Is our bottom 6 going to be good enough?

[Jason Lewis]

No it isn't. He's got the centers mixed up.

Also, I stopped reading at this:



If you have Shore at the center position on that fourth line (Clifford/Shore/Nolan), then you really have something dynamic, something we haven't had in years. Was Jason asleep down the stretch last season? Did he bother to watch that fourth line? I did, and I was pleased with what I was seeing.

I can't wait for the season to start. In my opinion, we have a really good lineup at lines 1, 2, and 4. The only question mark is that third line of King/Lewis/Brown. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out, in regard to Weal breaking through the top 12.

That lineup projection is straight from Rosen.

http://lakingsinsider.com/2015/07/22/expected-training-camp-battles-roster-template/

I'll take his word for it.

I agree with you in theory that swapping Lewis/Shore would make more sense in a here and now perspective, however at this point I don't see Sutter moving forward with elevating Lewis over Shore considering they see Shore as the long term replacement for Stoll as a 3C. He was very good at the end of last year and I do not doubt they push him up further this year for A) more minutes B) More opportunity C) More responsibility. Also, the tandem of Lewis/Clifford has actually been pretty solid throughout both of their careers. I see them keeping them together. Nolan/Weal will be the position battle I'd keep an eye on.

I wasn't asleep. That fourth line is what it is. It is a good fourth line but it is still a FOURTH line. Spot on though otherwise, the Kings depth will more than likely be fine. Even if the third line is unfamiliar.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

I still like Lewis better at wing.

Andrehoff should be at center (in a perfect world on all four lines)

 

[Johnny Utah]

The bottom 6 last year was...(Lewis had moved up to 1st line LW)

Williams-Stoll-Brown
Clifford-Shore-Nolan

So, I would imagine....is going to be a lot better.

King-Shore-Brown
Clifford-Lewis-Weal/Nolan

 

[Captain Mittens*]

The bottom 6 last year was...(Lewis had moved up to 1st line LW)

Williams-Stoll-Brown
Clifford-Shore-Nolan

So, I would imagine....is going to be a lot better.

King-Shore-Brown
Clifford-Lewis-Weal/Nolan

I am surprised that you, of all people, left off The Hoff

We need to put Andy's head on this

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

First of all, no one's fourth line is that good. Even the Isles' widely accepted 'best' fourth line (at least top 3, that's beyond debate) contributed minimally, they just knew their role--go out, bang, keep the puck, if you chip in that's great. That's what our fourth line looked like down the stretch with Shore. It's our THIRD line I'm worried about. I'm not sold on Lewis at center either, especially given that it's gonna likely be King-Lewis-Brown, they need some more offensive creativity there, that's why I've always wanted to try Weal there. I'm also not as high on Shore as some but he'd be better there than Lewis imo. If anything, make Lewis 4C and Shore 3C, but I'd love to see Weal come in and blow the doors off there, because I think he could excel with two veteran players chatting him up every shift in Brown and King. Obviously one of the three is the odd man out. I guess I'm just saying 4th line is more than fine, 3rd line is the concern.

 

[Reclamation Project]

The grass is always greener.

 

[Johnny Utah]

As long as Stoll and MR are gone and Sutter actually plays Shore and Weal, we should be fine.

 

[gnarls barkley]

First of all, no one's fourth line is that good. Even the Isles' widely accepted 'best' fourth line (at least top 3, that's beyond debate) contributed minimally, they just knew their role--go out, bang, keep the puck, if you chip in that's great. That's what our fourth line looked like down the stretch with Shore. It's our THIRD line I'm worried about. I'm not sold on Lewis at center either, especially given that it's gonna likely be King-Lewis-Brown, they need some more offensive creativity there, that's why I've always wanted to try Weal there. I'm also not as high on Shore as some but he'd be better there than Lewis imo. If anything, make Lewis 4C and Shore 3C, but I'd love to see Weal come in and blow the doors off there, because I think he could excel with two veteran players chatting him up every shift in Brown and King. Obviously one of the three is the odd man out. I guess I'm just saying 4th line is more than fine, 3rd line is the concern.

i agree mostly, i just really don't like seeing clifford/lewis/nolan because while they're all great energy guys, there's practically zero offensive potential there.

at least with Shore centering Clifford and Nolan it felt like there was some semblance of an scoring threat, I just don't see any line with Lewis centering it as being offensively capable...that's why I would really rather see him on wing, but we have a big RW log jam and not as much for C, so it is what it is.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

i agree mostly, i just really don't like seeing clifford/lewis/nolan because while they're all great energy guys, there's practically zero offensive potential there.

at least with Shore centering Clifford and Nolan it felt like there was some semblance of an scoring threat, I just don't see any line with Lewis centering it as being offensively capable...that's why I would really rather see him on wing, but we have a big RW log jam and not as much for C, so it is what it is.

I 100% agree. I just view it as 4th line scoring is a luxury that you can't (and really shouldn't) count on, so if they're doing a great job possessing the puck and throwing bodies around (which they started doing once Stoll/Richards were not in that spot), that's all you can ask for. Just restating what I said above--NO ONE'S fourth line is doing scoring, and if they are, it's because they're playing unsafe defensively/possession-wise too. And I'm with you about Lewis on wing and Shore at C.

 

[The Tikkanen]

As long as Stoll and MR are gone and Sutter actually plays Shore and Weal, we should be fine.

