GDT: 12/13 Kings @ Sabres 4:00 PM PST

[Little Psycho]

Funny thing is, if one of us posted that opinion shared by Carter, we'd get ripped for being negative, lol.

Carter also showing he has more leadership skill than anyone else on the team.

I also see more are coming around to the realization that Jake Muzzin is a dumbass. Seems to be more clueless than ever before.

He's the new Luke Schenn.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

He's the new Luke Schenn.

It's as if someone had to replace the dumb decision making that Luke Schenn left behind.

McNabb was the ***** in the early get go as well, but Muzzin has been just as bad consistently this season. I can't even recall the last time he delivered a big hit.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

That Carter sound bite is the coolest ****ing thing he's said while here. Not that he's bad at that or something, he just rarely talks publicly, so when he fumes like that, it's pretty meaningful.

But like i said, I want to see a response otherwise.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Carter played like he gave a damn too. If anyone appears to show any leadership on the ice this season, it's been him. Every word he said is justified. Lot of guys are half assing it.

 

[Reaper45]

Maybe Kopitar isn't the right choice for Captain?

 

[Omni Owl]

Pretty obvious Carter should've been captain after those comments. Kopi isn't even leading by example right now, but who knows what the leadership dynamic in the room is. It almost sounds like there's a lot of apathy in there, not a good thing at all.

 

[TopT]

Pretty obvious Carter should've been captain after those comments. Kopi isn't even leading by example right now, but who knows what the leadership dynamic in the room is. It almost sounds like there's a lot of apathy in there, not a good thing at all.

he mades one comment and he should have been the captain.... Things dont work that way

 

[Omni Owl]

he mades one comment and he should have been the captain.... Things dont work that way

He's the only player that looks like he gives a damn out there. Between Kopi's big contract and getting the C, I think its too much pressure and its showing. We seem to have an apathetic and complacent group right now, makes for a disaster in the making...

 

[SettlementRichie10]

There are a select few here who have seen the writing on the wall for this team all year, and Carter just spoke to our hearts, unfortunately.

Sad to hear the truth. This team is not even close to championship status. Not even in the same ballpark.

 

[kingsfan28]

Sounding like a captain.

Damn straight it does!

 

[kingsholygrail]

The most significant thing he said was that the team is fragile. Giving up even a single goal seems to destroy their game mentally which is absurd for a professional hockey team. This is a far cry from the bend don't break attitude they used to have where yeah, you might give up a ****** goal, but you don't fall apart when you do.

They had this exact same problem last season too.

 

[Omni Owl]

Sutter's act is old, time for a new coach. I'm not sure who could take his place, but its time for a new approach.

 

[KingsFan7824]

The most significant thing he said was that the team is fragile. Giving up even a single goal seems to destroy their game mentally which is absurd for a professional hockey team. This is a far cry from the bend don't break attitude they used to have where yeah, you might give up a ****** goal, but you don't fall apart when you do.

They had this exact same problem last season too.

And the year before that. Like I've been saying, they spend it all in the 2014 playoffs. They've been more first 2 games against SJ since then, than the team that came back against SJ, or Chicago in Game 7, or the Rangers a bunch of times.

Sutter's act is old, time for a new coach. I'm not sure who could take his place, but its time for a new approach.

I don't think Sutter is telling Budaj to not know where he is in relation to the net. Is Kopitar thinking he's got his contract, they can't take his money away, so might as well play not great to spite the coach? Like he's just tired of playing defense? Muzzin got a taste of a real coach on Team Canada, and now doesn't know how to play anymore? What's Carter's excuse for actually showing up? Is he the new teacher's pet?

 

[Basilisk]

That was torturous. Yes, there were at least a couple of bad goals, but it was a team loss. I hope Lombardi is able to pull a rabbit outta his hat, 'cuz we're gunna need one!

 

[lumbergh]

It's time this Martinez-Muzzin experiment ended. Looked completely helpless out there.

Buffalo abused the Kings' man-on-man defense in the offensive zone. Say what you will about the Kings' effort out there, but the Sabres might have exposed a major weakness in the Kings' defense last night.

 

[lumbergh]

The Kings had the tables turned on them last night. This is what other fans must have felt like when their team played the Kings from 2012-14.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Sutter's act is old, time for a new coach. I'm not sure who could take his place, but its time for a new approach.

I've kinda been on this train all season.

There are major issues with this team when the coach is calling them out in the media one game and a player the next.

But to me, it's boiling down to preparation--on one hand, I appreciate that Sutter doesn't try to 'trick' anyone, and our gameplan is almost always exactly the same, it boils down to execution; but on the other hand, I get REALLY sick of teams who have CLEARLY prepared to play us, and seem to get up for the games while we play this even-keeled emotionless game day after day.

I've always been a fan of the philosophy where if 1-5 players suck, it's on the players, but if ALL players (except for 1-2) suck, it's the coach/team approach. We've been more towards the second than the first this season and winning in spite of it.

Though again, a lot of our problems would be masked (not sure if that's good or bad?) with goaltending that didn't hover the .900 line. But then again, I haven't seen the red carpet rolled out in our slot since roughly 2009.

Personally, I'm writing last night off as a house-of-horrors bad game rather than indicative of the whole season, because my god that was a legendarily bad performance not at all typical of this team, but it had also better serve as a wake-up call.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

And Rosen posted a "Waking up with the Kings" that pretty well captured what I felt last night and this morning.

