GDT: New York Rangers at Los Angeles Kings - January 8, 2015 - 7:30 p.m. (PST)

[Omni Owl]

The Kings problems are not with Richards. It is the defense. I said this before but we've had a McBain/Schultz pairing this year. Name a time in the past 3 seasons when the Kings have iced a pairing that bad. And I'm not knocking those players. It's that the Kings have 3 or 4 guys that should be on the third pairing or the 7th defenseman.

Exactly. The defense is in shambles this year. Between losing Mitchell, Voynov being a dumb****, Regehr's injuries, having to ice Schultz, and McBain/McNabb.

Time to focus more on a Terry Murray style team defense or go out and get a decent right handed D man. I still think Wideman would be perfect to shore up our D.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I still think Wideman would be perfect to shore up our D.

Why would Calgary trade a defenseman to the Kings, when they're only 2 points behind the Kings in the standings, and have already beaten the Kings twice, partly because the defense isn't as good as it needs to be?

 

[Buddy The Elf]

I think Richards' performance is clearly one of the problems, but you're right getting the blue line back in shape in Job 1 for Dean right now.

I'm sorry the Richards witch hunt is ridiculous. Richards is an accounting problem to be dealt with this year or the future. His performance on the ice is not costing the Kings games. The flimsy defense, the top two lines going AWOL for weeks on end and Quick not standing on his head are the problems. The biggest glaring issue this season that is noticeably different than any other time in the past 3 years is the defense. That's where the Kings offense starts, that's what helps the goaltenders be successful and it has always been the foundation of the team. Mike Richards has nothing to do with that. Mike Richards is the 4th line center. He played 9 friggin minutes last night. I'd go as far as to say that he is the least of the Kings problems right now from a play stand point.

You know if you swapped Mike Richards for Derek Armstrong and Darryl Sutter decided to scratch Derek Armstrong, we'd all be on here talking about whoopdee ****ing doo, how is swapping out the 4th line center going to improve the team? Andrehoff will probably get 8 minutes next game if plays. Then what?

 

[Ollie Weeks]

I agree with your point of Sutter have a bug up his butt re: Richards. Something happened late last spring (may ish) and Sutter has not recognized or seen Richards since, eps this year. And that can happen on any team.
Situation: the one that he spoke to DL about over the summer. DL challanged him to get fit and he did, what he wanted was stability. Centering the 3rd line for reg shifts, PP time and PK time. That went to Stoll, who has done nothing with it, esp on the PP. Richards is a smarter player and has shown that. What exactly has Stoll done over half a year to merit the minutes he gets??
Richards was not given then, he was bounced around and has spent far too many wasted shifts as 4th line fodder.
When it became clear in November that Sutter was not going to ever put/keep Richards on the 3rd line, that he was not going to give up Stoll, I started waiting for the trade.

I largely agree, but what is marginalized around here (specifically by a few posters) is that it can be BOTH.

Richards' play HAS deteriorated somewhat over the past couple years. The 2nd half of last year resulted in him constantly playing from behind, both in terms of the play and Sutter's confidence. Redoubled fitness efforts over the summer seemingly haven't been enough to earn his way back into a larger role.

He IS a viable 3C for us, given better wingers and PP time. The numbers back that up this year. BUT he is also previously responsible for getting himself to the point where Sutter is no longer really comfortable giving him many more chances to turn it around. So he's on the 4th line, making the occasional mistake, playing with lunchboxers, and often being coupled with god knows what for a defensive pairing (which is our number 1 issue).

Rather than frantically cobbling together a premature soapbox in January of last year, I recall saying I'd give him until part of this season to figure it out. I now say: its both.

Either way it appears we're heading towards the point where Mike Richards may not be around much longer. And right now it appears that would be best for him and the Kings. I'd love to be proven wrong.

 

[Bandit]

I largely agree, but what is marginalized around here (specifically by a few posters) is that it can be BOTH.

Richards' play HAS deteriorated somewhat over the past couple years. The 2nd half of last year resulted in him constantly playing from behind, both in terms of the play and Sutter's confidence. Redoubled fitness efforts over the summer seemingly haven't been enough to earn his way back into a larger role.

