Around the League Thread part V

[Herby]

markstrom is easily a top what 7 goalie? With 4-7 being up for debate, so maybe even top 5.

Oilers dominated and the flames really struggled to keep their guy to the outside (something the kings D did well). Was really surprising for a Sutter team.

I think the Flames have the best or second best goalie in the division (demko is debatable). Have the best 1-3 centers as far as two way play goes (if Edmonton spread McDavid-Leon-RNH that is scary, but not best two way guys). The flames wingers are their downfall even with Johnny H.

Kadri vs Kane.....sign me up. Odd there are only 3 battle of alberta's this year.

Why are Edmonton and Calgary only playing 3 times?

Did the NHL change the way the schedule is? I usually take a hockey break and must have missed that.

 

[King'sPawn]

Why are Edmonton and Calgary only playing 3 times?

Did the NHL change the way the schedule is? I usually take a hockey break and must have missed that.

Because of the division size, there is an unequal amount of intradivision games. With Edmonton and Calgary, this year is just that year.

 

[LAKings88]

I still say a healthy Doughty and Arvidsson and the Kings could have made a run for conference finals. Gonna be an interesting year.

 

[johnjm22]

I still say a healthy Doughty and Arvidsson and the Kings could have made a run for conference finals. Gonna be an interesting year.

I think they could've made it to the conference finals, but I think they would've got merked by the Avalanche.

If this team solidifies the 3rd line center spot, adds a high quality LHD, and a couple of our young players take big steps, then I think this team may be capable of a run this year.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think they could've made it to the conference finals, but I think they would've got merked by the Avalanche.

If this team solidifies the 3rd line center spot, adds a high quality LHD, and a couple of our young players take big steps, then I think this team may be capable of a run this year.

so true and that's probably putting it kindly

I wish they did though because that would have been a valuable experience. Not that the 1st round wasn't--but getting to see first hand a skilled AND physical team just punching you in the face and playing borderline dirty while scoring all over you shows you what it takes to win. Edmonton wasn't that, they were just a top heavy show. Not discounting that either though!

 

[johnjm22]

so true and that's probably putting it kindly

I wish they did though because that would have been a valuable experience. Not that the 1st round wasn't--but getting to see first hand a skilled AND physical team just punching you in the face and playing borderline dirty while scoring all over you shows you what it takes to win. Edmonton wasn't that, they were just a top heavy show. Not discounting that either though!

We had no true #1 center. Only 1 really capable top 6 winger (who didn't even play that well). No 3rd line. No #1 Dman. Bunch of kids on defense. No PP. No Pk.

And we were still up 3-2 in the series and probably should have won.

TBH, I'm not really sure what to even make of this, or how we even did it.

 

[All The Kings Men]

We had no true #1 center. Only 1 really capable top 6 winger (who didn't even play that well). No 3rd line. No #1 Dman. Bunch of kids on defense. No PP. No Pk.

And we were still up 3-2 in the series and probably should have won.

TBH, I'm not really sure what to even make of this, or how we even did it.

The power of friendship.

And I'm not even really kidding...

 

[Schmooley]

The power of friendship.

And I'm not even really kidding...

Theres a lot of truth to this. If talent was all that mattered McDavid or Matthews would win every year. But an upper middle end roster can play above their weight class if they play for each other.

 

[Herby]

We had no true #1 center. Only 1 really capable top 6 winger (who didn't even play that well). No 3rd line. No #1 Dman. Bunch of kids on defense. No PP. No Pk.

And we were still up 3-2 in the series and probably should have won.

TBH, I'm not really sure what to even make of this, or how we even did it.

Amazing coaching.

No joke last season may have been the most impressive coaching season I can ever remember from a Kings coach. Andy Murray never actually made the playoffs any of those years the team all died. Sutter had some great post-season lightning in a bottle but to do what the Kings did for 89 games was remarkable.

I continue to be amazed how McLellan is largely viewed. Not only here but on the main forums.

 

[Schmooley]

Amazing coaching.

No joke last season may have been the most impressive coaching season I can ever remember from a Kings coach. Andy Murray never actually made the playoffs any of those years the team all died. Sutter had some great post-season lightning in a bottle but to do what the Kings did for 89 games was remarkable.

I continue to be amazed how McLellan is largely viewed. Not only here but on the main forums.

