So, since the topic is Reality Check, here are some thoughts.
(Been a fan since the pre-Gretzky days. Never played hockey but did play a different sport through college. I think I have a decent understanding of hockey.)
This team has enough talent. I honestly don’t know about the coaching part. At times this team plays well and when they do so the “system” appears to work well enough. So, I’m uncertain whether it’s the coaching or the system that’s the impediment.
What I have seen since the 20-game mark is a team that is probably more frustrating and maddening than any I can recall.
The slump in December-January was terrible. But what followed in some ways was more difficult to watch. There were far too many games where the Kings just did not appear to have any motivation or competitive spirit.
One thing that I admired about Lombardi was his understanding that teams need leadership inside the room. He had Brown, but also brought in Greene, Stoll, Williams & Richard’s. DL often spoke about culture, and brought in the people who could create it. Additionally, that leadership core was surrounded by guys like Mitchell, Scuderi, Carter, etc who were gamers. And Quick was just a guy who wanted nothing but to win every night.
Watching this team this year showed a substantial void.
I’m not in the room nor am I privy to what goes on. Like the rest of us, we grasp at clues and make our judgements about the team.
Looking at this season I cannot imagine the old leadership group would tolerate the inconsistency.
I am big fans of both Kopi and Doughty. They are going to be in the rafters. But I don’t see the leadership that is necessary.
In 2012 the Kings miraculously won a Cup. They were a team that got hot at the right time. If no Cups followed this one would have been widely viewed as a fluke. The 2014 Cup gave the Kings legitimacy.
I have wondered if somehow those Cups put out the fire for Kopi & Drew, that the two Cups were enough for their legacies.
Yeah, we have heard the comments, especially from DD that he wants to win, etc and I’m sure that’s true on some level.
But, all that was 10 years ago.
This team has just not shown any consistent desire to be more than they are. At times I’ve wondered whether I care more than this team does.
The only guys I see as actual leaders (from a distance of course) are guys like Danault & at times Kempe. We have heard about Mikey and his leadership qualities. I think Arvy is partially there, when on the ice.
Aside from these guys, who is there?
Leadership is hard to judge and it comes in different forms. Kopi appears to be a quiet leader. Drew is probably more overt but he’s such a different guy I just don’t know how much it reasonates. He admittedly states that he talks so much he doesn’t know if anyone listens or tunes him out.
I’m not knocking these guys. Everyone has to be real, be themselves.
But, it’s my belief that the main problem with this team is culture and leadership.
I don’t know if Blake feels this isn’t as important as DL did, or if DL just had a knack for seeing it. But, it’s very apparent that this team doesn’t have it and needs to address it.
As I said at the beginning, this team does have talent. Kopi, Drew, Kempe, Danault, Moore, Fiala, Arvy, QB, Mikey, Roy, Gavy…that’s a pretty good talent level.
Maybe I’m missing things but I don’t know that it’s coaching. Yep, the PP should be considerably better. But how much of it is coaching and how much is players being stubborn. I cannot imagine Hiller is saying “Yeah, no one should ever move. No one should ever shoot. We should always just pass back and forth to Kopi on the half wall and Dewy up top.”
This team needs to fill some holes: goalie, bigger guys at both ends, but the core isn’t bad at all.
Any team that played so many games this year without any real competitive desire has off-ice issues.
That’s the reality I see.
