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GDT: 2022-23 season game 10 LA Kings vs Toronto Maple Leafs @4:00pm 10/29/22

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First good game by Cal. Let’s not be over reactive. Good game overall
 
That was a really good game from the Kings. A weird bounce and a Durzi special and that’s it. I just can’t get over how Vilardi looks like the player we saw in juniors, just taking over games. His last season in juniors, he had 58 points in 32 games!

We need to bring up Bjornfot though.

Anderson - Doughty
Bjornfot - Roy
Edler - Clarke
 
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Despite the let downs of these first 10 games, I've said all along I'm still optimistic because the Kings should be able to tighten up the team D. Which is what we saw tonight.

And because the Kings are SCORING GOALS. This can't be understated. 3.60 GPG now. 6th best in the NHL.

With the emergence of Kempe/Vilardi, and the additions of Fiala/Arvidsson, the Kings now have a bunch of guys who can finish. (Hopefully Kaliyev eventually too)

Also, when you play decent team D, your goaltender will benefit. That was demonstrated tonight. So there's a bit of hope there as well.
 
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AbsentMojo said:
Does anyone here think Clarke is being evaluated against Walker? .. otherwise I dont see why Walker is playing
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I think they are evaluating Brandt overall, looking at tapes , discussing it internally. In my mind they shoulda rested him a few games ago. Maybe Tmac is reluctant as normal with youth but that is getting weighed against everyone's opinions from Bluc to development and scouting and on down the line.
Walks was better, like Cal, who earned the next start after JQ's sub par last game.
Fiala responded.
Durzi is on the bomb squad as head land mine detector and detonator.
Good coaching adjustments.
Need carry over to St. Louis.
 
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I'm gonna give Matthews the benefit of the doubt and say he didn't know it was Kopitar by him otherwise he wouldn't have tried to hook/hold him lol
 
kilowatt said:
That was a really good game from the Kings. A weird bounce and a Durzi special and that’s it. I just can’t get over how Vilardi looks like the player we saw in juniors, just taking over games. His last season in juniors, he had 58 points in 32 games!

We need to bring up Bjornfot though.

Anderson - Doughty
Bjornfot - Roy
Edler - Clarke
Click to expand...
We need to keep playing Durzi and let him keep getting points. He is trade bait. If he has 30 points at the all star break he’s gonna fetch a great return.

How have Spence and Bjornfoot looked on the reign?

Fishhead said:
Anderson was fantastic tonight. You can see why Matthews struggled, Mikey was in his grill all night.

He's not fancy but he's our best shutdown type by a good margin. Rarely gives the puck away, takes the body, and only 23.
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Man if we could stick him with Clarke and play Spence woth drew I think we may have something next year. We can’t break in 2 rookies in the top 2 pairs in the same year but damn the long term looks good. Maybe Toby can play with drew this year.
 
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kilowatt said:
That was a really good game from the Kings. A weird bounce and a Durzi special and that’s it. I just can’t get over how Vilardi looks like the player we saw in juniors, just taking over games. His last season in juniors, he had 58 points in 32 games!

We need to bring up Bjornfot though.

Anderson - Doughty
Bjornfot - Roy
Edler - Clarke
Click to expand...

Before the season started, many thought he was too slow to play in the NHL. That one shift where he went blueline to blueline, then around the net for a wrap around proves he has more than enough. He just took over like you said.
 
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johnjm22 said:
Despite the let downs of these first 10 games, I've said all along I'm still optimistic because the Kings should be able to tighten up the team D. Which is what we saw tonight.
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Absolutely. When I'm critical, it's because I see so muchpotential there. They've shown over the last three games they can be a f***ing juggernaut, practically unstoppable by even some of the best D in the game. It's why its so frustrating when they sabotage themselves...if they can iron it up, watch out.

DOn't get me wrong you're not gonna roll any team for a full 60 but it's about managing the game when the other team starts pushing, if they can just learn to take the temperature and get the puck out of the zone, that's the biggest step in the right direction.

kilowatt said:
Totally agree, but a year in Ontario and a healthy offseason did wonders for Vilardi. Kupari looks just fine at 3C. Let Byfield go develop a ton of chemistry with Turcotte with the Reign.
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Frankly, if they kept Kupari up now and sent Byfield down, I'd think they had no f***ing clue what they were doing because nothing has changed in the last 10 games to make that decision other than Byfield getting sick and Iafallo injured (and Vilardi's ascension I suppose). If they were going to run that, they should have had Kupari 3C and Byfield 1C in Ontario in the first place.

I'm not saying that at all to bash Kupari BTW, I wish he was up to begin with.

I wish I knew what people ARENT seeing with Byfield when he has appropriate linemates. (Edit: other than the "killer instinct" but even Vilardi didn't have that till this year) But as far as baseline "B" game effectiveness, yeah, Kupari is going to be faster, better checker when not scoring at this stage in their careers.

----

Big ups to Cal, looked much more confident tonight and though I didn't like his movement on the goals, he did make big steps forward. Good for him.

Vilardi is the best King and it's not close. My god. This is what I HOPED he'd be in his prime.

The D is still a mess.

I do like the balance of the lines with Fiala on the 3rd...too bad no one here ever suggested balancing out the lines with youth and vets before...
 
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