GDT: 2024-25 season game 71 LA Kings vs Colorado Avalanche @7:00pm 3/27/25

[RayMartyniukTotems]

..

Dallas is a fine place to land - its also half the Finnish national team

No kidding at one time they had 3 Finns on Defense and a few forwards not sure what they up to now maybe 6-7 in all...and their 1st rounder in 2024 was a Finn,RWinger(Hemming) and he's playing in the CHL with Barrie Colts and I suspect he'll be one of their top players next year if he isn't already

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

That’s the problem with a team like this. When you have nearly the last prospect pool in the NHL, you can’t really afford any injuries to anyone.

Problem with the Kings is that they sign slugs to block the playing time of Prospects...something Blake isn't getting...I think he just wants to build a team in Ontario that will attract fans with Winning and screw the development that's secondary in Dumbledores head

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

That’s the problem with a team like this. When you have nearly the last prospect pool in the NHL, you can’t really afford any injuries to anyone.

I'll bet next year Greentree makes the team and they convert him to LWing kind of like what they tried with Kaliyev...Grundstrom...if the player is a fkcing RWinger leave him there to make it or not...not ask him to play a position he hasn't played since PeeWee probably!!!

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

They quite literally have not proven they can beat anyone seeing as they are 0-2 against Colorado this season and have been outscored 8-2.

Kings are not getting past Colorado,Edmonton maybe,probably with a Herculean effort and everyone playing well but not the Avalanche...Mac,Makar feast on the Kings especially with their deadly PP

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Lol exact reaction after watching the first period then coming back the last 5 min of the third.

At 2-0 then quickly 3-0 I tuned out...hopefully if they get to play Colorado in the playoffs its got to be better right

 

[Schrute farms]

If the Kings had some bounces go their way last night and some puck luck, this game easily could have been a 3-0 Avs win. Keep it up guys!!!!

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

I'm with you there, I do think this team can beat any team on a good night if we stick to the system they've built. The problem is that players end up losing coverage trying to go man on man chasing guys like Makar and MacKinnon.

World class players like that are always gonna get their chances though, whole team has to be on the same page, games like this we just let things get too sloppy. Feel like this team is driven heavily on confidence, when we're good we are so good we make it look easy but if things get uncomfortable all the bad habits come out and we look like a lottery team.

Against teams like the Avalanche the KIngs need to play their top 6 PLayers more and top 4 D more and of course have Kuemper in the net...Laferriere...I like him but he's not a top 6 Forward maybe the Kings need to move up Foegele while keeping Moore with Danault...as for the top 4 D-men well...Gavri,Anderson,Edmundson and...dare I say Doughty cause on the PP he's not doing it much from what I've seen the last while...I'd put Kuzmenko at the point or the Left half wall permanently with Fiala and Kempe obviously and...whatever 2 players are showing it that game...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I know I said I wouldn’t be mad about a loss and

The game changed entirely when it turns 3-0 instead of 2-1 but

That was all the worrying choking patterns come right back. Chickenshit performance. That was a Todd vs Edmonton special, absolutely gutless playing not to lose hockey. Terrible special teams and trying to defend our way to scoring. Turnovers at the blue line leading to odd man breaks. All the moxie they showed vs other teams completely evaporated. Zeroswagger. I disagree that’s just one game—it’s concerning.

Kings had their chances to score—Malott in front, Moore breakaway, multiple pp chances—and just choked.

Lewis is literally unplayable at this point. That should e Thomas.

Rittich got expectedly shelled and was garbage.

Kempe living rent free in his own head.

But far less concerned about the individual performances and more concerned about the overall patterns. LOTS of game tape there to watch that’s relevant to the Oilers.

All that being said Malottwas good and I’d have him and Thomas ready over Lewis at this point. If you need Lewis’ experience put him in a f***ing suit and let him coach. Him and Edmundson are this years candidates for “guy who will lose you a playoff series”

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Also I’ve been rooting for Blackwood since he’s been in New Jersey but that f***ing acting performance made Mike smith blush, it was nice that the netting was there so his stick didn’t end up in the 15th row after his death throes, f*** that guy now

 

[King'sPawn]

Expected a loss so wasn't disappointed.

Colorado's just one of the teams a tier above LA in speed and skill, and their best players are better than the Kings best players.

And they are doing it all without their second overall pick, Landeskog, who has been a key part of their rebuild (that some fans seemingly never want the Kings to go through).

 

[rebuildorbust]

Byfield almost had that highlight reel goal other than that not many chances

 

[BigKing]

That’s the problem with a team like this. When you have nearly the last prospect pool in the NHL, you can’t really afford any injuries to anyone.

A loss on the road to Colorado with Rittich in net is probable even with the 4th line intact, but it feels like a formality with the forward lineup last night. This type of forward availability usually equals an 11/7 lineup from Hiller.

I believe they can actually win a playoff series with the lineup that started the Carolina game last Saturday, but with Keumper in net.

RJ talks about no swagger last night. The 4th line before these injuries brought that swagger with Jeannot being a huge part of it. Helenius is a big boy, but he plays bigger with TJ on his wing. That line was clicking and teams always seem to build off of great 4th line shifts. Had a real fluidity going where lines just rolled over without a marked drop off. That wears the other team out, too.

Giant problem if this line can't be reunited in time for the playoffs.