He IS a viable 3C for us, given better wingers and PP time. The numbers back that up this year. BUT he is also previously responsible for getting himself to the point where Sutter is no longer really comfortable giving him many more chances to turn it around. So he's on the 4th line, making the occasional mistake, playing with lunchboxers, and often being coupled with god knows what for a defensive pairing (which is our number 1 issue).

Rather than frantically cobbling together a premature soapbox in January of last year, I recall saying I'd give him until part of this season to figure it out. I now say: its both.

Either way it appears we're heading towards the point where Mike Richards may not be around much longer. And right now it appears that would be best for him and the Kings. I'd love to be proven wrong.

Good post.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Man, Mike Richards has become the new Scott Gomez/Brad Richards, a smallish center whose best years are way behind him, whose performance does not warrant the paper his contract is written on.

Sadly, Brown's headed in the same direction.

 

[YP44]

The Kings problems are not with Richards. It is the defense. I said this before but we've had a McBain/Schultz pairing this year. Name a time in the past 3 seasons when the Kings have iced a pairing that bad. And I'm not knocking those players. It's that the Kings have 3 or 4 guys that should be on the third pairing or the 7th defenseman.

i agree that defense needs to be addressed. I think people look at richards as a hindrance for bringing in help in the off season

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Part of the problem on defense are the forwards. Look at how many point shots are getting through. Or how centers are missing their assignments. The forwards are not paying much attention to detail in their own end of the ice, particularly the centers. All of them played terribly in their own end, not just last night but on many nights this season. It's very uncharacteristic of them, but these lazy habits have been prevalent for the past couple of months.

 

[damacles1156]

Whole team is struggling with consistency. A-Mart is probably the only guy that has kept his game at a high level all season.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

Man, Mike Richards has become the new Scott Gomez/Brad Richards, a smallish center whose best years are way behind him, whose performance does not warrant the paper his contract is written on.

Sadly, Brown's headed in the same direction.

Yeah, and there ain't a whole lot the Kings can do with Brown. The Mike Richards thread will be the Dustin Brown thread as soon as Richards is gone.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Talking about Brown for 6 years already.

Seriously, without Brown this team wouldnt miss a beat.

Horrible contact on top of that but I read he deserved it, he took a home town discount with his old contract...

$6M caphit til eternity.

 

[damacles1156]

Kings are stuck with Brown, he is due 21 million over the next three years.

No team is trading for that, and the Kings are not buying that out.

The buy out cap hit would be ridiculous.

 

[YP44]

Kings are stuck with Brown, he is due 21 million over the next three years.

No team is trading for that, and the Kings are not buying that out.

The buy out cap hit would be ridiculous.

only way he gets moved is for an equally bad contract like Clarkson's

 

[damacles1156]

only way he gets moved is for an equally bad contract like Clarkson's

Exactly, which defeats the purpose.

 

[KINGS17]

I'm sorry the Richards witch hunt is ridiculous. Richards is an accounting problem to be dealt with this year or the future. His performance on the ice is not costing the Kings games. The flimsy defense, the top two lines going AWOL for weeks on end and Quick not standing on his head are the problems. The biggest glaring issue this season that is noticeably different than any other time in the past 3 years is the defense. That's where the Kings offense starts, that's what helps the goaltenders be successful and it has always been the foundation of the team. Mike Richards has nothing to do with that. Mike Richards is the 4th line center. He played 9 friggin minutes last night. I'd go as far as to say that he is the least of the Kings problems right now from a play stand point.

You know if you swapped Mike Richards for Derek Armstrong and Darryl Sutter decided to scratch Derek Armstrong, we'd all be on here talking about whoopdee ****ing doo, how is swapping out the 4th line center going to improve the team? Andrehoff will probably get 8 minutes next game if plays. Then what?

I don't think it's a witch hunt. The cap space his contract eats up as the 4th line center is the problem. Well, that and him losing his check in his own zone about every other game.

 

[damacles1156]

No one could predict that Brown/Richards game would fall off a cliff at the ages of 29 and 30.

Even the most ardent Mike Richards hater, would probably of guessed he would be productive till 31/32. I figured Brown would make it to 33 before his wear and tear started to show.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Brown is strange, though. He's not producing, but he's not a liability, and he doesn't LOOK bad. Like, if you watched him and had no clue what his stats were, would you really think he's having a terrible season?

I know results matter, but to me, he's rebounded big from last year and I think results will manifest.

