GDT: 2023-24 season game 13 LA Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins @7:30pm 11/9/23

[SherVaughn30]

Copley’s magic seems to have worn away. Lost confidence in him.

Fiala/Dubois line is off.

Glad for the point at least especially after the high of the Vegas game.

It has less to do with his confidence and more to do with adjusting his game. Some of his mechanics and reads were bad tonight. In fact in his 4 appearances this season, his mechanics and reads have not been good enough. Basically, he's not making all the saves he should be making.

 

[Sol]

The Kings need an answer in net, not trading assets for another question mark

Neither of those are really an asset besides the 2nd.

If Talbot goes down then the Kings are toast. Copley is:

Horrendous
Atrocious
Terrible
Inept
Putrid

His beer league movement is going to get even more exposed now. Kings need to get a back up or at least let Phenix burst into flames so he can save us from himself.

 

[Fishhead]

That third line is it's just bad. Not sure what's wrong with Fiala but he looks terrible. He's good for one bad turnover each shift.

The Dubois line was actually the best line tonight with both possession and expected stats. 6 shots for, only one against. 0 rebound attempts against. 0 rush attempts against. Highest xGF, lowest xGA. That's despite not taking an offensive zone faceoff all night and having difficult matchups.

They woke up a little bit, let's hope it continues.

 

[Eagle Fang]

Even though they got the point, was still pretty disappointed as they were the better team and should've won that game.

Then I visited the Oiler's board and I feel better about it all.

 

[Schmooley]

The Dubois line was actually the best line tonight with both possession and expected stats. 6 shots for, only one against. 0 rebound attempts against. 0 rush attempts against. Highest xGF, lowest xGA. That's despite not taking an offensive zone faceoff all night and having difficult matchups.

They woke up a little bit, let's hope it continues.

That line was better in the 3rd period but there is no stat that could convince anyone with 2 eyes that they were the best line tonight.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I dunno guys it's almost like the goalie that was entirely out of the NHL for 3 years minus 2 games isn't an NHLer and that 37 games of below-average NHL goaltending with an aberrational corresponding w/l record wasn't a harbinger of better things to come

 

[Moses Doughty]

The Kings need an answer in net, not trading assets for another question mark

Gonna be hard to find that mid year unless you can swing a trade for one of Vejmelka, Saros, or Ullmark (or Swayman if extension talks break down and he wants out after that + arbitration last year). Jake Allen might be the best option depending on how Primeau develops

 

[SherVaughn30]

If Copley is toast, Rittich will get his chance to prove himself. If it goes beyond that and a trade is needed, Caps goalie Chucky Sideburns aka Charlie Lindgren is the goalie to go after. He has 2 years on his contract and only a cap hit of $1.1 million. He can play the backup role and fill in for a stretch if needed to be put in the temp #1 role. In return, Caps won't take Copley back but if the Kings are willing to trade a young d-man or young forward then a deal might work out for both teams.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Pheonix Copley is another Rick Knickle, or Jason LaBarbera, or David Goverde. A minor league goalie who is disguised as a shitty backup goalie who is in over his head. He had his 15 minutes of fame, and now he should go back from whence he came.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Gonna be hard to find that mid year unless you can swing a trade for one of Vejmelka, Saros, or Ullmark (or Swayman if extension talks break down and he wants out after that + arbitration last year). Jake Allen might be the best option depending on how Primeau develops

No way Vejmelka, Saros or Ullmark/Swayman get traded. What makes you think the Habs will trade Jake Allen unless you overpay for him. Charlie Lindgren is the goalie you go after(Kings have almost no salary cap space) as the Caps need a young d-man(more so) or young forward. You might be able to pull off the trade without having to give up any picks.

I think Cam Talbot has settled in very well, but he needs a backup to split the season with so he doesn't wear down by the time the playoffs start(I strongly see Talbot as the Kings playoffs starting goalie).

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Wrap arounds are very low percentage shots.

