GDT: 2021-22 season game 19 LA Kings vs Toronto Maple Leafs @7:00pm 11/24/21

[johnjm22]

It sucks watching Kopitar decline right before our very eyes.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Fun exchange on twitter that made me laugh at least

"so who goes down when doughty returns"

"Clague and Durzi. They'll clone Maatta."

 

[johnjm22]

The Kings have been relying on the 2nd line and 4th line for a month now while the top line and 3rd line do nothing.

Tonight the 2nd line had a bad game.

When you need Brenden Lemieux and Blake Lizotte to carry the team you know you're in trouble.

 

[YAYSAY]

Lias Andersson had a team low 9:36 of ice time

He had 6 shots on goal, and led the team in scoring chances (5) and high danger chances (4). Very impressive, so he will likely be scratched next game.

That's crazy he had such low ice time because he was probably one of if not the most noticeable King tonight. Pretty much every shift he made something happen then

 

[King'sPawn]

That's crazy he had such low ice time because he was probably one of if not the most noticeable King tonight. Pretty much every shift he made something happen then

Yeah, but he has an irredeemable flaw.

He's not an aging vet from yesteryear.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Durzi joins Doughty as the only Kings dmen with goals.

Almost at the quarter pole.

The problem with having ONLY two-way dmen.

 

[Schmooley]

It sucks watching Kopitar decline right before our very eyes.

Yea hed be better off as a second line center on a contender.

 

[Schmooley]

Did the second line start getting worse when they moved Kempe off of it? AA was good there his first game or two but it seemed like Iafallo Danault Kempe had a good thing going.
So did Grundstrom JAD and Moore.
Lemieux Lizotte Kaliyev
Andersson Vilardi Tkachev
Seems like the lines that click get broken up to help other parts of the roster and never get the right fit.
Hell Id rather watch those 4 lines grind it out as a team with Torts coaching than what we witnessed here tonight

 

[Peter James Bond II]

My least favorite Durzi play....when he was directing traffic for someone to take his man, on the right, when that was actually his man and he was covering no one.

 

[johnjm22]

By now Todd should know what needs to be done:

1) Scratch Brown in favor of Grundstrom
2)Recognize the "top" line is no longer the top line and adjust their TOI accordingly.
3)Remove Kopitar from the PK .
4)Replace Kupari with JAD.
5)Scratch Maatta

I don't know what you do with Kupari, but I see him as a winger.

It's now or never for Lias. You have to find out what you have with him.

 

[RonM11]

The only good thing about that abortion was watching Durzi's family celebrate.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

By now Todd should know what needs to be done:

1) Scratch Brown in favor of Grundstrom
2)Recognize the "top" line is no longer the top line and adjust their TOI accordingly.
3)Remove Kopitar from the PK .
4)Replace Kupari with JAD.
5)Scratch Maatta

I don't know what you do with Kupari, but I see him as a winger.

It's now or never for Lias. You have to find out what you have with him.

Should.

What I"m willing to bet happens:

1. Brown stays on line 1-2.
2. Kopitar 20+ minutes next game.
3. ...including PK time.
4. See I can see him scratching Kupari, but I think he'll move Andersson/Kempe to C or something rather than put yet another kid in the lineup.
5. Not a chance in hell.

Any takers on I get at least 4/5? Only one I'm not fully confident about is #4.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The only good thing about that abortion was watching Durzi's family celebrate.

That was glorious. Nearly shed a tear myself. Really happy for him.

Also feel bad for him, and appreciate his attitude that it was a milestone but one in a loss so it didn't matter. Kid is so easy to root for. I really really wish he could stick I just don't think he has the defense to be an NHLer (or the overwhelming offense of an Erik Karlsson where it covers the gap).

 

[kingsfan28]

Kupari off to a terrible start. Missed an absolute sitter, proceeds to take a penalty and then takes another penalty to kill off our own powerplay

You might add a suspension too for that hit to the head.

 

[kingsfan28]

Predictable things:

Durzi gets a point on the PP

Putting Maatta out there at all is a bad idea, but Maatta and Durzi is a tank move.

I was surprised they didn't put him with Edler. he really need someone to cover his eventual mistakes. Maata was a hot mess.

