Kings Article: What You Probably Don’t Know About Kevin Gravel’s Rise On LA Kings Depth Chart

[FrozenRoyalty]

Here's what I would favor.....


Scuderi & Greene being sent to Ontario to mentor our AHL D.... That situation might actually be beneficial to cap space, but I'm no rules lawyer. Then.....



McNabb / Doughty

Muzzin / Martinez

Forbort / Gravel


.....which leaves Gilbert & Trotman as the designated "healthy scratch" defensemen.

Neither Scuderi or Greene will be assigned to the AHL by the Kings (unless they need a conditioning assignment, but that's not what's being discussed here).

 

[Omni Owl]

Neither Scuderi or Greene will be assigned to the AHL by the Kings (unless they need a conditioning assignment, but that's not what's being discussed here).

Well they should be in the AHL, both of those guys don't belong near the big league. You also don't know if they'll stay up with the club, no one knows yet.

 

[FrozenRoyalty]

Well they should be in the AHL, both of those guys don't belong near the big league. You also don't know if they'll stay up with the club, no one knows yet.

Technically, no. Realistically speaking, however, the Kings will not assign either of them to the AHL. They both have earned way too much respect in the Kings organization for that to happen.

I could see both put on waivers for other teams to pick up. But after that? Lombardi will do something else. I just don't see Lombardi sending them to Ontario.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Technically, no. Realistically speaking, however, the Kings will not assign either of them to the AHL. They both have earned way too much respect in the Kings organization for that to happen.

I could see both put on waivers for other teams to pick up. But after that? Lombardi will do something else. I just don't see Lombardi sending them to Ontario.

If he's willing to send Mike Richards down to the minors, a player whom Lombardi adored, what makes you think he won't do the same to two lugs who are on their last legs?

These professionals understand that this is a business, this isn't a charity. Scuderi will not be in the lineup come October.

 

[Trolfoli]

Wasn't Greene just waived?

It's actually more likely then you think because I could see Sutter overplaying the vets, Lombardi getting tired of it and demoting them to keep Sutter from overplaying them.

 

[KopitarFAN]

Wasn't Greene just waived?

It's actually more likely then you think because I could see Sutter overplaying the vets, Lombardi getting tired of it and demoting them to keep Sutter from overplaying them.

Yep. So I assume he could be sent down without issue.

 

[bob77]

Wasn't Greene just waived?

It's actually more likely then you think because I could see Sutter overplaying the vets, Lombardi getting tired of it and demoting them to keep Sutter from overplaying them.

I agree. There is sort of an understanding between most GM and coaches that the GM will manage the assets and the coach will coach what's placed in front of him. So, if Scuderi and Greene are made available to DS, generally speaking, if he wants to play them, DL will stay out of the way. The way teams typicality resolve any differences is to fire the coach at some point.

 

[FrozenRoyalty]

I agree. There is sort of an understanding between most GM and coaches that the GM will manage the assets and the coach will coach what's placed in front of him. So, if Scuderi and Greene are made available to DS, generally speaking, if he wants to play them, DL will stay out of the way. The way teams typicality resolve any differences is to fire the coach at some point.

Greene was waived during the 2015-16 season. He would have to be placed on waivers again this season.

 

[KingsFan7824]

If he's willing to send Mike Richards down to the minors, a player whom Lombardi adored, what makes you think he won't do the same to two lugs who are on their last legs?

These professionals understand that this is a business, this isn't a charity. Scuderi will not be in the lineup come October.

And the captaincy thing.

Scuderi is one thing. Lombardi got him at 50%, so if he's in Ontario it costs the Kings less than $200k on the cap. The savings aren't the same with Greene. Scuderi I could maybe see in Ontario, Greene is a little more difficult, but he was waived a few weeks ago just in case with Lucic, so who knows for sure. Or maybe he's still hurt, which is why they didn't end up buying him out. Who knows.

Depending on where Cernak can/does go, there's 16 or 17 defenseman under contract. LoVerde has been the captain in the minors for a few years. They have Bissonnette, a 2nd generation Sutter who is almost 30, Sean Backman is 30, Budaj is 34, Hensick is 30. That's not really a team that needs Scuderi or Greene as veteran mentors.

Lombardi doesn't mind a goalie in the ECHL, but he'd rather not have a defenseman there if possible, let alone a few of them, unless they have little chance of becoming a player.

Summer time is speculation time. Still a month away, from being a month away, from being a few weeks away.

 

[Pucknut50]

When they play together, Gravel always plays the right side. Both are left handed. Gravel shows very good versatility playing his off side. He has somewhat mastered quick, hand eye, skating movements that come with playing the right side, much like Alec Martinez. IMO, when playing the off side, it's more difficult to break out and play D in our zone, but makes for more offensive opportunity on the offensive blue line with your stick to the middle of the rink, and scooping puck off the boards and walking to the middle of the rink on your forehand. With that said, Gravel is much better at playing the right side than Forbort. However, it doesn't mean that Gravel is better than Forbort when playing the left side. In fact, he has played so much right side that left side seems almost new to him and strange. It will be interesting what combinations DS decides to go with. He could put Martinez back on the left side, but that would end the Muzzin Martinez pairing. If so, that could be a spot on the right side for Gravel. If you had to look at competition for spots, it'd be like this:

Right side
DD
AM
Trotman
Gravel
Greene
Gilbert

Left side
Muzzin
AM
Gravel
Forbort
McNabb
Scuderi

I would like to know if Gravel or Forbert are left handed(Not shoots left as we know both do)? I played defense and I am right handed but shoot left. I liked playing on the right side as my strong hand is used more often when I don't have both hands on the stick. Also there are more options on one timers.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I would like to know if Gravel or Forbert are left handed(Not shoots left as we know both do)? I played defense and I am right handed but shoot left. I liked playing on the right side as my strong hand is used more often when I don't have both hands on the stick. Also there are more options on one timers.

Both lefty, which is a slight concern.

I'm like you--righty that likes playing the left side as it opens up more angles--but playing at the NHL level, there are significant advantages to having the puck on your strong side on defense, including stopping hard-arounds on your strong side and already being in a position to move the puck up the rink in the defensive zone and being ready to pull the trigger (not on your backhand) in the offensive zone. There's also the issue of relentless forechecking keeping you on your backhand and hacking up your passing strength/accuracy out of the zone.

you'll see Martinez is actually really good at his offside but of course he has to turn his back to the play frequently (for example, keeping the puck in) and when forecheckers are chasing him out of the zone and pushing him towards the boards he is on his backhand by default as there's no space to make a forehand move (which = weaker pass).