 

[johnjm22]

I'm not sure any team in the NHL could've gone into Colorado last night and won that game.

On a side note, I wonder what the home team winning percentage in the NHL is this year? Seems like it's higher than previous years.

Even crap teams have above .500 P% at home this season.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The mere fact that this was a 'scheduled loss' reinforces that this team is a darkhorse rather than a true contender

and I'm okay with that, but they cannot play as scared as they did last night against any playoff opponent or all of this good is just groundhog day in Round 1 again.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm not sure any team in the NHL could've gone into Colorado last night and won that game.

probably not but they played like they knew that, which is what has me all grumpy

 

[Statto]

I'll bet next year Greentree makes the team and they convert him to LWing kind of like what they tried with Kaliyev...Grundstrom...if the player is a fkcing RWinger leave him there to make it or not...not ask him to play a position he hasn't played since PeeWee probably!!!

Kaliyev was tried at LW for a very short period of time, maybe a game or two. People on here kept referring to him as a LW when he wasn’t used there.

Grundstrom played both wings before he came to LA, so using him at LW wasn’t some crazy idea. His scouting reports definitely didn’t have a consensus on what his best position was. I agree his best position is RW and as a rule I prefer wingers on their off-wing.

 

[Sol]

A loss on the road to Colorado with Rittich in net is probable even with the 4th line intact, but it feels like a formality with the forward lineup last night. This type of forward availability usually equals an 11/7 lineup from Hiller.

I believe they can actually win a playoff series with the lineup that started the Carolina game last Saturday, but with Keumper in net.

RJ talks about no swagger last night. The 4th line before these injuries brought that swagger with Jeannot being a huge part of it. Helenius is a big boy, but he plays bigger with TJ on his wing. That line was clicking and teams always seem to build off of great 4th line shifts. Had a real fluidity going where lines just rolled over without a marked drop off. That wears the other team out, too.

Giant problem if this line can't be reunited in time for the playoffs.

I think that any time Lewis touches ice the Kings tend to immediately start losing that mojo. I think his incompetence is felt throughout the line up and being a game of momentum, him hitting the ice is going to be a loss of momentum.

With that being said, I do think the Kings line up with Jeannot and Turcotte makes them a lot better. Jeannot was playing his best hockey, and Turcotte is a real solid playmaker.

I still think this team gets swept by McDavid if they're even at 100%. Kings barely moved the needle from last year even and when in doubt, double shift mcdavid = money. I do think we can beat the Knights though.

Back to my original point, it is sad how bad our prospect pool is because our NHL line up when healthy, is solid. However, we're one-two injuries away from dumpster diving from the AHL.

 

[King'sPawn]

Kaliyev was tried at LW for a very short period of time, maybe a game or two. People on here kept referring to him as a LW when he wasn’t used there.

Grundstrom played both wings before he came to LA, so using him at LW wasn’t some crazy idea. His scouting reports definitely didn’t have a consensus on what his best position was. I agree his best position is RW and as a rule I prefer wingers on their off-wing.

Generally I like players who can snipe to play their offwing. But Greentree has such a good backhand, it might work to put him at LW.

 

[Trash Panda]

Byfield almost had that highlight reel goal other than that not many chances

It was a good example of Q getting a little too cute for his skill level.

He had the entire roof open with his first move, and instead opted for the soft touch tuck.

The guy is strong as hell, and can easily roof a backhand there. I feel like he truly plays his best hockey when he relies on his power, and not his finesse.

 

[Statto]

Generally I like players who can snipe to play their offwing. But Greentree has such a good backhand, it might work to put him at LW.

I’m not against experimenting and it’s a great point on Greentree. It’s always worth trying things as skills translate differently between Junior - AHL - NHL

 

[FrozenKing18]

It was a good example of Q getting a little too cute for his skill level.

He had the entire roof open with his first move, and instead opted for the soft touch tuck.

The guy is strong as hell, and can easily roof a backhand there. I feel like he truly plays his best hockey when he relies on his power, and not his finesse.

Vilardi would've finished that sequence

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It was a good example of Q getting a little too cute for his skill level.

He had the entire roof open with his first move, and instead opted for the soft touch tuck.

The guy is strong as hell, and can easily roof a backhand there. I feel like he truly plays his best hockey when he relies on his power, and not his finesse.

He pulls it off if it's anyone but Toews, who also blocked Foegele's putback before Blackwood's untimely death RIP

Would have changed the whole game and I love him for trying it instead of JUST shooting like he has been, opens up a whole new world if Blackwood and any other goalie have to worry about simply getting topshelfed or ending up on sportscenter for the rest of the year

 

[dabeechman]

Vilardi would've finished that sequence

Not while he is sidelined with an upper body injury he ain't.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

If the AVS are a racehorse this was the kings last night.

 

[Trash Panda]

He pulls it off if it's anyone but Toews, who also blocked Foegele's putback before Blackwood's untimely death RIP

Would have changed the whole game and I love him for trying it instead of JUST shooting like he has been, opens up a whole new world if Blackwood and any other goalie have to worry about simply getting topshelfed or ending up on sportscenter for the rest of the year

I wholeheartedly agree that it would be an immense addition to his game. I’d love to see it.

I just think that as Q ages into his body, he is gonna find that he is most effective when he uses those physical gifts to make simple plays.