Brains behind the Kings PP to have contracts extended
"Obviously we like what they're doing" - Taylor
Quote:
Murray and his assistants, Mark Hardy, Ray Bennett and John Van Boxmeer, are in the last year of their contracts. The Kings hold an option year on all four, but Taylor said he was interested in signing them beyond the next season.
In other news, when it comes to trades, Taylor says "I'm happy with the team, so we're not looking to do anything"... because, obviously, it's better to wait until your team struggles, its players are worth less and the other GMs have you over a barrel.
I wonder if Taylor will have a change of opinion on contracts and trades once the Kings face the Red Wings, Senators, Canadiens and Maple Leafs in the next week and a half.
"Obviously we like what they're doing" - TaylorL.A. Times
In other news, when it comes to trades, Taylor says "I'm happy with the team, so we're not looking to do anything"... because, obviously, it's better to wait until your team struggles, its players are worth less and the other GMs have you over a barrel.
I wonder if Taylor will have a change of opinion on contracts and trades once the Kings face the Red Wings, Senators, Canadiens and Maple Leafs in the next week and a half.
I don't like that comment by DT. He should have said something like, "I'm happy with the team but we're always looking to improve". But I'm pretty sure he's doing something.
I'm not so sure. He and AM share a common mindset about not rocking the boat when you're afloat. Historically, Taylor has rarely pulled trades when the team was doing well and is more prone to patching holes, rather than reinforcing ahead of time. If Taylor really thought the team needed a defenseman, he would've done it by now. I personally think that he's waiting until the trade deadline, but that seems to me kind of like saying that the powerplay doesn't need to be good until the playoff stretch starts.
only an idiot could look at a team that is in the top 4 in total goals scored, top 5 or so 5v5, top 5 or so SH, and then 20th in power play and re-sign the power play coach, mr van papsmear.
I'd like to think DT is just holding things close to his vest. After all, he doesn't want to say "John Van Sucksmeer better be looking for a new job now, because he won't have one by the end of the season." This Powerplay is just unacceptable.
I'd like to think DT is just holding things close to his vest. After all, he doesn't want to say "John Van Sucksmeer better be looking for a new job now, because he won't have one by the end of the season." This Powerplay is just unacceptable.
Thank you.
Of course DT's not going to telegraph his moves and its only rational to believe he is monitoring every possible scenario IMO.
i have af eeling that its more of a "if one coach goes, we all go" approach. AM always had a strong sense of loyalty to his assistant coaches, even if they're not getting the job done, i dont think AM has the heart to let one of themg o
I don't buy the "he wouldn't telegraph" argument. If there were any doubt in DT's mind, he wouldn't have said anything to the papers in the first place. I don't see any reason to say this to the papers 18 months early if not to show honest appreciation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KingPurpleDinosaur
i have af eeling that its more of a "if one coach goes, we all go" approach. AM always had a strong sense of loyalty to his assistant coaches, even if they're not getting the job done, i dont think AM has the heart to let one of themg o
I agree. AM holds the players accountable, but is too attached to his assistant coaches to recommend their replacement. Also, DT often forgets who's in charge and rarely goes over AM's head. I doubt that any of the coaches will go until they all go, and from the sound of this article, that won't be for a long, long time.
Keep in mind that the organization told the Monarchs staff they were all going to be extended. Then they extended them. Then they fired them. Then they brought one of them back as the head coach (likely the plan all along). I wouldn't put anything past the Kings...
Quite true, KB; I considered that, myself. Being under contract is no protection against being fired and it's safer to extend contracts instead of risking them leaving like Tippett did. The thing, however, is that DT is saying this 18 months earlier than he needed to, and, also, the last few times he extended contracts, he followed through and no hint of playing games was involved. I have no doubt that DT loves the job the coaching staff is doing and has no doubt in his head about them.
Quite true, KB; I considered that, myself. Being under contract is no protection against being fired and it's safer to extend contracts instead of risking them leaving like Tippett did. The thing, however, is that DT is saying this 18 months earlier than he needed to, and, also, the last few times he extended contracts, he followed through and no hint of playing games was involved. I have no doubt that DT loves the job the coaching staff is doing and has no doubt in his head about them.
