10 Tidbits from Sutter – ‘I’m not a doctor, a psychologist or a therapist’

Following the Kings 30 minute pre-game skate at their training facility in El Segundo, coach Darryl Sutter shared some wisdom and dropped some straight facts on us this morning…

1. On if he’ll use the same line-up tonight as he did in the last game – “You’ll need to get there for the song.” [note: He was then reminded both National Anthems will be played tonight.]

2. On the play of Davis Drewiske replacing Matt Greene in the line-up – “I think what we want him to do is take up Matt Greene’s minutes in a positive way with quality minutes. Greener really gave us penalty killing minutes, solid 5-on-5, last-minute situations, stuff like that. So it’s not easy for him switching over to the right side, he’s a left shot. But, in the three games that he’s played he has done a good job.”

3. On not seeing Willie Mitchell on the ice today – “No, you didn’t…You know what, if they’re on the injured reserve or he’s hurt before the season, then he’s a non-active player. Once he’s off that, then you talk about it. Until then, they’re injured. I’m not a doctor, I’m not a psychologist and I’m not a therapist. I’m their coach. So, I’m not going to give you anymore than that because it would go right from here to the other team, right? So until that point we say ‘Whoa, he’s back in the lineup’ or ‘He’s off IR,’ then you’ll know he’s an active player and has a chance to play.”

4. On his great ‘It’s a 3-2 league’ quote last year – “It’s not really a great quote. If you actually do the math, that’s what it is.” Follow-up: In a 48-game season, with a compressed schedule, is it still a 3-2 league? “I would assume it is. What difference would that make? 48 times three is…what?”

5. On many goalies around the league not playing well to start the season – “Ours is. The last three games we played, we could have one them all if we (had) more goals.”

6. On the play of Mike Richards so far this season – “You know it has been an adjustment for some of our guys in terms of getting up with the pace. So he’s one of those guys that has to get up to pace.”

7. On Dustin Brown‘s play so far this season – “Brownie has gotten a little bit better every game. Brownie plays a power game. He goes up and down, a power game. Strong on the walls, goes to the net. If he’s not doing that, you guys can see it better than I can. That’s his game.”

8. On Kyle Clifford – “When he left LA last spring he was so happy that we won it, but he was so disappointed because he didn’t get to play a lot after getting hurt. So, that was his whole purpose when he left, was to put himself in a position to play regularly, and he did that…In a schedule like this, his ability to bring a physical game, an energy game (is important); and there’s a lot of effort there.”

9. On Simon Gagne playing a role (fourth line) he’s not used to – “Better get used to it or it’ll be a totally different one. Is that clear? In this schedule it’s not about what you did or are gonna do, it’s what you’re doing. That’s a fact.”

10. Then came the best part in what was already his best presser of the young season…

As a coach, are there any teams you get up to play?

“Chicago, Colorado, Edmonton, Phoenix, and now Vancouver,” Sutter said. “Pretty much in that order.”

Yes, Nashville was next on the list.

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