I think if you look at Edmonton and San Jose fans opinions on him its really similar to the majority here. He runs a good system. Hes well liked by his players and staff and gets everyone to buy in and play for each other. Seems like a very nice guy.
Really his flaw is in game management. Hell run what isnt working without changing a thing for way too long. Weve seen it for stretches during the regular season and also the last two games of the playoffs last year.
The biggest example of it is probably the reverse sweep of the Sharks.
I think hes done well with what hes been given as far as roster personnel but I dont look down on anyone for thinking he wont be the guy to take them to the cup.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Amazing coaching.

No joke last season may have been the most impressive coaching season I can ever remember from a Kings coach. Andy Murray never actually made the playoffs any of those years the team all died. Sutter had some great post-season lightning in a bottle but to do what the Kings did for 89 games was remarkable.

I continue to be amazed how McLellan is largely viewed. Not only here but on the main forums.

I just don't get his hardon for Iafallo. I get trying to jumpstart him after his production fell off, but when it was clear he just wasn't getting it done anymore, he needed to really reduce his role and he didn't.

 

[Telos]

I am pretty much in the TMac is a good coach and is doing a good job camp. I was favorable to his hiring originally and think he has followed through with what he has said he is going to do. Sure, I am critical of him like the rest when it comes to being slow to change his lines, but what I like is that he actually changes them to lines that make sense to everyone watching, unlike Sutter who would experiment for a game and as soon as they have an unproductive looking shift he would blow it up and never change it again.

He was pretty open about why he kept Iafallo up which was his complete game the other way. He trusted him in all aspects and felt he was due to return to the scoring level he had shown before which isn't completely unreasonable, Iafallo fell off a pretty big cliff in production last season. Obviously, expectations are for him to shrug it off and show this season that last season was a fluke, but hopefully, if he can't TMac is there to shift him down quickly.

I am fine with Iafallo on the third line in sort of a Frolov sort of role, but if he is in the top 6 then he needs to produce like a top 6 forward, no excuses.

 

[Sol]

Amazing coaching.

No joke last season may have been the most impressive coaching season I can ever remember from a Kings coach. Andy Murray never actually made the playoffs any of those years the team all died. Sutter had some great post-season lightning in a bottle but to do what the Kings did for 89 games was remarkable.

I continue to be amazed how McLellan is largely viewed. Not only here but on the main forums.

Exactly what amazes you about how Todd is viewed?

Pretty interesting how quickly people forget about Todd’s massive pitfalls whenever the months pass.

Surely you will all remember when the PP and PK die again and the Kings thoroughly get clapped by the pacific division. And the perfect cherry on top, Todd’s inability to adapt in the playoffs.

Woodcroft completely changed his approach against the Kings and it worked. Todd just bent over and took it.

Don’t look at the season as a whole and judge the Kings. If you want to see the glaring issues in coaching and deployment, just watch the Oilers series all over again.

How quickly do some of you forget.

I do agree that sutter was a very overrated coach that had a lot more shine to him because of how bad Terry Murray was. But it’s impossible to forget how much the Kings pretty much struggled during the regular season and in a way lucked out with little injuries and insane performances from trade deadline acquisitions.

How many game 7s? Gaborik going on a tear in the twilight of his career. Love all of it and it was good fun but none of the Kings path was normal.

Lightning in a bottle. Nothing more.

 

[Herby]

Exactly what amazes you about how Todd is viewed?

That a man who took last years Kings team to the playoffs is so criticized on his home board and got almost no love for coach of the year from the rest of the league.

1. Kopitar obviously declined due to age, leaving the team without a top 25 1C.

2. Doughty missed half the season leaving the team without anything close to a 1D.

3. The guy expected to be the starter in goal looked like Mathieu Garon.

4. Iafallo played the final 65 games at replacement level *

5. Byfield played 40 games at a replacement level

6. Vilardi, JAD, Lias and Turcotte played 60 games combined at replacement to sub-replacement level. Combining for 9 points (the majority by GV in the final 2 games post clinching) and a -15 rating.

7. Walker missed 76 games

8. Roy missed 25 games

9. Edler missed almost half the season

10. Wolanin, Stetcher and Moverare played almost half a seasons worth of games. These are fringe NHL players.

And with all of this the team still made the playoffs and very nearly won their series vs a team with a clearly better roster.

Can I ask you how on Earth what the Kings did not only doesn’t warrant super high praise but draws criticisms from one’s own homeboard?

What would the Kings have had to do last year for you to be satisfied with the coaching performance?

* I do believe the handing of Iafallo was the one major black eye on Todd’s coaching last season. But much like with Sutter being unable to Old Yeller Richards in 2014 it’s obvious coaches have a long leash for collapsing veteran players, this is not something exclusive to TM.

 

[Sol]

That a man who took last years Kings team to the playoffs is so criticized on his home board and got almost no love for coach of the year from the rest of the league.

