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Post-Voynov, is our Defense going to be wretched?

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The Kings Defense was top Ten with Slava gone the whole year, and multiple injuries, A-Mart playing like garbage along Greene.

The Kings Defense will be fine.
 
I think Erhoff is going to be fine as a #3/4, so long as he stays healthy. Looks good to me.
 
I'm more worried about our bottom six forward group, specifically the bottom 2 center matchups than the D.
 
DD and Muzz - top pairing in the league. 25 A+ mins a game

Ehrhoff and McNabb - which Ehrhoff will show up? I used to drool over getting him, I think Pittsburg misused him. I love the growth of McNabb last year. Is he second pairing ready yet, I hope so.

Greene and Martinez - limit Greene's minutes and he is fine. Pair him with Marty who could be a top 4 on most he will look even better.

My worry is the second pairing as I have to hope that McNabb continues his growth and Ehrhoff rebounds. With LA's defensive system I think we will be fine.

I am more worried about our third line.
 
Center depth will once again rear it's ugly head. Shore/Lewis/Weal have to bring it. Kopitar/Carter have to play better on the road.
 
tsanuri said:
I'm more worried about the Kings putting pucks in the net vs keeping them out.
Click to expand...

Same with me.

I never worry about the Kings D. Doughty/Muzzin/Quick healthy, Kings D good to go.

Now the offense ? that's a different story. Even with healthy Kopitar/Carter/Toffoli/Gabo, they struggle.
 
Guys, what about the whole "left-handed, right-handed" & "left-side, right-side" issue of the defense debate? Does it matter? If yes, HOW MUCH does it matter?
 
Basilisk said:
Guys, what about the whole "left-handed, right-handed" & "left-side, right-side" issue of the defense debate? Does it matter? If yes, HOW MUCH does it matter?
Click to expand...

It can be an issue but it's overblown. It's more a nice benefit to have vs something that you must have. Most teams can't field a group that lines up that way. There are just too many right handed people vs left handed. And that gives more left handed shots.
 
tsanuri said:
I'm more worried about the Kings putting pucks in the net vs keeping them out.
Click to expand...

This.

Only 2 players scored 50+ points and one of them, Kopitar, scored
an abysmal 16 goals. A mere 2 years ago, Richards and Williams produced
and they are gone. Brown is about 25% the player he was 3 years ago.

Lucic and Kopitar had better both put up 25 goals and Carter and Gaborik 30+.
Am hoping Toffoli and Pearson have their best year yet.

A year ago, nothing really was expected of McNabb and he's gotten better and
pretty solid. Ehrhoff, if healthy and inspired, should be decent...truth be known,
Slava was not very good the last year plus and looked very uninspired and the
second worst on the team in skating hard after Richards. It does not matter how much natural skill you have, if you do not skate hard. Slava was getting beat more and not the player he was in the last Cup run. Please do not forget, he tore his achilles and is probably never going to be as strong on his skates and still not skate hard. The player that will be more missed and a bigger loss than Slava, is Sekera.
 
Peter James Bond II said:
This.

Only 2 players scored 50+ points and one of them, Kopitar, scored
an abysmal 16 goals. A mere 2 years ago, Richards and Williams produced
and they are gone. Brown is about 25% the player he was 3 years ago.

Lucic and Kopitar had better both put up 25 goals and Carter and Gaborik 30+.
Am hoping Toffoli and Pearson have their best year yet.

A year ago, nothing really was expected of McNabb and he's gotten better and
pretty solid. Ehrhoff, if healthy and inspired, should be decent...truth be known,
Slava was not very good the last year plus and looked very uninspired and the
second worst on the team in skating hard after Richards. It does not matter how much natural skill you have, if you do not skate hard. Slava was getting beat more and not the player he was in the last Cup run. Please do not forget, he tore his achilles and is probably never going to be as strong on his skates and still not skate hard. The player that will be more missed and a bigger loss than Slava, is Sekera.
Click to expand...

Brown didn't look that bad last year. He couldn't finish but as you pointed out that wasn't just him last year. I really do expect a bounce back year from him. Likely not to where it was but still solid numbers.
 
Post-Voynov, and with all the upheaval, we were top 4 in GAA IIRD. The biggest mistakes on defense were with the puck rather than defensively and I'd argue that was caused by fatigue and lack of chemistry. McBain walking in off the street, etc.

I see no reason we can't be better with a training camp under us or with the emergence of Forbort et. al. I think our D problems are overblown. As others have said, I'm more worried about the scoring.
 
tsanuri said:
I'm more worried about the Kings putting pucks in the net vs keeping them out.
Click to expand...

I'm not worried about this at all. Offense is going to be in the bottom half of the league. Defense will need to be 1 or 2 in the league to get by with the offense.

Minor Boarding said:
Well, I don't think a true cup contender has a young player McNabb expected to play on the 2nd pairing.
Click to expand...

How much xp did Muzzin have when he was on the first pairing during the cup run?
 
Trolfoli said:
I'm not worried about this at all. Offense is going to be in the bottom half of the league. Defense will need to be 1 or 2 in the league to get by with the offense.



How much xp did Muzzin have when he was on the first pairing during the cup run?
Click to expand...
I am not talking about experience. Muzzin is positionally just better and he was way better then McNabb along the boards in the defensive zone.
 
Peter James Bond II said:
This.

Only 2 players scored 50+ points and one of them, Kopitar, scored
an abysmal 16 goals. A mere 2 years ago, Richards and Williams produced
and they are gone. Brown is about 25% the player he was 3 years ago.

Lucic and Kopitar had better both put up 25 goals and Carter and Gaborik 30+.
Am hoping Toffoli and Pearson have their best year yet.

A year ago, nothing really was expected of McNabb and he's gotten better and
pretty solid. Ehrhoff, if healthy and inspired, should be decent...truth be known,
Slava was not very good the last year plus and looked very uninspired and the
second worst on the team in skating hard after Richards. It does not matter how much natural skill you have, if you do not skate hard. Slava was getting beat more and not the player he was in the last Cup run. Please do not forget, he tore his achilles and is probably never going to be as strong on his skates and still not skate hard. The player that will be more missed and a bigger loss than Slava, is Sekera.
Click to expand...

I don't see why the majority of those things can't happen, maybe not all 6, because injuries will happen. But Gaborik, while playing just 69 games had 27 goals, Carter had 28, Toffoli 23 (a player with room to grow) and Pearson in 42 games had 12. Now, Lucic, while on the whole he didn't have a great year, he scored 12 of his 18 goals in the last 44 games.

So maybe not hitting those numbers specifically, but I won't be shocked if any 4 members of the projected top 6 break 25.
 
Minor Boarding said:
I am not talking about experience. Muzzin is positionally just better and he was way better then McNabb along the boards in the defensive zone.
Click to expand...

Muzzin was also way better at setting up passes to the other team. I'm not sold 100% on the defense, but I'm not worried that McNabb will screw up any more then Muzzin did.
 
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