I'm glad Clouts is down there and not up here.

Oh no!!!! Bernier is ruined!!!!!!!!! We should have never let him play!!!

:)

While we're on updates, Reading won 3-0 tonight against Pensacola. G Jon Quick turned away 31 shots and scored an empty net goal!

I saw the Lewiston game.

Bernier didn't get much support and the other goalie definitely stood on his head.

I am a bit worried about Bernier though. I do hope he isn't ruined.

Is there video of Quick's goal anywhere?

This whole "I hope Bernier is not ruined" talk is ridiculous. He goes from saving grace to ruined in 2 weeks all because of a few losses?...cmon now. If anyone has been ruined it is Mr. Cloutier. I actually feel bad for the guy.

Good call Andrew; Bernier hadn't played in over a week when he finally got the call at Lewiston. They're carrying three goalies up there and for the moment, playing time will be at a premium. Plus he's got to adjust to a whole new style than what's he's been playing with, new teamates, etc. Bernier will be fine, give the kid a break. I would like to see Quick's goal. You'll see just about anything in the ECHL but anytime a goalie scores, that's pretty cool....

Would you happen to know if Boyle has been playing center or defense?

From what I read, Boyle has played defense almost exclusively, but they threw him up front for like one shift and that's when he scored the goal. Head scratcher that one.

Quick didn't actually score a goal. The opposing player put it in his own net, Quick was the last Royal to touch the puck.

Wonder how much Quick paid the guy to score an own goal. :p

Regarding Boyle, am I the only one who doesn't understand the Kings fascination with moving this kid to the blue line?

Yeah, he's big, but he's played C all his life. Let him do what comes naturally to him.

I for one would love to see a 6'7" C racing in on goal with the puck on his stick. Sure would make some goalies think twice about getting in his way. ;)

Actually he played D in college too...sure it was only a season. I think with his size and such everyone thinks he will make a better d-man than o. just my 2 cents

I am not saying Bernier is definitely ruined, I'm simply worried that the Kings rushed him. Sure, it may be an adjustment going back to the Q, but I have real high hopes for this guy so, naturally, I worry about his development.

It has nothing to do with "giv[ing] the guy a break." I'm 100% behind Bernier. I just don't want him to lose his confidence. Sure, it's only one game, but I want him to get that W soon (for his own benefit).

As for Boyle, I too cannot understand why the Kings are putting him on D. I can only hope they know better than I do on this one. Still, to have this guy as our 2nd, 3rd or 4th line centermen would be great for us.

I would train him to be come a Holmstrom type player, instead of putting him on defense. No way in heck a goalie would be able to see around Boyle.

Here's some more prospect info- Oscar Moller (2nd round, 2007) got some attention in Nhl.com's Junior report this week- guess back to back hat tricks and being 3rd (now 5th) in WHL scoring will get you noticed. IMO, the Kings got a steal when this guy dropped to the second round.

About Boyle, it seems like most people who question why he's being trained at D are unaware of the success he had playing D when he was at Boston College.

Bernier will be just fine. He was cut from Canada's U-20 World Junior camp last year, and responded by leading the Maineiacs to the memorial cup and then was the best goalie (IMO) in the Canada/Russia Super series. He's shown his mental toughness continually in the past; don't see why he would respond differently now.

Here's the link to the article on Moller: http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=340944

I was not aware that Boyle played D in college, and he may well be a good defenseman. But that doesn't change the fact that C is his natural position, so that's where he should be playing.

I too think Moller was a steal in the 2nd round. He was supposed to be a sure-fire first round pick. Good to see him playing well.

BTW, if you want nice recaps on how all prospects are doing, you can search team by team at www.hockeysfuture.com. I read it frequently.

Oh no, Bernier gave up three goals? The sky is falling! The sky is falling!! Andrew's right - ridiculous.

With Boyle, I beleieve part of management's thinking is the speed issue. At the centre position, Boyle is good, but his mobility is probably not ideal for the position. I don't need to explain how important mobility is in the NHL now.

What I believe, or would assume, is that Boyle would be more mobile by defenseman standards than forward. Agreed, whenever we seem to throw him forward lately he scores, but really, who doesn't want to see a defenseman with his size, offensive instincts.

Let him develop for a year - two even. Most of our defense is signed long term (or will be)and we have a ton of other good defenseman, so he's in no real rush.

Speaking of HF- here's David Rainer's apparaisal of the kings prospect pool- http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/9977/kings2007_system_audit/

BTW- he like's the Boyle's move to defense- "Boyle had limited upside as a center, not likely to progress much past a physical third line center, but he exhibited the right qualities for a potential top pairing defenseman"

Hockey Futures is excellent.

The Bernier post was just a little sarcasm folks....

Reguarding Boyle, I think the Kings thinking on him is he is 3rd or 4th line C at best. However with his size and booming shot from the point, this guy could be a #1 pair Dman in the NHL ala Zedeno Chara, Chris Pronger. There you go, would you rather have a Todd Bertuzzi (post tragedy) or a Chris Pronger type player. Its not like he cant move to the front of the net on the PP anyway.

Just thinking about the Kings Defense in a few years and it just looks scary good.

J.Johnson - A young more rounded Rob Blake

T. Hickey - Offensive instincs of S. Niedermayer?

B. Boyle - Well rounded huge defenseman - possibley more upside than Z. Chara

add a veteran Lubo to the mix along with maybe Piskula and Harrold or Petiot. Any team in the league would be drooling over that blueline folks.