At Last: Kopi-Sully-Brownie

"Hi Sully! I missed you!" "Hey Guys, it's so good to see you!" =)

At last, my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh, yeah, at last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clovers
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to rest my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Oh, yeah when you smile, you smile
Oh, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine
At last
-Etta James

My only concern is how long Murray will allow these three lovebirds to play on the same line together. Last time the reunion only lasted one game. According to the LA Times article (what, hockey articles in the LA Times?! actually, it's been surprisingly better this season) Murray's move is intended to spark some scoring, particularly from the top line. Brown's response to the move is exactly what you would expect to hear from someone reuniting with his long lost lover:

"Obviously there is a little more speed," Brown said. "Sully brings more of a scoring presence. Calds was more of a playmaker. There are things Calds did that you'd come to expect, the way he gets in there and gets the puck. They just play different games."

I think what Brown means is you couldn't always rely on Calder since whenever he got the puck you never expected to see it again since he usually coughed it up pretty easily. Regardless, Thank God, these three will be playing together because forcing Sully to pick up the slack on the fourth line is an insult to the guy and doesn't really say, "you're a core player", when it's obvious that he is. Let's hope the trio can get the scoring started in Thursday's game against Ovechkin and Seamen Semen Semin.

Kings 4, Blues 0

Bear hug from Oscie!

I may provide an actual review later...maybe.

Kings Manhandle Ducks

Now that was a great game. I thought the Kings were done when the Ducks took an early 2-0 lead, but the guys held strong and, despite a couple hiccups here and there, executed a very solid game that was completely different than the ones they played this past weekend.

Everything the Kings did wrong in the home opener on Sunday they fixed in tonight's game. Passes were crisp and made tape-to-tape, they skated through the neutral zone with ease, and faced little difficulty applying pressure in the offensive zone. The Kings matched the Ducks' physical game and on more than one occassion I was very glad we picked up some big defensemen during the off season.

Save for a few players, every one played exceptionally well. Rookie Wayne Simmonds got the Kings on the scoreboard with his first NHL goal. He really kept that play going so it was fitting to see him jump on the rebound and bury it. Moulson was kept on the top line and potted a beauty off a feed from Brownie. Stoll got his first of the season with a slap shot on the power play, which was aided by Handzus screening Giguere. Handzus may have only had one assist in the game but his play tonight was very deserving of the third star of the game. O'Sullivan had an incredible game and got some help from Pronger on his firt goal of the season. Tom Preissing knocked in a power play goal and hit the post on another shot and Frolov finished off the Ducks with an empty netter.

It felt so good seeing the Kings take it to the complacent Ducks and hand them their third consecutive loss. I couldn't help but laugh every time the Ducks took another power play. It took the Kings awhile to get the power play going but when you have 9 opportunities you're bound to capitalize. Tonight the Kings showed how well they can play together so hopefully they keep it up and string together some wins.

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Eat Shit, Getzlaf. That's what you get for running my goalie.

Sully In, Zeiler (Hopefully) Out

O'Sullivan's Back!!

So...can we send Zeiler back to Manchester now? Or, how about this Richardson guy? I'm still not convinced he's an actual hockey player...

I'm actually really surprised at the dollar amount of Sully's contract. It's front loaded so he'll make the most this season, but over three years his contract averages out to just under $3 million/season. I know he only has one solid season to his name but he definitely has great potential and Lombardi definitely pinpointed that last season during interviews. I expected him to sign for an average in the $3.25 range but I guess the difference is miniscule when you're making that much money. I was worried that Sully was going to sign for an average of $4 million but I guess Lombardi knows how to get his way. With Dustin Brown and Alexander Frolov and now Sully signed at what seem like cheap contracts in comparison to guys around the league, I wonder what the contracts for Kopitar and Johnson will look like. Will Lombardi be able to re-sign them to relatively inexpensive contracts or will he give them contracts inked in gold?

