By no means have they DOMINATED top teams thus far, but it can be said the Kings could easly be 4-0 if not for a final 3 mins let down against the Wings in the season opener.
The team has now created "depth"...a word that wasen't known to Kings fans prior to this season. Each year the Kings have 1 line scoring, but this season it seems the "hard hats" are on & everyone seems to be pitching in.
The scary part for other NHL teams is the Kings are playing solid team hockey without 4 of the top 5 players on the team. Allison, Deader, Miller & Norstrom all have missed games thus far...showing the Kings may be able to hang tuff this season & make the playoffs.
The Kings were expected to challenge the Wings/Stars/Canucks & Av's 1 year ago, but injuries ended that hope.
Now, if Deader/Allison can come back healthy, the Kings might be a team that no one picked as a solid contender for atleast a top 4 spot in the West.
I think they are...specially if injured guys return. They also have solid goaltending this year. If Allison and Deader return they might even make it to the 2nd round.
I would like to say yes because things cant get any worse...only better...but i dont kno anymore...norstroms out already...gleason...i touhgt was lost for the season....and even our enforcer is out for a long time...so...its hard to say with the kings...when things seem like they cant get any worse...they usually do
If they get everyone back, I think they have a good chance. Palffy is a dark horse for the Art Ross if he can stay healthy. He has the potential to have a 100p season.
I think they are a playoff team but I am still curious as to their ability to go very far once they get there.
They will more than likely have enough talent,
Forwards
Allison
Deadmarsh
Frolov
Klatt
Luc
Stumple
Ziggy
Aulin
Cammo
Belenger
Avery
Lappy
Brown
with a few more that are NHL caliber and ready if needed. (Armstron/Pirnes etc)
Gleason
Miller
Modry
Visnovsky
Norstrom
Corvo
Holland
and Grebs etc down on the farm that are ready.
Huet is a great goalie who could probably be a solid #1 if given teh chance and I like Chech so far as well.
Like I said, I think that we have the talent to be a contender and IF IF IF the team is healthy the playoffs shouldn't be that much of a reach. The trouble is once they get there we will still have to contend with some pretty poor PP and PK teams.(going by last year and the early part of this one)
Boxy sure hasn't seemed to be able to get the players to respond to his style yet and Harpo had better get it back together quick or there could be some trouble. Time will tell but they certainly aren't the whipping boy that they were last year.
okay, so everyone thinks that the kings are good if healthy. but, health is relative, and to what degree do they need to be healthy to make the playoffs? can they make the playoffs with the team they have right now (without allison, deadmarsh, miller, norstrom)?
personally, i think that with the team they are icing right now, a playoff spot is possible, but very difficult. withtheir lineup, they're a bubble team. clearly, they are capable of winning games, and have displayed some grit and intestinal fortitude. in addition, andy murray is good at getting the most, and perhaps even a bit more, out of his players. however, to think that they can maintain this level of intesity for 82 games is asking a bit much, and while i think that the playoffs are definitely within reach, there will absolutely be some huge bumps in the road.
I think it is safe to say that everyone is/will say that the Kings are if they can stay healthy - that is, if they can stay in some sort of normal amount of man-games lost to injury (and not the 10,000 they lost last year).
If Allison, Deader, Norstrom, and Miller never play another game this year (KNOCK ON WOOD!), I find it hard to see them making the playoffs in the tough western conference. If 2 come back, maybe. If 3 or more come back, definitely.
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Saxon Sports Information and Research
I like Allison, and he's a great player when healthy... but if I had to choose between the two, I really want Deader to come back soon. I don't think anybody on the team can match the heart and passion Deader has. Miller and Norstrom I think will be just fine. Their injuries are not as severe as concussions and whiplashes. I think if Deader, Miller and Norstrom come back and are healthy... the Kings can make it to the playoffs and knock off a team or two. If Allison comes back along with Deader, then this team is very scary.
With their current line up as is, and if they keep up the play they've been getting from other guys like Belanger, Visnovsky, Klatt and so on... then I think they can still make it with Ziggy leading the way. It'll be tough for sure... but this team has so much heart and passion. I'm really impressed with their play as of late... I know it's early in the season, but I'm definitely happy with what I have seen.
If your team gets back Allison and Deadmarsh, you could be a force in the west. However, your goaltending will be your biggest worry. You see, you'll need Roman to come up big against a powerhouse like DET or COL and he will let a softy get right by him. You know, kind of like how he did the other night against Stevie Y. He'll crack like he always does.
