LA Kings @ Minnesota Wild
5:00 PST, Fox Sports West
Jack Johnson has been back for 15 games now, so it seems as good a time as any to review his progress so far this season. Jack has looked much better than he did the first 2 games of the season before he got hurt, and he looks better than he did last year. At the same time, though, I don't think he's looked that good. A few people have said that Jack has been better than Drew Doughty, which is pretty ridiculous if you ask me. Drew is like Isla Fisher and Jack is like Amy Adams: both are good in their own right, but Drew/Isla are younger, hotter and better at their professions.* Johnson has been pretty good, but he's still not quite where I think he should be.
*I don't know, would girls/gay men think Drew or Jack is hotter? Jack has his weird lip thing but Drew Doughty is a mess. Ladies?
Johnson's been playing about 21 minutes a game since he came back and is starting to get more time on the power play in place of Peter Harrold. A lot of his minutes on the penalty kill have been gained at the expense of Kyle Quincey, which is probably a good call. Johnson is strong like bull and Kyle Quincey vaguely resembles what a cartoonist would draw if he had to depict a female giraffe, so I think Johnson is a much better choice to play penalty kill. On the power play, Johnson is generally playing with Drew Doughty, which I feel is a mistake. I think Doughty should play with Quincey (who has a heat-seeking shot) and Johnson should control the play on the 2nd unit alongside Jarret Stoll. I don't know, that's just me though.
So, what do you guys think? I'll be honest, I'm not too set in my ways concerning Johnson's play and could be convinced that he's been good. I'm going to watch him closely tonight and then I'll post a little more about him in the comments.
***
Ted Purcell is playing tonight in place of Dustin Brown, who is missing the game tonight because his 2nd child was just born. Honestly, what's more important: a February game against a team from Minnesota, or the birth of your child? C'mon, man, get your priorities in order. Ted Purcell is going to play alongside Kyle Calder and Jarrett Stoll. Remember what I said about Calder-Stoll-Brown all having the same identity? Yeah, I don't think Purcell has the same identity as those other 2 guys. Oh well, we'll see how it goes.
Prediction: Kings win, 1-0. The losers? Viewers.
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