Around the League 2019-20 Pt. 2

[BigKing]

Brown still delivered some massive hits this season, and that Jeff Carter hit earlier in the season surprised me as well. Something you wish he did more often since the guy is built like a rock.

The Kings need more guys who can score and lay the body, which is what the Caps and Blues JAD a great mix off. They were far from being big and slow hockey teams. They punished opponents physically and offensively, and both previous Cup winners were four lines deep.

Will Brown still be on the team when it is ready to contend? I like the idea of him as a 4th line wrecking ball but could he/would he be that guy in 2023 at 37 years old? Does he even sign another contract when this one expires?

I can't see embedded Twitter posts on my work CPU but I assume this is the Kings hit reel from Kingsgif? That compilation kind of proves my point as it is short and some aren't anything special. You've got Brown sometimes deciding to turn back the clock--something he's done a few times a season for a long time now--and then MacD trying to murder people at the blue line. I mean, the video has Kopitar apparently throwing one of the "biggest hits" of the season lol.

That Carter hit was definitely something and I'm still shocked months later that it happened: Carter probably is as well.

I agree that it is going to have to come from a signing or a trade. With the way the game is played today, guys that can score and lay the body are scarcer than ever before. Everyone hates Tom Wilson but I'd take him on the Kings in nanosecond and he'd be a total fan favorite.

While Wilson is an extreme example, how about someone like Stoll? All of this "JAD is Stoll" stuff makes me laugh because Stoll was a physical player and under-the-radar dirty. It's like anyone that tops out as a 3rd liner and has character is the next Stoll.

Nice follow through with the knee and then an elbow at the end. No more Vlasic after Period 1, Game 5 of 2014.


Sorry Cam Fowler...it was an accident. Bonus Nolan taking out the trash.


Same type of hit as on Fowler.

 

[tny760]

i'm with you on the vlasic and white hits but fowler did that to himself cutting back and going low when he knew he had a guy on his back

obviously you've got kyle clifford coming down the boards on you but no clue what the f*** fowler was thinking there

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Bryan Allen getting fed lefts makes me happy

I don't feel bad for dmen who turn their backs to hits they know are coming, even if stoll had a propensity to hit high in the back. He was definitely always a borderline player/habitual line stepper but not because of those plays. Edit: I feel bad for Vlasic there because the 2nd elbow riding up to his dome was legit dirty. But the first hit nope. And Fowler and Ian White can suck it.

 

[Jason Squirties]

Brown still delivered some massive hits this season, and that Jeff Carter hit earlier in the season surprised me as well. Something you wish he did more often since the guy is built like a rock.

The Kings need more guys who can score and lay the body, which is what the Caps and Blues had a great mix off. They were far from being big and slow hockey teams. They punished opponents physically and offensively, and both previous Cup winners were four lines deep.

Someone please take that Lewis hit out of the clip.

 

[BigKing]

i'm with you on the vlasic and white hits but fowler did that to himself cutting back and going low when he knew he had a guy on his back

obviously you've got kyle clifford coming down the boards on you but no clue what the f*** fowler was thinking there

But the point is that Stoll would use his forearm to drive their head into the boards. The beauty of it is that he would do things in a way that made it debatable.

Aside from the borderline plays, the guy had 202 hits in the 2014 season which was only nine behind Regher in one less game and three minutes less ice time per night. JAD isn't going to be that guy. In his last decent scoring season in 2011, he was 3rd on the team in hits with 164. Will JAD or whoever "the next Stoll" is score 20 goals, average two hits a night and win face-offs at a 57% clip?

Maybe the hope is one of these kids becomes the 2012-14 version that wins face-offs at 55%, plays physical and only scores like 25 points. It's just funny that a lot of us shit on Stoll because he wasn't a great 2nd line center and he might knock your eye out with an errant shot but they haven't replaced him since he left.

You would think that the Kings would at least have put out a bunch of real hard-working and physical young players during this period of suck but its been both a lack of talent and that extra something. I agree that Lizotte is an exception but it would be nice to have that drive and energy in a big body as opposed to a midget. That's why I'm still high on Wagner because he has jam to his game and is a good size to go with all of that speed but I look at Matt Luff and see a fart in the wind.

It's almost like guys aren't willing to change their games to make the NHL. Like, you can't be a 20 goal Top 6 AHL guy and then play that same game on the 4th line in the NHL at 10 minutes a night. What you could do though is keep those offensive instincts but add running a guy through the boards into your repertoire. I really hope that the amount of prospects the Kings currently have leads to spirited competition to where these guys work as hard as Lizotte and MacDermid even though they have daft pedigree.

 

[Stimpythecat]

It warms my heart to see how many other posters think the sharks are screwed for the next half decade.

 

[riznat]

Brown still delivered some massive hits this season, and that Jeff Carter hit earlier in the season surprised me as well. Something you wish he did more often since the guy is built like a rock.

