Speculation: Another year of this Bluc **** (The 2024 season thread)

[Raccoon Jesus]

I would love to hear at some point, what the team actually has accomplished

I don't know if you've heard but

we were right there

 

[Kurrilino]

I don't know if you've heard but

we were right there

Is this the new "We did the little things right" ?

 

[funky]

Our captain plays without emotion, and I love him, but time to drop the C.

I absolutely cannot stand our coach, weak minded, obviously blind, as he can’t see what’s right in front of him and adjust

Anderson has to go. He has no size, he has zero offensive abilities, and he’s not a top pair defenseman. Unfortunately, he’s not a bottom pairing defenseman either as he does not provide anything of extra value would much rather have our start of the year scapegoat Edmundson out there. Leon’s eyes light up every time he goes against Anderson.

We have a perfect third line in Foegele Danault and Laf. Trade Moore and use his 4.2 to upgrade top 6.

I am more than happy to re-sign Tanner and have Helenius in the middle with Turc or even Malott rotate in as they are both minimal cost players. Lee might get a chance.

Byfield and Fiala need a true skilled winger. I love Laf but the hands and offensive IQ are hindering the other two. Yes I know Byfield hinders himself but praying he gains consistency. A Marner on that line makes it a true number one line. Not a defensive liability and creates offense. Can carry Quintin when he is off his game. They would also be PP1.

These last 3 games have made Kuzmenko a lot more affordable. Can we sign him on the cheap. I can’t see a lot of teams having faith in him after a miserable year last year and a three team swing this year. Bring line one back as line two and PP2.

Kuemper is solid, we have pups in the system but we need a real back-up.

Defense is an issue. Our right side sucks. We have a great 6 in Edmundson but Gav was our best defenseman and we may lose him. I wish we could lose Drew as 11 mil would be spent better elsewhere. Clarke scares me every time he is in our zone and not a fan of small defenseman like Spence unless they bring 50 point offense. I will give Clarke the benefit of basically being a rookie and being told to stifle offense for defense. 5 on 5 sure, but put the kid on the PP and let him eat.

I think Blake knocked it out of the park last off season other than coaching. Unfortunately if the coach is out coached every step of the playoffs, what does it really matter?

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Despite the point total, I never bought in. So while there still is some pain from being humiliated in another first round exit, I'm mostly numb and indifferent to it.

To be honest, there is very little I do like about the current L.A. Kings. I hate the good old boys front office. I hate Temu Todd McLellan. I resent that Doughty and Kopitar are still relied upon to be top line and top pair players at their ages because their GM is incompetent. I hate how utterly soft this roster is. I hate how they handle prospects. I could go on and on.

I feel bad for Adrian Kempe. That guy is a damn good player and deserves better. He should ask out.

I watched a lot fewer Kings games this season, and if they bring these clowns back next year it will be even fewer. As someone born and raised in SoCal who now lives on the east coast, I'm not staying-up late to watch a team I simply don't believe in and don't feel has a direction. Losing with a plan is much better than piling up regular season points with a first round/ black hole ceiling. The Luc/Blake combo is killing my love for Kings hockey. 8 years in, and I still don't see a plan, a direction. 8 years in and we are leaning on the corpses on Doughty and Kopi to play insane minutes while basically only playing 9 forwards and 4 defensemen. This franchise is run by idiots

 

[tigermask48]

This team can add all the skill it wants, and none of it will make a difference until they finally move on from the past.

If there was anything to take away from last night it was that this leadership group is flawed, Kopitar and Doughty aren't going to get any better, and cannot be relied upon.

Until something changes there this team isn't doing anything in the post season.

"Built for this" is such a great capstone to this post season's pant shitting and Kopitar was perfect as the face of it.

 

[Rick Knickleback]

Despite the point total, I never bought in. So while there still is some pain from being humiliated in another first round exit, I'm mostly numb and indifferent to it.

Same. This is less frustrating because it was wholly expected. Even during the post-deadline flourish, I was hesitant to think we'd be anything else than first round fodder for EDM. When it was obvious in Game 1 how bad Edmonton is compared to previous teams, and then we let them back into the game anyway, that's when any emergent optimism died.

 

[Lt Dan]

"Built for this" is such a great capstone to this post season's pant shitting and Kopitar was perfect as the face of it.

in other words, it's time to change the slogan to

 

[FrozenKing18]

"Built for this" is such a great capstone to this post season's pant shitting and Kopitar was perfect as the face of it.

