The Newest Signed King - Jarret Stoll

[Carla Muller]

Jarrett Stoll will hopefully be the first of three much anticipated signings. Stoll is one of a number of Kings acquired or signed by Lombardi post-injury, character driven players with high upside and one literal knock or injury away from tremendous downside. This isn’t news to anyone who follows the Kings since Lombardi came to Los Angeles.

By my count, the former MASH occupants included Alyn McCauley, Michal Handzus, Brad Richardson and Jarret Stoll. McCauley did slightly better barely since he managed to ice ten whopping games than Taylor's signing of Bure who never played a game. Handzus iced a season but was hardly the $4 million dollar man. The latter two, well one of those still are not signed and the other has more headlines for his personal life than his day job.

In my research to get to know Stoll better, I found pages and pages about his relationship, now engagement and house purchase with Rachel Hunter. It took more time to learn about Jarret Stoll – the hockey player. Last off-season, Lombardi met with season ticket holders and described players fitting in three categories: Stars, Superstar and Winners. Lombardi continued by saying the importance of players with Final Four experience. Stoll appears to have both in spades. Hockey's Futures added another inviting adjective with winning - leading. High praise indeed, read for yourselves:

” (T)he only thing the prairie boy knows how to do is win. Not only is he a member of winning teams but he’s also usually the leader of those teams as well.

Stoll wore the captain's "C" for the Kootenay Ice of the WHL in their Memorial Cup win in 2001-02. Six months later he led the Canadian National Junior team to a gold medal in the World Junior Championships. And making it three titles appearances in a row, Stoll and the Hamilton Bulldogs went to Game 7 of the AHL Calder Cup Finals this past season."

Hockey's Future on Stoll

Going into a season where experience and leadership are works in progress, it was refreshing to see Stoll's take on just that before he got to the NHL:

"I think leadership comes in many different forms. It's not necessarily being the 'rah rah' guy in the dressing room but it’s more just doing the little things right on and off of the ice. Being in the gym after a hard workout, just taking care of your body, making sure you're not out late the night before and stuff like that. I'm a younger guy and in junior it’s easy to say that the younger guys look up to the older guys but I think (a rookie) can still lead. I try to be an example for my teammates."

Here are some later quotes from Stoll once he became an Oiler:

"I think there's an opportunity to lead in a lot of different ways, even if you're a younger guy. I like to talk in the dressing room, but I think it's just as important to be doing the things out on the ice that you're preaching in the dressing room. . . . I want to be one of those guys you can put out there to win a draw in any situation. Putting in that little extra bit of work, it's not tough. It's just a matter of if you want to do it."

"Experience is one thing, but we've got hard work and determination.."

Jarret Stoll Quotes

The question marks about Stoll and why he is no longer an Oiler stop and start with his melon. To be fair, it is not his brain power or capacity at issue, but rather has he fully recovered from the concussions he sustained and his susceptibility in the future. Kings’ fans may be skeptical and rightly so after cheering Deadmarsh and Allison at their best and their worst after head injuries. What to be had of Stoll?

Here is what South Smythian Rolo-Gator previewed about him October of last season:

"Luckily, we can count on a few things from Stoll. He's probably still going to win 56% to 58% of his face-offs, as per usual. His physical conditioning has never been in doubt, and we've historically seen that he has an excellent ability to finish up a season every bit as strong as he started it. In spite of his injury, Stoll was fourth on the team in power play points last year, and his face-off skill and shot alone ensure that he'll be in that ballpark for 2007-2008. Unless his concussion has turned him into an "I LIEK SOUP"- level intellect and there's no reason to believe it has, he's going to continue to be a powerful influence on the team. He's an alternate captain on this team for road games, and even though the team’s got five of the twenty-one skaters on the roster wearing some sort of letter, that still means something."

The Big Ten – Jarret Stoll

Ultimately, last season, Stoll's 2007-2008 statistics were less than stellar and no doubt why Lowe traded him. In 81 games played, his offensive numbers were 36 points, +/- of -23 and 74 PIMs. He also had a face-off winning percentage of 55.1%. To provide some context as to how/why Stoll may be just what the Kings needed, a cursory look at the face-off success of the Kings last season paint an ugly picture. The closest numbers to Stoll belong to now Calgary Flame Cammalleri at 54.2%. After him, the next best center would be Armstrong at 50.7% and then Kopitar at 49.2%.

Stoll's statistics and value to the Oilers last season were extolled by a Bleacher Report contributor who said this:

What people also don't recognize is his special team's contributions. The Oilers are ranked fourth in the NHL in penalty killing percentage, and Stoll is a huge part of that. He is also a big reason the Oilers power play has been rejuvenated.

Lay Off Jarret Stoll

An interesting side note that hopefully Stoll addressed involves his penchant for using sticks that break at the wrong times.

Time and again, Jarret Stoll has had a stick snap in his hands. He's switched manufacturers, tried different flexes, talked to the company representatives.

