***Preseason Gm 1 GDT LA Kings @ Utah Hockey Club TONIGHT 6:00pm on NHL Network***
- Thread starter Nyssa42
- Start date
Pevsfreedom
somehow in south carolina
ICE24
Super Star
We got a lot of rain and wind, however, I imagine you felt it worse than we did. I have to head back to CA next week to put the home on the market. I may not be back until the moving truck is loaded and driving across country. This afternoon the sun was out and tomorrow it is supposed to be sunny as well.
DarkLeftHand
Super Star
Seriously.. ask Turcotte how safe the AHL is!
Bollocks
Top Forward
Yep. I imagine there are quite a few factors when it comes to AHL style of play being riskier:
- higher number of tough (and dirty...and desperate to make it) guys that lack talent
- less media exposure of dirty plays and dirty headhunters and less "stardom" money is at stake with the NHL being increasingly protective of (budding) star players (though not always successfully)
- possibly less strict suspensions/easier to hide/more difficult to identify dirty plays due to worse camera coverage
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Earl
Super Star
I'm not necessarily saying it's a long term problem but I think the problem up until now is in every league he's played in since a kid probably is that's he's never had to learn to avoid hits as he's been the best skater in the league whereas now he's not even the best skater on his team. You could tell in the rookie tournament it was absolutely the Ducks strategy to run him every chance they got and I saw a fair amount of his AHL games and that seemed to be the strategy as well. He's not a small player by any means but he's got to learn how to be more evasive or he won't last very long and I rarely see Spence get hit like I do Clarke and Mikey seems to enjoy the contact!
DarkLeftHand
Super Star
I don’t think anyone at any point in his career has ever accused Clark of being the best skater on any team..
I say that in jest, as I’m fully aware that you mean the best player in terms of being the most effective, or prolific scorer. Of course, the history of professional hockey is littered with former players whose skill got them to the very cusp of NHL success, only to find them lacking the foot speed to keep pace at the highest level of the game. In Brandt’s case, he’s got the brains to play, but unless he gets his skating improved, he’s going to have limited upside for the Kings in the long run.
The shame of it all is that, during our last run of depressed years, the resulting coveted high end draft picks will likely have only netted us a 2nd line center, a 3rd pair defender who is more of a PP specialist, and a third line grinder forward..
