I'm not saying that the lineup will click. Half of their top six have never played together. That could be a recipe for disaster. But I looked at the Coyotes last year and laughed, thinking they'd be dead last in the league. I don't want to underestimate a team like that again.
For what it's worth, I just pulled those lines from their board. Arrange them how you'd like, but that's pretty much their lineup until further notice.
Coyotes last had something a little different than the Stars current lineup:
Depth. Particularly depth on the blueline.
They put it all together when they got a goalie who was right between the ears (for the most part)\
Last years Coyotes:
Whitney - Hanzal - Vrbata
Boedker- Vermette - Doan Pyatt - Gordon - Korpikoski
Chipchura - Langkow - Brule
I don't know about you but that's a damn good defense and bottom six. Maybe Chipchura, Pyatt, and Gordon aren't the most skilled guys...but they are big bodies that are damn hard to play against. Korpikoski is a great skater with some skill, Brule, and Langkow also bring some skill to the table.
And that back 6, arguably was one of the best in hockey next to our own. Yandle is an all-star, Ekman Larsson is an all-star. Morris, Aucoin and Rozsival are awesome vets.
Eakin is untested, Nystrom had a hot hand last year but quickly cooled off. Fiddler is only good for faceoffs basically. Morrow is on the downside of his career but still is a tough guy. Wandell and Fraser...those are just place fillers honestly. Those guys would not start on other teams.
Goligoski is good. Larsen is a solid young player. But Daley, Fistric, Robidas and Rome are where it falls apart. Robidas gets a lot of play but the guy is awful in his own end.
They have no depth. AND they are old and injury prone.
Of the returning Stars from last season...only Eriksson, Fiddler and Ryder played a full compliment of games. Roy and Whitney remained relatively healthy.
And I mean...who do they have on the bench? Ryan Garbutt? Jordie Benn? Toby Petersen? Dowell? Vincour?
even if they stay healthy, I don't like their chances. That's an average lineup at best. Maybe they make the playoffs...maybe, but if they do they don't have the capability to go anywhere north of the first round.
I find it peculiar that there have been no reports of Zach Parise ruling out the Kings as one of his destinations. I'm not holding my breath on him coming here, but it is rather intriguing that the Kings have not been rejected yet by Parise and Newport Sports Management. Even though Kings management thinks him signing here is a long shot, it does appear that they're still in consideration.
Here's my take:
Right now, as of this moment, its between the Kings and the money. Plain and simple. I really think if he wanted to play for a "contender" and for the money, he would have already chosen Pittsburgh, and he would have done that on Sunday, Monday at the latest.
The fact that he hasn't made a decision yet is because (IMO) he really wants to play for the Kings and with his pal Dustin Brown. I really think Brown sold him on the Kings and he is torn between playing for the SC and in a great room and getting paid and playing elsewhere.
I think he takes a break tomorrow, enjoys the 4th with his family, and gets down to brass tacks on Thursday (or Friday), and makes his decision then.
What I hope he does is contact the Kings, say he really wants to come here, but can they please up their offer?
What I believe he will do is opt for the money, and probably go to Pittsburgh.
JMO, pure speculation. But its borne out by the fact that we really haven't been eliminated from consideration. Yet.
Right now, as of this moment, its between the Kings and the money. Plain and simple. I really think if he wanted to play for a "contender" and for the money, he would have already chosen Pittsburgh, and he would have done that on Sunday, Monday at the latest.
The fact that he hasn't made a decision yet is because (IMO) he really wants to play for the Kings and with his pal Dustin Brown. I really think Brown sold him on the Kings and he is torn between playing for the SC and in a great room and getting paid and playing elsewhere.
I think he takes a break tomorrow, enjoys the 4th with his family, and gets down to brass tacks on Thursday (or Friday), and makes his decision then.
What I hope he does is contact the Kings, say he really wants to come here, but can they please up their offer?
What I believe he will do is opt for the money, and probably go to Pittsburgh.
JMO, pure speculation. But its borne out by the fact that we really haven't been eliminated from consideration. Yet.
Definitely all possible, I have this bit of confidence that he could still end up here, we keep hearing the same teams; Wild, Pens, Wings, Devils and Flyers as the ones on the "list" when no one actually knows the list besides Parise and his representatives, haven't heard anything public on the Kings as to being out of the race, last we heard was they were still in contention and I still believe they are.
Also to your point about Brown selling him on the team, Parise just did an interview and said one of the coolest things was hearing
Quote:
from a lot of captains from different teams
I'm not trying to get my hopes up but I just have a feeling he's strongly considering them still and maybe it's better there's not much public attention on LA regarding Parise, could be a surprise actually, but we'll find out in a few days most likely.
Again, don't want to get hopes up (and I strongly feel that Parise remains in NJ), but there are lots of connections to Parise on the Kings, with Matt Greene and him being former teammates (and roommates) at North Dakota, him being friends with Dustin Brown and being teammates with Brown and Quick on the US National Team.
If money isn't his top priority, he can look up and down the roster and see that this team is going to remain together for a very long time and he could fit into that equation. For those reasons he could strongly be considering the Kings. However, I do believe that he is torn over the idea of leaving his team behind (after all, he is the captain of the Devils and they have re-signed most of his teammates).
