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

[bland]

Kings also happened to win the last five games.

But Kopitar's play wasn't a predominant factor in 4 of them.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kings also happened to win the last five games.

You're right. We should just play him 30 a game then.

 

[King'sPawn]

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.

The problem is Kempe's not improving on his deficiencies (discipline and hockey IQ). He's trying to outscore them.

Plus, development isn't linear. Just because Kempe outscored Iafallo in the ages of 23-24 doesn't mean he'll outscore him from 25-27.

It's possible he starts showing a capacity to learn from his mistakes. But so far, he hasn't. Until then, having both Brown and Kempe on a line, both whose styles of play aren't based on intelligence, will anchor that line.

 

[Fishhead]

We all know Maata is expendable, but is Walker? Clague has looked pretty good lately. He gets easier deployments, but the gap isn't that big between the two. Been really impressed with Kale.

 

[redcard]

We all know Maata is expendable, but is Walker? Clague has looked pretty good lately. He gets easier deployments, but the gap isn't that big between the two. Been really impressed with Kale.

Given that Walker's out for at least the year, he's really just a non-factor. There's too many questions regarding his recovery, the prospects, and the roster as a whole to realistically predict what his role or fit with the team will be when he gets back.

 

[eleventy]

We all know Maata is expendable, but is Walker? Clague has looked pretty good lately. He gets easier deployments, but the gap isn't that big between the two. Been really impressed with Kale.

I think the bigger question is what kind of development do we want out of 3, 7, 58, and 44 this year that would make Walker expendable.

 

[mysterman2]

We all know Maata is expendable, but is Walker? Clague has looked pretty good lately. He gets easier deployments, but the gap isn't that big between the two. Been really impressed with Kale.

Totally agreed.....I think the gap between Walker and Clague isnt that big and could argue Clague has looked better in an offensive role. Note Im not a huge Clague fan per se but to me, Clague and Walker are interchangeable and Im actually starting to appreciate Clague more. Think his vision & anticipation may be a notch above Walkers.

 

[bland]

Given that Walker's out for at least the year, he's really just a non-factor. There's too many questions regarding his recovery, the prospects, and the roster as a whole to realistically predict what his role or fit with the team will be when he gets back.

Its actually a backdoor benefit for Clarke next year. Walker won't be 100% to start the season, even if he heals on time. Clarke could get his 9 games and potentially never look back.

 

[lumbergh]

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

Does it matter? If a tree falls in the forest during a Kings win, did Kopitar poop that day?

 

[FSL KINGS]

Complaining about Kempe is funny. Kempe makes 2 AAV. He is not paid as a top 6 forward & is not a top 6 forward. He does have some skills, like speed, transporting pucks through the neutral zone & was a part of the best defensive line. Currently Kempe is playing with Kopitar & Brown because other options like Arvidsson & Andersson are out. He's doing a great job filling that hole until other players get back.

With Kopi & Brown being slow a sniper like Kaliyev doesn't work on that line as we have seen.

 

[redcard]

Its actually a backdoor benefit for Clarke next year. Walker won't be 100% to start the season, even if he heals on time. Clarke could get his 9 games and potentially never look back.

Right, and I doubt Maata and Edler will be back, but Blake might go out and grab another Vet LD. Doughty is Doughty and I think we can anticipate where we think Matt Roy will be next year, but will Bjornfot and Anderson be locked in, reliable, top 4 guys for a team with playoff aspirations? How will Clague be with almost 100 NHL games under his belt? Will Strand still be around? Will Durzi or Spence be fighting for a job out of camp next year? Just too many questions to really worry about where Walker fits when he comes back. Might as well just put his name off to the side and start thinking about him once he starts skating again, and by then some of the other questions aught to have worked themselves out.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Let's be real, the moment TM has any other options beyond Scott Neidermaatta, Clague is gone. He's one of those guys who the org is just dead set on being done with, and I'm sure they'll be happy with his bump in value.

 

[Fishhead]

Given that Walker's out for at least the year, he's really just a non-factor. There's too many questions regarding his recovery, the prospects, and the roster as a whole to realistically predict what his role or fit with the team will be when he gets back.

Walker is signed for two more and he's really grown on me. He's a bit better in his own zone than Clague, but not that much. I think Clague is a significantly better offensive player, really good IQ on the attack. It might be a spot to save a million or so. Like you said, it might not even matter and I think both might be gone in the next couple years.

