GDT: 2023-24 season game 54 LA Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets @7:30pm 2/20/24

[Schmooley]

Young guys (Byfield, Turcotte, Clarke) really carrying this team out of the dumpster.

Theres was a point in the 2nd period where them 3 and Dubois were just taking control. It was the first glimpse of the future when the training wheels come off and Kopitar and Doughty wont be around to rely on.
Hope Turcotte sticks around. They dont seem to love him. He brings a lot of energy and plays an honest two way game.

 

[Choralone]

I'd be happy to get an 8th rounder for this guy. Unfortunately Turcs is the first to go when Lizzo and Grundstrom comes back.

I know Grundstrom brings some physicality, but I don't miss him. I thought he turned the corner early this year, but no - he's still too inconsistent, vacillating between kind of useful and invisible. I don't think that's enough to hold a spot on this roster.

 

[Statto]

You can see the difference in coaching approach. Guys are prepared to take calculated risks. So for QB’s goal if TMac is behind the bench he’d dump the puck in. Players, particularly the 25 yrs and under need to feel trusted and able to make mistakes. I’ve said the last 2 seasons as it became apparent.

I note nobody is talking about QB’s game IQ any longer.

 

[Sol]

You really hate Kopitar. take chilllll pill.

I love Kopitar. He’s just kinda brutal out there more often than not but he gets treated like a first liner when he’s not. There’s no reason why Danault doesn’t take his spot. I feel like Kopitar would do a much better job in a limited role. Especially on that comeback goal by Columbus that resulted from Kopitar again overpassing on a massive rebound. Thankfully the Kings scored again and the momentum didn’t carry over. But yeah those are some big errors.

 

[rapots]

Kopi he is still one of the best 2 way centers in the league. Mistakes happens, if not, there would be very small amount of goals. For his average ice time he does not make lots of mistakes. However his slumps every season is more frustrating for me.

 

[Rorschach]

PLD looks like an NHL player the last 6 games or so, badly need that guy to pull the large weight his AAV represents which Todd could not figure out apparently

Hiller put PLD on Byfield’s wing, as we all know. And look what happens.

Hiller knows historically what can happen if you put a guy on a dynamic center’s wing.

 

[lumbergh]

QB goal of the year - and future C of LAK

Everyone remembers Kopitar’s first goal when he went around Pronger like a pylon. We knew a new star had been born. This feels like that moment for Byfield.

 

[lumbergh]

Its like my Father always said anything he ever learned he taught himself...there are very few Good Teachers,most are mundane,boring,with little to no Personality...and most should have spared the kids misery and chosen a different profession if you can call Teaching a profession...and don't get me on PE Instructors because most of them were,are a joke who wouldn't know how to teach or instruct kids if their pathetic lives depended on it

Weird that you can put together complete sentences…

 

[Trash Panda]

Wondering what the Kaliyev fanboys are saying tonight...

Despite your cantankerous nature and inflammatory choice of words, there is a lot of merit to this.

Arthur is checked the f*** out here. Isn’t playing with any sort of pace, confidence, or give a shit.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

All those games JAD started while Turcotte rotted away in Ontario... now he only got 8 min tonite. Wake the f*** up Koala offspring. Clarke and Spence need to play. The team still looks shaky.

good lord...

 

[BringTheReign]

The all bust line

Hockey Gods willing, that's gotta be the theme of our playoff avatars this season.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I bet whoever QB plays with their score card goes up...someone who has better grip on fancy stats im sure can show this explicitly

View attachment 823173

There's a good site that provides the 'web' approach for with/without you stats but I don't subscribe anymore because i'm lazy.

Her'es this at least



edit: here's the link because apparently i don't know how photos workon this forum anymore

L.A 2324 Byfield With-or-Without You

Visualizations and predictions for understanding hockey.

www.hockeyviz.com

 

[AzKing]

I note nobody is talking about QB’s game IQ any longer.

That's the same crew of people that immediately call someone a bust. They were the ones saying the Kings blew the draft and that Stutzle was so much better. Same crew who said Vilardi was dogshit and would never play in the NHL.

It's a pattern. They latch on to something and then exhaust it without giving any time for it to mature. They then go and hide rather than own it. It's not everyone of course. Just a small group of people who find one cloud in the sky and think it's the 100 year flood on the horizon.

They'll find someone new to fixate on. Byfield just needed time. You could always see the tools. He was never going to be the next Jens Karlsson.

Despite your cantankerous nature and inflammatory choice of words, there is a lot of merit to this.

Arthur is checked the f*** out here. Isn’t playing with any sort of pace, confidence, or give a shit.

