Los Angeles Kings: Quarter Pole Report Card
The Los Angeles Kings have already played 22 games this season. In my opinion, there is no better time to write a report on the team than the quarter pole.
This season has been full of pleasant surprises. Whether it be the play of Quick or the all-around effort being shown on the ice, the Kings look poised to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season. After so many years of terrible hockey, it's really great to be a Kings' fan right now.
In this report card, I will give a quick overview on the team, grade the forwards, grade the defensemen, grade the goalies, talk about some trade rumors, review the coaching and talk about the future.
I hope you enjoy the slideshow. The Kings look as though this could finally be their time. I'm hoping, Los Angeles is hoping, we are all hoping that it's time!
Go Kings Go! Here's to 60 more games of great hockey. Hopefully it all starts tonight against the Anaheim Ducks.
Subjective Team Overview
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The Kings aren't going to blow anyone away with an unbelievable amount of skill, they aren't going to knock opponents down in high scoring games but they will out work and out perform many teams on a nightly basis.
This season, things are different. The Kings appear to be a team that wants to win and wants to take home that Pacific Division crown. It's really great to see after years of no expectations. Finally, fans have hope in Los Angeles. A lot of this hope can be attributed to the master management skills of Dean Lombardi. He truly built this team from the ground.
Without going into much detail, I can tell you that the Kings are a very well-rounded team. They have a solid group of forwards, a solid defense and two great young goaltenders.
If I had to pick a surprise of the season so far, it would have to be the goaltending. I don't really want to take too much away from my goaltending slide so I won't talk too much about it. What I will say is that Jon Quick has been more than I ever expected. If you read one of my earlier articles, you'll see that I thought Bernier would overtake him as the number one guy.
The great thing about the Kings right now is that they really look like they are having fun playing the game of hockey. They look like they are working together as a team. It's great to see.
Alright, so ends my little subjective review of the Kings thus far. Now I'll move onto the objective review.
Objective Team Review
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The Kings have compiled a record of 13-9-0 to this point in the season. While many fans would consider that respectable, is it good enough for the Kings? The answer is no.
After such a hot start to the season, people were expecting the Kings to finish 70-10-2 (or so it seemed). It's fair to say that those expectations were more than unrealistic. However, playing at just over .500 isn't good enough for this team. There is too much talent on the roster.
Taking 26 of a possible 42 points really doesn't sound that great. Let's be honest, it's not. If the playoffs were to start tomorrow, the Kings would be playing. That being said, they would be playing golf, not hockey. That's right folks. At present time, the Kings sit 9th in the Western Conference. I think it's fair to say that this team is much more capable than that.
With 1 win in their last 7 games, it appears as though the Kings are in a bit of trouble right now. This team needs to have a stand out performance to gain the confidence that they had to start the year. Everyone knows these players are capable of playing standout hockey.
Let's not forget about injuries when we talk about this team. Dean Lombardi barely touched his roster over the season. He added a couple of pieces in Alexei Ponikarovsky and Willie Mitchell, but other than that everything stayed status quo. Perhaps fans, myself included, underestimated the value of these two guys both on and off the ice.
Is it a coincidence that the losing streak really started when these guys went down?
I have no doubt in my mind that the Kings will snap out of this little streak they are on right now. They are much better than their record indicates. Though, I surely hope it's sooner rather than later.
The Forwards
3 of 7I'm not going to talk to you about the forward group as a whole. Below, I'll list the guys who have played and I'll give you a grading and a little bit of a description of what I've seen. I will only be grading players who have played all games unless they are key players who have missed time for various reasons.
