Toggle sidebar

GDT: 2024-25 season game 69 LA Kings vs Boston Bruins @6:00pm 3/23/25

Schrute farms said:
It's like Night & Day for them at Home vs. the Road. At home, they are arguably the best team in the NHL. On the road, they are a lottery team. Points for consistency i guess, but just a weird season. with such extremes.
Click to expand...
Not that dramatic. 1st place VGK only has one more road win than the Kings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frolov 6'3
Herby said:
Kuzmenko really was exactly what the Kings needed, the teams biggest weakness by far was at 1LW and it's been fixed. Kopitar and Kempe are good enough defensively where you can have someone who sucks defensively as the third guy, it's not the end of the world.

Kopitar's play has done a 180 for sure since the trade, but Kempe wasn't exactly killing it either offensively (6 points in 15 games leading up to the trade), now has 3+8 in not even 9 full games with Kuzmenko.

This is looking like it could be a really nice find for Blake, a classic Dave Taylor dumpster-dive that might actually work.
Click to expand...
Yes to this. Loved the trade at the time since it was so low risk for the potential reward of Kuzmenko's play, but also because it moved the miscast Turcotte into a much better position.

I mentioned the 4th line in the Carolina GDT. Was babbling about it nonstop to my parents at the Caps game. No need for 11/7 anymore and now you've got four lines that can all apply real pressure and spend time on the good side of the ice.

This isn't like trading for Jeff Carter, but it is a case of a trade looking like it sets the best possible lineup/lines for what the roster is. Is it a good enough roster to be a legit contender? I'm not fully on board with that sentiment, but it now feels like a team that can actually win a playoff series.

Hopefully the Kings will be able to put this season's home record to the ultimate test by getting home ice in Round 1, seeing as they've won like two home playoff games since 2014.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PuckTenderizingMeat and Rumpelstiltskin
King'sPawn said:
That pass into the zone by Spence was next level.

And those of you who compared him to Paul LaDue can sit in the corner and think about what you did.
Click to expand...
Here's a fun fact, Paul LaDue had 33% of the King's goals one off-season.

AbsentMojo said:
Wasnt someone selling us how important Lewis was to the 4th line. I always liked Helenius game... was bummed when he was demoted. 4th line creates energy and pounds meat (sorta like kh24)
Click to expand...
Lewis is a more natural fit with his skills, in the top 6! :naughty:

Kuzzy only scores in blowouts!

Nice for Moore to get some time off. He's been coughing the puck up all over the ice & losing 50:50 pucks constantly. Need More out of Moore.

Doughty getting the goal & upping his trade value in the off-season!!!!
 
johnjm22 said:
It's not a team that you expect to contend, but it's a team that can go on a run if everything goes their way.

That's the distinction IMO.

We've seen good-but-not-great teams have one-off SC runs before. Montreal, Nashville, Rangers come to mind.
Click to expand...
Don't know if it possible, but best case scenario is the 2001 Kings. First round upset and then lose in the second round to Rob Blake (Winnipeg).
 
BigKing said:
Don't know if it possible, but best case scenario is the 2001 Kings. First round upset and then lose in the second round to Rob Blake (Winnipeg).
Click to expand...
Different era. No super teams anymore.

Winnipeg will bow out early IMO.
 
Axl Rhoadz said:
You mean Colorado.
Click to expand...
Winnipeg is Colorado for the sake of my comment. Lost to Blake the player in 2001, will lose to Blake the GM due to his fingerprints on the Winnipeg roster. That's the joke.
johnjm22 said:
Different era. No super teams anymore.

Winnipeg will bow out early IMO.
Click to expand...
I only really have time to watch the Kings so I don't know if Winnipeg is legit or just regular season monsters. As stated above, was just a fun little dig at Blake and how things usually go for the Kings, save for that 2012-'14 stretch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rumpelstiltskin
Winnipeg has 7 regulation wins in their last 19 games and is 10-4 on the season in OT/SO games.

Vilardi has 1 goal in his last 14 games and is now out week-to-week, with a playoff return hopeful.

Even if they do get past the WC, they better hope the 2nd round is a beaten to death Dallas/Colorado, and not a Dallas/Colorado that has tons of momentum from beating a team with a better roster and more playoff success than Winnipeg.

