GDT: 2022-23 season game 44 LA Kings vs Edmonton Oilers @7:30pm 1/9/23

[GoldenBearHockey]

Even you said after the Buffalo game that he may be losing the room. Many of the concerns have been valid and in terms of the lines recently they are more in line with what people wanted.

This is also a stretch where we’d expect to be getting decent points against struggling teams. Thats not a critique btw, especially as we’d have lost these games earlier in the year, not just goaltending either because the team is definitely playing better. Its just it’s a bit early to think everything is rosey because we don’t yet know if this is particularly good form or a new norm. I hope the latter because as I’ve said before I like TMac.

The minutes are an issue though as I’d be concerned about burnout for DD and Kopi in the play-offs. The odd game (like yesterday) is fine but they need to trend down.

I absolutely said that after the Buffalo game, because it looked like he did, here's something I can that most can't on here, I was wrong.....or I was right for that game and he got them back, either way, he has them playing lights out hockey right now, even with the OMG TODD BEING TODD decisions, Durzi on the LD, playing Kopitar, etc,

ALL the arguments being made against Tmac has a coach has been shut down by the play of the team, he doesn't put kids into situations to succeed, debunked, he plays Durzi on the LD and we can't win because of that, debunked, he plays Kopitar too much and we can't win, debunked....it's all bullshit from doom and gloom who can't stand to see Blake and Robitaille succeed.....

As far as getting points against struggling teams, who exactly? Since Buffalo, 12 games, gone 9-3 with wins against Boston, Calgary, Colorado, Vegas, Dallas, Vegas again, Edmonton, yea they beat Anaheim, San Jose, etc but the majority of teams they have beaten, have been very good teams, with maybe the exception of Colorado without MacKinnon etc, but going into that game they were 5-1 in the last 6.....so is that really struggling?

Nothing is ever completely rosey, or completely dogshit......the difference is, those who revel in dogshit, will never get out of it.....

 

[LeftKinger]

I don’t think he’s adjusted to playing wing, akin to seeing how much of a different player Kempe is when he’s playing center, where he’s less productive. Problem is, he hasn’t challenged any of the other centers in pushing them out of the lineup.

I’d be curious to see how he’d do between Fiala and Vilardi, but the team loves Lizotte (justifiably so), and the coaching staff knows they can trust Lizotte defensively with Fiala and Vilardi, so they don’t have many other options as to where to play Byfield.

Have to think that once Kaliyev and eventually Moore return that Byfield and one of Lemieux, Kupari, or JAD will be scratched.

I’d also love to see Byfield between these two but I think you’re right about the trust factor in D. He looked a step behind last night and it showed in his penalties.

 

[kings11]

Yes we could use a heavy weight goon that can play - but not the highest priority. What you think of our boy KFiala? Can we mention in same sentence as ZP yet? How about most exciting individual player since the Zig?

A notch below Zigmund lol, but every exciting none the less

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

A notch below Zigmund lol, but every exciting none the less

The similarities to Ziggy are pretty on par, though I'd say Ziggy became more of a well-rounded winger under Andy Murray (who Ziggy has said was his favorite head coach).

Ziggy Palffy's first 44 games with the Kings: 17 goals, 26 assists, 43 points.
Kevin Fiala's first 44 games with the Kings: 15 goals, 31 assists, 46 points.

 

[cyclones22]

Fiala is an absolute star. Yes, he can get a little too overconfident with the puck and also take some retaliatory penalties. But he's an elite line driver, playmaker and chance creator. Oh and he's a good goal scorer too.

 

[kilowatt]

Just as a general statement, if we can find positives in games we lose, then we can find negatives in games we win. It goes both ways.

Also, wanted to apologize to @GoldenBearHockey and @Axl Rhoadz for catching stray bullets last night and losing my cool, and to @Surf Nutz for being unnecessarily rude. It wasn't a nice thing to do and I'm sorry.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Just as a general statement, if we can find positives in games we lose, then we can find negatives in games we win. It goes both ways.

Also, wanted to apologize to @GoldenBearHockey and @Axl Rhoadz for catching stray bullets last night and losing my cool, and to @Surf Nutz for being unnecessarily rude. It wasn't a nice thing to do and I'm sorry.

