TSN: Brown will no longer be Captain

[Trolfoli]

Trading for Lucic knowing it would mean no 1st round picks for two consecutive years--along with the possibility of only having one year of Lucic--was the "all-in" move.

Everything during the season was just DL trying to address areas of weakness.

That was the beginning of the year. The end of the year when he was looking at getting a top 4D, which was probably going to cost Kempe Lombardi move to a focus on the future position.

Lombardi's talked about his shifting position recently. It should still be on LaKingsInsider. Specifically trying to patch everything, then coming to a place where he realizes he has to "re-invent" what the game plan.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Brown is going to have such an odd year next season. Already stripped of the C. If he's not bought out now, he's going to cost the Kings either Lucic or an additional proven player. If he or the team struggles, every eye will be on him. More so than currently. If he puts up another 10 goal/25 point season, it's going to be a very weird ending for the guy who got the Cup first. Maybe he gets taken in the expansion draft. Maybe he gets bought out. Maybe he ends up stuck on the team until his contract is done, because how much dead cap space can you have between Brown and Richards?

Brown, Richards, Voynov. Those 3, for various reasons, are why Lombardi has to now scramble for a scoring winger, another center, and a top 4 defenseman. Brown not scoring in 13-14 is why Gaborik was needed, and then needed to be signed to another long contract. Couldn't trust Brown anymore. If Richards could still score, you could move Carter to wing, and Gaborik wouldn't have been as needed, and his long contract wouldn't have to be there. If Voynov doesn't get deported, no need to get Sekera and trade the 2016 pick. Because the 2016 pick was traded, and because the Kings missed the playoffs in 2015, you can't let that 2016 pick be a lottery pick, which in part is why Lucic was acquired. Now you have to try to fit him in with Brown and Gaborik still here, and with Toffoli and Pearson needing new deals.

A tangled web.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! You're making too sense to describe the realities.

You also forgot to mention Stoll being caught with the white magic powder in Vegas, but his scoring woes became a black hole regardless. And hit the net on a one-timer...? Forget about it!

Hindsight is 20/20. After 2 cups DL was too generous with long term contracts, but the dude didn't create all those weird ass situations with our core (and future) players.

 

[Herby]

The Kings management was under this weird idea that just because they won, that basically anyone within reason should be retained, no matter how little sense it made.

2012 they should have moved on from Stoll and Penner, or at the very least not given Stoll 3/10 coming off the season he had. If he wasn't going to agree to a 1 year deal, well thanks and goodluck.

2014 was even worse, buying out Richards should have been the biggest no-brainer since drafting Doughty in 2008. They also should not have brought back Greene for all those years. If anything to prevent complacency from setting in (what the Patriots always do).

I'm happy to see DL has changed his tune a bit on this, but sadly a lot of damage has already been done.

 

[Herby]

It also kind of makes you wonder if DL has or was questioning Brown's leadership in some way, even going back to the cup winning years.

Stoll was retained when he was clearly on the decline.
Richards was retained when he was clearly on the decline or at rock bottom.
Greene was brought back when he was on the decline.

I remember saying after 2012 and especially after 2014 that it was time to fully turn it over to the Brown/Kopitar/Doughty group for leadership, I'm wondering if DL was worried about doing that for some reason.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I started questioning Brown as a leader when I read about that immature ******** move he pulled by blocking the locker room door with a trash can. Who the **** does that?

What happened to leading by example on the ice like he did in 2012? This is where I wish Brown was more like Doan. Say what you will, but at least Doan has remained productive in his elder years. Take a page from someone like Iginla, another veteran leader who plays his heart out.

I hope this decision to strip him of the captaincy makes Brown a better player by alleviating pressure off his back that he may have placed on himself, but let's be honest, that is very wishful thinking and unlikely to happen.

Brown is likely sticking around to fill the void that will be left by Trevor Lewis as the resident third line grinder who has zero ability to finish.

 

[The Tikkanen]

I started questioning Brown as a leader when I read about that immature ******** move he pulled by blocking the locker room door with a trash can. Who the **** does that?

What happened to leading by example on the ice like he did in 2012? This is where I wish Brown was more like Doan. Say what you will, but at least Doan has remained productive in his elder years. Take a page from someone like Iginla, another veteran leader who plays his heart out.

