I really like Huet when i first saw him and am glad to see him play. Personally i cant stand roman... hes so unconsistant. I hope roman stays injured for as long as it takes him to relize he needs to play better
Martin Straka - will be in the lineup tonight!! WOOHOO! Linky
Dustin Brown - possible, but will probably stay on IR a little longer to get some more practicing done according to AM.
The Kings were hoping to bring back rookie right winger Dustin Brown, who has missed most of the past three months with a sprained right ankle.
"But he hasn't had as many practices as Straka so we have to proceed cautiously," Kings coach Andy Murray said. "We'd like to see him get a little more work."
Aaron Miller - Aaron Miller didn't like the results of the last test on his injured neck so he is trying to prove it wrong.
Miller, sidelined since Dec. 10 with nerve damage in his neck, underwent a second battery of tests Wednesday, one week after an exam showed little improvement since he left the lineup.
"He is skating and doing stick work on the ice so those are good signs," general manager Dave Taylor said. "He says he has gotten a lot better."
Miller's availability could be critical to the Kings (25-18-15-7) hanging on to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Scott Barney - Scott Barney, who drew raves from Murray after last month's recall from Manchester, N.H., remains sidelined with a separated right shoulder. Barney won't return until after rosters are expanded.
Lubomir Visnovsky - also underwent testing Wednesday. Visnovsky, who left the lineup in early February, is not skating.
Martin Straka - will be in the lineup tonight!! WOOHOO! Linky
Dustin Brown - possible, but will probably stay on IR a little longer to get some more practicing done according to AM.
The Kings were hoping to bring back rookie right winger Dustin Brown, who has missed most of the past three months with a sprained right ankle.
"But he hasn't had as many practices as Straka so we have to proceed cautiously," Kings coach Andy Murray said. "We'd like to see him get a little more work."
Aaron Miller - Aaron Miller didn't like the results of the last test on his injured neck so he is trying to prove it wrong.
Miller, sidelined since Dec. 10 with nerve damage in his neck, underwent a second battery of tests Wednesday, one week after an exam showed little improvement since he left the lineup.
"He is skating and doing stick work on the ice so those are good signs," general manager Dave Taylor said. "He says he has gotten a lot better."
Miller's availability could be critical to the Kings (25-18-15-7) hanging on to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Scott Barney - Scott Barney, who drew raves from Murray after last month's recall from Manchester, N.H., remains sidelined with a separated right shoulder. Barney won't return until after rosters are expanded.
Lubomir Visnovsky - also underwent testing Wednesday. Visnovsky, who left the lineup in early February, is not skating.
Aaron Miller - Passed the strength test with 82%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He might practice with the team on Saturday according to Bob Miller and Jim Fox. I think it's a morning skate though, but nonetheless, Miller will rejoin the team from the infirmary!!
Lubomir Visnovsky - A couple weeks ago, Vish scored a 38% on his strength test. It has improved to 50% after taking the test on Wednesday. Hopefully for the next test it'll improve 30% more (he needs an 80% to pass). Keep it up, Lubo!
Aaron Miller - Passed the strength test with 82%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He might practice with the team on Saturday according to Bob Miller and Jim Fox. I think it's a morning skate though, but nonetheless, Miller will rejoin the team from the infirmary!!
Lubomir Visnovsky - A couple weeks ago, Vish scored a 38% on his strength test. It has improved to 50% after taking the test on Wednesday. Hopefully for the next test it'll improve 30% more (he needs an 80% to pass). Keep it up, Lubo!
Here's another good update about Miller and Visnovsky ... from the LA Daily News
The Kings received encouraging reports concerning defensemen Aaron Miller and Lubomir Visnovsky.
Both retook strength tests Wednesday to monitor the recovery from nerve damage in the neck and shoulder areas that have sidelined Miller since Dec. 10 and Visnovsky since Feb. 3.
The tests gauge strength levels by percentage in comparison to the other shoulder. Miller scored an 82 Wednesday, one week after registering a 64. Visnovsky had a 50, one week after scoring just 34.
"It just feels good to get back to this point," said Miller, who plans to skate with the team during Saturday's pregame workout. "It has been such a long time. I've been skating and shooting but now I feel like I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I feel I'm getting closer."