Copely gave up 2 in one game.

Yes i like a good performed wrap around but both goals could have been stopped. Incredible slow reaction on Crosby’s goal and no info needed on the second one.

I rarely blame a goalie but he is responsible for missing quite a few points already, in just a few starts.

 

[Moses Doughty]

No way Vejmelka, Saros or Ullmark/Swayman get traded. What makes you think the Habs will trade Jake Allen unless you overpay for him. Charlie Lindgren is the goalie you go after(Kings have almost no salary cap space) as the Caps need a young d-man(more so) or young forward. You might be able to pull off the trade without having to give up any picks.

I think Cam Talbot has settled in very well, but he needs a backup to split the season with so he doesn't wear down by the time the playoffs start(I strongly see Talbot as the Kings playoffs starting goalie).

I agree on them not being traded, but if there was a trade to be made for an "answer" in net as the post I replied to mentioned, these are the only guys that even have minuscule chance of being traded that qualify for that imo. The rationale for MTL would be them wanting to give Primeau a shot at being their future in net and having to choose between Allen and Montembeault, although I had them flipped on who was the pending UFA (Montembeault is another intriguing option who has a similar cap hit to Lindgren and wouldn't be cost prohibitive).

Lindgren would be interesting as well if Copley didn't turn it around/Rittich can't step up. Connor Ingram is another guy who costs about 700-800k more than those two, but likely falls into a similar status as Vejmelka depending on if they want to extend the latter past next season.

 

[kinghock]

Call up Rittich and let Copley get some games in Ontario.

Rittich and Copley are both garbage.
Did you see last 2 games Rittich played in AHL?

 

[kinghock]

How about Turcs, Copley and a 2nd for Blackwood. Heck two wins in a row only 26. Will we have enough cap space. Not sure how much he's making. Wishful thinking but hey worth a shot. Wonder if the sharts take the bait.

Please leave Turcs out of it

 

[Dykstra]

it just looked like Kings from last season: tons of shots but goaltending letting the team down.

Another strong game for Byfield, im still in disbelief that Koala isnt putting him in OT, he got like 5s last night?

 

[lumbergh]

it just looked like Kings from last season: tons of shots but goaltending letting the team down.

Another strong game for Byfield, im still in disbelief that Koala isnt putting him in OT, he got like 5s last night?

I don't understand. Byfield was in OT. Laferriere, Kaliyev, Lewis, Grundstrom, Englund, Anderson, and Gavrikov were the ones that were benched in OT.

 

[FrozenKing18]

Not mad we lost, but mad about how we lost. Looking at the lighter side, thought we played well and we got a point. Not everything is gonna go our way. Onto the next one.

 

[Statto]

I dunno guys it's almost like the goalie that was entirely out of the NHL for 3 years minus 2 games isn't an NHLer and that 37 games of below-average NHL goaltending with an aberrational corresponding w/l record wasn't a harbinger of better things to come

Yeah the clamour to sign him up has unsurprisingly not aged well.

 

[Dykstra]

I don't understand. Byfield was in OT. Laferriere, Kaliyev, Lewis, Grundstrom, Englund, Anderson, and Gavrikov were the ones that were benched in OT.

Actually you’re right, just saw he had 35 seconds. (although I still think it was a very short time, Lizotte had almost 1 minute)

 

[fsanford]

What I'm seeing from Copley is he's struggling with the faster game. He's a big goalie that has never been quick moving side2side(there were times even last season when I noticed he's weaker going left post to right post). When he stays on his angles, reads the plays well and uses his size, then he's in fairly good shape. The problem is he's not consistent. He had a surprising season last year, but the league scouts all goalies and finds their weaknesses. Copley is not a secret anymore and he's not adjusting his game to what the rest of the league has figured out on him. Some people probably remember during preseason that Rittich was considerably outplaying Copley for the backup job, but Blake was still gonna keep Copley up because of the new 1 year contract he gave him.

