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Kings Lead The West
by PuckStopsHere on 12/16/09 at 11:15 AM ET
Comments (11)
I don’t think anyone would have predicted that the Los Angeles Kings would be first in the West Conference in mid-December, but they are. The Kings have a 22-14 record (with three overtime loss points) to give them 47 points. Skeptics are quick to note that Los Angeles leads the NHL in games played and some western teams (San Jose and Chicago) have better winning percentages in fewer games played. Whether or not you think Los Angeles can maintain top spot in the West, it is clear that they are a much better team than predicted.
They have a good young core of players that is emerging to stardom together. At forward, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll have significant talent and are leading the team offensively. Ryan Smyth was a significant contributor as well, before he fell to injury (he may be back soon). Justin Williams and Wayne Simmonds have also been significant contributors. This is a deep group of offensive players and many have the potential that they will likely keep improving.
On defence, the story is Drew Doughty. The second year man has been the NHL’s most improved player this season. He has become one of the best defencemen in hockey. Jack Johnson, Sean O’Donnell and Rob Scuderi are providing depth along with waiver claimant Randy Jones (who has 12 points in his 18 games as a King).
The Kings potential weakness looked like it may be goaltending this season. Last year, their goaltending was unsettled. Jonathan Quick emerged at their starter, but he lacked an NHL track record. Quick has been given the starting job this year. He has started all but three games. Quick has 20 wins (which ties him for the league lead with Martin Brodeur), but he does not have great underlying numbers. He has a .904 saves percentage and a 2.60 GAA. This is a huge improvement from backup Eric Ersberg’s .837 saves percentage and 4.10 GAA, but they are not good numbers.
For the most part, the Kings are winning despite their goaltending. Their core has become good enough that they haven’t needed a goalie to steal games for them. A significant reason for that is Drew Doughty’s emergence. He has significantly improved the Kings team defence. The Kings have the fourth best shots against in the league with 27.4 per game.
As they stand right now, Los Angeles is a good team. As long as their core continues to play well, they will have a good record. They are unlikely to become a top level team as long as they do not have top goaltending. I doubt they will stay at the top of the West Conference all season, but they should be a playoff team. They need better goaltending to take the next step forward.
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Tags: Drew+Doughty, Jonathan+Quick, Los+Angeles+Kings,
Comments
I’m not sure what games you’ve been watching, but a large part of the Kings recent sucess has been the stellar goaltending of Quick. He HAS been stealing games and many games they’ve won BECAUSE of him, not despite him. He was also named first star of the NHL last week, not really an honor given for sub-par goaltending.
Posted by Kevin from Seattle on 12/16/09 at 03:55 PM ET
Quick had a good week, but lets be realistic about his success in goal. Only a handful of NHL starting goalies have worse saves percentages so far this year (Jose Theodore, Ray Emery, Steve Mason, Pascal Leclaire, Vesa Toskala…). That is not an elite group to be the only guys who look worse that Quick does among starting goalies.
If you were to name the top 10 goalies in the league, you wouldn’t seriously consider Quick. Top 20 goalies, probably you would consider him but not actually select him. That is not the way you would describe a top NHL goalie. It is the way you would describe one of the weaker starters in the game.
If Los Angeles makes the next jump to legitimate contender, it is almost certain that their goalie at that time will be one who is more capable than Jonathan Quick is today.
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 12/16/09 at 04:44 PM ET
Looking at Quick’s season as a whole, his numbers are not stellar. However, if you take a look at what he has done recently, you should really think about editing your article. In his last ten games, he is 8-1-1 with a save percentage over .930 and a GAA under 2.00. I would crunch the numbers for you, but I teach English. You get paid to sit around and write. So, before you start painting an inaccurate picture of a young, up-and-coming goalie, do a little more research and prevent losing any credibility you thought you had.
Posted by Good 2b Kings from Los Angeles on 12/16/09 at 08:01 PM ET
The actual statistics for Quick in his last 10 games are 7-2-1 with a .920 saves percentage and a 2.33 GAA. Although all those numbers are worse than those you report in your comment, they would not be bad if there was any reason to imagine that it is reasonable to assume that they are reasonable predictions for Quick into the future. They are not. All are significantly better numbers than he has ever put up in his life. They are significantly better numbers than he has put up so far this season.
Obviously, Los Angeles has played well lately (you don’t move intop first overall in the conference if you don’t) and that has included goaltending or the short term. There is no good reason (besides wishful thinking) to imagine that the last few games are sustainable for Quick (and not for example the rest of his games this season). Goaltending is the Los Angeles kings biggest weakness. If you disagree, what do you think their biggest weakness is?
