NHL Thread

[KPENN]

F@#4 ME!!!! Yet another year of questionable goaltending. F'ing Leighton and Boucher :banghead2

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

F@#4 ME!!!! Yet another year of questionable goaltending. F'ing Leighton and Boucher :banghead2

Yeah, sorry about that. On a good note, you did pick up Sean O'Donnell from the Kings. I like OD a lot from a professionalism and quality-guy standpoint, but he has gotten slow. He'll be a good presence in the locker room and his contract is weighted with incentives, so he doesn't cost much. Bummed to see him go. I really wanted him to retire a King.

Just read Bobby Ryan turned down 5 year at 5 mil per year. Wow. He has upside, but not 5 mil+ upside just yet.

Kings fans are still hoping we bring in Kovalchuk. I am not sold on that deal. I think he is too expensive.

 

[KPENN]

Yeah, sorry about that. On a good note, you did pick up Sean O'Donnell from the Kings. I like OD a lot from a professionalism and quality-guy standpoint, but he has gotten slow. He'll be a good presence in the locker room and his contract is weighted with incentives, so he doesn't cost much. Bummed to see him go. I really wanted him to retire a King.

Just read Bobby Ryan turned down 5 year at 5 mil per year. Wow. He has upside, but not 5 mil+ upside just yet.

Kings fans are still hoping we bring in Kovalchuk. I am not sold on that deal. I think he is too expensive.

Yeah I love the OD signing.

Bobby ryan isn't worth 5 million yet I agree with you.

The kings should say no to kovy. He costs to much he plays to much 1 on 1 and he's very one dimensional.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Yeah I love the OD signing.

Bobby ryan isn't worth 5 million yet I agree with you.

The kings should say no to kovy. He costs to much he plays to much 1 on 1 and he's very one dimensional.

Ryan turning down 5 million is laughable for a player his age. Kid seems a bit too big for his britches right now.

I am praying the Kings don't take Kovy. The way I see everyone talking, it looks like it is all but a done deal. I seriously thought he would be headed for the KHL. Maybe he is just using the NHL team(s) as leverage to broker a fatter KHL deal. Taking a guy like that is putting too many eggs in one basket. If you bring in a guy like him and then things still don't go your way, you have a feeling of "Now what?"

Ray Whitney was overpaid in my opinion too. Jokinen going back to Calgary seemed strange to me. Boogard going to NY Ranjahs was odd too. Weird day all around.

Since you posed the question a while ago about "elite" goalies and your dissatisfaction with the Flyers netminders, do you think Nabakov and Turco will find homes this season? Where do you think Modano can fit? It will be interesting to see as free agency goes on.

 

[KPENN]

Ryan turning down 5 million is laughable for a player his age. Kid seems a bit too big for his britches right now.

I am praying the Kings don't take Kovy. The way I see everyone talking, it looks like it is all but a done deal. I seriously thought he would be headed for the KHL. Maybe he is just using the NHL team(s) as leverage to broker a fatter KHL deal. Taking a guy like that is putting too many eggs in one basket. If you bring in a guy like him and then things still don't go your way, you have a feeling of "Now what?"

Ray Whitney was overpaid in my opinion too. Jokinen going back to Calgary seemed strange to me. Boogard going to NY Ranjahs was odd too. Weird day all around.

Since you posed the question a while ago about "elite" goalies and your dissatisfaction with the Flyers netminders, do you think Nabakov and Turco will find homes this season? Where do you think Modano can fit? It will be interesting to see as free agency goes on.

With kovy i've heard 3 teams the kings, blues and lightning are the only ones that can afford him so we'll see.

Yeah strange day all around i've heard that Modano will go to detroit being he's a michigan boy. I think turco will get work before nabby cause i see Turco as a more team first guy. With nabby's high contract demands i wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in the KHL

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

With kovy i've heard 3 teams the kings, blues and lightning are the only ones that can afford him so we'll see.

Yeah strange day all around i've heard that Modano will go to detroit being he's a michigan boy. I think turco will get work before nabby cause i see Turco as a more team first guy. With nabby's high contract demands i wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in the KHL

I have always been a big Modano fan. He always seemed to kill the Kings, but I have always thought he would look great in a Kings sweater. OD played a great role with the young defensemen as the cagey veteran and I think Modano could provide the same education for some of the Kings forwards. I know it won't ever happen, but I wouldn't object to having him on a one or two year contract if the price wasn't too over the top. The Kings have so many young players and with OD leaving, the team just got significantly younger. I really wish it would happen. How often to get the chance to have the most prolific American born player on your team? Oh well. The Kings front office hasn't called yet to get my opinion.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Kovalchuck apparently is asking for somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 mil a year for 10-12 years. Unbelievable! I pray the Kings just smile and walk away. That is ridiculous!

