GDT: 2021-22 season game 72 LA Kings vs Calgary Flames @7:30pm 4/4/22

[KingsFan7824]

Kings are the 4th best team on the road and the 20th-best team at home. Why is that?

Why are they 10-5 against the east at home, and 8-10-4 against the west?

 

[kinghock]

Durzi is really starting to get exposed defensively. He’s running on adrenaline.

Durzi is really slow footed and I do not believe it can be fixed…​

 

[tny760]

So when the Oilers beat the Sharks tonight, they'll jump ahead of the Kings, bumping them down to 3rd place in the Pacific. Vegas also trail the Kings by four points with a game in hand, so if they go on a hot streak, they could also bump the Kings down to a wild card spot by the end of the week. The Golden Knights play the Canucks and Coyotes this week.

edmonton's got a lot of tough games ahead though, strength of schedule is still pretty firmly in the kings hands

not a cakewalk, but it's not too bleak to me. just really gotta win the "easy" games

 

[kingsholygrail]

So when the Oilers beat the Sharks tonight, they'll jump ahead of the Kings, bumping them down to 3rd place in the Pacific. Vegas also trail the Kings by four points with a game in hand, so if they go on a hot streak, they could also bump the Kings down to a wild card spot by the end of the week. The Golden Knights play the Canucks and Coyotes this week.

The Knights are on a hot streak right now. 5 in a row.

 

[Nasti]

The PP has been shit for years, no matter the coaching staff. This is more of a personnel issue, not that the coaching has been great. Under TM’s watch, the Red Wings had the top PP, and look at all the players they had. The Kings don’t have the skill to execute consistently. Even their star players like Kopitar are more of the meat and potatoes variety than pure flash and finesse. We don’t have the guys who can turn nothing into something.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The Knights are on a hot streak right now. 5 in a row.

They'll likely make it 7 in a row after they defeat the Canucks and Coyotes.

The Kings really control their destiny, and we have no clue which version of the team we're going to get every night.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

The PP has been shit for years, no matter the coaching staff. This is more of a personnel issue, not that the coaching has been great. Under TM’s watch, the Red Wings had the top PP, and look at all the players they had. The Kings don’t have the skill to execute consistently. Even their star players like Kopitar are more of the meat and potatoes variety than pure flash and finesse. We don’t have the guys who can turn nothing into something.

This is true.

A few times, when they moved Kopitar high slot or on the left side and got him off the right half wall,
he was more effective.
"We don’t have the guys who can turn nothing into something"
Kempe and Arvidsson have some of that, for certain.
One player that has that ability, is Kupari...but he's not quite ready to make a big impact as of now.
There are several times the last few weeks, as he busts in the o-zone with speed, power and good puck control, he can easily beat defenses. He had a few PP minutes early on and has 3 PP points. But was removed.

I would break up the rookie line and move Kupari up with Kopitar and Kempe.
AI is still doing nothing and move him to the 4th line.
Put Lias with Gabe and QB. BOTH Gabe and Lias have not had chemisrty with anyone.
However, they have chemistry together. This would get both of them going, as well.
They were the best duo in preseason, besides Danault and Arvy.
I think Kupari having more chances and minutes, he will absolutely generate more offense and
goals, than AI is. Defenses with have trouble with the 2 fastest players on the team and allow Kopi even more room. Rasmus has a good shot too.

Arvy must replace AI on #1 PP.

 

[kingsholygrail]

They'll likely make it 7 in a row after they defeat the Canucks and Coyotes.

The Kings really control their destiny, and we have no clue which version of the team we're going to get every night.

If they're a playoff worthy team they will take care of business. If not, we'll be talking about the blackhole. lol

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

The Kings really control their destiny, and we have no clue which version of the team we're going to get every night.

