LA KINGS 2023/4 Regular season discussion

[bland]

Speaking of Grundstrom, really hope he can find a way to put it all together consistently. He could be so much more than he is now (same with Arty imo) if the mind caught up to the skillset. Way too many mental gaffes to trust him to play much (the fly-by on the goal when he should have been able to break that up, and the bad forecheck the prior shift that led to a 3 on 2 because him and Lewis decided to both go down low when PL was already there)

As I mentioned in one of the GDTs last month, all taking Grundstrom off the 4th and putting him with Dubois was going to accomplish was cooling off Grundstrom.

Happens every year. He is a very good 4th liner, just leave him there and prosper. Every time they want his jam further up the lineup it takes him out of his game.

 

[lexlavender]

Side thought, take the below quote from TMac:

On Jordan Spence’s play tonight coming back into the lineup
We’re in a situation where we’re going to play seven defenseman, and I’m going to get asked this question every night if we take Spenny out and put Clarkie in, I’m going to get asked again and we’re just going to play ping pong back and forth. If they don’t play well, I’ll probably tell you guys that, because then I won’t have to answer the question every night. I didn’t think Spenny was bad, it’s just that we’re trying to develop a couple of young defenseman right now and they both deserve to play.

Seems like Todd has a mandate from Blake to get Clarke into games. My guess is that they are shopping Roy for deadline, just as everyone predicted.

 

[bland]

This is one of the worst takes ive ever seen from a pundit.. doesnt even mention Vilardi and Moore were injured

What do you expect from a boot licker?

 

[FSL KINGS]

Not a guy who's played a minute this year (and further changes needed just to be cap compliant when he's back) vs 2 guys who were regulars last year without causing cap issues that Blake has self-inflicted

Iafallo bad
Lizotte 3C bad
JAD not extra skater, bad
Lemieux bad
Turcotte, Fagemo, Kupari, not good
Durzi bad at D
Björnfot bad
Walker (off injured) bad
Elder Bad
Vilardi missing, injured

So Moore's out? Yeah, this roster is much better.

 

[bland]

Iafallo bad
Lizotte 3C bad
JAD not extra skater, bad
Lemieux bad
Turcotte, Fagemo, Kupari, not good
Durzi bad at D
Björnfot bad
Walker (off injured) bad
Elder Bad
Vilardi missing, injured

So Moore's out? Yeah, this roster is much better.

Rosters don't matter. Progress matters. This roster is only better on paper, but there is ZERO progress.

 

[Johnny Utah]

I would take Durzi over Clarke/Spence right now - let them marinate in Ontario and def would take Lemieux back.

I would pay Elon Musk six figures to build a time machine to get Vilardi back.

Edler, JAD, AI, and Lizotte can all go.

 

[FSL KINGS]

Seems like Todd has a mandate from Blake to get Clarke into games. My guess is that they are shopping Roy for deadline, just as everyone predicted.

Got to get both Spence & Clarke up to speed. They don't need to play every night. Lots of hockey left.

Do people really think they're going to move Roy before the playoffs? That seems like a terrible idea.

Rosters don't matter. Progress matters. This roster is only better on paper, but there is ZERO progress.

See it as having easier holes to patch by the end of the year. Also strength of other teams can have a big impact on standings year over year.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

I am begging Todd to at least TRY playing both Clarke and Spence in the lineup at the same time.

Even if it means Spence doesn't get powerplay time - While I think that would be a mistake given what Spence has shown so far this season, Spence could still definitely help the team without quarterbacking the 2nd unit.

Look at a team like the Avalanche... When healthy they have 4-5 different defensemen that could all be good/great PP quarterbacks (Makar, Toews, Byram, Manson, Girard).... some guys don't get PP time - That's just what happens on stacked teams.

I feel like the worst thing you can do to a young player is jerk them in & out of the lineup consistently - These guys both need to be playing games and they're both good enough to play and can help this team win. It's not rocket science.

 

[AbsentMojo]

What do you expect from a boot licker?

A little better attempt at a narrative? That is foundationally misleading since he doesnt include Moore or Vilardi in his assessment.. just funny its that bad a job at doing proper bootlicking

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Todd needs to step up with some of these combos.

Regular season doesn't matter. Team is still in a good position with easily addressable issues to patch up before the playoffs.

Also team is winning Corsi most nights so they're playing well. King's need to figure out how to use their size to get to the net. Going through a rough patch may force them to make that change.

If they were easily addressible they'd have been patched up. But theyr'e systematic and have shown up every year this team has been a playoff team. Soft, bad with leads, passive and easily broken with adversity.

 

[bland]

Got to get both Spence & Clarke up to speed. They don't need to play every night. Lots of hockey left.

Do people really think they're going to move Roy before the playoffs? That seems like a terrible idea.


See it as having easier holes to patch by the end of the year. Also strength of other teams can have a big impact on standings year over year.

Good lord, you really have no idea how this sport works.

 

[Brownie to Pancakes]

The Kopi disrespect is CRAZY

I mean you can say you think they should reduce his minutes without making it seem like he's struggling for his life out there. He's (basically) a point per game player and on pace for 30 goals and nearly the best +/- on the team while playing 20 minutes a night in all situations.

What more do you want from this man??? Sheesh

People use lifealert when they fall, that's the joke. Kopi cannot stay on his skates with a frequency I have never seen before. He started the year strong and has declined visibly. Cumulative stats including his energetic start are meaningless. The problem is he is sharpied into his role as top center in all situations, burnout be damned, and that reduces line flexibility on a team that needs to find forward chemistry badly.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Good lord, you really have no idea how this sport works.