 

[KPENN]

Kovalchuck apparently is asking for somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 mil a year for 10-12 years. Unbelievable! I pray the Kings just smile and walk away. That is ridiculous!

Wow that kinda money for him is laughable. He's not that good of an all around player. Add in the fact he's made the playoffs a grand total of 2 times with 1 win combined and was invisible this year against philly.

Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9million
Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) $9 million
Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) $9 million

In my opinion these are the top 3 players in the league and there is no way kovy is worth more then them. The kings would be smart to say good bye

 

[KPENN]

GoIrish rumor has it the Flyers and Kings may be making a deal.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

GoIrish rumor has it the Flyers and Kings may be making a deal.

Interesting. I wonder who might be involved. Have you heard any specifics or just a general rumor of a deal?

 

[KPENN]

Interesting. I wonder who might be involved. Have you heard any specifics or just a general rumor of a deal?

The only person I've heard is Simon Gagne going to LA

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

The only person I've heard is Simon Gagne going to LA

That intrigues me. I was really impressed by him in the playoffs. Hmmm...I thought you were going to say Pronger for Doughty.

 

[KPENN]

That intrigues me. I was really impressed by him in the playoffs. Hmmm...I thought you were going to say Pronger for Doughty.

Lol. I hope it falls through i don't want Gagne to go.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Lol. I hope it falls through i don't want Gagne to go.

I guess there was a horrible rumor on a Flyers board or on hockeybuzz.com that was saying it was Carter and Gagne to LA for Kopitar, Brown, Quick, and Jack Johnson. It went on to say that if that trade happens, Kovalchuk will sign in LA because his wife wants to go to LA and he would sign for something like 12 mil for 12 years. I love the rumor mill in hockey around the trade deadline and free agency.

 

[KPENN]

I guess there was a horrible rumor on a Flyers board or on hockeybuzz.com that was saying it was Carter and Gagne to LA for Kopitar, Brown, Quick, and Jack Johnson. It went on to say that if that trade happens, Kovalchuk will sign in LA because his wife wants to go to LA and he would sign for something like 12 mil for 12 years. I love the rumor mill in hockey around the trade deadline and free agency.

I'd take that trade and run with it, but to bad it won't happen.

 

[IrishinSyria]

Just read Bobby Ryan turned down 5 year at 5 mil per year. Wow. He has upside, but not 5 mil+ upside just yet.

I played with a kid who grew up playing against bobby ryan. He said he was the slowest player he'd ever played with but he had video game hands. He'd go on end to end rushes and have to beat 10 players to get to the goal cause he'd deke one guy and they'd catch and get dangled again.

I didn't get a chance to watch the kings much this year, but I've always felt that Ryan's a guy who will put up a good amount of points but will never dominate, especially in the playoffs. If he's turning down 25 million over 5 years, he obviously disagrees with me.

 

[KPENN]

I played with a kid who grew up playing against bobby ryan. He said he was the slowest player he'd ever played with but he had video game hands. He'd go on end to end rushes and have to beat 10 players to get to the goal cause he'd deke one guy and they'd catch and get dangled again.

I didn't get a chance to watch the kings much this year, but I've always felt that Ryan's a guy who will put up a good amount of points but will never dominate, especially in the playoffs. If he's turning down 25 million over 5 years, he obviously disagrees with me.

Ryan plays for the ducks and from what I've heard the money amount isn't the issue. He wants a shorter contract so he can go on the open market sooner.

 

[IrishinSyria]

Ryan plays for the ducks and from what I've heard the money amount isn't the issue. He wants a shorter contract so he can go on the open market sooner.

And this is where I get embarrassed and admit that I group CA hockey teams into two Categories: San Jose and not San Jose.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

I am just relieved the Kings are out of the Kovalchuk sweepstakes. I did not want the Kings to shell out 10 mil a year for that guy.

 

[Blue Blood]

Kovalchuk was supposed to decide today where he was going to sign, but pushed it back until tomorrow...I'm sure it will be with New Jersey from what I’ve heard.
Wherever it is, the dude is going to get a huge deal.

 

[KPENN]

I am just relieved the Kings are out of the Kovalchuk sweepstakes. I did not want the Kings to shell out 10 mil a year for that guy.

I know the kings have got to many good things going on to waste there money on him. I'd take a guy like Dustin brown over kovy any day of the week.

 

[KPENN]

Kovalchuk was supposed to decide today where he was going to sign, but pushed it back until tomorrow...I'm sure it will be with New Jersey from what I’ve heard.
Wherever it is, the dude is going to get a huge deal.

I love it though. The devils are gonna sink a good bit of money to a selfish player that no shows in the playoffs.

 

[TDHeysus]

I know the kings have got to many good things going on to waste there money on him. I'd take a guy like Dustin brown over kovy any day of the week.

the kings need a top line scorer that can net 50+ goals, consistantly. otherwise, its its the same story - kings fans hope that the team over-achieves in the playoffs and wins a series or 2......Doesnt seem good enough anymore.

I can remember the days before gretz, when mike krushineiski(bernie nichols) has to score amazing-on-his-back, puck-flipping-thru-the-air-goals just to barely beat a Calgary team that they lost the series to anyways. It was all the kings could do to barely win a playoff game, much less a series. Fast forward to 2010, the kings could barely put up a fight against the team (VAN) that lost the next round (albeit to the cup champs). The kings played good against VAN, but when it came to crunch time those evil hockey twins(sedins) and the rest of the canucks were too much for the kings.

The kings have some really good young players in place....but they dont have that goal scorer that, even if you hate him, kovalchuk is. To say he disappears in the playoffs in unfair; Ovekchin at the current time is known as a huge playoff tanker, but there isnt a person in LA that wouldn't want him on the kings.

They need to draft, or buy that 50+ goal scorer to be a contender. Otherwise we'll (kings fans) just keep hoping and praying they over achieve for an entire playoff season.

 

[KPENN]

the kings need a top line scorer that can net 50+ goals, consistantly. otherwise, its its the same story - kings fans hope that the team over-achieves in the playoffs and wins a series or 2......Doesnt seem good enough anymore.

I can remember the days before gretz, when mike krushineiski(bernie nichols) has to score amazing-on-his-back, puck-flipping-thru-the-air-goals just to barely beat a Calgary team that they lost the series to anyways. It was all the kings could do to barely win a playoff game, much less a series. Fast forward to 2010, the kings could barely put up a fight against the team (VAN) that lost the next round (albeit to the cup champs). The kings played good against VAN, but when it came to crunch time those evil hockey twins(sedins) and the rest of the canucks were too much for the kings.

The kings have some really good young players in place....but they dont have that goal scorer that, even if you hate him, kovalchuk is. To say he disappears in the playoffs in unfair; Ovekchin at the current time is known as a huge playoff tanker, but there isnt a person in LA that wouldn't want him on the kings.

They need to draft, or buy that 50+ goal scorer to be a contender. Otherwise we'll (kings fans) just keep hoping and praying they over achieve for an entire playoff season.

Yes Kovy will score 50 goals in the regular season, but he will not put a team over the top and help them win a stanley cup. Case and point the devils got worse when he arrived and the thrashers got better. He's selfish and a defensive liability. In the playoffs you need to sacrafice blocking shot and playing strong defense 2 things Kovy won't do among other things.

One thing about the kings losing in the playoffs is there still young. You can't really expect them to be competing for and winning the stanley cup when it was that core groups 1st appearance in it. I guarantee that having Kovy doesn't change the outcome it might actually have been worse.

And to your point about Ovechkin here's his playoff stats 28 GP 20 G 20 A 40 PTS +14
Kovalchuks 9 GP 3G 5A 8PTS -1

Trust me the Kings are better off not getting Kovy.

 

[Blue Blood]

I love it though. The devils are gonna sink a good bit of money to a selfish player that no shows in the playoffs.

And they should know that better than anyone.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

the kings need a top line scorer that can net 50+ goals, consistantly. otherwise, its its the same story - kings fans hope that the team over-achieves in the playoffs and wins a series or 2......Doesnt seem good enough anymore.

I can remember the days before gretz, when mike krushineiski(bernie nichols) has to score amazing-on-his-back, puck-flipping-thru-the-air-goals just to barely beat a Calgary team that they lost the series to anyways. It was all the kings could do to barely win a playoff game, much less a series. Fast forward to 2010, the kings could barely put up a fight against the team (VAN) that lost the next round (albeit to the cup champs). The kings played good against VAN, but when it came to crunch time those evil hockey twins(sedins) and the rest of the canucks were too much for the kings.

The kings have some really good young players in place....but they dont have that goal scorer that, even if you hate him, kovalchuk is. To say he disappears in the playoffs in unfair; Ovekchin at the current time is known as a huge playoff tanker, but there isnt a person in LA that wouldn't want him on the kings.