1. Kopitar obviously declined due to age, leaving the team without a top 25 1C.

2. Doughty missed half the season leaving the team without anything close to a 1D.

3. The guy expected to be the starter in goal looked like Mathieu Garon.

4. Iafallo played the final 65 games at replacement level *

5. Byfield played 40 games at a replacement level

6. Vilardi, JAD, Lias and Turcotte played 60 games combined at replacement to sub-replacement level. Combining for 9 points (the majority by GV in the final 2 games post clinching) and a -15 rating.

7. Walker missed 76 games

8. Roy missed 25 games

9. Edler missed almost half the season

10. Wolanin, Stetcher and Moverare played almost half a seasons worth of games. These are fringe NHL players.

And with all of this the team still made the playoffs and very nearly won their series vs a team with a clearly better roster.

Can I ask you how on Earth what the Kings did not only doesn’t warrant super high praise but draws criticisms from one’s own homeboard?

What would the Kings have had to do last year for you to be satisfied with the coaching performance?

* I do believe the handing of Iafallo was the one major black eye on Todd’s coaching last season. But much like with Sutter being unable to Old Yeller Richards in 2014 it’s obvious coaches have a long leash for collapsing veteran players, this is not something exclusive to TM.

1. Kopitar has declined due to his old age and only Danault got more ice time. His lack of trust is very obvious and he defers to vets way too much for a team rebuilding.

2. Doughty was a big miss there’s no way around that however that doesn’t change the fact that the Kings got into the playoffs by the grace of the eastern conference.


3. Goaltending was shitty. But that’s on Blake.

4. Iafallo love triangle was on Todd

5. Byfield sucked and you can argue Todd was a reason for it.

6. Our prospects didn’t look good whatsoever but there was players like Grundstrom that would ride pine for no reason. Bad coaching.

7. Walker is a non factor

8. Roy I’m not really sold on

9. Edler sucked against the oilers so the kings didn’t miss him either

10. Stetcher and Wolanin saw icetime while Spence got benched.

1. Now let me tell you something, how do you so blatantly ignore the fact that the special teams were absolute GARBAGE. Nothing was done.

2. Kopitar got driven into the ground and you can argue if that was right or wrong, but when he became a liability he didn’t do anything to change.

3. Again the Kings were trash against their own division which is why they dropped in the standings towards the end of the season when they faced the pacific the most.

4. Tell me where you saw good coaching against the Oilers when Woodcroft adjusted, Todd didn’t. And if you’re going to say the oilers were a better team which is why they could and the kings couldn’t, then explain to me why this theme has followed Todd’s career among many teams.

5 . In conclusion, Todd is a coach who never adapts. Special teams sucked all season, and the playoffs perfectly summarized his glaring weaknesses while employing 1-3-1 formation for a team that has bad defense and bad offense which saw the Kings getting scored on a lot and not scoring goals. His game plan, his strategy, his deployment is all painfully predictable which is why the King won’t amount to anything with him at the helm. No trust, no adaptability, and no accountability.

You only think Todd performed well because of the eastern conference. Anyone who looks closely saw the kings fall apart in important games in their division.

That’s Todd in his career.

I don’t know how it amazes you. You can blindly
Love him if you want but there should be nothing that amazes you about why people think he’s a bad coach.

Is he Willie D bad ? No. Is he Stevens bad ? No. You only think he’s better likely because our previous coaches were the worst.

 

[Schrute farms]

Todd is the friend who has a knack for having girls you meet at the bar have a really good time and interested throughout the evening. Not so exciting that he makes any of the girls want to bang in the bathroom or anything. But enough to keep their attention all night. Maybe enough to get them to come back to your place to have a couple drinks and hang out. But the dude can NEVER close the deal with the chick and ends up sleeping alone.

 

[Sol]

When Gallant and Trotz were available in a heartbeat I would have fired Todd and given them a blank check.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Todd is the friend who has a knack for having girls you meet at the bar have a really good time and interested throughout the evening. Not so exciting that he makes any of the girls want to bang in the bathroom or anything. But enough to keep their attention all night. Maybe enough to get them to come back to your place to have a couple drinks and hang out. But the dude can NEVER close the deal with the chick and ends up sleeping alone.

Sounds like chicks at the bar dig Todd, but also assume he’s gay.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

I don't think McLellan is a bad coach, I just think he's the Jeff Fisher of NHL coaches. He's solid, stubborn, uninspiring, should keep you around 500 or better, won't get you over the hump. He's the coach you hire to bring stability and then fire when you are ready for the next step

 

[KINGS17]

Exactly what amazes you about how Todd is viewed?