Ultimately, I'd like to see Doughty and Clarke as offensive types, Anderson, Roy, and Bjornfot as steady types, then add a mean guy for the 2nd pairing. I'd love for Roy to get angry more often, but it's just not in his mentality. Too bad there isn't a pissy pill, he's got the size for it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Its actually a backdoor benefit for Clarke next year. Walker won't be 100% to start the season, even if he heals on time. Clarke could get his 9 games and potentially never look back.

I agree that Walker's injury is really unfortunate with the plethora of RHD coming up. You don't want a guy to lose a spot because of injury but his time may be up.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Walker is signed for two more and he's really grown on me. He's a bit better in his own zone than Clague, but not that much. I think Clague is a significantly better offensive player, really good IQ on the attack. It might be a spot to save a million or so. Like you said, it might not even matter and I think both might be gone in the next couple years.

Ultimately, I'd like to see Doughty and Clarke as offensive types, Anderson, Roy, and Bjornfot as steady types, then add a mean guy for the 2nd pairing. I'd love for Roy to get angry more often, but it's just not in his mentality. Too bad there isn't a pissy pill, he's got the size for it.

Not really, he's 6'1", 200. Not exactly a hammer for a defenseman. He's got technique though. But I think if he were out there trying to smash people every shift he'd be the one getting hurt. But I agree I'd like someone on our dcore to be nastier at all (Anderson surprisingly has been the biggest asshole we've got so far, outside of one-two games of Edler just giving up and getting dirty).

 

[kingsfan28]

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

Sadly, this is true. He did this last year multiple times, including only scoring 2 goals in the final 24 games. Sorry to say , but if they trade for the much needed scoring dman, Kempe will be part of any deal.

 

[Sparky206]

Can someone tell Faust that Toby didn't spend most of the season last year on the taxi squad? Hes rolled out that line every second game this year when Bjornfot played 33 games and the majority of the ones he missed are after he got concussed by that Minnesota weasel

 

[Docgonzo]

When you look down the road at the defense group, besides Clarke, there’s way to many varieties to come to a decent conclusion.

Doughty, Bjornfot, Anderson, Roy, Walker, Clague on nhl roster.

Durzi, Spence, Moverare, Grans, Strand (counting him AHL since he doesn’t ever play) in AHL.

Faber college
Clarke OHL
Kirsanov KHL
Nousiainen in Liiga

Who knows what happens, worst part is they all top out at 6’1”.

Team definitely needs to go goalies, big Dmen as priorities in this draft.

 

[ibleedkings]

Complaining about Kempe is funny. Kempe makes 2 AAV. He is not paid as a top 6 forward & is not a top 6 forward. He does have some skills, like speed, transporting pucks through the neutral zone & was a part of the best defensive line. Currently Kempe is playing with Kopitar & Brown because other options like Arvidsson & Andersson are out. He's doing a great job filling that hole until other players get back.

With Kopi & Brown being slow a sniper like Kaliyev doesn't work on that line as we have seen.

You’ve seen what? Kaliyev has played maybe 1 or 2 periods total with Brown and Kopitar. So you can’t say he doesn’t work with them.

 

[Matt13]

Can someone tell Faust that Toby didn't spend most of the season last year on the taxi squad? Hes rolled out that line every second game this year when Bjornfot played 33 games and the majority of the ones he missed are after he got concussed by that Minnesota weasel

I just texted him for you. He sent back two emoji's, one a eggplant and the other a peach.

 

[FSL KINGS]

You’ve seen what? Kaliyev has played maybe 1 or 2 periods total with Brown and Kopitar. So you can’t say he doesn’t work with them.

Offensively? Who knows. Defensively & transition Kaliyev does not work with Brown & Kopi. The days of them carrying players are over.

That's ok. Kings have 89, 55 & 39 coming soon. Kaliyev isn't going to be stuck with Lizzote forever. I expect the lineup to look differently by the end of the season.

 

[RaymondReddington]

Re: frustration of Kempe's performance vs talent

I remember there was a quote by their father "if Adrian had Mario’s heart he would be the best player in the NHL."

See Arizona Coyotes @ Los Angeles Kings Game #28 Recap and Running Diary: Special Teams Failures
Look for 7:47

 

[ahmedou]

 

[ahmedou]