I think Dallas/Colorado will be the best first round matchup we may ever see, as far as talent of the teams. I know the Atlantic had some crazy first round matchups the last few years, but I don't think any of those touch this one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raccoon Jesus, King'sPawn and Rumpelstiltskin
Frolov 6'3 said:
Than while we are at it.

Brock Faber has two goals and three assists in his last 32 games.
Click to expand...

And nobody is counting on Minnesota as a potential cup champion like some are Winnipeg, largely because of their 1st line. Also strange to compare offensive production between a one-dimensional winger and a defenseman more known for defense than offense.

Winnipeg had two insanely long hot streaks this season, the 15-1-0 start and then another streak where they won 11 in a row, it doesn't seem like they are anywhere close to that anymore. If they get by the WC they will be decent sized underdogs in round 2, even with home ice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VILARGOD
Axl Rhoadz said:
Not that dramatic. 1st place VGK only has one more road win than the Kings.
Click to expand...
It's true. The Kings are Jekyll and Hyde different between home and away. They'd be 12th in the conference based on their road record, behind the Ducks.

I'm still mystified as to why this team is so good at home and so bad on the road. Good thing they have only 4 more games on the road and 9 games at home left.
 
Herby said:
And nobody is counting on Minnesota as a potential cup champion like some are Winnipeg, largely because of their 1st line. Also strange to compare offensive production between a one-dimensional winger and a defenseman more known for defense than offense.
Click to expand...
I just wanted to inform the crowd, like you did with Gabe.

Axl Rhoadz said:
Impossible, must be fake news.
Click to expand...
1742850799832.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: steepdrop
johnjm22 said:
Yeah I don't think any one wants to play them right now.

Blues are 14-3-3 since February.
Click to expand...
Even earlier in the year I was watching a good bit of their games and they looked good. They were coming up short in a lot of games they actually outplayed the other team. Binnington gaining confidence from that 4 Nations was a big deal in everything coming together for them.
 
lumbergh said:
It's true. The Kings are Jekyll and Hyde different between home and away. They'd be 12th in the conference based on their road record, behind the Ducks.

I'm still mystified as to why this team is so good at home and so bad on the road. Good thing they have only 4 more games on the road and 9 games at home left.
Click to expand...
Road record by month:

OCT - (3-3-2)
NOV - (3-3-2)
DEC - (3-2-2)
JAN - (2-6-1)
FEB - (1-1-0)
MAR - (2-3-0)
 
Herby said:
Winnipeg has 7 regulation wins in their last 19 games and is 10-4 on the season in OT/SO games.

Vilardi has 1 goal in his last 14 games and is now out week-to-week, with a playoff return hopeful.

Even if they do get past the WC, they better hope the 2nd round is a beaten to death Dallas/Colorado, and not a Dallas/Colorado that has tons of momentum from beating a team with a better roster and more playoff success than Winnipeg.

I think Dallas/Colorado will be the best first round matchup we may ever see, as far as talent of the teams. I know the Atlantic had some crazy first round matchups the last few years, but I don't think any of those touch this one.
Click to expand...
Gnarly that he is hurt again. Wonder what the injury is when they are saying it isn't due to the puck he took to the face/head, but it is an upper-body injury.
 
Having four productive lines is a luxury this team hasn't had in quite some time. The fourth line has a good thing going on with Turcotte's playmaking, Helenius and his size, and Jeannot's tenacity. If he keeps contributing, I'm hoping the Kings are able to lock him up at a reasonable price.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ibleedkings, Omni Owl and Herby
I think the Kings needed a game like this. The Bruins aren’t anywhere near as good as they used to be, but they were trying to intimidate the Kings all game and it was GREAT to see them not backing down. They are going to need that mentality going into the playoffs. Man, I really missed them playing like this. I get not wanting to take penalties and play it safe, but hitting is still part of the game and I loved seeing them finish checks and sticking up for each other. Yeah, they’ve been playing well for the most part, but I missed that physical swagger the Cup teams had. And that 4th line? They have been a pleasure to watch and I am so glad Hiller didn’t mess that line up and instead had Lewis fill Moore’s spot.

Also, while I really wanted to see that goalie fight, it was probably for the best it didn’t happen. If Kuemper gets injured, that’s pretty much the season.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KopitarGOAT420, VILARGOD, Raccoon Jesus and 1 other person
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom