Trick or treat?

LOL.

It's Halloween... not April Fools...

That looks like a shake-up!!! I think TM might be trying to pass a messagre that efforts like that will not be tolerated... Then again, I am not an NHL coach, so I'll wait for you to post more comments! :)

Well, this must be Halloween. That depth chart certainly is scary, and not in a good way. Why bring O'Sullivan down to the third line and Stoll down to the fourth?

And why do we still have Calder and Moulson?

I think that's what you call a "palette cleanser," like ginseng in a sushi restaurant, just something completely different to erase the previous taste in your mouth.

Although maybe the players are wearing costumes...

I knew Marc Crawford was in the building, but I didn't know he was back behind the bench!

The only one that makes any sense is Frolov up to the 2nd line...

These line changes are too often in my opinion. The top line, albeit struggling, has chemistry and needs to be left alone for at least a good string of games... He needs to let it all sink in and stop moving people around. Now if the Kings score on the first or any other line for that matter, Murray will think he has found some sort of new line that was never there in the first place. But these lines right now are ridiculous and he should know that.

Trevor Lewis has 7 points in 7 games in Manchester, to lead the team. If he keeps that up, I hope we see him by Christmas. Purcell, too, should have done his homework by then. Bring those two up and send down Boyle and Calder. Put Lewis between Purcell and Moller. Bring up Clune ASAP and send down Richardson.

POS/Kopitar/Brown
Frolov/Handzus/Simmonds
Purcell/Lewis/Moller
Moulson/Stoll/Clune
Ivanans and Armstrong

Do I get a sense of desperation already?

Clune? LOL... I think a guy who has not been able to stick on an AHL club for an entire season, who is coming off an injury that has kept him out of game condition for months will be best suited for Manchester (or Ontario) before he replaces ANYONE at the NHL level.

...huh.

also, that's a really intriguing third line. i wouldn't do it at the expense of our other lines, but that's a cool combination.

Calder would have to go through waivers to be sent down, but he's probably makt it to Manchester at this point...

Great, can O'Sullivan have different linemates everyday please? I am sure that will help him out. He has been playing well, yet he is getting shuffled more than anyone.

Quisp - I think we may see Simmonds disappear until next season soon. He's playing well but isn't fully physically developed, whereas Moller is. He's been great mentally, but when Murray talks about "learning to dominate in jrs" maybe that's what will happen with Simmonds. I cannot wait until he's 220#.

I'd still like to see a kids line before he goes:

Moller - Boyle - Simmonds.

We'll see what Murray does Sat. but if he juggles the lines I think its too reactionary. St. Louis got the shellack from us, then played for a shutout the next night. These games happen to all teams except maybe Detroit.

Really?

Cristobal -

Well, neither Moller or Simmonds have grown into their frames yet -- and I agree with you re Simmonds that it will be something to see when he's fully-grown. It will make a big difference with Moller as well, especially in terms of what he's able to accomplish as a center (defensive responsibilities, etc.).

Boyle may need some time in Manchester to play first line minutes and fill the net with pucks. Purcell/Lewis/Moller (my version of the "kid" line) is (on paper) speedy, snipery and defensively-sound. Both Boyle and Lewis are, I think, a big part of the Kings future "down the middle." I would rather the Kings take their time with Boyle and Lewis's development and do it right. Lewis hit a bump in production last year, but his numbers so far this year are way up (projecting to basically the kind of huge season Purcell had last year), so it's reasonable to expect he will be getting some games in before too long.

Marc Nathan, re "Clune? LOL": Clune had a great camp before he broke a bone in his chest in late September. Presumably he was in game shape at that point. I believe he's week-to-week right now. When I say "ASAP" I mean as soon as he's recovered from his injury. You said called him "a guy who has not been able to stick on an AHL club for an entire season," but I'm not sure what you mean by that. He played last year for Dallas's AHL team after completing his junior eligibility. And given what he showed the Kings in camp a few weeks ago, it's reasonable to assume he will get a mid-season call-up at some point.

Quisp - I haven't seen Clune yet, but why do we need another body to run around and hit people? Zeiler, Calder, Moulson, Richardson, Armstrong, Simmonds...that area is covered. We need to cut out mistakes and another AHLer isn't going to do that. In addition, if he starts getting into fisticuffs it could mean more penalty killing and, likely, concussions.

Clune is a better Zeiler (if he's not a better Zeiler, then I would just say, let's see Zeiler). Moulson and Richardson are not in that mold. Calder is supposed to be a goal scorer and if he's not going to do that there really is no point to him; he's an experiment on its last leg. Armstrong is apparently the greatest guy in the world, but isn't exactly hard to play against. "Cutting out mistakes," as you put it, is not just a matter of being smart, or disciplined, or even experienced. It's also about forcing the other team to make mistakes, before they force you to make them. This means wearing people down. It means taking the play to the opposition. It means getting in people's faces. And we should not underestimate the power of inspirationally physical play by third line "agitators." Think Lappy, or Avery if he weren't an ass (and was a team player). We don't have a player like that right now, and Clune is one. That's why I think we will see him as soon as he's ready. And then I will stop fast-forwarding every time I see the fourth line on the ice.

interesting that Armstrong gets scratched after his best game...

How about these lines.

Fro-Handzus-Brown
O'Sull-Kopitar-Moller
Moulson-Boyle-Simmonds
Calder-Stoll/Army-Ivanans

Looks pretty solid to me on paper

Quisp - Ok. I'm on board. Maybe a true pest is what we're missing. Kopecky certainly "pestered" the Kings Teusday night...though maybe Armstrong is our pest right now.

PS -
Stoll is MIA on power plays right now.
O'Sullivan isn't looking like an All-Star right now.
Quincey was very average in his worst game last night.
Greene looked like a 1 million dollar defenseman again.
The Staples ice is doing us no favors.
Doughty is solid defensively, but isn't scoring or assisting at all. Haven't seen his one-timer yet, either.
Has there been a Handzus sighting in the past week?
Frolov too often looks like the only forward out there, at both ends of the ice.
Sooooooo many failures to clear the zone over 9 games.

Have you called the Kings to inform them about how bad the ice is yet? They obviously have no clue, so you should enlighten them and they'll call in an engineer for you.

Maybe the problem is that none of the glass partitions broke last night. We have looked great each night when glass has been broken. We might need to sacrifice a season ticketholder in section 101 to the Hockey Gods to really get this team on a roll.

By shuffling the lines Murray is making a big mistake.Play the players according to chemistry,not changing for the sake of changing after a bad game.If there is anything professional athletes thrive on is regularity and familarity.
Expect more losses coming through Murrays lineup changes.I would reccomend;
Sully Kopi Brown
Fro Handy Moller
Moulsen Boyle Simmonds
Ivanan Army Richardson
and never play Greene with Gauths never
also give Erksberg a startyou might be surprised with what you get.

I'm still awaiting the TREAT...