Here’s a first look at what the Kings roster may look like when the season opens up on October 9th against the Vancouver Canucks. There are obviously a number of things that have yet to be determined, including (but not limited to) the signing of an addition forward, possibly another defenseman, how they handle the goaltending situation, as well as the prospects that step up in September. This is just my first look at the team and how things may shake out.

Line 1: Ryan Smyth – Anze Kopitar – Justin Williams

Line 2: Brad Richardson – Jarret Stoll – Dustin Brown

Line 3: Alexei Ponikarovsky – Michal Handzus – Wayne Simmonds

Line 4: Brayden Schenn – Trevor Lewis – Scott Parse

Defense 1: Rob Scuderi – Drew Doughty

Defense 2: Jack Johnson -Matt Greene

Defense 3: Davis Drewiske – Jacob Muzzin

Goaltender 1: Jonathan Quick

Goaltender 2: Jonathan Bernier

A few brief thoughts before I sign off for today. First, the Richardson slot on the 2nd line is obviously very vulnerable. His flexibility is one of the reasons he’s a favorite of mine (and apparently the coaching staff), and he’d do more than fine bumped back to the 3rd or 4th line if Ponikarovsky picks up his game, or if Schenn or Lewis (or Parse or somebody to be named) turn it on this pre-season. I think this is the year Lewis has to make a name for himself. It’s now or never, and the same is the case for Parse. Both will need to show something this season, but if they do, the Kings will have a solid lineup 1-4.

On defense, I’m not certain about the pairings, and it’s certainly possible Drewiske loses his spot to Hickey or Voinov. Muzzin seems like the most likely bet to make the team out of camp, but a slow start could easily open the door for one of the other youngsters to step up. I’d also be on the lookout for Peter Harrold to fill in for injuries or any other necessities that the coaching staff feels are a problem.

So what do you think? Agree with the lineup? Think I’m insane (for this or other reasons)? What would you change. Assume, for now, that we make no more signings or trades.

The Kings have signed forward Alexei Ponikarovsky to fill the shoes left by the departed Alexander Frolov. Was it a good move? That’s debatable. But the fact remains that the Kings locked up Ponikarovsky for 1-year at $3 million. As a result it is the ultimate in low-risk, since the worst case scenario they’re stuck with an under-performing player they can dump at the end of the year. It wouldn’t be the first time the Kings dealt with and under-achiever, but it MAY be the first time they only had to deal with him for one year…

Before we take a more detailed look at Ponikarovsky and his play since the lockout, it’s worth mentioning that the one-year contract makes it a very interesting play from Lombardi. Clearly he is not blowing smoke when he points out that the Kings will likely be big players in free agency as soon as next season, and he’s not even remotely tying his hands when it comes to Simmonds, Doughty, Johnson and anyone else he needs to sign. In that respect I think it’s a good move. If Pony turns out to be a talented addition to the team it’ll be easy enough to sign him again next season, even if it does cost a bit more.

So how does Pony look? Well since 2005, he’s played just under 500 games (493). It’s a reasonable total, and with only one exception hasn’t missed more than a dozen games in a season (and even then, only once). Compared to Frolov (who he is replacing), who has played 536 games in the same span, he’s a similarly durable player, and one that should be counted on to make the line-up at the very least day in and day out. Offensively he’s nowhere close. Frolov has topped 30 goals twice in 5 years, Pony has topped… 22 goals once. Over the last five years, Frolov – 168 goals, 213 assists. Pony – 116 goals, 150 assists. That’s a whopping 115 points in a similar gamespan. Frolov averaged .71 ppg, and Pony? .54 ppg. Over an 82 game season, that comes out to almost a 14 point difference. It’s a significant downgrade offensively.