I think teams had film on Copley prior to last year, not a young guy. Not sure there was a lot to figure out.

Goalies get hot, sometimes pucks just hit you, the knob of your stick, or the post. You take a bad angle it hits the post

He was never a high percentage save guy. He has regressed back to the save percentage mean for Copper. I also think when Kings traded for a goalie last year and demoted Copper to back up it kind of F'd with his confidence a bit. The mindset changes from being the guy to being the back up. Especially for a goalie

The Kings hit gold last year. But it's like they did Potvin, Kings picked him up off the trash heap and he took Kings deep into playoffs. But it was not sustainable

Honestly the quality of starting goalies in the NHL goalies is not great.
Carolina has 3 guys below .900, Devils 2 below .900

A lot of teams don't have 2 good goalies some don't have 1

That said Copley is the tallest dwarf of list of low save percentage goalies. You give him a couple more starts to see if he can figure it out

 

[bmr]

We could use a guy exactly like Ingram. We need a goalie who has shown the capability of exceeding a .91 save percentage in the NHL. I love what Copley was able to do for us later year, but he and Rittich are not that.

 

[kinghock]

I agree on them not being traded, but if there was a trade to be made for an "answer" in net as the post I replied to mentioned, these are the only guys that even have minuscule chance of being traded that qualify for that imo. The rationale for MTL would be them wanting to give Primeau a shot at being their future in net and having to choose between Allen and Montembeault, although I had them flipped on who was the pending UFA (Montembeault is another intriguing option who has a similar cap hit to Lindgren and wouldn't be cost prohibitive).

Lindgren would be interesting as well if Copley didn't turn it around/Rittich can't step up. Connor Ingram is another guy who costs about 700-800k more than those two, but likely falls into a similar status as Vejmelka depending on if they want to extend the latter past next season.

Looking for goalies I will be checking those names:

Leevi Merilainen-Ottawa

Joel Hofer-St. Louis

Pyotr Kochetkov-Carolina

These 3 have talent and well under way to become really good goalies in NHL

 

[Sol]

byfield has been playing so well and has been quick to move around, yet rarely plays OT. Todd’s an idiot for that.

 

[fsanford]

Looking for goalies I will be checking those names:

Leevi Merilainen-Ottawa

Joel Hofer-St. Louis

Pyotr Kochetkov-Carolina

These 3 have talent and well under way to become really good goalies in NHL

Not sure how available good goalies are especially if they are first contracts or low level deals.

Like the list.

There is just a lot of bad goaltending in the NHL so if you have a couple of good ones you cling to them

 

[kovacro]

Looking for goalies I will be checking those names:

Leevi Merilainen-Ottawa

Joel Hofer-St. Louis

Pyotr Kochetkov-Carolina

These 3 have talent and well under way to become really good goalies in NHL

Good ideas. Personally, I don't see the Blues or Carolina moving either player.

I could see the Blues trading or buying out Binnington at the end of next year and let Hofer be their stud. The pipeline there looks suspect, although Zherenko seems to have gotten off to a good start in the AHL this year.

Carolina's current goalies are an injury waiting to happen. They need to have Kochetkov at the ready.

Could see the Sens moving one of their young goalies, but if the Kings are looking for a backup with NHL experience, that would not be a fit.

Likely have to wait until the new year/closer to the deadline to acquire someone anyhow. Likely ride with Copley now and if he struggles, give Rittich or even Portillo a go before they decide to pursue something outside the organization.

Maybe if the Flames are out of it come February, Rittich becomes an option - would have to make the salary work (he's got another year left at over $2 million). They need to make room for Wolf. He has dominated in the AHL and was recently called up. Or they could look at Buffalo who has UPL. Levi will be their No.1 for a long time. Alex Lyon (Det) showed well in Florida last year during his regular season run when Bob was out/struggling, but his playoff numbers weren't so great - short sample size. Reimer is there as well on a 1-year deal and is off to a good start there.