How I Would Line Up the L.A. Kings Next Season

I know this is a movie blog, but occasionally I indulge my other love – hockey – specifically the L.A. Kings. The Kings won the Stanley Cup last year, but this year lost in the Conference Final. I would be more upset about this except for one thing – this playoff year, no matter how heartbreaking it was (and losing your final game in double overtime is heartbreaking in the extreme), it was still the Kings third best playoff performance in their 45 year history (I know that’s sad). Their big problem this post season was offense – specifically they didn’t get any. Here is how I would line up the Kings next season to get some. First the Forwards:

Line 1

Brown-Kopitar-Toffoli

Okay, so Brown and Kopitar did not do much offensively this post season – but both were banged up. Justin Williams has been a grinder on this line, and effective, but what Brown and Kopi really need is a sniper – Brown creates space and helps the cycle, Kopi cycles with the best and is a great setup man – but they’ve never had that natural sniper to go with them. Toffoli can be that guy for them next season – and has proven he has what it takes.

Line 2

Pearson-Carter-Williams

This is certainly a chance – but I like it. Carter skated much better at center this post season than on the wing – leave him there. Williams can be your grinder – the guy who keeps the play alive. Rookie Tanner Pearson is a natural set-up man with great hands. Playing him alongside two vets will help him – and should get him some points.

Line 3

?-Richards-Vey

The big problem with the Kings this post season was no depth scoring. So why not do that by moving Richards to the third line? In all honesty, I’d give approximately the same minutes to all of the top three lines – and it will make it harder on the opposition to have more to cover. Vey has been good in the AHL – and is entering the last year of his entry level deal. It’s time to see what he can do. Although he has played at center there, he can also play RW. And the Kings are set at center, so he’ll have to be a winger to stay in the lineup. What I don’t know is who will play LW. I hope the Kings go out and get a third liner with some scoring touch – because no one else in the lineup has that. If not, expect to see Clifford or King there.

Line 4

Clifford-Lewis-King/Nolan

Kyle Clifford may well be your long term solution for third line left wing – but he’s not there yet. So for now, let him continue to develop and have him bang and crash on the fourth line. Lewis is a great checker and penalty killer – but has virtually no scoring touch. He played well at center when Stoll was out – so let him be the fourth line guy who can move up in the case of injury. As for the right side – I’d give King and Nolan a chance to battle it out. They both looked secure after great playoffs last year – but this year and in the playoffs, they did nothing. Long term, they’re both not going to be here.

Extra

Fraser, King/Nolan

Colin Fraser is a very useful piece to have in your back pocket in case of injury – if that happens, Lewis moves up, Fraser draws in, and you’re okay. The other extra is either King or Nolan, whoever Sutter hates most that day.

Who Does That Leave Out?

Dustin Penner, Brad Richardson, Jarret Stoll.

Penner is a free agent, and with the cap falling, the Kings don’t have room for a guy who only scored twice in the shortened regular season, no matter how big of a beast he often is in the playoffs. I’ll miss him. Brad Richardson is also a free agent, and you have to think he’ll look elsewhere – he spends weeks at a time as healthy scratch, but on many teams in the NHL, he’d be a regular fourth liner. The Kings obviously don’t care about his long term career – so he’ll leave.

The difficult one is Stoll. Sutter loves him, and he is a decent third line, checking center. However, the Kings have Kopitar, Carter and Richards, and when they put Stoll on the third line, he generates no offense. The Kings need depth offense, so Stoll should be traded. He’s got an affordable deal, and many teams would love to have him as a third liner. He isn’t going to bring a top prospect or pick or anything, but he should fetch a solid return.

Defense

Doughty-Muzzin

Voynov-Regher

Martinez-Greene

Extra

Ellerby

When paired with Doughty, Muzzin got more points and opportunities. The reason is simple – teams key on Doughty, opening up Muzzin. When Regher was one with Doughty, they still keyed on Drew, but Regher didn’t make them pay. Muzzin’s defensive game should improve, and until then, Doughty is good enough on both ends to make up for it.

This does mean that the Kings’ other great defenseman, Voynov, is stuck with Regher. But Regher should be solid enough to let Voynov jump into the play, which is where he’s at his best. This should be a solid second pairing, even if I still wonder why the hell Lombardi thought the Kings needed Regher in the first place – let alone the extension they gave him.

Martinez and Greene were great on the cup run last year. Without Greene, Martinez struggled. But as long as Greene is healthy, I want to see this pairing together again.

As for Ellerby, he’s fine as a 7^th d-man who never gets played. The Kings may well look to add another defenseman instead – either on the free agent market or as part of a trade for Stoll or Bernier – in which case, Martinez may also be moved, and Ellerby could still be your 7^th man – unless they let him go, and hold onto Martinez. I’m not sure anyone in Manchester is ready for the big time yet.

Who Does This Leave Out?

Rob Scuderi, Willie Mitchell.

I would LOVE to have both of these guys in the Kings lineup next year – I just don’t see it happening. Mitchell missed the entire season this year with knee problems – and the prognosis isn’t good. I think his career is over – so most likely, the Kings will place him on LTIR for the last year of his contract to get him off the cap. As for Scuds – I think the man wants to be PAID. He has been a key piece in two of the last five cup teams (Pittsburgh and L.A.), and is still more than capable of being a top shutdown guy. If the Kings were willing to meet his contract demands, they would have already done so. I think, sadly, it’s so long Scuds!

Goalies

Quick/?

Next season will be the first of Quick’s long, expensive 10 year extension. The way he played in the playoffs this year, no one should be that worried. As for Bernier, I think his time is done. He wanted out last year, but was still under contract, so really had no power. Now, he’s RFA (and I think has arbitration rights), so he has slightly more power than last year, but not much. Still with the cap coming down, and Bernier due a raise, I think they have to trade him. That either means calling up one of the Manchester goalies, or ideally, picking up a cheap vet on the free agent market.

What will they get for Bernier? No idea. The goalie market will be flooded this summer with the likes of Backstrom and Smith as UFA, Luongo and Miller on the trade block, and possible buyouts for Fleury and Bryzgalov – not to mention the usual array of veteran backups.

However, there is lots of team who could use goalie help. Off the top of my head I think of Phoenix, Minnesota, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado, St. Louis, Toronto, Buffalo, Washington, Florida, Winnipeg, Philly, Pittsburgh, New York Islanders and New Jersey. They could all want an upgrade of some sort in net, but some don’t want it enough, and some will want the vets. Still, there are a number of teams on this list who may well want a young guy like Bernier. They should get a decent return for him.

Will Any of This Happen?

Undoubtedly, some of it will. I don’t see how they can bring back Penner, or a situation that Scuderi comes back unless he takes a “hometown discount”, or why Richardson would want to come back. They may try to hold onto Bernier another year to give the goalies in Manchester time to be ready to be a backup, but that may not be an option. Toffoli is assured a spot in the lineup next year.

