GDT: 2021-22 season game 13 LA Kings vs Montreal Canadiens @4:00pm 11/9/21

[johnjm22]

Anze's last 5 games:

24:18, 21:56, 22:29, 21:09, 23:54.

For the last 5 games, that's more minutes than any forward in the NHL. AKA more minutes than many #1 dmen and the small handful of forwards getting more icetime (names like Kane, Ovechkin, McDavid) for the season aren't doing anything meaningful defensively or PKing.

It's atrocious management, especially when saddled with Brown. Both of those guys were visibly wobbly in a way I'm not sure I've seen in the NHL before and still got thrown out for OT.

I agree. I've been complaining about Kopitar's ice-time for years.

Before the Danault signing, me and you had a little argument about it, where I said it wouldn't matter if they sign Danault if they don't change their player utilization philosophy:
Speculation: - 2021-22 LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster discussion part III
Speculation: - 2021-22 LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster discussion part III

And here we are.

I guess I was half wrong because Danault has been very impactful. But I was also half right in that signing him doesn't mean the Kings will change their utilization philosophy which is the main problem.

Look at the defense. I think it proves that Doughty never needed to play that ridiculous 26+ minutes a night. Kopitar should be playing 19 or less most nights.

And there's no reason why Kopitar even needs to be one of our primary PKers. Danault on PK1, and Lizotte on PK2 would be just fine. Yet Kopitar leads all Kings forwards in PK TOI. It's dumb.

 

[TruKingFan]

I think the season is still unfolding and TM would have to rethink TOI if it means more wins. Kopi should settle in between 19-20 mins a game….

 

[KingsFan7824]

Anze's last 5 games:

24:18, 21:56, 22:29, 21:09, 23:54.

For the last 5 games, that's more minutes than any forward in the NHL. AKA more minutes than many #1 dmen and the small handful of forwards getting more icetime (names like Kane, Ovechkin, McDavid) for the season aren't doing anything meaningful defensively or PKing.

It's atrocious management, especially when saddled with Brown. Both of those guys were visibly wobbly in a way I'm not sure I've seen in the NHL before and still got thrown out for OT.

A lot of PP time in there for the old man though.

Over those 5 games, Danault and Iafallo have the two highest ES minute games. Followed by, of course, Kopitar.

Kopitar takes up 5 of the top 18 spots in ES time.

Kopitar also has 3 of the top 5 SH minutes over those 5 games. That's where things need to be cut.

Kopitar and Danault are taking 71% of the faceoffs. Kopitar at 38% of them, Danault at 34%. Kupari is winning only 42% of his faceoffs, so tough to have him out there. Lizotte can win a face-off, but nobody wants him out there.

So, still need another guy that can both win a faceoff, and also be wanted on the ice by fans. Once that happens, then maybe Kopitar can stay off the ice more.

 

[johnjm22]

A lot of PP time in there for the old man though.

Over those 5 games, Danault and Iafallo have the two highest ES minute games. Followed by, of course, Kopitar.

Kopitar takes up 5 of the top 18 spots in ES time.

Kopitar also has 3 of the top 5 SH minutes over those 5 games. That's where things need to be cut.

Kopitar and Danault are taking 71% of the faceoffs. Kopitar at 38% of them, Danault at 34%. Kupari is winning only 42% of his faceoffs, so tough to have him out there. Lizotte can win a face-off, but nobody wants him out there.

So, still need another guy that can both win a faceoff, and also be wanted on the ice by fans. Once that happens, then maybe Kopitar can stay off the ice more.

Kupari's career NHL FO% is 50.7%.

This year it's 48%

It was a lot better than that, but he went 0-5 on the dot in this last game.

 

[bland]

Kopitar hasn't even played particularly well on the PK this year. There is just no need to tax him with that burden.

 

[Pucknut50]

I loved Kempe’s goal, ridiculous and he’s probably the only guy on the team that could have scored it. I do understand the frustration with him at times but it’s a case of taking the rough with the smooth. As I said yesterday (?) we are better with than without. He’s currently on pace for 30 goals and more realistically I’m hoping he ends up at 25, he’s 3rd on the team for hits and drives play well. My biggest issue, like many I feel, are the OZ penalties as in theory it’s the easiest thing to fix. He’s has a good start overall, we just need some consistency in his offensive output.

