GDT: 2024-25 season game 44 LA Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins @7:30pm 1/20/25

[KopitarGOAT420]

I'm not going to pretend I know what's going on in the room...but I will say this, if you want the leash loose for 'offense creativity', then you better deliver. I'm just using Byfield as an example because it's been a re-occurring theme for him lately, but nobody gives a shit about how many players he skated through if he doesn't convert on these chances.

You're not necessarily wrong... But the more you try these kinds of risky/creative moves the more confident you get doing them. And the more confident you are, the more those chances start turning into goals.

In Byfield's scenario, yes - he definitely needs to start converting on these chances more. But discouraging him from creating the chances in the first place isn't going to help that.

And in Clarke's scenario, he WAS converting and producing at a high level. Yes, there were risks to his game but the offense he was producing at the beginning of the year far outweighed those risks and he STILL got called out for it.

Brandt Clarke isn't just a work in progress in his zone, most nights he is the worst defender on the ice.

HARD disagree.

Also, there's a difference between being held accountable and discouraging players from being creative offensively.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Kings were going to hit a bad stretch eventually.

They just don't generate many offensive chances. When you play this style your margin of error is very low.

In Rittich's time with LA he's been very serviceable. Makes the stops he's supposed to make plus and occasional extra one. He's hasn't looked good recently though. If they're actually interested in developing Portillo maybe he should get a start every once in awhile.

Since the Kings will be paying Portillo his full salary next year I expect he'll be the back up for at least half the year if he's ready

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Byfield tried to go between his legs for an extremely low percentage play at the top of the circles with two forwards below him and both pointmen flat-footed. That was garbage and deserved to be called out in ANY circumstances.

QB doesn't always make the best plays and gets caught up in the He has to be Bobby Orr and stickhandle and go through everyone syndrome

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Byfield tried to go between his legs for an extremely low percentage play at the top of the circles with two forwards below him and both pointmen flat-footed. That was garbage and deserved to be called out in ANY circumstances.

Now do Fiala. Or Moore. Or Danault. Or Edmundson.

There were any number of guys last night who should know better who tried worse things in worse spots much more often.

Make it a learning experience I agree. Take him to task for it in the media when you have guys being outright liabilities is horse shit.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Byfield tried to go between his legs for an extremely low percentage play at the top of the circles with two forwards below him and both pointmen flat-footed. That was garbage and deserved to be called out in ANY circumstances.

Was that the one where he went between his legs, and whipped around then fell and had to push it into the corner? 1st half of the 2nd period? Or was this another one etc?

 

[Schrute farms]

Now do Fiala. Or Moore. Or Danault. Or Edmundson.

lol, you beat me to it. It's like Groundhog day with the Kings the last 3-4 years.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Byfield tried to go between his legs for an extremely low percentage play at the top of the circles with two forwards below him and both pointmen flat-footed. That was garbage and deserved to be called out in ANY circumstances.

To be fair, the Kings love their low percentage shooting attempts. They hate the high scoring areas.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

To be fair, the Kings love their low percentage shooting attempts. They hate the high scoring areas.

Kind of what I was alluding to when Herby was bitching about skill...it's not that the Kings don't have skill, they don't go to the areas where they can utilize the best....

Last night was so freaking obvious they need to ditch "systems" in the offensive zone, and goback to skate, hit, shoot......they can actually leaving passing on the bench....shoot, drive the net, shoot, drive the net....all they need to do right now, get in that habit, get to the dirty areas, get the rebounds, cause chaos and havoc.....shoot the puck from the press box, it doesn't matter IF you have bodies in front....

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

lol, you beat me to it. It's like Groundhog day with the Kings the last 3-4 years.

It's unreal, literally the slowest Dman in the NHL is partnered with Clarke, yet Joel is the literal 2nd player flying the zone behind Fiala. That's 5 games in a row he's done that and has been burned now directly for a goal at least twice.

 

[kinghock]

Some of us were chastised for saying that it was inevitable, but here we are.

Whatever magic beans the kings were working with, completely disappeared soon as Moore & Lewis came back into the lineup.

So many high-dollar players that are simply MIA.

In my view with players like Moore, Lewis, Moverare, Spence and even Gavrikov Kings have no chances to succeed in playoffs.

Also, LA coach is missing any offensive creativity which will not help either.

Just look how much better PLD looks with good young coach in Washington.

 

[chris kontos]

In my view with players like Moore, Lewis, Moverare, Spence and even Gavrikov Kings have no chances to succeed in playoffs.

Also, LA coach is missing any offensive creativity which will not help either.

Just look how much better PLD looks with good young coach in Washington.

What aboot fiala? Huh? My little kevin is so creative he's like the creator or sumthin.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

In my view with players like Moore, Lewis, Moverare, Spence and even Gavrikov Kings have no chances to succeed in playoffs.

Also, LA coach is missing any offensive creativity which will not help either.

Just look how much better PLD looks with good young coach in Washington.

Kings lose a few games and now suddently we don't have a good coach....I f***ing love this board!