They need to draft, or buy that 50+ goal scorer to be a contender. Otherwise we'll (kings fans) just keep hoping and praying they over achieve for an entire playoff season.

Kopitar could become that consistent 50 goal scorer, plus he is a better defensive forward that Kashacheck (Kovalchuk). Kopitar is only 24 - people forget that when they bag on him - and he is going to get better. I think he is going to be one of those premier guys in the league in a couple of years. Is he Crosby or Ovi? No. But those guys are few and far between. 99% of the guys in the NHL take time to develop. Kopitar is young and has played his entire career on some bad Kings teams. They are just learning to win and now that they have tasted the playoffs and won a couple games (even one on the road), they have a better understanding of what it takes.

If the Kings don't go to sleep in the third period of game 4 in Los Angeles, that series is 3-1 LA going back to Vancouver and who knows what happens then. Kings fans keep bitching "We need a sniper!", but I think this team has some good, young players that will step up this next season. I am not predicting a Cup just yet, but they are turning in to one of the better teams in the West.

 

[TDHeysus]

Kopitar could become that consistent 50 goal scorer....

Kopitar is awesome player, I like him alot.

I think what the kings ownership has done with turning around the organization from the minors all the up to the Kings has been really great, I really do. But i'm a longtime Kings fan, I watched them make bad decision after bad decision after bad decision. Gretz running off players like robitaille, sandstrom, granato; Barry melrose thinking that big stiffs were the way to go; or everyone putting all their eggs in the Jamie Storr basket.

The kings have an opportunity to be an elite level team, they are missing that goal scorer that other teams have to respect. I would really like for them to get something NOW, rather in 3 years when we will be saying things like, "I really wish they got him 2 or 3 years ago." Dont get me wrong, I dont think they should give up any of their young talent. The kings are notorious for trading players away that end up with good careers (Olli Jokinen comes to mind). Making a move now is the difference between contending teams, and also-rans.

Its like the dodgers, they can hope that Kershaw and Billingsly develop into good pitchers, but they knew 2 years ago when the Phillies bombed them in the playoffs that they needed to address the pitching situation. They havent done anything since, except wait and hope, that they'll get better. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are flopping around up and down the standings with inconsistant pitching. The Dodgers had the rest of the team to win in '08, pitching did them in. Last year, pitching did them (PAdilla was the their best Pitcher down the stretch last year). The Dodgers should have got Cliff Lee when he went to Seattle. They had built the team thru drafting and farm system, they needed to add that top level performer, instead they have been flopping around the standings. Good enough just to make the playoffs, but not really any chance to win. Kinda like the kings.

I'm not set on getting Kovy, but they could have got him without giving up any of their young talent, that is the key part. For awhile, I thought Jerome Iginla would have been a great acquisition for the Kings, until I heard he was a restricted FA, the kings would have to give up someone to get him, so that makes a player like Iginla less desirable for Kings IMO.

How often is a potential 50+ goal scorer, who isnt over 30, available with no strings attached? and how often are the Kings as an organization ready to strike with really only the top line scorer missing from the roster?

 

[KPENN]

Dont get me wrong, I dont think they should give up any of their young talent. The kings are notorious for trading players away that end up with good careers (Olli Jokinen comes to mind).


Is this supposed to be a joke?

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

TDHeysus - You make awesome, and very valid points. The Kings have committed to building from within and through the draft and I think signing a guy to a long term, huge money deal really undoes a lot of the party line you have stuck to for more than a few years now.

The big hang up with the Kovi deal is what do you do to sign a guy like Drew Doughty in the next 12 to 18 months? Especially considering the new CBA is going to try to push the salary cap down.

I would much rather sign Doughty to a long term deal (10+ years) than a guy like Kovalchuk. Also, I think there are enough guys in the pipeline that signing a marquee FA is going to be much easier in the coming years.

This year's FA period was very, very lean. Kovalchuk was really the only big time guy available. I don't know what will happen next year at this time, but I think the Kings sticking to their guns is going to prove to be a very good thing when someone else is available.

 

[TDHeysus]

Dont get me wrong, I dont think they should give up any of their young talent. The kings are notorious for trading players away that end up with good careers (Olli Jokinen comes to mind).


Is this supposed to be a joke?

for about 5 or 6 years, he averaged about 35+ goals a year (i think when he played for FLA) - that was only after he left the kings. A 35+ goal scorer would be a GOD on the kings. he may not be scoring that now, but here is another player that left the kings organization to achieve success.