GDT: 2021-22 season game 9 LA Kings vs Buffalo Sabres @1:00pm 10/31/21

[johnjm22]

Vilardi and Tkachev played pretty poorly, I agree. I think at this point it certainly looks like Kupari is the better third line center at least. And obviously Gabe's in COVID protocol, but I hope that when he is back he's given a chance to play wing somewhere. Give him a shot with Iafallo and Danault. He's got a lethal shot and is super creative. But he needs guys like Danault and Iafallo (or Andersson).

Andersson - Kopitar - Arvidsson
Iafallo - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Kupari - Kaliyev
Lemieux - Moore - Brown

The Iafallo-Danault-Kempe line is starting to click. Kempe has 3 points in his last 3 games.

That line collectively has the best CF% on the team.

Vilardi wasn't just bad, he was incompetent. I don't see any justification for breaking up the Danault line to put Gabe on it.

People will make every excuse for GV: "he just needs to play with this type of player, or that type of player". If you have that many needs, than you're not an NHL caliber player.

I do agree that if they're going to play him again, it needs to be on wing, but IMO the best thing to do is send him down so he can work on his game.

 

[kingsfan28]

As good as Kupari and Kaliyev have been playing, I must again talk about Bjornfot. Another stellar performance. This guy's our #2 d man going forward after DD.

Mikey Anderson is our most overrated prospect.

As well as they played saturday, Kupari and Kaliyev were pretty flat today. Only noticed them a few times.

and Mikey Anderson is no longer a prospect. He's not flashy or will put up a bunch of points, but pretty steady, espcially when NOT PAIRED WITH MAATA!

 

[kingsfan28]

Brown at the end - wtf was he thinking?

This is probably going to be misunderstood, but that play by Björnfot is antithetical Kings play. If Iafallo doesn't get that, it's lost possession with the puck likely going the other way. It's a beautiful play, but it's a medium-high risk move that paid off.

I am curious if this is a change going forward or if players will face discipline doing stuff like this.

Edit: really dig Andersson on the top line. Kopitar always thrives with puck hound types, like Iafallo, Williams, etc.

are you talking about him with the empty net, and how he stay along the boards to eat the clock [which he did], instead of shooting it?

 

[Ghetty Green]

As well as they played saturday, Kupari and Kaliyev were pretty flat today. Only noticed them a few times.

and Mikey Anderson is no longer a prospect. He's not flashy or will put up a bunch of points, but pretty steady, espcially when NOT PAIRED WITH MAATA!

Mikey is Teflon don. He escapes any/all criticisms. He's been awful since Drew went out. It's telling that a 20 year old has to babysit him now. Mikey would make a great trade chip.

 

[tny760]

are you talking about him with the empty net, and how he stay along the boards to eat the clock [which he did], instead of shooting it?

heh

yeah i don't think he was thinking too hard about eating clock when he spun off and flung the puck behind his back to the 2 defenders in the slot instead of chipping it deep or pinning it against the boards

listen man he had a good game but that was literally f***in braindead play

 

[DoktorJeep]

You had them equivalent to an 18pt team over 82 games after 9?

I figured them for a 70’ish point team this season. The first 9 games were a tough schedule, so I was surprised they won any besides the Buffalo matchup.

 

[lumbergh]

Not only did you make an argument for Brown and Kempe being keepers after a game like tonight where it’s clear as day what they are, but you followed it by using +\- as a reason to not give a young & developing skilled center ice time.

So much wrong, packed into such a small space.

+/- is a valuable stat to compare players on a single team. A team worst -5 on a 1-5-1 team is bad. No way to sugar coat or explain that away. Vilardi has not only been not good, he has been bad. I'm saying this as a Vilardi fan.