Naw, you are good, and you are right, my problem with the doom and gloom is it's always negative, I mean hell, we were dominating last night, and the only thing a few people could say was omg Kopitar played 7 minutes in the 1st.....how negative of a person do you have to be, to have THAT as your focus and takeaway?

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Just as a general statement, if we can find positives in games we lose, then we can find negatives in games we win. It goes both ways.

Also, wanted to apologize to @GoldenBearHockey and @Axl Rhoadz for catching stray bullets last night and losing my cool, and to @Surf Nutz for being unnecessarily rude. It wasn't a nice thing to do and I'm sorry.

ha, all good....I take none of this message board stuff seriously.

 

[Trash Panda]

Blah blah blah....more backtracking from the resident beer league GM. I could prob dig up at least 10 posts this season where you've given up on the team, the coach...claimed you were 'done', etc. Bottom line is no team goes 82-0, it's a long season with it's peaks and valleys. Players, coaches, everyone has to adapt to the challenges and adjust accordingly which doesn't happen overnight. This is NOT f***ing XBOX.

Straw man fallacy at its peak here.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Straw man fallacy at its peak here.

'Straw man'...that's original, Drink!

 

[kings11]

The similarities to Ziggy are pretty on par, though I'd say Ziggy became more of a well-rounded winger under Andy Murray (who Ziggy has said was his favorite head coach).

Ziggy Palffy's first 44 games with the Kings: 17 goals, 26 assists, 43 points.
Kevin Fiala's first 44 games with the Kings: 15 goals, 31 assists, 46 points.

Stats are very similar and they are having a similar impact. Ziggy was just more dynamic and well rounded. For example, in todays NHL he’d be a top 5 player, near elite hands, shot, hockey IQ.. what I like about Fiala as I did with Ziggy is their competitiveness and their willingness to do some dirty work regardless of their size

 

[Buddy The Elf]

This was the first game I attended this season and what a joy. Totally worth getting completely soaked while leaving Staples. I also got amazing seats in sec PR1 row 1 and only two seats in the row. That Fiala one time snipe and the his second goal were things of beauty. I was totally chubbed up after that. He's easily the most dynamic player in 20 years in the Kings with Palffy the only one that's debatable.

 

[bmr]

This was the first game I attended this season and what a joy. Totally worth getting completely soaked while leaving Staples. I also got amazing seats in sec PR1 row 1 and only two seats in the row. That Fiala one time snipe and the his second goal were things of beauty. I was totally chubbed up after that. He's easily the most dynamic player in 20 years in the Kings with Palffy the only one that's debatable.

Completely agree - key word being 'dynamic'. The Palffy comparisons are really good. I actually think Palffy was even better with the stuff he could pull off, but Fiala makes up for it with how strong he is on the puck and his edge-work. Palffy was not as tough as Fiala.

 

[Surf Nutz]

Ummm. The argument has been (not just from me) that he’s doing a good job but that to sign him to a several million $ multi year deal is premature because he hasn’t yet shown he can carry a team over a period of time. His goaltending has been solid but he’s not yet shown he’s a legit #1 because he has not played enough games to do so. There is a very long list of goalies that get signed after short periods of great play and then become overpaid backups. Hell, Petersen had a bigger body of decent work/numbers when he was signed to his current deal.

As I also said if his agent agrees to a deal now he’s an idiot because his value is going up. As I said previously I’d wait until at least after the TDL, give it another 25 games or so.


Seriously?! You need help.

I was advocating signing him in early December for one year for a little over a million to avoid your several million dollar price tag. We woulda shouldsa coulda...

 

[Schrute farms]

ha, all good....I take none of this message board stuff seriously.

That's good to hear -- because it sure as heck does not seem that way based on your sensitive & reactionary posts/replies. I look forward to you NOT taking other people's posts here seriously in the future.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

That's good to hear -- because it sure as heck does not seem that way based on your sensitive & reactionary posts/replies. I look forward to you NOT taking other people's posts here seriously in the future.

I have a pet peeve for ignorance...and it just so happens I spend a lot of time being a Kings fan, so hear I am. Do I lose sleep over any of it? Am I crying at night over being on someone's ignore list?? lol....every day!

