Schenn's big camp
Brayden Schenn seems to have won the first-annual ``Oscar Moller Award,'' given to the young player who generates the most surprising buzz in training camp. Schenn is still a longshot to make the team, but considering he didn't even turn 18 until late August, he is doing quite well for himself in his first camp. Schenn talked the other day about his training-camp experience...
``It's pretty much what I thought it would be,'' Schenn said. ``Everyone is competing and trying to make the team and make an impression. I kind of expected that. For me, my focus is just on getting better each day and trying to make a good impression.''
I asked Schenn if his brother had given him any particular advice. Luke Schenn, a 2008 first-round pick who played 70 games on defense for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.
``He pretty much just said, `Don't read into anything. You've got to worry about yourself, and that's pretty much all you can do,''' Brayden Schenn said. ``He said to try to get better each day, and that's where my focus has been on.''
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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.
Another solid pick by our savior DL! Hoping Burkey gets wind of this and makes his grumpy draft day face again...;)
Schenn
Moller
Loktionov
Simmonds
Bernier
Teubert
Hickey
Doughty
Voynov
Purcell
Clifford
Wudrick
Jones
All either drafted by, or picked up as a free agent by, Lombardi.
The talent coming through the system in the next few years is just flat out disgusting.
It won't happen this year, but there isn't just light at the end of the tunnel...I think they are starting to emerge from that tunnel.
What's sad is that Oscar Moller couldn't even win the Oscar Moller Award this year.
Also, what about Simmonds? Is Clifford this year's Simmonds?
MrBrett7 said:
. . . It won't happen this year, but there isn't just light at the end of the tunnel...I think they are starting to emerge from that tunnel.
A tunnel that anthonyy doesn't believe exists.
It sucks that moller couldnt make a spot on the team. he doesnt push himself. but what sucks is in the official kings commercial hes in it hah and he wont even be on the team Woops
"Brayden Schenn seems to have won the first-annual ``Oscar Moller Award,'' given to the young player who generates the most surprising buzz in training camp"
I disagree with this award...anyone who knows about Brayden Schenn shouldn't be surprised by his performance. This guy is not a top 5 pick for nothing. What did everyone expect? A glorified grinder? I don't think so!!
Johnny: I would have to agree with you. I would say Clifford was the bigger SURPRISE. Everyone knew Schenn could play.
Love the Clifford/Schenn/Brown line.
I don't see a problem with Schenn winning the award. It wasn't a question of his talent, but the kid just turned 18 last month.
No issue with Clifford either.
Mrbrett7
Thanks for the list. That's incredible what he's done for the organization.
I agree..maybe this won't be the year, but we can realistically hope to be a perennial cup contender.
We really don't have a weakness in the organization. We have top notch goaltending/defense and offense and a lot of it to boot.
I wouldn't switch our position with any team in the league.
Pre-draft I had Schenn as the third best player available. I also thought he would be the best player in the minors this year and he would develop into a #1 center. So far, so good.
I don't know NYKfan...I think we still have some holes, but every team has holes.
The real mark of a GM is not how they draft (not in my opinion). Especially drafting high in drafts like the Kings and Lombardi has been...you normally can't really miss. The real mark of a GM is how you fill those holes and how quickly you can when you recognize they are there, WITHOUT mortgaging your future to do so.
On that front, that is where I feel Lombardi has done his best work. He has recognized just where the team stands in terms of it's ability to either make the playoffs, and/or contend. If they were closer, I gaurantee you, you would see some of these kids traded for proven veterens...but right now, that would just be nuts.
All the kids...there simply won't be room for all of them. Lombardi knows this. The kids know this...Stevie Wonder can see this. Lombardi and Murray's job is to figure out who fits where and in what role (specifically), and use the pieces he has to fill the other roles he hasn't been able to pick up through the draft (i.e. Ryan Smythe).
Unfortunately...this takes time, and most of us don't have the patience to wait.
IMO, the only real thing missing from this franchise right now is that bonafide top line true sniper. Of course, that is the hardest component to get. Normally, you can't just go out and get that sniper, you must draft him. Unfortunately, they don't grow on trees. Kopitar has the ability, but he isn't selfish enough. I see nobody else in the system who has the ability or the shot.
mrbrett
kopitar isn't a sniper. the snipers in this organization are Moller and Loktionov. Purcell under certain conditions. Stoll, in the sense that he can shoot, although he's never scored more than low 20s and usually in the teens. Williams is slightly snipery, too. right now i think the two areas of concern re kings offense are (1) unless Hickey makes the team, we're missing a second unit PP quarterback, and (2) we're relying on Stoll basically to score about 50% more than he has so far been capable of, playing on a line with Purcell. Ideally, you'd be putting Purcell into a situation where he's likely to succeed (like they're doing with Kopitar, putting him between Smyth and Williams). Instead, Purcell's more or less in the position of having to jump-start Stoll AND Brown, neither of whom had great offensive seasons last year. This is why, not to beat a dead horse or anything, I would be much more comfortable with Moller between Purcell and Brown than with Stoll there. I'm quite sure Moller could easily put up 20-25 goals as c2. Yeah, yeah, I know. He needs to get stronger, center's defensive responsibilities etc.. But Stoll was still weaker than Moller last season, while Stoll was playing with the best players on the team and Moller with the worst (see their QUALTEAM numbers if you don't believe me -- that's right, 5-on-5, playing with much better players consistently, Stoll is defensively worse than Moller, worse in +/-, worse in penalties taken, worse in penalties drawn -- just worse). Go figure.
Blah,
I must respectfully disagree with your statement that Oscar Moeller "does not push himself." If that were true, I sincerely believe that Oscar would not have been Team Captain of a silver medal winning Team Sweden at the 2009 World Juniors Hockey tournament.
His demotion to Manchester has less to do with Oscar's inner push, and more to do with management's desire to give Moeller a season in the AHL to further develop his craft for when he does return to the Kings.
the only reason moller is not playing for the kings this year is because there is no room for him. do you want him playing on the fourth line? i'd rather he play in the AHL and play first line minute there so that he can grow and bring his game to another level.