Kings Article: LeBrun: Kings Plagued by Fatigue (Cup Hangover)

[Raccoon Jesus]

If you look from other perspective, at least it is "right" year in case of missing PO because of strong draft.

Can you imagine HF board if Kings miss PO and then won draft lottery?

I thought about this

League would collapse if the Kings landed McDavid.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Stoll's replacement, lol.

 

[bmr]

The Kings are definitely rattled. They've pulled miracles out of their buts these last few years but the well is beginning to dry out. Doubt is creeping into their heads wondering if they have any of that magic left, or better yet, have enough of the will and energy to dig much deeper than they ever have to reach that magic at the bottom of the well.

This the year they may have to get help from someone else outside of the room, and it is still doable without breaking up the team. Getting some of the kids up helps them maintain the team. Nobody is gone. The team is still intact. But, they get the added in season rest for energy to harvest that bottom of the well magic later in the year to surge into the playoffs, with full team still intact. The kids will be like regular season surrogates. Taking up some of the monotony and grind while certain Kings recharge here and there from this point on.

I disagree with this. I don't think there is any self-doubt on this team whatsoever. That should be the furthest thing from your mind. If this was true, they would have folded in the San Jose series.

I think it's going to come down to the same story as in past years. They are going to have some .500 months and then pull it together in the end when they need to. There have been so many players underachieving this year - I think they will eventually get going. I mean just the fact that Kopi and Carter have been slumping is a huge reason this team hasn't been putting points on the board.

 

[kingsfansince1967]

This team will only start going up the mountain hill when they will be 10 points out of the playoff picture. Anywhere between mid and end of January 2015.

We have to be patient.

 

[MynameisKing]

I disagree with this. I don't think there is any self-doubt on this team whatsoever. That should be the furthest thing from your mind. If this was true, they would have folded in the San Jose series.

I think it's going to come down to the same story as in past years. They are going to have some .500 months and then pull it together in the end when they need to. There have been so many players underachieving this year - I think they will eventually get going. I mean just the fact that Kopi and Carter have been slumping is a huge reason this team hasn't been putting points on the board.

I was talking in respect to last night. I saw them rattled. I'm going into why they are struggling. I believe it's fatigue. They can put "mind over matter" in a few games here and there, but you're gonna find it hard to see a certain consistency of solid games.

They may play well. Dominate a majority of games, but due to fatigue you will see mistakes during crucial and key parts of any single game which lead to losses. A turnover. Missed assignment. Late reaction. Lost faceoff. All because of fatigue. So, what is the remedy for fatigue? Rest? They don't have that privilege in the middle of the season.

Now, the only thing we have going is that the Kings have gotten it together when they need to. But my concern is that NEED is going to be longer, harder, heavier, and more difficult than the past few years. They haven't shown any shred of evidence that they can pull it together at anytime this year. The early wins they were playing like crap also, so that doesn't even count.

Edit: As I speak, Andy Andreoff is having a huge game. 3 goals 2 assists and the game is not even over yet.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Yeah! The Blackhawks would never have a bad season after going deep in the playoffs! Wait..



What seed were the Hawks after winning the 2010 Cup? 8th. For the love of Christ if you guys think fatigue is an excuse you're out of your damn minds. The fact we've made it to the Conference Finals 3 years in a row in itself is ridiculous and a huge abnormality.

I have no doubts that these guys are worn down and have trouble gearing up for a regular season game after being in 11 playoff series in 3 seasons.. They'll put it together, but let down seasons DO happen with winning teams because of fatigue guys. It's not an excuse, it's real.

 

[damacles1156]

This team will only start going up the mountain hill when they will be 10 points out of the playoff picture. Anywhere between mid and end of January 2015.

We have to be patient.

Teams rarely if ever overcome being ten points out of a playoff spot by January.

If that happens the Kings may indeed have a shot at McDavid.

 

[MsMeow]

I totally think their problem right now is between the ears. I hope they can figure it out but you have to figure this Voynov situation has caused problems, both mentally, emotionally and physically. They had to play short handed on defence for a few games because he wasn't available, then Kopi and a few others got injured and they had less players. Add into that the cup hangover and I think this has snowballed. I'm not going to jump all over them.

 

[MynameisKing]

To those who say fatigue happens, well of course it does. So what are we gonna do about it? Remember, this is not a 6 or 12 team league anymore. This is not an east coast team that plays everybody within an hour radius. This is not a high skilled team that has the puck 90% of the time that doesn't need to dump and chase. We are a team that plays playoff hockey. The most physical team within the last few years. Many many grind out 1 goal games. This is even before the actual playoffs! It's not an excuse. It is a reality.

 

[KingClipper]

The Blackhawks have played 2 fewer games than the Kings over the past 2 seasons, 16 fewer games over the past three seasons.

I'd love to know when they're going to hit the wall the Kings have.