Kaliyev is trade bait. They'll move him at some point most likely.

 

[AzKing]

I love Kopitar. He’s just kinda brutal out there more often than not but he gets treated like a first liner when he’s not. There’s no reason why Danault doesn’t take his spot. I feel like Kopitar would do a much better job in a limited role. Especially on that comeback goal by Columbus that resulted from Kopitar again overpassing on a massive rebound. Thankfully the Kings scored again and the momentum didn’t carry over. But yeah those are some big errors.

Kopi would have a longer life cycle if he were played less but it is what it is. He has a high profile and the Kings don't want to have some PR issue with the fringe fans by looking like they're sitting him more and giving time to guys who better fit situations. Same with Doughty. I cringe when I see DD and AK at the start of every OT when they're are better line combos to max that open space.

 

[bmr]

The speed everyone is playing with is making me feel like Kaliyev is absolutely destined to be odd man out here. He doesn’t fit and I don’t think they want it to fit. They’re gonna trade him no matter what imo.

I agree - he's restricted to a more specialized role on this team. It's too bad because he has an elite shot...it's just everything else in his game can be a little goofy. And that is ultimately what the scouting report was on him.

 

[kilowatt]

edit: here's the link because apparently i don't know how photos workon this forum anymore

It’s weird right? There’s a proxy or something and photos don’t upload or link out properly. Glad it’s not just me.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Glad to see byfield finally getting rewarded…. Starting to look like he’s going to hit his potential.

How’s Clarke looked? I see he’s got 5 in 10, but -5…. I know kings had a bit of a struggle patch during that time…. Has his compete game looked alright?

And last but not least, rooting for turcotte to stay up with the club, I think he’s going to be a low key important piece to your season/playoffs going forward…. I have moved on from the vilardi fan club, and jumped on the turcotte fan club

 

[SmytheKing]

PLD looks like an NHL player the last 6 games or so, badly need that guy to pull the large weight his AAV represents which Todd could not figure out apparently

This isn't an excuse for PLD this year, but I will go to my grave saying that TM is just not a very good coach. He did well in SJ due to an enormously stacked roster which succeeded based on talent. A good coach gets the most out of what he has. TM never did that. Ever. He's fine. He's just not a winner.

"Don't you dare settle for fine." - Roy Kent

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This isn't an excuse for PLD this year, but I will go to my grave saying that TM is just not a very good coach. He did well in SJ due to an enormously stacked roster which succeeded based on talent. A good coach gets the most out of what he has. TM never did that. Ever. He's fine. He's just not a winner.

"Don't you dare settle for fine." - Roy Kent

Starting to remind me of Tippett

Great with systems and can help lesser players overachieve to a degree but can’t take great talent and augment it to the next level and instead underachieves

 

[kinghock]

This isn't an excuse for PLD this year, but I will go to my grave saying that TM is just not a very good coach. He did well in SJ due to an enormously stacked roster which succeeded based on talent. A good coach gets the most out of what he has. TM never did that. Ever. He's fine. He's just not a winner.

"Don't you dare settle for fine." - Roy Kent

 

[johnjm22]

PLD isn't playing better because of Jim Hiller.

He's playing better because he's choosing to. A coach can't be responsible for an individual player's effort.

 

[kingsboy11]

When I saw Byfield's goal last night, I didn't even cheer. I let out an audible gasp and was just in complete shock of what I just witnessed and it was even better on the replay. Just absolutely stunning.

What's also great to see is him succeeding away from Kopi's line. If he can make Dubois look good, he might be even more special than we realized.

 

[unicornpig]

PLD isn't playing better because of Jim Hiller.

He's playing better because he's choosing to. A coach can't be responsible for an individual player's effort.

not sure if this is serious. if TM couldn't find a way to motivate him to play hards its partially on him. coaching isn't all about x's and o's. its also about stroking egos and motivation....

 

[Fripp]

That was a very fun game - loved the free wheeling looseness offensively. Defense was a train wreck... it easily could have been 5-5 to OT or a 6-5 loss had Talbot not bailed them out over and over. Cam was first star in my heart. Loving the impact the kids are having. Tighten it up just a little and they could really get rolling again.

 

[YAYSAY]

not sure if this is serious. if TM couldn't find a way to motivate him to play hards its partially on him. coaching isn't all about x's and o's. its also about stroking egos and motivation....

He also looks better when he got put with Byfield, which says more about Byfield than it does about him imo.
Byfield is turning into a player that makes every other player around him better, I believe it was the last Rangers game when PLD and Byfield switched places and that line immediately became alive and looked better than it had all year with PLD running it.