I think that's a bit unfair...this has been the most consistent season we've had in years, consistent in a good way obviously or we wouldn't be sitting in 2nd place right now. Even with all the injuries, they've continued to pick up points at an above .500 pace. At this point, no reason why we shouldn't expect the team to finish somewhere between 96-100 points. (but yes, we are Kings fans so we never feel confident)

 

[YP44]

So when the Oilers beat the Sharks tonight, they'll jump ahead of the Kings, bumping them down to 3rd place in the Pacific. Vegas also trail the Kings by four points with a game in hand, so if they go on a hot streak, they could also bump the Kings down to a wild card spot by the end of the week. The Golden Knights play the Canucks and Coyotes this week.

need the Knights to start losing. Give them credit they won the games they were supposed to. Losing to Seattle is looming large.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I think that's a bit unfair...this has been the most consistent season we've had in years, consistent in a good way obviously or we wouldn't be sitting in 2nd place right now. Even with all the injuries, they've continued to pick up points at an above .500 pace. At this point, no reason why we shouldn't expect the team to finish somewhere between 96-100 points. (but yes, we are Kings fans so we never feel confident)

Just focusing on their last month of play, the Kings have been about a middle of the pack team with a .583 winning percentage (9-6-3), earning 18 points in 21 games from March 1 up until last night's game.

In that same exact time frame, the PP still ranks towards the bottom at 24th in the league (18.4%), but at least their PK has improved and was ranked 11th in the league over the last month at 80.9%.

Now what is troublesome is that the Kings have been the second lowest scoring team in the entire league since March 1. Only the Ducks averaged less goals than the Kings, who averaged 2.56 goals for. On the flip side, they had the 8th best goals against at 2.78. It's still a higher average than their goals for, however, as the Kings scored 46 goals and gave up 50 in those 18 games since March 1.

Plenty of reasons why not to be overconfident in how this team will perform down the final stretch.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Just focusing on their last month of play, the Kings have been about a middle of the pack team with a .583 winning percentage (9-6-3), earning 18 points in 21 games from March 1 up until last night's game.

Sure, but that's pretty damn good considering the rash of injuries, no? We will be getting guys back...we should expect the points to come along with it.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

They'll likely make it 7 in a row after they defeat the Canucks and Coyotes.

The Kings really control their destiny, and we have no clue which version of the team we're going to get every night.

They WILL catch the Kings if these 2 things happen:
1. 23 comes back to play 12+ minutes a game. Please plese please keep him out. (kills his line)
2. IA continues to play the 23:23 TOI he did last night and continues on #1 PP. (kills PP and limits line 1 play)
Just those 2 things ALONE, continued with Vegas' play the rest of the season, will put the Kings on the golf course, come May 1. These 2 things are easily remedied. But you know both will happen. A shame.
23 @ 12+ minutes and 19 @ 20+ mins is half the game 1 of them is on the ice and so very detrimental.

 

[YP44]

Not sure who I would take out (probably Grundstrom) but at this point I would love it if Brown came back and played amazing.

 

[King'sPawn]

Huh... Kaliyev, one of the best shooters on the team, had 8:34 ice time total last night. He had 2:04 on the powerplay.

Kempe and Kopitar had almost 8 minutes of powerplay time alone (7:53 and 7:52). Danault had 7:37. Iafallo had 6:45.

Kopitar once again passed the 24-minute mark.

This is the sort of deployment that wears out the veterans and inhibits the youth from getting their skating legs and into a routine.

 

[kingsfan28]

This is true.

A few times, when they moved Kopitar high slot or on the left side and got him off the right half wall,
he was more effective.
"We don’t have the guys who can turn nothing into something"
Kempe and Arvidsson have some of that, for certain.
One player that has that ability, is Kupari...but he's not quite ready to make a big impact as of now.
There are several times the last few weeks, as he busts in the o-zone with speed, power and good puck control, he can easily beat defenses. He had a few PP minutes early on and has 3 PP points. But was removed.

I would break up the rookie line and move Kupari up with Kopitar and Kempe.
AI is still doing nothing and move him to the 4th line.
Put Lias with Gabe and QB. BOTH Gabe and Lias have not had chemisrty with anyone.
However, they have chemistry together. This would get both of them going, as well.
They were the best duo in preseason, besides Danault and Arvy.
I think Kupari having more chances and minutes, he will absolutely generate more offense and
goals, than AI is. Defenses with have trouble with the 2 fastest players on the team and allow Kopi even more room. Rasmus has a good shot too.

