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By few meters at start, it also translates to not being able to keep up with a cycle down low in corners. He's not quick changing directions or in lateral movements. Get's beat out of the corner, especially with a quick forward. Also, can be slow to get back to the puck in the corner. Will go into protect the puck mode almost immediately with guy on him. Can't shake guy and make good first pass on breakout. Will resort to throwing the puck away, usually up the boards, many times into a crowd. This will cause the turnover, and the cycle begins down low on him. I did think his best showing comes when he plays with Greene though. Greene is able to disrupt the cycle. McBain could not disrupt the cycle when playing with McNabb. Other parts of McNabbs game are solid. Good on the offensive blue line, can shoot, but needs time, etc. Can lay out a big hit, but can also get burn't really bad sometimes. It's like no in between. Likes to pinch, but underestimates the speed of forwards chipping puck out. He plays better when he doesn't try to do too much offensively.
Ziggy Stardust
Master Debater
He was falling down, a lot, and was all over the ice before he was paired with Greene. Seems like putting him with a veteran has helped quite a bit, as opposed to playing with McBain where the two looked like a hot mess paired together.
Agreed. McNabb has found a home with fine vet Matt Greene. Awesome. Very happy Sutter has made this work.
cyclones22
Registered User
Glad to hear he's doing well.
I love Des and Fasching so hopefully the trade works out for both teams!
I love Des and Fasching so hopefully the trade works out for both teams!
damacles1156
Registered User
- Feb 5, 2010
- 21,668
- 1,318
Two solid games in a row, keep it up dude. Pairing him with Greene seems to have helped him be stable.
triplcrown
Registered User
McNabb seems to me to be doing what you would want him to do----getting more solid as more games are played----seldom very bad, and
occasionally outstanding (like last nite against Florida).
His mobility is probably less than any other King D-Man other than Greene, but he is learning to play more patiently over time, IMO.
IMO, he is adapting at a faster pace than Muzzin did when he was first learning the Kings' system. By the end of the season, McNabb could be as fully integrated as 5/6th D-man as Martinez was in 2012.
His hitting is under-control and seldom over-the-line, his shotblocking looks good, positional play, presence-of-mind and discipline improving rapidly.
The Voynov absence has given him more icetime, and he has responded very positively in his play.
Starting to show a bit of offense now. That part may take a season or 2 to fully engage. But we saw a flash of what may become much more commonplace in a couple years----
His pass to Greene, after taking a nice cross-ice feed from Kopi was deadeye, on-the-money.
After the game McNabb said he was still putting his emphasis on taking care of his own zone first, and projected a calm, realistic view of his own priorities on the ice.
I know there are flaws, as others have mentioned.
But Muzzin was a target for the same criticisms 1-2 years ago.
IMO, Thumbs-up so far.
occasionally outstanding (like last nite against Florida).
His mobility is probably less than any other King D-Man other than Greene, but he is learning to play more patiently over time, IMO.
IMO, he is adapting at a faster pace than Muzzin did when he was first learning the Kings' system. By the end of the season, McNabb could be as fully integrated as 5/6th D-man as Martinez was in 2012.
His hitting is under-control and seldom over-the-line, his shotblocking looks good, positional play, presence-of-mind and discipline improving rapidly.
The Voynov absence has given him more icetime, and he has responded very positively in his play.
Starting to show a bit of offense now. That part may take a season or 2 to fully engage. But we saw a flash of what may become much more commonplace in a couple years----
His pass to Greene, after taking a nice cross-ice feed from Kopi was deadeye, on-the-money.
After the game McNabb said he was still putting his emphasis on taking care of his own zone first, and projected a calm, realistic view of his own priorities on the ice.
I know there are flaws, as others have mentioned.
But Muzzin was a target for the same criticisms 1-2 years ago.
IMO, Thumbs-up so far.
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Glad to hear he's doing well.
I love Des and Fasching so hopefully the trade works out for both teams!
Are you Fascinated by Hunter?
damacles1156
Registered User
- Feb 5, 2010
- 21,668
- 1,318
People really need to stop comparing Muzzin to McNabb. Muzzin's first 25 games in his first full year
25gp 6G 6A 12P +13....
Muzzin was in the calder running in that 48 game season. His play only fell off the last 10 games of the season, and into the playoff's.
Muzzin for more than half that season, was one of the Kings best Defenders....
McNabb has been great the past week or so. Was blown away that I heard he got something like 22 minutes vs. Anaheim, I believe.
He got the third star in the Florida game with 2 assists and a couple of nice timely hits.
He got the third star in the Florida game with 2 assists and a couple of nice timely hits.
cyclones22
Registered User
Muzzin was great offensively his true rookie year. He was not good defensively at all. He was nervous with the puck in his own zone and used to pass it right to the other team in scoring areas quite often forcing our goaltenders to make big saves. The comparison I think is McNabb's work in his own zone. This early in his time with LA he's made less egregious mistakes at this point. Better decisions with the puck in the defensive end. It's too early to write off his offense as he's put up points in every league he's played in. The point is that most Kings prospects don't look like world beaters on their first cup of coffee with the Kings. McNabb doesn't have the benefit of going back to Manchester anymore. 2013 wasn't Muzzin's first call-up either.