I am a Sabres fan also. Trust me, I don't underrate anything about Roy.
I watched him not mesh with the coaching staff OR his linemates for the last five years. He's not very good in his defensive zone, he's not physical. I mean, how can you not do well with Vanek and Pominville?
He's a good skater, has good vision, and has a nice shot as well.
However, he's essentially Mike Ribeiro. He's a me first kind of player. It's why he didn't go well with Vanek EVER. Roysie wanted the puck ALL THE TIME. Vanek wanted the puck ALL THE TIME. As the center who do you think had it?
“He’s a center that holds on to the puck and creates a lot,” Vanek said. “I just try to find openings for him. Ever since he’s been out, I feel like I’ve gotten the puck more.”
I've watched enough of Derek Roy over the last 5-6 years that I know that Steve Ott for Derek Roy is a very very good trade for Buffalo. Roy is a solid player, but he's nothing to write home about.
I mean, he was in Buffalo for how many seasons? And we haven't had a lot of success..and he got traded. So what does that tell you? You don't see em trading Stafford, Poms, or Vanek do ya?
I find it peculiar that there have been no reports of Zach Parise ruling out the Kings as one of his destinations. I'm not holding my breath on him coming here, but it is rather intriguing that the Kings have not been rejected yet by Parise and Newport Sports Management. Even though Kings management thinks him signing here is a long shot, it does appear that they're still in consideration.
Parise said it wouldn't be fair to name teams. I think it is safe to say LA is not a finalist. Kings have moved on.
Parise is just trying to come up with a good reason to tell the fans why he signed with a division rival.
Again, don't want to get hopes up (and I strongly feel that Parise remains in NJ), but there are lots of connections to Parise on the Kings, with Matt Greene and him being former teammates (and roommates) at North Dakota, him being friends with Dustin Brown and being teammates with Brown and Quick on the US National Team.
If money isn't his top priority, he can look up and down the roster and see that this team is going to remain together for a very long time and he could fit into that equation. For those reasons he could strongly be considering the Kings. However, I do believe that he is torn over the idea of leaving his team behind (after all, he is the captain of the Devils and they have re-signed most of his teammates).
There are so many connections between hockey players in the NHL going back to junior/college days so I wouldn't read too much into who he knows and who he's friends with. I think he wants to stay in NJ but they won't be able to come up with the money, especially the signing bonuses. After that, it's a crapshoot. If it's just about money, Philly offered the most. If it's about going to a contender, probably the Pens. Who knows. Will he make an announcement tomorrow seeing it's a holiday or will it drag out further?
Trade deadline. And Yes I think he is looking that far into the future.
Or a trade of JB. I really think unless Sutter goes to him and says we are missing X then he stands pat until the deadline.
I think there's still just plan A. Plan B implies they had a plan A that failed. Winning the Stanley Cup and keeping the entire roster intact for another season sounds like Plan A+ to me. Quite successful in that regard.
I don't think you can overstate how strong a team bond is after they win a Cup. Riding that bond next season will be significant. The fact that the Kings are in a position to add a piece without having to subtract anything is remarkable.
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"In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened." - Vin Scully being clairvoyant in 1988.
The Los Angeles Kings - 2012 Stanley Cup Champions
The hawks second ? Their D is gonna get worse, their goalie sucks, if they land parise they won't get far with only offense. They will be 6th or 7th.
They finished 6th last year with Toews missing 20+ games. They should improve.
I have Chicago pegged to finish first in the central because Detroit will fall back, Nashville will be worse and St. Louis overachieved this season. I see them finishing third in the conference behind Vancouver and the Kings.
For anybody that has not heard this yet, it's a link to the audio of the interview last night with Parise. I think this is a lot harder than he thought it would be. I get the feeling that a part of him is torn to remain loyal to the Devils, the team he that raised him and he looks up to Brodeur, who has spoken to him severaltimes. A part of him might be tempted to play for his home town, where his familyi and his fiance's family are from and the Pens, who are a good team , a cup contender and he's close friends with Crosby. I think he'll stay with NJ...we'll see.
If Parise and Suter are talking every day, it sure sounds like they are trying to decide if they want to play together. Bad news for NJ since they can't afford both.
Wild fans are at the edge of a cliff right now. They either get both or neither.
Dave Molinari @MolinariPG Pittsburgh is OFFICIALLY OUT on Zach Parise. He will not be joining the Penguins.
I have no idea what this means, not enough information: did Parise eliminate them or did Pitt eliminate themselves? Anyway, it blows my prediction to Kingdom Come (I hope so).
I would wager they are just taking a shot at Parise as plan A, if that doesn't work, then Doan for plan B, and if the stars don't align for either, consider a stopgap/insurance player on a short term deal (i.e. a Ponikarovsky type of signing) and go into the season. Kings don't really have to worry about much, they are icing an entire Stanley Cup winning roster.
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"It has not been a good day. I lost my glasses early this morning and I had to go buy a pair of 79 dollar reading glasses today. 79 bucks. You can literally get them at Costco, three-for-20." - Darryl Sutter's response to going up 2-0 in the series.
Now they are saying that both players are going to end up in Minnesota... What a crazy free agency this has been Who would have predicted like a fifth of the moves that went down this year?
Who would have predicted like a fifth of the moves that went down this year?