He needs ice time, in Ontario. The Kings need to win games, and having a 3C that can't defend, ends up on the wrong side of the puck a lot, and gives up turnovers is taking the Kings in the opposite direction.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Love reading these threads afterward. Team plays well with heart, rallies for a 3-2 win and gives us a winning streak finally, and while there is a lot of praise, we still see people complaining about things like bench management and being upset Tmac played some guys to much and others -young guys- not enough. We won, so the choices Tmac made resulted in that win. Maybe that was luck, maybe it was smart choices, likely it was a combo, but either way we won. I don't care if Kaliyev ended up losing some ice time today and Kopitar and Brown ate 20+ minutes, they were also two of the best players and we are a bubble team to make the postseason. I'm not worried about managing their workload for games down the stretch, two points today matters just as much as two points in three months.
Btw, Kaliyev still got 13:29 of ice time tonight and Tmac did play the kids on defense. Contrary to commenters beliefs as well, yeah, he did have an option to not play them. He ended up giving Edler just 15 minutes and Maatta 14:33. Edler has averaged 18:44 a night so far and Maatta 17:03, so they each got several minutes below their norm so far, minutes that went to the kids.

It's almost like it's a discussion board, and people have different opinions. Others aren't invalid just because you have different.

Some of us are looking at the big picture here and to us, trends like overplaying vets and under-developing youth are patterns from yesteryear that are continuing to a degree and we're keeping an eye on it.

Bitching about bitching isn't much better. It's not that we're unhappy with the win; it's that a team currently on pace for 63 points that initially showed no progress and actually further regression is worth of big-picture criticism. People can hold several thoughts at once.

The Iafallo-Danault-Kempe line is starting to click. Kempe has 3 points in his last 3 games.
That line collectively has the best CF% on the team.

Vilardi wasn't just bad, he was incompetent. I don't see any justification for breaking up the Danault line to put Gabe on it.

People will make every excuse for GV: "he just needs to play with this type of player, or that type of player". If you have that many needs, than you're not an NHL caliber player.

I do agree that if they're going to play him again, it needs to be on wing, but IMO the best thing to do is send him down so he can work on his game.

Come on. Asking the coach to find a fit for a guy isn't some brain busting exercise and putting complementary players together doesn't mean a guy is wholly insufficient, especially when far and away we have an immense number of two-way guys and are looking for scoring. I'll notice you don't say the same about Kaliyev, who absolutely has the same general issues in his game (though thus far better effort and anticipation).

As you say, and most others are too, the GV at C experiment SHOULD be over and he SHOULD start converting to wing. Hell a lot of people thought that early on, not even after he started struggling down the hole. We pretty much have the same criticism, you're just going hard at the player for not simply being better, I'm going hard at the coach for not putting him in a position to use his skillset to succeed.

 

[kingsfan]

It's almost like it's a discussion board, and people have different opinions. Others aren't invalid just because you have different.

Some of us are looking at the big picture here and to us, trends like overplaying vets and under-developing youth are patterns from yesteryear that are continuing to a degree and we're keeping an eye on it.

Bitching about bitching isn't much better. It's not that we're unhappy with the win; it's that a team currently on pace for 63 points that initially showed no progress and actually further regression is worth of big-picture criticism. People can hold several thoughts at once.

Or, more likely, people just look for a reason to bitch just to bitch.

I'm fine with all the negativity for the most part, especially when we lose, but we play arguably our best games of the year the past two times out and some people are crying about f***ing ice time of the best player on the team as though he wasn't out there that much with the explicit goal of winning the game. But why would we put him out there to win the game when we could save him for later in the season so he could help us win a game!

What big picture you looking at? Fairly sure the big picture is to win some games and Kopi was a big part of us doing that last night.

Btw, keep up the spin. Yes, they are on pace for 63 points. They were on pace for just 35 two games ago and if you want to just look at the past two games they have a 1.000 winning percentage. None of those projections mean shit cause we're nine games into a season with several new players. "Initially showed no progress and actually further regression" was over a span of a handful of games max. There's a reason you don't judge over such a small sample size in terms of regression, because it's to small to say that. You judge based upon outcomes, and the outcomes are the current line up is doing much better with certain players out of it, namely Gabe and Tkachev.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I am very, very happy for one Kale Clague, that's for sure. What an immense middle finger he's come up with...again.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Or, more likely, people just look for a reason to bitch just to bitch.

