GDT: 2023-24 season game 72 LA Kings vs Edmonton Oilers @6:00pm 3/28/24

[Sol]

^Typical normie fan who thinks his team and players are better than they actually are.

Not using the 1-3-1 against opposition breakouts isn't going to suddenly make the Kopitar and Danault lines win matchups against Drai and McD lines. Also isn't going to impact special teams.

Posturing hard again, John? Nice. Having the Kings actually make the oilers defend is a real good way to subdue Draisaitl and McDavid. Sitting back in the neutral zone allowing them to come in with speed is going to make any team lose against talent of that caliber. To suggest that the system being employed by the Kings isn't killing them is unbelievably naive and delusional.

Kopitar, Byfield, Fiala, Kempe, Danualt, Arvidsson, Moore, even Dubois has some talent. To suggest the Kings have a talent issue is completely moronic, I am sorry.

The Kings are playing some of the most limp dick hockey out there and there forecheck stops in the neutral zone. You aren't going to win any games against McDavid and Draisaitl if you dont plan on attacking them.

Simple as that, John.

 

[Sol]

High octane hockey is what you saw last season before Petersen was banished. 12-9-4 record after the infamous Seattle game. 3.76 GAA at that point in the season. They finished smack in the middle of the pack for GAA last year and 9th in GF. This year, they are 2nd in GAA with 2.62 but exactly in the middle for GF. They will most likely finish with less points than last season but have a very good chance of finishing in the same spot in the standings.

They don't have the goaltending or enough firepower to play high octane hockey. But yeah: if they are first round fodder anyways then I'd prefer a more fun style of hockey to watch but they might give up four goals a game.

1-3-1 or not, the problem that has plagued Blake's tenure is the lack of toughness and tone setting. No true contender handles themselves like the Kings have when it comes to "playing the right way". That's really the end of the story.

You dont play every team the same way. You can probably win trap hockey against bad teams that lack firepower, and you will probably get shitted on by good teams that have more than enough firepower to overcome trap.

The Kings are losing undeniably to the oilers due to trap. Unless you think the Oilers have the best defense in the NHL since the Kings had no dangerous scoring chances at all last game, are the Oilers simply the best defensive team in the NHL or were the Kings playing an awful brand of hockey that doesn't work? You simply cannot win against this team if you don't plan on attacking. Kings are playing one note hockey all year and its cost them. They've consistently lost to good teams and have done well against bad teams. I think this complete misunderstanding of the problem is causing some people to look in the wrong places for problems. And I do agree, the biggest problem in this team is Blake. There's no reason why McDavid hasn't been buried especially with how predatory he's been, and how much he's been running around. Not one guy after the whistle decides to tune him? Really? Not even a suckerpunch after all hes done?

The oilers defense isn't real good, but their offense is. Why on earth would they not switch up and attack the defense? Forecheck hard? Why is none of this happening? Why would they just sit back and inevitably get scored on regardless.

And the Kings are definitely a better team than the Petersen days so I don't think your analysis is 1:1 as much as you think it is.

 

[All The Kings Men]

No his Wing position coming out of Juniors was RWing and now the Kings are trying to convert him to LeftWing...tough adjustment when all his Life he's been a RWinger

I'm curious what makes you so convinced the Kings are trying to convert him to Left Wing?

McLellan, when asked about this very topic shortly before being relieved of his duties, stated just the opposite

 

[Statto]

No his Wing position coming out of Juniors was RWing and now the Kings are trying to convert him to LeftWing...tough adjustment when all his Life he's been a RWinger

It is not about the position they are actually playing it’s the term ‘off-wing’ that’s wrong. If you shoot right, your off wing is the left wing, if you shoot left it’s the right wing. End of. It’s irrelevant which position they usually/prefer to play.

 

[Schmooley]

Posturing hard again, John? Nice. Having the Kings actually make the oilers defend is a real good way to subdue Draisaitl and McDavid. Sitting back in the neutral zone allowing them to come in with speed is going to make any team lose against talent of that caliber. To suggest that the system being employed by the Kings isn't killing them is unbelievably naive and delusional.

Kopitar, Byfield, Fiala, Kempe, Danualt, Arvidsson, Moore, even Dubois has some talent. To suggest the Kings have a talent issue is completely moronic, I am sorry.

The Kings are playing some of the most limp dick hockey out there and there forecheck stops in the neutral zone. You aren't going to win any games against McDavid and Draisaitl if you dont plan on attacking them.

Simple as that, John.

