Around the League '16-'17 Road Trip Blues Edition

[Fishhead]

It always is. The entire event is a big waste of time. I wish they'd get rid of it.

Tickets this year were going for less than a typical Saturday game, which absolutely says something about how fans view it. It's neat to see what these guys can do, but it's become too repetitive. It might be a bit more intriguing if they made new events each year for players to tackle.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Tickets this year were going for less than a typical Saturday game, which absolutely says something about how fans view it. It's neat to see what these guys can do, but it's become too repetitive. It might be a bit more intriguing if they made new events each year for players to tackle.

I saw tickets for $40 day of, just had little interest and watching some of it on TV it felt rushed through. I think I've become a hockey snob and just look forward to playoffs and championships which is something I'd never think would happen being a long time Kings fan. It used to be about EVERYTHING but playoffs and championships and if the Kings did make the playoffs you could expect a banana in the tail pipe.

 

[Maynard]

I saw tickets for $40 day of, just had little interest and watching some of it on TV it felt rushed through. I think I've become a hockey snob and just look forward to playoffs and championships which is something I'd never think would happen being a long time Kings fan. It used to be about EVERYTHING but playoffs and championships and if the Kings did make the playoffs you could expect a banana in the tail pipe.

The buffet plate is $12.50.

 

[johnjm22]

I tried watching it, but lost interest 5 minutes into Pacific vs. Central game. It's boring and pointless.

I can't figure out what's worse, the All Star Game, or the awards show.

 

[YP44]

I tried watching it, but lost interest 5 minutes into Pacific vs. Central game. It's boring and pointless.

I can't figure out what's worse, the All Star Game, or the awards show.

It was good to nap to on the couch.

I did get pretty hard seeing so many great players basically wearing Kings jerseys in the Celebrity/Alumni game.

 

[YP44]

Here's the full list post 1967:

1970s: Bobby Orr, Brad Park, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, Ken Dryden, Tony Esposito, Bernie Parent, Bobby Clarke, Marcel Dionne, Phil Esposito, Jacques Lemaire, Stan Mikita, Gilbert Perreault, Jean Ratelle, Darryl Sittler, Yvan Cournoyer, Bob Gainey, Bobby Hull, Guy Lafleur.

1980s: Jari Kurri, Mike Gartner, Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, Peter Stastny, Denis Savard, Mark Messier, Pat LaFontaine, Wayne Gretzky, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis, Denis Potvin, Borje Salming, Grant Fuhr, Billy Smith.

1990s: Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek, Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Brian Leetch, Chris Chelios, Pavel Bure, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille, Brendan Shanahan, Sergei Fedorov, Peter Forsberg, Ron Francis, Mario Lemieux, Eric Lindros, Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk, Adam Oates, Joe Sakic, Mats Sundin, Steve Yzerman.

2000s: Teemu Selanne, Chris Pronger, Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk, Martin Brodeur.

Active players: Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Jaromir Jagr.

There aren't too many that I disagree with. I disagree on Kane, Keith and especially Toews. I personally think Iginla, Thornton and Malkin should be there instead of those 3. I'm also not sure about Nieuwendyk and Datsyuk too.

I liked Neiwendyk being in there.. Thought he was under apprecisated. Same with Ron Francis. Not sure who I would take out but looking at this the 90's are definitely over rated. I was surprised Fedorov was in there. He had some elite years both offensively and defensively, but I never thought of him as the being one of the top players of all time.

I agree with the your swaps. One thing this is not Hockey Hall of Fame where they look at international achievements too, this is NHL 100. So I think that should diminish Toews and Fedorov a bit.

 

[Brodeur]

I was a little surprised by Nieuwendyk, but I probably missed a decent chunk of his prime. Francis is definitely under appreciated. I still laugh from the 2010 Draft in LA. Steve Yzerman is picking #6 with Tampa and gets a standing ovation. Ron Francis is picking #7 with Carolina and the building is crickets.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Of course Simmonds is the MVP - just to rub salt into that wound.

Simmonds is MVP of All-Star Game and probably the #1 power forward in the league right now - def passed up Lucic, Kane and his pal Chris Stewart years ago.