I'm fine with all the negativity for the most part, especially when we lose, but we play arguably our best games of the year the past two times out and some people are crying about f***ing ice time of the best player on the team as though he wasn't out there that much with the explicit goal of winning the game. But why would we put him out there to win the game when we could save him for later in the season so he could help us win a game!

What big picture you looking at? Fairly sure the big picture is to win some games and Kopi was a big part of us doing that last night.

Btw, keep up the spin. Yes, they are on pace for 63 points. They were on pace for just 35 two games ago and if you want to just look at the past two games they have a 1.000 winning percentage. None of those projections mean shit cause we're nine games into a season with several new players. "Initially showed no progress and actually further regression" was over a span of a handful of games max. There's a reason you don't judge over such a small sample size in terms of regression, because it's to small to say that. You judge based upon outcomes, and the outcomes are the current line up is doing much better with certain players out of it, namely Gabe and Tkachev.

The big picture is guys like Kopitar and Doughty have played some of the most minutes in hockey over the last decade and part of their issues were clearly getting run into the ground over the last couple of years. In a one-game vacuum, no big deal. But it's 100% worth monitoring as both guys clearly crashed down the stretch last year, so Todd playing Kopi more than most #1 d-men in the league on a second half of a B2B definitely raises my eyebrows. For a coach whose biggest weakness is clearly adjustments this worth monitoring.

It's not about spin. These are patterns. We regressed last year, and showed signs of doing it again this year. Todd historically has teams that under-perform, rather than over-perform (no one has ever said wow TM got the most out of that squad), and now some players, year-over-year-over-year, are regressing. The only one that bucked the trend and showed growth over the last few years was Iafallo--everyone else saw their production taper off. The beginning of this year is a small sample size and can change--but you're similarly putting a lot of eggs in a two-game basket which is an even smaller sample, and ignoring the previous two seasons.

Would love to be wrong. I'm just exercising caution. TM hasn't shown much for me to believe otherwise at this stage.

 

[kingsfan]

We showed signs of regression again this year? In a year that's nine games old and we've won the last two? If anything we've shown over such a small sample size, it's an upward trajectory. Again though, it's nine games, so I don't take much out of that at this point and outside of maybe the coaching staff no one should.

And as far as playing big minutes for a decade, the Kings have a trained medical staff to evaluate those concerns. Last year I don't see Kopi and Drew getting 'run into the ground' as much as I see a subpar team with to few talents getting exposed for what they were and the opposition adjusting accordingly. We had average at best goaltending, barely enough offense to ice one good line never mind two or three, and a defense which had no depth behind DD pretty much. That great start was a mirage and we got exposed.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Any coach on a rebuilding team is in a bad spot. The only way they can win is if young guys play a lot, and the team wins.

Play young guys a lot, but lose, now you have a losing culture that young players need to be protected from.

Play vets a lot, but lose, now you have a losing culture that young players need to be protected from.

Play vets a lot, but win, I guess it's ok, but now the young guys can't take hold of the team.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I am very, very happy for one Kale Clague, that's for sure. What an immense middle finger he's come up with...again.

The middle finger directed at 32 teams....was surprised he passed through waivers, honestly.

 

[kings11]

Any coach on a rebuilding team is in a bad spot. The only way they can win is if young guys play a lot, and the team wins.

Play young guys a lot, but lose, now you have a losing culture that young players need to be protected from.

Play vets a lot, but lose, now you have a losing culture that young players need to be protected from.

Play vets a lot, but win, I guess it's ok, but now the young guys can't take hold of the team.

And that’s the pickle this Kings team is in..
Our 3 best prospects haven’t established themselves…
Vilardi has been beyond inconsistent though I don’t think anyone is giving up on him yet. He might need time in the O to work out his kinks
Byfield got hurt which really sucked because he was looking good. He finish on the big club but that’s more delayed development
Turcotte has been jinxed with his last few injuries but is finally showcasing his all around game and fingers crossed… injuries aside, he should debut in a month or so..
Kupari and Andersson have been awesome in there limited playing time
Kaliyev still needs more development with his physique/strength and his skating.. But his mind/hockey IQ is outstanding!

the team needs to finally move in from Lizotte, Kempe and Tonka once Q, Turc and JAD are ready later this season..

