GDT: 2022-23 season game 78 LA Kings vs Edmonton Oilers @7:30 pm 4/4/23

[bouncesonly]

Disagree on Byfield, when you shoot the puck and your stick breaks as the defender slashes it making contact, it always been called. Even if it was damaged earlier in the shift, it a visual call. Do you think they wouldn't call it if it was Mcdavid?

Doughty was called for the same thing against the Ducks in Game 7, 2014. That one didn’t end up as a penalty though. It was a penalty shot.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Welp. Doesn't feel any better the morning after.

The stark reality is that the Kings are simply not a good team without Fiala, Vilardi, and Anderson. That's an entire line's worth of production plus your best defensive defenseman. Few teams, most of all Edmonton, could stand to lose two of their four best forwards and a top pairing D and shrug it off.

Other than the obvious injury problems, this was another microcosm of why I've been bearish on this team all year. They're small. They're soft. They sit back and play not to lose rather than playing to win. And above all else, they're horribly coached.

I'm about ready to write off Byfield all over again. He's the most hapless, unproductive high skilled forward I've seen in a long time. I just don't know what to make of him any more. We need him to be stepping up to the challenge in games like this, and instead he's shrinking away. What an immensely frustrating prospect.

I won't harp on the roster decisions any more than anyone else has. It's obvious Todd is clueless. Same goes for Blake. Let's just hope a lot of these promising young players are still with the team after Todd and Blake are gone.

I have zero expectations going into the playoffs. Truly the mark of a contender lol.

 

[Schmooley]

Played not to lose yet again by TM. I mean sure, you are short-handed..but give your team a chance.

How can someone who watches Durzi play every day still not see he should avoid him on the PK at all cost? Let alone starting off a PK. It's not so much Durzi's fault -- that's not his game (yet). But the coach needs to properly deploy this guy to utilize his strengths. Sometimes it seems like TM utilizes Durzi to maximize his weaknesses.

One last Durzi thing, what was that play with about 2:30 minutes left? Take the puck up and nobody around and shoot it down for icing. Such a classic Durzi play.

Guys like Durzi and Lizotte are mostly fine in their elevated roles against the bottom half the league and softer teams like the Canucks.
Its just against the better teams and more physical teams they get exposed. Sometimes its just minor things like Lizottes size where he couldnt get his stick on a puck to clear it on the pk or Durzi floating a couple feet away from where he should be or making a bad pass that ends up in his net to a skilled team.
Bjornfot played fine last night in his limited time. He kept plays to the outside and separated guys like Draisaitl from the puck.
Not sure why hes being picked on. Edler would have gotten beat on a couple of those plays.

 

[tny760]

Guys like Durzi and Lizotte are mostly fine in their elevated roles against the bottom half the league and softer teams like the Canucks.
Its just against the better teams and more physical teams they get exposed. Sometimes its just minor things like Lizottes size where he couldnt get his stick on a puck to clear it on the pk or Durzi floating a couple feet away from where he should be or making a bad pass that ends up in his net to a skilled team.
Bjornfot played fine last night in his limited time. He kept plays to the outside and separated guys like Draisaitl from the puck.
Not sure why hes being picked on. Edler would have gotten beat on a couple of those plays.

yeah i don't understand the bjornfot talk either, he was negligibly impactful good or bad which is what i want from a defenseman paired with an offensive partner

i certainly didn't see anything that could even remotely be construed as being "brutal" in his what, 8 minutes between the 1st period and 3rd period garbage time

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Welp. Doesn't feel any better the morning after.

The stark reality is that the Kings are simply not a good team without Fiala, Vilardi, and Anderson. That's an entire line's worth of production plus your best defensive defenseman. Few teams, most of all Edmonton, could stand to lose two of their four best forwards and a top pairing D and shrug it off.

Other than the obvious injury problems, this was another microcosm of why I've been bearish on this team all year. They're small. They're soft. They sit back and play not to lose rather than playing to win. And above all else, they're horribly coached.

I'm about ready to write off Byfield all over again. He's the most hapless, unproductive high skilled forward I've seen in a long time. I just don't know what to make of him any more. We need him to be stepping up to the challenge in games like this, and instead he's shrinking away. What an immensely frustrating prospect.

I won't harp on the roster decisions any more than anyone else has. It's obvious Todd is clueless. Same goes for Blake. Let's just hope a lot of these promising young players are still with the team after Todd and Blake are gone.

