time to clear more space on the TIVO, delete

Not good, not one bit.

Stamkos better be worth it.

Another game, another loss. Kings fans aren't conditioned for mediocrity, Kings fans are conditioned for failure.

The Kings played today?

At least LuboCookie didn't seem bad. I feel bad for Barbs because he's just getting no help out there whatsoever.

Watching the Kings is like watching a bad reality tv show. I want to change the channel sometimes...I really do...and yet I'm drawn to keep on watching them. Case and Point: I have no idea why I watched the 3rd period as opposed to flipping to the Celtics/Pistons game.

Interesting thing about this year's pick is that because we swapped stars' first round pick for our second round pick in the Matty trade, we should have had a big upgrade in drafting. However,if we finish the season as we are currently in standings, we would be receiving their 29th pick for our 31st pick.

Not exactly the kind of upgrade I had in mind.

Doesn't matter if the Kings get the top pick because Lombardi will pick some random guy that's projected 2nd round (see: Hickey, Thomas).

Well someone has to be last right? Just wish it wasnt us all the time. The redwings anouncers where talking shit all night about us and i just couldn't say anything about it cause they where right

Sense13, as long as I have been following the Kings, not once have I seen them get the good end of the deal, they always give way more then what they get in return, this team has yet to have a GM with balls. Now you take the club down the road and theirs needs a wheelbarrow.

this just in! :

"As a part of the NHL's new Green Initiatives to be more environmentally friendly, the LA Kings have decided to chip-in by conserving energy and taking large portions of 1st and 2nd periods off. This reduction in emissions is equivalent to removing the hot air emitted by Ducks announcers during a regular season game"

On a worse pace this year then they were last year. It's time to make that big move Lombardi, and that's getting rid of Crawford.

Let's Lose Some More!!!!!!!

Matthew, thanks for the mention in the Daily Mail article today!!!!!! It was all ove LGK!

You and Rich are da bombs!!!!

Here's to a better season next year....or the one after!

Here is the quote of the year:

"There's an absolute reason why (Detroit) are the best team in the league," LaBarbera said. "All four lines are on the same page and all six D are on the same page."

Which is the exact opposite of how the Kings play, which is why both teams occupy opposite sides of the success curve. Fault - player, coaches or system? Yes, yes, yes.

I would love to see the grades of the players after this game. Funny thing, even though I am a Kings fan; at some point I almost find myself pulling for the other team. A few wins won’t do anything for us but if we keep loosing games in this manner maybe something will finally get done.

Shocker! We lost? Wow i'm a diehardkingsfan but i just have to admit, all of us fans are losers, we get crap every night, different types of crap. 2-2 to 6-2? you gotta be sh@tting me. C'mon Kings, most of my friends have turned their backs to the kings, but not me, Go Kings Go!Go Ducks Go?? Shape it up guys, a big market team shouldn't suck this bad, @ worst 12th place.

I don't care if Modry is a Plus 4, he still sucks.
He was turning over the puck as though it was a christmas gift.

I doubt we'll ever win a Stanley...its so hard to watch the kings. Damn. I remember the game against Dallas. I thought that'd be a turning point in the RIGHT direction. Geez...they can't seem to win anything.

Crawford must go it seems like. SOMETHING has to be done to rejuvenate the KINGS. Fans deserve better! So do those players who are really putting the effort. Lombardi HAS to make some major moves ASAP, before Staples Center is completely VACANT! HINT! A new coach and a better goalie. GO KINGS!

Boycott the Kings at Staples. Money talks!

The Kings should sue Lubomir Visnovsky for breach of contract. He performance from last year is 90% down. After the contract he signed he has completely given up. Send him down to the minors, send him somewhere, because he is total useless.

I've been thinking about this the last few days, and what I think the Kings need is to pick up a veteran forward who is talented, can play in the top 6, and has either won a Cup or at least been to a Finals. I'm thinking of someone like Mark Recchi was to Crosby, Malkin, etc in Pittsburgh the past three years, veteran leaderships who knows what it takes to win. I think that's what Lombardi had in mind when he brought in guys like Blake, Thornton, and Willsie, but Willsie and Thornton are neither talented nor proven winners, and Blake is not a forward which I think really is an issue. Look at the top 6: Kopitar, Frolov, Brown, Cammalleri, O'Sullivan, and, oh yeah there is no 6th. Those 5 guys are all really young and really talented (to say the least), but they need someone to skate with them and show them what it takes to win. I have no doubt that those 5 guys are going to lead the Kings to a few titles, but they're not going to do it on their own. Lombardi needs to scour the league for a proven winner with leadership abilities who can play in the top two lines, someone like a Mats Sundin or a Tomas Holmstrom, maybe even- and I shudder to say this- Brendan Shanahan. I hear the Rangers may be shopping Jagr. I really think this is what the Kings need. I see a complete lack of leadership on this team.

