The Rite of Spring

[Cujo]

Los Angeles was 18-23 on the road in the regular season.

Just to give an idea.

And a 40-42 overall record I believe.

BUT THAY AINT RLY A 8 SEED!!!1!1ONE

[oddball]

Simply stunning the way the Kings have won on the road, but the Devils had their chances and they blew it.

Yeah, three other teams said the same thing and could only win 2 games. Deal with the fact that the Kings actually might be the better team. I realize that's a novel concept for people to actually give credit to a winning team and not sit there and whine about "what could've been". The better teams don't worry about what could've been, they take the chances given to them and bury them.

[NJTank]

I am not discrediting the Kings one bit, they were better than their record all year, and Jonathan Quick is the goalie I would chose if I was starting a team from scratch. However, the Devils should have won at least one of these games they missed the net to many damn times, and that is caused by good defense and good play from Quick.

[Cujo]

IF the Kings the next two at Staples, are we talking about "The greatest team in Stanley Cup Playoff History"???

I'm not sure what the best playoff record all-time is, but 16-2 is pretty goddamn impressive.

[Don]

88 Oilers were also 16-2. Then they traded Gretzky to LA.

[oddball]

IF the Kings the next two at Staples, are we talking about "The greatest team in Stanley Cup Playoff History"???

I'm not sure what the best playoff record all-time is, but 16-2 is pretty goddamn impressive.

No. Not even close. There are teams that were oh so much better but only had to play a best of 7 or a couple rounds. They are just having one great run. I wouldn't even rank this team in the top 20 of Stanley Cup Playoff teams. I don't think they'd stand a chance against the Red Wings, Devils, Avs of the late 90's/early 2000's and hell no would they even be able to compete with the Oilers, Islanders of the 80's let alone the Canadiens or Flyers of the 70's. There's not enough offensive fire power for the Kings to even take a game from any of those teams.

[-kj]

Los Angeles was 18-23 18-13-10 on the road in the regular season.

Just to give an idea.

And a 40-42 40-27-15 overall record I believe.

[Cujo]

IF the Kings the next two at Staples, are we talking about "The greatest team in Stanley Cup Playoff History"???

I'm not sure what the best playoff record all-time is, but 16-2 is pretty goddamn impressive.

No. Not even close. There are teams that were oh so much better but only had to play a best of 7 or a couple rounds. They are just having one great run. I wouldn't even rank this team in the top 20 of Stanley Cup Playoff teams. I don't think they'd stand a chance against the Red Wings, Devils, Avs of the late 90's/early 2000's and hell no would they even be able to compete with the Oilers, Islanders of the 80's let alone the Canadiens or Flyers of the 70's. There's not enough offensive fire power for the Kings to even take a game from any of those teams.

I'm talking these playoffs alone -- not factoring in the regular season of if it's a dyansty team.

[Kramerica Industries]

This really has become a mixed bag for me.

I can understand and agree with any notions that the Kings underachieved in the regular season, and that they, on paper, are better than what their record was.

That said, they will likely win the Cup despite a 40-42 record. That just doesn't jive with me. Basically reduces the regular season to a pile of nothingness. The NBA is already like that (albeit, for different reasons), I hope the NHL doesn't follow suit.

[Island_Style]

You people don't understand what the regular season is for. To make your team the best it can for the postseason.....while getting in, of course. No doubt the Kings are the best team right now and will have earned the right to be called champs. The regular season is worthless once the playoffs start. Different season, fellas.

[CS85]

Some fantastic goaltending in this series so far by both sides, really incredible stuff. Devils just aren't finishing, which is a shame because it's arguable they've outworked the Kings in key situations, just can't nail the coffin shut.

[STL FANATIC]

I hate the Kings (now), but you play by the rules of the system, you make the tournament, and then you go from there. The Kings did, and man have they ever gone from there.

Winning the Cup won't make them the best team in the league, but it doesn't have to it. It will make them Stanley Cup Champions, and that's what you play for.

