Pick the first line

Well, assuming O'Sullivan is signed, I see no reason to break up what was already working.

Brown/Kopitar/O'Sullivan

I would love to see a Kopitar, Brown, Frolov first line but they need to spread the scoring. So the first line is going to be Kopitar, Brown, Osullivan. And line 2 I think is going to have Frolov, Stoll all year with Purcell and some others rotating in.

Yeah i think Brown/Kopitar/O'Sullivan were clicking last year especially towards the end so i want to see if that could continue.

when DL when are we going to see you sign o`sullivan and kopitar long term

Are Ziggy, Allison and Deadmarsh available? Just Deadmarsh?

Was CBGB right? Did we get Lindros?

Naw, they're going to go with what works, Sully, Kopi and Brownie.

This one was kind of a no-brainer considering what they did last year. After this it gets interesting.

As an experiment I'd like to see what Brown and O'Sullivan produce without the luxury of playing with Kopitar.

Frolov Kopitar Calder/Purcell
Brown Stoll O'Sullivan

If you stuck a fire hydrant on a line with Kopitar and Frolov it'd score 30 goals.

ok - who voted for Calder? ;)

Ask me when the Kings are able to meet the salary floor and skate a team. Until then I see no reason to speculate on lineups.

This "team" is really starting to disgust me.

I'd like to see Stoll try and play with Brown and KOP. And put O'Sul with Fro and Pur. This way you could have productive scoring and most importantly balanced defense. I think whoever works together the best defensively, not offensively should make up the first couple lines. We know they can score, but who can play D.

I think Kopi, Brown & a veteran like Stoll are a good fit. Stoll's good with his go to the net stlye like Brown. They would be unstoppable and then you can move Sully to the 2nd line with Frolov, and Boyle down the middle.
Sully, Frolov are great puck handlers with Boyle clogging the middle taking those one timers. Leaving veteran Handzuz, with Purcel & Moulson.
Just a thought...

2nd line is much more controversial

I want to see Frolov on the same line as Boyle. Those two boys will make life difficult for any team.

The 2nd line will make for some interesting conversation.

In my opinion, what I want to see right now (before camp).

Brown/Kopitar/O'Sullivan
Frolov/Stoll/Purcell
Calder/Boyle/Moulson

4th Line...I really don't care

"Ladislav Nagy Headed To Russia"

Nice. Notice how many recent former Kings are playing in Russia these days?

I'm glad to see that the Kings read this blog.
Clearly many of them have voted for themselves as top line talent. I would say this issue is closed according to the fans. Can't wait to see if T.Murray agrees.

Why break up the one good thing we had last year?

I can't say I'm surprised how the results are panning out so far considering how well Sully/Kopi/Brown clicked together, but I am intrigued to see how Purcell would play with Kopitar and considering Stoll lead the Oilers in hits last season I think it would be fun to see how he lines with Brown riding shotgun.

Teubert will make the team this year and Doughty will not.
The better fit for this team at 2nd overall would have been Bogosian.

First line

Frolov Kopitar Brown

Preissing Teubert

Paul,

I can't believe you STILL think we aren't going to reach the cap floor after everything that has been said by DL and everybody else.

Please read this:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16398

Brown\Kopi\Boyle
I think this line up would crush the other teams net. All 3 of these guys can play the body as well as skate, pass, and shoot. My opinion of Boyle of course is based off of the 8 games he played for us last year.

Go Kings!

Boyle is a center, or at least should be playing center. Personally, I don't see his ceiling in the NHL much higher than a 3rd line center, but I don't have a problem with that either.

Wow guided by voices, Teubert will make it and Doughty will not? And also Preissing on the top D pair?!! And Teubert on the top D pair?!! Doughty is as close to NHL ready as you can be. He WILL make the NHL. Tuebert isnt as polished, and needs more time in the minors. Now, I'm guessing your saying this because the Kings need a shut down d-man. If you watched the World Juniors, Doughty was the shut down d-man for Canada. Now he was playing with Alzner, but they played great. Now Drew is now playing against men instead of boys, but dont be surprised to see Johnson and Gauthier play the shutdown role. But hey, thats why the have training camp, right? Surprises do happen.

