Kings Need True Second Line Center

[MuPPeT666]

Originally Posted by SOBER

We're talking hockey here, there is no reason to get sensetive like a princess.


Fact is I don't know too much about the NBL so I can't comment on their sport.

Defense is very important but so is goaltending and offense. Again, my point stands that in the GLORY DAYS of the NHL where high octane offenses won the championships is a direction the NHL is trying to go to (increased scoring) so it would make sense to not make this a completely defensive team.

Remember the Kings had great defense and goaltending in 2001 when they were going to the 2nd round against the Avalanche, but it was the Avalanche HIGH OCTANE offense that broke those 1-1, 2-2 ties in tight defensive PLAYOFF HOCKEY.

If you make this a completly defensive oriented team, who is going to be that gamebreaker (and you need more than a couple of them) to break those tight defensive double/triple overtime games in the playoffs.


That's why those guys like Forsberg, Messier, Gretzky etc... won Conn Smythe trophies.


Without even looking at the all time Conn Smythe trophy winning list, I can tell you that Forwards and Goaltenders BY FAR have more playoff MVP trophies than defensmen.


Yes defense wins championships, but it can't do it without a goalie and highly skilled forwards.


My point is, get stronger defensively with prospects like Johnson, Hickey, etc... but don't do it at the cost of highly skilled forwards like Brown, Frolov, Kopitar, read: Cammalleri.

I didn't get sensitive or something like that...it was just my opinion.
And where did I say offense and goaltending are not important?


Defense oriented team...I agree on that point...I didn't say anywhere that defensive oriented countries/teams win wars/championships. My point was more like "Without defense you won't win." And with that I didn't mean in any way that you should forget about goaltending and offense!

And the Kings especially need some defensive boost. Our offense is just fine even without Cammy and Nagy. Let's trade both for 2 defensive d-men and some prospects/picks. We will lose 2/3 defenders anyways...


Even for THIS season people had utterly unrealistical expectations...and if we don't get some toughness and ability to defend to our roster, we won't be much better next year...

[MuPPeT666]

One more thing: If we get 2 tough, defensive d-men, then expect Lubo's and Preissing's offensive play finally gets to where it should be.

[eddietrd77]

people seriously think Army is playing 2nd center because MC thinks he should?? WHen and if cammy comes back he will bump Sully down to 2nd center to play with frolov and just plattoon the other winger like always

[kingsatan]

Originally Posted by eddietrd77

people seriously think Army is playing 2nd center because MC thinks he should?? WHen and if cammy comes back he will bump Sully down to 2nd center to play with frolov and just plattoon the other winger like always

I hope not. Cammy and fro have way better chem than cammy and ...

[Iron Duke]

Originally Posted by KingFanMGM

Colorado with Marc (I don't have to really coach this team) Crawford with Blake, Foote, Borque on defense and oh yeah... Patrick Roy in net and Sakic, Forsberg, Hejduk, Tanguay, Ricci in front. His teams in Vancouver were never as strong and typically faultered early in the playoffs, but they again... they did have lolCloutier.

Not to completely pick nits, but this is wrong and is a misconception that really needs to be cleared up. Crawford's Avalanche was nowhere close to the Hartley Avalanche of 2000-2001. Tanguay, Hejduk and Blake were not part of the 1996 Cup team, nor were Bourque and Drury, among others.

Crawford won in 1996 with such defensive juggernauts as Uwe Krupp, Sandis Ozolinsh, Jon Klemm and Sylvain Lefebvre (ok, and Adam Foote and Aaron Miller also). Point is, people need to get out of their heads that Crawford's Cup win was a walk in the park. That Avalanche team was not the most talented in the NHL (despite having players like Sakic and Forsberg), and, if not before, should have been eliminated by the Red Wings.

[Iron Duke]

Originally Posted by eddietrd77

people seriously think Army is playing 2nd center because MC thinks he should?? WHen and if cammy comes back he will bump Sully down to 2nd center to play with frolov and just plattoon the other winger like always

Considering that Army has played about as much time centering Frolov this season as he has 3rd-4th line duties, I would say people are justified in thinking he's playing center by Crawford's choice. When Cammalleri comes back, rather than shift O'Sullivan down, I would expect our first line to stay the same, with Cammy-Army-Frolov as the 2nd, Moulson/Purcell-Handzus-Calder as the 3rd and Thornton-Giuliano-Ivanans on the 4th.

And why not? Cammy and Frolov both had some of their best production last year during the time they were playing together, with Army centering them. ****, gescom has been preaching this since the start of the season.

[kingfisher24]

Crawford won in 1996 with such defensive juggernauts as Uwe Krupp, Sandis Ozolinsh, Jon Klemm and Sylvain Lefebvre (ok, and Adam Foote and Aaron Miller also). Point is, people need to get out of their heads that Crawford's Cup win was a walk in the park. That Avalanche team was not the most talented in the NHL (despite having players like Sakic and Forsberg),

but they did have no. 1 defenseman Patty Roy, didn't they? that certainly made Crow's job ALOT easier...

[Iron Duke]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

but they did have no. 1 defenseman Patty Roy, didn't they? that certainly made Crow's job ALOT easier...

No doubt, though how often do you see a Cup-winning team that has not ridden on the shoulders of an elite or, at the least, streaky, goaltender? The fact is, Crawford deserves the recognition for being at the helm of that Cup team. Much more so than Hartley with the 00-01 team, at least, IMO.

[Youngblood]

What about Blake for Marleau +? I don't think I want Marleau (i think he's overrated). But this seems like a real possibility. DL drafted Marleau.