Moller earns his spot
Oscar Moller is sticking around. To clarify, when Moller plays his 10th game tomorrow, he will officially draw a NHL salary and his ``clock'' toward free agency will start. The Kings can still send him back to his junior team, if they choose, but they won't get that year back. Moller has two goals and two assists in nine games this season. Here's what Dean Lombardi said about the decision to keep Moller...
LOMBARDI: ``With the way he has played, he deserves to be here. As with all our young players, we will continue to monitor his progress. It doesn't mean he can't go back, if he hits a lull or slacks off, but with Oscar, I don't think that's going to be the case.''
Moller, who played center in training camp and some exhibition games, will go back to center on a line with Alexander Frolov and Kyle Calder tomorrow night.
TERRY MURRAY: ``He's done a very good job. He has played very well, and he is a natural center iceman. We're looking for something good to happen off that line. We'll put him at center for a game and take a look at it and see if that line can start to be a threat in the offensive part of the game. That's a good thing for the team, and everything is being done for the team only.''
9 Comments
Leave a comment
About the bloggers
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.
Copyright Notice |
Privacy Policy |
Information |
Subscriber Services |
Site Map |
RSS 
MNG Corporate Site Map | Newspaper Media Kit
MNG Corporate Site Map | Newspaper Media Kit
| For more local Southern California News: | Copyright ©2011 |
| Los Angeles Newspaper Group |
Rich, you mentioned that Moller will start to officially earn an NHL salary tomorrow. I can't imagine that he was playing for free before this. Please clarify. Thank you.
Congrats Oscar! Glad to see this decision made. It'll be good for everyone I believe.
I'm a little disappointed with all the lineup changes though. I understand Coach Murray is looking for something that works, but putting the top line from last year together for only one game when the admittance is there that teams are playing that line differently is a little short on thought IMHO. I would think he'd give them more time to produce. Maybe that's why I'm not the coach.
I also think you switch Moulson to the 4th line, Stoll to the 2nd line as a wing so Moller can center, Fro back to the 3rd and Sully back to the 1st. Moulson and Boyle have history and they could probably help each other as their instincts together on the ice are sharper from playing together in Manchester. Again, just another dumb opinion. Hope Coach Murray's ideas work.
Rumors are flying that they're going to rename the "icegirls" the "slushgirls."
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/los/photos;_ylt=AgylJ9JVbASIzD6kBuIT.YMffwM6?slug=fa08eb9542c783d36319c52a34ddf028-getty-82628324hh010_vancouver_can
Moller is absolutely ready for the NHL right now. I didn't know anything about him really before this year, other than that he was a good offensive prospect. However, I have to say that I've liked him ever since the first game of the year.
He's always in the play, in the corners, mucking for the puck. He's fast, doesn't look like too much of a defensive liability, and brings incredible energy. It's obvious that his teammates like him already.
No brainer...Moller stays, just like Doughty.
Now...why TM seems so intent on keeping Moulson up while Purcell languishes, I have no idea. I like Simmonds, but some more time in the AHL wouldn't hurt him either. Ditto for Boyle.
TM needs to give some other players a chance. Maybe one of them will be "lightning in a bottle," because Moulson, Simmonds, and Boyle sure aren't.
Peace.
historyguy - Boyle looked like lightning in a bottle last year. It makes me wonder how Crawford would be doing if still here because he got a lot out of the in-favor players last season. Kopi, Brown, Sully, Boyle, Harrold, Ellis, and Moulson were all getting rave reviews while the results were much the same. It's early though.
I am so relieved that Moller made it! I followed him all last year, and really became a fan after the documentary about him coming from Sweden to the North American game. At Chillawack, he was electric, and had a number of hat tricks. I was excited for the Kings team of 2009 or 2010 when he'd finally be considered. He has proven to be NHL ready for sure, and I will not be surprised if he remains a consistent scorer.
With respect to Moulson and Purcell, I think the Kings should run a shuttle from Manchester to LA with Moulson and Purcell until one of them proves their mettle and takes the job.
When I first saw the Frolov-Moller-Calder line combination I didn't like it at all becuase it doesn't have a natural center. (I believe Moller was drafted as a winger).
However if Moller can be effective at center then this could be a pretty good line, with Moller's speed and skills combining with Fro's power and Calder's grinding.
Hopefully, Moller will be able to gete some help from Fro on his puck possesion skills. Moller's been impressive so far iwht his stick handling skills so i think the two of them could be frustrate the D in the corners to no end.
I'm really happy for Moller and for the Kings. I was stoked when the Kings drafted him last year. It was a crime that he dropped that far. He should have easily been a first round pick. I really believe he's going to be a special player.