Speculation: 2021-22 LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster Thread Part VI

[King'sPawn]

Ducks fans complained about Getzlaf the same way Kings fans do about Kopitar. That he doesn't shoot enough.

I swear so many fans are suffering from grass is greener syndrome, and they're really going to miss Kopitar, Doughty, etc, when they are completely gone.

 

[Fishhead]

I dunno. Anyone who is such a good guy and captain that they celebrate when we score against them in the playoffs is OK in my book.

 

[KingLB]

Getzlaf led the Ducks in scoring and had the highest time on ice among forwards en route to the Cup in 2007. He was no passenger. Perry was second in scoring and averaged 16 minutes per game, no slouch there either. I hate the guys, and yes they had a good team, but they were crucial players for the Ducks on that run.

As an aside, Pronger, Niedermayer, and Beauchemin were each averaging 30 minutes per night in the playoffs though. Just bonkers.

I know what he was. I chose 5 very carefully. That team was built on defense. If anything it was built on those 3 defenders, goaltending, and maybe the best shutdown line ever.

 

[BigBrown]

Are we talking about the same Ryan Getzlaf here? Over Kopitar? The guy with one goal this season? Someone you have to go back 7 seasons to find more than 14 goals? That Getzlaf? This board would absolutely be hating his guts if he were the captain of the Kings.

What's the matter with you people. Yes so he fights once in a blue moon. Big whoop.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Kopitar is a first ballot HOF player. The only accolade Anze doesn’t have is international medals, but it is completely unfair to even factor that into a decision. But if we’re talking hardware, even without any team Slovenia success, Anze has Getzlaf beat.

Getzlaf is worthy of consideration and will probably retire before Kopitar. I think if/when Getlaf gets into the hall is totally dependent on the rest of the class any given year.

 

[bland]

I think this is debateable at best.

As captain, I like Getzlaf stepping up for his dudes, but he also has a history of being petulant little bitch when he doesn't get his way, and while the mythos of 'angry getzlaf' is awesome--he sometimes channels it in a way in which he just takes over and is better than Malkin imo--more often than not it results in falling apart, chucking his stick and throwing up his arms, pissy body language.

Also as a 1C they couldn't hide Getzlaf from Kopitar hard enough, they went out and got Kesler specifically to do so.

There isn't really an argument though, at least not a homer one.

Getzlaf has never failed to take ownership of his teams, he has always led from front and center. His teams have made the playoffs 11 times in his career, 5 more than Anze, and he has 120 points in 125 career playoff games.

Kopitar is a fine role model, but is in no way shape or form a leader. He is at the side of his teammates, never the front.

Getzlaf always played the #1 center role perfectly. He was the team's focal point and fully embraced the role of offensive leader. He has had poor seasons for sure, but he never hid from that responsibility. Kopitar has always been reluctant to put his team on his back and take charge when needed. He has led his team in scoring as a matter of happenstance as its best player, but he has only once ever forcibly taken the wheel to drive, and that was the reverse sweep against San Jose. Far too often he has had the opportunity to lead from the front again and he hasn't even tried.

I made an argument in 2010 that Kopitar is simply the wrong type of personality to lead a team. It is just who he is, not a crime or shortcoming. That has been proven so over and over again throughout the years, and I would suggest one would have to be wearing blinders to ignore it because it is blatantly obvious stuff. Terrific, purest hockey player imaginable, but a lousy leader. Nobody plays to their best, nobody overachieves with Anze as captain - everybody just settles for what comes.

 

[BigKing]

I think Getzlaf is the better offensive talent but Kopitar is the better overall player.

You can't take away the '07 Cup from Getzlaf and Perry but most non-Ducks fans almost forget they were part of that run along with Penner. They think about the defense and the shutdown line but the rookies were great for them. The issue is that when those two were the best players on legit contenders, they folded numerous times in big spots: most notably the Game 6 and then home Game 7 losses to the Kings and Hawks in consecutive seasons. Bad break in 2017 with Gibson going down in the WCF but I feel like the 2014 and '15 teams kind of define them as those were just soul crushing losses.

This board would love Getzlaf and what is deemed whining on this board would be deemed toughness if he was a King. We've got numerous posters applauding Lemieux for biting a guy so let's get real about how we would feel about him if he was a King instead of a Duck. Perry as well. In fact, Perry has rehabbed his image a bit in my eyes by continuing to grind out there and dropping the gloves a little more than he used to.

You've got Getzlaf answering the bell at his age on a going-nowhere-team last season whenever someone took liberties with one of his teammates. Meanwhile, the Kings are fine with a rookie defenseman getting elbowed and concussed in a blowout win. No surprise that the Ducks youngsters are sticking up for each other while the Kings continue to look like a collection of dudes that just met for the first time. This isn't an indictment of Kopitar because he just isn't that type of player but it's more of an indictment of this roster construction: what is Blake trying to build and what is this team's identity supposed to be? Right now, it seems like the identity being built is "We are going to outshoot you by 20, still only score 2 goals and get outhit by 20 as well."

