Around the League 20-21 Thread: Playoffs Edition

[Ziggy Stardust]

DL was PISSED in his coffee with Bob interview. He couldn’t figure it out but also acknowledged that the hardest thing to do is to stay on top after winning it. He read a lot of books, had conversations with Kraft and the Patriots organization, same with the Lakers etc.

Hopefully he’s honored but I’m looking forward to that book he said he was going to write.

Too bad he didn't practice what the Patriots did and cut players loose after realizing they got their best years out of them. He also stated a lot of things during that interview that were never followed up with, like adapting the team to remain competitive.

I guess Lou Lamoriello kept a few secrets from him...

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Too bad he didn't practice what the Patriots did and cut players loose after realizing they got their best years out of them. He also stated a lot of things during that interview that were never followed up with, like adapting the team to remain competitive.

I guess Lou Lamoriello kept a few secrets from him...

Hindsight being 20/20 yes he should have. However, even after he was fired there wasn’t any tear down or adapting play etc. It largely remained the status quo because that’s what the players wanted.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Hindsight being 20/20 yes he should have. However, even after he was fired there wasn’t any tear down or adapting play etc. It largely remained the status quo because that’s what the players wanted.

Something did seemingly change internally though as quite a few players had career years, but as we all know, that was a short lived glimmer of hope.

He did touch upon that in this terrific interview with LeBrun.
LeBrun: One-on-one with Dean Lombardi on Kings exit, working with the Flyers, and Mike Richards

 

[Herby]

DL was PISSED in his coffee with Bob interview. He couldn’t figure it out but also acknowledged that the hardest thing to do is to stay on top after winning it. He read a lot of books, had conversations with Kraft and the Patriots organization, same with the Lakers etc.

Hopefully he’s honored but I’m looking forward to that book he said he was going to write.

Tough to say he was anything like the Patriots. Bill Belichick and Dean Lombardi are about as ideologically different as me and Bland.

Bill Belichick would cut or trade a pro-bowl player if he saw any signs of cracks, Dean Lombardi couldn't bring himself to buyout Mike Richards when the cracks had caused the dam to collapse.

 

[BigKing]

Tough to say he was anything like the Patriots. Bill Belichick and Dean Lombardi are about as ideologically different as me and Bland.

Bill Belichick would cut or trade a pro-bowl player if he saw any signs of cracks, Dean Lombardi couldn't bring himself to buyout Mike Richards when the cracks had caused the dam to collapse.

It's just too difficult to compare what you can do to an NFL player and what NFL contracts are like to the same situation in the NHL or NBA. Bill is still ahead of others in this regard, even in the NFL, but you don't see it often in the NHL: if at all.

That's why most don't blame Blake for just running it back because "Who trades a Kopitar, Doughty, Carter etc..." but that's my point about the hire in the first place: if he's just another "paint-by-numbers" NHL GM then why the rush to get him in to the position?

 

[Herby]

It's just too difficult to compare what you can do to an NFL player and what NFL contracts are like to the same situation in the NHL or NBA. Bill is still ahead of others in this regard, even in the NFL, but you don't see it often in the NHL: if at all.

That's why most don't blame Blake for just running it back because "Who trades a Kopitar, Doughty, Carter etc..." but that's my point about the hire in the first place: if he's just another "paint-by-numbers" NHL GM then why the rush to get him in to the position?

Because he is Luc's best friend?

We went right back to the old Kings way of having unqualified former players running things.

And I was more comparing the mindset and the lack of loyalty Belichick has shown vs. Dean's crippling loyalty. I understand that players are humans and it's natural to have feelings of loyalty towards humans but in sports you need to look at the players as nothing more than assets that can be traded, demoted, released, benched depending on the sport. Dean had zero concept of that, two things clearly showed that, the Richards disaster and the Lucic 8 year offer. Dean was never going to effectively be able to move on from these players. Belichick never had that problem, ask Richard Sherman.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Something did seemingly change internally though as quite a few players had career years, but as we all know, that was a short lived glimmer of hope.

He did touch upon that in this terrific interview with LeBrun.
LeBrun: One-on-one with Dean Lombardi on Kings exit, working with the Flyers, and Mike Richards

This is such a good read.

 

[BigKing]

Because he is Luc's best friend?

We went right back to the old Kings way of having unqualified former players running things.

And I was more comparing the mindset and the lack of loyalty Belichick has shown vs. Dean's crippling loyalty. I understand that players are humans and it's natural to have feelings of loyalty towards humans but in sports you need to look at the players as nothing more than assets that can be traded, demoted, released, benched depending on the sport. Dean had zero concept of that, two things clearly showed that, the Richards disaster and the Lucic 8 year offer. Dean was never going to effectively be able to move on from these players. Belichick never had that problem, ask Richard Sherman.