I wonder if they’ll deal Stoll. To me, it’s time to move on – let the youngsters Toffoli, Pearson and Vey have their shot at the NHL level while they’re still on Entry Level Deals, which will help with the reduced cap next season, and see precisely what they have. They don’t want any of them leaving for Europe like Moller and Holloway did, or keep them so long they either have to deal them for next to nothing (Loktionov) or lose them via waivers (Hickey). They’re not there yet – but it won’t be long before they are. Plus, if you look at it, the Kings strength is down the middle – Kopitar, Cater, Richardson, Vey, Lewis and Fraser can all play center. What they may want is another veteran shutdown defenseman – something Stoll could bring in a trade.

What did the Kings in during the playoffs is simple – when Kopitar and Brown played hurt, they didn’t produce enough offense. Carter, Richards, Toffoli and Voynov stepped up admirably, but it wasn’t enough. They need depth scoring – and pretending you’re going to get it with any consistency with King, Lewis, Clifford, Stoll, Fraser and Nolan as your bottom six just isn’t working anymore. Let the kids with offensive upside have a shot at it.

But Lombardi, as is his way, will undoubtedly due what he wants to do, regardless of what I think. And that’s a good thing. I haven’t always agreed with him, but his maneuvers led the Kings to a Cup and a berth in the Conference finals – unquestionably the best post season team in the NHL over the past two years (they won six series – no one else has even won 5). I trust Lombardi to do what needs to be done – even if it isn’t precisely what I would do.

Round One Playoff Predictions

I haven’t written much about the NHL this season, but I have been following it closer than ever before. So once again, the playoffs our upon us, and my beloved LA Kings have not made it easy on themselves, by losing their final two games against San Jose so that they have to face off against the President’s trophy winning Vancouver Canucks. Oh well. Here is how I see each series breaking down.

Western Conference

1)      Vancouver vs. 8) Los Angeles
Personally, I do not believe that this Vancouver team is as good as the one they had last season – and it will be worse if Daniel Sedin does not come back as expected. The Sedins and Kesler have not been as dominant as they have in the past, and you never know what Luongo you are going to get. You also wonder if having had a long playoff run last year if they are going to start wearing down at some point. Still, you don’t win the President’s Trophy unless you are a great team – they are the one team that knows that if they don’t win the Cup, it will be viewed as a failure. As for LA, they have been much better since the Jeff Carter trade. They underachieved much of the year, but they are still one of the very best defensive teams in the league, and in Jonathan Quick, they SHOULD have the Vezina trophy winner. If the Kings have learned from their last two quick playoff exits, they could upset the heavy favorites in Vancouver. 
Prediction: Los Angeles in 7. I am NEVER NOT going to pick the Kings to win. I honestly believe this is going to be a long series, and that LA could easily pull off a HUGE upset.

2)      St. Louis vs. 7) San Jose
I have to wonder if this season has been too much too soon for the St. Louis Blues. They haven’t made the playoffs in a few years, and then this year everything came together and they had a great regular season. But do they have enough experience to actually compete for the Stanley Cup? They are the best defensive team in the league, and have two great goalies if one falters. They are also hard to check, because they have offense by committee. As for the Sharks, this was a disappointing season for them, but they do have a lot of playoff experience. I do have to question the goaltending, as Anttii Niemi has had an up and down season, and they are not great defensively. They can be great offensively though. They also have to answer the bell that this team is not too old to compete lest they be blown up.
Prediction: St. Louis in 6. St. Louis may be inexperienced, but I normally take defense over offense in the playoffs, so I’m taking St. Louis this round.

3)      Phoenix vs. 6) Chicago
Phoenix won the booby prize of being the best team in the Pacific division which was weaker than most years this time. They have a hard working team, lead up front by two great veterans in Shane Doan and Ray Whitney, on the back end by one of the best, most under rated d-men in the game in Keith Yandle, and have amazing goaltending by Mike Smith. The Blackhawks on the other hand have more depth than last year, but you do have to wonder how good they can be if Jonathan Toews cannot come back. Still, they have responded well in his absence, and with Duncan Keith they have depth, with or without Toews.
Prediction: Chicago in 5. Chicago has too much depth for the Coyotes, who have not been able to overcome the first round hump in the previous two years. If the Coyotes are to win this one, they need Mike Smith to steal it – and I don’t think he’ll do it.

4)      Nashville vs. 5) Detroit
Nashville may well be the quietest Cup contenders this year – no matter how well they do, they never seem to get much respect. They added depth on defense with Hal Gill, to go along with two of the very best in the league in Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. In Pekka Rinne, they have one of the best goalies in the league. With Radulov, they have added a legitimate scoring star. As for Detroit, they are always a threat. Although many of their best players – Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom – are getting older, and you do have to wonder if Jimmy Howard can backstop them to a deep playoff run. This is going to be a death match, with the victor being a legit threat to win the Western conference.
Prediction: Nashville in 7. It’s going to be tight, but I think Nashville has the defensive depth to get this done.

Eastern Conference

1)      New York Rangers vs. 8) Ottawa
The Rangers had a great season, really coming through defensively, and especially in net with Henrik Lundqvist, and just enough offense to win, with Brad Richards and Marion Gaborik finding instant chemistry together. They may not be the most exciting team in the gang, but they play a solid team game, and have few holes in their lineup. As for Ottawa, their complete rebuild that they started last year is WAY ahead of schedule. They have more offense than the Rangers with the likes of Spezza, Michalek, Alfredson and d-man scoring leader Eric Karlsson. But they have less overall depth, and counting on the inconsistent Craig Anderson in net may well be their downfall.
Prediction: New York in 5. The Rangers simply have too much depth to be beaten by the Sens this year.

2)      Boston vs. 7) Washington
The Bruins may not be quite as good as last year, but they still know how to win. Zdeno Chara can be the most dominant player in any series, and can shut down nearly any forward, so good luck Ovechkin. Though Tim Thomas is certainly not as amazing as he was last year – not to mention the fact that he let his batshit crazy side out this year – he still has the ability to be dominant. Up front, they have enough depth to make up for the fact that they do not have any real offensive superstars. As for Washington, they should have been much better than 7^th this year, but for some reason, they never really came together this year. They seem like a team of individuals more than a cohesive unit. Alex Ovechkin can still be one of the best in the game – as he proved down the stretch this season. As a team though, they just do not have the depth.
Prediction: Boston in 6.The playoffs are about heart – the Bruins have it, the Caps don’t.

3)      Florida vs. 6) New Jersey
The Florida Panthers were one of the great stories of the regular season this year, ending the longest current playoff drought at 10 years (sorry Toronto, that honor now belongs to you). They did it with a team effort – no real stars, but a team that gets the job done, and relying on a resurgent Jose Theodore in net. They went to more overtime and shootouts than any other team in the league in this year, which means they can keep things close. As for New Jersey, after a disappointing season last year, they responded well this year – Kovulchuk has never been better, Zach Parise came back with a strong year after being injured last year, and Adam Henrique was one of the best rookies of the year. Martin Brodeur may be in the twilight of his career, but he can still pull out some great performances.
Prediction: New Jersey in 6. There is no shootout in the playoffs, so Florida probably doesn’t stand much of a chance of winning this one.