Pretty interesting how quickly people forget about Todd’s massive pitfalls whenever the months pass.

Surely you will all remember when the PP and PK die again and the Kings thoroughly get clapped by the pacific division. And the perfect cherry on top, Todd’s inability to adapt in the playoffs.

Woodcroft completely changed his approach against the Kings and it worked. Todd just bent over and took it.

Don’t look at the season as a whole and judge the Kings. If you want to see the glaring issues in coaching and deployment, just watch the Oilers series all over again.

How quickly do some of you forget.

I do agree that sutter was a very overrated coach that had a lot more shine to him because of how bad Terry Murray was. But it’s impossible to forget how much the Kings pretty much struggled during the regular season and in a way lucked out with little injuries and insane performances from trade deadline acquisitions.

How many game 7s? Gaborik going on a tear in the twilight of his career. Love all of it and it was good fun but none of the Kings path was normal.

Lightning in a bottle. Nothing more.

I don't think Sutter was overrated. The 2014 playoffs pretty much demonstrated that he was superior to any of the coaches the Kings faced in the playoffs.

Also, you don't have the kind of runs the Kings had in 2012-2014 in the playoffs and have it be catching lightning in a bottle. Things have changed just a bit in terms of systems played by teams in the playoffs in that I don't think the teams up the physicality from the regular season the way teams like the Kings and Blues did 7 or 8 years ago.

The Kings circa 2012-2014 truly were built for the playoffs, and their forecheck was designed to grind opposing defensemen into a sticky paste.

 

[Choralone]

Murray wasn't bad either. He built a solid defensive foundation and got the team to buy in. It took Sutter getting us more aggressive on the forecheck and a few other tweaks to get the team over the hump.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Todd is the friend who has a knack for having girls you meet at the bar have a really good time and interested throughout the evening. Not so exciting that he makes any of the girls want to bang in the bathroom or anything. But enough to keep their attention all night. Maybe enough to get them to come back to your place to have a couple drinks and hang out. But the dude can NEVER close the deal with the chick and ends up sleeping alone.

hmmm oddly specific

 

[Herby]

1. Kopitar has declined due to his old age and only Danault got more ice time. His lack of trust is very obvious and he defers to vets way too much for a team rebuilding.

2. Doughty was a big miss there’s no way around that however that doesn’t change the fact that the Kings got into the playoffs by the grace of the eastern conference.


3. Goaltending was shitty. But that’s on Blake.

4. Iafallo love triangle was on Todd

5. Byfield sucked and you can argue Todd was a reason for it.

6. Our prospects didn’t look good whatsoever but there was players like Grundstrom that would ride pine for no reason. Bad coaching.

7. Walker is a non factor

8. Roy I’m not really sold on

9. Edler sucked against the oilers so the kings didn’t miss him either

10. Stetcher and Wolanin saw icetime while Spence got benched.

1. Now let me tell you something, how do you so blatantly ignore the fact that the special teams were absolute GARBAGE. Nothing was done.

2. Kopitar got driven into the ground and you can argue if that was right or wrong, but when he became a liability he didn’t do anything to change.

3. Again the Kings were trash against their own division which is why they dropped in the standings towards the end of the season when they faced the pacific the most.

4. Tell me where you saw good coaching against the Oilers when Woodcroft adjusted, Todd didn’t. And if you’re going to say the oilers were a better team which is why they could and the kings couldn’t, then explain to me why this theme has followed Todd’s career among many teams.

5 . In conclusion, Todd is a coach who never adapts. Special teams sucked all season, and the playoffs perfectly summarized his glaring weaknesses while employing 1-3-1 formation for a team that has bad defense and bad offense which saw the Kings getting scored on a lot and not scoring goals. His game plan, his strategy, his deployment is all painfully predictable which is why the King won’t amount to anything with him at the helm. No trust, no adaptability, and no accountability.

You only think Todd performed well because of the eastern conference. Anyone who looks closely saw the kings fall apart in important games in their division.

That’s Todd in his career.

I don’t know how it amazes you. You can blindly
Love him if you want but there should be nothing that amazes you about why people think he’s a bad coach.

Is he Willie D bad ? No. Is he Stevens bad ? No. You only think he’s better likely because our previous coaches were the worst.

They were decimated by injuries and finished with 99 points and made the playoffs. Which is exactly what he was asked to do.