Brayden Schenn - Brayden is going to be a great player for the Kings one day. There is a reason that he has been the subject of so many rumors since the season started. Grade B
Anze Kopitar - I find Kopitar to be one of the most interesting players in the league. Just when I think he is about to break out and take his game to the next level, he stays still. I was hoping for a lot more from Kopitar this season. That being said, there isn't a lot to complain about. He has great stats in most categories. Grade B
Justin Williams - Wow! That's all I can say about Justin Williams. Just when everybody thought that his career was done, he comes out and starts playing point per game hockey. This is truly something special to see. I've been so impressed with Williams' poise and skill out there this season. Hopefully it continues. If he can finish this season with 80+ points, I will be thrilled. Grade A+
Brad Richardson - When I gave my grades during the preseason, I mentioned that I was one of the happiest guys in the world when Brad Richardson signed. I love the way he plays. This season, he is doing exactly what I thought he would. Nothing more, nothing less. The only problem is his +/-. That needs to be worked on if he wants to remain a figure on this Kings forward line. Grade C+
Wayne Simmonds - Well, after I wrote my preseason rankings Wayne Simmonds stepped it up (ever so briefly). I think that it's safe to say that this season has been a little bit of a disappointment for Mr. Simmonds. He just doesn't have the same scoring touch that he seemed to have last season. That being said, he still brings an incredible amount of energy to the team each and every single night. Simmonds is in so many trade rumors right now, is it time to trade him? That decision is up to Dean Lombardi. Grade D
Kevin Westgarth - All I can really say is that I'm not totally sure why everybody got so excited about this guy in the offseason. He doesn't seem to bring a lot to the table. I don't think that any team in the league really needs a heavy weight who does nothing but fight. Those days are over. Grade F
Dustin Brown - Oh captain, my captain! Dustin Brown is such a great player for the Los Angeles Kings. He has so much heart and soul. Not only that, he is producing at a great rate. I am so happy to see Dustin play with such passion and skill. Hopefully this play continues and he finishes with strong stats in all categories. Grade A
Michal Handzus - Michal Handzus isn't a player who is going to wow you on a nightly basis. He goes out, works hard, and gets his job done quietly and efficiently. I can say that I have very happy to have him on the Los Angeles Kings. I was hoping that he would be a little bit strong than he has been, but I'm not really complaining. Grade B-
Alexei Ponikarovsky - I'm going to have to grade Poni on his play prior to the injury. I'll be honest, after seeing him play in Toronto for so many years, I was excited when he signed in Los Angeles. I don't think that he has lived up to expectations in any way, shape or form. He needs to get better of his contract will look terrible later in the season. Grade D-
Jarret Stoll - It's been like a re-birth for Stoll just as it has been for Williams this season. Stoll is looking like the player Lombardi envisioned when he brought him into the Kings organization. He is winning faceoffs, passing like a master and scoring beautiful goals. I've been so impressed with Stoll thus far. Whatever he's doing right now, hopefully it keeps on going. Grade A+
Ryan Smyth - Captain Canada isn't showing any signs of slowing down. While he isn't the dominant offensive force he once was, he is still contributing to the Kings' success. I was so happy when Lombardi brought Smyth in. The character and leadership he brings has rubbed off onto some of the younger players. He's been great. Grade A-
There is your list of key forwards, a description of each and their grades.
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The Defense
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Without saying much here, I'm going to set this up just as I did the forwards. Enjoy.
Matt Greene - After coming back from injury, Matt Greene has been solid. He has been calm and collected while bringing leadership to the room. He isn't flashy and he isn't ever going to blow us away, but he gets the job done. Matt is one of the true good guys in the league and I'm happy to have him as a part of the organization. Grade B
Jack Johnson - When Drew Doughty went down with injury, I, like many Kings' fans, was really worried that no one would step up. We were all proved wrong when Jack Johnson got started on the season of his life. Wow, he's been incredible. He's stepped up and he's made a great case to be the Kings' number one guy this season. Grade A+
Rob Scuderi - Rob has been everything I thought he would be when the Kings signed him last season. He is a proven winner with a great ability to stay calm in tense situations. I think that he has really helped to develop some of the younger guys in the room. Once again, he is a player who isn't going to blow you away, but he'll get his job done. This season we have seen more of the same from Mr. Scuderi. Grade B
Drew Doughty - I think that when you see the grade below you will be shocked at how low it is. Drew Doughty has been a shadow of his former self since returning this season. I've been very disappointed. While I do believe that Doughty is still one of the league's best, he has yet to show it this season. Hopefully he picks it up soon. Grade C-
Willie Mitchell - I'm really upset that Willie is injured right now. He's been so good for the Kings. He has been so great that I can't believe Vancouver let him go. He is showing no signs of his concussion and he has fit in seamlessly. Having watched him in Vancouver, I know what he can do. He will be the best signing Lombardi has made in his tenure here, mark my words! Grade A
Davis Drewiske - Over the summer I thought that the Kings needed a player who could make a great first pass. Not only has Drewiske done that, he has done it with poise! I've been so impressed with Drewiske this season for so many reasons. He's simply done it all for the Kings. Grade A
As you can see, I am incredibly high on the defense core for the Kings. They've been great so far; let's hope it continues.