4)      Pittsburgh vs. 5) Philadelphia
Undoubtedly the marquee matchup of the first round, these two teams quite simply hate each other. For Pittsburgh, with the MVP of the league in Malkin and a great Crosby back, they are going to score a lot of goals. They are also deeper up front than ever before – with Sullivan, Neal, Staal, Kunitz, etc. On the defensive end, they are solid, especially Kris Letang if he can stay healthy. And they have one of the best goalies in the league in Fleury, who knows what it takes to win. For Philly, they are bigger and tougher up front than ever before. Claude Giroux is as good as any center in the league, and add in players like Simmonds, Hartnell, Jagr, Reade, Schenn, etc and they can keep pace with the Pens up front. On defense, they have a huge hole without Pronger, but they have gotten the job done. The real question mark is crazy Ilya Bryzgalov, who can be amazing or horrible depending on the night.
Prediction: Pittsburgh in 7. It`s going to be tough, and whoever wins this one will most likely be my pick to win the whole Conference, but I think the Pens have the skill and depth to win.

Should the LA Kings Fire Terry Murray

Just 10 days ago, the Kings looked like one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They were 6-2-1 after 9 games. Now, they are winless in their last five, and have dropped 6-5-3 after 14 games. It is still early, and the Kings are somehow still in a playoff spot (barely), so they shouldn’t panic too much. But one has to wonder if perhaps this start has shown GM Dean Lombardi what many of us have long expected – that Terry Murray may no longer be the right coach for this team. Over the first 14 games, the Kings have only managed 3 goals or more in just 4 games – and two of those took to overtime to record the third. Coaches around the league talk about games being a “race to 3”, because the stats are clear – you win more games than you lose when you get 3 or more goals. And you lose more games than you win when you get 2 or less. And Terry Murray’s teams cannot score.

It is easy to find scapegoats. Many have already pounced on Dustin Penner, who has yet to get a goal this season, and has scored only 3 goals in over 30 games as a King since coming over at the trade deadline. Dustin Brown had almost 30 last year, and has just 3 so far this year. Mike Richards only has 2. Drew Doughty hasn’t scored at all. Jarrett Stoll had 20 last year, and only 1 this year. In short, unless you’re Anze Kopitar (who amazingly is still among the league leaders in points this season), or his line mates Simon Gagne and Justin Williams or Jack Johnson (who is playing the best two way hockey of his career right now), you need to score more. But how much is due to the players themselves, and how much is due to Murray’s extremely rigid defensive system? I don’t know the answer to that, but what I do know is this: Teddy Purcell and Matt Moulson couldn’t score to save their lives under Terry Murray, and know they are among the offensive leaders on their new teams. Dustin Penner is a fairly consistent 25 goal a year man, and he’s gotten 3 since being acquired. Mike Richards should be good for 25-30, and he’s gotten 2 this season. Alexi Ponikarovsky is usually good for 15-20, and last year he got 5. Alexander Frolov was a fairly consistent 20 goal scorer for LA before Murray took over, and he saw his numbers decline. So what’s more logical – that all of these players just hit slumps when they were under Murray, or that Murray’s system is stifling too much offense in favor of defense?

The Kings system makes it far too easy for opponents to shut them down. They play defense first, and wait for the other team to make a mistake so they can capitalize offensively. When they’re tied or if they manage to get a lead, the Kings play pretty well. But when they fall behind, they are hardly ever able to make a comeback. They continue to sit back and wait for the other team to make a mistake – which they often don’t do. Less than 10 minutes to go and trailing, you’d think the Kings would step up the offensive pressure and take some chances. After all, it doesn’t really matter if you lose by 1 goal or 2. But they don’t. They have one gear, and that’s what they play from beginning to end, regardless of the score. And this makes them easy to defend against.

When Murray was hired, he was the right coach at the right time. After two stern taskmasters in Andy Murray and Marc Crawford, the young Kings team needed a more laid back, fatherly figure as coach, and Terry Murray provided that. He imposed structure on the young Kings team, and Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty are the players they are today in large part due to Murray’s coaching. But this is no longer that young team, with a ton of kids and lots of cap space just trying to squeak into the playoffs. This team is now full of veterans, and spend close to the cap. They are supposed to be a cup contender this year. And right now, they don’t look like it.

So, would I fire Terry Murray? I was in favor of doing just that at the end of last season, when these same problems existed. I suggested bringing in Ken Hitchcock or Peter DeBoer. Both now have other head coaching jobs, so I don’t know who I’d get now. The Kings do have John Stevens as an assistant coach, and he was once the head coach of a good Flyers team not that long ago. He is also a defense first coach, but perhaps he would allow for more in game adjustments, and let the forwards loose just a little bit more – something that Murray seems unwilling or unable to do. To be fair, it is very early, and it is only 5 games. And the Kings have a tendency to alternate between long winning and losing streaks, so perhaps I’m making too much of this. In short, I don’t know if I would fire Murray right now or not – but I would at least consider it.

What I would do is immediately place Trent Hunter and Davis Drewiskie on waivers. Hunter apparently had a great camp, which is why he earned a spot on the roster after showing up on a tryout basis, but he has been bad in his games so far, and for the most part has been a healthy scratch. Drewiskie has played only once this season, and I would shocked if he plays more than 5 games all year. If they get claimed, no big loss. If not, send them to Manchester. In their place, I’d call up Andrei Loktinov, who has been tearing up the AHL this season, and Slava Voynov, who looked great for the Kings when Doughty was injured. Bench Alec Martinez, who has been average this year, and put Voynov in his place. Put Loktinonov on the third line alongside Jarret Stoll (who would move to the wing, but take faceoffs) and Scott Parse, who has looked good since coming off the bench. The Kings need to generate some offense, and these guys could only help in that regard.

One thing is clear though – something needs to change. The Western Conference is far too deep, and every point means far too much, for the Kings to continue losing for much longer.

The Drew Doughty Situation

Last Friday, Kings GM Dean Lombardi essentially set in motion a high stakes game of chicken with holdout RFA defensemen Drew Doughty. The two sides have been negotiating since June on a new contract for the 21 phenom defensemen, and have yet to come to an agreement. On the first day of camp, with Doughty a no show, Lombardi laid it all out in an interview. They love Drew – he’s a great kid, a great player, a great locker room presence, and that he will be a King for a long, long time. He also said they have made their best offer to him (believed to be $6.8 million for 7 years), and if Drew doesn’t accept it, it may go down over time not up.

Whether this was a line in the sand or a line in concrete, we really won’t know until this ugly mess is sorted out. The truth of the matter is that the Kings are playing a dangerous game with Doughty right now – one that I don’t particularly like. The offer is a fair one – it would make Doughty one of the top five defensemen in terms of cap hits in the league (but not in actual dollars, since many defensemen are signed to long term, cap circumventing deals). But it is believed that Doughty wants a shorter term deal – in the neighbourhood of 5 years, for around $7 million. So don’t believe what you read about this being about money – it isn’t. It’s about term. Doughty wants the same number of years as other stars coming off of their Entry Level Deal got. Players like Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Jonatahn Toews, Patrick Kane and Bobby Ryan all did five year deals. Yes, last week Tyler Myers signed for seven, and the Kings own Anze Kopitar signed the exact same deal that the Kings offered Doughty two years ago, but for the most part, five or six year deals coming off on an ELC are standard.