. . . "It's frustrating," he said the morning after the Oilers had gained a point but lost 5-4 in the shootout. "Especially since I've switched and things were feeling good. ... Then all of a sudden it's in your hand. In two pieces. It sucks. But we have to figure it out.”

Stoll’s Search for Sticks

Bottom Line:

It would be wrong to dismiss a player solely due to injuries. For every Lindros or Deadmarsh, there are other examples of those written off at ages far older than Stoll who came back in spades like Gary Roberts to name one. If Stoll maintains the same high level of success in the face-off circle, the penalty kill and on the power play, three areas where the Kings were anything but special or successful, then the addition of Stoll comes at just the right time.

Video Time:

Stoll’s Double OT Winner Against Detroit

Stoll on Game Day

Stoll’s Goal Videos 2007-2008

Stoll on Locker Room Clean Out Day with the Oilers

Carla Muller

Carla.hockeygal@att.net

[The Natural]

Bure was a Dave Taylor signing, not DL.

[Carla Muller]

Originally Posted by The Natural

Bure was a Dave Taylor signing, not DL.

Thanks for the correction.

[Cal_Bear96]

I like the acquisition of Stoll, and the fact that they have now signed him for 4 years. My only question is, are they paying him $3.6 M because he's worth it, or because they need to move closer towards the salary cap floor? $3.6 M seems like a lot for a guy who only had 36 points in 73 games and was a -23.

[Carla Muller]

Originally Posted by Cal_Bear96

My only question is, are they paying him $3.6 M because he's worth it, or because they need to move closer towards the salary cap floor? $3.6 M seems like a lot for a guy who only had 36 points in 73 games and was a -23.

I have to believe it is the former. I have a hard time believing that Lombardi paid him that figure to get to the floor. Rather, I believe he got those dollars based upon three things: (1) Stoll giving up 3 years of UFA rights; (2)Stoll taking some security in case he is one hit away from retirement and (3) Lombardi gambling on Stoll returning to his pre-injury form thus making this contract seem like a steal with hindsight.

[Dr. Naysay]

Originally Posted by Carla Muller

I have to believe it is the former. I have a hard time believing that Lombardi paid him that figure to get to the floor. Rather, I believe he got those dollars based upon three things:

(1) Stoll giving up 3 years of UFA rights

(2)Stoll taking some security in case he is one hit away from retirement

(3) Lombardi gambling on Stoll returning to his pre-injury form thus making this contract seem like a steal with hindsight.

1) Meaningless if #2 is realized
2) see #1
3) Because Lombardi has a FANTASTIC track record when it comes to gambling with previous injuries

I don't honestly care that Stoll might be making slightly more than he "deserves" (according to some metric that I'm not familiar with)... I just care that the Kings have enough freaking NHL caliber players to ice a team.

This is one step closer to that goal.













And for the record... I'm not concerned about the salary floor... I'm concerned about the 82 games I'll be watching as a Kings fan. I'm excited to see if Moulson, Purcell, Boyle, et al can crack the lineup. It would be nice if they did it by playing well and not by default.

[Brown23]

Since were on the subject about the Stoll signing, I thought I share a lil' something as well to you guys,..and you can believe it or not, I don't b.s..

But a real good friend of mine who happens to be a certified sports nutritionist/personal trainer. Well he just rescently got a part-time position as a strength trainer with the LA Kings this summer. He decided to do part-time to see how it goes until the end of December and make a decision then if he is willing to continue on with the Kings.

So as of this past wednesday he has spent a full day with the players getting to know them an alll. One thing from what my friend told me was that you can tell in the youngsters when being around them all day that for the ones that don't have a spot in the line-up of the Kings, wants to prove themselves to stay on the Kings this year since they know there is some open spots.

But as for Jarret Stoll, well it all started when my friend was first off with the Edmonton Oilers when he was the strength trainer of theirs from mid Janruary until around mid June, when he was then let go. But when he was with the Oilers he has made some really good friends with Penner, Pisani, Stoll, and etc... That my friend even as of now still helps train Stoll, even since he was let go from the Oilers. So coming from my friend that Stoll is going to be in REALLY good shaper this year, that he wants to get into the best shape he can this off-season. So I would excpect Stoll to be a steller this season.

Once again, you can believe it or not, thats up to you guys. But I thought I share what I know an all.

[24diving]

There is one major difference in referencing to Bure with these other players. When Taylor signed Bure he had had no history of back problems and sustained the injury in a game during pre-season. The season previous to signing with LA as a free agent, Bure played 68 games and was leading Florida in scoring before was traded to Dallas at the trading deadline.

[JJ289]

Maybe he is a poor man's Chris Drury? Good all around player with good character. I hope they gave him a very thorough physical before they signed him to this contract. I'm looking forward to seeing who will play with him on the 2nd line. I know his numbers were not good last season due to injury.