I cant remember but a couple years back when the Kings took the Oilers to 7 games what system were they running? In my head I remember it that they had Danault shadowing McDavid. It may a better solution. Hell get his goals still but it slows him down and frustrates him more. Vegas was all over him also when they knocked out Edmonton last year.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

I'm curious what makes you so convinced the Kings are trying to convert him to Left Wing?

McLellan, when asked about this very topic shortly before being relieved of his duties, stated just the opposite

Most games I've watched this season Arthur has been slotted at LWing

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I cant remember but a couple years back when the Kings took the Oilers to 7 games what system were they running? In my head I remember it that they had Danault shadowing McDavid. It may a better solution. Hell get his goals still but it slows him down and frustrates him more. Vegas was all over him also when they knocked out Edmonton last year.

It’s notable that was the first matchup, that we choked it away, and we have looked worse and worse against them ever since despite being healthier and healthier and “better”

 

[Sol]

It’s notable that was the first matchup, that we choked it away, and we have looked worse and worse against them ever since despite being healthier and healthier and “better”

Which is my main gripe, they’re essentially the same team plus Ekholm. How have the Kings had more development and additions while playing much worse? When people say “it’s talent, not the system” it’s by far the dumbest logic.

 

[Schmooley]

Which is my main gripe, they’re essentially the same team plus Ekholm. How have the Kings had more development and additions while playing much worse? When people say “it’s talent, not the system” it’s by far the dumbest logic.

They also dont have Smith in net anymore. He was an adventure. He let in weird goals at bad times.

 

[Sol]

They also dont have Smith in net anymore. He was an adventure. He let in weird goals at bad times.

Stuart Skinner is a pretty bad goalie. Kings didn’t even attack last game.

 

[Schmooley]

Stuart Skinner is a pretty bad goalie. Kings didn’t even attack last game.

Yea Skinner isnt great. But Smith would play the puck and pass it in front of his own net. Let in goals from the red line type stuff.
Skinner is predictably mediocre and you wont get as many freebies.

 

[Sol]

Yea Skinner isnt great. But Smith would play the puck and pass it in front of his own net. Let in goals from the red line type stuff.
Skinner is predictably mediocre and you wont get as many freebies.

Just curious, are you saying that the Kings aren’t scoring goals because Skinner is better than Smith?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Just curious, are you saying that the Kings aren’t scoring goals because Skinner is better than Smith?

Schmooley is saying the Kings scored more goals on Smith because of Mike's tendency to overplay the puck and self destruct

Skinner is 'worse' but he's not gonna cough up as many freebies

so the scoring in that first series is deceptive

I think we both agree with you though, the Kings just don't even generate vs. the Oilers and that's a terrible sign given their defensive and goaltending struggles vs. anyoen else, that's one of the reasons they usually HAVE to score so much, but we make it easy.

 

[Nasti]

I’ll add that this sackless system that is clearly a mandate from the top is completely different from what won them cups a decade ago despite them being “the best defensive team in the NHL”. The cup teams forechecked you to death and that was part of the defensive strategy. Go watch the dying minutes of Game 3 against the Coyotes. It was a big reason they held onto leads. The current team is unable to hang onto leads because they can’t forecheck. They don’t have the personnel nor the right system for it. It’s a big reason why they’ll lose to the Oilers again, or any other contender.

 

[Schmooley]

Just curious, are you saying that the Kings aren’t scoring goals because Skinner is better than Smith?

Not really that but Smith was so shaky and unpredictable. He let in goals at backbreaking moments.

 

[KINGS17]

I like Glenn Murray well enough, but there is a reason that video is only 1:32 in length.

I’ll add that this sackless system that is clearly a mandate from the top is completely different from what won them cups a decade ago despite them being “the best defensive team in the NHL”. The cup teams forechecked you to death and that was part of the defensive strategy. Go watch the dying minutes of Game 3 against the Coyotes. It was a big reason they held onto leads. The current team is unable to hang onto leads because they can’t forecheck. They don’t have the personnel nor the right system for it. It’s a big reason why they’ll lose to the Oilers again, or any other contender.

Exactly, the opposing team couldn't score because often they couldn't cross the red line against the Kings. Those Kings teams almost always stood up at their own blue line, but I don't think I ever noticed a team standing up at the red line the way those Kings teams did. The gap control those teams displayed was incredible.

