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

[kilowatt]

I would personally rock this lineup...

Turcotte-Kopitar-Arvidsson
Iafallo-Danault-Vilardi
Kempe-Byfield-Lemieux
JAD-Lizotte-Brown
Kaliyev rotates in with Brown and either plays where Lemieux is or on the 4th line.

Absolute insanity to take Kaliyev out of the lineup. He's our 7th-highest-scoring forward getting fourth line minutes. I'm all for slotting in Turcotte on the first line with Kopitar though.

Turcotte - Kopitar - Kaliyev
Iafallo - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Byfield - Arvidsson
Lemieux - Lizotte - Grundstrom

Let Brown take a nice, long vacation.

 

[Schmooley]

Absolute insanity to take Kaliyev out of the lineup. He's our 7th-highest-scoring forward getting fourth line minutes. I'm all for slotting in Turcotte on the first line with Kopitar though.

Turcotte - Kopitar - Kaliyev
Iafallo - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Byfield - Arvidsson
Lemieux - Lizotte - Grundstrom

Let Brown take a nice, long vacation.

This would be icing the best lineup they could. With Andersson and Moore as the 13th/14th forwards. Putting two rookies on the top line would make some peoples head explode on here. Id love to see this and bet they would do better than the current lineup.

 

[DoktorJeep]

It’s good to see so much vitriol spewed over the confusing direction of the organization. I think the rise in invective is a barometer for how much a wish to be respectable outweighs the belief that a supposed future championship is being crafted.

Management hasn’t gone all in on a rebuild and has kept highly paid players cemented at the top of the lineup for as long as possible in every case. At the same time, they retain and utilize draft picks while augmenting that list with trades for futures at the deadline. And at the same time they procure depth players at every level of position in both leagues.

It’s the paint by the numbers approach which leaves many fans seeing zero vision, no identity and ultimately feeling disgruntled. Management says they are building a roster which can win multiple cups. But Kings fans have witnessed a tear it down rebuild that led to the pinnacle of success. They saw how it takes strategic moves and a ruthless attitude to be a winner in pro sports.

It’s been 3 years since BLuc waived the white flag and fired their first coach. This iteration looks at best streaky with a top heavy roster and zero prospects who have put up big points over an NHL season in that time. Until that happens, the number of fans willing to excuse the lack of results will decrease on a steady basis.

It’s no surprise that an ever growing number fail to come away with hopeful feelings after ongoing exposure to the AHL and NHL teams. As time goes by, excuses fall by the way side and you’re left with the realization that under this regime the only certainty is being at best an also ran, which is basically a return to the Dave Taylor era.

 

[Buzzysboy]

It is quite possible that Kopitar wants/requests that Brown play on his wing (and vice-versa). Hard to reduce DBs 5on5 minutes if that is the case.
With zero PP points he shouldn't be on PP1, PP2 or PP99 for that matter ....

 

[YP44]

Absolute insanity to take Kaliyev out of the lineup. He's our 7th-highest-scoring forward getting fourth line minutes. I'm all for slotting in Turcotte on the first line with Kopitar though.

Turcotte - Kopitar - Kaliyev
Iafallo - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Byfield - Arvidsson
Lemieux - Lizotte - Grundstrom

Let Brown take a nice, long vacation.

Deal Grundstrom and put Brown in there

 

[Reaper45]

Absolute insanity to take Kaliyev out of the lineup. He's our 7th-highest-scoring forward getting fourth line minutes. I'm all for slotting in Turcotte on the first line with Kopitar though.

Turcotte - Kopitar - Kaliyev
Iafallo - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Byfield - Arvidsson
Lemieux - Lizotte - Grundstrom

Let Brown take a nice, long vacation.

To be honest I threw that together in about 2 seconds. I completely forgot about Grundstrom, Moore and AA. Yours is better by far.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It is quite possible that Kopitar wants/requests that Brown play on his wing (and vice-versa). Hard to reduce DBs 5on5 minutes if that is the case.
With zero PP points he shouldn't be on PP1, PP2 or PP99 for that matter ....

If that is the case, then this org is 100% gutless. If they can't sit Anze down and let him know that a bottom ranked offense and powerplay is suffering because of Brown's presence then we had all better get ready to not watch until Blake is fired.

They'd better at least tell Anze to start firing pucks AT Brown if that's the case because there's a better chance of something hitting him and going in than him doing anything productive WITH the puck on the power play.

Even at 5v5 that's problematic because since November the only worse center in possession is Kupari and Kopitar is rocking a 41% GF%. They'd better sack up.

 

[kingsboy11]

I doubt Anze is requesting Brown playing on his wing. I just think the coaching staff realizes that Brown literally cannot play on any other line. At least if he's playing next to Kopi we have a safety blanket, not that he should, but he just drags down every line that he would be on. There will be a point during this season where McLellan will have to make the decision to not play him anymore if they are serious about making the playoffs.

 

[Jason Squirties]

I just think it's funny that people that were calling me a purple-glasses homer and threatening to leave HF over it are still here and now mad that I'm critical.

The trouble I have isn't with different opinions--it's the metacommentary and the binary thinking, the thought that if you praise something that's your only view and you're a total homer; if you're critical, that's your only thought and you're a (Blake) hater.

I try to give people credit for having thoughts of more nuance than that but the last three pages are filled with hyperbole.

