Manchester reunion
The Kings' top line is likely to feature Cammalleri, Brown and Kopitar. Cammalleri and Brown spent a season on the same line in Manchester during the lockout year and both thrived. Cammalleri had 46 goals and 63 assists while Brown had 29 goals and 45 assists. They were partnered with Brad Smyth, who is now playing professionally in Germany.
If you listen to Marc Crawford, 29 goals shouldn't even be the NHL ceiling for Brown. Crawford said late last season that Brown has 30-goal potential, and it seems as though he's going to have the opportunity to reach that plateau, playing first-line minutes along with time on the power play.
Brown increased his goal total from 14 to 17 last season but will be counted on to make an even bigger jump this season.
``Last year I think I could have had 20 or more,'' Brown said. ``It's just a matter of bearing down and getting opportunities. If I get at least three shots a game, there's no reason I can't score 20 goals or more.''
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J.P. Hoornstra writes about NHL and IHL hockey for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. He welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
E-mail J.P. at jp.hoornstra@inlandnewspapers.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews
.com.
Vincent Bonsignore is a sports columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News. E-mail Vinny at vincent.bonsignore
@dailynews.com.
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Fantastic updates Rich. Thank you.
Are they still practicing at Toyota sports center and at the same time(9:30)?
So it looks like Frolov is going to be on the 3rd line? Seems to me that he has too much talent to be put in a 3rd line role and could be better utilized on a scoring line. But then again, if Frolov can put up 70-80 points from the 3rd line that will make the Kings a very dangerous team.
Tomorrow, the game group will skate from 10:45-11:45 a.m. and the non-game group will skate from 9:15-10:30 a.m. That's in El Segundo.
Thanx Rich and Matt for the great coverage! I think we would all be even more bitter KINGS fans without you guys.
Nagy-Handzus-O'Sullivan line will be just as productive.
If not more.
If Crawford leaves them alone and lets them play.
I hope he doesn't line juggle everytime he has an itch in his pants.
I agree with Crawford about Brown. He is definitely capable of being a 30-goal-scorer. But when he is focused on throwing his body around (which he does rather well), it seems that he forgets about being an offensive threat.
If/when Brown can put both together, he is going to be very, very good. The question is...can he put both together?
So Rich, with those line combinations it looks like the top 3 lines would be getting a fairly even share of the minutes.
Frolov could become a great player if he presses for 1st/2nd line time, instead of it being given to him
I think Frolov has earned 1st/2nd line time. This guy has increased his point totals each of his 4 seasons in LA, to the point where he was the 2nd leading scorer on the team last season. In my mind Frolov has done at least, if not more than Cammalleri. If anybody is being "given" 1st/2nd line time, it would be O'Sullivan, not Frolov. But then again, playing with 2 grinders in Army and Calder might open up more space for Frolov to work.
I think we need to drop the 1st/2nd line mentality. Bigger issue is chemistry.
Frolov and Kopitar are both good at controlling the puck down low so you need to give Kop some wingers that will shoot. And apparently we're hearing that Sully is clicking w/ Nagy & Handzeus.
Calder seems to be driving to the net and getting shots so hopefully that gives Fro room to operate and dish pucks/take more shots. And Army is a good faceoff guy/ shut down type center. However, I see possibility of this line having some identity crisis. Are they a true shut down type line or more of a hybrid? The Kopitar and Handzus lines are not heavily defensive minded at all. So does the Army line get sent out aginst the Joe Thornton and Andy McDonald type lines? Or does Crawford go the Buffalo route and just roll 3 lines?