I have zero expectations going into the playoffs. Truly the mark of a contender lol.

I'm trying to be hopeful that it's like when they farted off down the stretch in 2012 and dropped to the 8, but it's hard to feel that way...on one side, 7 games 11 nights vs. a contender that has our number with injuries; on the other, 'almost' isn't good enough no matter what the excuse at this point. I'm conflicted, but not super upset really. Just. get. healthy. is priority #1.

Re: byfield he's fallen off pretty hard the last few games and I appreciate TM giving him some rope to learn and work thru it. I see it as a normal dip in development, it's not linear.

I am worried the offseason sees a youth purge.

yeah i don't understand the bjornfot talk either, he was negligibly impactful good or bad which is what i want from a defenseman paired with an offensive partner

i certainly didn't see anything that could even remotely be construed as being "brutal" in his what, 8 minutes between the 1st period and 3rd period garbage time

youre gonna love this:

 

[King'sPawn]

I'm at the point where I'm just waiting for the Kings to lie down in the bed they made. Either it works out well and this blip doesn't matter or it doesn't work out well and we may see some organizational changes.

My biggest concern though is they accept failure due to injuries, when every team is dealing with them in some capacity.

 

[Herby]

Nobody is saying hurt the the guy,

If you think that, you should probably re-read the GDT. Both posts I replied to were people saying just that. One of them saying to cross check him in the face after the whistle so hard that it knocks his teeth out.

I have no problem playing someone physical, that is why I didn’t object to any of the comments saying that. Intentionally injuring someone is a different story, and I don’t want to see Drew or Kopitar face the wrath for something that would be done by MacEwen or some other scrub. There is a reason no teams are doing stuff like this anymore, the game has evolved away from it, and it’s for the better.

I'm at the point where I'm just waiting for the Kings to lie down in the bed they made. Either it works out well and this blip doesn't matter or it doesn't work out well and we may see some organizational changes.

My biggest concern though is they accept failure due to injuries, when every team is dealing with them in some capacity.

A lot of the excuses made for Blake is stuff other teams have to deal with as well. Example, sometimes on this forum I get the feeling that Covid only effected the Kings and not any other teams.

 

[The Butcher]

I'm trying to be hopeful that it's like when they farted off down the stretch in 2012 and dropped to the 8, but it's hard to feel that way...on one side, 7 games 11 nights vs. a contender that has our number with injuries; on the other, 'almost' isn't good enough no matter what the excuse at this point. I'm conflicted, but not super upset really. Just. get. healthy. is priority #1.

Re: byfield he's fallen off pretty hard the last few games and I appreciate TM giving him some rope to learn and work thru it. I see it as a normal dip in development, it's not linear.

I am worried the offseason sees a youth purge.




youre gonna love this:

What the f*** is Todd McClellan's problem? He's such a raging prick to these kids.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Having experienced the Kings lose to the Oilers often in the playoffs, I expect to see much of the same later this month when they meet in the first round.

 

[Kurrilino]

Nothing to see here.
If Kempe/Villardi are not scoring, this team has zero idea how to create offense.

The Oilers are a team you have to score on because they will score.
If that is not your strong suite, you'll lose

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Guys like Durzi and Lizotte are mostly fine in their elevated roles against the bottom half the league and softer teams like the Canucks.
Its just against the better teams and more physical teams they get exposed. Sometimes its just minor things like Lizottes size where he couldnt get his stick on a puck to clear it on the pk or Durzi floating a couple feet away from where he should be or making a bad pass that ends up in his net to a skilled team.
Bjornfot played fine last night in his limited time. He kept plays to the outside and separated guys like Draisaitl from the puck.
Not sure why hes being picked on. Edler would have gotten beat on a couple of those plays.

Bjornfoot was completely lost last night position wise.....left the net open more than a few times, he did make good plays as well, but when you are leaving the net open to go make a 2-1 behind the net, a 3-1 behind the net, not a good look

 

[King'sPawn]

A lot of the excuses made for Blake is stuff other teams have to deal with as well. Example, sometimes on this forum I get the feeling that Covid only effected the Kings and not any other teams.

I agree with you by and large. I am willing to give a bit of leeway on COVID due to it being a once in a century thing, and those are decisions teams had to handle on their own. Some worked out better than others.

But by this time, you (general you) can't keep blaming what happened 3 years ago for the state of the franchise today. Teams have had time to recover from it by now.

