GDT: 2020-21 season game 8 LA Kings vs Minnesota Wild @5:00pm 1/28/21

[Raccoon Jesus]

What Todd actually said:

"Well, it’s been a messed-up day from for a minute one really to tell you the truth. I got to call at about 6:30 this morning, notified that that Andreas [Athanasiou] was positive, and then the whole thing kicked into place. Our pre-game skate was screwed up because there was a number of other guys through contact tracing that had to get re-tested, we had the taxi squad ready to go, we found out late that the players were going to be available to us. That whole thing was, it’s funny. I was lying to you guys at noon when we talked about “were we going to make any changes to the roster”, we knew then, but I didn’t know if it was going to be six or one or anything like that. Talked about bumps and bruises and having to get an update that I had that information then, but I didn’t know what I could share with you, and that’s how messed up the day was as far as Covid goes. We’re not in a normal world, we’re lucky we get to be doing the things we’re doing right now, and we’ll take care of each other and come back and play again."

And then goes on to elucidate how losing players mid game further affects the psyche, what a day these guys all had. Thank goodness it's the end of the trip.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Crazy how quickly things can change, eh?

RHD was looking really really good, and we were trying to figure out which LHD pieces would stick for a while...now we're down to Drew and a gap that goes all the way down to Alt/Durzi, and we may have to put together a d-core with certainly Drew, Clague, Anderson....and then possibly Maatta, Macdermid, Alt and then dipping to the Reign for Bjornfot, Durzi

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Crazy how quickly things can change, eh?

RHD was looking really really good, and we were trying to figure out which LHD pieces would stick for a while...now we're down to Drew and a gap that goes all the way down to Alt/Durzi, and we may have to put together a d-core with certainly Drew, Clague, Anderson....and then possibly Maatta, Macdermid, Alt and then dipping to the Reign for Bjornfot, Durzi

I guess this is an opportunity for Clague to get some unprotected minutes. We’ll see how he performs. A nice break is very helpful beneficial. Hope at least one of Roy/Walker can play on Tuesday.

 

[Steve Zissou]

I'm done with the Lizotte experiment. He was getting absolutely manhandled out there tonight. Amadio looked awful as well.

 

[Token]

NSFW

Viewer Discretion Advised.

Getty Images has a still of Walker leaking quite a bit. It’s a rather graphic.

looks like he took the puck on the cheekbone near the nose. Sinus might be involved.

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/los-angeles-kings-defenceman-sean-walker-is-bloodied-after-news-photo/1230846449

 

[tny760]

NSFW

Viewer Discretion Advised.

Getty Images has a still of Walker leaking quite a bit. It’s a rather graphic.

looks like he took the puck on the cheekbone near the nose. Sinus might be involved.

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/los-angeles-kings-defenceman-sean-walker-is-bloodied-after-news-photo/1230846449

can only hope it's just a pressure cut, sure looked like he caught it square on the orbital under the eye though

the sheer amount of blood so quickly made me assume his nose was shattered

 

[bouncesonly]

That washed up defenseman Drew Doughty is currently 8th in points and tied for 1st in goals among defensemen. What a scrub /s

 

[kilowatt]

This is a pretty interesting storyline. I think in general, as @Raccoon Jesus has pointed out on several occasions, our second line just isn't working. And really, if the Wild send out 6'6, 240 Jordan Greenway and 6'4, 225 Marcus Foligno out against 5'6, 170 Blake Lizotte, what can he do? I like Lizotte as a third- or fourth-line spark plug, but he's so laughably in over his head that I really feel for him.

I think Carter has looked pretty good though and I'd love to see him up with Kempe and Kopitar. That gives us approximate one line with talent, but it's probably better than none.

Kempe - Kopitar - Carter
Iafallo - Vilardi - Grundstrom
Andersson - JAD - Brown
Wagner - Lizotte - Moore

Bjornfot - Doughty
Anderson - Clague
Maatta - Durzi

I'd still really love to give JAD a chance here.

 

[Docgonzo]

I like Lizotte but he’s 100% a 4th line energy center. Kings need to figure out who fills out 2nd and 3rd line centers and put Lizotte on 4th. He just gets pushed around too much to count on to play bigger minutes.

So I’d do what Kilowatt said and go Kopitar, Vilardi, JAD and Lizotte for now. Try something different, I rather have Lizotte’s energy than Amadio.

 

[kilowatt]

In case anyone wanted to continue feeling angry:

 

[Statto]

This isn’t an anti-MCD post.

But not sure how any enforcer is a deterrent for stuff like that? Like a guy isn’t thinking about a fight when making a hit like that?

Roy definitely done for the game.

Enforcers don’t stop anything, they never had done. All they do is make this sort of stuff more likely as it becomes tit for tat. The league and refs need to deal with it properly. If the suspensions were more substantial they’d soon stop it.

 

[Bandit]

In case anyone wanted to continue feeling angry:

But what else could Fiala dooooooooo??????

f***ing assclown.

 

[FrozenKing18]

In case anyone wanted to continue feeling angry:

bandwith exceeded.

photobucket flashbacks

 

[Lt Dan]

NSFW

Viewer Discretion Advised.

Getty Images has a still of Walker leaking quite a bit. It’s a rather graphic.

looks like he took the puck on the cheekbone near the nose. Sinus might be involved.