 

[kingsfan28]

But


But Kupari has been trash tonight so where are we?

Ain't just tonight. He just has nothing, even his speed isn't working. He's passing up shots, then taking penalties, missing checks, then getting out worked in the corners. Time to bring back JAD or Valardi [depending on how he's recovered from covid] . Kapuri just can't cut it.

 

[kingsfan28]

This is why Toronto fans have an overinflated sense of self. The leafs are beating one of the shittiest teams in hockey and the tv crew is stroking them like they’re dominating the red army.

They wouldn't even admit the Kings are playing a bad game. I heard them mention the 5-2 dominace in TO once, that was it.

 

[kingsfan28]

Durzi is only the second Kings dman to score a goal this season after Doughty.

1st goal since Doughty in week 1. That's a pathetically long time.

 

[kingsfan28]

Yep, rocked the high danger chances. Brendan Lemieux--75% CF%, as well.

Brown will stay in the lineup, Kupari/Kaliyev will get benched, Andersson will probably get pushed down to the 4th line or some shit and the world will keep spinning as usual.

Kupari should be benched, he's the worst center on the team, he's not using any of his skills, just a big pile of shit at the moment. and that crappy play carries over to his linemates. He can't get the puck to them, even to simply breakout.

 

[kingsfan28]

Might be one of the worst performances of the year tbh. Team completely lacked any sort of effort and compete tonight, top 6 in particular

They were already thinking about Turkey tomorrow, when in fact they were the Turkey the Leafs feasted on tonight. Talk about a bad hangover from the ARZ loss.

 

[Eagle Fang]

I was surprised they didn't put him with Edler. he really need someone to cover his eventual mistakes. Maata was a hot mess.

I think a lot of us were.

It goes back to that whole issue about slotting players in positions that play to their strengths and weaknesses. I'm no scout, but even at the AHL level Durzi is really bad in his own zone. LA management must be aware of this. And so what does TMac do... pair him with an even worse dumpster fire vs a high powered offensive team.

Maybe the thought process was to have 2 'solid' defensive pairs and one trainwreck and hope for the best? I dunno, but weird stuff for sure.

 

[Eagle Fang]

Kupari should be benched, he's the worst center on the team, he's not using any of his skills, just a big pile of shit at the moment. and that crappy play carries over to his linemates. He can't get the puck to them, even to simply breakout.

I'm probably in the minority but I actually am rooting for Kupari. He's had a rough stretch, and tonight definitely was not a good game for him at all. But he's had moments this year and he's still a rookie with only 25 games of experience playing on a really bad team.

He wasn't very good in his first year in the AHL but he really improved last year in terms of driving the offense more. For the most part, I really liked his game last season.

Even leading up to his draft year, he was pretty highly touted but fell because he didn't produce so people questioned his offensive potential. But then his D+1 year he put up pretty good numbers.

 

[kingsfan28]

I think a lot of us were.

It goes back to that whole issue about slotting players in positions that play to their strengths and weaknesses. I'm no scout, but even at the AHL level Durzi is really bad in his own zone. LA management must be aware of this. And so what does TMac do... pair him with an even worse dumpster fire vs a high powered offensive team.

Maybe the thought process was to have 2 'solid' defensive pairs and one trainwreck and hope for the best? I dunno, but weird stuff for sure.

I think tonight was trial by fire. He succeeded by scoring and actually trying to make plays, but failed picking up the speed and positioning you need in the NHL. This was his 1st game as a pro, I'm willing to cut him some slack.He was the only dman on the pp to show any initiative since doughty went down, and he got two point. He will learn the defensive side or be sent back down.

You got to love his mom and families pure joy at watching him score in his first game. The only real highlight of the night. Real happy for him.

 

[funky]

Can we call up Wrobo and send down Todd?

 

[Johnny Utah]

By now Todd should know what needs to be done:

1) Scratch Brown in favor of Grundstrom
2)Recognize the "top" line is no longer the top line and adjust their TOI accordingly.
3)Remove Kopitar from the PK .
4)Replace Kupari with JAD.
5)Scratch Maatta

I don't know what you do with Kupari, but I see him as a winger.

It's now or never for Lias. You have to find out what you have with him.

i agree with all excerpt scratching Kupari. Might happen anyways when Byfield comes back,