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wtg SaltyOriginally Posted by Salty Dog
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Carter has been one of the best Kings this season.
You have to keep in mind that this is a player that Florida decided to cut ties with in favor of Mike Weaver. Like I said before I'm not expecting much
from the kid and if/when bodies return Muzzin and Drewiske will be up for grabs for scraps if the Kings decide to keep Ellerby. This is a project.
I tell you what I do like: Florida fans say he's a good skater and has a good outlet pass, the expectations of being a 1st round pick are gone and Ellerby has the chance to fill a bottom 6 role with a new organization. He's got size and is still young but I've seen my share of tall pylons (Tsygurov, Kuznetsov) so I should remain cautiously optimistic that Sutter and the staff can extract some decent minutes out this Alberta kid and if they do, he's still a RFA next season.
This video is from before the start of last season but it seems like Ellerby put in the work in the off season. I like what DL did here flipping the 5th round pick.
If he can do some of that and be somewhat responsible defensively this could be a good thing.
That "dirty hit" on Kostistyn didn't look bad to me. Looked like a great hit.
Didn't charge, didn't board, didn't leave his feet, and it wasn't late. Did Kostitsyn control the puck? Debatable, but he certainly touched it and could have controlled it if he hadn't seen the freight train coming at him and elected to get his head up instead.
Keaton Ellerby is one of the players I was hoping DL would trade down to draft back in 2007. He was very big with a lot of upside. Unfortunately, he hasn't turned the corner yet to be a gamebreaker, but he is still relatively young with a lot of upside.
A big, mobile, defensive defenseman? Favorable Florida feedback likens him to a poor man's Jay Bouwmeester, which is very high praise (as long as you don't rely on him for offensive output). Even people who weren't very high on him admitted he has outplayed the vets at times, but that he's a 5/6 defenseman.
While people are saying this indicates trouble for Drewiske, I also think it spells a little bit of trouble for Muzzin. Remember one of the biggest draws for Muzzin is that he has size... and, well, now he's not the only one who has it. Ellerby looks like he's a lot more likely to play in Matt Greene's role as the tough stay-at-home defenseman. Add to Sutter's comments that he wanted Muzzin to be able to play more minutes, and Ellerby averages 3 more minutes per game, so he's capable.
Just guessing, obviously, but I wouldn't be surprised to have the pairings on Sunday be:
Scuderi - Doughty (lefty/righty, stay-at-home/puckmover)
Ellerby - Voynov (lefty/righty, stay-at-home/puckmover)
Martinez - Drewiske (stay-at-home/puckmover)
Either way, I am very excited about the trade. Acquiring him about five years later than I hoped, but I think this is a great move.
I don't think the Kings will ever retire Blake's number. Especially the current management. He was a great defenseman in his time, but I would sooner retire Greene or Mitchell's number ahead of Blake's. They both played better when it counted, played harder when it counted, and both raised a f'n CUP! Can I get a hell yeah???
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fillet of duck mmmm!