LOL says the guy who says LA should have traded Kopitar 5 years ago....

 

[Johnny Utah]

I am begging Todd to at least TRY playing both Clarke and Spence in the lineup at the same time.

Even if it means Spence doesn't get powerplay time - While I think that would be a mistake given what Spence has shown so far this season, Spence could still definitely help the team without quarterbacking the 2nd unit.

Look at a team like the Avalanche... When healthy they have 4-5 different defensemen that could all be good/great PP quarterbacks (Makar, Toews, Byram, Manson, Girard).... some guys don't get PP time - That's just what happens on stacked teams.

I feel like the worst thing you can do to a young player is jerk them in & out of the lineup consistently - These guys both need to be playing games and they're both good enough to play and can help this team win. It's not rocket science.

The Avalance can do that because they have Landeskog (hurt), Miles Wood, Josh Manson and Kurtis MacDermid.

The Kings can't sit Englund - they are too SOFT!

 

[AbsentMojo]

I disagree with his take. But that's why I vent on the forum here instead of Twitter.

I know some don't like when people with access bite their tongue. From my side, because I contribute to MayorsManor, I don't want my opinion to be misunderstood as that of MM, and I don't want Hoven to get blowback for anything I post on social media.

If I had my own space/access and/or more clout where I wasn't concerned about affecting my friend or his access, I would say more.

I know many are understandably frustrated with the absence of "tough questions." Hopefully you understand why I don't.

I understand why you dont mix it up there of course. I think it used to be you need to be part of news org to be able to do both.. like with H Elliot

 

[AbsentMojo]

He's right though.

Its a bad take - he didnt back up his take properly at all and thats not debatable. If he wanted to prove his point he'd have to analyze a lot more things that just presenting the lineup from Jan 23. It was superficial and misleading... fodder for 1st year fans.

 

[Moses Doughty]

As I mentioned in one of the GDTs last month, all taking Grundstrom off the 4th and putting him with Dubois was going to accomplish was cooling off Grundstrom.

Happens every year. He is a very good 4th liner, just leave him there and prosper. Every time they want his jam further up the lineup it takes him out of his game.

I get why they want to move him up, because when you watch him play there really should be a minimum 3rd line guy there, but you're probably right. He just doesn't have it in his head/consistency to be more as it stands.

Iafallo bad
Lizotte 3C bad
JAD not extra skater, bad
Lemieux bad
Turcotte, Fagemo, Kupari, not good
Durzi bad at D
Björnfot bad
Walker (off injured) bad
Elder Bad
Vilardi missing, injured

So Moore's out? Yeah, this roster is much better.

Is this all you can say? The only correct point is that the defense is better now. It's not like we're exactly talking about a better roster when Lizotte is back to 3C rotating with PL who's playing badly, and with Vilardi/Moore you wouldn't have JAD, and Iafallo would be line 4. I also forget Kaliyev was out with the foot injury, so that's 3 regulars being ignored in his tweet

 

[Telos]

He's right though.

Kopitar is 100% being carried by Byfield & Kempe at this point. He's still good, but can't match up against other teams top lines without serious help.

PLD being a minus, that's what happens when you play with linemates that can't bury a puck.

Probably need to go back & check out the freakout in this thread. Also still love the PLD trade! Later Vilardi & Iafallo.

Things looking good right now. Going to have some tough patches through an 82 game season. Team needs to figure their way out of it.

Seriously though, I need the number to your pharmacist/dealer

 

[Kudelski37]

Todd needs to step up with some of these combos.

Regular season doesn't matter. Team is still in a good position with easily addressable issues to patch up before the playoffs.

Also team is winning Corsi most nights so they're playing well. King's need to figure out how to use their size to get to the net. Going through a rough patch may force them to make that change.

Calgary is 12th in the conference and is only 6 points behind LA. The Kings are not in a good position.

 

[Telos]

In other news, here is a neutral and mildly interesting video that we can criticize and nitpick over At least, the organization as a whole is pretty top notch. Ownership has showed no reservation at making sure the team has the best resources across the board, at least health, fitness, and equipment/facility-wise. They do everything it takes to make sure the buck lies with hockey operations

 

[AbsentMojo]

The Avalance can do that because they have Landeskog (hurt), Miles Wood, Josh Manson and Kurtis MacDermid.

The Kings can't sit Englund - they are too SOFT!

Thats part of the fallout from wasting all that cap on PLD.. Blake had what 3.5mil to address 3LD, 1G, 2G and was almost forced to a 21 man roster before RV bailed him out. This is actually so very LA to have a nice car and live in a small rent controlled apt.

 

[johnjm22]

Iafallo bad

I posted this the day after the trade.

Iafallo was better both offensively and defensively than PLD last year.

So I guess it shouldn't be a surprise that he's better than him again this year.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

The last time I felt this black pilled on the Kings immediate future was the summer of 2016.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Behind the Bergovin and PLD moves you start to wonder if the bigger picture is that Luc is trying to build a highly Quebecois org so he at some point can brag we won a cup with some habs of his own...Mamon Rheume in a hockey ops role as another example.

 

[Kudelski37]

Behind the Bergovin and PLD moves you start to wonder if the bigger picture is that Luc is trying to build a highly Quebecois org so he at some point can brag we won a cup with some habs of our own...Mamon Rheume in a hockey ops role as another example.

That requires forethought, so no.