GDT: 2021-22 season game 10 LA Kings vs St. Louis Blues @7:00pm 11/3/21

[kingsholygrail]

Special teams is absolutely sticking out like a sore thumb now. If they can get to mediocre levels of PK and PP, they could be a spoiler this year.

 

[HookKing]

You guys do realize that the Blues have the second best PK and PP in the league. There is just a slight chance that it may have something to do with the Kings special teams play.

 

[BigKing]

I think he has the skills to be a 40 goal 30 assist player.

He's got a 40 goal shot for sure and is a very good passer. 40 goals is no joke though: Kings haven't had one since Luc in 1994 (!)

Toffoli's best season in LA was 31 goals and 58 points and I'm pretty sure he got to play with Kopitar that year. I think Kaliyev has that type of season in him and, to be fair, Toffoli had an even better season than that last year with Montreal.

The assist numbers would mean that someone else is also finishing off plays. Hopefully he clicks with one of the numerous centers in the pool.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

Three in a row.. I'll take it! Giving up that goal at the end of the third was a major gut punch and when Kopitar hit both posts I thought we were toast. I never like seeing them win in the shootout but games like this it feels warranted. It might not be the best game for them but they didn't quit when St Louis seemed to really take control of the game in the second. Now they'll go lose four in a row and look lifeless while doing it!

 

[Statto]

Delete. Wrong thread.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

They played a blinder though, didn’t they. Björnfot is really starting to show his pedigree and he’s well short of his ceiling. To land both of those guys at #22 and #33 was great work and as it was carefully planned it was no fluke.

Yep. I gotta give credit where it’s due.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Three in a row.. I'll take it! Giving up that goal at the end of the third was a major gut punch and when Kopitar hit both posts I thought we were toast. I never like seeing them win in the shootout but games like this it feels warranted. It might not be the best game for them but they didn't quit when St Louis seemed to really take control of the game in the second. Now they'll go lose four in a row and look lifeless while doing it!

Yeah, winning despite those bounces is a nice change. Like sure there should have been MUCH better coverage on the 2v5 at the end, that was gross, but what a f***ing prayer of a bounce for St. Louis. Kopi hitting both posts felt like a harbinger of bad thing and it didn't work out that way...blows my mind a little.

 

[Statto]

Yep. I gotta give credit where it’s due.

Don’t get me wrong, I wanted Arty at #22 also

 

[BigKing]

They played a blinder though, didn’t they. Björnfot is really starting to show his pedigree and he’s well short of his ceiling. To land both of those guys at #22 and #33 was great work and as it was carefully planned it was no fluke.

They played with fire and didn't get burned. Major gamble to not grab Kaliyev but they pressed their luck and avoided the Whammy. Glad it worked out.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Don’t get me wrong, I wanted Arty at #22 also

I remember this board when we passed on Arty in the first round. Then we waited until the next day and the draft thread erupted after we got him in second round.
This guy is something special. Sure is nice to see him in a Kings’ jersey. Hope he goes down as one of those guys that other teams’ fans say “how the heck did we miss out on this guy?”. We’ve said that about so many players through the years.

 

[Steve Zissou]

I remember this board when we passed on Arty in the first round. Then we waited until the next day and the draft thread erupted after we got him in second round.
This guy is something special. Sure is nice to see him in a Kings’ jersey. Hope he goes down as one of those guys that other teams’ fans say “how the heck did we miss out on this guy?”. We’ve said that about so many players through the years.

I still call him the steal of the draft and will continue to do so.

Don’t get me wrong, I wanted Arty at #22 also

I'm in that group as well.

 

[Gjwrams]

You guys do realize that the Blues have the second best PK and PP in the league. There is just a slight chance that it may have something to do with the Kings special teams play.

Or the Blues have the second best PP and PK because they have played us three times in 8 games?

 

[Statto]

I remember this board when we passed on Arty in the first round. Then we waited until the next day and the draft thread erupted after we got him in second round.
This guy is something special. Sure is nice to see him in a Kings’ jersey. Hope he goes down as one of those guys that other teams’ fans say “how the heck did we miss out on this guy?”. We’ve said that about so many players through the years.

Whilst Arty was my choice before we selected Björnfot , I very quickly liked the pick and very much understood it, so my disappointment was short lived. So then when we took AK the next day I was doing cartwheels.

 

[kilowatt]

He's got a 40 goal shot for sure and is a very good passer. 40 goals is no joke though: Kings haven't had one since Luc in 1994 (!)

Since the lockout, the NHL has had 95 40+ goal scorers. I wish we could get one.

1. Anaheim Ducks
   
2. Boston Bruins
   
3. Buffalo Sabres
4. Calgary Flames
   
5. Carolina Hurricanes
6. Chicago Blackhawks
7. Colorado Avalanche
   
8. Columbus Blue Jackets
9. Dallas Stars
   
10. Detroit Red Wings
11. Edmonton Oilers
    
12. Minnesota Wild
    
13. New Jersey Devils
14. New York Islanders
    
15. New York Rangers
16. Ottawa Senators
17. Philadelphia Flyers
18. Pittsburgh Penguins
    
19. San Jose Sharks
20. St. Louis Blues
    
21. Tampa Bay Lightning
22. Toronto Maple Leafs
    
23. Vancouver Canucks
24. Vegas Golden Knights
    
25. Washington Capitals
26. Winnipeg Jets

Worth mentioning that the Thrashers had a 40+ goal scorer as well. We'll leave them out of this though.

Of the 32 NHL teams, subtracting Seattle, the five teams without a 40 goal scorer are:

1. Arizona Coyotes
   
2. Florida Panthers
   
3. Los Angeles Kings
4. Montreal Canadiens
5. Nashville Predators

Let's dive deeper.

In 13-14, Max Pacioretty scored 39 for Montreal.
In 18-19, Mike Hoffman scored 36 for Florida.
In 17-18, Anze Kopitar scored 35 for Los Angeles.
In 11-12, Radim Vrbata scored 35 for Arizona.
In 18-19, Viktor Arvidsson scored 34 for Nashville.

So. Kopitar's had three 30+ goal seasons, Brown, Cammalleri, Carter, Frolov, and Toffoli have had one each, and that's it. Technically Carter scored 26 in 48 games in 12-13, which is a 44-goal pace, but pace does not a milestone make.

To wrap this up with a bow, the only team with a lower single-season goal producer is Nashville, and we just traded two second-round picks to acquire him.

Thank goodness for those two cups! Otherwise this might be a depressing statistic

 

[HookKing]

Or the Blues have the second best PP and PK because they have played us three times in 8 games?

Yes and no. Kings gave up 1 pp goal in the last two.

 

[Gjwrams]

Yes and no. Kings gave up 1 pp goal in the last two.

I was being facetious. It's probably just as much them being good as much as us sucking. That's a bad combination.

 

[Nasti]

Iafallo has been inside the top 30 of LW scoring in each of the last two seasons while being a noted puck hound and catalyst in Kopitar's offensive resurgence. Players of his caliber usually get $5-$6 mil per heading into UFA status, its an absolute steal that he signed for just $4 million. From what I understand his camp wanted $5 million and Blake threatened to trade him if he didn't take the $4 million. I hope they slide him something under the table!

I’ve always defended Blake but loving the irony here.

 

[bland]

I’ve always defended Blake but loving the irony here.

What irony?

 

[Nasti]

What irony?

Blake giving a take-it-or-leave-it offer 20 years after receiving one. Of course all GMs find themselves in that position, but couldn’t help think of that and getting a chuckle.