I hope this decision to strip him of the captaincy makes Brown a better player by alleviating pressure off his back that he may have placed on himself, but let's be honest, that is very wishful thinking and unlikely to happen.

Brown is likely sticking around to fill the void that will be left by Trevor Lewis as the resident third line grinder who has zero ability to finish.

The Craig Johnson role.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The Craig Johnson role.

I used to think Mike Donnelly and Glen Murray had hands of stone given the number of scoring chances they would blow, but Craig Johnson and Trevor Lewis raised that bar. Dustin Brown fits that role perfectly.

 

[Trolfoli]

Wonder how much of Brown's decline is due to the evolution of Kopitar's game. Brown plays a grinding game. High number of shots and crash the net, create chaos. Kopitar has been working more of a skill game the last few seasons after being paired with players like Gaborik + Toffoli. There's a difference when you're line mates are getting open for a pass in order to shoot the puck and when your line mates are heading to the net expecting you to shoot. Brown is now out of place with Kopitar and Carter at center.

Stoll was a good match for Brown, but between his game falling off and pool parties he's no longer here. Shore is actually a good match for Brown, but unfortunately in this case 2 negatives don't make a positive. There's just no scoring. They look good, generate a ton of chances, it just doesn't happen.

Does it make sense to bring in a center for Brown or is that just wasting more money chasing bad money?

 

[SettlementRichie10]

The Kings management was under this weird idea that just because they won, that basically anyone within reason should be retained, no matter how little sense it made.

2012 they should have moved on from Stoll and Penner, or at the very least not given Stoll 3/10 coming off the season he had. If he wasn't going to agree to a 1 year deal, well thanks and goodluck.

2014 was even worse, buying out Richards should have been the biggest no-brainer since drafting Doughty in 2008. They also should not have brought back Greene for all those years. If anything to prevent complacency from setting in (what the Patriots always do).

I'm happy to see DL has changed his tune a bit on this, but sadly a lot of damage has already been done.

This is where the Kings and Hawks coinciding mini-dynasties differ dramatically. Chicago was never afraid to send guys packing, even before the champagne dried on a Cup year. As long as your name wasn't Toews, Kane, or Keith, they didn't bend over backwards to keep you.

Lombardi got too caught up in his own personal Icarus tragedy of building the LA Kings into a culture moreso than a perennially contending hockey club, the latter of which is done with numbers and logic, not emotion. This is the result.

 

[YP44]

Wonder how much of Brown's decline is due to the evolution of Kopitar's game. Brown plays a grinding game. High number of shots and crash the net, create chaos. Kopitar has been working more of a skill game the last few seasons after being paired with players like Gaborik + Toffoli. There's a difference when you're line mates are getting open for a pass in order to shoot the puck and when your line mates are heading to the net expecting you to shoot. Brown is now out of place with Kopitar and Carter at center.

Stoll was a good match for Brown, but between his game falling off and pool parties he's no longer here. Shore is actually a good match for Brown, but unfortunately in this case 2 negatives don't make a positive. There's just no scoring. They look good, generate a ton of chances, it just doesn't happen.

Does it make sense to bring in a center for Brown or is that just wasting more money chasing bad money?

it's wasting money, brown is the issue here. He decline is in no way linked to Kopitar's incline. Brown needs to adjust his game.

 

[KingsFan7824]

This is where the Kings and Hawks coinciding mini-dynasties differ dramatically. Chicago was never afraid to send guys packing, even before the champagne dried on a Cup year. As long as your name wasn't Toews, Kane, or Keith, they didn't bend over backwards to keep you.

Lombardi got too caught up in his own personal Icarus tragedy of building the LA Kings into a culture moreso than a perennially contending hockey club, the latter of which is done with numbers and logic, not emotion. This is the result.

I'd say where they differ the most is that the Hawks won a Cup so early. They won in 2010, which was in the last year of both Kane and Toews on ELC's. Plus they went to the conference final in 2009. Kopitar was 3 years into his $6.8m cap hit when the Kings got out of the first round and won. Doughty in the first year of his $7m hit.