The Russians are Signed...BFD

In a bit of old news, the Kings signed two Russian prospects, Viatcheslav Voynov and Andrei Loktionov, or as I like to call them, Voytionov, 'cause really, they're the same person. I don't care about these signings because their names aren't Jarret Stoll and Patrick O'Sullivan. I've kept relatively quiet on the unsignings of these two players but with less than a month till preseason starts and 44 days till the season opener, I'm getting a tad annoyed. I mean WTF guys? WTF Lombardi? Doughty is signed. Voytionov are signed. The younger comparable players around the league are signed. So why aren't Stoll and Sully signed too? How long do negotiations really take? Can you even imagine if you could take your sweet time to negotiate your salary at work? I realize professional sports is in a world of its own but I just find it so odd that these guys, especially O'Sullivan, are still unsigned. I keep telling myself not to worry and not to get riled up because the signings will eventually happen, but I just don't understand why it's taking so long. And this post will be the last time I discuss these players until something happens with their contracts.

Feb 21st: Kings v. Blues

The Kings had 5 shots in the first period.

It's near the end of the second period and the Kings are ahead 4-0 thanks to a 6:40 scoring spree.

Let's hope we don't blow this like the Rangers.

Holy Shit! 3:31 into the third and the Kings are up 5-0! FROLOV with the HAT TRICK!! Patrick O'SULLIVAN has his first 5 point game with one goal and 4 assists!! Why did I not go to this game? Why isn't this game televised!!

GAME OVER! KINGS WIN 5-1! It's a shame Cloutier couldn't get the shutout but I'm not going to complain since the Kings spanked the Blues!

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Thornton, it's good to see you back!

Spotlight On: Patrick O'Sullivan

My gameday previews and post game analyses are becoming redundant. Until things get turned around I'll be posting on topics that are hopefully somewhat inspirational, educational (to the non-Kings fan), and/or enjoyable. First up, a spotlight on a young player that most of the league may not know much about: Patrick O'Sullivan. I had planned on doing this post before the game against the BJs but got distracted. I think it's only fitting that I finally post it after the game he had against Nashville.

Patrick O'Sullivan (Sully, or as I like to call him, Patty, or how I really like to call him, Pahht-ty O'Sullivan..you know, with that Irish accent I'm so damn good at) was dealt to the Kings in a trade during the 2006 NHL Draft. Prior to Minnesota picking the 17th player in the first round, the Kings traded Pavol Demitra to the Wild for Patrick O'Sullivan and the 17th pick. DL mentioned in interviews that they made the trade so they could pick up Trevor Lewis with the 17th pick. At the time I had never heard of O'Sullivan so I did some research on him. (Ok, I'll be honest I was more looking to see if he's hapa, because his eyes sort of make him look like a halfie and I like halfies...except Tootoo.) Anyway, my research turned up a whole lot more about his personal life than I had anticipated. I don't feel that what he dealt with during his younger years should be a part of this post so if you're interested then a quick Google search will reveal some stories. Let's just say that the kid dealt with some adversity, which may or may not have impacted when he was drafted (2nd round of the 2003 NHL Draft). Concerning his hockey career I did find some stats that impressed me: 93 points in 78 games with the Houston Aeros, including a franchise record 47 goals. I thought, "Nice, this kid can play. Maybe he won't be a career AHL player."

O'Sullivan started the 2006-2007 campaign in a Kings jersey but only played just a little over half the season with the Kings. For some reason I was always drawn to him (like I am to Fro) so I wanted him to succeed. However, at the start of the season he just wasn't that much of an impact player. He was ok, but not too noticeable out there. At the start of November he was finally sent down to Manchester to hone his skills. If I remember correctly, at the time Crow or DL said that he just needed to learn how to play smarter and know where he needs to be on the ice at all times.

O'Sullivan played quite well during the regular season with the Monarchs putting up 39 points in just 41 games. Whether it was because of his play in Manchester or because of the injuries the Kings suffered, or maybe a bit of both, O'Sullivan was brought back to SoCal in late January and stayed with the team for the remainder of the season. He definitely looked like a better player but he still wasn't one of those guys that you thought would become a mainstay on the top line. I can't remember who he played with, although considering the frequency that Crow switched up the lines, it was never easy to figure out who was on each line.

