Murray, on offense
Here, Terry Murray talks about his offensive philosophies, and his thoughts on how the Kings can be a higher-scoring team and be tougher at the same time...
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MURRAY: On the offensive part of the game, I love to score goals, as I mentioned. I want to see a team that can score...can be one of the top scoring teams in the league. I'd like to be one of the top five-on-five scoring teams in the league. When I go back to the last couple years, in particular last year in Philadelphia, the Flyers were in the top three among goal-scoring teams five-on-five, which is a stat that not a lot of people in the game -- or are even close to the game -- were aware of. The focus on the offensive part of the game is getting the puck to the net. I want a drive, drive, drive attitude on the attack. I want to get pucks to the net. I want to score those dangerous, in those traffic areas, those going to the net and pay the price, score those ugly goals. As Phil Esposito used to say, those garbage goals, when he was scoring 50, 60, 70 goals in the league. There's lots of those lying around there.
I think in the game today, we see the goaltenders being so big and having so much equipment, and they're so aggressive out of their net, that in today's attack you see fewer and fewer shots coming off the wings, because there's really nothing for the puck-carrier, the shooter, to see. But if you do shoot the puck off the wing, a lot of the goaltenders today are blockers of the puck. They're not catching the puck. They're not controlling the rebounds quite as well as maybe when Hexy was playing, and the goaltenders before him. Get the puck to the net more often. There's lots of stuff that's lying around at the top of the circle and the hash-mark area, looking for rebounds. If we get that aggressive mindset with a `drive' attitude, we can score goals.
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Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.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.
Sounds good. Can't wait to see the results. I hope this works and the Kings battle hard for one another this season. I would love to see a player from another team point out after a game that the Kings were tougher and worked harder than they expected and actually sound like they mean it. That would be sweet.
This I like a lot. I constantly felt that with the exception of Brown, last season we were rarely if ever in the right place for rebounds or aggressively pursuing them.
I don't mind shots from bad angles so long as they are coming after 30 seconds of meandering along the boards with ultimately nothing but a weak shot to show for it. Puck in the zone, shoot it and jump on rebounds. If you are going to spend tons of time cycling and messing around the boards, it better result in a quality shot. If you rush in, "drive" and shoot right away and always, good things will happen.
I do hope however that he does not stifle Kopitar or O'Sullian's creativety with the puck or Frolov's dominance of the puck (though getting him to shoot more will be great). I don't think this will be the case, but is really the only concern I would have with a "drive, drive, drive attitude." Hopefully this will only increase Kopitar's room and space to make those amazing plays he is capable of.
I also like the emphasis on 5 on 5 play.
I wonder tho which assistant will be in charge of the PP. Hardy will most likely be the PK guy, so between Nelly and Kompon whose the best fit? Don't know much about Kompon in this area. I would think Nelly, and Kompon will take over for Johnston in the "good cop" role for the youngsters.
His message is clear for both offense and defense, be PHYSICAL and I like it.
Speaking of Frolov, it really bugs me that Deano never mentions his name with the "core" group. Does he not consider Frolov a part of that group? I don't think I've even seen his named mentioned at all from him on any topic.
Good post by JDM. I'm very glad Murray did not mention those cliches of "keeping it simple" or "get the puck in". Many Kings games last season were reduced to doing only that...and seemingly not interested in with a shot on goal.
I really dont see how our coach letting every team we play against know exactly how we are going to play helps us in any way shape or form......its like Lombardi telling you that your just a "bridge player"...HOW DOES THIS HELP??????
As many fans may recall, it was TERRY MURRAY who was the coach in Philly when the big trade bringing in LeClaire & Desjardins happened (mid-90s or so)
and the Doomsday Line was formed
with Lindros, LeClaire & Renberg, who subsequently became the League's best line for a couple years or so.
I remember how both LeClaire and Desjardins both immediately flowered in Philly under TM after being considered disappointments in Montreal.
TM knows how to coach a physical, forechecking team.
I look for Kopi, Sully, Frolov to kick
their physical games up a notch.
TM knows how to utilize BIG,
T-A-L-E-N-T-E-D players.
He may work wonders with
BMFBoyle, and a
come-back Handzus.
Also, TM knows how to coach and handle defensemen.
And it sure helps when the players you've
got to work with are damn, damn good.
If Terry Murray can stick around here
a couple years even,
he'll have a heck of a roster to coach.
But really,
with some clutch play
(especially in Goal)
and a few breaks,
I think the talent is more than
sufficient to hold-the-fort
this season, as long a we get
a clear, effective team system going
that utilizes the guys we have.
And TM DOES have more to work
with, talentwise,
than folks give our guys credit for.
Sure we need a big year from a rookie or 2,
but that does sometimes happen.
And when your rookies are
of the Caliber of
Doughty, Boyle, Purcell
and maybe, just possibly Thomas Hickey,
the gamble really ain't nearly
as longshot as it seems.
All we need in goal is for somebody, ANYBODY
(Labs, Ersberg, Bernier) to get hot early and
carry us a bit in the early going.
OK, so that one's a bit of a prayer,
I guess.
But I feel many good things will happen
this coming season for The Kings.
And TM is defintely part of the reason.
At 57-58(?), he's still in good shape
and wiser than ever.
And perhaps TM has developed the extra
patience and conciseness that many professionals
who still have passion for their profession,
achieve at that age.
He's been working with talented kids in Philly.
Now he gets another gifted bunch
with even more
prodigious talent
to arrive or emerge this year and beyond.
I have a good feeling about this season.
We may start a bit slow this season(or not),
but in the end,
I believe we will see
a Bigtime impovement over recent years.
triplcrown