Visnovsky skated Thursday for the first time since getting checked into the boards by Edmonton's Ethan Moreau.
"It's better but I'm still probably two weeks away," Visnovsky said. "I felt fine taking slap shots, but on the wrist shots there still was some pain."
The Times and Daily News have different numbers on Vish (Times: 38%, Daily News: 34%), but overall, the same result for his most recent test (50%)
also, a blurb in that article on Cechmanek:
Goaltender Roman Cechmanek was sitting in the press box with Miller and Visnovsky during Thursday's game.
Cechmanek, out since Feb. 11 with a groin strain, said his injury has improved and he is hoping to return to practice next week.
If we have Miller and Vis back in the line up and RC back in the nets I reckon us to be as good as we are going to be.
Miller Corvo
Gleason Demspey
Matty Visnovsky
Modry
Are a very formidable defencive group. Knowing we have an exceptionally talented Grebeshkov down on the farm and that Zizka when paired with steady defencemen can both come up and play very good for us when needed makes us as deep as anyone else in the game.
Getting Straka back makes our lines as good as they can be at this point.
If we were to get one more player up front to go along with the Pirnes line (Brown/Pirnes/?) we would be set for the rest of the year.
Luc/Army/Klatt
Frolov/Stumpel/Straka
Avery/Ebell(ugg)Lappy
Camms/Pirnes/Brown (although I reckon Camms to be a top sixer and if Klatt weren't doing so well on his line that Camms would be the right fit there and Klatter would certainly make the Pirnes line formidable) and add one more talented bloke and we are set up front.
Miller Corvo
Matty Visnovsky
Dempsey Gleason
Modry
and we are set on the bluey.
RC
Huet and we are done in net. Not an NHL all star roster but one, when cycling well and playing the trappish murray, could steal a series or two given the chance.
If we have Miller and Vis back in the line up and RC back in the nets I reckon us to be as good as we are going to be.
Miller Corvo
Gleason Demspey
Matty Visnovsky
Modry
Are a very formidable defencive group. Knowing we have an exceptionally talented Grebeshkov down on the farm and that Zizka when paired with steady defencemen can both come up and play very good for us when needed makes us as deep as anyone else in the game.
Getting Straka back makes our lines as good as they can be at this point.
If we were to get one more player up front to go along with the Pirnes line (Brown/Pirnes/?) we would be set for the rest of the year.
Luc/Army/Klatt
Frolov/Stumpel/Straka
Avery/Ebell(ugg)Lappy
Camms/Pirnes/Brown (although I reckon Camms to be a top sixer and if Klatt weren't doing so well on his line that Camms would be the right fit there and Klatter would certainly make the Pirnes line formidable) and add one more talented bloke and we are set up front.
Miller Corvo
Matty Visnovsky
Dempsey Gleason
Modry
and we are set on the bluey.
RC
Huet and we are done in net. Not an NHL all star roster but one, when cycling well and playing the trappish murray, could steal a series or two given the chance.
if Modry is going to be our 7 th d-man we should trade him now.
I completely disagree. Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Modry an All Star defenceman a couple of years ago? Let's face it - All kings fans want to make the playoffs but we are not going to win the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. We should not be trading away our valuable commodities because when our injuries heal we'll be a great team. Modry does go for the top corner a little too much on his chances but that is not a good reason to trade him. Tomas Zizka is not going to be a great defenceman and if he is not a top 4 defenceman on any team in the NHL he won't be any good. He's not phsyical enough or there's something about him. Therefore we should stop thinking about him as being any kind of a future saviour. Grebshekov, on the other hand, will be a great defenceman. He's a keeper for sure. If I were to trade a d man it would be Zizka and a pick for another forward. Perhaps, Yannick Perrault would be a good pick to come back to LA. Just my opinion.... And Trent Klatt is getting on my nerves lately....
Perhaps, Yannick Perrault would be a good pick to come back to LA.
OH.MY.GOD!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywood
And Trent Klatt is getting on my nerves lately....
you have anything against hard working blue collar team players? he might not show in the box score all the time but ask luc and army about him and they'll sing his praises.