 

[Surf Nutz]

Not sure why you brought me into this, I am just laughing my ass off at all the people who couldn't see what this team was.....and are now going...wait...what? Imagine being the person who can't enjoy beating the shit out of Edmonton, because Kopitar played 7 minutes in the 1st???

Maybe Tmac never was the problem to begin with? All the armchair GMs and their beer league hockey experience was?

Team will still have garbage nights, team still has to figure out a long term solution for LD/G, but this team has also strung together about 30 days of goddamn hockey......and most of you are just figuring out what I saw in the first month.....imagine that.

You are an insurrectionist!

Just as a general statement, if we can find positives in games we lose, then we can find negatives in games we win. It goes both ways.

Also, wanted to apologize to @GoldenBearHockey and @Axl Rhoadz for catching stray bullets last night and losing my cool, and to @Surf Nutz for being unnecessarily rude. It wasn't a nice thing to do and I'm sorry.

No problem. It happens. at least you didn't come across as the jail house rapist type I have seen on here, out on parole driving around their van posting comments.

 

[BigKing]

This was the first game I attended this season and what a joy. Totally worth getting completely soaked while leaving Staples. I also got amazing seats in sec PR1 row 1 and only two seats in the row. That Fiala one time snipe and the his second goal were things of beauty. I was totally chubbed up after that. He's easily the most dynamic player in 20 years in the Kings with Palffy the only one that's debatable.

I fully expected a "why did we come to this game on a Monday night in the rain" type of night but this was probably the most enjoyable home game of the season. Some elite plays--including McDavid's goal--to go along with some hate. Felt like being at a real hockey game again.

Amazing that this is the same team that had me saying "why did we come to this 1PM Saturday game in the rain" only 10 days ago or so.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Just as a general statement, if we can find positives in games we lose, then we can find negatives in games we win. It goes both ways.

Also, wanted to apologize to @GoldenBearHockey and @Axl Rhoadz for catching stray bullets last night and losing my cool, and to @Surf Nutz for being unnecessarily rude. It wasn't a nice thing to do and I'm sorry.

I'd chalk that up to a surge in the grid > 1 kilowatt

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Byfield has averaged 15 TOI the last 5 games playing on the top line....and has 1 assist to show for it. I'm not one that's giving up on him, but I laugh at the posters who were so persistent that the coaching staff was holding Byfield back by playing him on 3rd or 4th line.

Yeah, he showed them....

I hear you, but honestly he was involved in two more goals. The one making a simple pass gets the assist. That’s how it works.

Still not good enough though.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I hear you, but honestly he was involved in two more goals. The one making a simple pass gets the assist. That’s how it works.

Still not good enough though.

Yah, I think he's been fine -- has done some good things and some not so good things. But that's what we should expect...we shouldn't have these grandiose delusions that him playing on the 3rd or 4th line is hindering is development. It's crap.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

You are an insurrectionist!

No problem. It happens. at least you didn't come across as the jail house rapist type I have seen on here, out on parole driving around their van posting comments.

Don't even know what that means...but sure lmao

 

[Surf Nutz]

I'd chalk that up to a surge in the grid > 1 kilowatt

LOL

 

[Sol]

See the shit posting is peaking for some reason right now.

Anyways, yeah, I do agree Byfield gets an insane amount of leeway for not producing. Even though you can argue about his deployment there’s nothing special about his game play which is the scariest part about him. Stutzle is excelling and Byfield has constantly been stagnating/regressing.

One of the bigger issues that I don’t know if he can fix or not is how thin he is. He never comes across as a big player. Lizotte has more puck strength than Byfield.

For byfield to become something special there’s so much work for him to do. I think he was definitely the wrong pick. For the amount of time it’s going to take him to be serviceable the Kings could have gotten serviceable years already with the Stutzle pick.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Re QB

For byfield to become something special there’s so much work for him to do. I think he was definitely the wrong pick. For the amount of time it’s going to take him to be serviceable the Kings could have gotten serviceable years already with the Stutzle pick.

Its way too early to be definite about Byfield. Its def not trending well.. but 20.5 yrs old w big body - there are many examples of these guys taking longer to develop. Need to also factor in he came up in Covid years.. and moreover had a bad leg injury. I know some things about it.. my kid broke his leg in hockey. It sets you back more than you would imagine both physically and psychologically.