 

[bmr]

Exactly. The defense is in shambles this year. Between losing Mitchell, Voynov being a dumb****, Regehr's injuries, having to ice Schultz, and McBain/McNabb.

Time to focus more on a Terry Murray style team defense or go out and get a decent right handed D man. I still think Wideman would be perfect to shore up our D.

B-I-N-G-O. This is pretty much the entire reason we are struggling. And people wonder why Nashville/NYI/Tampa are so good this year. Their D got better! We are going to be hurting in the playoffs if Dean can't sort it out. Either we get Voynov back or we make a trade for someone else..that's the only way we have a chance. There is no way we are going to be able to keep up with some of these other clubs.

It's also disturbing how much we are still vulnerable to speed teams like the Rangers.

 

[YP44]

No one could predict that Brown/Richards game would fall off a cliff at the ages of 29 and 30.

Even the most ardent Mike Richards hater, would probably of guessed he would be productive till 31/32. I figured Brown would make it to 33 before his wear and tear started to show.

True three years ago no one could have predicted this.
However before Brown's new contract was signed there were indications and people were suggesting it (I was not smart enough to realize it and thought it was a good deal) . Also after last year a lot of people were looking at Richards regression. I am still glad a compliance buy out was not used as I think he will always have trade value (especially to budget teams once his salary is < his cap hit), but I am worried about potential cap recapture penalties as i do not understand how that works

 

[kingsholygrail]

Talking about Brown for 6 years already.

Seriously, without Brown this team wouldnt miss a beat.

Horrible contact on top of that but I read he deserved it, he took a home town discount with his old contract...

$6M caphit til eternity.

or they don't win two Stanley Cups.

 

[Kingspiracy]

Brown is strange, though. He's not producing, but he's not a liability, and he doesn't LOOK bad. Like, if you watched him and had no clue what his stats were, would you really think he's having a terrible season?

I know results matter, but to me, he's rebounded big from last year and I think results will manifest.

I think brown has been looking good, he looks a lot more comfortable, skating better.
To me it looks like Sutter has dialled back the physicality of the team. The only ones that seem to play chippy are muzzin, McNabb, Stoll and Williams. Clifford doesn't look interested in that role anymore, brown doesn't bang like he used to, Richards hasnt fired up. Perhaps its the team bringing in more focus on skill guys like gabby and top titty.

 

[MynameisKing]

Too much puck focus (Richards) and the puck carrier (Brown) here. The open guy in the slot (Root Problem: Defensemen) in the slot is going to sink us!

We can still win the cup this year with how Brown & Richards are playing. We will be out in a blink of an eye icing 7,8,9 defenseman in our regular 6. No way no how!

 

[bob77]

Part of the problem on defense are the forwards. Look at how many point shots are getting through. Or how centers are missing their assignments. The forwards are not paying much attention to detail in their own end of the ice, particularly the centers. All of them played terribly in their own end, not just last night but on many nights this season. It's very uncharacteristic of them, but these lazy habits have been prevalent for the past couple of months.

I've said it several times before, and I'll say it again! Because several D are slow to loose pucks, C have to drop down and virtually play a 3rd D role far more than necessary in a game. When this happens way to much, it's more difficult to have numbers going the other way up the rink, and YES, I agree with you, that it starts to look like C can or should do more defensively. But it all comes at a cost of then not having the offense and the play go the other way! The ability of our D to break the puck out without the help of C and sometimes W is a big problem. Not on all shifts, but way too many!!

 

[SettlementRichie10]

or they don't win two Stanley Cups.

You can make a case for us not winning in 2012 without Brown, but there were about six more valuable forwards in 2014.

Brown is a nothing player on this team without the C right now, though. That's for sure.

 

[Chain]

Brown is strange, though. He's not producing, but he's not a liability, and he doesn't LOOK bad. Like, if you watched him and had no clue what his stats were, would you really think he's having a terrible season?

I know results matter, but to me, he's rebounded big from last year and I think results will manifest.

Brown isn't scoring but he does seem to be one of the most consistent guys in putting forth effort. He looks a bit faster than last year and seems to do a lot away from the puck. It seems like every time an opponent has a tripping/interference call against the Kings it's to stop Brown from getting to the puck. I'd say that says something positive about Brown's performance.