GDT: 2024-25 season game 1 LA Kings vs Buffalo Sabres @4:00pm 10/10/24

[Johnny Utah]

Lewis is done. Insert Thomas - and move either Thomas or Lee up with Danault/Moore and move Jeannot with Turcotte and either Thomas or Lee.

Kings have enough vets in the line-up.

 

[Lt Dan]

Lewis is done. Insert Thomas - and move either Thomas or Lee up with Danault/Moore and move Jeannot with Turcotte and either Thomas or Lee.

Kings have enough vets in the line-up

Indeed

I would love Thomas on that line

 

[lumbergh]

Lewis is done. Insert Thomas - and move either Thomas or Lee up with Danault/Moore and move Jeannot with Turcotte and either Thomas or Lee.

Kings have enough vets in the line-up.

Here's something you don't see often:
Akil Thomas
0.59 points per game in the AHL
0.57 points per game in the NHL

 

[Herby]

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise but we are weak at wing.

Arvidsson was one of the most underrated players in the NHL and still is.

60 point wingers who can be effective on the PP AND are right shots are pretty rare. ESPECIALLY on this franchise. Those are tough shoes to fill.

"Replacing" Arvidsson with Laferriere isn't a thing. It's unfair to Laf, different roles anyway. And he's CERTAINLY not replaced by Jeannot. That's a big gaping hole that hurts badly with Vilardi and Arvidsson gone and with no reinforcement on the way. Maybe Thomas helps, but we wouldn't know since we have to have Bernie on the 4th line.

This team is going to struggle its ass off to score all year and there is almost no way to address that very very visible weakness. You can't check the puck into the net. We've tried.

Agree 100%

The Kings are extremely weak on the wing and especially with right shots. Both of these issues are management driven though. They traded a 2nd line RH shot winger in a bad trade, and have overall ignored the position considerably both at the draft and in the market (other than VA) You also have to factor in that the team has had a very difficult time evaluating and developing goal-scorers under this management team. That was my big reason for wanting to go Caufield in 2019, sometimes you have to just be honest with yourselves and acknowledge your organizational shortcomings and just go out and get a player who is so good at that one thing you struggle with that you don't have to worry about messing it up. Some teams have problems developing goalies, some teams it's defenseman, with this team it's very clearly goal-scorers.

The Kings have a great defensive system, two excellent defensive centers (although I think PD is slowing down a bit, but QB should improve defensively as he adjusts to center) and they really focus on that side of the game, but more and more this is becoming a 4-5 goals to win league vs. a 3 goals to win one that Sutter used to always reference, and as you mentioned that is going to be a big issue with this team this season, being able to keep up with the more well constructed teams.

All the sports leagues (not just the NHL) have changed rules to make it more friendly to offense, and I think the Kings under Blake have really failed to realize that dynamic and are trying to win games the way teams won during Blake's career as a player.

 

[Schmooley]

Lewis is done. Insert Thomas - and move either Thomas or Lee up with Danault/Moore and move Jeannot with Turcotte and either Thomas or Lee.

Kings have enough vets in the line-up.

Theyll probably run the current lines for a stretch and see what works.
If its not clicking I thought the Jeannot-Danault-Thomas looked good together in that preseason game and is worth another look.
Could try something like
Moore-Kopitar-Kempe
Fiala-Byfield-Foegele
Jeannot-Danault-Thomas
Lee-Turcotte-Laferriere
Or
Fiala-Byfield-Kempe
Moore-Kopitar-Laferriere
Jeannot-Danault-Thomas
Lee-Turcotte-Foegele

 

[FSL KINGS]

Love this place!
Good game because King's gutted out a win. Effort level was excusable because it's the first game. They need to switch to high volume shooting & cut the cute plays. Hitting & physicality need to pick up. King's are an average skilled team that needs to learn to beat up the skilled teams & get under their skin.

Weak on wing: You know who would be a great wing that went to the net? PL. Vilardi can't stay healthy & can't skate so he's not an answer either.

Lewis hitting 1,000 games as a bottom 6 forward (except that special time he skated with Kopi, or occasionally took shifts on D) is a huge accomplishment. Not many bottom six guys gut out 1,000. Try to enjoy the little things. There will be injuries & Thomas will get a shot again this year.

EK said Blake is looking at the NYR goalie that just turned down 11AAV. EK isn't reliable at all & most people are saying, What GM would spend 12-13 AAV on a goalie? Blake 100% would.

Boston is going to be a good test. King's are going to need to man up.

D: A Walker level D would be really nice at this point.

 

[Nasti]

Kopitar with his usual hot start only to fade by the time the playoffs roll around. Talbot was also hot to start the year last year. We’ll see how Kuemper holds up.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kopitar with his usual hot start only to fade by the time the playoffs roll around. Talbot was also hot to start the year last year. We’ll see how Kuemper holds up.

Yeah my worry with Kuemper was never with his ability per se, just like with Talbot. It's about their endurance and age. I can't count ont his team to manage people's minutes so I'm expecting a year similar to last where we are a pacific playoff team till around the allstar break then fighting for a wildcard after with age catching up to old guys playing stupid minutes.