GDT: 2019-20 GM#61 LA Kings vs Florida Panthers @7:30pm 2/20/20

[HeadInjury]

I'm sure they will. He's an RFA and I don't think he is going to command that much of a raise where the Kings would simply walk away from him.

This could be on of those classic cases of a guy just not getting much of an opportunity and/or being utilized properly with one organization and going to another and becoming a good fit and used to this strengths.

I missed the game, but judging by being up to 15 pages in the game day thread (usually it averages about 5-6) I am assuming Vilardi had a very solid debut.

Boxscore shows 1+1. Good stuff. Keep 'er going Gabe.

He looked like an NHL player. Similar to Kopitar in his debut when you could tell he had what it takes.

His goal was a bit lucky, but his assist on Frk's goal was a thing of beauty.

He also won 13 of 16 faceoffs.

 

[regulate]

How the heck did he not get an opportunity in Detroit?

He had 1 goal in 30 games with the Wings last season.

 

[Bandit]

He had 1 goal in 30 games with the Wings last season.

Was probably Adbelkader’s fault...

 

[cyclones22]

He looked like an NHL player. Similar to Kopitar in his debut when you could tell he had what it takes.

His goal was a bit lucky, but his assist on Frk's goal was a thing of beauty.

He also won 13 of 16 faceoffs.

You know the goods when you see it. His performance last night wasn't based upon puck luck, which is unsustainable. It was his plays on the puck, passes to open teammates on the break-out when he's got the attention of multiple defenders, stick handling through traffic, making the smart decision and doing it quickly and of course, the vision. You can plainly see that he thinks the game on another level that only Kopitar and Doughty are capable of doing on this roster. THAT is what is going to make him special.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

How the heck did he not get an opportunity in Detroit?

Well, he's kind of a liability on defense. He's exactly the kind of player a good possession team needs--a guy who is dangerous in the ozone and can finish possession--but on a terrible possession team like Detroit, he just gets caved in all night. You can't hide him in a mediocre/bad lineup.

 

[killermiller]

I don't know if anyone said it yet but Tim Schaller is a better player then Trevor Lewis.

 

[Bandit]

I don't know if anyone said it yet but Tim Schaller is a better player then Trevor Lewis.

At this point a severed head is a better player than Trevor Lewis.

 

[HeadInjury]

I'm somewhat surprised there is an apparent market for Lewis. He seems to have aged a lot this year.

 

[cyclones22]

Well, he's kind of a liability on defense. He's exactly the kind of player a good possession team needs--a guy who is dangerous in the ozone and can finish possession--but on a terrible possession team like Detroit, he just gets caved in all night. You can't hide him in a mediocre/bad lineup.

Good observation. Frk would've been a really bad fit on last season's Kings team.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

I don't know if anyone said it yet but Tim Schaller is a better player then Trevor Lewis.

I agree.

 

[head eyes]

I don't know if anyone said it yet but Tim Schaller is a better player then Trevor Lewis.

True. He had some good forechecking and brought the puck to the net a few times. He plays a style that no one else on the Kings currently plays.

 

[TruKingFan]

I'm somewhat surprised there is an apparent market for Lewis. He seems to have aged a lot this year.

I like Lewis but the injuries have clearly taken its toll on him.

 

[BigKing]

Got home late from a concert and passed out sometime before the end of the first but zero surprise that he scored on his first shift since I couldn't go due to a Miranda Lambert concert with the wife, at Honda Center no less.

Fun to read the GDT this morning. The only real glimmer of hope over the last two seasons. While Lizotte/Walker/Roy et al are nice little surprises, they don't move the needle. This is the kind of player that does so it is nice to see him have such a great first game.

Also nice to see everyone popping boners and it being totally justified as opposed to trying hype up Leipsic or something. Nice to see a 10 v. watching everyone trying to talk themselves in to a 4.

 

[Little Psycho]

Frkin crazy. Someone said Bob had to get a new stick after that

 

[kingsholygrail]

Frkin crazy. Someone said Bob had to get a new stick after that

So that was a goal that Bob caught with the butt of his stick. Frk has been impressive. He may be a one-trick but it's a trick we can really use.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Bob had to shake his hand off after that too. Good lord.

Toffoli undoubtedly the more rounded NHLer but Frk’s shot is exactly what we had always hoped for out of TT. Not many guys who can just raw overpower NHL goalies these days, Frk is a rarity.

 

[8randyn]

The girl that dumped popcorn on them tho

 

[Frolov 6'3]

The girl that dumped popcorn on them tho

Good music at the background too.

Nice

 

[tny760]

those are some expensive seats to get yourself kicked out of

 

[tbrown33]

Frkin crazy. Someone said Bob had to get a new stick after that

man does Frk really put a lot of weight into his shots - he can barely stay upright on the follow throughs. not a knock at all - love to see it.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

once the young talent starts emerging that it will energise DD (and others) and he will look like the guy we remember once again. Tonight did not change my thinking. Once we get more positivity in the line up the remaining vets will be better.

100% agree. Obviously we don't know for sure how it's all going to shape up, but I've had this feeling for a while too.

Seeing high end guys like Vilardi and others come up and make an impact on this team will almost surely re-energize Doughty and other vets. Players like Doughty almost definitely still have the skill/ability, there just isn't much for them to play for at this point. And with how competitive the NHL is right now, that really shows. It's a rebuild. They have their contracts, they have their cups, and they know the team around them isn't capable of doing anything significant in this league.

Obviously you'd hope they would still give 110% or whatever but it's not hard to realize why they probably aren't right now. Vilardi and others will provide a huge spark that turns that fire back on for vets, especially a guy like Doughty.

 

[3firstnames]

Also nice to see everyone popping boners and it being totally justified

This could be the nicest thing you've ever said...to me, at least...

 

[KINGS17]

100% agree. Obviously we don't know for sure how it's all going to shape up, but I've had this feeling for a while too.

Seeing high end guys like Vilardi and others come up and make an impact on this team will almost surely re-energize Doughty and other vets. Players like Doughty almost definitely still have the skill/ability, there just isn't much for them to play for at this point. And with how competitive the NHL is right now, that really shows. It's a rebuild. They have their contracts, they have their cups, and they know the team around them isn't capable of doing anything significant in this league.

Obviously you'd hope they would still give 110% or whatever but it's not hard to realize why they probably aren't right now. Vilardi and others will provide a huge spark that turns that fire back on for vets, especially a guy like Doughty.

Just the kind of leaders we have all been hoping for, the kids, not the vets.

 

[Steve Zissou]

The girl that dumped popcorn on them tho

Hot damn looked like a chick fight to the right of the camera.

 

[kingsfan28]

I like Lewis but the injuries have clearly taken its toll on him.

and age. he's lost more than a few steps, and no longer does what he used to do that kept him in the league for so long. He's one of the guys DL shouldn't have given another contract to, or been moved out a few years ago.