GDT: 2022-23 season game 67 LA Kings vs Nashville Predators @7:30pm 3/11/23

[Mattias]

I love Spence, also he is half Japanese and me being Japanese I am rooting for him. But is he heads and shoulder above Walker? The Kings are playing great so I'm not questioning any moves by Management. Let's just be glad we have a player like him on the right side if any one gets hurt.

Yes. In every way, shape, and form. Metrics to eye test, Spence is far superior.

Kings players are playing great despite of management, not because of management.

 

[unicornpig]

I know everyone is upset about Spence (i am too) but I'm more upset about Copley starting. We traded for Korpisalo, hes the one we need to see play right now. He actually is putting up real goalie stats and we need to know if he can carry the mail.

20-4-2 hard to bench that even with mediocre numbers

 

[Surf Nutz]

WOOOOOO thanks for your service jordan, HIT THE f***IN PRESS BOX KIDDO!

Not sure what you guys expect but let me spell it out for you.
Blake is going to try to keep Spence under 10 games for another salary hold down elc.
Walker seems likely to be traded and you gotta give him some ice time to make him look like someone a team may want to acquire.
I can't believe Fiala got run, the Choir kept hitting the gong and the bong, chanting "it only happens in the AHL because they seek ascendance!" nity nity AUM!

 

[TwzKing]

20-4-2 hard to bench that even with mediocre numbers

Really its simple lol. One goalie is not like the other.

 

[Surf Nutz]

I hope that’s the case but the kings have been very tight lipped this season about injuries

And they should be or guys will be targeted in a specific manner revolving around their injuries

 

[chris kontos]

One thing walker’s got that spence doesnt have is an nhl contract.

 

[Surf Nutz]

Really its simple lol. One goalie is not like the other.

And I think that is good , it makes scouting and shooting instructions to opponents player a little more complicated.

 

[YAYSAY]

Not sure what you guys expect but let me spell it out for you.
Blake is going to try to keep Spence under 10 games for another salary hold down elc.
Walker seems likely to be traded and you gotta give him some ice time to make him look like someone a team may want to acquire.
I can't believe Fiala got run, the Choir kept hitting the gong and the bong, chanting "it only happens in the AHL because they seek ascendance!" nity nity AUM!

Walker has already played the majority of the season, if someone wanted him they would have traded him already. No one wants him with that contract and the Kings will likely have to add a sweetener to get rid of him in the Summer if they decide to do so, him playing anymore at this point won't have much of an effect.

 

[unicornpig]

Really its simple lol. One goalie is not like the other.

Prior to this year korpisalo has been hot garbage. Don't know where this korpiqsalo is elite idea is coming from

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Prior to this year korpisalo has been hot garbage. Don't know where this korpiqsalo is elite idea is coming from

Leaving out the pretty important caveat of his play this year, i.e., the year we're currently in.

 

[unicornpig]

Leaving out the pretty important caveat of his play this year, i.e., the year we're currently in.

Has his play this year been good enough to unseat the goalie that turned the around the kings season....

 

[King'sPawn]

I know everyone is upset about Spence (i am too) but I'm more upset about Copley starting. We traded for Korpisalo, hes the one we need to see play right now. He actually is putting up real goalie stats and we need to know if he can carry the mail.

The way goalies are handled is cool with me, for what it's worth. Copley has held the fort until Korpisalo came in, and I think keeping both goalies fresh is a pretty good call.

I love Spence, also he is half Japanese and me being Japanese I am rooting for him. But is he heads and shoulder above Walker? The Kings are playing great so I'm not questioning any moves by Management. Let's just be glad we have a player like him on the right side if any one gets hurt.

I think he is.

 

[Surf Nutz]

They are the black hole of possession metrics, offense, and general direction of play on the entire roster.

It’s quite handily the biggest pressing issue facing the roster now that the goaltending & LHD have been addressed, and the Kings have better options available internally. It’s maddening.

I didn't think you would be posting, it's Oscars weekend and you are a full blown thespian.

Does LA get
A Nashville playing for a PO spot , so players playing too tight so to avoid mistakes
A Nashville that's giving up? (hope for this one)
A Nashville that has players playing for next year (most dangerous team).

67 % chance it 's tough.
they play us tough and they match up well against the Kings.

This isn't even some super small sample size thing either with Spence. He's played around around 30 games for the Kings and has consistently been better than Walker. Not all, but most games have been good to very good. Every single game was meaningful too. Whereas Walker is a below replacement level type player signed to a contract off the strength of performance on a tanking team.

Except in the playoffs when it mattered the most.

How many goals will Copley give up tonight when down on his knees, between the legs and his stick not on the ice?

Korpisalo is a fundamentally better goaltender. Play him.

It was clear as daylight so Copley and Ranfords guys have been working on it. Copley is so big and covers so much of the net it adds to the increased incentive to go Maynards.

Walker has already played the majority of the season, if someone wanted him they would have traded him already. No one wants him with that contract and the Kings will likely have to add a sweetener to get rid of him in the Summer if they decide to do so, him playing anymore at this point won't have much of an effect.