Anybody agree?

You said it Matt!

Stamp-kos out another victory.....for the other team. WOO HOO!

We're #30!

We're #30!

We're #30!

You know what was wonderful? I didn't listen to the game - I didn't TIVO the game - I had a great time shopping with my family instead of listening/sitting wasting my time with this junk bond of an organization.

Step 1 in getting healthy.

I'm not a big Crawford fan. I was in favor of him being fired.
But the way this team is playing, I don't know if a new coach would make any difference.
In his defense, he's toned down on the line juggling in the beginning of the year. Now its a combination of alot of things. Most noteably, a crappy defense.
This team is going to become a great team slowly, but surely. I have no doubt that things wil turn around.
A new coach stepping in will make little if any difference.

Gents,

The sky is not falling. Look at Labs quote above. They all know what is going wrong. All these guys have been winners in the past and I am sure they will be in the future (hopefully while still employed by the Kings.)

The Kings talent pipeline is rich, the ownership is willing to spent money (hello? they were fighting FOR the cap), and the current roster is not that bad. Watching tonight, I realized several things.

First is, the Kings are an incomplete team. I know this comes as a 'No duh' to most of you but at the same time, why is everyone complaining and freaking out that we aren't winning?

That said, the second observation is that the Kings need the following upgrades: First-line Forward. I like the Kopi-Brown combi but not sold on Cammi as the answer. If we had Kopi centering Brown and Hossa or Gaborik (or Demitra, next year), now THAT would be a first line. We also need a second line Center. This would give Sully and Cammi the play maker they need. Having a good second line Center would move Hanzuis down to 3rd line Center with Calder and Frolov. The 4th line could be Moulson-Westgarth-Murray or something like that.

The defense needs to subtract Stuart (trade) and bring up Harrold/Petiot so they can get in sync with the rest of the guys. I know that DL envisions a slick, speedy, puck moving transition game out of his D but it just isn't happening right now.

My point is - the Kings have a good amount of talent right now but they are STILL missing a few key pieces (holes that DL alluded too last summer) of what will make a strong, competitive team. Another strong draft in '08 and one or two key free agent signings next summer will turn this team around. Just look at Philly and Chicago last year.

Oh, and they need a new coach because this one is does not have everyone on the same page (please see Labs quote above. He may have not meant it, but that was a direct stab into Crawford's chest.)

Hockey Only,

You have to admit getting MFJ/Tev for Gleason/Belanger was a pretty good deal don't you think? But I know what you're saying. Believe me, I've been a fan since the 70s.

And I totally agree with you that the dux have themselves a strong team for years to come. They know how to build a winning team. They have the perfect blend of toughness, skills and size that enabled them to compete against anyone and thusly win the cup last year. And although, they're not setting the world on fire right now, I think they'll win it again this year.

The worst thing about the kings is that we're an easy matchup for any team.

Having said that, I still believe in the kings but there has to be some changes made. Seriously, can it get any worse?

5 in a row lost, I just don't have the heart to hope from wins anymore, if we can all see that something has to change then the people in charge have to see that too. Cause i just cant think of a time where it was this bad and ya ive only been watch the kings sence the late 80s on, but wow where we ever last in the NHL before? Only reason we get close games is cause other teams take it easy on us i think. What do we do now i mean really this cant go on like this.

why is everyone so negative? were not in last place. were in first place from the bottom!

That's right Joe...we're the strongest team in the NHL. It's not easy holding every other team above you in the standings.

In all my 30+ years of watching hockey, it's hard to think of a softer team than this.
The lazy penalties this team was taking was embarrassing.
NOBODY on the D will take the body. I don't mean crushing the guy into the boards, but at least put your body on the guy. They all refuse to do it. Bad Stuart is a complete waste on the ice. He's put more goals in his own net than the opponents. Lubo is figure skating, It's against Modry's religion to hit someone. We need some physicality on this team. So what does the brain surgeon Crawford do? He scatches Zeiler in favor of Willsie.
By the way....what is Willsie's strength? He can't score, hit, defend, pass...... Next it will be his turn to play with Kopitar and Brown.

