GDT: 2020-21 season game 54 LA Kings vs St. Louis Blues @6:00pm 5/10/21

[Reclamation Project]

Vilardi working with Stoll on face-offs, very cool!

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Gotta root for a Sharks win over the Golden Knights, Sens win over the Leafs, the Flames to gain a point or more in their 4 remaining games, and the Canucks to gain 5 points in their remaining 6 games, and two Kings losses.

In this best case scenario, it would slot the Kings in the highest possible spot they can land at #7, as Seattle has the 3rd best odds to win the draft lottery.

 

[kingsfan28]

LMAO 5-1-2 vs the Blues. Assuming that's our only winning record against all of the Pac division.

2-6 vs SJ -Martin F-ing Jones!
3-4-1 vs the Ducks
4-4 vs ARZ ?

Besides the obvious nose dive the 2nd half of the season, this is why we didn't make the playoffs. 20 points went to teams below us.

 

[Fishhead]

This season is only 56 freakin games long and it seems like it's gone on forever, and we have 2 more games left. Sort of happy it's finally ending can't imagine another 26 games of this disaster.

As shitty as it's been, the Kings have 2 more regulation wins than St. Louis, one less than Montreal, and two less than Nashville, who are all playoff teams. They aren't as terrible as they look out there, which is something to hang on to.

 

[Reaper45]

As shitty as it's been, the Kings have 2 more regulation wins than St. Louis, one less than Montreal, and two less than Nashville, who are all playoff teams. They aren't as terrible as they look out there, which is something to hang on to.

26 more games and they might’ve squeaked into the playoffs.

 

[tomd]

26 more games and they might’ve squeaked into the playoffs.

Or 26 fewer games with MacDermid in the lineup. His presence alone probably cost the team 5 wins this year.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Hey Torts, what does this team lack?

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Already talking about plans to golf in the postgame show.

 

[tbrown33]

I thought he was terrible tonight. Sloppy all over the ice. Did he not get a star this year? Does everyone get a trophy?

After Wagner took his pointless offensive zone tripping penalty in the third, he got the puck coming out of the box, took it wide, passed up a shot, skated around the net, and blindly backhanded it straight to the defenseman in the corner.

Second star of the game!

 

[KopitarFAN]

So now Colorado controls their own destiny for the division, Wednesday & Thursday are gonna be ugly.

 

[Butch 19]

Yet another OT loss without the Kings even touching the puck.

And the next 2 seasons won't be any better (at minimum)

 

[tny760]

Or 26 fewer games with MacDermid in the lineup. His presence alone probably cost the team 5 wins this year.

f***in guy doesn't even play and it's still "f***ing macdermid"

unreal

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Surprised Iafallo is able to shoot the puck like that.

That was very nice.

 

[lumbergh]

Gabe Vilardi:
Last 8 games, 4 goals 3 assists, 7 points
Preceding 11 games, 0 goals 1 assist, 1 point.

Which one do we get next season?

 

[Bandit]

Gabe Vilardi:
Last 8 games, 4 goals 3 assists, 7 points
Preceding 11 games, 0 goals 1 assist, 1 point.

Which one do we get next season?

He'll be a second year player, so the answer is probably "both".

 

[KopitarFAN]

Gabe Vilardi:
Last 8 games, 4 goals 3 assists, 7 points
Preceding 11 games, 0 goals 1 assist, 1 point.

Which one do we get next season?

Probably both. He's still played less than 100 pro games.

 

[RaymondReddington]

My wife was shocked that it was ending but that's because I don't really make time for the Kings anymore, or at least rarely at her expense anymore.

She's going to be bummed if they are ever good again.

Compliments, dates......and lots of chocolate

 

[King'sPawn]

Probably both. He's still played less than 100 pro games.

Heck, he's played less than a season of NHL games.

