Overtime Episode 7 – The Bet

nice prediction being made about one of future Kings stars who many NHL writers are predicting big things from this upcoming season. I am attaching the link for quick access.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=457926&navid...

Here's the beauty of the bet.... the Kings dont have to even make the playoffs for Keith to win; they just have to beat the Oilers. The Oilers have some fundamental flaws with how they're built: their two best young centers don't know how to win faceoffs, they dont have defenseman that can play a physical game (they could use a guy like Matt Greene, no?) and they're trying to build a team with Ales Hemsky as their cornerstone.

I'll take a team built around Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty, thank you very much. :)

Exactly! Hemsky is a guy you want on your team but he's not a guy you build around. Kind of like Frolov.

Ouch. True, but ouch....

I might be a little partial towards Williams because he was involved in the trade that dealt my favorite player; O'Sullivan..if he has a rebound season similiar to Hanzdus, i will be the first to admit i was wrong in prejudging Williams..i can only hope he can come through when we need him the most..i will wait, as you are Keith, before making any further negative remarks. Either way, let's GO Kings!!

The big question is: who likes Patrick O'Sullivan more? Joe the Collector or KingsCast Chick (aka Jen)? Hmmm.

justin williams, your six questions responses only reaffirm my reason why i still think you are pathetic. I can only hope that you prove me wrong

Joe, while we're very much still on the same page on the Justin Williams trade, I think you might be reading a bit too much into his six questions. http://tinyurl.com/ldqbkq

If Williams was having a "recovery season" similar to Handzus, he should be on track for next season. While I certainly don't think Lombardi's as good at pro scouting as he is at amateur scouting, I'll reserve judgment on Justin Williams until about 10 games in.

I'd give it more than ten games. Took more than that to see what Handzus was going to do and no one can complain about what Handzus did last season.

Yeah, Joe, I agree with you. As fans of the Los Angeles Kings, we have a certain amount of trepidation. But, this is the year we move to the post-season!

are you agreeing with me keith, not quite sure i understand because i feel the same way. on paper, we a playoff team..it is now up to the team to perfrom and prove all of the critics who are automatically counting them out wrong...

just watched the video on FB via Hockey Zen, but as i already stated on FB, I am not sure what the Zen is smoking, maybe that crown royal he expects Keith to drink is already seeping into his brain cells. if he thinks that Pat Quinn and the Bulin Wall will get the Oilers back to the promised land, he is dreaming. They have other problems that still need to be addressed. We all know that the Kings will not be winning the cup next season, but we already knew that. (however, stranger things have happened; i.e Carolina in 2006) The acquisition of Scuds and Symth was a good thing..they will teach our young team how to win and how to win the correct way. Unlike Quinn and the rest of the over priced Oilers and i mean you Penner, will be be on the outside looking in once again. The last thing i do want to say is..at least our no trade clause player was excited about coming to the Kings unlike the Oilers no trade clause player; yes, i mean you Heatley..if the trade is eventaully approved, he is already tainted..SO GOOD LUCK, because you and the Oilers are going to need it...collector Joe out!!

When you really step back and look at it, the Kings team that takes the ice in October should be a playoff team. Sure, Captain Canada isn't like he was in Edmonton but getting those "dirty goals" will be key for this team. Handzus did an adequate job getting to the net last season but this is Smyth's bread and butter.

It's been three years of lottery picks, folks. The time to compete is now. We've got the tools. And, when the trade deadline approaches, we'll be looking for a piece that takes us farther than the first round.

As for Sully, stranger things have happened and i would not be surprised if we do not see him back in LA again..hopefully i am not dreaming (would like to see him return)..and Sully does smile, it comes in spurts though and only when he has his teeth in

this bet should be rather interesting...I am happy to see all of us Kings fans rally around our team...GO KINGS!!

Barring any major injuries, this will easily go to the Kings. I do think it will be somewhat close.

OK Keith...normally I agree with you, but you can't bag on my Sully! He knows how to smile...he just needs a few beers to loosen up. Or maybe he just likes me better than you :)

I laughed so hard when I saw that part. Its true though... sad, but true!

Look at the good side, his jerseys were on sale at Staples Center!

