`Zeus' speaks
If something good happens for the Kings these days, chances are Michal Handzus is somehow involved in it. Whether it's setting a screen in front of a goalie, winning a faceoff or playing responsible defense (as a center or winger), Handzus has made a complete turnaround after his dreadful 2007-08 season. Today, for the first time in a while, I got a chance to sit down with Handzus for a few minutes and talk about his season so far...
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Question: This is shaping up to be a good season, for you personally and for the team. How good does it feel to be a big part of that now?
HANDZUS: ``Well obviously that was my goal. Obviously nobody was happy about last year, but I knew I was a much better play than I was last year, and I still think I'm a better player than I have been this year. So I'm still trying to get better every day and hopefully in this stretch, in this playoff run, I can get even better and help the team even more to get to the playoffs. ''
Question: When Terry talks about you, he talks about your unselfishness and your willingness to play any role. In your mind, is that something that comes with being a veteran player?
HANDZUS: ``I think I have always done that. Even when I was young, it didn't really matter for me where I played. I just want to help the team and whatever they ask me for, I'll do it. I can play on the left wing, I can play center, I can play any role that they need me to do. That's what I try to do, play a two-way role and try to help the team.''
Question: How much better do you feel, physically, this year as opposed to last year?
HANDZUS: ``I feel stronger. Obviously my skating is better, and I think that's a benefit of the summer. I was healthy and I had good workouts and it helped me a lot. Obviously I feel better, and it's all about my skating.''
Question: Last year, you always said that the knee was fine, but so many people say that the first year back after ACL surgery is very tough. In hindsight, was that season tougher than you thought it would be?
HANDZUS: ``It was a lot of things. I don't really want to go back to last year. After the season, I drew the line and it was over. Right away, the next day, I just focused on the next season. Obviously it was rough, but you always learn something from it and try to get better.''
Question: When you came to training camp this year, did you know instantly that it was better? Were you where you wanted to be?
HANDZUS: ``Sure. All summer, I felt healthy and that was the key. I could do a lot of the stuff I used to be able to do before. Stuff I couldn't do the last couple years. So that was a big thing. I was ready, for sure, and I've been ready to go.''
Question: You have a young team here, and you're one of the veteran leaders. What do these young guys need to know about being in a playoff race?
HANDZUS: ``For us, it's consistency. Not even every game, but every period and every shift. You have to play at the same level. It's all about that. In the last game, obviously we didn't play a good first period and it cost us the game, so that's what we have to key on. Just play every shift, every period and every game the same way. If we do that, we're going to win a lot of games.''
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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.
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Hey Rich, since Atlanta is below the cap by trading Schneider don't they have to forfeit the game tonight?
I'll shorten this up a bit: "Without Zus' play this season, we don't win as many games."
I'm not as much "ga ga" over him as others are or most others are.
He's helped. He's OK, but still not worth $4 Mil.
Not by a long shot.
Recognizing the usefulness of a player like M. Handzus is what separates the "fair-weather" fan from us diehards. I'm talking to those who bashed MK earlier this season just because he doesn't score or fight or run around. All good teams need a "Zues" if their gonna go anywhere in this league.
Keep up the good work Zues.
Galen: Your comment about being under the Salary Cap was interesting to me. From nhlnumbers.com, it appears that the ATL Cap Hit is still in legal salary cap range. I believe the range is 56.7 million to 40.7 million this year.
ATL's current projected cap hit is 44.17 million right now - including all of the money owed to Matt Schneider to date.
If they had taken all of Schneider's 5.625 million off Atlanta cap this year, you would be correct in saying they are under the cap. However, Schneider has earned 3.931 million of his cap hit thus far this season, which explains how they are still in the correct range.
I was hoping you found us an easy two points there! But alas, we'll have to earn them the old-fashioned way later tonight.
Go Kings!
great to see zus get recognition all around...also nice to hear from a team leader and his insight on his turnaround...my pick for the kings entry for comeback player of the year...if you can call him eligible for the award...
Anthony...again you have reminded us all how much you really like this team. You can take off your disguise now wild wing. We all know the truth. hahah!
Zeus has been the key to turning our forwards into defensive minded and responsible players. He set the standard and bought into TM's system from day one. That includes the PK. And on the other end, he has become a bit of a Holmstrom on the PP. Excellent in front of the net. Period.
Anthony, your ignorance of the sport of hockey abounds.
There is more to hockey than what shows up on the stats sheet at the end of the night. If you can't see what not only most people around here do, but every expert who watches this sport does, you my friend, are beyond help.
Thanks Brent, the cap gets complicated. Go Kings get the 2 points by playing 60 minutes of playoff hockey.
Zus is a freakin champion. This guy works so hard and is down to do whatever the team needs from him.
How does one value in dollars a player of this caliber?
Should the amount of money a player makes be based solely on his point production?
How is a one-dimensional sniper(with zero defensive skills) anymore valuable then a one-dimensional defensive player??
Yea. Goals win games, but so does defense.
Who would complain about a guy, making $4 million a year, who plays both sides of the ice with great success??
I would take a Michal Handzus type player for $4 million a year over a Michael Cammalleri type player any day of the week.
This guy is earning his paycheck. His leadership, his ability to teach the kids, his character, and his willingness to compete at a high level in any situation is what makes this guy the Kings MVP. People who can't see that need to take their blinders off.
(Not to take a shot at anyone, but "Anthony" has shown time and time again his complete ignorance when it comes to hockey. It's a shame that someone that knows so little and who is so unwilling to learn can call them self a fan.)