__________________
That answer is inextricably contingent upon the type of life being led... and, of course, the quality of the pancakes.
I completely disagree. Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Modry an All Star defenceman a couple of years ago? Let's face it - All kings fans want to make the playoffs but we are not going to win the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. We should not be trading away our valuable commodities because when our injuries heal we'll be a great team. Modry does go for the top corner a little too much on his chances but that is not a good reason to trade him. Tomas Zizka is not going to be a great defenceman and if he is not a top 4 defenceman on any team in the NHL he won't be any good. He's not phsyical enough or there's something about him. Therefore we should stop thinking about him as being any kind of a future saviour. Grebshekov, on the other hand, will be a great defenceman. He's a keeper for sure. If I were to trade a d man it would be Zizka and a pick for another forward. Perhaps, Yannick Perrault would be a good pick to come back to LA. Just my opinion.... And Trent Klatt is getting on my nerves lately....
Ya but Zizka wouldn't be in the line up and so if Zizka isn't in the line up and IF hes still our 7 D-man then we must trade him. With that said I think he wont be our 7th D-man. I think he's a good D-man who is just not shooting the puck enough, like he did his All-star year. SHOOT MODRY SHOOT HE HAS A GREAT SHOT
how many nhl games has zizka played? 20? i admit, he's not ever going to be a top-pairing defenseman, but give the guy a little slack. he's shown that he can improve, and i think he may be useful to the team.
besides, if he "won't be any good," why would anyone trade for him?
Hollywood, I think you should show us why you would favour Modry over the players in his stead if you are going to make that statement. I am not certain you have considered the fact that we have many other defencemen who can play as well as him or better that are going to need ice time as well.
You also might want to consider the fact that Modry, is a UFA at the end of this season and with the players we have in our system who are ready to make the jump being better defencively than him, his top value for us is as a tradable asset and it is NOW.
As you said, he were an NHL ALL STAR. He has value without a doubt. Why would you take the fact that someone seeing he should be dealt is a bad knock against him? If anything, it shows how solid our depth is at the position and how many two way defencemen we have.
If we shouldn't move Modry, then who would you have us move? I mean, when Miller and Visnovsky come back, we will have to send Holland/Grebeshkov down and then have Gleason and Modry left to find ice time for.
Who would you rather have on the ice, Gleason, a solid player in his own end who, at times is starting to play in the offencive zone a little more or Modry, a scoring defenceman that is semi decent in his own end when paired with a solid stay at home type and can score some needed points at times?
We will have Corvo, Visnovsky and to a lesser degree Depsey all capable scoring defencemen from the point, the nabbing of Dempsey has just made Modry superflous.
He will be too expensive to resign at any price next year because of the glut of talented defencemen who will be significantly cheaper already in our system. There is no need to keep him meaning that IF he is going to be our seventh defenceman which, when we can ill afford to give up any points right now he should be, he should be traded.
So, if Modry could help us get another second round pick in this years draft (or A) or could help us bring in a top skills forward or better still, nab us one of the elite talented goalie prospects that are being offered on Rumour then wouldn't you move him now instead of losing him this summer?
Is there something I am missing and if so, could you point it out to me?
Aaron Miller: Close to returning. He is hopeful that he can return this week. Wants to play in either of the Yotes/Kings home and home games this week.
"I felt really tired out there, but I think (today) or the next day I will take some contact and see how it goes," Miller said. "I've been saying I'll be back in two weeks for the last eight weeks. ... I'd like to come back Tuesday or Wednesday against Phoenix, but it's up to the coaches. If they ask, I won't say no."
Lubomir Visnovsky: still not close to returning but is skating.
He and fellow defensemen Lubomir Visnovsky are sidelined with the same injury. Visnovsky, however, did not grade well on the second battery of tests and is not close to returning.
Roman Cechmanek: has been skating but no date for a return yet. Could be a week away.
"Today felt OK, but I really didn't test the groin too much," Cechmanek said. "It was good to get out there, and we'll see where we are later in the week. But right now is too soon to say when I'll be back. This is an injury you have to keep an eye on."
Jared Aulin: Activated and sent to Manchester!!
