Here’s what Kings coach Darryl Sutter said after a dreary 3-1 loss Thursday to the Carolina Hurricanes at Staples Center: “Our guys were not very efficient out there maximizing what their God gave ’em.”
Thanks to Jon Rosen for the transcript.
The Kings were bounced from the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, but they’re still among the top-10 most-valuable teams in the 30-team NHL, according to Forbes’ annual rankings released Wednesday. The Kings are worth $600 million, the ninth-highest total in the league. Their value increased by three percent over Forbes’ rankings for 2015. Their revenue was $142 million and their operating income was minus-$400,000, according to Forbes.
The New York Rangers topped the Forbes list with a value of $1.25 billion. The Montreal Canadiens were second ($1.12 billion) and the Toronto Maple Leafs were third ($1.1 billion). The San Jose Sharks were 13th ($470 million) and the Anaheim Ducks were 15th ($415 million), giving California three franchises in the top half of the league. Of the three California teams, the Sharks’ value increased the most over last year’s rankings, climbing by six percent. The Ducks’ value increased four percent.
Here’s Kings coach Darryl Sutter disputing my line of questioning about the team getting “rewarded” for going to the net during a 5-0 victory Saturday over the Calgary Flames: “That’s how you score. How many goals are scored by going to the net? It’s tough to score if you don’t go to the net. It’s not a reward. That’s real. It can’t hit you in the (rear end) and go in the net if you’re not standing close to the net.”
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick is sidelined by a serious groin injury for up to three months, one big reason for concern to start the season. (File photo/Los Angeles Daily News)
No team in NHL history has won the Stanley Cup championship in October, but plenty have squandered a chance to play for it in June. The injury-depleted Kings completed the season’s first month with a lackluster 4-5-0 record and sat in sixth place in the seven-team Pacific Division.
Jonathan Quick, their standout goaltender, was placed on long-term injured reserve because of a serious groin injury suffered in a season-opening loss Oct. 12 to the San Jose Sharks. He’s not expected to play until January at the earliest, and was placed on the longer of the NHL’s two injured reserve lists.
Left wing Marian Gaborik (broken right foot), defenseman Brayden McNabb (right shoulder) and goalie Jeff Zatkoff are on the shorter IR list, eligible to return to the lineup after one week. Gaborik is out until Thanksgiving and it’s uncertain when McNabb and Zatkoff might play again.
Compounding matters, Kings left wing Andy Andreoff was forced from a 3-0 loss Sunday to the Chicago Blackhawks in the second period because of an unspecified upper-body injury. There was no immediate update on how long he might be sidelined.
It’s too soon to panic, but it’s not too soon to be concerned.
Here’s the link to the updated and edited story: http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20161031/injury-riddled-kings-start-troubling-but-its-early