bmr
Registered User
- Jan 23, 2013
- 1,888
- 1,717
I have been a Kings fan since the mid-to-late-80s, right before the Gretzky trade.
I listened to the iHeart broadcast the other night on the drive back home. I understand that there is a fine line between trolling/being negative and providing a balanced take on this team (including the ups and downs that undoubtedly occur through the course of a season).
A couple issues that have really stuck with me recently:
1. I haven't always agreed with the decisions that Blake has made, but I have given him the benefit of the doubt more often than not. Nothing he has done has irritated me more than the Dubois trade. Dubois may still pan out, but at the time of the trade I questioned how this makes the team better. I'm assuming enough due diligence was done beforehand? It just seemed like he had some questionable character issues that showed up on more than a couple occasions. I think most of us understood that the desire was to get another large/impact Center, especially when considering that Vilardi was probably going remain a winger. I can't name another player on the team that has been more frustrating to watch in the past several years than Dubois. Is he dealing with an injury? Is there something else going on we're not aware of? I really want to believe in this guy, but I just don't see any kind of sustained effort from him. Do all this team's struggles fall on him? No, but I don't know how anyone can't see him as a major disappointment thus far. Anyone in his salary range you would expect to have impacted the outcome of a large percentage of games. He is going to be the highest paid Kings forward next year.
2. Many were singing McClellan's praises earlier this year. Everything was going great. However, all of that changed for me when the adjustments weren't coming after some brutal OT losses. Some of the games we deserved to be there, others we didn't, but I think any coach in this league would leverage his faster/more skilled players when there is a lot more space on the ice. Byfield is the obvious head scratcher. Secondly, many of us don't understand the concept of playing JAD and swapping Spence in and out with Clarke. What kind of message is this sending to the team? Spence is obviously not the problem and has been elevating the play of Englund throughout the season. The analytics show this as well. I understand the desire to get Clarke involved, but it just feels like we are benching the wrong guys.
I also see an issue with a lack of right-handed shooting forwards and see a guy like Fagemo tearing up the PP for Ontario and wonder why he isn't given another chance, especially until Arvidsson is back. He may not make a difference - but what is being done to address these deficiencies?
I'm sure the Kings will snap out of this slump, but many of us are rightfully concerned that this team doesn't have the gumption to make a deep run in the playoffs. I think the only way that McClellan is let go during the season is if this winless streak passes 10 and/or there is a looming threat of not making the playoffs. I could also see this happening if the Kings either don't make the playoffs or get bounced in the first round again. I think the latter is much more likely at this point.
Jesse - appreciate your coverage. Hopefully we can look back on this at the end of the year as a bump in the road.