This happens every year with Kempe. He is streaky and he is on one of his streaks. People get their hopes up and say he is on a 30 goal pace then he gets ice cold and is on a 20 goal pace. At the end of the year he has 15 goals. So the way I look at it he has 10 more goals left this year so make them count Adrian. GKG

 

[Schrute farms]

This happens every year with Kempe. He is streaky and he is on one of his streaks. People get their hopes up and say he is on a 30 goal pace then he gets ice cold and is on a 20 goal pace. At the end of the year he has 15 goals. So the way I look at it he has 10 more goals left this year so make them count Adrian. GKG

The problem with Kempe and us Kings fans is that we lacked so much skill the past few years.....that we needed/hoped he would be this top line scoring elite player. He'd show glimpses of such and then disappear and/or do dumb shet. But as we increase the level of talent on this team, Kempe can go back to what he really is which is more of a complementary 3rd line scoring guy. Not someone who you rely upon to help win the game -- but a very good role playing guy who can score in bunches occasionally. Maybe a more dynamic (& much better shot) Lewis -- but with much less ice IQ. He'd be a great 3rd line winger who can move up to 2nd line in rare occasions as needed injury/etc. wise.

 

[AlphaBravo]

The problem with Kempe and us Kings fans is that we lacked so much skill the past few years.....that we needed/hoped he would be this top line scoring elite player. He'd show glimpses of such and then disappear and/or do dumb shet. But as we increase the level of talent on this team, Kempe can go back to what he really is which is more of a complementary 3rd line scoring guy. Not someone who you rely upon to help win the game -- but a very good role playing guy who can score in bunches occasionally. Maybe a more dynamic (& much better shot) Lewis -- but with much less ice IQ. He'd be a great 3rd line winger who can move up to 2nd line in rare occasions as needed injury/etc. wise.

The thing I like about Kempe is, even when he is not scoring, he is very fast and has a strong ability to enter to O zone. Like you said, he is the perfect 3rd line player. But he is not consistent with scoring to be anything more than that now that we have seen his play for several years.

 

[ahmedou]

 

[kingsfan28]

I think that Dustin Brown intentionally turned the puck over to Suzuki so that he would get all excited and try to juke Kopi, then Suzuki recovers the puck at center ice just so Brown can crush him like a bug. That's how next-level DB is.

Seriously, that hit turned the game. Kings take the puck, get Kempe on the ice, and never looked back.

Someone was paying attention.

 

[kilowatt]

The thing I like about Kempe is, even when he is not scoring, he is very fast and has a strong ability to enter to O zone. Like you said, he is the perfect 3rd line player. But he is not consistent with scoring to be anything more than that now that we have seen his play for several years.

The thing I don't like about Kempe is his disproportionate amount of momentum-killing offensive-zone penalties

 

[kingsfan28]

On further review of the game, the officiating still is tilted the MTL way and they continue to have the single greatest home ice adv in the league.

My god, in the 3rd, 3 or 4 clear picks not called, especially Denault at center ice getting picked , only a few minutes later the weak ass one when the MTL play clamped down on his stick and he was called. Then there was Toffoli slashing the stick out in front of the net in OT.

Glad we won and continue the streak, so F the Habs!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

On further review of the game, the officiating still is tilted the MTL way and they continue to have the single greatest home ice adv in the league.

My god, in the 3rd, 3 or 4 clear picks not called, especially Denault at center ice getting picked , only a few minutes later the weak ass one when the MTL play clamped down on his stick and he was called. Then there was Toffoli slashing the stick out in front of the net in OT.

Glad we won and continue the streak, so F the Habs!

As soon as I saw that Danault pick--which was comedy, it was so obvious--I knew they were going to get something ticky-tack right after.

 

[Steve Barnett]

The thing I like about Kempe is, even when he is not scoring, he is very fast and has a strong ability to enter to O zone. Like you said, he is the perfect 3rd line player. But he is not consistent with scoring to be anything more than that now that we have seen his play for several years.

This is the year that changes. Yes, I believe that. Seriously. With all my heart.

 

[johnjm22]

Iafallo
Age / PPG
23 .32
24 .40
25 .61
26 .55
27 1.0

Kempe
Age / PPG
19 .24
20 .46
21 .35
22 .46
23 .52
24 .62

You can see Kempe is already ahead of where Iafallo was at, at the same ages. And Iaffalo had more favorable linemates most of the time.

Plus Kempe had that little experiment at center that set him back.

But by all means keep complaining about him.