 

[BigKing]

My Vilardi take is that he needs the puck on his stick to be effective. This team has major issues carrying the puck into the zone but also isn't very good at dumping and chasing since there is usually only one forechecker. Vilardi's dry spells feature games where it feels like he never touched the puck in the offensive zone. Now, he needs to be more assertive when that's the case but, still, it feels like this system doesn't play to his strengths.

Iafallo is probably the best guy on the team on getting in on the forecheck and actually doing enough as the first guy in to either get the puck himself or disrupt the play to where the puck isn't easily cleared or passed out of the zone. You've got him playing with Vilardi now and then a guy in Andersson who likes to go to the net and has his own skillset of little cute plays like Vilardi. Iafallo is going to help any line he is on and I feel like Vilardi and Andersson think the game in the same way. Small sample size but it would be nice to see the two of them continue to play well together next season.

Vilardi's whole deal as a prospect was something like "nobody better from the dots to the boards in the offensive zone" or something like that. He hasn't shown that type of play like he did in the OHL where guys were just hanging on his back as he controlled the puck but he does show the quick hands and vision: he just needs the opportunity to handle the puck in the zone and to play with guys that aren't going to be surprised by a great pass.

I'm still just concerned with his strength. You'd like him to be playing at a heavier weight which would allow him to control the puck with his back turned to defenders a lot better but then he could be even slower. I had visions of this Jason Allison type of control down low but Vilardi gets knocked around way too easily at this point in time.

 

[Fishhead]

I don’t think Vilardi needs to work on his speed so much as his balance. He’s still young so there is definitely strength to be gained. If he can get his core stronger and that center of gravity going, look out.

He does remind of Allison - similar size, similar early numbers, good vision, below average skating, etc. I’m pretty sure Allison broke in as a winger, though. Gabe is a bit quicker and more dynamic than I remember Allison being, but then again that could just be the playstyle differences between the two times. Both definitely need to be with a board guy/retriever (Deadmarsh) and a triggerman (Palffy) to do their best.

 

[KopitarFAN]

I don’t think Vilardi needs to work on his speed so much as his balance. He’s still young so there is definitely strength to be gained. If he can get his core stronger and that center of gravity going, look out.

He does remind of Allison - similar size, similar early numbers, good vision, below average skating, etc. I’m pretty sure Allison broke in as a winger, though. Gabe is a bit quicker and more dynamic than I remember Allison being, but then again that could just be the playstyle differences between the two times. Both definitely need to be with a board guy/retriever (Deadmarsh) and a triggerman (Palffy) to do their best.

Seems like you just described Iafallo - Byfield - Vilardi. That's basically been Iafallo's job on the Kopitar line, and the way Byfield plays the game, just a thought.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

If Iafallo and Vilardi click, we need another Iafallo for Kopitar.

 

[cyclones22]

I've been saying this all season, thank you for wording it better than I have. It's part of why I was so annoyed at the linemates that TMc has been sticking him with. It's not really a surprise that Gabe has begun to turn it up with Moore prior and now Iafallo on his line. Both of those guys kill it in possession and that's exactly what Gabe needs to compliment him, not 2 speed wingers who aren't great on the cycle or forecheck. Sticking Wagner and AA on his wing isn't development, that's counter-productive. In the pipeline Turcotte has those complimentary skills and so does Madden. Now do they move Turcotte to the wing or do they interchange he and Vilardi? Madden at this point I hope he fully recovers from that cheap shot.

 

[Sol]

As shitty as it's been, the Kings have 2 more regulation wins than St. Louis, one less than Montreal, and two less than Nashville, who are all playoff teams. They aren't as terrible as they look out there, which is something to hang on to.

I don't appreciate the positivity.

 

[KINGS17]

This season is only 56 freakin games long and it seems like it's gone on forever, and we have 2 more games left. Sort of happy it's finally ending can't imagine another 26 games of this disaster.

...but the Kings were just getting warmed up to move up in the draft.

On a serious note, I think this shortened season has shown the NHL could reduce the schedule from 82 to 72 games, and no one would mind.