Glad I can keep you entertained Matt:). In fact, I will be wearing my new o'Sullivan jersey when the Oilers come to Staples. And if I can find Sully after the game, I'll be buying him a beer too :)

HILARIOUS! And I don't just mean Keith's awesome hosting - really, Chris? The Oilers? LOL.

WOW!!! I love the passion by all the Kings fans here. I am thinking if all of you dawn the jersey I would definitely change my selection. :-)

This should be fun! Keith, I will have my rebuttal online in the next few days! Well done and it's late, I need some beauty rest :-)

Here is my response....

http://bit.ly/EhWzN

Love the bet, and I do believe the Kings will finish above the Oilers this season.

As much as I would love to see a blow out and one of you slamming back countless shots, the Oil and Kings face each other in the second last game of the season and would make for some pretty decent drama.

Either way this will be a fun bet to follow.

Cheers,
Justin @hockeycardshow

The keys for the Kings this year are Smyth, Kopitar, Johnson and Quick (or Bernier), as it stands right now.

Smyth needs to put up decent numbers. But more importantly, he needs to teach the young players how to get their noses dirty, especially going hard to the front of the net and parking themselves there. If he can get guys like Kopitar, Brown, Frolov and others to do that, they'll score a lot more.

Next season is a huge one for Kopitar. He needs to show some serious improvement and needs to get above the 80-point plateau to take that next step in his development. He also needs to shoot the puck more. Not as badly as Frolov needs to, but he does.

Johnson needs to take a big step in his development as well and not just offensively. His defensive zone play needs work.

Quick or Bernier? It'll be interesting to see if Bernier makes the Kings lineup out of training camp. It is possible. In any case, the Kings are going to need the kind of solid goaltending they got from Quick last season if they are to have any hopes of getting into the post-season party.

Kopitar did spend a lot of the season centering Kyle Calder. Kopitar still managed to put up 66 points. Centering Frolov or Smyth all season should get him to that 80 point plateau.

Damn...I just wrote an abbreviated version of what my 2009-10 season preview is likely to be.

Great stuff none the less, Gann!

Despite having been a die hard Kings fan my entire life, and being taught to hate the Oilers [among other teams] I put as much effort into giving credit where credit is due in the world of hockey. After watching this video I decided to analyze the Oilers roster closely as that is a team I never have put a whole lot of thought into. Out of no bias, ... Read MoreI think Keith is hands down going to win this bet. Are the Oilers a bad team? No, not by any means. However the group of talented individuals the Kings have had has only been helped, by replacing, as you mentioned, Calder with Smyth, Preissing with Scuderi, etc. If the goaltending continues for them like it did last season [after LaBarbera was given the ax, that is] then there is no reason why the Kings should not be a playoff team. Am I ruling the Oilers out of the playoffs? Not necessarily. But out of no bias, I see the Kings going further this coming season. I'm looking forward to Kings hockey in April and May for the first time in years!

keith, i completely agree with you. the Kings are definetly going to make the playoffs this year. the Oilers still have their own problems even with improved goaltending. Penner still can't score and will never be the same player until Getzy is his center. Horcoff still thinks he is god's gift to goal scoring and Hemsky will be Hemsky. In other words, he will show up when he feels like it. as for Sully, i think he will be gone before the oilers season is over. Don't forget about their co-head coach, Tom Renney..you forgot to mention the terms if both teams make the playoffs! either way, i hope Chris has a strong liver because he will be drinking this year. Kings are playoff bound without a doubt

I don't know if the Kings are going to be a force to deal with, but I believe they'll make the playoffs in the coming season, barring any drastic changes or serious injuries to key players.

Gann, do you think the Oilers have the juice to beat the Kings in the points standings?

It's a toss-up. Still too many unknowns in the Kings lineup, including Williams. How will Smyth do here? Will Kopitar raise his level of play? Will Johnson really show us what he can do? Will Quick improve or get complacent?

In other words, it could go either way.

Hey Keith...who are you trying to kid? Chris over at hockeyzen was obviously an idiot...or he just doesn't know you very well. What kind of bet is that? You drink 5-10 shots of that stuff on a nightly basis!! :-)

Yeah, that's right, my liver's in shape!