Is winning the Pacific not important?

[Thomas]

This isn't a knock on the Ducks winning the Pacific last season. Clearly the Sharks and them wanted the top seed and the chance to play a wild card instead of one of the other big two teams as well as home ice. The Kings clearly were not as into the race but that isn't anything new. Sutter has already said as much to the media. Kings of course won so that natural means at least to the media that their plan was the best plan. 

But now Bob Murray is kind of saying the same thing?  Boudreau disagrees publicly but what is he going to say when asked point blank? Has the Pacific with at best 3 good to elite teams and maybe a team or two that might sniff the wild card made the regular season a formality assuming (the huge) if everything goes according to plan? Is coasting at 80% to be as fresh as reasonably possible more important than home ice and better seeding? If Boudreau really doesn't agree and goes balls to the wall again only to flame out in the first two rounds does it cost him his job?

 

[Tank]

in a press conf last year, sutter said their three goals were to get into the playoffs, get 100 points, and win the cup. they did exactly that. this kings team has proved they can win anywhere under any circumstances, so winning the division isn't the highest priority for them. how much that serves as inspiration for other teams is anyone's guess. it works for us, and that's all that really matters.

[Punk]

It's not that important, but it would be nice to win it.

[HaloCory22]

Way I see it, you gotta go through one of the "Big 3" in the Pacific no matter what if you want to reach the WCF. As we've seen in the past couple of seasons, home ice really isn't as helpful as in previous seasons. I'd rather finish 2nd/3rd in the Pacific and play my way in with a healthy team than blow my load in March and limp in to an early exit.

[gotbeer]

Regarding the playoffs.  I'm one of those that believes that teams that go into the playoffs on a roll go further in the playoffs.

 

I do not like teams sitting on their laurels, all secure and waiting for a team to come to them.  See Angels, and Ducks last year.  Where the Kings and Royals scratched their way into the playoffs, and had the momentum to keep it going, firing on all cylinders.

 

Just my opinion though.  

[tennischmp]

I still would rather have faced Dallas and the LA rather than LA and San Jose in the first 2 rounds. Home ice is a plus as well.

[TeemuTrout]

Yeah, you want to win the Pacific, you just don't want to put too much emphasis on winning the Pacific. Don't sacrifice yourself in the regular season like you would in the playoffs, just for a higher seed.

Edited October 11, 2014 by TeemuTrout

[Schildog]

I still would rather have faced Dallas and the LA rather than LA and San Jose in the first 2 rounds. Home ice is a plus as well.

 

this is the only reason it matters. saying your team is the pacific champions is nothing to hang your hat on. 

[Angel Oracle]

Three consecutive WCF appearances, and two Cups, tells us that the Kings under Sutter make sure to be playing their best hockey during the SCP. 

Just get to the SCP, and then preferably have at least one series with home ice advantage.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[HaloCory22]

How are the Kings going to top their run from last season? Get in as an 8 seed and roll through in 16 games?

[LBHalos17]

Winning the Pacific is irrelevant, aside from selling extra t-shirts and hats.  There is so much parity in the League now (especially among the playoff qualifiers), that it is more important to make it into the playoffs with a healthy team.  Home-ice advantage is also over-rated.  Players say they often play looser on the road without the distractions of home.

 

The Kings will never top these two Cup runs!  The first one was amazing, since it was our first Cup (and we can all die happily).  It seemed like a fore-gone conclusion to me, but was still very exciting.  To win like they did last season by coming from behind was thrilling, while every team is now gunning for them.

[eaterfan]

I think winning the Pacific is pretty big. It's not everything but it certainly helps. I think there are 3 good teams in the Pacific and only having to beat one instead of 2 is a big advantage. It's not insurmountable as the kings showed last year but it makes the road a good amount easier. 

 

And I think it's easy to say in retrospect that a team was playing its best hockey heading into and during the playoffs when they do well in the playoffs. Two examples of that were KC and the LA Kings where an example of not having to do that was the Angels. The Angels certainly scuffled at the end but KC was 11-11 in its last 22 games. Had they lost that first one to Oakland we wouldn't be saying "they were playing great ball heading into the playoffs". Had they lost to Baltimore we would have chosen Baltimore as the team that was playing its best ball heading into the playoffs. The LA Kings last year were pretty much locked into the 3 seed in the Pacific for a long time. They didn't have to push at the end just like the Angels. Why did one of those teams succeed and one fail?

Edited October 18, 2014 by eaterfan

[Thomas]

They didn't have to push at the end just like the Angels. Why did one of those teams succeed and one fail?

 

The Kings deserved to be bounced in the first round considering how terrible they played the first two games. They were lucky as much as they were good in those last four games that they were able to turn it around and escape against the playoff challenged Sharks.

[Tank]

How are the Kings going to top their run from last season? Get in as an 8 seed and roll through in 16 games?

I'd be okay with that.

[Thomas]

How are the Kings going to top their run from last season? Get in as an 8 seed and roll through in 16 games?

 

Go all pro wrestling and have Quick turn on his teammates and cut a promo with CM Punk during a series with the Blackhawks?

[Angel Oracle]

How are the Kings going to top their run from last season? Get in as an 8 seed and roll through in 16 games?

Not to get into details, but that was in 2012.   Last season saw the Kings play 26 SCP games, and go 16-10.

[Angel Oracle]

Go all pro wrestling and have Quick turn on his teammates and cut a promo with CM Punk during a series with the Blackhawks?

Well, Quick is "Best In The World."

 

Anything to get CM Punk back into pro wrestling, although I'm guessing that being married to AJ Lee does not suck.

Edited October 20, 2014 by Angel Oracle