Rumor: KINGS 2018-19 Season - The Luc and Rob Show

[Peter James Bond II]

He's getting the Steven version of the Sutter dog house. Make a mistake as a young player, you're in the doghouse for a month.[see Weal, Jordan before his trade] . He's just knocking the confidence right out of him right now.

It's true...look at King players who have had reasonable success...goes for any player / any team. You give them a role, assign them with a D partner, or 2 linemates and let them play.
Look at Dwight King and Jordan Nolan (2 FRINGE NHL players)...the most success they ever had, (for the most part) was when they were both recalled and played with Mike Richards for a pretty long stretch, in their rookie seasons.
They didn't light things up, but played their best and added needed energy and some physical play. That was when the Kings started turning things around...and when Darryl was
hired as coach...Kempe's best play, was when Carter was out and Kempe centered TT and Pearson and he scored 15 goals in 42 games...he was not benched, moved to line 3, moved
to wing...NO, he was out there every shift with TT and Pearson...and he didn;t have much PP time. Ever since then, he's moved on numerous lines, W to C, back to C and never the same...
except he works hard and plays somewhat physical....Players need to have a role, get consistent icetime and largely play with the same partners. This is just some examples....Muzzin was
his best, when paired with DD as well. SOME players can excel in any situation, any line, and role, but MOST need to have regular icetime and partners. SOME will always be
MEH in any situation / role / lines.

If Kempe played 2nd line center and Carter went to 2nd line RW with Kovalchuk on LW, I bet that they would produce...the 70's thing no longer
works and Pearson has sucked more than any player this year - for what is expected of him. So Carter has regressed some, Pearson a moderate amount, Toffoli doing OK...and yet, Stevens puts them
together again? If Toffoli is going to score 25+ goals, he needs to play with Kopitar. Tyler is still a goal scorer, but does not create a ton of his own chances, due to average speed and needs to
play with Kopitar. I think right combos are key right now, with the bottom 10% of offense in the NHL...and Brown / Kopi / TT can work - and Iafallo is one that will succeed and be a catalyst
on ANY line, so move him off, so he can help CATALYSE another line...put some life in line 3. So make line 2 Kovalchuk / Kempe / Carter and line 3 Iafallo AMADIO Lewis. Amadio is one that
will play well with consistent icetime and same line that is NOT line 4. He creates offense too. Iafallo / Amadio / Lewis would actually be a decent 3rd line. Call him back up and send Wagner down...Wagner needs to work some more on his overall game.

And FIRE STEVENS and NACHBAUR,

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Even in a bad division, you can't be a 41 point team through 10 games. Sweeping the 7 game home stand would put them at 19 points through 17 games, which is a 92 point pace. Currently not good enough for a top 3 spot. That's how bad the start was. Any missed point in the next 6 games is huge too. If they're at 18 points after the home stand, that's an 87 point pace. 16 points would be a 77 point pace.

None of the next 6 are easy either. Even the Rangers weren't. Still don't know what to expect in that Ducks game. Might be boring since both teams suck. The Ducks can't get or stop shots. The Kings can't pass. Might be a train wreck, good or bad. Might be entertaining, could be chaos.

I think it’s pretty clear this is not a playoff year at this point.

I firmly expect them to finish with approximately 85 points, comfortably outside of the playoffs and comfortably away from the top overall pick.

 

[Fishhead]

Even in a bad division, you can't be a 41 point team through 10 games. Sweeping the 7 game home stand would put them at 19 points through 17 games, which is a 92 point pace. Currently not good enough for a top 3 spot. That's how bad the start was. Any missed point in the next 6 games is huge too. If they're at 18 points after the home stand, that's an 87 point pace. 16 points would be a 77 point pace.

I don't think they'll make the playoffs this year, but I think they would if they caught fire and swept the homestand. That would leave them tied for 3rd if the other teams kept their current paces and only 1 point out of second. Not to mention a shitload of confidence.

As terrible as the division is this year, low 90's for the playoffs wouldn't surprise me. Only 2 teams have a positive goal differential, that's just sad.

 

[damacles1156]

That is most coaches though. The good ones, the bad ones, the employed ones, the unemployed ones. It'll be difficult to find many coaches that don't, over time, do that with young players. At least with the young players that aren't on the elite level right off the bat. I don't know what magical coach people expect to replace Stevens, but he will most likely treat young players in the same manner as most other coaches.

Even the great Gallant is struggling with the Knights at the moment. They're only the 2nd worst offensive team in the league.

All NHL coaches are like how you just described, people forget that NHL coaches have to win games. They trust veterans to do that overwhelmingly. I would too if my job was on the line.