 

[Bandit]

Getzlaf knew his team was finished after the 1st period in game 7. Doesn't exactly scream "leader" to me.

 

[KingLB]

Ducks blew 3 consecutive 3-2 leads in the playoffs Lolol, the grass is always greener revisionist history on this board is so crazy. Especially when ppl bring up Shane F’ing Doan!!!

 

[lumbergh]

Getzlaf is legitimately a great player. I know he’s a life Duck, but that doesn’t take the shine off an awesome career. All this “not a leader” and “couldn’t put the team on his back” talk reeks of homerism.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Getzlaf always played the #1 center role perfectly. He was the team's focal point and fully embraced the role of offensive leader. He has had poor seasons for sure, but he never hid from that responsibility. Kopitar has always been reluctant to put his team on his back and take charge when needed. He has led his team in scoring as a matter of happenstance as its best player, but he has only once ever forcibly taken the wheel to drive, and that was the reverse sweep against San Jose. Far too often he has had the opportunity to lead from the front again and he hasn't even tried.

How the hell can Kopitar hide from responsibility, not be the 'focal point' when he's playing 25 all situation minutes a game, even now?

He has a Hart finalist, Selke winning 92 point season on his resume dragging a team that was about to get bloody murdered into the playoffs when they had no business being there and is arguably the reason we are where we are now. How is that not taking charge?

He has led a Cup winner in playoff scoring twice; how can you call that happenstance?

He has been the scoring leader of this team--often by 20-30 points--for 14 of the last 15 years. How can you call that happenstance?

Yes, I'd love if he were spicier, fought, or had a fiery inspiring mentality--but suggesting he's not even an offensive leader on par with Getzlaf is out to lunch. I'll grant you the rest of the 'emotion' stuff on the basis of interviews and 'gritz' but even that is conjecture, but trying to paint Anze as an offensive passenger is just dishonest at best. But saying he's not a leader because a 35 year old Kopitar can no longer will a team into the playoffs is just disresepctful and gross to his legacy.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think Getzlaf is the better offensive talent but Kopitar is the better overall player.

"

Yet...they both have nearly identical 73-point paces for their career and that's with Getzlaf hot-glued to a 30 goal winger for most of his career with offensive deployment on what everyone else here is calling a better team (certainly better offensively).

How is this place so hung up on Kopitar's demeanor that they're ignorant of the massive player he is?

Thought we were past this but I guess not.

 

[LAKings88]

f*** Getzlaf and the Ducks!

 

[HookKing]

Are we talking about the same Getzlaf captain that blew 4 straight game sevens? Oh wait, that was the coaches fault for not getting his team up. Nevermind.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Kopitar is an ALL TIME underrated player and arguably the best two way player of his generation with 2 Selke wins and 2 Stanley Cup wins. One of only 2 players to ever win the Selke and Stanley Cup multiple times and score 1,000 points (Fedorov, who was named one of the top 100 players of all time by the NHL) and one of 3 players to win a Cup, Selke, and Score 1,000 points (Fedorov and Brind'Amour). A point per game player during both Cup runs. If Kopitar didn't pay the Kings tax nightly and played for Washington or Pittsburgh he'd easily have over 1,250 points by now.

Getzlaf is an excellent player, but there's no comparing him to Kopitar. People also compare Kopitar to Toews, Toews couldn't carry Kopitar's jockstrap let alone be considered better than him. People always bring up country of origin like a patronizing concession (greatest Slovenian player of all time hurr durr), no it doesn't matter if Kopitar was born in Jesenice or Toronto, he is a top 100 player of all time.

 

[Choralone]

This shit about Kopitar is getting on my nerves. Are we really going to keep running his rep into the ground based on one single thing we "think" he isn't, versus all the laudable things he is and has been for this team? What's next, are we going to argue he was a passenger on the cup teams?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kopitar is an ALL TIME underrated player and arguably the best two way player of his generation with 2 Selke wins and 2 Stanley Cup wins. One of only 2 players to ever win the Selke and Stanley Cup multiple times and score 1,000 points (Fedorov, who was named one of the top 100 players of all time by the NHL) and one of 3 players to win a Cup, Selke, and Score 1,000 points (Fedorov and Brind'Amour). A point per game player during both Cup runs. If Kopitar didn't pay the Kings tax nightly and played for Washington or Pittsburgh he'd easily have over 1,250 points by now.

Getzlaf is an excellent player, but there's no comparing him to Kopitar. People also compare Kopitar to Toews, Toews couldn't carry Kopitar's jockstrap let alone be considered better than him. People always bring up country of origin like a patronizing concession (greatest Slovenian player of all time hurr durr), no it doesn't matter if Kopitar was born in Jesenice or Toronto, he is a top 100 player of all time.