After the 2010 Cup, they lost in the first round in back-to-back seasons.

 

[KingClipper]

If you look from other perspective, at least it is "right" year in case of missing PO because of strong draft.

Can you imagine HF board if Kings miss PO and then won draft lottery?

Hey, if we miss the playoffs, the league better ****ing give us McDavid after how they mishandled the Voynov situation and left us in the lurch.

 

[King'sPawn]

After the 2010 Cup, they lost in the first round in back-to-back seasons.

Plus the claim that the Blackhawks star players don't go through scoring slumps is blatantly false. Last year, Toews went in a 1 goal in 14 game slump. Kane had just 1 goal in 11 games this year, and 1 goal in 13 games last year.

You don't have to be an apologist not to worry about the lack of production, but you don't have to be a fatalist, either. This "no excuses" group is pretty amusing, especially since they don't know everything that's going on (I don't know, either, but I'm not above realizing there may be factors I haven't taken into consideration).

 

[triplcrown]

IMO, we should bring up a series of the best guys we have from Manchester and give them a look, resting vets in the process.

They will bring energy, ambition and freshness to the team.

It seems like other teams do this more than the Kings do.

Let's take a look at Shore, Weal and maybe even O'Neill.

I'm not saying all at once---Just 1 guy at a time, while resting a selected veteran (who has been off their game a bit) for a game or 2.

Could end up being a real shot in the arm.

These prospects know the Kings' system well, are good enough not to hurt us, and may end up making surprising contributions.

We may even find some of our talent is underrated, and better than we thought.

We might, just might, even find a "keeper".
Who knows?

 

[Thrice]

After the 2010 Cup, they lost in the first round in back-to-back seasons.

The 09/10 Cup team was gutted a month after winning the Cup due to salary cap reasons.

Roster depth was a huge concern in 10/11 and they still went 44-29-9. 11/12 Toews missed 25 games due to injury and they improved their regular season record to 45-26-11

Then they won the Cup again in 2013 followed by a trip back to the Conference Final in 2014.

Not exactly what I'd consider a hangover.

 

[likid]

The 09/10 Cup team was gutted a month after winning the Cup due to salary cap reasons.

Roster depth was a huge concern in 10/11 and they still went 44-29-9. 11/12 Toews missed 25 games due to injury and they improved their regular season record to 45-26-11

Then they won the Cup again in 2013 followed by a trip back to the Conference Final in 2014.

Not exactly what I'd consider a hangover.

And how much different is Kings path right now? Although they are in the biggest hole since winter 2012, they are still on PO spot at the moment...

I would say, other teams can only be afraid of Kings this season, if most important Kings players just rise their play to their normal level (I'm not talking about great level)...

 

[likid]

I thought about this

League would collapse if the Kings landed McDavid.

Yes, McDavid + again fully motivated Kings team, that will want to show that this season was just a fluke...

 

[DonKingKong]

I think that while it is frustrating to watch us playing so poorly that it doesn't bother me too much at all. This team has done more than enough to earn my loyalty and make me bite my tongue when things go bad. We have won two cups and been to the western conference finals over the past 3 years. If the calendar turns to late Feb and we are still hopping along then I will get truly worried about this season but that is about it. Not saying write the year off or that being pissed is wrong. Just saying I for one am not worried enough to get too frustrated yet.

 

[bmr]

It's pretty obvious to me why we're sucking: Kopitar and Carter are slumping and Brown and Richards still look bad. Brown's contract scares me more than Richards.

I think this team is going to need an infusion from Manchester pretty soon, or a trade to shake things up. Let's see what happens over the next few games. If we lose to St. Louis tonight, watch out...

 

[kingsfan28]

It's pretty obvious to me why we're sucking: Kopitar and Carter are slumping and Brown and Richards still look bad. Brown's contract scares me more than Richards.

I think this team is going to need an infusion from Manchester pretty soon, or a trade to shake things up. Let's see what happens over the next few games. If we lose to St. Louis tonight, watch out...

These two need to be split us, there just isn't any chemistry. Carter is a natural center and has played his best this season with Pearson on his wing. Right now it seems Sutter is more concerned with keeping the bottom 6 together than getting the guys needed to carry this team going.

 

[Maynard]

Crazy ralk!

 

[damacles1156]

Fatigue is an excuse.

The Kings ran the Blues out of the building tonight basically.

They just need to play better.

 

[DonKingKong]

yey.

I love winning but this was good enough to get us a couple of points that will get us to the playoffs when the real hockey starts..

 

[Choralone]

I remember Andy Murray saying he never questioned his players' hearts, so I'm not about to either. Since the Kings players are made of flesh and blood like other humans, and there has hardly been any roster turnover in the last 3 years, fatigue is certainly a very viable factor. Thinking that Kings' players hearing what these analysts said in a few quotes is going to somehow poison their attitudes is ludicrous.