The Kings don’t want five, because that means that Doughty and Kopitar would be UFA at the same time. Troubling yes, but should that really be a reason to throw this season under the bus? Should it be enough to perhaps forever damage your relationship with a 21 year old who has already been nominated for the Norris trophy? Should it be enough to hurt your Stanley Cup chance for the next five seasons? If you’re Dean Lombardi, I guess, the answer is yes.

This should be the most exciting time for Kings fans in years. The addition of Mike Richards in the offseason gave the Kings the depth at center that they have not had in years. It gives them a one-two punch down the middle with Kopitar and Richards. But it didn’t come cheaply. Fan favorite Wayne Simmonds, himself only 22, and Brayden Schenn, who the Hockey News called hockey’s best prospect last year, were shipped the other way. But the message Lombardi was sending was clear – the Kings time is now. They will compete for the Cup now, not just continue to say “Wait till next year”. Instead, we are embroiled in a high stakes game of chicken with the Kings best defensemen – something that if it isn’t resolved soon, threatens to carry on into the regular season, and could derail any chance the Kings have.

Kings fans have, for the most part, lashed out in anger at Drew Doughty – calling him greedy and overrated. Yes, last season wasn’t as good as the one before, but he was still the Kings best defensemen, and it was still a great season for a 21 year old defensemen. You really shouldn’t have expected him to win a Norris trophy last year – Ray Borque didn’t win his first one until he was 27. Niklas Lidstrom not until he was 31. The fact that Doughty was even nominated at the age of 20 was phenomenal. He is, right now, the best defensemen in the league under the age of 25. He could turn out to be the best defensemen in the league overall very shortly. So why the hell is this going on?

The truth is that both Dean Lombardi and Doughty’s side (including agent Don Meehan) are being pigheaded right now. Lombardi and Meehan hate each other, and this dates back years, and neither side wants to give. Is the Kings offer to Doughty fair? Yes, it is. But is it the only fair deal you can give to Doughty? If I were GM, would it be my line in the sand that I refused to cross? No, it wouldn’t. And it’s because the stakes are too high for all involved. Lombardi doesn’t want to risk not having Doughty in his line-up this year. Doughty doesn’t want to hold out for a whole season and become known as one of “those” guys.  The truth of the matter is that the Kings need Doughty, and unless an offer sheet comes along, Doughty needs the Kings.

Honestly, I don’t think this drags on for more than another week. One side will blink. Doughty has to be itching to get back into training camp and be with his teammates. He loves playing hockey – you can see that in his every shift and when he’s on the bench. So will he cave? Or will AEG, the Kings owners, who have made the expectations of where they want the Kings to be this season very clear – a Cup contender – tell Lombardi to cave and get a deal done.

No one has had held out for an entire season in the salary cap era. The closest was Ilya Kovulchuk in 2005, who signed with Atlanta on October 8. It makes no sense, for either the player or the team, to let it get even that far (or farther, as if Doughty is not signed by December 1, he won’t be able to play for the whole season). Logic dictates that one way or another – either Doughty caving and signing a 7 year deal, Lombardi caving and signing him to 5, a compromise deal at 6 years, or a one year shorty, which gets them to next summer, when Doughty will be eligible for arbitration (and as such, would be resolved no later than the first week of August) – a deal gets done and gets done sooner rather than later. The problem right now is that neither side seems to be thinking logically. No one in the media actually thinks this will drag on into the regular season (bloggers are another story, but as Elliot Gould said in “Contagion” blogs are nothing except graffiti with punctuation” – this one excepted of course).

So Kings fans are in limbo. Held hostage by a pigheaded GM and a player and his agent who are also pigheaded. To be honest, right now, I’m pissed at all of them. All will be forgiven when a deal is signed, which cannot come soon enough for my tastes – and (hopefully) after that on October 7^th, when we can analyze the team on the ice, and not what is going in at the negotiating table. Until then though, remember Doughty is only asking for what other players in his situation got, and Lombardi is risking the future of the franchise because of his ego. No one wins if Doughty holds out for even part of the season, let alone the whole thing - least of all Kings fans.

How I Would Line Up the LA Kings for the 2011-2012 Season

Barring any last minute additions, the Kings roster for next season is set. Despite a plethora of young talent down in Manchester, I think that the Kings really only add one rookie to the lineup this season – and even that may be wishful thinking on my part.. Next season, with more free agents perhaps leaving the Kings, will be their chance to shine, but for now, here’s how I would like to see the Kings lineup on October 7^th, when they open the season – assuming Drew Doughty signs of course.

Forwards

Line 1: Dustin Penner- Anze Kopitar – Justin Williams

This line played together for a while last season after the trade that brought Dustin Penne to the Kings – and they looked pretty good. Once Williams then Kopitar went down with injuries, Penner was useless and looked lost out there. But I think he was a bounce back season – if for no other reason than because it’s a contract year and what he earns in the future depends on this year. Kopitar is money in the bank, and I expect him to have the best offensive season of his career – with two legit first line mates, and a backup center man to take the pressure off. Williams may very well be changed up with Brown at various points this season, but I like his skill set alongside these two more than Browns.

Line 2: Simon Gagne-Mike Richards-Dustin Brown

The two biggest offseason acquisitions – in Simon Gagne and Mike Richards – have already played together with much success in Philly, so they go together naturally. Dustin Brown adds even more physical play, and a nice scoring touch, to what should be one of the best second lines in the Western conference.

Line 3: Kyle Clifford-Jarret Stoll- Brad Richardson

This line has a little bit of everything in it. As a second line center, Stoll just didn’t quite cut it, but he should be great as the third liner, playing tough minutes, and taking key draws, and adding a little secondary offense.. Kyle Clifford adds defensive responsibility and a mean streak to the line, and Brad Richardson is a capable plug to fill out the line. It may not be flashy, but they’ll be fine.

Line 4: Scott Parse – Andrei Loktinov – Trevor Lewis

I really hope Terry Murray keeps Andrei Loktinov this year (he is the one rookie I mentioned), because he has so much skill, and it would be great for his development to spend the whole year with the big club. With three very capable two way center men in front of him, and the likelihood that he’ll play the least hard minutes of the bunch, Lotki could add some valuable secondary scoring – especially if he’s teamed with Scott Parse, who he matched well with in Manchester, and the speedy Trevor Lewis, who will still be on hand to kill penalties. After all, Stoll is UFA next year, and could easily fly the coop. It would be good to know what they really have in Lotki before that happens.

Extras: Ethan Moreau, Kevin Westgarth

Injured? Colin Fraser.

