GDT: 2/27/17 LA Kings @ Minnesota Wild | 5 PM PST, TV: NBC Sports|Radio: 790 KABC

[Reaper45]

Kempe is fast. Hes got NHL wheels for sure. He does not have an NHL brain yet. I see flashes of talent and then flashes of career AHL'er.

 

[Kingspiracy]

Kopitar struggles have been ongoing since Oct , when 2 things changed for him, a new 80M contract and the weight of the Captaincy. Not every player, no matter how elite, adapts and adjusts to pressure. With that new contract and that 'C' comes an enormous amount of pressure and expectations on his shoulders. I think it's the weight of that , not an injury, that is the cause of the mire. The team struggling all year trying to make the playoffs after 2 prior years of failure only add to that.
How many times have you heard a player (and he's been one of them) say how hard the mental challenge is to overcome when you're struggling? With that C, it's not just a solo scoring slump he's facing, its the team's failings as well. And it's around him all the time. It might not be this year, but he'll have to come to terms with it, square his shoulders and bear the weight.

Three things, a new baby in the house as well.

I thought it was an interesting comment that they said during the wild game re Brown and his improving play this year. Brown apparently said something about now being able to not worry about the game once he gets home. That 'C' is a tough gig by the look of it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

At least people are seeing at the NHL level the inconsistencies he's had at the AHL level too.

I guess it's sort of promising that ALL of that has translated

In some ways, he looks better--surrounded by better flow and players who can make plays, and he has vision and touch I haven't seen much in the AHL level--but in some ways, he looks MUCh worse, especially in terms of physicality. But I don't think you can teach that kind of speed and vision, which is why that scouting report suggested he would be a NHL player for sure, but the ceiling is the question.

 

[Basilisk]

Slow-pi-tar was on the ice for at least 3 of those Wild goals, including the game winner. Are we paying him $10 million a year to be a pylon? Jeez!

 

[Reclamation Project]

Bon Jovi

Guns N' Roses ain't hair metal. Pure hard rock.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Crappy OT. A win in Calgary would get this road trip 3 of 4 points, good enough for a 95 pt season. Unfortunately, Kings also missed the playoffs with 95 points in 2015. We're gonna need help from around the league on Calgary and Nashville.

Right now the target is St.Louis.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Kopitar, Doughty, and Quick getting beat by Granlund was a little too reminiscent of Kopitar, Doughty, and Quick getting beat by Pavelski in the playoffs last year.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Guns N' Roses ain't hair metal. Pure hard rock.

Man, G n' R back in the day.

 

[deeshamrock]

At least people are seeing at the NHL level the inconsistencies he's had at the AHL level too.

I guess it's sort of promising that ALL of that has translated

In some ways, he looks better--surrounded by better flow and players who can make plays, and he has vision and touch I haven't seen much in the AHL level--but in some ways, he looks MUCh worse, especially in terms of physicality. But I don't think you can teach that kind of speed and vision, which is why that scouting report suggested he would be a NHL player for sure, but the ceiling is the question.

No, you can't. Hockey IQ and broad ice vision are something that players have or they don't. And you can see it in players who have it and use it well. Kempe is young and his background would indicate he has the tools to be a very good professional player, however, the transition from MODO to the AHL is a big step and then the NHL a bigger one. Not every European player adjusts to the speed and skill of the North American game at the same rate.
And not every player becomes the NHL high end player their pre draft book suggests they will
He appears to have a good head on his shoulders, is willing to learn, work hard, and if given stability with the same linemates, should be able to develop into a good top 6 winger. But it's going to take some time. For some young players, it takes to about the 200 game mark to start to really settle in , in their 3rd season.