 

[kingsfan28]

haha yeah, during the GDT I noted that, ddn't go back to look and see who did it cause i thought for sure it would get called, oiler grabbed a handful of iafallos mop and yanked him by it...truly insane what they get away with at times. 2013 Bruins-ish.

But honestly, good for them. I WISH our team was dirty enough at this point.

I said it before and asked a few to bookmark it, Oilers are the favorite post-Ekholm and will win the division, I want to stay away from them more than anyone else. Hope we beat Vegas tomorrow and EDM wins out

Yeah, i was just thinking that. I think they can beat both, but really if you have a choice, face Eichel first, then McDavid next. EDM should pick up 8 of the next 10.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

If you think that, you should probably re-read the GDT. Both posts I replied to were people saying just that. One of them saying to cross check him in the face after the whistle so hard that it knocks his teeth out.

I have no problem playing someone physical, that is why I didn’t object to any of the comments saying that. Intentionally injuring someone is a different story, and I don’t want to see Drew or Kopitar face the wrath for something that would be done by MacEwen or some other scrub. There is a reason no teams are doing stuff like this anymore, the game has evolved away from it, and it’s for the better.


A lot of the excuses made for Blake is stuff other teams have to deal with as well. Example, sometimes on this forum I get the feeling that Covid only effected the Kings and not any other teams.

Agreed on all accounts. The troglodytes calling for cheapshots on Mcdavid throughout the GDT should be embarrassed. It makes the entire fanbase look ridiculous.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

B lake needs to switch from collecting talent to building a team

Injuries have compounded it though if we were healthy we would have a chance at outscoring them!

Agreed on all accounts. The troglodytes calling for cheapshots on Mcdavid throughout the GDT should be embarrassed. It makes the entire fanbase look ridiculous.

That’s playoff style of hockey ya vagina ! Lol

 

[johnjm22]

Neither team could do much of anything at even strength. Kings went 0 for 4 on the powerplay, Oilers went 2 for 4. That was the difference in the game.

Oilers didn't even have an even strength goal.

It was essentially a 1 goal game, with Vilardi, Fiala and Anderson out of the lineup, with our backup goalie in net.

 

[The Butcher]

B lake needs to switch from collecting talent to building a team

Injuries have compounded it though if we were healthy we would have a chance at outscoring them!


That’s playoff style of hockey ya vagina ! Lol

Cheapshots don't win championships.

But I'm definitely more and more on board with the "toughen up" crowd with every game I watch.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

Cheapshots don't win championships.

But I'm definitely more and more on board with the "toughen up" crowd with every game I watch.

When a dude boards your 1st pairing defensemen you either match that level of aggression or escalate it. If you don’t they go after more players. Why would they stop?

McDavid already went there. You can’t be late to a party you are already at!

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

When a dude boards your 1st pairing defensemen you either match that level of aggression or escalate it. If you don’t they go after more players. Why would they stop?

Ok....so that happened a week ago....and they played last night......so who did they go after last night?

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

Ok....so that happened a week ago....and they played last night......so who did they go after ?

Look at the stick penalties.

1st pairing dman on the shelf with a concussion!

 

[Cianide]

We need a guy like Josh Anderson in our top 6. Or some other power forward. We'll never get past Edmonton without a bigger top 6.

 

[The Butcher]

When a dude boards your 1st pairing defensemen you either match that level of aggression or escalate it. If you don’t they go after more players. Why would they stop?

Because they have respect for each other and don't want to end each other's careers would be my first guess.

I'm in favor of upping the aggression level but deliberately targeting players with cheap play is p***y shit. You can still play very tough and keep your honor. It can be done. Anyone can play cheap.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

Because they have respect for each other and don't want to end each other's careers would be my first guess.

I'm in favor of upping the aggression level but deliberately targeting players with cheap play is p***y shit. You can still play very tough and keep your honor. It can be done. Anyone can play cheap.

This team is doing neither.

So your a take the high road guy when someone railroads you.

Stupid, that would work if the league had your back but they don’t! McDavid with an illegal hit to the head shouldn’t have even been playing last night!

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Look at the stick penalties.

1st pairing dman on the shelf with a concussion!

Ok....so again..who did they go after? You watched the game right?

 

[The Butcher]

This team is doing neither.

So your a take the high road guy when someone railroads you.

Stupid

Have you ever laced up skates?