While you might be inclined to point out that Pony has played for some dreadful Maple Leafs teams since the lockout, there are two important facts to notice. First, the Kings in the last five years have been… less than brilliant. In fact, the Maple Leafs have amassed 419 standings points since the lockout, compared to the Kings’ 408. So that argument is… shot. Second, when poor Pony got traded to the Penguins at the deadline this season (a clearly talented offensive team), his numbers actually DROPPED! He put together 2 goals and 7 points in 16 games. Not a stellar total, and did no better with 1 goal and 4 assists in 11 playoff games. I’ll admit it’s a small sample, but it’s not exactly mind-blowing numbers.

According to Rich Hammond, Lombardi and Murray seem to believe that Pony will slot into the 3rd line with Handzus and Simmonds. Putting the roster temporarily looking like this:

Smyth – Kopitar – Williams

(EMPTY) – Stoll – Brown

Ponikarovsky – Handzus – Simmonds

Parse – Richardson – Clune (?)

Does that mean that he’s going to go out and get another player? Or does this mean he’s looking to allow one of the youngsters in Manchester a real chance of getting some playing time on a top-2 line? Either could be interesting, though I’m leaning towards thinking Lombardi is going to go grab one more guy to round-out his lineup.

So here’s the reader’s perspective. Who should we have fill in on the 2nd line? Interested in seeing somebody we already have in the pipeline? Want the Kings to go after somebody like Patrick Sharp or Scott Hartnell? Who do you like?

It’s not over. It’s never over. The Kovalchuk story has taken its next step forward (backward?) when the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) filed a grievance against the NHL’s rejection of the contract signed with the Devils. If you haven’t been following the story closely, the question regards if the contract was considered a circumvention of the salary cap. The NHL decided that it was, and so invalidated the contract signed. There are a couple things that are fairly clear so far:

1. The contract is OBVIOUSLY circumvention of the cap. Seriously, you’d have to be a freaking idiot not to see it that way, and both the Devils, Kovalchuk, the NHL and anyone with a pulse damn well knows it.
2. The NHL is on (at best) shaky legal ground. Since it’s nearly impossible to prove the intentions of Kovalchuk to play to the end of the contract (until he’s 44), it’s nearly impossible to prove it’s anything other than a shrewd business deal.

The NHLPA issued a formal statement, that:

The NHLPA has filed a grievance disputing the NHL’s rejection of the Standard Player Contract between the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk. Under the terms of the CBA, the NHLPA and Mr. Kovalchuk are entitled to an expedited resolution of this matter. The NHLPA will have no further comment until this matter has been resolved by an Arbitrator.

Frankly at this point I think it’s all semantics. The NHL and the NHLPA will have to determine an arbiter, who will decide if the contract is legitimate or invalid. I think they’ll rule that it’s legitimate, though certainly stranger things have happened. If the contract is determined to be legitimate, all the shenanigans come to an end. If the contract is determined to be invalid, we start all over again.

Should the contract be rejected, the Dean Lombardi has reportedly indicated that the Kings would still be interested in pursuing his signature. That may be true, but frankly I’m coming to believe that this who situation is slowly wrapping up. The Kings need to move on, find a different player to fill out the roster, and get ready to rock this season.

Assuming Kovalchuk is indeed a Devil, and Gagne has already been moved, is there a player on another team that you think the Kings should be targeting via trade?

Long ago teams had entire lines with nicknames. The Kings had arguably one of the most famous of those lines with the impressively titled “Triple Crown Line.” Composed of Dave Taylor, Charlie Simmer and Marcel Dionne, the three teamed up to generate huge point totals, and perhaps even more importantly gave the fans a clear “identity” to cheer for. Where are the nicknames anymore? The last one that was really very catchy (ie. that anyone other than a few fans in the immediate vicinity of the team used) was what? The CASH Line in Ottawa? The fact that half of you are probably scratching your heads trying to figure out what that line is pretty much proves my point.

