[Goon Squad]

As you can tell from my screen name, I enjoy the rough stuff. But something has been bugging me. I would really like to see the Kings go without an enforcer next season. Yes, I mean it, in fact I can't believe it's not common sense at this point. Having an enforcer is simply a waste of a roster spot, and a waste of the chance to roll 4 real lines. Someone please try and make a case that having an enforcer in our lineup has been a deterrent in any way to teams taking liberties with our top players. According to the code, a guy like Raitis can only fight other enforcers - that means that he is a complete non-threat to anyone not named Boogard or Brashear. That is what makes the code useless.

Mommy, what I would really like for Christmas is for the Kings to be just a little forward thinking here. Fighting is a great, great part of the game, and you will never hear me say otherwise, but let's be honest, what you need is about 5 guys in your lineup who are tough as nails and can drop the gloves when appropriate - not an enforcer. How about those times when the opposition doesn't even have one, what is the point of dressing a guy who can't play a regular shift and has no impact on how guys are going to play the game? If anything, having an enforcer is covering up our lack of team toughness like makeup over a zit.

Believe me, I love Ivanans and I love fighting when it's called for. But if I want to watch 11 forwards I'll watch an AHL game.