To be fair, the Lucic offer was like for $4MM a year. There would be three years left on it at this point. I'd totally be fine with him on this team right now for $4MM over the next three seasons. In the first year of his current contract, 23 goals, 50 points and 200+ hits. He's obviously fallen off a cliff production wise but he was kind of awesome in the playoffs just last summer.

Kings averaged 19 hits a game last season. 18 skaters dress each game. You can do the math and see how sad that is.

I loved the three fights from AA this season but, holy shit, he only had 11 hits in 47 games!!! Vilardi with 18 in 54 is pretty horrible as well.

 

[Jason Squirties]

To be fair, the Lucic offer was like for $4MM a year. There would be three years left on it at this point. I'd totally be fine with him on this team right now for $4MM over the next three seasons. In the first year of his current contract, 23 goals, 50 points and 200+ hits. He's obviously fallen off a cliff production wise but he was kind of awesome in the playoffs just last summer.

Kings averaged 19 hits a game last season. 18 skaters dress each game. You can do the math and see how sad that is.

I loved the three fights from AA this season but, holy shit, he only had 11 hits in 47 games!!! Vilardi with 18 in 54 is pretty horrible as well.

19 hits a game average, with half of those at home. That is utterly pathetic. That is almost like the 5 players on the ice avoiding contact for 40min a game.

 

[tny760]

jesus christ, i knew the team was checking-averse but those numbers are just sad

 

[Herby]

jesus christ, i knew the team was checking-averse but those numbers are just sad

It's ok. They made up for it by scoring a ton of goals.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Some oddities with the team hits stat throughout the NHL... before I post them (and without looking), you guys will never guess which team led the league in overall hits.

I'll share this, the Avalanche were ranked last in hits and won the Presidents' Trophy. I guess that's expected when you have the puck so often. Toronto and Minnesota also finished in the bottom five, although you wouldn't guess that judging from the games the Kings had against Minnesota.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Some oddities with the team hits stat throughout the NHL... before I post them (and without looking), you guys will never guess which team led the league in overall hits.

I'll share this, the Avalanche were ranked last in hits and won the Presidents' Trophy. I guess that's expected when you have the puck so often. Toronto and Minnesota also finished in the bottom five, although you wouldn't guess that judging from the games the Kings had against Minnesota.

Makes you really realize how monstrous the 2012-2016ish Kings were, when they were leading the league in possession AND hits

That can't be a fun night of hockey for the other team, never have the puck and get f***ing checked to a pulp

 

[Herby]

Hell of a start by Montreal. Probably wish they had gotten another though.

I think we all hate the guy, but Corey Perry continues to look really good.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Toffoli continues to shine.

 

[Herby]

TT!

This Montreal 1st line continues to just make stuff happen game after game. Big props to Toffoli, this looks nothing like the player who was going through the motions towards the end of his time here.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Deboer should put Lehner in the second period to shake up his team.

 

[Herby]

Deboer should put Lehner in the second period to shake up his team.

Can't believe how flat Vegas came out at home with a chance to go up 2-0.

I expect a big push in the 2nd period from Vegas, if Montreal scores next it's probably over and going back tied 1-1. I think a lot of people here sell the Habs short, since going down 1-3 to Toronto they have kicked ass.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Makes you really realize how monstrous the 2012-2016ish Kings were, when they were leading the league in possession AND hits

That can't be a fun night of hockey for the other team, never have the puck and get f***ing checked to a pulp

It seems like the whole mentality and approach of the team changed collectively after beating themselves up for three years. Gives credence to the Patriots’ approach of knowing when to cut players loose to keep the drive alive.

And for the record, Montreal led the NHL in hits this season, and Vegas ranked 20th in that category. Make of it what you will, but watching these playoffs should open eyes as to how far away the Kings are in matching the intensity of these teams.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Can't believe how flat Vegas came out at home with a chance to go up 2-0.

I expect a big push in the 2nd period from Vegas, if Montreal scores next it's probably over and going back tied 1-1. I think a lot of people here sell the Habs short, since going down 1-3 to Toronto they have kicked ass.

Habs are back to excelling at clogging up the middle of the ice…..ZZZZZZZ

 

[Herby]

Carey Price, good lord.

 

[Schmooley]

If Suzuki was on the Kings hed still be in the AHL and Lizotte would still be the 2nd line center

 

[DoktorJeep]

If Suzuki was on the Kings hed still be in the AHL and Lizotte would still be the 2nd line center

Suzuki would have to work on getting blown up more regularly to take a roster spot from Lizotte.

 

[Herby]

If Suzuki was on the Kings hed still be in the AHL and Lizotte would still be the 2nd line center

To bad Vilardi fell in 2017, maybe we get Suzuki.

 

[Schmooley]

To bad Vilardi fell in 2017, maybe we get Suzuki.

Yea Suzuki is a great player. I think his game is similar to Turcotte so hopefully he can put it all together.