With the Kings out of the postseason, O'Sullivan joined Manchester during the AHL playoffs. He had a noteworthy run recording 17 points in 16 games. O'Sullivan is a young guy so it could be said that he's part of DL's rebuilding phase but considering the way he played with the Kings, I wasn't too sure if he would stay with the franchise or be trade fodder. When he wasn't traded during the off-season I figured there would be a good chance that he would be with the team come September. However, I did not anticipate the impact he would have on the team.

I was incredibly impressed with his play even from the very first game. It was unbelievable how much he had improved during the offseason. My post game analysis of that game included the following:

"One player that I was pleasantly surprised to see play pretty well was Patrick O'Sullivan. He had an extra step and played with more intensity today than I remember during the time he spent with the Kings last season. He played on the PK a lot, almost had a SHG, and set up the empty-netter SHG scored by Handzus."

Since it was the first game of the season it wasn't clear if O'Sullivan would remain one of the main penalty killers. It has become clear since then that O'Sullivan and Michal Handzus are the go-to guys on the PK. Once Handzus found his skating legs and realized he was actually playing hockey and no longer sitting on the IR bench, the two of them established a lot of chemistry. Handzus is typically the one blocking shots and both play aggressively on the PK. O'Sullivan is already having a career season and the season isn't even halfway over. Last season he only played in 44 games and collected 5-14-19. As of Dec 22nd, 37 games into this season, O'Sullivan has 9-9-18, including two 2-goal games, 1 SHG and 2 SHA, while last season he didn't have any shorthanded points. If I did my calcs correctly he's on par to get 42 points barring any injuries that hold him out of games, which is better than what Brownie put up during his sophomore year and only 4 points shy of Brownie's third season. So the question begs, how good is O'Sullivan going to be in the next couple seasons? Will this be his best season and in the future he'll return to the third line? Or will he continue his development and compete for a spot on the first two lines? He's currently making under a million and will become a Restricted Free Agent after this season. It'll be interesting to see if DL decides to re-sign him, trade him before the deadline, or allow a team like Edmonton to swoop in with a hefty offer sheet. The latter isn't too wild of a possibility considering during the '06-'07 season Penner and Vanek recorded 45 points and 41 points, respectively. Sure, Patty is much smaller than those guys, but at least you won't have to worry about him being slow and perhaps needing to drop a few pounds and get in shape.....oooohhh, burn...

I realize that not everyone shares the same fascination of O'Sullivan as I do, but my plea to hockey fans is to give him a chance. Jim Fox described him pretty well the other night by saying that while O'Sullivan won't lead the NHL in scoring he's a player that will have an impact for your team. He kind of has the same skating style as Avery, quick short strides with a lot of energy, yet he's not a d-bag like Aves. He'll go hard in the corners, fight every battle, and every night he's consistently one of the most hardworking guys on the ice. So next time you watch a Kings game, keep your eyes peeled for #12 Patrick O'Sullivan.

Brownie Lands Extension

I know Brownie's contract extension is old news but I've been debating whether or not I want to write about it. Considering how early into the season the decision came along combined with reading about Kipper's recent contract extension, it got me thinking about several things. What other LA Kings may we see agree to a contract extension before the off-season? How much are these players going to sign for? How many more seasons will their extension include? Who is getting the better deal with these early contract decisions? A quick look at THN's salary list shows that Patrick O'Sullivan, Joe Piskula, Erik Ersberg, Gabe Gauthier, and a handful of other veteran Kings and youthful Monarchs will be RFAs at the end of the season. Another interesting point is that Joey is making more than Patty.

At the beginning of last season I was disappointed in Patty's play. He deservedly was sent to Manchester for most of the season but came up at the end of the season and showed a definite improvement. However, his improvement over the off-season has been quite stunning. I definitely want to see him back next season but wouldn't be surprised if management held off for a couple months before they agree to a contract extension. Part of me thinks that management sees him as a part of the youth movement that will see the Kings become true competitors in the NHL but part of me thinks he could be trade bait. If he keeps up the smart play, his intensity, and production, I don't see why the Kings wouldn't keep him for the future. And besides, who would they want to bring in at the trade deadline? I won't say anthing because I don't want to jinx my team, but I know that a lot can happen in just a few months.