I really doubt the Kings are thinking about letting any of the coaches go, regardless of how any particular unit is performing. It would be all or nothing and they would be crazy to let Murray and Hardy go at this point. The way I see it, the only way JVB is going anywhere, is if Murray has personal difficulties working with JVB. And if there were any such difficulties, it would have come up earlier.
I don't think the Kings are considering letting the staff go either. Just wanted to point out what they've done in the past.
Now onto the important stuff. From today's L.A Daily news:
"We have to make our power play be our enforcer," Murray said. "If people want to take dumb penalties against us, we have to punish them for it with our power play."
After the Kings' last two games, that seems like something of an idle threat. The Kings didn't score a power-play goal in either game and have failed to convert on their last 14 chances.
The problem is fairly simple.
"Obviously we're not getting enough shots," Murray said. "People must say, 'What the heck are those coaches doing?' but we work on it all the time and talk about it.
"We have a plan and go over it with the players. But it hasn't been good for us, we know that."
"We have a plan and go over it with the players. But it hasn't been good for us, we know that."[/i]
Let me paraphrase what Andy is saying: "Our powerplay strategy doesn't work, so we're going to keep doing the same thing and hope it corrects itself. Changing our failing strategy is not an option."
Let me paraphrase what Andy is saying: "Our powerplay strategy doesn't work, so we're going to keep doing the same thing and hope it corrects itself. Changing our failing strategy is not an option."
It's not JVB's fault that Visnovsky stopped shooting after his hat-trick.
It's not JVB's fault that Demitra is USELESS unless he's on a rush.
It's not JVB's fault that Demitra tries to pass through defenders skates shift-in-and-shift out.
It's not JVB's fault that Demitra glues his *** to the half-boards unless he's playing St. Louis.
It's not JVB's fault that the Kings' best offensive forwards have little to no foot speed.
It's the personnel, not the system. The Kings can't score on the PP because they don't have skilled players who can move the puck or their feet fast enough to force holes in the PK. Instead, they either try to force passes through invisible holes, or throw telegraphed slappers right into patient shot-blockers. It's pathetic, and it's not going to change by blaming JVB.
And yet again the Kings prove that the Van Boxmeer should not be rehired. I think it might be time for us to shuffle the staff a little bit. Maybe Bennett can take over the power play for awhile and Boxy can have no discernable purpose.
It's not JVB's fault that Visnovsky stopped shooting after his hat-trick.
It's not JVB's fault that Demitra is USELESS unless he's on a rush.
It's not JVB's fault that Demitra tries to pass through defenders skates shift-in-and-shift out.
It's not JVB's fault that Demitra glues his *** to the half-boards unless he's playing St. Louis.
It's not JVB's fault that the Kings' best offensive forwards have little to no foot speed.
It's the personnel, not the system. The Kings can't score on the PP because they don't have skilled players who can move the puck or their feet fast enough to force holes in the PK. Instead, they either try to force passes through invisible holes, or throw telegraphed slappers right into patient shot-blockers. It's pathetic, and it's not going to change by blaming JVB.
except for ottawa and detroit, we have scored more goals then any other team in the league. the offensive power is there, we just dont have a system that works. it's pretty sad how pathetic our pp is, i remember back when we had tippett, we were almost always assured a goal everytime we had a pp. sure we had schneider, but it's JVB's job to work with what tools he has to make it work. if he cant do it, find someone else. if the players aren't listening, find someone else.
it's too bad i kno this will never happen as I see AM blaming the whole coaching staff rather then focusing it on one person. which is good cuase of the team effect and all, but come on... there's a point where u gota admit there's a weakest link somewhere.
If they're willing to throw out the third line on the PP when the team is doing really well, then they should be comfortable throwing out the third line on the PP when the players are supposedly not playing the system.
The fact the players keep being thrown on the ice in spite of the lack of productivity tells me that the players are doing what the coaches want them to do.