As far as PLD goes, I guess you'd have have to blame both TM and Hiller if you are making the statement that LA coaches couldn't figure him out. THEN, you'd have to blame his coaches in CLB and WPG as well! That's a lot of coaches that are incompetent, I guess. Thank god for WSH.

 

[King'sPawn]

So you want to watch a real life video game instead of watching young players make mistakes, be held accountable and grow into professionals that can be trusted to make the right play at the the right time.

Actually, this is a huge problem. All players, especially younger ones, make mistakes. When you discipline, reprimand, or chastize a young player for making mistakes, they are less likely to try new things and just revert to "the safe play" to make the coach happy.

Calling out Byfield while you get less from players where you expect more isn't holding him accountable. That's scapegoating. Call out bad decisions while encouraging creativity. Byfield wasn't the reason Pittsburgh scored 5 or why the Kings scored only 1. Even if he played perfectly, it wouldn't have carried the team to a win.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Actually, this is a huge problem. All players, especially younger ones, make mistakes. When you discipline, reprimand, or chastize a young player for making mistakes, they are less likely to try new things and just revert to "the safe play" to make the coach happy.

Calling out Byfield while you get less from players where you expect more isn't holding him accountable. That's scapegoating. Call out bad decisions while encouraging creativity. Byfield wasn't the reason Pittsburgh scored 5 or why the Kings scored only 1. Even if he played perfectly, it wouldn't have carried the team to a win.

Nothing better than dudes who spend way too much time on the internet thinking they can coach better than the guys getting paid millions to do it.

 

[tigermask48]

Compare that to the skill level of the two teams we will have to beat to advance out of the division, and then of the teams we likely see in the later rounds and tell me how it compares?

Kempe is one of the best all-around players in the NHL and the only player on the Kings roster who would be a 1st liner on every team in the NHL. Kopitar is still very good but no longer a championship caliber 1C, Byfield is on pace for a sub-40 point season and if he is immediately who jumps into mind for you it should tell you how ugly it is, and Fiala (at least so far this season) is one of the most useless players in the NHL, especially at ES.

The numbers don't lie, this team wins about 20% of the games they play when they allow the other team to score 3 goals, considering the two teams in the Pacific above us both average over 3 goals a game, how do you go about trying to win? Do you just try and hold these guys to 2 goals a game over a 7 game series? Or do you find a way to score 4 goals, something the team has only done about 30% of the time this season?

Do you truthfully think this roster construction and organizational philosophy is optimal to winning playoff rounds in the 2020's?

Is Herby secretly Scott Steiner? Do the Kings have a 33 1/3% chance of winning in the playoffs? They are both Michigan fans.

 

[johnjm22]

A few weeks ago I purchased tickets for the Panthers game tomorrow.

Taking the GF. She's never seen the Kings score more than one goal or even win a game.

At the time of purchase LA was playing well and winning games at home. Go figure they went cold just in time.

I haven't seen LA win a game in person since before covid. They ALWAYS lose boring banal flat games at home when I'm in attendance.

 

[Schrute farms]

A few weeks ago I purchased tickets for the Panthers game tomorrow.

Taking the GF. She's never seen the Kings score more than one goal or even win a game.

At the time of purchase LA was playing well and winning games at home. Go figure they went cold just in time.

I haven't seen LA win a game in person since before covid. They ALWAYS lose boring banal flat games at home when I'm in attendance.

With this team, it could just as easily be a 4-1 loss as a 5-1 win. It's like expect the unexpected.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Actually, this is a huge problem. All players, especially younger ones, make mistakes. When you discipline, reprimand, or chastize a young player for making mistakes, they are less likely to try new things and just revert to "the safe play" to make the coach happy.

Calling out Byfield while you get less from players where you expect more isn't holding him accountable. That's scapegoating. Call out bad decisions while encouraging creativity. Byfield wasn't the reason Pittsburgh scored 5 or why the Kings scored only 1. Even if he played perfectly, it wouldn't have carried the team to a win.

Agreed, but he also said he shouldn't single him out, it was everyone, he kind of walked it back....and I'm sorry if Byfield, or ANY PLAYER, gets so upset over that comment he made that they can't function...god help us all.

Byfield made two amazing plays last night, one if he finished rivals the CBS goal, and the 2nd one, imo was even better.

 

[Omni Owl]

I was pretty sold on Hiller after being extremely unconvinced he'd be a good coaching choice. Now I'm starting to witness the flaws in his style and I'm not liking what I'm seeing. I'm even starting to think he'll keep shitty f***ing Burroughs in the lineup when Doughty returns and snub the better choices in Moverare/Englund. Not to mention how godawfully shit the PP has been.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Agreed, but he also said he shouldn't single him out, it was everyone, he kind of walked it back....and I'm sorry if Byfield, or ANY PLAYER, gets so upset over that comment he made that they can't function...god help us all.

Byfield made two amazing plays last night, one if he finished rivals the CBS goal, and the 2nd one, imo was even better.

It's not that comments like these cause the players to be so upset they can't function.

It's that comments like these cause players to THINK the game differently and be more in their head when they're playing instead of playing freely.

