OTT 5 - LAK 3: 7 defenseman or a 3rd nipple? You Decide.

[Jason Lewis]

yup, not pleased with Sutter's player management at all. Must be something more behind the scenes because he's not incompetent.

I'm just extremely puzzled at both the decision to call up two defenseman (Dowd is certainly capable of playing 6-7 low risk minutes a night as a 4C) AND to healthy scratch your only healthy forward for.....no other forward replacement.

Super super curious decisions.

 

[Kingspiracy]

Who would've thought that in 2015 Dale Weise would be a more efficient and productive player than Dustin Brown?

Not many, but as another poster mentioned, Brown has a lot of miles on the clock

Brown 908 NHL games
vs
Weise 323 NHL games.

 

[ru4reals]

Makes me sad to say but Duthtin Brown is pretty much on the bottom of his decline. So sad. Me likes him too.

 

[cali101]

Yeah, not sure it would help but I hope they give clifford enough time to recover properly, he's going to end up with issues if he keeps getting his bell rung.

he has had 3 already? that's already "issue" territory. he needs to take the time, you're right.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Makes me sad to say but Duthtin Brown is pretty much on the bottom of his decline. So sad. Me likes him too.

It makes me sad as well when I see that Brad Richardson has just as many goals and points as Dustin Brown in 30 games. Except he doesn't get paid as much as Brown.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Colin Miller has more points than Dustin Brown and an equal amount of goals.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Colin Miller has more points than Dustin Brown and an equal amount of goals.

Cody McLeod has 5 goals. It's funny seeing how many guys in bottom six roles have as many or more goals/points than him.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Andreoff and Lewis also have two.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Chris Thorburn has double the amount of goals as Brown.

As funny as it was to mock the Leafs for that David Clarkson contract, sadly the Kings are in a situation where they have an immovable contract stuck with a rapidly deteriorating athlete.

All that off season conditioning and training did not translate into improved on-ice performance.

 

[Reclamation Project]

That's the saddest part. He busted his ass in the off season and it's made no difference.

 

[kingsboy11]

Whats the point of playing with 7 defensemen if you're only going to play one of them 3 minutes?

 

[bob77]

Whats the point of playing with 7 defensemen if you're only going to play one of them 3 minutes?

DS is balancing the thought of what's the point of playing 12 F when 1 or 2 are only going to play 5 minutes.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

not bad. his first game was tough. but he hasn't had enough time on ice or the right kind of role to really play to his strengths. been anchored on a 4th line. weal was good for a point per game in ahl too. he's translated to each league, just needs more time or maybe a trade to a different system.

Indeed.

Pretty fed up with the people who keep bringing up his weaknesses (after 2 games and 13 minutes of ice time already). He doesnt look totally out of place, but is small and the Kings play ''a men's game''. Needs time to adjust.

 

[regulate]

Dowd I think is really the only forward the Kings can bring up that could play a regular NHL shift. Everyone else down in Ontario, is not ready.

As a Reign season ticket holder, I concur.

 

[regulate]

Dear Kings coaching staff,

The 7 D experiment has got to end. It throws the whole team out of sync, ruins line chemistry, makes bench minors more likely, and forces too many minutes on Kopitar. Please stop this nonsense now.

Signed,
Jordan Weal

(with the backing of many Kings fans)

 

[Reclamation Project]

Sutter's gonna play 8 defensemen next game.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't really think there's a power struggle, but something stupid is going on. I've never heard Sutter say anything positive about Weal--and he almost flat out refuses to play him, even in the face of ****** roster decisions. I'm HOPING this Schultz/Ebert callup is just a precursor to LTIR like we speculate, and that Dowd or someone is coming up to play 4C, otherwise Kopitar/Doughty are going to be dead by the end of the trip.

But the tinfoiler in me thinks Sutter hates Weal, DL wants him to play and forces the roster into a situation where Sutter 'has' to and still doesn't, and DL responds by sending him two more defensemen

The real loser here is actually Forbort, haha.

 

[regulate]

The speculation today was something about CAP money moves (as far as the roster moves today), and nothing more after Lewis and Clifford went on IR.

 

[BigBrown]

I'm just mad that after all the talk this summer about managing ice time Sutter not only continues to play Kopitar and Doughty ridiculous minutes but does so against eastern conference opponents in back to back/three in four situations and this with a ten point lead on the division! Not to mention how much he's riding Quick despite Enroth looking solid. I definitely worry about players getting worn down, remember Doughty at the end of last season? Sutter coaches like every game is game 7.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Dear Kings coaching staff,

The 7 D experiment has got to end. It throws the whole team out of sync, ruins line chemistry, makes bench minors more likely, and forces too many minutes on Kopitar. Please stop this nonsense now.

Signed,
Jordan Weal

(with the backing of many Kings fans)

That's hilarious.

I don't really think there's a power struggle, but something stupid is going on. I've never heard Sutter say anything positive about Weal--and he almost flat out refuses to play him, even in the face of ****** roster decisions. I'm HOPING this Schultz/Ebert callup is just a precursor to LTIR like we speculate, and that Dowd or someone is coming up to play 4C, otherwise Kopitar/Doughty are going to be dead by the end of the trip.