Pretending like they’re the 11-12 Kings lol

24-25 Kings, built for the first 40 minutes.

 

[KINGS17]

I think a case can be made that Kuzmenko has been Blake's best move as a GM, considering how important he has been to the team, especially in turning around Kempe and Kopitar, who were both struggling mightily in the offensive zone. But as I always say, don't get to high with the highs and don't get to low with the lows. I think paying Kuzmenko significant money on a multi-year deal would be overreacting to a high.

Mitch Marner would immediately be the Kings best offensive player while also not being a negative on the teams defensive identity, and he's young enough where he would not only be viable to play with Kopitar and Kempe next season, but would be a prime asset as Byfield's right wing for the entire life of QB's contract.

Living on the West Coast is a no-go for many players, and who knows, maybe Marner ends up like everybody else and signs in a big Eastern market, but as far as fit, age and team needs, it's a no brainer the Kings would pursue him if the Leafs are capped out to signing him.

This off season, Kempe should be the new Pavol Demitra, and Kopitar and Doughty are years overdue to be gone. Nothing is going to happen though until the Kings get a new whatever Robitaille is, and a new GM.

 

[kovacro]

Not much else to say that has not already been pointed out in previous posts.

Lots of work to be done on this roster and front office/coaching staff. Simply not good enough. Question is does ownership care enough to step up and make those changes from the top on down.

The prospect development, especially with the prime picks - Rounds 1 and 2 (top 60ish) - has been absolutely rubbish.

I'm tired of it all as are many of you. Very disengaged at this point.

Very happy that I packed it in last night after the first 20 minutes as it was clear to see how this one was going to turn out.

 

[Schmooley]

If they lose this series and run it back next year with Blake, Luc, Hiller, Kopitar and Doughty, anyone that watches and goes to the games is a real sucker.

 

[funky]

Despite the point total, I never bought in. So while there still is some pain from being humiliated in another first round exit, I'm mostly numb and indifferent to it.

To be honest, there is very little I do like about the current L.A. Kings. I hate the good old boys front office. I hate Temu Todd McLellan. I resent that Doughty and Kopitar are still relied upon to be top line and top pair players at their ages because their GM is incompetent. I hate how utterly soft this roster is. I hate how they handle prospects. I could go on and on.

I feel bad for Adrian Kempe. That guy is a damn good player and deserves better. He should ask out.

I watched a lot fewer Kings games this season, and if they bring these clowns back next year it will be even fewer. As someone born and raised in SoCal who now lives on the east coast, I'm not staying-up late to watch a team I simply don't believe in and don't feel has a direction. Losing with a plan is much better than piling up regular season points with a first round/ black hole ceiling. The Luc/Blake combo is killing my love for Kings hockey. 8 years in, and I still don't see a plan, a direction. 8 years in and we are leaning on the corpses on Doughty and Kopi to play insane minutes while basically only playing 9 forwards and 4 defensemen. This franchise is run by idiots

Temu Todd McLellan..........I just pissed myself laughing so hard.....Thank you............needed that

 

[KingPuckChoo]

If they lose this series and run it back next year with Blake, Luc, Hiller, Kopitar and Doughty, anyone that watches and goes to the games is a real sucker.

As long as there's breadcrumbs, the circus goes on

 

[Lt Dan]

 

[SmytheKing]

I still have no idea why Brown lost the C. It made no sense then and it still doesn't.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

 

[funky]

I still have no idea why Brown lost the C. It made no sense then and it still doesn't.

Dean or Sutter actually explained it last year in an interview with either Jesse or the Mayor. I believe it was Dean. I don't have time to find it today but I remember thinking that made a bit of sense. I read it as he wanted to push Kopi to the next level.

I still do not like the move. Brown led by example, sacrificed his body for his team, and was living rent free in oppositions heads at the time due to the massive "dirty" hits. He is exactly the guy I would want leading my team. He did not need to score a goal or give a speech to effect the outcome of a game. He would just change tone my destroying someone, yet he could also score. That guy had skill, heart, and a non-stop motor until they crushed his soul and stripped the C.

