Lombardi says they will NOT be buying out Richards

[Thrice]

That's provided Toffoli/Pearson come to play next season in shape along with Richards.

This will be a short off-season and kids are not immune to being lazy. They also just won a cup.

Toffoli/Pearson have yet to play a full season, this will also be the dreaded Sophomore season for them. They still both played sheltered minutes in the playoff's, few nights they got over 15 minutes a game.

No one wants to break up that line, but be realistic, this is Sutter we are talking about here. The first night Toffoli/Pearson struggle(they will) they are going back right into bottom six roles.

Richards will be given every opportunity to regain his 2C spot. I don't agree with it, but I am realistic about next season.

Which is exactly what happened in the Stanley Cup Final. Toffoli and Pearson were completely ineffective. So much so, that Sutter was forced to break up the 2nd line and insert Richards in Toffoli's spot. Toffoli was moved down to the 4th line and got his only point of the series assisting on Martinez cup winning goal.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Am I going to have to read a litany of "trade Toffoli and Pearson" posts that resemble the Slava ones this year? Rhetorical question, don't answer.

 

[HYORI 1963]

We might as well trade Toffoli and Pearson before their dreaded sophomore season.

I'd be curious to know just how many nhl players have suffered from the so-called sophomore season. I'm bettin, it's less than 10%. It's utter nonsense, but apparently, some of you guys like nonsense.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Am I going to have to read a litany of "trade Toffoli and Pearson" posts that resemble the Slava ones this year? Rhetorical question, don't answer.

Toffoli can never be traded just based on him being a Hawk killer.

 

[damacles1156]

Which is exactly what happened in the Stanley Cup Final. Toffoli and Pearson were completely ineffective. So much so, that Sutter was forced to break up the 2nd line and insert Richards in Toffoli's spot. Toffoli was moved down to the 4th line and got his only point of the series assisting on Martinez cup winning goal.

At least someone watches the games with eye's open.

 

[damacles1156]

We might as well trade Toffoli and Pearson before their dreaded sophomore season.

I'd be curious to know just how many nhl players have suffered from the so-called sophomore season. I'm bettin, it's less than 10%. It's utter nonsense, but apparently, some of you guys like nonsense.

Young players struggle, it's a fact, not fiction. It's why the Kings stuck with Muzzin during his.

Toffoli/Pearson will at some point next season or the season after. No one is saying trade them.

It's just some folks are realistic with what Sutter is going to do when Toffoli/Pearson do struggle.

But hey , maybe Sutter will surprise us all and let Toffoli/Pearson struggle in the top six, it could happen.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Young players struggle, it's a fact, not fiction. It's why the Kings stuck with Muzzin during his.

Toffoli/Pearson will at some point next season or the season after. No one is saying trade them.

It's just some folks are realistic with what Sutter is going to do when Toffoli/Pearson do struggle.

But hey , maybe Sutter will surprise us all and let Toffoli/Pearson struggle in the top six, it could happen.

If all you got is a Muzzin, then you've just made my point. Besides, Muzzin really turned it up a notch in the 2nd half of the season, which would basically make it his sophomore year. If you count the games played. So Muzzin actually got better after his first full 80 games. Imagine that...

 

[tsanuri]

Young players struggle, it's a fact, not fiction. It's why the Kings stuck with Muzzin during his.

Toffoli/Pearson will at some point next season or the season after. No one is saying trade them.

It's just some folks are realistic with what Sutter is going to do when Toffoli/Pearson do struggle.

But hey , maybe Sutter will surprise us all and let Toffoli/Pearson struggle in the top six, it could happen.

I would say a better question is will Sutter play Toffoli/Pearson true top 6 minutes? He sheltered their minutes this year in the playoffs. Lining them up in the O zone as top 6 but in the D zone going elsewhere. They were 17 and 19 in TOI/G.

