Season Review Part 1

 Season Review Part 1

I attempted to write a single post as a season review.  I soon found myself glossing over important issues to try and fit everything in.  At the end of last season, I pretty much didn't want to write anything except, "I'm glad it's over."  This season is a different story.  This team was hugely successful, and stymied the self proclaimed great minds of NHL journalism all year long.  

Part 1 starts with the four horsemen, the big boys, the guys that brought us two Stanley Cups and are leading the rebuild: Anze Kopitar (Kopi), Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown (Brownie), and Jonathan Quick (Quicky).  These four have been the heart of this team since the day they entered the league.  They will likely never know what it is like to play for another team in the NHL, and in today's NHL, that is truly something.  Despite their inflated ages, they still bring it, and are showing the puppies what it takes to be a champion.

I have to start with the un-dead, Nosferatu, the man that was left for dead by the unbelievers, and rose again from the ashes like a phoenix, Jonathan Quick.  What a year this man had.  Last season he was pummeled night in and night out.  He played behind one of the worst defensive teams I have ever seen.  For a man who's competitive fire unquenchably rages, that situation was untenable.  He raged inside, taking ever greater risks in order to give his team a chance to win.  His style and his fervor could not hold up or mesh with what was happening in front of him.  It was a disaster and this team and this city are fortunate not to have witnessed a career ending injury as a result.  

Not this year though.  The team was much improved in all areas.  Quicky could hold his ground, and choose his opportunities to stand on his head to save a goal with much more infrequency.  Thankfully, Cal was around to give Quicky enough rest throughout the season that come playoff time, the un-dead was rested and ready to go.  Quicky, in each of the three wins, and two of the losses, kept this team in the game.  He made the saves he was supposed to, and made a bunch that he wasn't supposed to.  If I could sum up his year, or career for that matter with a word it would be, "Stud!"  He proved that if the team doesn't hang him out to dry, he will rise to the occasion.

Doughty had his worst year to date.  This wasn't because he played terribly.  For the first twelve seasons of his career, Doughty had logged more minutes playing than just about anyone, and missed few, if any games.  He was a workhorse with the talent of a superstar.  This year, though he played well when healthy, he suffered two major injuries, the second of which ended his season.  The good news is that he's going to have some help next season.  If the young pups pay attention, the Kings D men may have a stand out season.

Kopi routinely helps his line mates have career years.  This season was no different.  He is a bit slower, and I believe he played through unannounced injuries at times, but he is still the example by which other players wish they could live up to.  Kopi is still the number one player on this team, and has earned every bit of respect we can give him.  One of the best compliments a player can get is when the opposition hates to play against him, and that is without any cheapshots or dirty play.

For the encore, we have to bid farewell to Dustin Brown.  These four players will all have earned their place in the immortal rafters of whatever building the Kings are playing in, but Mr. Brown started it all.  Once again, he was a player that played the game the right way.  In the first half of his career, he brought the wood every game, dishing out punishment with power and skill.  As he aged, those around him wisely got him to taper his physicality to prolong his career, but as we saw in the playoffs, the beast still resides within.  Brown played a disciplined brand of hockey with the occasional flourish of skill, and for many years was a very consistent offensive threat.  He was in the right places, at the right time, and could finish.  Of course, it didn't hurt to play along side of one of the best players in the game (Kopi), but there was a good reason they were linemates for so many years.  The man, simply put, got the job done.  Farewell to the player Dustin Brown.  You are a King for life, and wherever there is a Kings fan, you will be welcomed with open arms; you will be home.

Hall of famers all, more than just stars; they are, and were the heart and soul of the brightest years of a great organization.  They are poised to bring this organization back into the light, even if the rest of the Hockey world can't see past the lights of Vegas.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who Is the Most Improved King?

Image
  Sometimes surprises are sweet.  One of the most interesting stories in hockey is the development of the so-called role players of the Los Angeles Kings.  Too bad the Toronto Hockey League Network would never know this, because they can’t see past the blue haze of their favorite sons. Our gain is their loss, and a lot more losses for Kings’ opponents.    Earlier this year, I felt like there was one stand out as The Most Improved player.  Now the water is muddied by the continued, almost astonishing, improvement in play by multiple players. I have to start out with a player that drove me nuts last year, Mikey Anderson.  Game after game last year he made bad pass after bad pass and appeared to be a human turnover.  His play moving backwards in our zone was pretty good, but he really struggled to see the ice and make timely decisions to get the team out of the zone.  Largely that problem was solved over the summer.  Anderson has been ...
Read more

Vilardi Must Help

Image
The bad news is that the Kings need some help.  I know, not exactly an astute observation, especially since we are watching other teams play in round two from our couches.  They need scoring.  The good news is that Gabriel Vilardi appears ready to step in and get it done. Vilardi, the first round draft pick from last year, had been projected as a top four pick.  For one reason or another, he dropped.  He dropped all the way to 11, where the Kings happily snapped him up.  His summer and subsequent fall were plagued by injuries.  Maybe that is what kept teams from picking him up, or maybe it was his supposed lack of skating ability, a denigration that I find hard to give too much credence too.  Either way, neither his injuries, nor his supposed lack of skating could keep him down forever.  In the second half of the season, he was a juggernaught for the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL. In 32 games, he tallied 22 goals and 36 assists, nea...
Read more

The Potential Is There

The Potential Is There       On Thursday night the Kings faced a Columbus team that is fighting for a playoff spot in the hotly contested Metropolitan division with a scant 17 points separating the top from the bottom.  The Blue Jackets came out firing, and the Kings came out ready for a nap.  For twenty minutes, we watched the good guys in the black jerseys chase the visitors around the defensive zone.  Breakout after breakout was a complete disaster.  I was a bit disheartened as this has been a major problem since the holidays.       Luckily, the fans got to see a different team come out for the second period.  The Kings were flying, denying space and creating turnovers.  Then, a role player, a new to our team role player stepped up.  Thompson unleashed a wicked shot over the pad and rang it off the post.  The Kings were back in the game.  Later, Iafallo and Pearson responded with tip ins.  A grim night...
Read more