Rookie center Jared Aulin, sidelined all season after undergoing surgery for a dislocated shoulder, was activated Saturday and sent to minor league Manchester, NH.
Aulin, whose promising career has been limited by injuries, hurt his left shoulder during a prospects' tournament the day before the first day of training camp. He was not due back until April.
The Calgary native, however, remained in Los Angeles to do his rehabilitation and impressed the front office with his commitment to getting back.
Last season, Aulin missed two games with the Kings due to an elbow injury. He was sent to Manchester to rehab and tore a knee ligament that cost him 19 games with the Monarchs.
He returned for the AHL playoffs and was one of the few Kings youngsters to play well during a first-round sweep.
The Kings were hoping he would make the big club this season, especially with injuries to Jason Allison and Adam Deadmarsh.
Okay...Assuming our 7th d-man, named Modry, received the most ice time of any king last evening. What should we do? Should we fire Dave Taylor for still having him there or should we fire Andy Murray for playing him too much? If Visnovsky and Miller come back we should go with our most experienced D. That would leave Modry in there and unfortunately Gleason and Grebshkov the odd men out. I would much prefer to make it to the 2nd round and lose with experienced D, than to trade away experience and get a 2nd round draft pick. What's the good in that? Don't you agree that experience takes teams a long ways in the playoffs? I think if we trade Modry we are taking a chance at losing potentially greener pastures in the playoffs. The extra money made by winning a round in the playoffs would be much better than taking a 2nd round pick.
Either way, hindsight is 20/20 and we shall see what develops....
Sorry mate but I just don't follow your line of thinking on this. How could keeping in a player who were minus four last night and has been playing right poorly for some time now that we will lose this offseason help us in the playoffs when we have seen that Gleason is a much better and more effective defencive defenceman that Modry ever will be regardless of how many or few games he has played at this level.
That line of thinking is what saw Nelson Emmerson and Craig Johnson play on the top six while Frolov saw no time up there at all. It is the kind of thinking that sees us scrape into the playoffs to get swept while our lads, the players who will be on the team next year, sitting on the bench not getting the experience they need to actually have the experience that you are criticizing them for.
Modry, IF he could be relied on to play solid defencive hockey, wouldn't be the key to our winning the cup. In that, he is expendable. You certainly aren't suggesting that he would be a difference maker and if so, what would you be basing it on because he hasn't been that yet.
He has helped here and there and even had a good season or two but, to say he would be THE reason we would make it out of a playoff round is just fantasy. The facts are he is more likely to cost us games then to lift us to a victory. I went and looked to see how many Game Winning Goals he has this season and since I want to see him traded and don't want to lower his value any more than he has already, lets just say it isn't anything great.
So, it isn't hindsight at all mate, Modry is here now and the deadline is Tuesday. IF we moved him for a brilliant player who actually can contribute and we get back Miller (a top two defenceman) and Visnovsky and are able to add a Barnaby or a Witt or another solid player we might actually be able to do something in the post season.
I cant see how you could possibly argue that keeping Modry would be better than moving him for a more needed piece of the puzzle at all.
Especially when we have seen that we have players who are better suited to playing defencive hockey than he is now or will be next year, when he is on another team.
To put it plainly.... Obviously, we disagree on these two defenceman's abilities. This could be a senseless arguement as we may in fact not see Visnovsky back this year. I hope we do see him back because it will certainly be good for the Kings and then this disagreement will come in to play. Modry this season is a +8 and contributes offensively and based on the fact that he is a plus he must be doing somethign right in his own end. Gleason is not far behind as a +4 while playing less games. However, I think we can agree that stats speak for themselves and Gleason isn't putting up any numbers offensively. This is perhaps why I would like to see Modry along with the fact that he does have more experience and I believe Modry is better for this years playoffs instead of Gleason. Gleason is still a rookie and has a bright future, but I feel that Modry should be our man that remains. Just an opinion.
I wonder what Taylor and Murray will do?
I would have to consider that Dempsey might be able to eclipse Modry in point production for us if given a season to do so given our game plan. I think that the reason why we traded for Dempsey, or part of it, was so that we could replace Modrys point production cheaply and make him available.