Welcome to the inner realm of the internet my friend. No matter how clear and concise you are, people will find a way to mix words and see what they want to see. Problem is, you're a mod, you big dummy.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Better change your daily lineup wish lists ::cough:: looking @ you @kilowatt

 

[Jason Squirties]

LMAO, though I suppose if there's a time for this to happen, it's now.

 

[Rob Brown]

Better change your daily lineup wish lists ::cough:: looking @ you @kilowatt

Protocol is 10 days or two negative tests in 24 hours, correct?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This f***ing franchise is cursed.

I wouldn't undo 2012 or 2014 for anything but the luck we have had since is just comically evil.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Goalies of any sport are a different breed... with that said, Sparks has mad swag.

 

[Gjwrams]

Better change your daily lineup wish lists ::cough:: looking @ you @kilowatt

If we didn't have bad luck, we'd have no luck at all.

 

[cyclones22]

Goalies of any sport are a different breed... with that said, Sparks has mad swag.

That would have gone past Petersen.

 

[Piston]

This f***ing franchise is cursed.

I wouldn't undo 2012 or 2014 for anything but the luck we have had since is just comically evil.

Let's be honest. The end of the Cup run came the day Voynov beat up hs wife. Much of what followed including a lot of bad decisions was trying to make up for that. Is it bad luck that in Russian culture that kind of behavior is more tolerated? I'm not sure, but I don't blame luck which ends to even out over time. All sports have an element of luck but at the end of the day actions and decisions speak louder. Ask Pete Carroll about that when he didn't put the ball in Marshawn Lynch's hands on the last play of Super Bowl IL.

 

[cyclones22]

Let's be honest. The end of the Cup run came the day Voynov beat up hs wife. Much of what followed including a lot of bad decisions was trying to make up for that. Is it bad luck that in Russian culture that kind of behavior is more tolerated? I'm not sure, but I don't blame luck which ends to even out over time. All sports have an element of luck but at the end of the day actions and decisions speak louder. Ask Pete Carroll about that when he didn't put the ball in Marshawn Lynch's hands on the last play of Super Bowl IL.

Definitely a combination of that and Mike Richards addiction taking over. You're losing your number two defensemen and number two center.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Let's be honest. The end of the Cup run came the day Voynov beat up hs wife. Much of what followed including a lot of bad decisions was trying to make up for that. Is it bad luck that in Russian culture that kind of behavior is more tolerated? I'm not sure, but I don't blame luck which ends to even out over time. All sports have an element of luck but at the end of the day actions and decisions speak louder. Ask Pete Carroll about that when he didn't put the ball in Marshawn Lynch's hands on the last play of Super Bowl IL.

I'm thinking more in terms of "up to the universe" stuff rather than the personal responsibility stuff but you're absolutely right re Voynov and Richards.

I'm thinking Kupari's ACL, Turcotte's illnesses, Byfield's ankle and now Covid, Madden's collarbone, Nousiainen, the list goes on

 

[Piston]

Yes, but Richards was a shell of himself when we won the second Cup. Voynov, on the other hand, combined with Doughty creted huge match up problems for opponents and had not yet reached his potential.

 

[RaymondReddington]

Sorry, was your claim that Kaliyev should spend 2 whole minutes, like Ovechkin on the PP? Really? Because I read it as you didn't think Kaliyev was on the PP at all, either one is ridiculous by itself....

I KNOW Kaliyev is on the PP... stop being a condescending jerk.

What is "ridiculous" about playing your best offensive sniper the full two minutes of a PP, esp when your PP is hungry for goals and said sniper plays 4th line minutes.
Why not maximize your best opportunities with your best sniper?
Why not do what Caps do with Ovechkin...out of the box...
Hell, couldn't be worse.

 

[kilowatt]

Better change your daily lineup wish lists ::cough:: looking @ you @kilowatt

Turcotte - Kopitar - Kaliyev
Iafallo - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Byfield Kupari - Arvidsson
Lemieux - Lizotte - Grundstrom

 

[tny760]

edit: i guess 10 days considering the break doesn't really matter much

still sucks

 

[cyclones22]

Yes, but Richards was a shell of himself when we won the second Cup. Voynov, on the other hand, combined with Doughty creted huge match up problems for opponents and had not yet reached his potential.

Voynov was definitely the clincher of the downfall for me. But Richards was good in 2013 and was really good in the playoffs. Then Dave Bolland destroyed his skull in the WCF. I think there's a correlation there.

 

[LAKings88]

The team has never really had a consistent offensive threat. Kopi isn’t McDavid but he is a HOF center who will put up 20-30 goals and 70-80 points a year with his annual slump. I think Sutter realized what the team was and double downed on 3-2 philosophy. It worked. Kings also had more than one line able to contribute. Especially Williams and Carter.

Toffoli was the closest thing to a killer they had post Williams and the best he did was a lone 30 goal season. Their players have mainly been streaky scorers. Drew isn’t really lethal offensively and I still think isn’t a great pp qb.

The year Stevens coached prior to Tampa’s run, the Kings played them in a game. The Kings were doing well that year and Tampa made them look terrible. Not even a chance. That’s when I knew the era was over and the NHL had adapted to the LA and Chicago models. Quick stood on his head against Vegas but LA was outclassed. A new era needed to happen. Skill alone won’t do it. Neither will truculence. Kings are banking on 200 foot players with skill. I’m hoping Byfield, Turcotte, and co will have the right blend.