Brown Kopital O'Sullivan. Why change a good thing?

Stoll is a center. So why play him on wing? That's the stupidest thing I've ever read.

Stoll & Frolov are going to compliment each other. Both are defensively responsible and both have the speed to counter attack when teams make mistakes. They just need a winger that can finish. RW on the 2nd line will be by committee until someone can keep up with them. I wouldn't mind seeing Calder on that line. He can do all the dirty work.

Stoll stands to be our best face-off man by far as well. Using him at wing would be a waste.

Chewy Rocky Horror

Guess you didn't get the memo....
Check Rich's post "On Commenting..."
It's his OPINION...
I wouldn't play Stoll on wing either, but OSullivan is also a center who plays wing, it definitely isn't unheard of and most likely not "the stupidest thing I've ever read."

There are only two reasons I can think of why the first line would not be Osullivan Kopitar and Brown.

1) Osulivan gets included in a mega deal bringing the kings back a franchise player or all star.

2) Osullivan gets beat out of his spot by purcell.

Id say both are extremely unlikely, and on that note I suggest that a pick the second line would generate much more discussion / differing viewpoints.

Thanks for at least trying to give us some hockey to talk about Rich, your awesome.

Poor Alexander Frolov. Too good on the wing for the first line (gotta spread the scoring!), but playing for a club that hasn't had a legitimate second line center since, err, 1967.

Maybe Jarret Stoll finally brings it. Who's on the other wing?

THANK YOU! You, my friend, are a genius. I've been saying it since Sully and Fro blew up to dismantle the Blues late in the season. It was one of cloutier's few wins in a kings uniform. Any line combo that gets a win for cloutier deserves to be together.

Whoever-Kopitar-Brown
Frolov-Whoever-O'Sullivan.

Duckhunter said:
"I'd like to see Stoll try and play with Brown and KOP. And put O'Sul with Fro and Pur. This way you could have productive scoring and most importantly balanced defense. I think whoever works together the best defensively, not offensively should make up the first couple lines. We know they can score, but who can play D."

Since O'Sullivan isn't signed yet and I'm not sure he will be here, I decided to look for another option and chose Purcell. That gives us good size, two 6'2" and a 6"0", and with the skills of Kopitar and Brown, Purcell should have a good opportunity to succeed. If he is with the team, O'Sullivan will most likely be on the line instead.

Yep, gotta go with the consensus:

1 - Sully - Kopi - Brownie: Played extremely well together, why break up a good thing?

2 - Fro - Stoll - Purcell: Potentially explosive line, good balance

3 - Zeus - Boyle - Moulson: I really wanted to put Boyle, Moulson & Purcell together; I thought they'd make one heck of a line. However, Zeus will bring the kids along and provide that line experience they'll need. I also have a feeling we're going to see a much different Michael Handzus than we did last season. Somewhere in here Brad Richardson fits, personally I'd pair him on the 4th line with Brady Murray but he could end up as high as the 2nd line (don't be surprised).

So much for the guessing game. Anyone else out there ready to see some Kings hockey?????? Summer's over (almost), bring it on!!!

I don't think Purcel has even an outside chance of making the first line. Rookies with 10 NHL games don't start on #1 lines for last place teams, could he earn it during the season, maybe at best.
Also, the Kings have 5 centers and I don't see any of them sitting, so either Sully or Stoll will most likely be moved to wing. Handzuz, Boyle or Kopi aren't.

@tantrum4, great link, that made for a good read both on the cap and putting into perspective how good Kopi is.

One thing that would be cool is to takeout the top 3 and slowly work our way into a fan's pick of the top 4 lines....if for no other reason then it makes the days until opening night come quicker

MarkE, thats exactly the question I was asking myself. Who from the center position is going to play wing? This question is for all you guys who follow the prospects through the entire process. Who do you guys feel is better fit to play wing?

Provided the Kings can get O'Sullivan signed, I'd like to see him with Brown and Kopitar, like last season. I believe he was getting better as the year went on. As for the second line, you could move Stoll out to the wing and try to put Boyle in the middle. With Frolov's penchant to shoot rather than pass (wish he'd do more of the former) and a big body going for the net, it could be quite an interesting line.