Look at the accolades Toews and especially Bergeron get because of their markets and just imagine the career spotlight Kopitar would have if he were a Maple Leaf or something.

 

[Sol]

Ducks fans complained about Getzlaf the same way Kings fans do about Kopitar. That he doesn't shoot enough.

I swear so many fans are suffering from grass is greener syndrome, and they're really going to miss Kopitar, Doughty, etc, when they are completely gone.

I think Getzlaf has the most shots on the duck this season or has already surpassed his season total. He's been shooting a lot. No one is saying Kopitar is a bad player, just isn't a great captain. They're mutually exclusive. Don't want you to conflate things because you're way off base if that's what you got out of it for some weird reason.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Look at the accolades Toews and especially Bergeron get because of their markets and just imagine the career spotlight Kopitar would have if he were a Maple Leaf or something.

Not even accolades, if Kopitar was born in Canada he'd have at least 4 gold medals by now.

Another player I consider similar to Kopitar the last couple years is Mark Stone. Criminally underrated and excellent everywhere. Just imagine a VGK/LAK hybrid top line of Pacioretty/Kopitar/Stone.

 

[Sol]

I dunno. Anyone who is such a good guy and captain that they celebrate when we score against them in the playoffs is OK in my book.

He's just that good

 

[ZJames]

Talk about the "what have you done for me lately" mentality. Kopitar is the best skater this team has had since Gretzky. The Kings do not look like they are going to sniff another Stanley Cup any time soon, but that certainly is not Kopitars fault. Kopitar helped lead this team to TWO Stanley cups while leading the playoffs in scoring each time. He is 4th all-time in Kings history for points scored and goals scored, and 3rd all-time in goals scored. And he did that in spite of the fact that he was asked to sacrifice some of his offensive ability to play a full 200-foot game. Yes, he disappears at times, but what player not named Ovechkin, Crosby, or McDavid doesn't? Just because he isn't on the same level as players like that doesn't mean he isn't an elite player. He doesn't have a whole lot of years left. Maybe we should appreciate what we have with Kopitar while he is still playing.

And people knocking him for not being a great captain, I agree they never should have stripped Brown of the captaincy. But it doesn't detract from Kopitars talent and playing ability.

 

[SmytheKing]

Kopitar is an ALL TIME underrated player and arguably the best two way player of his generation with 2 Selke wins and 2 Stanley Cup wins. One of only 2 players to ever win the Selke and Stanley Cup multiple times and score 1,000 points (Fedorov, who was named one of the top 100 players of all time by the NHL) and one of 3 players to win a Cup, Selke, and Score 1,000 points (Fedorov and Brind'Amour). A point per game player during both Cup runs. If Kopitar didn't pay the Kings tax nightly and played for Washington or Pittsburgh he'd easily have over 1,250 points by now.

Getzlaf is an excellent player, but there's no comparing him to Kopitar. People also compare Kopitar to Toews, Toews couldn't carry Kopitar's jockstrap let alone be considered better than him. People always bring up country of origin like a patronizing concession (greatest Slovenian player of all time hurr durr), no it doesn't matter if Kopitar was born in Jesenice or Toronto, he is a top 100 player of all time.

I agree with a lot of this, but Bergeron is the best two way forward of this generation. He's going to likely have 1k points too (939 right now) and he's got 5 Selke's to go along with being a 10x finalist for it. He's won it more than Kopitar has been a finalist. Call it east coast bias if you like, but no one else comes close to those numbers on any other team...and there's a lot of 'em in the East.

 

[LAKings88]

I agree with a lot of this, but Bergeron is the best two way forward of this generation. He's going to likely have 1k points too (939 right now) and he's got 5 Selke's to go along with being a 10x finalist for it. He's won it more than Kopitar has been a finalist. Call it east coast bias if you like, but no one else comes close to those numbers on any other team...and there's a lot of 'em in the East.

East coast has slept through most of Kopi’s career.

 

[YP44]

Not even accolades, if Kopitar was born in Canada he'd have at least 4 gold medals by now.

Another player I consider similar to Kopitar the last couple years is Mark Stone. Criminally underrated and excellent everywhere. Just imagine a VGK/LAK hybrid top line of Pacioretty/Kopitar/Stone.

Stone has more passion in his game though. I really really wish Stone did not play for Vegas as he is such a fun player to route for.

 

[YP44]

I agree with a lot of this, but Bergeron is the best two way forward of this generation. He's going to likely have 1k points too (939 right now) and he's got 5 Selke's to go along with being a 10x finalist for it. He's won it more than Kopitar has been a finalist. Call it east coast bias if you like, but no one else comes close to those numbers on any other team...and there's a lot of 'em in the East.

I am a big Bergeron fan, and you cannot take away from what he has done based on who is playing with. he still went out and did it, but can you imagine Kopitar with Marchand and Pastrnak?

Patrice is a UFA this summer and I am interested to see what happens with him,