Arvy must replace AI on #1 PP.

Did you see Lias play last night? My god, no wonder he's spending most of his time in the AHL. The slowest player in the league [Lucic] skated right by him as he half assed some sort of defense, and just did nothing but see the vapor trail. Lias sucks, and is not an NHL player except for the shootout.

 

[KINGS17]

The PP has been shit for years, no matter the coaching staff. This is more of a personnel issue, not that the coaching has been great. Under TM’s watch, the Red Wings had the top PP, and look at all the players they had. The Kings don’t have the skill to execute consistently. Even their star players like Kopitar are more of the meat and potatoes variety than pure flash and finesse. We don’t have the guys who can turn nothing into something.

I blame Jamie Kompon, and of course Rob Blake.

Honorable mention to Kopitar who gets his ass superglued to the halfwall every season.

 

[Lt Dan]

K17 is right. It's all Kompon's fault. Still. He is haunting us with some Scooby-Doo ghost shit.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Did you see Lias play last night? My god, no wonder he's spending most of his time in the AHL. The slowest player in the league [Lucic] skated right by him as he half assed some sort of defense, and just did nothing but see the vapor trail. Lias sucks, and is not an NHL player except for the shootout.

It's tough because we are getting to the point in the franchise build timeline where guys like Lias--who would get an extended look if healthy--don't have roster spots and will have to find their places elsewhere, like Seattle.

I still think he's got a unique skillset--like late career Brown, good on the wall, lethal within 15 feet of the net--but his inconsistencies aren't tolerable on a playoff team when we have better kids that need the minutes. I hold out hope that he puts it all together, I really like his game when he's on, but right now he's a dime-a-dozen bottom-sixer that we aren't short on and his game isn't airtight enough to hold down a job.

 

[Nasti]

Well, we’re officially in 3rd now with Vegas on a five game winning streak right behind us. Oh yeah, the Oilers…also on a five game winning streak.

 

[KingsHockey24]

If we miss the playoffs I wouldn't be shocked.

This team did so much to get into a position to contend only to have Troy Stetcher brought in at the deadline. If I'm player I'd be super disappointed. As GM you want to reward your players for doing so good, bring in someone that'll make the team better not a 7D that brings nothing new to the table.

 

[Nasti]

If we miss the playoffs I wouldn't be shocked.

This team did so much to get into a position to contend only to have Troy Stetcher brought in at the deadline. If I'm player I'd be super disappointed. As GM you want to reward your players for doing so good, bring in someone that'll make the team better not a 7D that brings nothing new to the table.

Exact opposite. Thank god we didn’t waste assets on a doomed stretch run. No one player was going to make the difference.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

If we miss the playoffs I wouldn't be shocked.

This team did so much to get into a position to contend only to have Troy Stetcher brought in at the deadline. If I'm player I'd be super disappointed. As GM you want to reward your players for doing so good, bring in someone that'll make the team better not a 7D that brings nothing new to the table.

Or...if you're a player you might feel pretty good that the GM is confident in the exact group that put themselves in the position they are in to begin with. Highly doubt any player feels the way you suggest...

 

[KingsHockey24]

Or...if you're a player you might feel pretty good that the GM is confident in the exact group that put themselves in the position they are in to begin with. Highly doubt any player feels the way you suggest...

Re-watch the Road to the Stanley Cup video's.

It gave the team confidence when Lombardi brought in players that made them better. It showed the players that management believed in the team to go for it. We're just going to end up missing the playoffs again and act surprised when we did nothing to improve this team.

 

[King'sPawn]

I expected the Kings to make the playoffs at the start of the season. Like with the Lombardi era, they drafted top-5, top-2, top-10, and then moves were made to show the rebuild is over and playoffs are expected.

In 2010, the Kings brought in Ponikarovsky, right? Either way, they didn't go all in for a random mercenary.

That's exactly where today's Kings are.