So I’m calling on you all to come up with the next great line nickname. Pick a line (preferably a memorable one) and come up with a name. Preferably something catchy and witty that we can use in posts from here on out. I’ll work on a few and see if I can come up with anything by next week, but frankly I’m not terribly creative in these matters. My kinds of nicknames are in-line with NHL player nicknames – add an “ie” or “y” to the last name and be done with it.

On to a slightly different subject. What is up with this jersey? The Ducks really are an embarrassment of a franchise. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about the Burger King jersey, but seriously. It’s not this travesty. We’ll be doing a full-tilt review of some of the most awful jerseys of all time in the future, so keep an eye out. And if you’ve got any suggestions, certainly mention them in the comments and I’ll do my best to check them out.

Does anyone else find this to be amusing?

Why would anyone be convinced to buy tickets to the Kings because of those terrible, ratty, cheap, marketing plastered (thanks McDonalds) towels? What’s the point? No images of the ice, players, or you know… the game? Just a bit annoying, though not so much that it would deter me from buying tickets I suppose.

Busy day for me today, so I don’t have time to get into things in too much depth (unfortunately). Plus, there’s no real Kovalchuk news to report, so why bother I kid of course. But for your viewing pleasure, I’ve included this truly amusing clip to check out at your leisure.

Word now is that Kovalchuk’s amazing $102 million dollar contract has been rejected by the NHL. No word yet on what the reasoning is, but most likely it’s based on the fact that the contract is a freaking joke. Anyway, I think it’s hilarious. Anyone think there’s a chance the Kings get back into it? Do we want him in LA now? Or is he stuck with NJ for a shorter (more reasonable) deal or KHL for the money?

So we’ve been hearing about Kovalchuk and his deal for a while now. In hockey circles he has been the center of attention for nearly three consecutive weeks. And despite the fact that we are certainly getting ready to move on to the next big issue facing the Los Angeles Kings, we have to get one last hit in. The Kovalchuk contract was huge. $102 million for 17 years. That means he’s (allegedly) playing until he’s 44 years old. Let’s all say it together – “That’s not happening.” I realize Kovalchuk paid lip service to “hoping” he will be able to play that long, but let’s not kid ourselves. If he was planning on it, there is NO WAY the deal would be for the league minimum in those final seasons. But they are, because he’s retiring.

If ever there was a reason to declare this contract null and void, this ludicrous offer is precisely it. There have been other bad ones, including Pronger, etc. But if this is acceptable, then screw it. Here’s my offer for Doughty.

Doughty is 21. Let’s give him a contract for 50 years:

2011-2013 – $4 million

2013-2014 – $6 million

2014-2020 – $7 million

2020-2023 – $7.5 million

2023-2026 – $5 million

2026-2060 – $550,000

That will give him a nice fat contract worth about $112 million. Plus, the cap hit comes in at about $2.3 million. That’s nice. We could sign the greatest team ever to surround him since he’s basically free, and hell he’ll retire before he turns 70 anyway (probably). Anyone see a problem with this? Yea… me either.

Anyway, so who won this deal for Kovy? Speak up below in the comments and let me know your thoughts.

1. Ilya Kovalchuk – The kid got $100 million. That’s not too shabby. He does have to play in New Jersey (bummer) but a little protection money will go a long way for him. Plus I hear the Jersey Shore is all the rage right about now…
2. New Jersey Devils – They’ve locked up one of the most electric players in the game for the duration of his career (and several years beyond that). He’s marketable, skilled and seemingly at least relatively personable.
3. Los Angeles Kings – They dodged a bullet here. An offensive only player that might have cost them resigning one of their numerous young stars in Doughty, Simmonds, Johnson or others?
4. NHL – They got more attention with this drama than they’ve had in years. Hell there was probably more attention paid on this issue during the mainstream media than there was during the Cup Finals. OK that’s maybe a slight exaggeration, but no question this is the most attention paid to the NHL in July in decades.
5. Nobody won. This was a drawn-out, dramatic, hellish negotiations process and we all lose. Screw them all I never want to have a FA season like this one…

