to you.
The Blue Jackets are so bad that I don’t think I can make the wrong call here, so I’d wear the Robitaille jersey underneath the Palffy jersey. As for the Kopitar, I’d tie that one around my head like a bandana.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Probably should’ve mentioned that the Palffy jersey is so tight that it would be impossible to fit the Robitaille jersey underneath it.
As for wearing the Kopitar jersey on my head as a bandana… that’s just wrong. That seems like an act of total disrespect. Then again, Kopitar hasn’t scored in seven games, so am I supposed to respect him?
Fuck you, Denis Gauthier
That seems like an act of total disrespect.
Oh, I’m not so sure. I think it just says that Kopitar needs a little more production to get into the Luc or Ziggy eschelon of regularly-worn jerseys.
Besides, I was just trying to give a convoluted-enough answer to avoid making jersey-karma decisions in the future. If you do wear all three jerseys and the Kings win by a greater than 3-0 margin, I’ll gladly decide which jersey you should wear for the next game, though.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
The goaltender questions are pretty easy for me. LaBarbera goes, no question about it. Ersberg starts and Quick backs him up but still gets plenty of starts. Which forward to send down/waive is a harder question. I know I’m in the minority, but I like John Zeiler. We still need a thug once in a while, so Ivanans should stay too. With his concussion, age, lack of talent, and soon to be free agency, Armstrong looks like the best answer.
I’m going tonight too, my friend is singing the National Anthem! I have a Deadmarsh jersey, a practice jersey, and a white, black, and silver jersey from the Gretzky era. I’ll be wearing my Adam Deadmarsh jersey. Sorry Earl, you don’t get a choice in that one.
by chris in torrance on Dec 29, 2008 12:11 PM PST reply actions
Sorry Earl, you don’t get a choice in that one.
I’m much happier not making these fashionista decisions, anyways. The source of good karma, in my experience, is usually just confidence. If you believe enough in your version of the lucky green shirt, then that’s usually enough to carry the day.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Fuck confidence. I’ll just stick with the Palffy jersey. If the Kings lose, I’ll go to Honda Center and buy a Ryan Getzlaf jersey. How’s that for confidence?
Fuck you, Denis Gauthier
If the Kings lose, I’ll go to Honda Center and buy a Ryan Getzlaf jersey. How’s that for confidence?
Wow. It would be sort of cool that Kings fans on this site would own more post-Disney Ducks jerseys than I do. Then again, it’s not that tough to beat my whopping zero.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Don’t get too excited. If I do end up having to go down and buy one, you’ll see it on eBay the very next day.
Ignoring the fact that I went down to Benihana’s for lunch today, virtually right across the freeway from Honda Center, I’d still have to find time to go down there. I mean I could always take Katella all the way down from my house in Long Beach, but since I can’t drive, it might be difficult.
Fuck you, Denis Gauthier
but since I can’t drive, it might be difficult.
Well, starting January 1, you’ll be among the Californians with the most time available to text message.
Positivity!
(BTW, how stupidly back-asswards is this state for first passing a hands-free-phone-while-driving law, then months later adding an add-on law for text-messaging-while-driving?)
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Definitely the best use of a movie quote thus far. I know, let’s have a spelling contest! Columbus is like watching national treasure. I watched that on a flight and the only thing
I could recall afterwards was that Nicholas cage sucks.
Third jersey
I know I’m not the only one that thinks this but … that Kings third jersey is sort of frustrating to me. It’s like the Kings dipped their foot into the Gretzky jersey nostalgia but decided not to dive in and the last thing this country needs is more foot dippers, right?
huffs glue
So, Michal Handzus lightly pushes a guy into the goaltender’s line of sight? Penalty.
Michal Handzus throws the puck into the corner and then gets two-handed in the face? Clearly a legitimate play.
The West Coast is the Best Coast.
I know. The refereeing was ridiculous in this game. Stoll (??) got a penalty for tripping after HE got tripped. Zeiler gets a roughing penalty when a Blue Jacket comes up into HIS face.
The only thing worse than the refereeing was that I now have to buy a Ryan Getzlaf jersey.
Fuck you, Denis Gauthier

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