Call Up Possibilities: Andrei Loktinov, Brandon Kozun, Justin Azevedo, Dwight King, Linden Vey

Ethan Moreau was a late offseason signing, and he should provide some experience and leadership to the team. Having said that, he’s aging, and injury prone, so I wouldn’t count on him night after night. Facing a tough team, and want a little more sandpaper in the lineup? Throw him in. Otherwise, he’s the type of veteran the press box was made for – and at only $600,000 – it didn’t cost you much. As for Westgarth, I’ve made my opinion about one-dimensional goons clear over the years – I don’t like them and I wish the Kings didn’t have one. But Terry Murray is an old school coach, and he likes them, so he’s on the team. I’d rarely put him in the lineup – only when the other team has someone similar. Still, he should barely play.

The big question about the Kings’ lineup is Colin Fraser, who the Kings got in the Ryan Smyth deal, who turned out to be far more injured than the Kings thought he was. The Kings filed a grievance over the deal, and so far I’ve heard nothing, so either the decision hasn’t come down yet, or else no one is talking about it. Either way, I think Fraser remains a King. He may be injured when the season starts, meaning there will be room for Loktionov. However, if he isn’t, there isn’t room unless the Kings put Fraser on waivers and get rid of him, which they say they won’t do. Personally, I think Fraser is another one, like Moreau and Westgarth, who will spend significant time in the press box, even when healthy. But if he does come back healthy, it certainly makes it a lot harder for Lotki to get his chance – something I think he deserves.

As for call up possibilities, if he doesn’t make the big club, than Loktinov is the go to guy, as he was last year. If he does, then I really don’t know. The Kings used Oscar Moller last year, but he decided to return to his native Sweden this year – as did Manchester’s leading scoring Bud Holloway. Dwight King was used briefly, and did not perform well, but he’s a solid third or fourth line guy (last year, paired with Kopitar, he didn’t have it). Guys with more offense include Brandon Kozun, but he’s small, Justin Azevedo, but he’s small, and Linden Vey, but he’s small. In general, I think that with the Kings depth, few forward call ups will be made. After all, both Richardson and Lewis can slide over to center if need be, and Loktinov, Parse and Stoll could all fill top six roles. And with two healthy scratches already, I doubt many forwards from Manchester get a good look this year.

Defense

Pairing 1: Drew Doughty-Willie Mitchell

The number one pairing for most of last season, these two worked well together, and I there is no season to think they won’t do the same this season. Mitchell is the calm, steadying, stay at home guy and Doughty flashier, but also great defensively. They can play in all situations. Now just sign a damn contract Drew!

Pairing 2: Jack Johnson – Rob Scuderi

Jack Johnson has improved over the years, but he still needs a stay at home defensive stalwart like Scuderi to bail him out of trouble once in a while. Johnson has similar offensive skill as Doughty, but not the same defensive prowess. Scuderi is the calmest player I’ve ever seen out there – he never makes mistakes, and he helps to temper Johnson’s reckless impulses.

Pairing 3: Alec Martinez – Matt Greene

Personally, I would have tried to trade Matt Greene this offseason – with all the talent in Manchester on defense, he isn’t really needed. But he is still a solid, physical presence back there – a perfect third pairing guy. He just needs to be more disciplined. Alec Martinez proved he was the young defenseman from Manchester to beat last year, and loyalty is big for the Kings, so this is his spot to lose.

Extra: Davis Drewiskie

Call up Possibilities: Thomas Hickey, Jake Muzzin, Slava Voynov.

Drewiskie had his chance at the beginning of last season to show he was capable of being a day in, day out NHL defenseman – and he lost his spot to Martinez. So now, he fills the Peter Harrold role of d-man who sits for months at a time. In all honesty, I think if there are any major injuries to a defenseman this season, than the Kings will call up Thomas Hickey, Slava Voynov or Jake Muzzin, who are young and skilled enough that the Kings don’t want them sitting all the time, to fill the void, but Drewiskie will get the odd game.

Goalie 1: Jonathan Quick

Goalie 2: Jonathan Bernier

Call Up Possibility: Martin Jones.

Last season was Jonathan Bernier’s rookie year, and many thought that by the end of the season, he would have stolen Jonathan Quick’s starting job. But two things made that not happen – one is that Bernier struggled early in the season (the second half was pretty great though), and the other was that Quick played brilliantly for the Kings. He was arguably their MVP last season – and unlike the previous year, he didn’t burn out, and also played very well in the playoffs. But now that Bernier has his confidence up, Quick does have to watch his back. Any stumble could be all Bernier needs to take the job from him. The situation will eventually have to be resolved – with one of the two of them traded – but right now, they seem to get along just fine, and both are signed for another two years at very reasonable rates, so that time hasn’t come yet. The Kings do have an AHL All star in Martin Jones, and a few very good goalie prospects in Junior, but all will need more seasoning before they get to the NHL – unless an injury makes it necessary.

2011-2012 NHL Season Predictions

The New NHL season just over a month away, and while a few teams still need to do some things before it starts (like my beloved Kings getting Drew Doughty under contract), for the most part, rosters are set. Since I’ll be spending less time at the movie theater, I’ll probably be spending more time watching hockey. Here’s how I see the two Conferences shaking down.

Western Conference

The more competitive of the two conferences to be sure, I see two epic battles shaping up for division titles – the Sharks and the Kings in the Pacific and the Red Wings and Black Hawks in the Central. But seven of the eight playoff teams from last year should be back this year.

1. Vancouver Canucks – Last season the Canucks had one of the best seasons any team has ever had - statistically anyway. And the only loss that will hurt badly is Christian Ehrhoff leaving for Buffalo – but considering the Canucks defense is built on depth, not on any one player I think they’ll be fine. The Sedins will likely finish near the top of the scoring race again, and if Kesler returns to form after surgery, he’ll still be one of the best second line centers in the game. It doesn’t hurt that the Canucks are in far and away the worst division in hockey. The big question remains Roberto Luongo – but that’s mainly a playoff thing. In the regular season, the Canucks are still the team to beat in the West.

2. San Jose Sharks – San Jose is the only team to make it to the final four in each of the last two seasons, but not wanting to rest on their laurels, they made big, bold moves this offseason. Brent Burns certainly helps the offense from the blue line, but I still feel the Sharks are missing that big time d-man. But that’s about all they’re missing. Gone is the distraction of Dany Heatley, and in comes Martin Havlat, who will put up similar numbers for less money and headaches. The team is aging a bit, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with.

3. Detroit Red Wings – Every year, I want to write off the Detroit Red Wings, and every year, they come back strong. Despite injuries last year, they once again won their division – although that probably had something to do with the Hawks Stanley Cup hangover. Still, any team anchored by Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datysuk and Henrick Zetterberg is a team to not take lightly. Jimmy Howard responded well between the pipes last year, and while he’s not an elite goalie, the Wings don’t need one (right, Osgood?). It will be close but the Wings will win their division again.