So there you have it. The saga is over. It took over two weeks, endless frustration and silly banter in the media. Kings fans, and indeed hockey fans across the continent were paying attention to the every whim of Kovalchuk and his negotiations. But it’s finally over. The New Jersey Devils have signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a reported 17 year contract. What does that mean for those of us in the Kingdom? Well by my estimation it means a few things:

1. We are not quite the free agency destination that we want to be. Certainly there are teams that have a relatively easy time convincing people to play for their franchise. The Red Wings, the Penguins, apparently the Rangers (?) and virtually any consistently high-performing team has that advantage. The Los Angeles Kings do not. At least not yet. But there is reason for optimism. Previous Kings attempts to sign marquee free agents has not yielded even this amount of attention, so it’s clear we have become a potential destination. It’s a step in the right direction, and the Kings look like they’ll be positioned well to make a splash in free agency in the future, should the need arise.
2. Ilya Kovalchuk was never going to be the reason we win a Cup. He’s a valuable piece, and you won’t find me changing my tune. He would have been an excellent signing for the Kings, but he wasn’t going to be the kind of player that carries a team to a Stanley Cup. Look at Ovechkin. The player is undeniably more talented than Kovalchuk, and provides a far more well-rounded game. Even talent like Ovechkin can’t carry a team to a Cup. Hell, he’s failed so far to even carry them to a Cup Final. Kovy is more of the same, with less real upside. Do we need a sniper? Hell yes, does it have to be Kovy? Nope.
3. The Kings will have a better season next year than the New Jersey Devils. I would bet on it. The Devils won’t be awful by any stretch. In fact, if they let the chains off of Kovalchuk and let him do what he does, they may even be quite talented. But I don’t see them getting past maybe the 2nd round of the playoffs. Frankly a 4th consecutive 1st round exit would not be out of the question. Brodeur is a once in a generation talent. Parise, Volchenkov and Tallinder make for some solid support behind Kovalchuk, but they don’t have the depth that usually characterizes Devils hockey. They’ll have to make some moves to get the situation under the cap, which could lead to who knows what, and although unrelated to the results next season, a 17 year contract for Kovalchuk will make it much harder to retain the beating heart of the Devils team, Zach Parise.
4. The Kings are back to square one. They need a veteran defenseman (Willie Mitchell anyone?) and a scoring winger. Frankly I think the best person to fill that need is Alexander Frolov. Now wait, I can hear you all groaning at your computer screen, but there are simple facts. He’s not being pursued as heavily as he might have hoped, which means in all likelihood his salary expectations may have come down a bit. He’s got real offensive potential that he has shown for this very team. He’s a beast with the puck and can help with that critical puck possession game that becomes vital in the playoffs and late in games. Is he the answer long term? Probably not, but a solid contract for $3-4 million for the next 2-3 years would not be outrageous. He made $2.9 last year, and is probably a touch better than that.
5. Dean Lombardi is a more talented GM than most people give him credit for. He stuck to his guns and refused to give Kovalchuk the farm. A crazy long-term, high cap hit contract would cripple this team and keep up from locking up our homegrown youth. Doughty, Simmonds, Johnson, and even Bernier and Quick are the heart of this team, and where need to be looking. Kovalchuk would have helped next year, but even the slightest risk of losing those big names from inside the Kings pipeline would have made it a terribly decision. Props to Lombardi for sticking it out and doing the right thing. Even if it’s not too popular in the short term.

Final prediction. Kovalchuk won’t win a Cup with the Devils. They’ve got an outside (way outside) chance for the next couple years, but then Brodeur is gone, Parise will be tough to retain and the Devils, who mortgaged much of their future to get Kovalchuk in the first place will be back where they were in the 80’s. A mediocre team with not much to crow about, battling it out for hockey incompetence with the Islanders (of today), and the Rangers of… well… always.