Martin Jones is the #1 goalie and took Sharks to finals.

Klefbom is a #2 D on the Oilers backend.

How many more picks and players does Lombardi need to spread out around the league?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Of course Simmonds is the MVP - just to rub salt into that wound.

Simmonds is MVP of All-Star Game and probably the #1 power forward in the league right now - def passed up Lucic, Kane and his pal Chris Stewart years ago.

Martin Jones is the #1 goalie and took Sharks to finals.

Klefbom is a #2 D on the Oilers backend.

How many more picks and players does Lombardi need to spread out around the league?

Ahahahah seriously?

Klefbom is on the Oilers from the Penner trade--directly contributed to the first cup. And oh my god would he ever be redundant here. He would literally be our #3 at best.

Simmonds is on the Flyers from the Richards trade--directly contributed to AT LEAST the first Cup.

No one wanted Jones to go but he wanted and deserved to be a starter so glad we got some value for him even if the Lucic trade didn't work out.

Complete lack of perspective. But for what it's worth, I think we're done 'spreading picks around the league'...unfortunately, it also means we're likely done in a Cup contending window. Pick your poison.

 

[funky]

Ya. And all Simmonds and Klefbom got us was a semi final appearance and 2 cups.

The later 2 can be blame on Voynov being a ****** and Richards decline wether it be the hits, concussions, alleged drugs or combo of them all.

This team looks much better with a healthy Richards and non criminal Voynov still playing at capacity

 

[Little Psycho]

All Stars might have sucked but....

@NBCSportsPR 3h3 hours ago

Sunday’s NHL All-Star Game on NBC posted a 1.64 overnight rating; w/ move to broadcast, up 40% vs. 2016 ASG on NBCSN (1.17; NBCSN record)

@NBCSportsPR 3h3 hours ago

The 2017 NHL ASG on NBC overnight (1.64) is up 74% vs. the 2015 game (0.94) and is the highest overnight for the All-Star Game since 2004

 

[YP44]

Ya. And all Simmonds and Klefbom got us was a semi final appearance and 2 cups.

The later 2 can be blame on Voynov being a ****** and Richards decline wether it be the hits, concussions, alleged drugs or combo of them all.

This team looks much better with a healthy Richards and non criminal Voynov still playing at capacity

This times infinity.

Simmonds was my favorite King at the time of that trade and I still was all for it. Richards getting KO'd and then needing pain killers is what makes that deal look somewhat bad today, but still two cup one semi makes it a win/win deal.

 

[johnjm22]

Simmonds is on the Flyers from the Richards trade--directly contributed to AT LEAST the first Cup.

Simmonds would have contributed as well.

 

[YP44]

Simmonds would have contributed as well.

You mean Could have not Would have. There is absolutely zero guarantee that LA wins the cup or even makes the playoffs without Richards. Richards was one of the top centers in the league when LA made that trade. The deal was, is and forever will be a great example of a win/win trade for both clubs.

Without the Richards deal LA's centre depth would have been Kopitar-Stoll on the top two lines (Carter didn't come till later on).

 

[johnjm22]

There is absolutely zero guarantee that LA wins the cup or even makes the playoffs without Richards. Richards was one of the top centers in the league when LA made that trade.

You don't know how it would have played out without Richards.

It sure didn't look like the Kings were going to make the playoffs with Richards. That didn't change until Sutter and Carter got here.

If Simmonds was here and healthy, he would have contributed. I don't know if it would have been more or less than Richards, but it wouldn't have been nothing.

 

[theMajor]

You don't know how it would have played out without Richards.

It sure didn't look like the Kings were going to make the playoffs with Richards. That didn't change until Sutter and Carter got here.

If Simmonds was here and healthy, he would have contributed. I don't know if it would have been more or less than Richards, but it wouldn't have been nothing.

I think the biggest difference is Center vs Winger. I personally believe the addition of MR had a bigger impact than Simmonds would have had based on his position alone. Kings needed a center badly and Lombardi went after a proven winner. strength down the middle is a hallmark of championship caliber teams and the Kings are significantly weaker in both runs without MR

 

[BigKing]

Tickets this year were going for less than a typical Saturday game, which absolutely says something about how fans view it. It's neat to see what these guys can do, but it's become too repetitive. It might be a bit more intriguing if they made new events each year for players to tackle.