 

[DoktorJeep]

With their poor start to the season, the only hope the Kings have to make the playoffs is for the rest of the pacific division to continue to stink.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

With their poor start to the season, the only hope the Kings have to make the playoffs is for the rest of the pacific division to continue to stink.

The Pacific could be a dumpster fire and it won't be close to enough without a DRASTIC improvement in play

 

[YP44]

With their poor start to the season, the only hope the Kings have to make the playoffs is for the rest of the pacific division to continue to stink.

If LA wins their division games there is a chance to right this. If they lose those games the kings are screwed. Need a winning record against the pacific and likely some help. November will be very telling.

 

[mrkolice]

If LA wins there division games there is a chance to right this. If they lose those games the kings are screwed. Need a winning record against the pacific and likely some help. November will be very telling.

agree. direct clashes will decide, those points count double. we're still very early in the season and the kings are not far behind in terms of required points, one good winning streak can turn the table. i'm pretty sure that the guys are aware of the urgency of situation and that they will find that extra gear. i expect a much better november.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

yea it's far from over
we haven't been tested against the Pacific much yet, an overtime loss vs SJ is all
winning most of the pacific games will put us in the playoffs of course

#FireStevens

 

[Little Psycho]

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Weird...so, Brown activated and now 3 forwards sent down in last week - JAD to WHL, Amadio and Wagner to AHL....Walker called up a few games and sent back.
Wonder if some deal is imminent? Vilardi has to take full contact practice and needs doctor clearance,
so it cannot be he's about to be activated....I did read somewhere Brodzinski is ahead of schedule with his shoulder, but he's still awhile away.

 

[seamore]

clearing room for GV??

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Weird...so, Brown activated and now 3 forwards sent down in last week - JAD to WHL, Amadio and Wagner to AHL....Walker called up a few games and sent back.
Wonder if some deal is imminent? Vilardi has to take full contact practice and needs doctor clearance,
so it cannot be he's about to be activated....I did read somewhere Brodzinski is ahead of schedule with his shoulder, but he's still awhile away.

Probably exactly what they said, cap management,

You figure Ladue comes in for Walker, not sure who for Wagner,

Iafallo - Kopitar - Brown
Kovalchuk - Carter - Kempe (just going back to what they wanted it to be)
Pearson - Lewis - Toffoli
Clifford - Thompson - ????

So I am missing someone/something there,

 

[Little Psycho]

clearing room for GV??

He was still wearing the red jersey last practice. A bit soon imo.

 

[Sol]

Well let's hope this move wasn't some random crap they decided to do.

 

[kingsboy11]

I suspect Amadio will get called back up. Doubt there is a deal being made

 

[mrkolice]

imo amadio is the missing puzzle. makes sense if it's cap related.

 

[mrkolice]

imo amadio is the missing puzzle. makes sense if it's cap related.

 

[Sol]

Weird if it's for Amadio.

Shame though, I was growing fond of Walker and his puck moving ability.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Weird if it's for Amadio.

Shame though, I was growing fond of Walker and his puck moving ability.

He did look good out there at times, better than LaDue at moving the puck, but he's weak in the defensive zone still, if he can straighten that out, and if they move Muzzin/Martinez, I can see him coming up and sticking....

 

[regulate]

Likely Amadio, could be Luff, but he Kings only have 11 forwards. This is all CAP management. Nothing to do with an imminent Vilardi call up. He's still in a red no contact and a ways away. LaDue also off the ice early in practice followed by the trainer. Hopefully nothing serious. Kings and Reign both at TSC and home for a couple weeks, so all these moves are simple for Blake and the players.

 

[King'sPawn]

Since cap gets calculated by day, this gives the team a chance to pinch some dollars in cap space on days they aren't playing.

Doubt it means anything.

 

[regulate]

He did look good out there at times, better than LaDue at moving the puck, but he's weak in the defensive zone still, if he can straighten that out, and if they move Muzzin/Martinez, I can see him coming up and sticking....

You are correct in that he still has a lot of work to do defensively. Like Stevens said, give up 5 feet in the NHL and it can hurt you. Walker in his 3 games had a terrible GA per 60 minutes played, worst on the team. Some of it was Phaneuf's fault, but that's the way it goes.

 

[AlphaBravo]

Rosen ruled out Vilardi stepping into the lineup. I think GV is at the earliest 3-4 weeks still out (if not months out with his type of injury). It's most likely Amadio getting called up.

 

[Sol]

Rosen ruled out Vilardi stepping into the lineup. I think GV is at the earliest 3-4 weeks still out (if not months out with his type of injury). It's most likely Amadio getting called up.

Y send Amadio down in the first place.