Kopitar even in his advanced age still had to be played a lot, same with Danault. They realized after 7 games Vilardi is not a center and Byfield struggled mightily all year in one of the center spots. So what was he supposed to do, play Byfield, Vilardi, JAD, Turcotte more? They made the playoffs by 5 points while playing the most one-goal games in the league (correct me if I'm wrong), even a minimal increase in icetime for those players likely results in missing the playoffs, which he was told to do. Don't blame TM because the center depth beyond the big 2 was crap. He wasn't the one who made those center picks.

How is Todd the reason Byfield sucked? Because he didn't play him enough? Once again, see point above, you want to increase the icetime of a player playing at or below replacement level on a team that was playing razor thin margins in a playoff race AND still make the playoffs? Once again, your anger should be directed at Rob Blake for not getting QB those 50 NHL games the year before to have him better prepared for a playoff race this season. QB looked like Bambi on ice last year, and that should have been taken care of the year before.

All the Pacific teams had the same amount of games against the East as the Kings. You act like this is the NFL where you play only certain teams in the other conferences and certain teams get advantages. Not the case here. The Kings played the same schedule as the Knights and Canucks and were just better.

Again with Kopitar, what was the option? More Byfield or Vilardi? Did you watch both play last season? 3 of the Kings former prized center prospects are now playing wing, and that is for a reason. The Kings C situation sucked last year and it wasn't TM's fault.

Agreed on Grundstrom, but again, no coach is perfect. Remember Sutter and the ridiculous Clifford usage (extra attacker and PP!!). Or trying to force the Richards peg through the round hole in the 2014 playoffs? It darn near cost them the Chicago series and the Cup in a series that the Kings should have won in 5 or 6.

I loved Spence, but he did start to fade a bit down the stretch and Stetcher played well in the playoffs.

You aren't sold on Matt Roy??? Really??

What in your mind would the Kings have had to do last year for his coaching job to be considered to be very good to spectacular? The Kings were +6600 to win the cup and +225 to make the playoffs last season, so no one believed in them or in the roster.

 

[King'sPawn]

I think McLellan is a good coach. I disagree with his decisions, but mostly because my priorities differ from his. He has a boss to answer to.

My criticisms about deployment are geared towards the overall organization. I do have a couple concerns of where he has weaknesses:
- his ability to adjust on the fly
- his ability to manage team emotional engagement and focus

There have been many times the team would come out flat or unprepared. And the team struggles to stabilize. The team very much rides momentum, good or bad.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

They were decimated by injuries and finished with 99 points and made the playoffs. Which is exactly what he was asked to do.

Kopitar even in his advanced age still had to be played a lot, same with Danault. They realized after 7 games Vilardi is not a center and Byfield struggled mightily all year in one of the center spots. So what was he supposed to do, play Byfield, Vilardi, JAD, Turcotte more? They made the playoffs by 5 points while playing the most one-goal games in the league (correct me if I'm wrong), even a minimal increase in icetime for those players likely results in missing the playoffs, which he was told to do. Don't blame TM because the center depth beyond the big 2 was crap. He wasn't the one who made those center picks.

How is Todd the reason Byfield sucked? Because he didn't play him enough? Once again, see point above, you want to increase the icetime of a player playing at or below replacement level on a team that was playing razor thin margins in a playoff race AND still make the playoffs? Once again, your anger should be directed at Rob Blake for not getting QB those 50 NHL games the year before to have him better prepared for a playoff race this season. QB looked like Bambi on ice last year, and that should have been taken care of the year before.

All the Pacific teams had the same amount of games against the East as the Kings. You act like this is the NFL where you play only certain teams in the other conferences and certain teams get advantages. Not the case here. The Kings played the same schedule as the Knights and Canucks and were just better.

Again with Kopitar, what was the option? More Byfield or Vilardi? Did you watch both play last season? 3 of the Kings former prized center prospects are now playing wing, and that is for a reason. The Kings C situation sucked last year and it wasn't TM's fault.

Agreed on Grundstrom, but again, no coach is perfect. Remember Sutter and the ridiculous Clifford usage (extra attacker and PP!!). Or trying to force the Richards peg through the round hole in the 2014 playoffs? It darn near cost them the Chicago series and the Cup in a series that the Kings should have won in 5 or 6.

I loved Spence, but he did start to fade a bit down the stretch and Stetcher played well in the playoffs.

You aren't sold on Matt Roy??? Really??

What in your mind would the Kings have had to do last year for his coaching job to be considered to be very good to spectacular? The Kings were +6600 to win the cup and +225 to make the playoffs last season, so no one believed in them or in the roster.

Can't believe you are wasting your energy on this guy...his whole schtick is just bad mouthing every facet of the organization despite the results. Sol has jumped the shark.