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/los-angeles-kings-defenceman-sean-walker-is-bloodied-after-news-photo/1230846449

If his sinus is involved, he will be out a LONG time

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

How has Clague been??? Always had high hopes for him since his junior days when he was dominating

Is he there to stay now??

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

 

[head eyes]

Are there any advanced stats on falls per shift? I'm certain he'd lead the league in that.

 

[Bandit]

Are there any advanced stats on falls per shift? I'm certain he'd lead the league in that.

Lizotte? I think you mean Amadio. f***ing guy fell down on the powerplay without the puck with nobody within 20 feet of him.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This is a pretty interesting storyline. I think in general, as @Raccoon Jesus has pointed out on several occasions, our second line just isn't working. And really, if the Wild send out 6'6, 240 Jordan Greenway and 6'4, 225 Marcus Foligno out against 5'6, 170 Blake Lizotte, what can he do? I like Lizotte as a third- or fourth-line spark plug, but he's so laughably in over his head that I really feel for him.

I think Carter has looked pretty good though and I'd love to see him up with Kempe and Kopitar. That gives us approximate one line with talent, but it's probably better than none.

Kempe - Kopitar - Carter
Iafallo - Vilardi - Grundstrom
Andersson - JAD - Brown
Wagner - Lizotte - Moore

Bjornfot - Doughty
Anderson - Clague
Maatta - Durzi

I'd still really love to give JAD a chance here.

I don't remember who said it--might even have been TM himself--but Vilardi has to earn that 2C spot. He's not been great the last couple of games and I'm wondering if that 6-in-10 really got to him in particular. Remember that this is the first summer he's been able to actually grow/work out rather than just rehab. That's kind of the catch-22 we have going right now.

How has Clague been??? Always had high hopes for him since his junior days when he was dominating

Is he there to stay now??

I think he's here to stay...he'll probably fade a little and start rotating in and out but he's clearly done with the AHL. But the guy has constantly been eating 16 to 18 minutes on a shit team in a #4 role and looking really really good doing it. We'll see what happens now that Matty Roy is probably out.

Are there any advanced stats on falls per shift? I'm certain he'd lead the league in that.

I'm okay with that because he's low to the ground so he pops up quick

 

[3firstnames]

I know who I'm going to be adding to my ignore list, I'll give you a hint. Their name is 3 letters in all-caps with a really dumb avatar.

Meh...give em a break. They live in Minnesota

 

[3firstnames]

In case anyone wanted to continue feeling angry:

Was lurking on the wild GDT during the game. The general consensus was that he "lost his footing" and Fiala wasn't at fault.

I'm not kidding.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

In case anyone wanted to continue feeling angry:

Gonna be in the minority here.....bad hit, absolutely suspension incoming, but I don't think it was his intent to make a hit, I think he wanted to wrap him up, and carry him into the boards, in this slow mo, you can actually see him take his hand off the stick to go wrap him up, and then a combination of Roy going to stop, and Fiala not reading the situation correctly caused it.... does it excuse it, no of course not, but I don't think it's as vicious as people are trying to make it to be.

 

[lumbergh]

Gonna be in the minority here.....bad hit, absolutely suspension incoming, but I don't think it was his intent to make a hit, I think he wanted to wrap him up, and carry him into the boards, in this slow mo, you can actually see him take his hand off the stick to go wrap him up, and then a combination of Roy going to stop, and Fiala not reading the situation correctly caused it.... does it excuse it, no of course not, but I don't think it's as vicious as people are trying to make it to be.

I disagree. He goes in ready to hit Roy, and pushes with two hands. Kids coming up these days need to be trained not to hit a guy in the numbers 2 meters from the boards. Just a textbook example of what not to do. Obviously he didn't go in there intending to seriously hurt Roy, but it's still a bad play. Fiala knew it a second after he ran Roy's head into the boards.

It matters a little that he didn't mean to cause injury, but there's no excuse for that awful hit. Textbook. They'll be showing that clip in training videos for years.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

I disagree. He goes in ready to hit Roy, and pushes with two hands. Kids coming up these days need to be trained not to hit a guy in the numbers 2 meters from the boards. Just a textbook example of what not to do. Obviously he didn't go in there intending to seriously hurt Roy, but it's still a bad play. Fiala knew it a second after he ran Roy's head into the boards.

It matters a little that he didn't mean to cause injury, but there's no excuse for that awful hit. Textbook. They'll be showing that clip in training videos for years.

Watch his hand go around the waist, that's not indicative of a push

 

[3firstnames]

Gonna be in the minority here.....bad hit, absolutely suspension incoming, but I don't think it was his intent to make a hit, I think he wanted to wrap him up, and carry him into the boards, in this slow mo, you can actually see him take his hand off the stick to go wrap him up, and then a combination of Roy going to stop, and Fiala not reading the situation correctly caused it.... does it excuse it, no of course not, but I don't think it's as vicious as people are trying to make it to be.

I can see your argument that it was unintentional. The game happens fast. Guys are making decisions within a millisecond time frame. But wild fans are shrugging their shoulders and even shedding some of the blame onto Roy. The reality is there was no need for this kind of hit. He's more than an entire body length from the boards