For the people that are asking for a veteran forward for the first line I hear where you're coming but while I respect DL's scouting youth, his pickups on the free agent market have been less than stellar. Call me cynical.

Also PLEASE don't talk about bringing Demitra back here. Dude was a beast in St Louis but a bust here. The Kings need to get away from the cycle of bringing people back again in hopes they're good now.

As an outsider looking in, (Leaf fan that has LA players in my hockey pool), am I the only one surprised that Crawford has not been fired yet?

With the amount of fire power on this team, they should really be better.

During last nights telecast a quote from Wings color man Mickey Redmond was shown. It was brought up because another team, Ottawa I think, had it posted in their dressing room.

It said in effect, the Wings are so good because all the players, from the stars to the grinders, work and hustle their butts off EVERY night.

I think the Kings are trying, but they, individually and as a group, are woefully inconsistant in all phases of the game.

Last night Redmond must of said "the Kings are standing around, they're just not moving their feet" about eight times.

Regardless of the issues up front and D, our goalie gets outplayed 80% of the time ... and it's been that way for at least five years. The Wing's 3rd goal last night was embarrassing. Until someone can play the most important position in the sport until Bernier arrives, it's going to suck.

Just to clarify, we have Dallas's first rounder but they don't have our second rounder. So there you go - it's not all bad!! Here's the trade -
Los Angeles Kings traded Mattias Norstrom, Konstantin Pushkarev, a 3rd round selection in 2007 and a 4th round selection in 2007 to the Dallas Stars for Jaroslav Modry, Johan Fransson, a 1st round selection in 2008, a 2nd round selection in 2007 and a 3rd round selection in 2007.

once the Kings make a commitment to playing some defense they might start winning games (is Marc Crawford even preaching any sort of system???)...i'm all for trading Frolov and Cammalleri and everyone else who seems to not mind losing (AKA not showing up to play every night)

While every goal from detroit did hurt .. i also found myself routing for another loss ... i mean lets see how bad this wreck can get before someone does something!

So much easy not expecting a win.

One thing's for sure though .. this year AEG got my 5 grand for seats so they can "rebuild" ... next year AEG aient gettin sh*t from me!

Rich & Matt-

Where's the 'Should Marc Crawford be fired poll'?

This is a formal request for it.

A)- Yes, Immediately!
B)- No
C)- Yes, with Dean Lombardi
D)- Only fire Dean Lombardi
E)- Trade Players first

Folks, I no longer am calling for Crawford's firing. Why don't we all just back off and see what Lombardi does here during this horrible free-fall? That way, we can judge his intentions accurately. If he does not making a coaching move and does not pull off any trades to shake things up, then you KNOW for certain he is playing for the No. 1 pick in the next draft. And if that indeed is the case, everybody should save their money, not buy any more tickets this season, refuse to pay $20 for parking and $100 to feed your family at Staples Center, and just let AEG take it in the you-know-where the rest of the season. Maybe that will get the message of the fans across - put a respectable product on the ice, or go ahead and pay the huge light bill at Staples so that 4,000-5,000 people can watch the game. Money talks.

Speaking of the light bill - MATT or RICH, can you ask DL or whom ever why the Kings don't lower the house lights to Forum-levels the way the Lakers do? It not only looks/feels better, it will save them money, as well. I am sure the fans would appreciate it.

Ex-Sportswriter:

Don't be an idiot, EVERYONE knows that no matter how badly this team does...we will without a doubt lose the #1 pick in the draft lottery. If Lombardi doesn't know that, I've lost all faith in the guy.

Boycotting the Kings is not going to make the rebuild happen faster. It's going to get us right back to the old Leiweike/Taylor mode of trading away prospects for a quick fix (see Palffy/Jokinen). If economics show them that fans won't support a rebuild, then they will respond and we will never, ever see the cup in LA. Just sayin.

Best thing is to be loud and clear about things like the coaching. Not to stay away.

Did I just read a somewhat positive post from Anthony?? Somebody shake me!!!

Has anyone seen any player that finishes so few of his scoring chances other than Brian Willsie?? This guy just can't let himself score a goal, it's painful to watch...and it seems like they must have parked him next to Lubo on the team bus, he has the same disease this year../

Sense it seems we are destined for the #1 overall pick this summer, Who is the top prospect this year? I want to get geeked up about that.

