Kings Scoring

[Kings Redeem LA]

Fellow King fans, 

 

what was the deal with all the shots but so few goals? Our team has found ways 

to be so depressing at season's end and miss the playoffs. This time with a low 

goals-to-shots ratio. 2015 with a baffling meltdown. 

 

Do the Kings need to shop elsewhere to improve production? Who might they 

be able to get through draft, trade, or free agency within the next year or two if so? 

 

What are your thoughts on where the team needs to improve and how they might do it? 

 

Here's to another Stanley Cup! 

 

Cheers. 

 

 

 

 

[hf101]

I think it is going to be an interesting off-season for the Kings. For one they made a great decision getting rid of Sutter and Lombardi. They need change and this is probably the fastest way to address it although the Salary Cap will play a role in what the Kings can actually do.  The Kings need to get younger, cheaper and faster.

 

I didn't really understand the deadline moves made by Lombardi - they didn't need a slow Iginla and they didn't need Bishop.

 

Not making the playoffs was probably the best thing for the team for cleaning house and moving forward.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Honestly, I think the LA Kings situation boils down to a simple choice:

 

--Do they remain a defense-first, grinding, heavy team

or

--Do they look to be more offensively oriented, possibly smaller in personnel to accommodate the faster speed, and maybe give up a bit more on the defensive side (putting more burden on the goalie) in order to generate better offense.

 

Basically, the question poses whether the team should go to a change in team philosophy or not.

By firing their coach and GM, it would seem the Kings are looking for a new identity.

 

Ideally, EVERY team would like to have both offense and defense in equal proportions, but of course, that is easier said than done.

 

Defensively, I think the Kings are in decent to good shape with a top four D of Doughty, Martinez, Muzzin, and rookie Forbort, along with goalie Jonathan Quck.

The forward lines?

That's a different story.

 

Outside of Anze Kopitar (who had a down year BTW), Jeff Carter, and MAYBE Marion Gaborik (when he is on his game anyways), all the Kings seem to really have is a collection of 3rd/4th liners, borderline 2nd liners, who are more grinders than point producers.

 

LA will probably need to look to see who could use some grinding bodies and try trading them for guys who can at the very least, consistently man 2nd line ice time.

Then they will need to look to the draft and try to pick as many offensive type players as they can to develop for future use.

 

With all due respect to Jarome Iginla's career, he is coming off the Kings' books this year, and if LA really wants to improve in both offense and youth, then they will KEEP him off the books.

 

Unfortunately, the Kings have saddled themselves with what are looking like bad contracts right now with Dustin Brown and Marion Gaborik.

Both those players are making near 6 mil and 5 mil respectively, are over 30, and simply are NOT producing to match their pay grade.

And both those players are under contract for another 4-5 years. Yikes.

 

Maybe the Kings and Wild can do some business. Or maybe the Kings and Lightning.

Both Minnesota and Tampa Bay (two teams I follow quite closely) could use some larger grinding bodies, and may have the depth in forward units to make it worthwhile to the Kings.

Carolina, Colorado, and maybe Dallas could be good trade partners for Los Angeles as well.

 

Should the Kings ultimately decide they want to remain a large, grinding, type team, then they will hire a GM and coach that subscribe to that philosophy and will simply continue on with most of their core roster intact and try to fill in the gaps with free agents they think can also play the defensive style they have long been noted for.

 

But they already had that in Daryl Sutter. Did they think he was no longer in charge of the locker room?

Probably not....so it is looking more like the Kings are looking for a real change in direction.

 

The Pacific Division has become far too competitive in terms of dynamic offense to along with good defense for the Kings to continue their "90's style" of hockey...and I think they may be starting to realize that.