4. Los Angeles Kings – The Kings made a bold offseason move, giving up their top prospect in Brayden Schenn, along with fan favorite Wayne Simmonds, to get Mike Richards out of Philly. The message was clear – the Kings time to win is now, not the future. With Richards playing behind Kopitar, the Kings have a one-two punch down the middle that stacks up against anyone in the league. Their defense remains intact (as long as Doughty signs – and he will), and they were one of the best d-cores last year, and should be this year. The goaltending tandem of Quick and Bernier are as strong as anyone has. Ryan Smyth is gone – and good riddance – and Simon Gagne should provide similar numbers for far less money (and more defense to boot). Yes, it was sad to see Handzus go, but the truth is the Kings didn’t need him. They will compete for their division title this year, and hope to make their first deep playoff run in years. If they don’t, it will be a major disappointment.

5. Chicago Blackhawks – The Hawks had a very disappointing year last season. Part of that was Stanley Cup hangover, and part of it was a Salary Cap that screwed them. But with the cap crunch off, and a better rested team, I think the Hawks can regain their form for their Stanley Cup winning season. They still have Toews, Kane, Keith and Seabrook as their core, Corey Crawford as a stellar goaltender, and a much deeper supporting cast this season than last. Sometimes when you win a Cup, it takes a while to get over it. The Hawks are now out of excuses and I expect to see them return to form.

6. Anaheim Ducks – There are several questions facing the Ducks this season. Will Selanne come back? Is Hiller over his vertigo problems? Was Corey Perry’s Hart winning season the real deal or a fluke? And while those are all legitimate questions, I still think the Ducks have a good enough team to make the playoffs. After all, even if Perry overachieved last year, he-Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan are still perhaps the best line in hockey. I don’t doubt Selanne will be back, and coming off of an 80 point season, even if he declines a little bit, he’s still solid. Depth is a real issue for the Ducks, in that they don’t have it, but for the regular season, they’ll be fine.

7. Nashville Predators – Let’s face facts – given the team they have, the Nashville Predators should never make the playoffs, but they do every year. As long as Barry Trotz is behind the bench, that will continue. True, they may never be able to lock up Shea Weber long term, and Ryan Suter and Pekka Rinne, their other cornerstones, may leave at the end of the season, but for now, the Preds will continue to pull of the impossible, and make the playoffs. Don’t ask me how they do it.

8. St. Louis Blues – This team has been poised to make a jump for a few seasons now, and never seem to be able to do it. But as long as they stay healthy, I think this is their year to go back to the playoffs. Backes and Stewart are both excellent power forwards who can score, Alex Pietrangelo is one of the best young d-men in the league, and I expect Halak to rebound from a lackluster season. Throw in veteran leadership from Arnott and Lagnebruner, and you have a solid team, who should be able to scrap their way into the playoffs.

9. Calgary Flames – The definition of insanity is to try the same thing repeatedly and expect different results. And that is pretty much what the Flames are doing for the third season in a row. They have a solid team, yet no real young talent to give them energy. Dealing away Robyn Regher helped their cap situation, but hurts their blue line. Mikka Kipprusoff is aging, and not quite what he once was. Ditto Jarome Ignila. And yet, they were one of the best teams in the second half of last season, before collapsing in the final weeks. If they don’t dig themselves such a huge hole this year, maybe they can make the playoffs. But I doubt it.

10. Columbus Blue Jackets – Columbus is under tremendous pressure to make the playoffs again – which is why they gave up promising Jakob Vorocek and a first round pick for Jeff Carter, and threw a ridiculous amount of money at James Wisenewski. Both of those players will certainly help the Jackets be better this season, but I still have my doubts. For one thing, Carter is a sniper, as is his line mate Rick Nash. Carter is undeniably the best center Nash has played with in the NHL, but do they fit together? And the big question is still Steve Mason in net. The Jackets need him to be the goalie he was in his rookie year, not the one who has struggled ever since. If he can regain his form, perhaps the Jackets can really compete. If not, it will be another long year.

11. Colorado Avalanche – I seriously do not get some of the moves the Avalanche have made recently – mainly trading away Chris Stewart for Erik Johnson, and trading away a first round pick for Varlamov. And yet, on paper, the Avalanche do not look like such a bad team. They just need Varlamov to prove me wrong, and they could even claw their way into the playoffs. They have an extremely talented group of young forwards who can score, and while their defense isn’t stellar, they are adequate. There’s no doubt they are still in rebuild mode, but perhaps they can move the process along a little bit this season.

12. Phoenix Coyotes – Dave Tippett has proven himself to be a great NHL coach, leading the cash strapped Coyotes to two straight playoff appearances. But the reality is, the system Phoenix plays depends a great deal on having a top notch goalie, and since they replaced Bryzgalov with Mike Smith, they don’t have one. Bryzgalov helped to keep the Coyotes in games, and let their team effort on offense and defense work, but without him I don’t see the Coyotes having much of a shot in a tough Conference and division. This may very well be the last season in Phoenix for this team, and it looks to be a painful one.

13. Minnesota Wild – Give the Wild credit – they made some ballsy moves this offseason. First was trading away their top defensemen in Brent Burns for Devin Setoguchi, an extremely talented winger, who has consistency issues. The second was trading away the steady Martin Havlat for the enigmatic Dany Heatley. This was a team in desperate need of an offensive upgrade, and those two should provide it – hopefully anyway, because if not you just have a very expensive long term problem in Heatley. But their defense, usually their strong suit, has taken a major hit. Honestly, I think the end result of these trades is a further step back for the Wild, but who knows? Perhaps I’m wrong.

14. Edmonton Oilers – There is no question that the Edmonton Oilers are an exciting young team. They are in the best position long term of any of the non-playoff teams in the Western conference – but they still need to wait for their young talent to truly hit their stride. Their goaltending is still lackluster at best. Their defense core still lacks any legitimate top pairing talent. And their young offensive stars play on the wing – unless Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who needs more time, makes the team this year. The Oilers are building towards something to be sure. But it’s still quite far away.

15. Dallas Stars – Let’s face facts – The Dallas Stars were a mediocre team last year who missed the playoffs despite having Brad Richards. This year they lost him, and didn’t replace him with anyone. New additions Michael Ryder and Sheldon Souray will not help all that much. Money issues are a real concern for the Stars right now, and they simply do not have a good enough team to compete on a nightly basis. There will be bright spots, but I think they finish at the bottom this year.

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference is not quite as strong as the Western Conference is. All you need to do to see that is look at the point total required to get into the playoffs each year for each conference, and you’ll see the East is lower by five points or more. Still, this is where most of the media attention will fall, and there are some great races shaping up. When all is said and done though, I still think the same 8 teams make the playoffs.