The Kings need more guys who can score and lay the body, which is what the Caps and Blues had a great mix off. They were far from being big and slow hockey teams. They punished opponents physically and offensively, and both previous Cup winners were four lines deep.

Damn I forgot how much I miss hockey.

 

[Crownroyal21]

23 hours. I miss hockey too. Anything right now is exciting.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

But the point is that Stoll would use his forearm to drive their head into the boards. The beauty of it is that he would do things in a way that made it debatable.

Aside from the borderline plays, the guy had 202 hits in the 2014 season which was only nine behind Regher in one less game and three minutes less ice time per night. JAD isn't going to be that guy. In his last decent scoring season in 2011, he was 3rd on the team in hits with 164. Will JAD or whoever "the next Stoll" is score 20 goals, average two hits a night and win face-offs at a 57% clip?

Maybe the hope is one of these kids becomes the 2012-14 version that wins face-offs at 55%, plays physical and only scores like 25 points. It's just funny that a lot of us shit on Stoll because he wasn't a great 2nd line center and he might knock your eye out with an errant shot but they haven't replaced him since he left.

You would think that the Kings would at least have put out a bunch of real hard-working and physical young players during this period of suck but its been both a lack of talent and that extra something. I agree that Lizotte is an exception but it would be nice to have that drive and energy in a big body as opposed to a midget. That's why I'm still high on Wagner because he has jam to his game and is a good size to go with all of that speed but I look at Matt Luff and see a fart in the wind.

It's almost like guys aren't willing to change their games to make the NHL. Like, you can't be a 20 goal Top 6 AHL guy and then play that same game on the 4th line in the NHL at 10 minutes a night. What you could do though is keep those offensive instincts but add running a guy through the boards into your repertoire. I really hope that the amount of prospects the Kings currently have leads to spirited competition to where these guys work as hard as Lizotte and MacDermid even though they have daft pedigree.

I think that's one really strong point in Blake's drafting last year is the chase of 'character' guys. Like, if Turcotte doesn't turn out, you KNOW he's at least going to be a pissy prick, and a guy who will do whatever it takes to win (see the story about him slashing the everliving shit out of his teammates at practice). Thomas in the WJC wasn't a scoring line guy, he was Canada's Trevor Lewis. Fagemo already skates through the wall even as a scorer. Vilardi already has swagger and is a bit of a bully, Dudas, etc.

 

[BigKing]

I think that's one really strong point in Blake's drafting last year is the chase of 'character' guys. Like, if Turcotte doesn't turn out, you KNOW he's at least going to be a pissy prick, and a guy who will do whatever it takes to win (see the story about him slashing the everliving shit out of his teammates at practice). Thomas in the WJC wasn't a scoring line guy, he was Canada's Trevor Lewis. Fagemo already skates through the wall even as a scorer. Vilardi already has swagger and is a bit of a bully, Dudas, etc.

I don't see what you see with Vilardi. He had two hits in 10 games. He's a bully like Jeff Carter is a bully.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Despite their similar physical stature, Vilardi doesn’t remind me of a young Kopitar. He didn’t show the ability to use his frame to shield the puck and take it to the net. I think he’ll be more of a modern player who uses reach and skating to get separation to make plays. He seems to have a bent over skating style and tries to keep the puck in front of him versus in his skates. He also showed in the small sample size more of a willingness to shoot the puck than Kopi. Of course Kopi’s shot is still way better even today, so Gabe has plenty of room to grow.

I’m rooting for the kid based on how much he has had to battle physical issues. I think he’ll end up being compared to a guy like Mark Scheifele once he hits his prime.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't see what you see with Vilardi. He had two hits in 10 games. He's a bully like Jeff Carter is a bully.

More of thinking about how he was in juniors. He's obviously not fast enough to get in on the forecheck to cream people, but he reverse-hits and initiates contact for anyone near his gravity. Plus even in the NHL he was shittalking an entire bench, getting a little gritty in front of the net, etc...that's pretty good for a guy who is still trying to trust his back.

I don't think he's gonna be a heavyweight or anything, but he sticks his nose in everything, and he's a big kid that can handle himself i.e. I'm not worried about him getting punked.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Despite their similar physical stature, Vilardi doesn’t remind me of a young Kopitar. He didn’t show the ability to use his frame to shield the puck and take it to the net. I think he’ll be more of a modern player who uses reach and skating to get separation to make plays. He seems to have a bent over skating style and tries to keep the puck in front of him versus in his skates. He also showed in the small sample size more of a willingness to shoot the puck than Kopi. Of course Kopi’s shot is still way better even today, so Gabe has plenty of room to grow.

I’m rooting for the kid based on how much he has had to battle physical issues. I think he’ll end up being compared to a guy like Mark Scheifele once he hits his prime.