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 12/16/09 at 08:38 PM ET
Fair enough. I appreciate your effort to quote the actual numbers. I will give you the fact that Quick is not an elite #1 goalie, and he may not even be in the top twenty. That being said, Quick’s numbers have been improving. Can he sustain a GAA under 2.50 and a save percentage above .920? Only time will tell. Based on what I’ve seen in his play, I think he can. If he does, the Kings can remain atop the Pacific if not the Western Conference. They can if they continue to get secondary scoring and the team averages 3 goals a game or better. In my opinion, the Kings biggest weakness is consistent scoring, especially on the PP. If the Kings are to be a playoff team like you predict, they will have to score more consistently and not depend on their defense and goalie to hold those tenuous two goal leads. I look forward to reading your response.
Posted by Good 2b Kings from Los Angeles on 12/17/09 at 09:13 AM ET
1) Being that Quick is still only 23 and playing in only his second full NHL season its quite possibly coming into his own and becoming the goalie he was projected to be when the Kings drafted him in 2005? Time will answer this for us all
2) That said, while it is a bit of surprise to not see SJ Calgary or Vancouver in the top spot out West this late, we are not shocked to see the emergence of the Kings. We projected them as a playoff team when we did our pre season predictions. They probably won’t stay so lofty, but should be right there all season
Posted by Faux Rumors from Globally- Here, there, Everywhere on 12/17/09 at 09:35 AM ET
The LA Kings have the 6th highest scoring offence in the NHL so far this season. It is odd that you would consider that a weakness.
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 12/17/09 at 10:05 AM ET
The fact that you included the following statement in your piece shows your limited understanding of not only what is happening out here in Los Angeles, but perhaps the game of hockey in general… “They are unlikely to become a top level team as long as they do not have top goaltending.” Duh! The problem with your assessment is, the biggest weakness on any team in the NHL is GOALTENDING! Why? Because it is ONE person. If a winger gets hurt, others step up. If Luongo gets hurt, stick a fork in the nucks. It can be said of any team at any given moment depending on how their goalie is playing. With goalie play, so go the (insert team name here). THAT is why the thrust of your piece is nothing more than a statement of the obvious.
You said, “There is no good reason (besides wishful thinking) to imagine that the last few games are sustainable for Quick.” Bulls*%$. Quick has shown he is capable of playing top notch last year in stretches too. Now he is doing it again. He is finding his way -as every young goalie must- and has ALL of the tools to do it! That isn’t weakness my friend, that is strength. The Kings single largest weakness is and has been for years, the culture of losing here. The second largest weakness is the inexperience of this young group as a whole. Our goaltending situation is better than it has been in so many years, it’s ridiculous. And for you to explicitly state otherwise, shows me you have no idea what you’re talking about when it comes to the LA Kings.
Posted by wavesinair from LA on 12/17/09 at 02:22 PM ET
It is 100% false that the biggest weakness on any team in the NHL is goaltending. If we have a team where their top player has been a goaltender (best example so far this season is Buffalo with Ryan Miller), it should be clear that goaltending is their biggest strength and perhaps scoring goals is their biggest weakness. Your comment does not fit that reality. It appears to be an attempt to define reality to fit your pre-conceptions.
Only one paragraph later, you write The Kings single largest weakness is and has been for years, the culture of losing here. The second largest weakness is the inexperience of this young group as a whole.. I thought you believed goaltending was the biggest weakness of any NHL team (and I assume you believe the LA Kings are an NHL team). So you seem to have clearly contradicted yourself.
Quick has shown he is capable of playing top notch last year in stretches too.
Scott Clemmenson has proven he is capable of playing top notch in stretches. Andrew Raycroft has proven he is capable of playing top notch in stretches. Any NHL goalie with a track record of a couple years must be able to have a couple top notch stretches to stay in the league. The question is what is his average level of play - not his peak in a best case scenario and in Quick’s case there is no reason to believe he measures up to the NHL’s better goalies.
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 12/17/09 at 03:41 PM ET
Someone thinks Quick is quick enough to make team USA bitch.
Posted by moore00 from Columbus, OH/Grand Rapids, MI on 01/01/10 at 04:39 PM ET
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The conclusion that the LA Kings need goaltending is the what happens when you write an article from statistics. Jonathan Quick is the reason the Kings are winning right now. With so many injuries and a tired, worn out team, their goalie is coming up big. If that is really all they need (it’s not) they will stay on top. The Kings need Kopitar and Brown to start scoring regularly, they need Smyth, Stoll, Simmonds and Johnson to be back from injury and they need to start playing smart. Goaltending is the least of their worries.
Posted by Kings Fan on 12/16/09 at 03:46 PM ET