The best team frequently doesn't win in sports. Typically the NBA crowns the best team. Beyond that, it's the best team in the playoffs that wins in the other leagues. And there's nothing wrong with that.

[Island_Style]

Their road record against the best in the west is sick. And here they are up 2-0 in the Stanley Cup with out seeing home ice. If you cant except them as champs then that is too bad for you. They played the system correctly. This team is good. Late bloomers but they got there. Right now I feel they can take every team in the NHL in a best of 7. The only team in the league I feel that way about.

[Cujo]

Not to mention the Kings stole Jeff Carter (tonight's Game 2 hero) from C-Bus at the trade deadline. Had L.A. had him all season long, they probably would've been an above .500 team.

[Island_Style]

Not to mention the Kings stole Jeff Carter (tonight's Game 2 hero) from C-Bus at the trade deadline. Had L.A. had him all season long, they probably would've been an above .500 team.

Yup. Thus why the regular season is to prepare yourself for the tourny.

[evanmaldonado]

Not to mention the Kings stole Jeff Carter (tonight's Game 2 hero) from C-Bus at the trade deadline. Had L.A. had him all season long, they probably would've been an above .500 team.

Yup. Thus why the regular season is to prepare yourself for the tourny.

Well the schedule isn't so black and white with wins and losses so I wouldn't call the Kings a sub .500 team. But I wouldn't say they stole Jeff Carter...it's not like we wanted him here anyways and we did get one of their better defensemen in the trade.

Oh, Jeff Carter

[Sport]

I'd rather have Jack Johnson than Jeff Carter. Johnson wants to be here, Jeff Carter was a mope and had a bad attitude the entire time he was here. The Blue Jackets record post acquiring Jack Johnson is evidence enough.

and being champions doesn't have to mean being the best team, unless we're talking about college football.

I really enjoy watching this Kings team. They are a friggin' blast. Except for Jeff Carter. I hate that douche. If you told me last summer that Jeff Carter would win the Stanley Cup at year's end I would've been over the moon. Of course, I would've assumed the Blue Jackets would be there with him.

[Cujo]

Jack Johnson's numbers are far from great, always have been. I've always kinda viewed him as overrated, which could have something to do with him being the (by default) best American defenseman. Who knows? Regardless, it's pretty obvious the Kings had no need for him and are a better off having shipped him to the BlueJackets, and got a far better player in return.

[HedleyLamarr]

I'd rather have Jack Johnson than Jeff Carter. Johnson wants to be here, Jeff Carter was a mope and had a bad attitude the entire time he was here. The Blue Jackets record post acquiring Jack Johnson is evidence enough.

and being champions doesn't have to mean being the best team, unless we're talking about college football.

I really enjoy watching this Kings team. They are a friggin' blast. Except for Jeff Carter. I hate that douche. If you told me last summer that Jeff Carter would win the Stanley Cup at year's end I would've been over the moon. Of course, I would've assumed the Blue Jackets would be there with him.

I'd mope around too if I just signed a 12-year deal with an annual contending team, only to get traded to the worst team in the league days before my no-trade clause kicked in.

The only reason the Blue Jackets won some games at the end of the season was because there was no pressure to win at that point.

[youcan'tseeme]

I'd rather have Jack Johnson than Jeff Carter. Johnson wants to be here, Jeff Carter was a mope and had a bad attitude the entire time he was here. The Blue Jackets record post acquiring Jack Johnson is evidence enough.

and being champions doesn't have to mean being the best team, unless we're talking about college football.

I really enjoy watching this Kings team. They are a friggin' blast. Except for Jeff Carter. I hate that douche. If you told me last summer that Jeff Carter would win the Stanley Cup at year's end I would've been over the moon. Of course, I would've assumed the Blue Jackets would be there with him.

I'd mope around too if I just signed a 12-year deal with an annual contending team, only to get traded to the worst team in the league days before my no-trade clause kicked in.

The only reason the Blue Jackets won some games at the end of the season was because there was no pressure to win at that point.

I have to agree, you don't have to love Jeff Carter at all but he honestly got screwed over hard and the attitude therefore about the situation reasonable on his part.