Vilardi won't be outskating anyone imo. I agree on the reach. But I do think his ability to shield the puck is going to start showing as he gets more comfortable. He's big. In juniors, if he didn't want someone to have the puck, he could play keep away forever. Even in the AHL there were times where he'd go into the corner with 2 opponents and walk out with possession. That's arguably his greatest ability to go with his vision, he can skate into traffic and hit a play.

Schiefele may be a great comp, especially down to the work ethic on skating. Hadn't even thought of that.

 

[BigKing]

More of thinking about how he was in juniors. He's obviously not fast enough to get in on the forecheck to cream people, but he reverse-hits and initiates contact for anyone near his gravity. Plus even in the NHL he was shittalking an entire bench, getting a little gritty in front of the net, etc...that's pretty good for a guy who is still trying to trust his back.

I don't think he's gonna be a heavyweight or anything, but he sticks his nose in everything, and he's a big kid that can handle himself i.e. I'm not worried about him getting punked.

I'm not worried about him wilting under playoff intensity but I'm also not expecting him to be overtly physical. Like, you made a Getzlaf comparison a bit ago and I just don't see close to that level of physicality or being such an asshole out there.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm not worried about him wilting under playoff intensity but I'm also not expecting him to be overtly physical. Like, you made a Getzlaf comparison a bit ago and I just don't see close to that level of physicality or being such an asshole out there.

Is anyone as much of an asshole as Getzlaf though?

Yeah maybe I'm not being clear, I'm not expecting him to run around, but like Fagemo, he has no problem bowling balling his way to the front of the net, welcoming contact, and standing his ground and scrumming it up. I know that might not be a huge deal but it's a welcome change from turning the other cheek.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

It’s crazy to me that Iginla was 39 when he joined the Kings and still engaged in some brutal fisticuffs.

 

[BringTheReign]

It’s crazy to me that Iginla was 39 when he joined the Kings and still engaged in some brutal fisticuffs.

He took his role seriously. He knew he wasn't a 50 goal scorer anymore, so he decided to be elite any other way he could be. Honestly, it breaks my heart a bit that he never won a Cup. I usually don't agree with saying someone "deserved" one, but in my mind Iginla is what anyone should aspire to be as an all-around hockey player, leader, and person, and it's a shame his name isn't on the Cup.

 

[BigKing]

The Kings were pretty much done for the playoffs at that point as well.

Honestly, I think it was a little bit of a "Farewell Tour" of Alberta for him. Nothing to gain for him in those two fights except for exactly what all of us are saying about him three years later.

It also shines a giant f***ing spotlight on the veteran leadership of this team the last couple of seasons. Iginla is from a different era though.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Definitely one of the last of a dying breed. It's crazy how much character Iginla in particular--but also even guys like Lecavalier!--exudes.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Did Iginla ever lift the Cup?

 

[HookKing]

Despite their similar physical stature, Vilardi doesn’t remind me of a young Kopitar. He didn’t show the ability to use his frame to shield the puck and take it to the net. I think he’ll be more of a modern player who uses reach and skating to get separation to make plays. He seems to have a bent over skating style and tries to keep the puck in front of him versus in his skates. He also showed in the small sample size more of a willingness to shoot the puck than Kopi. Of course Kopi’s shot is still way better even today, so Gabe has plenty of room to grow.

I’m rooting for the kid based on how much he has had to battle physical issues. I think he’ll end up being compared to a guy like Mark Scheifele once he hits his prime.

He doesn't really need to use his frame to shield the puck he's got knuckledragging arms -- think Corey Perry. Although the evidence has been limited so far I don't see Kopitar's shot as "way better". I'm not even sold that it is better at all.

 

[kovacro]

Did Iginla ever lift the Cup?

No. He came close with Calgary years ago when they lost in 7 games to Tampa Bay.

 

[KINGS17]

The Kings were pretty much done for the playoffs at that point as well.

Honestly, I think it was a little bit of a "Farewell Tour" of Alberta for him. Nothing to gain for him in those two fights except for exactly what all of us are saying about him three years later.

It also shines a giant f***ing spotlight on the veteran leadership of this team the last couple of seasons. Iginla is from a different era though.

Tremendous stamina shown by Iginla in those two fights.

 

[KINGS17]

He doesn't really need to use his frame to shield the puck he's got knuckledragging arms -- think Corey Perry. Although the evidence has been limited so far I don't see Kopitar's shot as "way better". I'm not even sold that it is better at all.

In order to have a better shot, you actually have to shoot the puck.

 

[Stimpythecat]

I'd be ok with Montreal, carolina, or florida winning #1OA. Just keep him east.

Otherwise, I just don't want to see a team that should have been #5-8 in the standings win. And also don't want toronto to get him. Some of their fans are insufferable as it is.