I still think we need a big body on the blue line and Soucy is a guy I’d love to see in a Kings sweater

 

[Lt Dan]

I am very, very happy for one Kale Clague, that's for sure. What an immense middle finger he's come up with...again.

Kale be like

 

[Matt13]

The middle finger directed at 32 teams....was surprised he passed through waivers, honestly.

More surprised Seattle passed on him. Including last year, he always seems better in the NHL and ups his game here.

 

[lumbergh]

Big test coming up. Next game is against the Blues, who absolutely dominated the Kings twice in two games. If the last two Kings games is indication of a turnaround, the Kings have to be at least competitive with the Blues on Wednesday.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Debut in a month? Outside of injuries, Kaliyev and Kupari wouldn't even be here. Turcotte showing up sometime is probably based more on circumstance than some exact date.

 

[eleventy]

Kale be like

Please help me unsee this

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Big test coming up. Next game is against the Blues, who absolutely dominated the Kings twice in two games. If the last two Kings games is indication of a turnaround, the Kings have to be at least competitive with the Blues on Wednesday.

I promise @kingsfan and @johnjm22 I will shut the f*** up about Vilardi, Tkachev, and TM for at least a week if the good stuff that's happened over the last two games happens vs. the Blues on Wednesday.

 

[Matt13]

I promise @kingsfan and @johnjm22 I will shut the f*** up about Vilardi, Tkachev, and TM for at least a week if the good stuff that's happened over the last two games happens vs. the Blues on Wednesday.

You have 48,397 posts..........I can't see this happening without your head exploding!

It will be like Austin Powers seeing the mole.

 

[BigKing]

Results matter, obviously, but the big issue for me was the team's attitude, moxie or whatever you want to call it. It's not surprising that the addition of some tenacity in Lemieux and Lias leads to better results.

It somewhat fell apart last season but I still think the Kings had a winning record overall when MacD was in the lineup during his Kings tenure. This super soft team has generally played better hockey when they feel a little safer. It's been said on here numerous times but a lot of these guys need to have the temperature of the game raised for them v. going out and doing that themselves.

3-0 with Lemieux in the lineup. Small sample size and the quality of competition isn't the greatest but it is important that your energy line(s) actually provide positive energy. Effective 4th line shifts carry over to the rest of the team. It gets the fans going which in turn gets the players going as well.

 

[kingsfan]

I promise @kingsfan and @johnjm22 I will shut the f*** up about Vilardi, Tkachev, and TM for at least a week if the good stuff that's happened over the last two games happens vs. the Blues on Wednesday.

I don't want you to shut up. The posting volume around here would drop 25% if you disappeared

Seriously though, let's start judging guys based on results and what they have/haven't earned. Saying guys like Gabe should be up on a scoring line just because he's talented (not saying you said that specifically, but it's been said a lot) irks me. You don't build championships giving out ice time to guys based on where they were drafted or anything else, it should be based on results almost entirely. When we look at those championship teams, we bitched about them too even in the cup seasons, but it was rarely about ice time because guys got what they earned. From what I'm seeing, it's no different this time either. Gabe and Tkachev have measured out to be the worst two forwards we have and so they sat. Maatta has been pretty terrible and he's been out most of the season and was I think sixth in ice time last night, a game he likely only got in because of injuries.

I get it, you have a man crush of sorts on Gabe. We all have our guy we crush on hard, but let's call a spade a spade when it comes to actual output.

 

[Schmooley]

Seriously though, let's start judging guys based on results and what they have/haven't earned.

Yea exactly you should judge them based on results. This core has been here a long time and has had pretty horrid results for what the last 6 years?
When they come out flat a lot of nights and have a losing record to start another season I think most of us have our reservations about being overly excited about the players that have been on this team and are looking toward the future core.
Are you paid to be a fan on here or related to someone on the team?