I look forward to the second third fourth line polls.

I say:

Brown/Kopitar/POS
Purcell or Calder/Handzus/Frolov
Clune or Calder/Stoll/Richardson or Calder
Moulson/Boyle/Ellis

Armstrong and Ivanans as #13 and 14

Parse and Lewis are the wildcards, and I'm hoping for growth spurts!

It is 53 days, 21 hours, 57 minutes and 7 seconds until Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 7:00:00 PM (Los Angeles time)

Stoll was brought in to be the 2nd line center. Handzus will be the 3rd line center, and it is a toss up between Boyle & Army as the 4th line center.

What is so complicated about that?

Calder will be placed on rw on the 2nd line over Purcell.

Sully/Kopitar/Brown
Frolov/Stoll/Calder
Moulson/Handzus/Purcell
Ivanans/Boyle/Army

Ellis gets waived or healthy scratch.

I'd like to know who's voting guys like ELLIS, ZEILER etc.

Chewy Rocky -

I don't think it's in any way as cut and dried as "Stoll was brought in to be a second line center." Handzus is a top-six power forward. He is, I'm pretty sure, the only King who has actually played for Terry Murray. He will be given every chance to be the #2 center, and I will be disappointed if he doesn't earn that spot. Stoll can be great, is a leader, has playoff experience, is great with face-offs and is an asset on the point on the power play. I think a third line of Calder/Stoll/Richardson would be an excellent Detroit-style third line, sort of a second second line, if you prefer. But the firepower of Purcell/Handzus/Frolov -- assuming Handzus returns to form -- could be dominating.

Actually, I see, looking at your lines, that we both see Stoll and Calder together and Handzus and Purcell together. We just assign those lines different ##s.

Moulson played well with Boyle and I think it's reasonable to assume they will be tried together.

Ellis will not get waived and will not be a healthy scratch. He will play every game. That's my prediction.

I don't think it's a toss-up between Boyle and Army for 4th line center. It's Boyle's slot to lose. Army is the odd man out. There will of course be injuries and he'll fill those holes. But I would say at this point unless Boyle suddenly develops an attitude problem he has never had, the four centers will be Kopitar, Handzus, Stoll and Boyle.

Army is the one who could get (not waived but) sent down to Manchester to be this year's Klemm. But more likely he'll be around, plugging leaks.

Can't envision Calder on anybody's second line. He's long since outlasted the shelf life that a prospect should have to prove himself and is now just a hanger-on. I do think that the Kings will find a place for Armstrong and that he'll play more games than some people think.

This team is like an ugly child, I will love it no matter what!

We will all be watching when the season begins, no matter what happens.

Frolov/Kopitar/Purcell
O'Sullivan/Stoll/Brown

Purcell will get a shot at playing on that first line at some point, why not this year?

Did you all forget this quote from DL himself:

http://www.insidesocal.com/kings/2007/05/lombardi-part-3.html#more

"Lombardi went to the board and started with the first line: Frolov, Kopitar and Teddy Purcell, the kid the Kings just signed out of Maine. A surprise? Yes, but remember that as many as 10 NHL teams were after this kid. Dean said, ``He's a scorer and he's got good hands. He fits that role, but again, you have to be careful about how you project that.'' The second line had Cammalleri and Brown on the wings but a hole at center. Dean said, ``That's a big problem. We have to fill that,'' and said a future draft pick could be the answer...You have to be careful. But you look at it, and the only real reach is (Purcell). Everything else is reasonable.''

"I'd like to see what Brown and O'Sullivan produce without the luxury of playing with Kopitar".

If my count is correct, Brown had assists on 15 of Kopitar's 32 goals and Sully had 7, so I'd like to see what he does without them.

Putting Brownie on the second line is so far off base it makes me wonder who's writing this stuff. 33 goals, 27 assists, over 300 hits and a handful of fights when he needed to makes this kid a star and CAPTAIN material in my book. Get real, with all due respect.

I want to know how the hell Zeiler got 24 votes.