I dunno, why beat up on a vet who physically just doesn't have it anymore.TM can call out Kempe, but not Carter? He has one empty net assist only and zero goals or real assists in 6 games and team worst minus 6. And got over 18 minutes last night. Is he looking better than last year? Yes, he's moving better, looks engaged and better effort, but if TM is talking about 'results, expecting more production'...well, Jeff Carter is the poster boy for that. I hope they are expecting more than 1 empty net assist in 6 games from him. At least Kempe has 2 real assists.
TM can call out Kempe, but not Carter? He has one empty net assist only and zero goals or real assists in 6 games and team worst minus 6. And got over 18 minutes last night. Is he looking better than last year? Yes, he's moving better, looks engaged and better effort, but if TM is talking about 'results, expecting more production'...well, Jeff Carter is the poster boy for that. I hope they are expecting more than 1 empty net assist in 6 games from him. At least Kempe has 2 real assists.
he was asked about Kempe not CarterTM can call out Kempe, but not Carter? He has one empty net assist only and zero goals or real assists in 6 games and team worst minus 6. And got over 18 minutes last night. Is he looking better than last year? Yes, he's moving better, looks engaged and better effort, but if TM is talking about 'results, expecting more production'...well, Jeff Carter is the poster boy for that. I hope they are expecting more than 1 empty net assist in 6 games from him. At least Kempe has 2 real assists.
Shut up with those stupid facts...he was asked about Kempe not Carter
Was 2-2-0 the high water mark for the season??
Could be. (or... more than likely)
I still think we've probably seen .500 for the last time this year, which is fine. Time will tell.I don't think so. Look at the teams we've played.
Edmonton 5-1: 1st in the conference.
Carolina 6-1: 1st in the league
Vancouver 3-2, but 2-3 games behind everyone else, points percentage up with the conference leaders.
We beat Nashville, a legit contender who is tied for 2nd in the conference and just whooped VGK 5-2, and Calgary, who despite their faults is a current Wild Card team.
All of this while getting league-worst goaltending and special teams and figuring out who should be doing what as well as a new system with multiple back-to-backs and other teams' home openers.
And all the while it's been mostly fun and we're literally a top-tier possession team (vs. powerhouses no less), just a literal bottom of the barrel defensive/goaltending/special teams team for now.
I still think we've probably seen .500 for the last time this year, which is fine. Time will tell.
I don't know why everybody is so upset by Iafallo skating on the top line. He was there for Kopitar's career season and thus far this year both him and Brown are off to fantastic starts. It feels like people are just obsessed with the outdated view of a Scoring Line 1, Scoring Line 2, Checking Line and an energy/grit line along with a clear gap of a top 6 and a bottom 6. Modern successful teams distribute their offense to all lines and focus on line chemistry rather than overloading one dominant line. Iafallo is a perfect complimentary player for Brown and Kopitar, he does all of the dirty work and is not a liability in any zone. You don't need 40+ points from him, you need him supporting Brown and Kopitar so they can find success. This also allows the scoring forward you would replace him with to produce on lines when Kopitar and Brown are not on the ice.
Watching our PP last night I thought Jamie Kompon was in charge of it again!our D actually did not disappoint. PP looked awful though. Put Kovalchuk on the point and let him run the show
Iafallo on the top line is a problem if the team was a contender. Since it isn't, nobody should be upset.
Why would it be a problem? Do you think he is holding the line back?
Because he isn't a legit Top 6 winger and definitely not a first line talent.
Is he holding the line back? Depends on how you look at it. Put a true #1LW on that line and they would score more so yes, he is holding the line back. Is he holding the line back when looked through the lens of if the Kings put any other guys on the roster up there instead? No he is not.
He does some nice stuff but he is not a finisher or exceptional facilitator. He is good at hounding the puck, a trait that helps on the first line since both Kopitar and Brown aren't necessarily going gangbusters into the corners to fish out pucks. While it is true that he played the majority of Kopitar's best season as his LW, he also only had 25 points. That season is all on Kopitar simply beasting and asserting himself on the ice. He's gone back to being Perimitar which will probably lead to 70 points but, as we saw in 2018, this team needs him to put up 90+ just to make the playoffs.
I don't dislike Iafallo one bit. Nice player and one of (the only?) feather in Blake's cap as it relates to the NHL product since he took over. You win games in this league with guys like him, but its with guys like him contributing on a really good 3rd line--or even 4th line--where he can get much more favorable defensive match-ups.
Kopitar is currently on pace for 27 goals and 109 points. I think calling him Perimitar so far this year is kind of garbage.
Iafallo is a fantastic complement. Yeah maybe in a perfect world we get a 'true' top-six guy there like some of the powerhouse teams do but there was a 30 point gap between Stamkos and Kucherov and another 50 point gap between them and any other forward, so maybe not.
I also think 1. we don't know what he is for sure yet--Iafallo was one of only two Kings players who improved their production (and pretty largely too) last season, he could end up being that guy, 50+ points next to Kopitar and Brown is Williams territory and 2. as you point out there's no real 'better' option right now so no harm, no foul. He's creative, tenacious, and pretty speedy, which will all be important as Brown and Kopitar age, too.
If Iafallo had hands he'd be a terrific complement to the top line but he simply does not!
This guy improved his production because Kopi has created chances and even hand delivered a few which Iafallo still misses with regularity. Dont misread or misinterpret Iafallo's uptick in scoring as legitimate improvement, The kid would be awesome on the 3rd/4th line.
Better options in my book would be Grundstrom, Toffoli, maybe even Wagner who is a faster, bigger, more physical and better scoring version of Iafallo..
He's gone back to being Perimitar which will probably lead to 70 points but, as we saw in 2018, this team needs him to put up 90+ just to make the playoffs.
Kopitar - 117 faceoffs, 53%
Carter - 83 faceoffs, 53%
Kempe - 44 faceoffs, 38.6%
Amadio - 69 faceoffs, 37.7%