I know DL is building our team from the bottom up and while I will remain cautiously optimistic, I can’t help but wonder if he truly has an eye for talent at the NHL level?

With all his signings both good and bad I figure it is at about 65% that has not been favorable. All the prospects are just that “prospects”. Giving him the benefit of the doubt that 50% of these players will pan out for us on the Kings keeps me questioning his abilities. Also, after seeing the inconsistency of Crawford’s coaching for 1.5 seasons adds a little more doubt to the mix.

We have made strides to be a better team than last year yet we are worse. Say what you will but the standings will speak louder than anything anyone can say. We have watched our team sink to the lowest ranking possible yet we have talent that other teams would kill for. We as fans are being asked to pay more for less. We are given the promise of a bright future but are shown evidence of train wreck. 1 step forward and 2 steps back will not lead us to the cup. Changes need to be made and not at the end of the season. At what point will something be done and someone be held accountable?

Let's get to the point.

OTHER TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE HAVE GOOD YOUNG PLAYERS TOO AND THEY ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THEIR PIPELINE.

It's not OK to be in last and just waiting to get going.

Do you see Colorado inserting Stasny in the lineup and failing? SJ, Anaheim heck now even Chicago and how bout teams like Edmonton patching together competetive teams with kids? It's not an excuse to be young, especially when you bring in 2 crops of free agents. Cammalleri and Frolov are not kids anymore, btw. Dustin Brown is in the Getz/Perry era. So is O'Sullivan. You have plugged in 2 youngsters .. Kopitar and Johnson. Kopitar is a very good player, Johnson is a good player. OK. Bobby Ryan looks pretty good too. So why ARE you in last place? Is Jack Johnson taking the place of some veteran that would make you good? BZZZZZZZZ.

What is gonna change next year? You gonna swap out Nagy for Purcell and Purcell is gonna get 40 goals and everything is going to be OK? In the meantime, Stasny is getting 40 in Colorado so where are you now?

It's exactly like when someone says "we are just 5 points out of the playoffs that's a 3 game win streak". The rest of the league doesn't stand still. You have good young players. So does Anaheim. Chicago. St Louis. Colorado. Pittsburgh.

Go ahead be hopeful for the future. Clearly there are some good players here. But I don't think your young group right now is any different than the one Burke inherited. He went out and made it happen. He didn't wait 3 or 5 years and I don't think it's an either/or proposition.

Dumbardi and Crawful aren't inventing a new way to win in the NHL.
Here's what you do.

GET A FRIGGIN GOALIE. At all costs. La Barbera is competent. So what? Get a GOOD NHL GOALIE. Give out a long contract, trade a prospect. Do what it takes. Take care of this position.

Get a star player. Again, do what it takes. Don't make Kopitar, a young Euro be your go-to guy. Get a real go-to guy. San Jose got Thornton. Anaheim got Pronger and Neidermayer. Follow suit. DO IT. Don't say why you can't, don't say it's impossible. Don't say it's risky (I remember fags saying "ha hah the Duck blew it now with Niedermayer if he gets hurt what do they do now"). DO IT.

Keep Johnson, Brown, Kopitar. Anyone else can be plugged and placed if it can get you those two players. Get back to me on this Deano.

I miss Rich.

I know the Kings are spiraling right now but I just noticed one interesting fact, one that the NHL should be aware (re: marketing.) Right now the Kings sit at 19th in home attendance. When you convert the metric to percentage of capacity, they are 16th.

But when you sort the stats to see who the top visiting draws are, percentage-wise, here is what you get:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?sort=away_pct&year=2008

Top 3. Any thoughts on this?

Being a Kings fan on the east coast I have come to the conclusion that the management and fans are so sweet on Cammalleri and Kopitar that they are overlooking the brightest star on the team, Dustin Brown! He leads the NHL in hits, leads the Kings in goals, is second on the Kings in scoring, has a better plus/minus rating than the other two and has a higher shot percentage than the other two. I'm not inferring that they are not talented, but watch who stands in front of the net and takes a beating time after time while Cammi and Kopi take their low percentage shots, God forbid they even think of passing the puck to a wide open Brown. It's the Cammalleri/Kopitar who can score more show instead of the win as a team Kings. Watch the next game closely folks and see if I'm wrong. Thanks for letting me vent. Newyorker.

You two aren't frontrunners are you? Not much reporting now that the Kings suck again.

Dustin has been my favorite since his skates hit the ice.