The Hawks had 2009 and 2010, didn't get out of the 1st round in both 2011 and 2012, and then still came back and won in 2013 and 2015, with another trip to the 3rd round in 2014. The Kings didn't win before 2012, now we're 2 years beyond 2014, and Kopitar has a $10m contract, Brown has the worst contract in the league, etc, etc, etc. Not really all that close to the same situation as the Hawks in 2011 and 2012.

The what if game can be played all day long. What if Brown isn't signed in 2013? What if Richards and Greene are let go in 2014? What if Gaborik isn't signed in 2014? Who is here instead of any of them? Maybe they're better, maybe not. What if Voynov doesn't get deported? What if they don't get Sekera, and then Lucic? Some of these things are clear in hindsight. Some of them were questioned at the time. Some you couldn't see coming. Voynov might be the biggest issue, since a ready replacement for a young right handed d-man on a good contract isn't out there to get.

Is the Hawks logic and numbers compared to the Kings emotion all that different right now? The Hawks have the same cap issues, and all their proven depth is gone. They're basically a 1 line team, without a full top 4 on defense, but Kane is so damn good that he can make up some of the difference. The Kings don't have anyone as dynamic as Kane. Take out 2009 and 2010, and the Kings and Hawks are basically the same.

 

[Nefarious]

I used to think Mike Donnelly and Glen Murray had hands of stone given the number of scoring chances they would blow, but Craig Johnson and Trevor Lewis raised that bar. Dustin Brown fits that role perfectly.

I would agree on Brown the past couple seasons. But in the 2012 run, Brown was ****ing awesome. Made some nice goals and clutch plays. I know it was an empty netter, but nothing encapsulates the raw emotion of the Blues sweep in '12 when brown netted that empty netter. The scream and look on his face was priceless.

Start the vid @ 2:00.


I know everyone remembers the Sedin hit from that year. But the above goal stands out in my head. That sweep was such sweet revenge. I was screaming all over the house. I'm pretty sure I woke my son up from his nap.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Wonder how much of Brown's decline is due to the evolution of Kopitar's game. Brown plays a grinding game. High number of shots and crash the net, create chaos. Kopitar has been working more of a skill game the last few seasons after being paired with players like Gaborik + Toffoli. There's a difference when you're line mates are getting open for a pass in order to shoot the puck and when your line mates are heading to the net expecting you to shoot. Brown is now out of place with Kopitar and Carter at center.

Stoll was a good match for Brown, but between his game falling off and pool parties he's no longer here. Shore is actually a good match for Brown, but unfortunately in this case 2 negatives don't make a positive. There's just no scoring. They look good, generate a ton of chances, it just doesn't happen.

Does it make sense to bring in a center for Brown or is that just wasting more money chasing bad money?

Brown was with Kopitar and Gaborik for most, if not all, of the 2014 playoffs. He wasn't 2012 playoff Brown(when he also played with Kopitar), but that was the pinnacle of his career, so it's unfair to compare him to that. But he was ok. He was pretty decent against Chicago and NY too.

Brown's decline is on whatever Brown isn't doing anymore. I'm going to guess Lombardi gave Brown almost $6m figuring he would be on Kopitar's line.

 

[The Tikkanen]

It is pretty strange that most of the supposed heart and soul leaders, Brown, Stoll, Richards and Greene turned into the biggest detriments to the Kings success within 2 or 3 seasons of hockey. I guess that whole "good in the locker room" is a load of crap.

 

[lumbergh]

I would agree on Brown the past couple seasons. But in the 2012 run, Brown was ****ing awesome. Made some nice goals and clutch plays. I know it was an empty netter, but nothing encapsulates the raw emotion of the Blues sweep in '12 when brown netted that empty netter. The scream and look on his face was priceless.

Start the vid @ 2:00.


I know everyone remembers the Sedin hit from that year. But the above goal stands out in my head. That sweep was such sweet revenge. I was screaming all over the house. I'm pretty sure I woke my son up from his nap.

This is the goal that I remember from 2012 playoffs. I would argue that the Blues were the toughest opponent the Kings faced that year. This goal was a difference maker.

 

[KingsFan7824]

It is pretty strange that most of the supposed heart and soul leaders, Brown, Stoll, Richards and Greene turned into the biggest detriments to the Kings success within 2 or 3 seasons of hockey. I guess that whole "good in the locker room" is a load of crap.