1. Washington Capitals – It’s silly to question the Washington Capitals, who despite their stumbles in the playoffs, are always at the top of the Eastern Conference in the regular season. And this Capitals team may just be the best one in recent memory. They added much needed grit up front in Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer, a strong veteran d-man in Roman Hamrlik, and finally a truly great goalie in Thomas Vokoun. As long as Ovechkin can regain his form (and he will), and Backstrom and Semin step up (less sure), then the Caps will once again rule the Eastern Conference – and may well be the team to beat for the Cup this year.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins – Who knows when Crosby will be back for the Pens? If it’s early, then they can truly push the Caps for tops in the Conference. If not, the Pens still have a great one-two punch down the middle with Malkin and Staal. And the Pens found a better team game than ever before after the injuries last season. James Neal should step up more this season, and Steve Sullivan may well turn out to be a great pickup. The d-core is solid and Marc Andre Fleury has never been better. If they get Sid back, watch out. Even if they don’t, they’ll be formidable.

3. Boston Bruins – The defending Cup champs are pretty much the same team they were last year. Take out Michael Ryder (who was inconsistent) and Mark Recchi, and that’s basically it. This will give someone like Tyler Seguin a real chance to play this year. With Tim Thomas in net, and Zdeno Chara on the blue line, the Bruins are still the best in their division. With the right breaks, they may even be able to defend their Cup. I doubt it, but it’s possible.

4. Philadelphia Flyers – No team took bigger chances this offseason than the Flyers – dumping their Captain Mike Richards, and leading scorer Jeff Carter, to bring back prospects and young players. And then they added Jaromir Jagr. And of course finally solving their goalie woes (they hope) with Ilya Bryzgalov. This team has long been dysfunctional, with players split between Richards and Pronger. With Richards gone, this is Pronger’s team. But he’s aging, and may be injured to start the season. Still, this group of players – with Giroux and Briere leading the way offensively – is just too good to finish that low this year. If they do, heads will roll. But I still think this is a great team.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning – The Lightning surprised a lot of people last year simply by making the playoffs – then went all the way to the Conference finals. They won’t surprise anyone this year, but they should still be a solid team. They need Stamkos to be more consistent – after getting off on a tear last year, he disappeared from much of the second half of the season. They also need to hope that old guys like Martin St. Louis and Dwayne Roloson still have enough left in the tank, and that the resurgence of Vinny Lecavlier continues. This is a solid team all the way through their lineup – and one that should have no problem making the playoffs this year.

6. Buffalo Sabers – The Sabers days of being a have not team are certainly over, as they made some bold moves this offseason, which certainly improve their team. Still though, I doubt if all of those moves will really make this team one of the truly elite teams in the Eastern Conference. Their improved defense should help Ryan Miller be the goalie he can be (and too often wasn’t last season), but they still need a little more firepower up front. They should make the playoffs no problem this year, and could be a team to contend with, but I still think they need a few more pieces before they make a big move.

7. New York Rangers – Congrats to the New York Rangers landing the biggest free agent fish in Brad Richards. Now, they just have to hope he turns out better than Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Wade Redden and Marion Gaborik did for them, when they were the offseason big fish they landed. The Rangers are becoming a better team – their youngsters are becoming better every season, and they still have one of the best in the league in Henrik Lundqvist. But they are still a notch below the best this conference has to offer.

8. Montreal Canadians Carey Price was robbed of a Vezina trophy nomination last season, and he looks once again to be the main reason why the Canadians make the playoffs this year. Here’s hoping that PK Subban has matured a little bit this offseason, and that Eric Cole adds the power forward they desperately needed. But really, other than Cole, did the Canadians really improve this off season? How many games will it be before Markov hurts himself? The Canadians are still a bubble team.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs – Every year desperate Leaf fans hope that this will finally be the year they make the playoffs (along with the Panthers, they are the only team not to make it since the lockout). This year, they may actually do it. With James Reimer hopefully being a goalie they can rely on, and Cody Franson and John Michael Liles solidifying an already good d-core, the pressure really comes down on the forwards. Can Clarke MacArthur do what he did last year? What about Kulemin and Grabovski? Can Tim Connelly finally be the center Phil Kessell needs? The real question is whether the Leafs will remember that the season starts in October, not January.

10. Carolina Hurricanes – The Hurricanes came up just short of the playoffs last year, and I think they do the same thing this year. They still have one of the best in Eric Staal, and Jeff Skinner is a legitimate star, but their cap issues will always keep them below the rest of the conference. They have a solid, but unspectacular team. If they can overcome some consistency issues, they may well make a push this year.

11. New Jersey Devils – The Devils are hoping that having Zack Parise healthy all season will lead them back to the playoffs this year, after a disastrous season. Perhaps it will, as he is their best player, and perhaps first round pick Adam Larsson will prove to be a great d-man. And perhaps Martin Brodeur will regain his form. But that’s an awful lot of perhaps, and not a lot of certainty. Another season out of the playoffs could spell big changes for the Devils, so they will try to ensure that doesn’t happen, but I remain unconvinced.

12. New York Islanders – Despite the fact the Islanders are facing life without a home in a few years, the fact that they have a crazy owner, and a GM who has made some questionable moves, the truth of the matter is that the Islanders are one of the most exciting and fast young teams in the NHL. They are kind of like the Oilers of the east. This means a lot of entertainment value, but not necessarily a lot of wins. They are building towards something, but they aren’t there yet.

13. Winnipeg Jets – The good news is that the Jets could lose every game this season, and the folks in Winnipeg would still be over the moon in love with them. The bad news is while they will win sometimes, this is still a team riddled with holes in their lineup. This is a young team, that could really do something down the line – but those holes, and the horrible travel schedule they’ll face, will keep them near the bottom this year.

14. Florida Panthers – They spent like drunken sailors on free agent day and despite the fact that this team looks better than the one last year (if you ignore the goaltending of course), that doesn’t make them very good. They overpaid a lot of their players, and helped out Chicago big time by taking Brian Campbell’s ridiculous contract off their hands. They have some promising youngsters on their team, but they are years away from competing.

15. Ottawa Senators – They are in full rebuild mode at this point, and their lineup looks kind of like a really good AHL team, with a few veterans thrown into the mix. The Senators probably waited a year or two too long, holding onto hope that they were still an elite team. They still have some good players, but the real mission for the next few seasons will be to be really bad and pick up some great draft picks to build around. Because right now, they suck.

Stanley Cup Final Prediction

And now, just for the hell of it, my Stanley Cup final prediction.

San Jose vs. Pittsburg. Winner: Pittsburg.

Why? The Sharks have been building to this for a while, and I really do think the attitude on that team is now or never. There off season moves should help to solidify their defense and penalty killing, while maintaining their potent offense. Say what you want about Antii Niemi, but his playoff series record now stands at 6-1. They could even be good enough to challenge the Canucks in the regular season, but the fact that Vancouver plays in a horrible division helps them a great deal.

As for the Pens, it really does look like Crosby will be out to start the season, which is bad news, and could very easily lead to them being behind the Caps, and others, when he comes back (and I do believe he will be back at some point). Yet, with Crosby, I really do think the Pens are the best in the league, and you know he’s keeping as in shape as possible – it’s just the type of guy he is. As long as he has a few months before the start of the playoffs, he’ll be back in top form – and I think the supporting cast is good enough that they can, and will, win the Stanley Cup.