It causes them to think twice when making plays which is VERY bad considering how fast the pace of play is in the NHL. In today's NHL you have to make decisions extremely fast - If you're second guessing what you're doing at all out there it will likely effect your game significantly.

"Do I try to make something happen here or do I play it safe?" - When the coach is making comments like Hiller has... The default answer to that question becomes "I should probably just play it safe so I don't get benched, demoted, scratched, etc".

It's the difference between playing loose/free and playing tight... We know players don't perform well when they're playing tight / second guessing decisions.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

It's not that comments like these cause the players to be so upset they can't function.

It's that comments like these cause players to THINK the game differently and be more in their head when they're playing instead of playing freely.

It causes them to think twice when making plays which is VERY bad considering how fast the pace of play is in the NHL. In today's NHL you have to make decisions extremely fast - If you're second guessing what you're doing at all out there it will likely effect your game significantly.

"Do I try to make something happen here or do I play it safe?" - When the coach is making comments like Hiller has... The default answer to that question becomes "I should probably just play it safe so I don't get benched, demoted, scratched, etc".

It's the difference between playing loose/free and playing tight... We know players don't perform well when they're playing tight / second guessing decisions.

Don't buy it.....Has Hiller benched Byfield once for anything? What comments did Hiller make, that you think a player like Byfield would interpret as , I better play it safe...

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

It's not that comments like these cause the players to be so upset they can't function.

It's that comments like these cause players to THINK the game differently and be more in their head when they're playing instead of playing freely.

It causes them to think twice when making plays which is VERY bad considering how fast the pace of play is in the NHL. In today's NHL you have to make decisions extremely fast - If you're second guessing what you're doing at all out there it will likely effect your game significantly.

"Do I try to make something happen here or do I play it safe?" - When the coach is making comments like Hiller has... The default answer to that question becomes "I should probably just play it safe so I don't get benched, demoted, scratched, etc".

It's the difference between playing loose/free and playing tight... We know players don't perform well when they're playing tight / second guessing decisions.

And of course you are making the assumption that Hiller has zero conversation with said player that he is publicly criticizing....right?

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

And of course you are making the assumption that Hiller has zero conversation with said player that he is publicly criticizing....right?

Don't buy it.....Has Hiller benched Byfield once for anything? What comments did Hiller make, that you think a player like Byfield would interpret as , I better play it safe...

You guys are right that my comments are a bit presumptuous - Maybe Hiller is having separate conversations with these guys where he's still telling them to play freely and take risks to create offense, but I highly doubt it.

The Kings have been a "defense first" hockey organization for like 20+ years now. We KNOW this is an organization who values defensive responsibility over offensive firepower/creativity. They've shown us that directly with the lineup decisions they make, the trades they make, the way they treat young players, etc.

I think it's pretty clear this isn't an organization that is telling young players to take risks out there. They're drilling "defense first" into these guys from day 1. And don't get me wrong, it has it's benefits - As we're seeing the Kings play pretty excellently defensively this year. But it's definitely frustrating on the offensive side, especially when the team is in a bit of a dry patch scoring wise.

 

[King'sPawn]

Agreed, but he also said he shouldn't single him out, it was everyone, he kind of walked it back....

That's fair. I still wouldn't have Byfield as the first player on my mind of what went wrong last night.

and I'm sorry if Byfield, or ANY PLAYER, gets so upset over that comment he made that they can't function...god help us all.

Byfield made two amazing plays last night, one if he finished rivals the CBS goal, and the 2nd one, imo was even better.

I'm not saying Byfield would get so upset he couldn't function. I'm saying that focusing the things that went wrong, even briefly, is sending a bad message. And while he had some errors, he had some strong plays too. Young players, in my opinion, grow and benefit more when they can feel safer making mistakes.

To me, it's a big reason why Muzzin grew into a top pairing role over Martinez, who took much longer to play into a top-4 (as he was on the bottom-pairing for much longer in LA). Muzzin made more mistakes earlier on, and he could learn from them.

I'm not saying Hiller sucks. But with Byfield having some noticeable confidence issues, I don't like the comment - walked back or not.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

That's fair. I still wouldn't have Byfield as the first player on my mind of what went wrong last night.

I'm not saying Byfield would get so upset he couldn't function. I'm saying that focusing the things that went wrong, even briefly, is sending a bad message. And while he had some errors, he had some strong plays too. Young players, in my opinion, grow and benefit more when they can feel safer making mistakes.

To me, it's a big reason why Muzzin grew into a top pairing role over Martinez, who took much longer to play into a top-4 (as he was on the bottom-pairing for much longer in LA). Muzzin made more mistakes earlier on, and he could learn from them.

I'm not saying Hiller sucks. But with Byfield having some noticeable confidence issues, I don't like the comment - walked back or not.

It was definitely strange to hear him name Byfield, not saying it wasn't, I only watched half the game though.

And honestly, with that game, he probably needed to shoulder the blame, they clearly were not ready to play, and that's on him to an extent.

They are in a rut and they need to change things up, he needs to see that.