Purcell Watch '09: The First Line
Your Los Angeles Kings 1st Line Right Winger
Teddy Purcell... a nation turns it's lonely eyes to you. It's official. Coach Murray is putting Teddy Purcell on the Los Angeles Kings top line in place of right winger Justin Williams. Now, The Royal Half has made clear its viewpoint on the play of Teddy Purcell this NHL season. But Coach Murray is giving Purcell one more shot on a Top 6 line to see if this kid has what it takes to make it in the NHL. So with 6 points and 3 goals in 35 games this season so far from Purcell... why exactly is Coach Murray giving this kid a 2nd chance?
The answer is D. Although it could be B. Murray knows that Purcell has been a huge disappointment this season after handing him the 2nd line left winger position in training camp. If you don't know the Teddy Purcell backstory this season... he scored 2 goals in the first 3 games as a member of the Top 6... and then was never heard from again. I'm glad that Coach Murray is showing patience with Teddy Purcell... maybe almost too much patience. Kings' coaches in the past like Andy Murray and Marc Crawford were known for not being the best when it came to nursing along young talent. And with the incredible success of former Kings prospect Matt Moulson in Long Island this season... it seems like the Kings have been more patient with Teddy then they would have in the past.
Tonight is an important game against a much improved Minnesota Wild team. Check out all Hockey Wilderness for all your Wild news and rumors. The Kings need to use this game to show the rest of the NHL what their team will be like in the post- Justin Williams era. At least until they trade Teddy Purcell as part of a package to get Ray Whitney or some other Top 6 forward.