I remember a few years ago when he started, i watched them introduce him on the board and I remember looking at the girl i was with that night and saying "who the hell is that kid?!" "He looks like he's right outta JR high!"

Then during the game, BAM! He hits...they go down and he skates away like a kid that just got brand new tennis shoes....look mah! look how fast these shoes are! BAM! another goes down .... like he's constantly scanning the ice for the next collision BAM!!!!

so many great clean hits... and now the scoring ... he's shaping up to be one of the greats.

Clean up work here:

Big Rob in Dallas, the #1 guy next year is Steven Stamkos. He scores goals and skates really well. Be excited:
http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/10086/iss_top302008_for_december/

Anonymous from the East Coast - we all love Brownie here. He is the MVP so far this year. Management gave him a nice long contract extension. He will be a King for a long time.

Dan H - Demitra would be the first choice, or the second, but the fact is that he was the Kings MVP when he was healthy that year. He was NOT a bust. He scored 62 pts (25G+37A) in 58 games. Any team would take that any year.

Dustin is awesome. there are 3 players on this team that are irreplaceable: Kopitar/Brown/JJ
Before anyone goes off on JJ...the guys a rookie D playing 21 minutes a game. He's going to make mistakes...a lot of mistakes. Give him time and watch what he'll be become. Those are the 3 the Kings need to build around. anyone and everyone else can be traded for the right price.

Someone was mentioning getting a top goalie no matter the cost. The cost will be either Kopitar/Brown/JJ. Teams are not giving away top notch goaltending for the crap that skates on the ice for LA. And if you think the Kings other players can get a Luongo, think about this. If you were trading Kopitar, would you want that teams top talent, or a couple of 2nd and 3rd line players? That is what we have to offer for a Luongo or Brodeur.
Also, it really doesn't matter who's in goal with the D we have. Hockey is a team sport. A goalie can't do it by himself,he needs help..even the best ones. The Kings can't/won't give them help.

Speaking of Dustin Brown, it was a shame to wake up this morning and not see the blog updated. Scooped by the LA Times... Brown out for the next couple of games with a shoulder sprain/strain...

A reminder: Rich and I don't travel with the Kings. If it was up to us, we would. But, since we can't, we're not able to do our best to get you guys all the Kings info first like we can when the team is home.

Hey Donde, have some class - these guys get us information constantly, stuff we otherwise would not get at all.

Based on the coverage of Kings hockey in SoCal in general these two are a Godsend.

Why don't you stop being a "front runner" and quit whining when the information is not there?

So Matt, what you're saying is , you don't watch them when they're on the road and you don't have contact with any of the players either and the paper won't issue you a cell phone.... that's to bad. Or they play so bad they don't want to talk with anyone .... ahhh that's the ticket, it's their story and the Kings are sticking to it. Nope they're just to busy "after" the game looking "for their game". I could see this team giving up JJ or Brownie for Demitra, this team has never known how to trade and at least break even. Gave away the house and foundation when we got Gretz. Just another "look who we got"

A reminder: Lisa Dillman doesn't travel with the Kings either.

uuummmm...

ok i gotta say it... Matt, we love you and Rich for this blog, you guys do a great job.

BUT ... to say that you don't travel with the team and THAT allowed them to scoop you guys?

hell at least be one of the first to get copies of competing local papers / scan the news and if anythings new, post it here.

In other words.. it's 11:30am 2 days after the kings loss 2 detroit and there's no new post with Dustin Brown news ... not traveling with the team doesn't cover that.

BAD NEWS: I forgot to set the TIVO today to record the game at 4pm.

GOOD NEWS: I'm actually OK with it, I just realized I don't care!

Merry Xmas everyone, don't forget we always have next year. Cloutier should be ready by then!

Daniel
Nice observation.
It’s not surprising the Kings (a dead last team)are drawing well on the road. NHL fans want to see current star players and future star players ours being the future stars. Hopefully future stars in a Kings uniform. It’s about time the NHL removed their head out of their ass to see the light and realized there are other NHL cities that would benefit from star players and future star players visiting other buildings more often that once every other year or in some cases (Toronto) few years ago I think it was five years between visits to LA. So now we just have to wait until the 08-09 season to see other teams more often.

Alexander Ovechkin.

We can't get players on the phone regularly when they're on the road. That's not how it works. You have to be there.

Marc, Lisa does travel. That's why the article you read starts with the dateline "Columbus, Ohio."