Unless he plays very decent like he did in the playoffs last year. But you are right about Blake having to sweeten the pot for Walks.

TMAC is being smart keeping everybody sharp going into the playoffs not putting guys in the freezer having to thaw out when the season is on the grill.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Has his play this year been good enough to unseat the goalie that turned the around the kings season....

By every metric he's been a better goalie than Copley this year. There's a reason he was part of the package in which the Kings gave up a first.

 

[Live in the Now]

20-4-2 hard to bench that even with mediocre numbers

As soon as Copper loses a game he's getting benched. So in other words hopefully it's a while until then.

 

[Choralone]

To be fair, Walker was bad after coming back from injury. He's played his way into better shape, and there may be a landing spot for this version of Walker over the summer whereas there wasn't earlier in the season.

 

[unicornpig]

By every metric he's been a better goalie than Copley this year. There's a reason he was part of the package in which the Kings gave up a first.

Every metric except win percentage lol, and him being part of the package had more to do with quick being garbage. I'm not saying he's bad or the kings shouldn't play him but unless Copley falls off I'm fine with them platooning

 

[Statto]

Yes. In every way, shape, and form. Metrics to eye test, Spence is far superior.

Kings players are playing great despite of management, not because of management.

It doesn’t work like that or are you saying that ant failure is on the players only too? You can’t have it both ways. I’ve made it clear I’d play Spence ahead of Durzi and Walker, whilst also playing Björnfot. However, they have gotten an awful lot of things correct. The move of QB to LW1 for example was genius. I’ve been very critical at times but your take is based on little fact.

Anyone not accepting any criticism is as equally unrealistic.

By every metric he's been a better goalie than Copley this year. There's a reason he was part of the package in which the Kings gave up a first.

I’m fine with rotating until someone falters, during the regular season. Then come the playoffs they can go with the hot hand who will also be relatively fresh.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Every metric except win percentage lol, and him being part of the package had more to do with quick being garbage. I'm not saying he's bad or the kings shouldn't play him but unless Copley falls off I'm fine with them platooning

Wins is a team stat. Knocking Korpisalo for breaking .500 with one of the worst teams in the league is odd. Also odd to knock Korpisalo for his previous seasons when Copley has been a career AHLer until this year. If you're judging Copley on this year then maybe you should judge Korpisalo on this year.

If you don't like that, Korpisalo has a .913 save percentage compared to Copley's .899. That's a huge difference when the league average this year is .905.

 

[Schrute farms]

Every metric except win percentage lol, and him being part of the package had more to do with quick being garbage. I'm not saying he's bad or the kings shouldn't play him but unless Copley falls off I'm fine with them platooning

I'd like to think you are joking about using win percentage as a valid/good metric for judging goalies. We're also talking about such a small sample size too (not even a full year; or even half a season). Unfortunately, i think you might actually be serious.

 

[bland]

Prior to this year korpisalo has been hot garbage. Don't know where this korpiqsalo is elite idea is coming from

Well, by that logic Copley should be waived and sent back to the AHL.

Korpisalo played with pain for a couple of years and had a corrective surgery. He isn't "elite", just competent.

 

[johnjm22]

Don't some of the analytics guys say it's more efficient to run a goaltending tandem? Unless you have an overwhelming elite goaltender.

Goalies are kind of becoming like running backs in the NFL.

I'm fine alternating starts between the two until there's a clear difference between them.

 

[TwzKing]

Don't some of the analytics guys say it's more efficient to run a goaltending tandem? Unless you have an overwhelming elite goaltender.

Goalies are kind of becoming like running backs in the NFL.

I'm fine alternating starts between the two until there's a clear difference between them.

Im not saying run him in the ground but a few starts in a row to see how he handles it wouldn't be a bad thing. Not to mention we are in a legit race for best in the west.

 

[kingsboy11]

I think for now it's fine platooning them until one of them falters. But at some point you have to pick one. I think Copley has earned the right to be the 1A guy right now given how he saved our season, but we shouldn't hesitate to go to Korpisalo if he falters. Right now they're both winning games for us and there's plenty of time between now and the end of the season for one of them to emerge as the starter.

 

[bouncesonly]

I think for now it's fine platooning them until one of them falters. But at some point you have to pick one. I think Copley has earned the right to be the 1A guy right now given how he saved our season, but we shouldn't hesitate to go to Korpisalo if he falters. Right now they're both winning games for us and there's plenty of time between now and the end of the season for one of them to emerge as the starter.

On one of the PDOcast that was posted (by someone here, sorry, forgot who) with some talk about Kings goalies (which I never found, but ended up listening to their conversation anyway), they mentioned Fleury's deployment last year with the Wild. Minnesota basically 50/50 the two goalies all season long and both goalies posted very good numbers. Then they decided to roll with Fleury only for the playoffs and that was all she wrote for the Wild's playoffs bids.

I say King's split goalie duties through the playoffs. Copley has at least earned that. What have they got to lose? The cup? Right, this was our year....

edit: Dammit, @johnjm22 beat me to it lol