"Buffalo’s second goal was the turning point in the game and the most deflating goal endured this season. The Kings still had the capacity to fight through it – the game was tied on the road and up for grabs – but they weren’t able to ultimately battle back from it. Jack Eichel picked up an exchange with Okposo, drifted to the left point and offered a skittering puck along the ice towards the front of the net that simply snuck in between Budaj’s right pad and the near post; it even surprised the camera operator, who wasn’t able to pan the lens to capture it crossing the goal line. Los Angeles’ save percentage this year is .896, which ranks 29th in the league. The save percentages over the previous five seasons: .915, .911, .922, .905, .924. It’s not at all fair to pin the challenges here on Budaj, who is maximizing his ability after being placed in such a precarious position in which he’s more or less playing every game, save a day of rest here or there. While Budaj played more minutes than any other AHL goalie last season, there’s a bit of difference in pressure, focus, and, obviously, ability between the AHL and the NHL, and it’s at least worth opening the discussion of whether he’s simply drained from having appeared in 25 of the team’s last 26 games. This is a major issue for the Kings, who have a depleted pipeline and a goalie in Jeff Zatkoff who just doesn’t have the trust of Darryl Sutter at this point and hasn’t won a game that he started this season. Something has to happen here to steer clear of a season resembling the 2015-16 Montreal Canadiens, because Jonathan Quick isn’t walking through those doors anytime soon."

https://lakingsinsider.com/2016/12/14/waking-up-with-the-kings-december-14/

To ME, it's really annoying that we can finally score, but that we can't keep the puck out to save our lives...such a flashback to the Crawford era

 

[Scottkmlps]

And Rosen posted a "Waking up with the Kings" that pretty well captured what I felt last night and this morning.

"Buffalo’s second goal was the turning point in the game and the most deflating goal endured this season. The Kings still had the capacity to fight through it – the game was tied on the road and up for grabs – but they weren’t able to ultimately battle back from it. Jack Eichel picked up an exchange with Okposo, drifted to the left point and offered a skittering puck along the ice towards the front of the net that simply snuck in between Budaj’s right pad and the near post; it even surprised the camera operator, who wasn’t able to pan the lens to capture it crossing the goal line. Los Angeles’ save percentage this year is .896, which ranks 29th in the league. The save percentages over the previous five seasons: .915, .911, .922, .905, .924. It’s not at all fair to pin the challenges here on Budaj, who is maximizing his ability after being placed in such a precarious position in which he’s more or less playing every game, save a day of rest here or there. While Budaj played more minutes than any other AHL goalie last season, there’s a bit of difference in pressure, focus, and, obviously, ability between the AHL and the NHL, and it’s at least worth opening the discussion of whether he’s simply drained from having appeared in 25 of the team’s last 26 games. This is a major issue for the Kings, who have a depleted pipeline and a goalie in Jeff Zatkoff who just doesn’t have the trust of Darryl Sutter at this point and hasn’t won a game that he started this season. Something has to happen here to steer clear of a season resembling the 2015-16 Montreal Canadiens, because Jonathan Quick isn’t walking through those doors anytime soon."

https://lakingsinsider.com/2016/12/14/waking-up-with-the-kings-december-14/

To ME, it's really annoying that we can finally score, but that we can't keep the puck out to save our lives...such a flashback to the Crawford era

Although it doesn't give them a reason to completely give up, but that 2nd goal was beyond brutal. Completely deflating. That was a ****ing curling shot. You absolutely can't give up one of those goals at the NHL level.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Although it doesn't give them a reason to completely give up, but that 2nd goal was beyond brutal. Completely deflating. That was a ****ing curling shot. You absolutely can't give up one of those goals at the NHL level.

Totally agree.

I sympathize, though. Someone either in the GDT or earlier in this thread talked about being part of a competitive team and how much of a gut punch a goal like that is. If you have no faith in your goaltender, it's easy to systematically break down psychologically...things like Doughty swinging back and forth vs. the Canes, for example. I think people in general may underestimate the calming effect of having Quick in net--you can count on him. No offense to Budaj who I love, but you can't. At this point, when something like that scores, no wonder they think game over--but they can't/shouldn't because they're professionals. It's tough. Not trying to make excuses for them because Carts is right, but .896 is a league away from what this team is used to, and we're still staying afloat...

 

[Butch 19]

wow - does it feel like 06 or what?

Our "producers" aren't producing ****

I fear it's gonna be a looooong season.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Nobody is going to help Lombardi if he tries to get a goalie. He's got absolutely zero leverage. That 4th round pick you might be willing to give up for some other team's 3rd string goalie, it might have to be a 2nd and a 4th. For a team that right now has trouble filling out an AHL roster with young guys.

 

[fsanford]

Well we always lose in Buffalo, we could score 8 they will score 9, its like Calgary at Anaheim.

That said is there any question, the franchise of this organization is J Quick.

Some say he is not a top 5 goalie in the world, but more often than not he will make that big save to keep the teams psyche stable.

Good on Carter to publically take everyone to task, his numbers and efforts back him up. On NHL network last night they were singing his praises

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Nobody is going to help Lombardi if he tries to get a goalie. He's got absolutely zero leverage. That 4th round pick you might be willing to give up for some other team's 3rd string goalie, it might have to be a 2nd and a 4th. For a team that right now has trouble filling out an AHL roster with young guys.

And that's fine, that's why DL isn't moving picks at stupid prices.

Eventually NYI has to do something with their 3 goalies, right now a bunch of guys are playing poker, and if you're a GM waiting on DL, it won't matter in a week or two as we'd be getting Quick back shortly...so if you want to maximize ANY value, trade soon.

No point in getting bent over the barrel for a band-aid.

Since July, Condon returned a 5th, Nilsson returned a 5th, the Bernier trade was for a conditional pick and included retention as well as a follow up to the Andersen trade so that's more complicated.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Well ****, forget what I just said re: bandaid, haha