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Tis the first day of the NHL season and I COULD be happier. Don’t worry, i love hockey and i love watching any hockey that is on tv. I enjoy following other teams and other players. Though my hockey-apprehension today centers around my beloved LOS ANGELES KINGS. My kings are no longer flying under the radar, they are no longer that team with PROMISE/POTENTIAL/HOPE… after years of rebuilding the team has finally put itself in position to SUCCEED, it’s time for that POTENTIAL to ACTUALLY materialize. WHAT? I don’t know what the fuck that is like? REAL STANLEY CUP EXPECTATIONS?? ew! Rebuilding is easy! no expectations = no heartbreak. This year the kings have a dickload of expectations. UGH. This year i SHOULD be the most excited person, that my struggling hockey club finally has a real competitive team. But I can’t get too excited about it. This team does nothing but break my heart. With that awful letting a 4 goal lead slip to San Jose. The inability to sign Kovalchuk (yes i still think we shoulda signed him despite his slump last season). The list goes on and on. WARNING: extreme hockey nerdery below. Here’s my MAIN complaint w/ the KINGS… and it lies with our coach Terry Murray: Sure we have simon gagne and mike richards… 2 highly skilled acquisitions. TERRY MURRAY stresses defense and forward responsibility. So far in preseason Richards seems to be struggling getting into any sort of groove, i feel like he’s trying to play HIS game and also play TERRY’S system at the same time, he seems to be second guessing, and anyone that knows the NHL.. there is NO time to second guess… its split second reactions and decision making. We finally have great goaltending, i think we can open it up a little bit more and let our skill players use their skill and gamble a little bit more. Purcell, Boyle, and Moulson, ALL have succeded playing elsewhere.. with new coaches and other systems. I think Terry Murray’s system is just way too rigid. Sure having structure is important, but you also have to trust your players to do what they do best.. Use their instincts and just play hockey… They’re obviously doing something right to get to the NHL, so put a little faith in yr players. Jack Johnson is having a tough time trying to emerge.. He too could be second guessing himself under Murray’s system. He looked great in the Olympics(under a different coach)… It is JUST as an important to have a 1-2 D man punch.. like it is to have a 1-2 punch at center. Having Jack play to his abilities is VITAL for this club to succeed. more to come.. i have to finish cleaning my room.
these quivers have GOT to be a joke.