But the tinfoiler in me thinks Sutter hates Weal, DL wants him to play and forces the roster into a situation where Sutter 'has' to and still doesn't, and DL responds by sending him two more defensemen

The real loser here is actually Forbort, haha.

For the last time, play Hatteberg at first base!

 

[Frolov 6'3]

I'm just mad that after all the talk this summer about managing ice time Sutter not only continues to play Kopitar and Doughty ridiculous minutes but does so against eastern conference opponents in back to back/three in four situations and this with a ten point lead on the division! Not to mention how much he's riding Quick despite Enroth looking solid. I definitely worry about players getting worn down, remember Doughty at the end of last season? Sutter coaches like every game is game 7.

I definitely agree that Enroth should get more games.

 

[Trolfoli]

yup, not pleased with Sutter's player management at all. Must be something more behind the scenes because he's not incompetent.

I don't know if I'd go that far.

Seriously though we've seen this before. Vey... Sutter refused to play him and Lombardi wouldn't send him back to the AHL until Sutter put him in a game. Also think Fraser, who Vey was competing for a spot with, got waived soon after. May have been Lombardi having enough of Sutter playing Fraser over someone he wanted to give a shot.

Chris Thorburn has double the amount of goals as Brown.

As funny as it was to mock the Leafs for that David Clarkson contract, sadly the Kings are in a situation where they have an immovable contract stuck with a rapidly deteriorating athlete.

All that off season conditioning and training did not translate into improved on-ice performance.

Yup... The problem with Brown isn't his fitness. Getting in shape didn't help fix what was wrong. This may change in the playoffs if Brown starts taking runs at guys and gets other teams looking to retaliate and they get out of position. Another thing that would help is realizing that some players are more skilled them him and he should get them the puck, not as much of an issue on the 3rd line. That way he might be able to be a complimentary piece it the top 6. As it is now, Brown holding the puck takes away opportunities from other players and makes it so he can't play in the top 6 without shutting down offense.

I don't really think there's a power struggle, but something stupid is going on. I've never heard Sutter say anything positive about Weal--and he almost flat out refuses to play him, even in the face of ****** roster decisions. I'm HOPING this Schultz/Ebert callup is just a precursor to LTIR like we speculate, and that Dowd or someone is coming up to play 4C, otherwise Kopitar/Doughty are going to be dead by the end of the trip.

But the tinfoiler in me thinks Sutter hates Weal, DL wants him to play and forces the roster into a situation where Sutter 'has' to and still doesn't, and DL responds by sending him two more defensemen

The real loser here is actually Forbort, haha.

I don't think Sutter hates Weal. Sutter just doesn't know how to integrate skilled players into the lineup. Weal is not the first.

It would be funny if Lombardi was pissed at Sutter and sent him 2 more defensemen. Don't think that's the case. I wouldn't be surprised if Lombardi talks to Sutter about his BS though. With the cap he isn't getting a 3C until the deadline. He'll have to make due with what he has. Throwing a fit when you have a 10 point lead in the division is a bit ridiculous.

I'm just mad that after all the talk this summer about managing ice time Sutter not only continues to play Kopitar and Doughty ridiculous minutes but does so against eastern conference opponents in back to back/three in four situations and this with a ten point lead on the division! Not to mention how much he's riding Quick despite Enroth looking solid. I definitely worry about players getting worn down, remember Doughty at the end of last season? Sutter coaches like every game is game 7.

Over playing Doughty/Kopitar is great. Now way this wears them down and leads to an increased likeliness of injury.

 

[damacles1156]

Guys like Doughty are going to play heavy minutes at all times, regardless of situation.

Keith, Seabrook,Karlsson,Weber,Subban,Josi,Brodie,Suter ETC; all play heavy minutes, all year long.

Also aren't some of you always complaining; that when the Kings need a goal, Sutter plays the 4th line too much and Kopitar not enough ?

Well you got your wish last two games. 3rd/4th liners have been glued to the bench, in third periods.

 

[bob77]

Playing 7 D is all about McNabb not playing 23-25 minutes every night. Everything else last night for F would be pretty close to the same if Weal had dressed. Both the 3 and 4 line not used because we were behind. Kopitar minutes increase. I don't really like the strategy myself. DS needs someone he can trust to play 6 minutes of 4c. Besides a trade (which might happen soon???), Dowd I think is the closest thing we got that fits that mold. But DL is protecting the asset Weal. DD minutes don't change because DF is in lineup. BM gets a breather, and after last night, I think it's obvious why. But hey, every team has their struggles. IMO

 

[KingsFan7824]

9 goals on this road trip so far, and on the plus side, 5 are from defensemen. 5 different defensemen. Unfortunately, only 4 from the forwards. Carter's came with an extra guy at the end of the Columbus game where the Kings were desperate after being all over the Jackets, and then Toffoli got a bounce last night. Which leaves just 2 real goals, from Pearson and Gaborik. Not too much going on up front.

Maybe that Pittsburgh game took a lot out of the team, because they've had a lot of nothing the last two. Seems both Buffalo and Ottawa took it to them physically. The Sens didn't miss a check, and they skated through each one of them. All over the defense, especially Doughty.