-I can't say I understand what the hell was going on with the Kings' lines last night. I mean, I guess I can see what Terry Murray was trying to do, but it didn't make any sense. In case you missed it, here are the lines the Kings were rolling:
Smyth-Kopitar-Brown
I haven't liked this line since they put it together. The idea is that Kopitar and Smyth cycle the puck and then Dustin Brown shoots it but it doesn't really work. Brown is a north-south player, not a cyclist. Dustin Brown is like V.I.C.I. from Small Wonder; I get the feeling he takes all instruction literally. I think at the beginning of the season Terry Murray told Brown to shoot a lot, and as a result Brown shot all over the place and looked like a jackass. Now it seems like Brown's been told to pass more so he's giving up the puck on 2-on-1's like he did last night and looks like a jackass. It's not necessarily his fault but still, jackass.
It's not that this line is terrible (they accounted for both Kings' goals last night) but it seems like a misappropriation of talent. Brown is talented but he doesn't have the right skill set to match with Smyth and Kopitar. The Kings could used someone like Justin Williams, he really fi- oh, wait.
(Ryan Smyth is that weird, gross red-headed chick from Small Wonder.)
Frolov-Handzus-Stoll
What? This line was weird as hell. I think the point was to put a shooter with Frolov and Handzus since they both primarily cycle the puck and Stoll had a few great chances last night. The problem is that Stoll kind of sucks at finishing chances and the Kings were left with a shutdown line that had no speed. They got scored on by Edmonton's 4th line. Plus, it puts our two best faceoff men on the same line, which seems kind of dumb. If the Kings do get a winger at the deadline, they should really think about making Richardson a scoring line center and putting Stoll on the 4th line.
Parse/Clune-Richardson-Simmonds
I loved this line after Clune replaced Parse after the first period. They were fast, worked hard around the net and got into Edmonton's face really well. I wish we could keep it.
Ivanans-Moller-Clune/Parse
Ugh.
The Kings mixed things up on defense as well, pairing Jack Johnson with Drew Doughty and Sean O'Donnell with Rob Scuderi. I didn't like it too much, primarily because I thought Doughty and Scuderi worked really well. Sean O'Donnell doesn't really work in a top-4 role, either, but there's no one else to really replace him. In an ideal world the Kings would trade for another top-4 defenseman to play with Johnson but that's probably not going to happen.
The Kings' biggest problem right now is that they can't find a right winger to pair with Smyth and Kopitar. Justin Williams, while seemingly shitty, worked really well with those two because he was good at adapting to what they were doing; no one else has been able to do that. The closest was Simmonds, but Simmonds doesn't have a very good shot yet so he's not that effective. Clearly, the answer to this is Jonathan Cheechoo. (Shakes head, mouths "No.")
-What I'd Like To See:
(See, now you have to click the "Read More" button to see what I'd like to see. That's a trick to get more page views. Or, you'll get annoyed by my little trick and say, "Fuck it," and never come back. Either/or.)
Smyth-Kopitar-Simmonds
Frolov-Handzus-Moller
(Whoever we get)-Richardson-Brown
Clune-Stoll-Ivanans/Purcell
-Dustin Penner is a titanic douche bag.
-I really, really hate Kings fans. Kings fans are really annoying because they kind of have an air of snootiness about them because the team's been around for 40 years and Ducks fans are dumb... but Kings fans are pretty dumb too. How can you be dumb and smug? That doesn't seem like it should work.
-I am now the proud owner of a Wayne Simmonds bobblehead. When I get a chance I will allow you to bask in the gloriousness of it. It was weird, I was so excited about the bobblehead that I forgot that there was a game afterward. I kind of wish I had just left after I got the bobblehead.
-How do you get to be a professional hockey player and be so baffled by a goalie who catches with his right hand? Every single time a Kings player went in the shootout Jeff Deslauriers tried a poke check and the Kings acted like that was a new thing they didn't know goaltenders could do. It was embarrassing. Also, Frolov's "move" was the most pathetic thing I've ever seen. He could've peed on the ice and I wouldn't have been more embarrassed for him.
-My brother: "If it had to be someone, I'm glad it was Lubo."
Me: "Yeah, he looks happy. That's all I wanted for him."
My brother: "Fag."
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