 

[bland]

Successful zone exits and failed exits aren't really what you'd call "nothing" stats even for big physical stay at home guys. This is todays NHL, regardless of their role, failed zone exits still has implications in the teams transition game and successfully moving the puck out so you don't get hemmed in your own zone. Having 3 in the top 10 isn't exactly favorable, could definitely effect overall team performance and the ability for the forwards to generate offense. Saying it's "so what?" tells me you couldn't care if these stats improved or not, while for me, I'd say theres definitely room for improvement

I understand what you mean under the context of specifically which of our players are in the top 10, but at the very least this still falls under the "might be important" category of advanced stats, and anything that "might be important" is worth looking at especially for a middling team like the 2024 LA Kings

I think there is this concern with losing Roy this summer because that would have two young smallish puck movers in the lineup at the same time. I think the stat quoted above shows that there is a much bigger redundancy in mid sized defensive leaning blueliners who chip and flip out instead of having the trust in their own ability or just the outright skill to make a play out of their zone.

I mean, Anderson, Roy, Gavrikov and Moverare are all really the exact same player. All play it safe - its their identity. And safe always lives to die another day. Isn't that kind of this team's administration's motto?

 

[bland]

I like Glenn Murray well enough, but there is a reason that video is only 1:32 in length.


Exactly, the opposing team couldn't score because often they couldn't cross the red line against the Kings. Those Kings teams almost always stood up at their own blue line, but I don't think I ever noticed a team standing up at the red line the way those Kings teams did. The gap control those teams displayed was incredible.

Remember those King-Stoll-Lewis shifts?

I have never seen a more relentless, dogged intelligent forecheck. Those dudes were perfectly in tune with each other.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Remember those King-Stoll-Lewis shifts?

I have never seen a more relentless, dogged intelligent forecheck. Those dudes were perfectly in tune with each other.

I guarantee you most dont becuase the amount of random Dwight King slander that still floats around today in some of the more popular Kings "media" is baffling and a little infuriating.

If City Hall got to design a memorial plaque for the 2012 Cup run I promise you there would be a tagline at the bottom that read "never trust 74"

Now go ahead and tattle on me you know who you are.

 

[bland]

I guarantee you most dont becuase the amount of random Dwight King slander that still floats around today in some of the more popular Kings "media" is baffling and a little infuriating.

If City Hall got to design a memorial plaque for the 2012 Cup run I promise you there would be a tagline at the bottom that read "never trust 74"

Now go ahead and tattle on me you know who you are.

If you look at those five consecutive Conference and Cup Finals series and don't have King as one of the top 3-4 MVPS each time, you don't know what you are talking about.

 

[KINGS17]

I guarantee you most dont becuase the amount of random Dwight King slander that still floats around today in some of the more popular Kings "media" is baffling and a little infuriating.

If City Hall got to design a memorial plaque for the 2012 Cup run I promise you there would be a tagline at the bottom that read "never trust 74"

Now go ahead and tattle on me you know who you are.

For three seasons Dwight King never made huge hits, but he did stay on the right side of the puck almost always, always ground opposing defensemen into a sticky paste along the boards, and scored some very big goals.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

You’re never moving a 240 lb Dwight king with even one edge on the ice

Dude was always underrated and he did burn out fast but what an energy drain he was on the opposition

The contrast now is the opponent used to be black and blue and out of gas when they needed to push back…now they’re fresh and dictating the game while we sit back and let them turn us into glue. There’s no comparison, only contrast.

 

[BaileyFan]

They also dont have Smith in net anymore. He was an adventure. He let in weird goals at bad times.

Except Mike Smith was actually really good in that series. Oiler fans clowned him for giving the puck away in Game 1 but he had went .938 in 7 games and stoned Brown’s would be go ahead goal late in Game 6. Kings controlled long stretches of games in that series and choked at the finish line.

Skinner was terrible last year and kept the Kings in games and in the series longer than they should have been with how much they were being dominated. Campbell contributed more to that series win in 2.5 periods of play.

 

[Brownie to Pancakes]

King was great and highly underrated. He gets a bad rap because people only remember him as a guy who couldn't score but got put on kopi's wing a lot anyway

 

[Schmooley]

You’re never moving a 240 lb Dwight king with even one edge on the ice

Dude was always underrated and he did burn out fast but what an energy drain he was on the opposition

The contrast now is the opponent used to be black and blue and out of gas when they needed to push back…now they’re fresh and dictating the game while we sit back and let them turn us into glue. There’s no comparison, only contrast.

I liked King and also Nolan. That 2012 Kings team was a real unit when the playoffs came around.
Its not even relatively that long ago and the game is just different now. That team would look like they are playing against children verse some teams in the league now.