Agree 100%, if you look at the ice time Richards and Stoll got it's staggering. These 2 guys played a lot of minutes each night and produced almost nothing. Remove those 2 human anchors and add a fresh, playing less minutes Brown to the 3rd line and I think Sutter has what he needs to start up his line blender each game. Is the open spot at 3C ideal? No, but as a long time Kings fan I remember times when 3rd line players like Trent Klatt and Derek Armstrong were playing 1st line minutes. The 3rd line is going to be tough to play against and can still generate some offense and the 4th line has some speed and some grit and again they aren't gonna give up soft goals or be easy to play against.

 

[Ron*]

I still like Lewis better at wing.

Andrehoff should be at center (in a perfect world on all four lines)

I wish Sutter would do it. Andreoff surely has the stamina to go 65:00 or even more, if needed.

 

[Wawota]

Weal

A third line centered by Weal with Brownie and Dwight King on the wings would be one tough third line. Weal's speed and creativity would be complemented by Brown. King has good hands as well as size to deal with rebounds and garbage. Let Weal skate with Brown and King. I think that Brown will have a major bounce back year. Brown has enough speed to stay with Weal.

Weal's defense and faceoffs are the unknown factors.

Clifford Shore and Lewis/Nolan would be an outstanding fourth line. I like Lewie, but better on wing than at center.

 

[triplcrown]

I believe our top-six will be far better in 2016-17 than this coming year. Dowd will (if he has 1 more good growth year in Ontario) be 1 of our bottom-6 centers (adding speed and a bit more offense), along with Shore, while Michael Mersch replaces Clifford and brings more offense to the table,
along with the needed size and checking ability.

In addition, if Kempe turns out to be a prodigy, and makes the team's top-6 in 2016-17, he will bump somebody else down to the bottom-6, probably Pearson, giving us more offense
and speed on our bottom-6, to back-up a more well-rounded top-6.

Starting in 2016-17, The Kings are going to have some rockin' depth.

IMO, another Cup run is more possible in 2016-17 than this coming season.

 

[bob77]

If you had to rate these four at center:

1. Shore
2. Weal
3. Lewis
4. Andreoff

If you had to rate these 4 at wing:

1. Lewis
2. Andreoff
3. Shore
4. Weal

 

[Basilisk]

I believe our top-six will be far better in 2016-17 than this coming year. Dowd will (if he has 1 more good growth year in Ontario) be 1 of our bottom-6 centers (adding speed and a bit more offense), along with Shore, while Michael Mersch replaces Clifford and brings more offense to the table,
along with the needed size and checking ability.

In addition, if Kempe turns out to be a prodigy, and makes the team's top-6 in 2016-17, he will bump somebody else down to the bottom-6, probably Pearson, giving us more offense
and speed on our bottom-6, to back-up a more well-rounded top-6.

Starting in 2016-17, The Kings are going to have some rockin' depth.

IMO, another Cup run is more possible in 2016-17 than this coming season.

I'm actually predicting Cups for the Kings in the next 3 years straight.



....followed by World War III: Earth vs. The Extraterrestrials .......

 

[417th]

I'm actually predicting Cups for the Kings in the next 3 years straight.



....followed by World War III: Earth vs. The Extraterrestrials .......

So am I and I think we look as good or better than we did going in to 14 this season. If it doesn't happen this year which I think it will then I think it will happen the next one. Not being a homer but when I stack us up and add in our experience and ability to win when it matters most I like our chances to win it again this year.

 

[Basilisk]

So am I and I think we look as good or better than we did going in to 14 this season. If it doesn't happen this year which I think it will then I think it will happen the next one. Not being a homer but when I stack us up and add in our experience and ability to win when it matters most I like our chances to win it again this year.

It's not just that. The largest current impediment to the Kings winning Cups is the Blackhawks. The 'Hawks just had to get rid of Saad & Sharp. And they didn't re-sign Oduya. After their 2010 Cup, they had to ditch 6-7 guys and were VERY lucky that 3-4 key players joined their team to enable Cups in 2013 & 2015. But those guys are gone now. IMHO, the 'Hawks will have no more luck coming their way.....

 

[cali101]

If you had to rate these four at center:

1. Shore
2. Weal
3. Lewis
4. Andreoff

If you had to rate these 4 at wing:

1. Lewis
2. Andreoff
3. Shore
4. Weal

any reasoning for the ratings? stats maybe? face-off percentages etc? just curious.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

If you had to rate these four at center:

1. Shore
2. Weal
3. Lewis
4. Andreoff

If you had to rate these 4 at wing:

1. Lewis
2. Andreoff
3. Shore
4. Weal

Just so you know...Weal had played wing his whole life and his first 2 years in junior and then moved to center ever since then. So I'd rate them as at center....

1. Shore
2. Weal
3. Andreoff
4. Lewis

At wing...

1. Lewis
2. Weal
3. Andreoff
4. Shore

 

[kilowatt]

Depends on Shore and Weal. Brown, King, Lewis, and Clifford are all great bottom-six players, and Nolan can fill in any of those roles for a couple games if necessary. I think Shore is going to be a great fourth-line center with upside for right now, although that remains to be seen. He showed offensive upside that I don't think I've ever seen from the fourth-line center. His competition hasn't been very stiff though – Mike Richards, Colin Fraser, Brad Richardson, Jeff Halpern for a minute, and Derek Armstrong...