 

[Albi]

Which is exactly what happened in the Stanley Cup Final. Toffoli and Pearson were completely ineffective. So much so, that Sutter was forced to break up the 2nd line and insert Richards in Toffoli's spot. Toffoli was moved down to the 4th line and got his only point of the series assisting on Martinez cup winning goal.

Pearson wasn't ineffective at all. Of course, if you base your judgement only on his stats, then you have a point. But Tanner is the type of player who does lots of useful things even when he doesn't score.

 

[Chain]

Which is exactly what happened in the Stanley Cup Final. Toffoli and Pearson were completely ineffective. So much so, that Sutter was forced to break up the 2nd line and insert Richards in Toffoli's spot. Toffoli was moved down to the 4th line and got his only point of the series assisting on Martinez cup winning goal.

Richards wasn't really much better in that series though, and definitely not better overall in the playoffs than the rookies. He did well on the faceoffs but for what's expected of him he underperformed. Struggling is more acceptable when it's coming from a rookie making rookie pay than a vet supposedly in his prime making $5 mil a year who is supposed to be one of the teams best players.

Just a quick rundown...
Stanley Cup Finals
Toffoli G: 0, A: 1, +/-: +2, PIM: 2, Hits: 5, Blocks: 0, GVA: 1, TKA: 1, TOI ~75m26s

Pearson G: 0, A: 0, +/-: +1, PIM: 0, Hits: 11, Blocks: 1, GVA: 3, TKA: 2, TOI ~73m48s

Richards G: 1, A: 1, +/-: -1, PIM: 2, Hits: 6, Blocks: 4, GVA: 5, TKA: 5, TOI ~84m14s


Playoffs
Toffoli G: 7, A: 7, +/-: +6, PIM: 10
Pearson G: 4, A: 8, +/-: +10, PIM: 8
Richards G: 3, A: 7, +/-: -6, PIM: 17

Still wouldn't surprise me if Sutter gave Richards every opportunity, even perhaps too much of one, to get Richards back on the 2nd line. Just like it didn't surprise me when he kept putting Richards in shootouts despite Richards looking he didn't have a clue what to do in them this season. The few drawbacks of an overall great coach.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

What is/was great about this team was that different players and lines stepped up each series.
Kopi and Gaborik tore up Anaheim
Williams tore up the Rangers
That 70's line tore up the Hawks


Good times

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Just a quick rundown...
Stanley Cup Finals
Toffoli G: 0, A: 1, +/-: +2, PIM: 2, Hits: 5, Blocks: 0, GVA: 1, TKA: 1, TOI ~75m26s

Pearson G: 0, A: 0, +/-: +1, PIM: 0, Hits: 11, Blocks: 1, GVA: 3, TKA: 2, TOI ~73m48s

Richards G: 1, A: 1, +/-: -1, PIM: 2, Hits: 6, Blocks: 4, GVA: 5, TKA: 5, TOI ~84m14s


Playoffs
Toffoli G: 7, A: 7, +/-: +6, PIM: 10
Pearson G: 4, A: 8, +/-: +10, PIM: 8
Richards G: 3, A: 7, +/-: -6, PIM: 17

Still wouldn't surprise me if Sutter gave Richards every opportunity, even perhaps too much of one, to get Richards back on the 2nd line. Just like it didn't surprise me when he kept putting Richards in shootouts despite Richards looking he didn't have a clue what to do in them this season. The few drawbacks of an overall great coach.

What do GVA and TVA stand for?

Holy smokes, the rookies were noticeably better than Richards, lookong at those stats.

 

[Trolfoli]

Pearson G: 4, A: 8, +/-: +10, PIM: 8

Some people need to give up the youth bashing. +10 for the playoffs is incredible for a guy that Sutter refused to play during the regular season. Even worse was guys like Frattin/Carcillo/Clifford/Nolan/Lewis were played over him. Lewis is the only one with similar speed and not one other guy on that list has Pearson's ability to make a play. Is Pearson a complete NHL player. Nope... he was the best player available at that spot. Guess I shouldn't let it bother me After all Sutter didn't get it figured out till what game 4 against the Sharks?