 

[SmytheKing]

Dean or Sutter actually explained it last year in an interview with either Jesse or the Mayor. I believe it was Dean. I don't have time to find it today but I remember thinking that made a bit of sense. I read it as he wanted to push Kopi to the next level.

I still do not like the move. Brown led by example, sacrificed his body for his team, and was living rent free in oppositions heads at the time due to the massive "dirty" hits. He is exactly the guy I would want leading my team. He did not need to score a goal or give a speech to effect the outcome of a game. He would just change tone my destroying someone, yet he could also score. That guy had skill, heart, and a non-stop motor until they crushed his soul and stripped the C.

I get wanting your "guy" to rise to the occasion...but you don't do it when you have a guy who recently led the team (and he did lead them) to a couple of Cups who is also just about the same age.

Giving Kopitar the C makes sense in a vacuum, but not in context. Not at all.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Brown had clashes with Sutter and management. Came to a head when DL almost traded him to Buffalo and it took that rumor to wake up Dustin Brown for that first run. He discovered he had another gear in that time thanks to that wake up call.

However, I do agree that naming Kopitar as a C and giving him that contract was a mistake. The hope was that the guys given 7-8 year contracts would “take over” the leadership void left by Greene, Williams etc.

Safe to say it backfired. AEG isn’t going to fire management, it’s not an organization about chasing the cup. It’s turned into a corporate machine that is all about profit. To someone like Beckerman, probably thinks it’s great that the Kings had a viral marketing moment and it is unfortunate that the Kings are blowing the series. Does he care? No. He’s not a serious hockey guy, I mean compare him to Lieweekly. It’s just a corporate culture and it’s a major contrast to how rival teams like the Oilers, Golden Knights, and some of these other top tier western franchises are run.

Pretty soon we can just swap out Edmonton for San Jose, because they have some young guns that will be a problem. Our only hope is if AEG sells and we have a new owner that gives a .

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I still have no idea why Brown lost the C. It made no sense then and it still doesn't.

I don't either, but if a prerequisite of maintaining your captaincy is to win a cup, there's a shitload of Captains out there that need their 'C' stripped!

Buy yah, let's not think logically and be reminded that Kopitar has led the team in scoring for like the last two decades or anything like that.

 

[BigKing]

This hasn't been a Buffalo-esque decade since the last Cup, but I think having 11 & 8 on the roster the entire time makes casuals around the league think that it hasn't been too bad for the Kings, yet they haven't won a playoff series since then and are now, I believe, 4-12 at home in the playoffs during that time.

I'd rather be ANA or SJ accumulating youth with the annual tradition of getting to watch the Kings shit themselves in the 1st round every year.

 

[bland]

I get wanting your "guy" to rise to the occasion...but you don't do it when you have a guy who recently led the team (and he did lead them) to a couple of Cups who is also just about the same age.

Giving Kopitar the C makes sense in a vacuum, but not in context. Not at all.

I think there was more to it, I don't think Brown was exactly the most respected player in that room.

Plus, Brown was given the C in the same way Kopitar got it - a gift meant to inspire, not an earned recognition.

And let's never forget that the reason Williams, Stoll, Greene, Richards and Mitchell (hell, even Thornton and Cloutier before that) were brought in was because of the glaring lack of leadership in the core.

Easy to romanticize Brown in retrospect, but he was never considered a real "leader".

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I'd rather be ANA or SJ accumulating youth with the annual tradition of getting to watch the Kings shit themselves in the 1st round every year.

Bullshit....

 

[BigKing]

Bullshit....

Why wouldn't I prefer a future that looks brighter than both the Kings present and future?

I also hate soft hockey and the Kings have played a ton of that for years now, so these regular season games aren't terribly exciting for the most part.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This hasn't been a Buffalo-esque decade since the last Cup, but I think having 11 & 8 on the roster the entire time makes casuals around the league think that it hasn't been too bad for the Kings, yet they haven't won a playoff series since then and are now, I believe, 4-12 at home in the playoffs during that time.

I'd rather be ANA or SJ accumulating youth with the annual tradition of getting to watch the Kings shit themselves in the 1st round every year.

Buffalo is certainly a special case

2/3 of the league has found a way to win a playoff round in the last 5 years...Kings are in pretty special company being twice that and more.

Imagine being handed a championship infrastructure, several future hall of famers, a free pass on whatever your vision is, limitless AEG/financial resources, several do-overs, and hands-off ownership...and producing this.