Fire Payne!

**santiclaws** · January 25th, 2013, 12:03 AM

He's clearly the cause of the power play problems. Just like Kompon last season. I don't know why the Kings keep hiring special teams coaches who tell the players to just stand around.

**fuzzerson** · January 25th, 2013, 06:13 AM

thought this was a tag line for arthritis cream.

**Thud** · January 25th, 2013, 06:32 AM

I think it is time for me to become the PP coach, it isn't hard, the current crop are to easy on the players, put the puck in the neck or Arnold goes to the pound.

jt · January 25th, 2013, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by santiclaws

He's clearly the cause of the power play problems. Just like Kompon last season. I don't know why the Kings keep hiring special teams coaches who tell the players to just stand around.

It's cheap Uncle Phil's phault.

**nosoupforyou** · January 25th, 2013, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by jt

It's cheap Uncle Phil's phault.

yeah, that guy clearly isn't kommitted to win!

**Cup4TheKings** · January 25th, 2013, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by santiclaws

He's clearly the cause of the power play problems. Just like Kompon last season. I don't know why the Kings keep hiring special teams coaches who tell the players to just stand around.

there's a point being made behind the sarcasm, namely that the coach couldn't change the players' ability to score. this puts the blame right back on the players. but that blame is mitigated by rust from the lockout and barely having played with one another for six months, and coming off a stanley cup high. so what does santiclaws think is the problem with the power play?

**santiclaws** · January 25th, 2013, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Cup4TheKings

there's a point being made behind the sarcasm, namely that the coach couldn't change the players' ability to score. this puts the blame right back on the players. but that blame is mitigated by rust from the lockout and barely having played with one another for six months, and coming off a stanley cup high. so what does santiclaws think is the problem with the power play?

Well, the sarcasm was aimed at all the vocal "fire Kompon" people to whom I and many others pointed out repeatedly that power play success or failure cannot be attributed to the assistant coach. Why does the Kings PP suck?

In no particular order:

1. Yes, they're rusty and unaccustomed to each other early. But that's true of all the teams. I don't know the stats, but I would expect that this early in the season PK units are doing much better than the PP units throughout the league.
2. The Kings have no top-notch scoring talent. Their best offensive player is Kopitar and he's not a pure scorer type.
3. No cannon at the point. They don't have a Chara who makes players think twice before trying to block his shot.
4. Lack of confidence, which is a Catch-22 situation. A good power play generally relies on tape-to-tape passes and quick movement. When a team's PP unit is going well, the passes are fast and accurate, the pass receivers make decision quickly and the defenders can't catch up to the quick movement, which pulls the PK box all out of whack, creating shooting and passing lanes. When the team's PP unit is lacking confidence, everything is a little off - the passes are not as accurate, the players don't handle the passes as cleanly, decisions are not made as quickly. It is all just a matter of a split second, but when you multiply that extra split second by a few passes around the perimeter or getting in the zone, you are now behind where you want to be by a second or more. In the NHL, being behind means that you have defenders who are in good position to block shots and get into passing lanes. Success on the PP begets more success and failure begets more failure.