 

[HYORI 1963]

Did you guys really needed to see the stats to see that the kids outplayed Richards??? For the record, the reason that Richards got moved up in the OT of the final game probably had more to do with Sutter feeling more comfortable with a veteran Richards than rookie Toffoli. I wouldn't read too much else into it than that.

 

[KopitarFAN]

What do GVA and TVA stand for?

Holy smokes, the rookies were noticeably better than Richards, lookong at those stats.

Giveaways and takeaways.

 

[kingsfan28]

What is/was great about this team was that different players and lines stepped up each series.
Kopi and Gaborik tore up Anaheim
Williams tore up the Rangers
That 70's line tore up the Hawks


Good times

Much like the 2012 run. In each series someone stepped up, and the team wasn't relying on one guy to carry the load.

 

[regulate]

Shark tank reference here. "I forbid anyone to post any futher in the Richards buyout thread"

Signed,
Mr. Wonderful

For the love of god, please, we are not buying out Richards. Don't respond, don't post, just let it die.

Thank you,

A concerned Kings fan.

 

[KingLB]

We might as well trade Toffoli and Pearson before their dreaded sophomore season.

I'd be curious to know just how many nhl players have suffered from the so-called sophomore season. I'm bettin, it's less than 10%. It's utter nonsense, but apparently, some of you guys like nonsense.

The dude that seemingly wants to trade everybody, especially while their "value is high", is finally against a trade!

 

[Chain]

What do GVA and TVA stand for?

Holy smokes, the rookies were noticeably better than Richards, lookong at those stats.

GVA = Giveaways
TVA = Takeaways

I really hope Richards has correctly identified his problems and is able to correct them and have an awesome season next year.

Otherwise, DL will have to break up this happy couple:

 

[Statto]

Pearson G: 4, A: 8, +/-: +10, PIM: 8

Some people need to give up the youth bashing. +10 for the playoffs is incredible for a guy that Sutter refused to play during the regular season. Even worse was guys like Frattin/Carcillo/Clifford/Nolan/Lewis were played over him. Lewis is the only one with similar speed and not one other guy on that list has Pearson's ability to make a play. Is Pearson a complete NHL player. Nope... he was the best player available at that spot. Guess I shouldn't let it bother me After all Sutter didn't get it figured out till what game 4 against the Sharks?

Maybe he had it figured out all along. It's easy to make a case for Sutter handling him and his ice-time perfectly and having it all come together in the play-offs. Too much ice time could have hurt his performance and his confidence leading to a poor play-off, but we will never know. The way I I see it things came together perfectly so there is no need to second guess the approach Sutter took. If's and buts never solved anything.

 

[tigermask48]

Did you guys really needed to see the stats to see that the kids outplayed Richards??? For the record, the reason that Richards got moved up in the OT of the final game probably had more to do with Sutter feeling more comfortable with a veteran Richards than rookie Toffoli. I wouldn't read too much else into it than that.

Yep. That and Richards was clearly one of the better forwards in that game. Clifford was probably the only one that stood out more in my mind in that game. For all his line juggling and sheltering rookies in games Sutter is very good at recognizing a player having a strong game and making adjustments accordingly.

 

[cyclones22]

Yep. That and Richards was clearly one of the better forwards in that game. Clifford was probably the only one that stood out more in my mind in that game. For all his line juggling and sheltering rookies in games Sutter is very good at recognizing a player having a strong game and making adjustments accordingly.

Richards was beastly in he OTs. He was causing all sorts of turnovers. His anticipation coupled with tired Rangers trying to make passes almost cost NY a few times. Richards still has it in him. I'm sure he wasn't happy with his overall performance either. I have faith he'll put in the necessary offseason work.