It's how fans in LA view it.

Tickets went for much, much more the last two years in Nashville and Columbus.

I personally think it is boring but the 10 year old boy sitting next to me loved every second of it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Simmonds would have contributed as well.

Contributed, sure. The Clifford-Handzus-Simmonds like was a terror in 2011.

But there's no way this team does what they do with Schenn as a center instead of Richards that year in particular.

 

[johnjm22]

I think the biggest difference is Center vs Winger. I personally believe the addition of MR had a bigger impact than Simmonds would have had based on his position alone. Kings needed a center badly and Lombardi went after a proven winner. strength down the middle is a hallmark of championship caliber teams and the Kings are significantly weaker in both runs without MR

I agree that center is more important than wing, and looking at that roster second line center was the weak spot but ultimately what the Kings needed was offense. There was signs even before the trade that Simmonds was already a better offensive player than Richards. If we still get Carter and Sutter, I like our chances to win the cup without MR, but we'll never know.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Contributed, sure. The Clifford-Handzus-Simmonds like was a terror in 2011.

But there's no way this team does what they do with Schenn as a center instead of Richards that year in particular.

I ask myself though and I'm sure Lombardi does too, if what if he did NOT make the Richards' trade but did make the Carter move.

Could Carter have been the Kings soluation at #2 center during the first Cup run? Would that have made a difference?

Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Penner-Carter-Simmonds
King-Stoll-Lewis
Richardson-Fraser-Nolan

Lets assume Schenn was in Manchester - he didn't become a full time NHL'er with Philly until 2012-2013.

 

[johnjm22]

Contributed, sure. The Clifford-Handzus-Simmonds like was a terror in 2011.

But there's no way this team does what they do with Schenn as a center instead of Richards that year in particular.

I liked the Frolov-Handzus-Simmonds line in 2009-10. Epic third line.

You don't know that Schenn would have been our center by the time the playoffs came around. Trading him while his value was so high was the right move, I just would have liked to have gotten a better player than MR.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

If Lombardi had not obtained Richards, then Stoll would have been the defacto #2 center behind Kopitar. And we don't know how things would have played out or if they even would have been able to make the trade for Carter without Richards here.

I love Simmonds and miss him, but if you were to tell me trading him would result in two Cups, then I take those two Cups. I'd also love to see Simmonds back in the future but I'm not sure if that'll be happening due to cap reasons. He's going to get a big payday when his contract is up in 2019.

 

[johnjm22]

If Lombardi had not obtained Richards, then Stoll would have been the defacto #2 center behind Kopitar. And we don't know how things would have played out or if they even would have been able to make the trade for Carter without Richards here.

I love Simmonds and miss him, but if you were to tell me trading him would result in two Cups, then I take those two Cups. I'd also love to see Simmonds back in the future but I'm not sure if that'll be happening due to cap reasons. He's going to get a big payday when his contract is up.

As would I, but you can't make the assumption that trading him is the reason we got two cups. The Kings were likely going to miss the playoffs after the trade. The team was worse, not better. It took other major changes to get the team over the hump.

 

[Johnny Utah]

As would I, but you can't make the assumption that trading him is the reason we got two cups. The Kings were likely going to miss the playoffs after the trade. The team was worse, not better. It took other major changes to get the team over the hump.

Richards' was on the 4th line during the second cup, so that essentially could have been Brayden Schenn in that spot between Lewis and Clifford.

It was the firing of Murray and hiring of Sutter, the call ups of Nolan/King and the trade for Carter that put the Kings over the top in 2011-2012 and changed the game.

Would the MR deal from the previous summer changed that? Idk.

 

[theMajor]

at least we can have fun entertaining hypotheticals regarding "do we still win the cup with X" or "do we still win the cup without Y" as opposed to "we didnt win the cup, but who could Lombardi have traded for to make us favorites?" 2 cups in 3 seasons is a treat that the vast majority of clubs have never and wont ever get to experience