9 Reasons Why Drew Doughty Will Not be a Holdout

I wasn’t planning to talk hockey on the blog for at least another month, but since there has been a lot of talk in the last week or so about LA Kings star defensemen Drew Doughty, who is still without a contract, and the possibility of him holding out to start the season, I decided to write this. Apparently, Kings GM Dean Lombardi offered Doughty a 9 year contract worth $6.5 million per season before the draft – and Doughty rejected it. And you can see Doughty’s reasoning there. If Shea Weber is worth $7.5 million at the age of 26, why would Doughty want to lock himself in until the age of 30 at a deal that pays less than that, especially in the current climate of constantly raising NHL salaries? Personally, I think Doughty will eventually sign for around $7 million per season, and the deal will be shorter than 9 years. But right now with no deal, and nothing else to talk about in August, the rumors of Doughty holding out are running rampant. Here are the 9 reasons why that won’t happen.

1.      Cap Space – The Kings have almost $10 million in cap space for next season, and absolutely nothing to spend it on. There are no good UFA’s left, and any major trades that were going to happen in the offseason have already happened. Lombardi has indicated that the Kings are now a cap team – not an internal budget team – which means the Kings have lots of cap space and money to spend on Doughty. Even if you think Doughty is asking for far too much, you sign him anyway. The Kings have cap flexibility next year when Jarrett Stoll, Willie Mitchell and Dustin Penner all become UFA. True, the Kings may try to resign some of these players, but the truth is none of them will command any sort of major raise. So if there’s cap space for them this year, there’s cap space for them next year. Another year also gives some of the Kings prospects, who may be a little green right now, time to develop.

2.      No Trade Market – Teams who make major trades in the offseason, do it early. If you try and trade Doughty now, you’ll find takers, but you won’t get market value for him as every GM will know you’re only doing it because you cannot resign him. If you let him sit out, and try and trade him later, the market will go down further. If you really feel you’re better off without Doughty (and I’d say you’re crazy if you do), you use the aforementioned cap space to sign him for this year, and trade him before or at the draft next year.

3.      Dean Lombardi’s Job Security – Lombardi is known as a hard ass when it comes to contracts. He digs his heels in, and doesn’t let go. But the same can be said for Doughty’s agent, Don Meehan. But Lombardi has a history with holdouts. In 2002 when he was the GM of the San Jose Sharks, Lombardi let Nabokov and Stuart hold out to start the season. The Sharks got off to a horrible start, and although he did eventually get both under contract, the Sharks never recovered – and actually finished last in the Pacific division that year and Lombardi was fired. He has admitted that his decision to let them hold out “arguably” cost him his job. Do you really think he’ll risk the same thing? If you get fired from one job, you don’t turn around and do the EXACT SAME THING that got you fired on your next job.

4.      The Mike Richards Trade – When the Kings traded top prospect Brayden Schenn for Mike Richards it sent a message to everyone that the Kings were no longer content to be a team with potential – a team who could win the Stanley Cup at some point. They want to win it sooner rather than later. If they didn’t, they would not have traded a 19 year old, that the Hockey News called the Best Prospect in Hockey, for someone 7 years older than he was. The Kings are not in a make it or break it year this year, but they do need to put the best team on the ice this year as possible – and that includes Doughty. Finishing in a low playoff seed and losing in the first round is longer acceptable.

5.      They Have No One to Replace Doughty – True, the Kings are stacked with Defensive prospects. Voynov, Hickey and Muzzin may all be ready for the NHL this coming season, but will most likely have to spend it in the AHL as there is not room for them on the big club. Deslauriers is coming along nicely, but he’s still a year or two away from being ready for the NHL. Jack Johnson may be able to put up similar offensive numbers as Doughty, but he is nowhere near the complete player Doughyt is – and never will be. Doughty is the Kings’ leader in Time On Ice, plays 5 on 5 against the other teams top offensive unit, plays the penalty kill and the power play. The Kings have one of the best defense cores in the league – and major part of that is Doughty. Without him, no matter how good these rookies do, they will be average.

6.      Perception Problems – It is no secret that Lombardi has been trying to sign a big ticket UFA for years now, and he always comes up short. Gaborik, Hossa, Havlat, Kovulchuk and Brad Richards are all players he has taken a run at, and lost out on. Part of the reason is that players want to play for a team with more of a winning history than the Kings, part of it is players want to play in the Eastern conference, part of it is that Lombardi doesn’t offer the same money as others, and part of it is a perception about LA, the city itself, which for whatever reason, doesn’t seem to appeal to hockey players. In order to draw these big ticket free agents, you have to show you are a winning team, who treats their players well. Letting your top defensemen sit out will not endear you to future free agents.

7.      AEG and Marketing – Among Kings fans, there has been a debate for past two seasons about who is the face of the franchise – Kopitar or Doughty. But outside the Kings fanbase, the answer is clear – it’s Doughty. Watch any broadcast for a Kings game other than the Kings home broadcast, and the first player that gets mentioned is Doughty. AEG, the owners of the Kings, have put Doughty front and center in all Kings advertising. They want stars on their team – and have been a driving force in making Lombardi go after big ticket free agents in the first place. They want to make money, and Doughty is a HUGE part of that. If they unthinkable happens, and Doughty and Lombardi are both unwilling to give, I believe AEG will step in and force Lombardi’s hand.

8.      No One Holds Out Anymore – Remember last year when everyone was convinced that Carey Price was going to hold out on the Canadians and Bobby Ryan was going to hold out on the Ducks? Neither of those things happened. Since the salary cap era started, no one really holds out anymore. Sure, it could take until mid-September to get a deal done, just like it did with Ryan last year, but it will happen. But just like Luke Schenn, Zack Bogosian, Kyle Turris and Brad Marchant, who are other notable RFAs this season who still have not signed, Doughty will get done.

9.      What Else is Doughty Going to do? – Doughty is a RFA, and will be for the next four years. Unless an offer sheet comes along – and none have so far – Doughty has three options – sign with the Kings, go to the KHL or sit out. Doughty loves hockey, loves LA, and loves the Kings (he grew up a Kings fan for God’s sake). Doughty is most likely holding out now to get Lombardi to come down in terms of the length of the contract. But with training camp over a month away, there really is no pressure to get a deal done now. It’s amazing how many of the players who were scheduled for arbitration signed on the day of their hearing. It’s because agents and GM’s work best when on a deadline. When there’s still weeks to go, there is no pressure.

I honestly do believe that the main reason why there has been so much holdout talk is sheer boredom. Doughty is the biggest name without a contract next year, and we're in the dog days of summer, when absolutely nothing is happening in the NHL. People need to write about something, don't they? The reason the deal is not done is because of Lombardi's negotiating tactics. After that 9 year, $6.5 million dollar offer was made - apparently the day before the entry draft - and Doughty rejected it, he didn't even talk to Doughty's agent for almost a month. I don't question Lombardi's tactics, but to blame Doughty for the slow progress - as many have done - is unfair. Now they're talking again. And I have little doubt that before the season begins, Doughty will be resigned. I don't know for how much or how long, but he will be.