Ollie Weeks
the sea does not dream of you
- Feb 28, 2008
- 13,324
- 2,647
dam you really need to let that go, its not about them being on the same level, never was. We're comparing hf's reactions to Muzzin and McNabb. Its a reference to jumping the gun on throwing a young guy under the bus as he's learning his role. You of all people should get that, you take that stance all the time.
damacles1156
Registered User
- Feb 5, 2010
- 21,668
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I am fine with comparisons/reactions if they make sense.
This one does not, McNabb looked like he didn't belong on NHL ice for the majority of his games(except the last two).
No one doubted Muzzin could play NHL hockey, if they did, they were(hockey) stupid.
Ollie Weeks
the sea does not dream of you
- Feb 28, 2008
- 13,324
- 2,647
Agree to disagree on the first part, I thought McNabb was all peaks and valleys until recently, particularly when the depth was at its thinnest. I took that suck with a grain of salt.
scramble91
Registered User
- Jul 6, 2010
- 1,246
- 12
Actually if I remember correctly muzzins first cup of coffee with the kings was a hot mess. 11 games 1 point and minus 2. The stats don't show the glaring mistakes he was making. Part of that was confidence. Even Martinez looked like crap when he started playing in the big league.
So I fully expected mcnabb to have a similar experience as the other two. His learning curve isn't too different than the other two. Mcnabb just happens to have a higher draft pedigree which might bring higher expectations. But I think the kings system is tricky for younger inexperienced dmen.
Just my opinion tho
cyclones22
Registered User
Yeah, I'm with you here. Looks like he doesn't belong in the NHL in most games is a bit of an exaggeration. Expectations might be a tad high if that's the conclusion one comes up with. Maybe it's the eyeball test he's failing? Must be because there is almost no statistical analysis to back that conclusion. Is he playing sheltered minutes? Sure, but his on ice GA is 1.14. He's been a minus player in 3 of his 19 games. Top 3 ranked in just about every advanced stat among our defenders. Does that make him a world beater? No. Better than Muzzin? No. An NHL caliber defenseman? Absolutely.
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
- Apr 6, 2006
- 32,584
- 11,778
What?????
You are going waaaaaaay off script here. Muffin!!! Muffin!!! MUFFIN!!!! Didn't you see all those muffins on your screen.
damacles1156
Registered User
- Feb 5, 2010
- 21,668
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All I did was post some stats, and say it's not a comparison(correct one).
You just posted a bunch of nonsense. You are usually a pretty good poster around here.
BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
Get off your high horse. I've gone at Kings17 hard in the past when his favorite player on the Kings was Cap Space, but that comment is ridiculous.
People hated Muzzin. People hated McNabb. Now they like the last three games for McNabb and it's like "Oh...maybe he will be like Muzzin who was a disaster waiting to happen his first year."
How was Muzzin the rest of 2013? He went on a scoring hot streak for one month, probably highlighted by a game against the Blues that led an HF Blues poster to say "We lost to something called a Muzzin".
Basically, Muzzin was a whipping boy for many. Now McNabb is that whipping boy. Now McNabb is playing better like how Muzzin got better.
Muzzin was the last rookie defenseman the Kings broke in. Now, while not technically a rookie, its McNabb for all intents and purposes.
It's not a crazy comparison no matter what the hell Muzzin put up stat-wise after 20 games.
damacles1156
Registered User
- Feb 5, 2010
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I didn't call it crazy, I called the comparison not correct. The comparison isn't correct.
Please provide stats or facts that the comparison is a correct one.
Not more nonsense.
BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
Get off your stat nonsense.
Muzzin was a young rookie breaking in to the league on a defending champ. He had major growing pains.
McNabb is basically in the same boat.
Nobody is saying they are the same player or that McNabb is better. They both got crapped all over on this board early on in their careers. Now McNabb is playing better so some are like "Oh, he's like Muzzin who I hated but now I like".
Muzzin was scoring and it was like "Really?" He was still frightening in his own zone no matter what the stats from his first month said, and I love the guy's game.
It's easy to see why people are comparing the two. You need to realize it isn't a comparison of stats or playing styles but more the other similar elements, including the temperature on this board to each respective player.
I don't think it is fair to compare Muzzin's first cup of coffee with what is now McNabb's third cup in the NHL.
Muzzin was crap when he first came up. I couldn't fathom what the team saw in him, because he displayed none of the traits I had heard about. Since then he's really grown and turned into a solid D man.
I'm far more impressed with McNabb than I was with Muzzin, and I think he has a chance to be a more complete player. Yes, he's played in the NHL before, but he obviously wouldn't have been up in the Kings system. Keep in mind that McNabb is two years younger. This isn't discounting Muzzins play, he's been really good overall. I think that McNabb has a higher ceiling, and it's great that we may end up with two solid guys that are around DD's age. Three if Voynov works out. That's a heck of a core that could be together for a good while.
I'm far more impressed with McNabb than I was with Muzzin, and I think he has a chance to be a more complete player. Yes, he's played in the NHL before, but he obviously wouldn't have been up in the Kings system. Keep in mind that McNabb is two years younger. This isn't discounting Muzzins play, he's been really good overall. I think that McNabb has a higher ceiling, and it's great that we may end up with two solid guys that are around DD's age. Three if Voynov works out. That's a heck of a core that could be together for a good while.