Joey P played a couple games with the Kings at the end of the '06-'07 season. I don't remember much of him except that he looked nervous in an interview he did one or two games before he made his NHL debut. I don't doubt that the reason I can't recall his contribution is because of the hype that surrounded JMFJ's first NHL game, which came around the same time that Joe made his appearance. At the H&HH event Luc made some positive comments about Joe and Brian Boyle that made it seem like those two are the future of the Kings blueline, especially Boyle who they are determined to mold into a defenseman. Since he's at Manchester I don't foresee the Kings extending Joe's contract anytime soon. One sidenote: Boyle is HOT! I think I'm surprised because I expected him to look like Chara. No offense to Chara...he's just not my type. Boyle definitely has that model look going for him and a great head of wavy dark hair. Move over Pennersquee, Boyle is going to take the NHL fangirls' panties off with just one sultry look. But let's get back to Piskula; from what I've read in articles and heard in interviews, it seems like Piskula will be around for awhile because of his promising development. During camp there was talk that he might make the squad but was sent down to Manchester just before the start of the season.

I haven't heard much about goaltender Erik Ersberg. Well, actually I do know that he has the heroin chic look down. Seriously, there's no way that kid weighs 182. He's sharing netminder duties with my personal favorite, Dan Cloutier, and so far his 2-1-1, 2.77 GAA, 0.882 SV% is better than Cloutier's stats. Oh Cloutier...you make me proud! Who knows, Ersberg could make a career in the AHL or he could possibly come out of nowhere and make a viable run for a spot on the team in the next several seasons.

Last season I held Gabe Gauthier in the same light as the likes of Noah Clarke and John Zeiler. Needless to say, that's not good for him. However, while Clarke was let go by the team and picked up by Jersey and promptly sent down to a farm team and Zeiler continues to be that "energy" guy who makes more successful hits on the glass than actual players, Gauthier is ripping it up down at Manchester. Last season he was 14-28-42 in 69 games and was a +16. So far this season he leads the Monarchs with 4-8-12 in 8 games and is a +2. On the other hand, Guilano, Cliche, and Tukonen have 0 points combined. Will we see Gauthier this season? If he keeps up his play, I don't see why not. But then again, he could very well be one of those guys who excels in the AHL and then has nothing to show once he's in the NHL. I'm going to keep an eye on him and if he gets called up I'll be supporting him this time, if for no reason other than he's a hometown boy; I don't mean "hometown boy" as in Verne, CA, I'm talking about Torrance, CA! Represent, Gabriel!

As for the questions I posed at the beginning of the post, it seems like Patrick O'Sullivan would be the next likely candidate to receive a contract extension. Even though he sees a lot of PK time the recent move to put him on a line with Frolov and Nagy has so far paid off. If that line continues to produce like they have the past several games, I don't see why Patty couldn't be a 20 goal scorer this sesaon. He'll definitely see a pay raise considering he's not even making $1 million this season.

When I first read that Dustin Brown signed a 6-year contract I was a bit worried he would be bringing in a mighty big paycheck. After finding out that it's just over $3 million/season I began to think that Brownie might not have gotten the best deal. Actually, you know who really got kicked in the crotch over that deal? Michael Cammalleri. I wouldn't be surprised if Cammy has a bounty out for the arbitrator who awarded him his contract. I'd like to think that Brownie really wanted to stay in LA (and according to several LA Times and Kings articles it seems he does) and was willing to take the risk of being underpaid in the future in order to stay with the team.

I'm sure once JMFJ, Anze, and Frolov get ready to renew contracts they'll be offered long-term deals as well. In fact I bet most of the younger players in the NHL will be signing 4-6 year contracts while the veterans will be the ones signing one-year deals, like Brendan Shanahan did. I just hope DL doesn't make another contract extension goof like he did with Cloutier. Thank god he didn't sign him to a 5-year deal; I'd be bleeding out of my eyes if I knew Cloots was making Manchester suffer while he was raking in millions.