 

[TwzKing]

Iafallo
Age / PPG
23 .32
24 .40
25 .61
26 .55
27 1.0

Kempe
Age / PPG
19 .24
20 .46
21 .35
22 .46
23 .52
24 .62

You can see Kempe is already ahead of where Iafallo was at, at the same ages. And Iaffalo had more favorable linemates most of the time.

Plus Kempe had that little experiment at center that set him back.

But by all means keep complaining about him.

Its shocking to see how young Kempe is. Feels like weve had him forever lol

 

[kilowatt]

There's no way this is Iafallo's fifth season in LA. That's just impossible. Right? What the f***? And Kempe's sixth season in LA? How?

 

[driller1]

There's no way this is Iafallo's fifth season in LA. That's just impossible. Right? What the f***? And Kempe's sixth season in LA? How?

Honestly, it's just better if we forget about the Kings for their first 4 or so seasons.

 

[kilowatt]

Kempe isn't a third line player, he's a complementary piece on any of the top three lines. He's probably not going to be the guy that scores 30 goals (although he's only 24!), but he will be an effective piece on a line in which someone scores 30 goals. He and Iafallo are relatively similar in that regard, although Iafallo just decided to put the team on his back and go full Justin Williams this year.

What we've been missing (since we traded him away lol) is a guy like Tyler Toffoli. In fact, I'd love to have Toffoli back and play him on the second line with Iafallo and Danault. Hopefully guys like Fagemo and Kaliyev can be even more effective than Toffoli was.

 

[KingLB]

Iafallo
Age / PPG
23 .32
24 .40
25 .61
26 .55
27 1.0

Kempe
Age / PPG
19 .24
20 .46
21 .35
22 .46
23 .52
24 .62

You can see Kempe is already ahead of where Iafallo was at, at the same ages. And Iaffalo had more favorable linemates most of the time.

Plus Kempe had that little experiment at center that set him back.

But by all means keep complaining about him.

Flip side. Kempe doesn’t get a point his next two games, and you have a player that is basically stagnant his last 5 seasons.

But by all means keep talking him up.

 

[YP44]

I remember when Carter went down how good Kempe looked

 

[Mats26]

Kempe isn't a third line player, he's a complementary piece on any of the top three lines. He's probably not going to be the guy that scores 30 goals (although he's only 24!), but he will be an effective piece on a line in which someone scores 30 goals. He and Iafallo are relatively similar in that regard, although Iafallo just decided to put the team on his back and go full Justin Williams this year.

What we've been missing (since we traded him away lol) is a guy like Tyler Toffoli. In fact, I'd love to have Toffoli back and play him on the second line with Iafallo and Danault. Hopefully guys like Fagemo and Kaliyev can be even more effective than Toffoli was.

I said it before that if Iafallo and Danault get a legit sniper on their line, they will be defensively sound and scoring threat every shift. Think Bergeron and Marchand when they added Pasta and you got a 200ft beast of a line. They won't be that caliber but it will increase the GF that this team needs and pivot away from Kopitar carrying this team offensively.

 

[lumbergh]

Anze's last 5 games:

24:18, 21:56, 22:29, 21:09, 23:54.

For the last 5 games, that's more minutes than any forward in the NHL. AKA more minutes than many #1 dmen and the small handful of forwards getting more icetime (names like Kane, Ovechkin, McDavid) for the season aren't doing anything meaningful defensively or PKing.

It's atrocious management, especially when saddled with Brown. Both of those guys were visibly wobbly in a way I'm not sure I've seen in the NHL before and still got thrown out for OT.

Kings also happened to win the last five games.

 

[BigKing]

Iafallo
Age / PPG
23 .32
24 .40
25 .61
26 .55
27 1.0

Kempe
Age / PPG
19 .24
20 .46
21 .35
22 .46
23 .52
24 .62

You can see Kempe is already ahead of where Iafallo was at, at the same ages. And Iaffalo had more favorable linemates most of the time.

Plus Kempe had that little experiment at center that set him back.

But by all means keep complaining about him.

I think Kempe is a more talented player from a pure skill POV but Iafallo is much smarter.

Expectations were always higher on Kempe and he has routinely left us wanting more because you see the skill but then he also hasn't bettered or matched his output from his first full season. Kind of forget about points and remember this is a team starved for goal scoring and he popped in 16 at 20 years of age and hasn't touched that mark since.

He paced for 20 last season though and for a higher point total. He's looking good so far and we just have to live with the fact that he is going to take stupid stick penalties.

 

[eleventy]

Kings also happened to win the last five games.

Yes, but is it because or in spite of his utilization?