The Goalies
5 of 7If there has been one great story for the Kings this season, it's been the goaltending. Many people believed that there would be a goaltending controversy in Los Angeles. Well, it's been far from that. Take a look.
Jonathan Quick - Finally! The Los Angeles Kings finally have a true number one goaltender who has stats that rival those of Vezina Trophy goaltenders. After a solid season last year, Jonathan Quick has taken his game to a whole new level. It's been great to see some of the wonderful saves that he's made this season. Hopefully it continues. Grade A+++
Jonathan Bernier - I was one of the people who thought that Jon Bernier would challenge Quick for that number one job. Well, it's safe to say that hasn't happened. Bernier really hasn't lived up to expectations in his limited playing time. I really hope that he gets better soon. The Kings need a true backup goaltender. Grade C+
Quick's been amazing, Bernier's been alright. There's not much more to say.
Trade Rumors
6 of 7I don't want to take too much away from my other articles discussing these rumors, so I will briefly touch on a couple of players who have been rumored to be on their way to Los Angeles.
Jarome Iginla: Wouldn't it be great if the Kings could somehow acquire this guy? He's everything the Kings need on that top line. He has the heart, skill and leadership necessary to take this team to the next level.
Dustin Penner: Penner is your prototypical power forward. I think that he would set up nicely on the left side of Kopitar (a position where nobody has had any success this year). Could he be the answer to their problems?
Zach Parise: The one thing Zach Parise has over the other two guys I've mentioned is speed. He can skate with the best of them. With his injury and the New Jersey Devils' cap woes, it could be easier for Dean Lombardi to pull the trigger on this deal.
Cory Stillman: He's a veteran guy with a lot of heart. I'm not really sure that he would contribute to the skill set of the team that much, but he definitely wouldn't hurt. Depending on the price, it could be worth trading for him.
Now there's a group of four players who have been on the rumor mill's radar for quite awhile. The other player I'd like to bring your attention to is Bill Guerin. Ever since his release from the Flyers' camp, his name has been rumored. It would be a good move by Lombardi as Guerin has proven he can produce even at his age.
There you have it. Which players on this list would you like to see in a Kings' uniform? What would Lombardi have to give up to get your player of choice.
The Coaching
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I wish that I was in charge of handing out the Jack Adams Trophy! I tell you, Terry Murray would have won it last season. Now, I can't really disagree with Tippett winning it. He was unbelievable in Phoenix.
Terry Murray has done a marvelous job of turning a young group of players into a competitive team. There is a difference between being a group of 23 players and being a team. Murray has skillfully turned the Kings into a true team. Everyone works together to try and help the Kings win.
A lot of credit has to be given to Murray as he took a team, that many believed wouldn't ever make the dance, to that next level. With Murray at the helm, the Kings are a respectable team once again. It's truly great to have such a wonderful coach behind the bench.
He's calm, cool and collected. I think that the big thing that Murray has on his side is his ability to develop younger players. He has really nurtured these guys into full blown National Hockey League stars. That's a gift if you ask me.
I really hope that Terry Murray stays in Los Angeles for a long time. He's been everything that Dean Lombardi ever could have asked for in a coach.
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