Wait, what did Greene do?

If Richards is still putting up 40-some points per season and looks like a solid NHL player, do you think anyone cares about whatever happened at the border? Do we even know about it? If Stoll still had a year on his contract and was still productive, do you think anything that happened at that party makes any difference? If the Kings don't have just 1 playoff win in 2 years, or Brown is still putting up 20 goals and 50 points, is the C taken away from a guy that has raised the Cup twice for the franchise?

The biggest detriments have been Brown being worth, at best, half his current cap hit. It's been Lombardi believing in the myth of Mike Richards, along with Richards not even being a 3rd line center anymore, which I doubt Lombardi figured he'd only get 2 good years out of the guy when he traded for him. And, of course, Voynov.

What are the Kings looking for? A scoring winger, another center, and a top 4 defenseman. They had those guys at one point. They lucked out, and got out of the Richards contract relatively unscathed, after Lombardi believed in the myth. Brown, they won't be so lucky. He's going to cost them something somewhere until his contract is done and gone. And, of course, Voynov.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Jon Rosen ‏@lakingsinsider 32s33 seconds ago Los Angeles, CA
Getting the sense, through multiple conversations, that the Kings have told Anze Kopitar that he has been named team captain.

 

[theMajor]

Jon Rosen ‏@lakingsinsider 32s33 seconds ago Los Angeles, CA
Getting the sense, through multiple conversations, that the Kings have told Anze Kopitar that he has been named team captain.

in other news, water is wet!

 

[kings11]

Brown was with Kopitar and Gaborik for most, if not all, of the 2014 playoffs. He wasn't 2012 playoff Brown(when he also played with Kopitar), but that was the pinnacle of his career, so it's unfair to compare him to that. But he was ok. He was pretty decent against Chicago and NY too.

Brown's decline is on whatever Brown isn't doing anymore. I'm going to guess Lombardi gave Brown almost $6m figuring he would be on Kopitar's line.

This is what I've been harping on thats past 2 seasons, since signing that contract Brownie has tried to justify it by changing/evolving his game into that of a more offensive player. Unfortunately, he isn't close to that and doesn't have the skill for it, he was the epitome/identity of those Cup winning KINGS teams with a hard nosed, slobber knocking physical game that could completely change momentum without even scoring a goal. Now he hangs out on the perimeter, and takes low percentage shots while also avoiding those big hits we need....

Brownie needs to keep it simple, hit the snot outta people, attack/park himself at the net and most definitely let others create the offense.....

 

[kingsholygrail]

It's kind of amazing how quickly posters around here turn on players. Brown's decline is definitely an issue but people are talking about him like he's always been a problem and now that he's not captain people are talking like the guy held the locker room hostage and only now have the Kings gotten a reprieve from his madness.

 

[theMajor]

It's kind of amazing how quickly posters around here turn on players. Brown's decline is definitely an issue but people are talking about him like he's always been a problem and now that he's not captain people are talking like the guy held the locker room hostage and only now have the Kings gotten a reprieve from his madness.

its a vocal few, I dont think they represent the majority of Kings fans. his contract stings, yes, but Brown and his identity led the culture shift within the Kings org and helped bring them out of the dark ages and into a crazy successful 4-5 years of hockey. its really sad that people talk about him the way they do but certain Kings fans are incredibly fickle, what can do you? I add em to the ignore list

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Most of us who are critical of Brown have been consistent with our criticisms of his play dating back to 2012 and prior to that. Let's not ignore the fact that his name was on the chopping block back then because of his poor play.

He's always been an inconsistent player, but the past few years it's gotten worse every passing season. His shooting, decision making with the puck, even his hitting game has tailed off.

Some of us choose not to ignore these facts, and I'm not going to bury my head in the sand and pretend that everything is just peachy.

 

[Steve Zissou]

It's kind of amazing how quickly posters around here turn on players. Brown's decline is definitely an issue but people are talking about him like he's always been a problem and now that he's not captain people are talking like the guy held the locker room hostage and only now have the Kings gotten a reprieve from his madness.

Doncha know, all the armchair GMs on the intrawebs come out of the woodwork when they are armed with hindsight!?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

With this morning's Anze news, this thread is now moot.