LA KINGS 2023/4 Regular season discussion

[Nasti]

I just went back and watched Game 1 of the Kings/Canucks 2012 series and currently on Game 2. What a breath of fresh air. I miss that heavy forecheck and attitude. Night and day.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Part of it this year, is teams taking away the one timer from that side, Kempe, but even with Arvidsson, Vilardi etc, you never saw one timers from the right side....rarely, maybe not never, but rarely they were trying to spoon feed that low one timer and teams are taking that away now

Its weird there are no right handed shots in the top 6. Im not sure what the issue is with PP1 and why its not as good as last season.. I think having at least 1 RH shot there could at least be a better decoy even if they dont use it much. Kempe only has 2 PPG half way through vs 11 last season.

 

[Brownie to Pancakes]

No arvi means no right shot one-timer threat and, crucially, one fewer guy who's pretty good at carrying the puck into the zone. It feels like entries are much worse this year.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

I'm not a fan of it.

PLD is still lazy, but Byfield isn't a one-man army who can carry bad linemates. So, I don't like putting those two together.

Kopitar's best hockey is when he has a puck hound. It's why Iafallo, Williams, and Byfield have all had great mutual success playing with him (and Kopitar has benefitted as well).

If you want to move things around, I'd like to see some of this:
Byfield - Kopitar - Kaliyev
Fiala - Danault - Kempe
Moore - PLD - Laferriere
Grundstrom - Lewis - JAD

Kaliyev gets more players to help set him up to shoot, but he also isn't shy about board battles. Fiala and Kempe get more time to gel. PLD gets the hard workers who boost each other up, but there's still skill there.

Byfield-Kopitar-Fagemo
Fiala-Danault-Kaliyev
Kempe-PLD-Moore
Grundstrum-Lewis-Lafreniere

Byfield and Kopitar can bring Fagemo along like a Kempe-lite player. Fiala and Danault can help Kaliyev produce. Give PLD the wingers that will do it all for him. And a 4th line of buzz saw guys. And if Kaliyev isn’t doing anything you can swap Lafreniere in for him and drop him to the 4th line

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Its weird there are no right handed shots in the top 6. Im not sure what the issue is with PP1 and why its not as good as last season.. I think having at least 1 RH shot there could at least be a better decoy even if they dont use it much. Kempe only has 2 PPG half way through vs 11 last season.

Teams are not letting them run that, so they have to adapt......as far as not having RH in the top 6, as long as everyone else is better than that RH shot..then it is what it is.

 

[Bandit]

Why do you guys keep indulging the village idiot? He’s not gonna suddenly become the lawnmower man, no matter how hard you try.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Why do you guys keep indulging the village idiot? He’s not gonna suddenly become the lawnmower man, no matter how hard you try.

The best day I ever had on the internet was the one where I was like 'wait i don't have to indulge people who engage in bad faith' and let them yell into the void

it's not thin skin to block people who have nothing to contribute but bad takes and venom

I definitely get worked up at the team but i love all the posters here otherwise and it makes it so much easier to channel my eucalyptus at todd instead of someone else going oh YEAH well DID YOU EVEN GET 14 minutes of NHL icetime to KNOW how to PK?

 

[tbrown33]

And lets not forget the Sturm PP with no adjustments (4th worst). Hiller PP was good.. took a year to adjust there. This season middle of the pack. Might a lack of a right hand shot be the reason its middle of the pack this year? I wonder if that was even considered when trading Vilardi.

Sturm got promoted after that too

 

[All The Kings Men]

3. Have members of the team controlled media be critical of fans, journalists, bloggers on social media if they "get out of line"

i'm not going to comment on anything else you said... but this just simply does not happen.

There's no directive from the front office telling anyone to do that.

I understand that everybody on here has their own opinions and criticisms of the organization but sometimes you guys decided that because you believe something passionately enough that it's true and that therefore anyone who contests that truth is either carrying water for the organization or is just blind or foolish.

Not every assumption or opinion you guys collectively hold and repeat is true.

Some of them may be true... this one is not.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Sturm got promoted after that too

Must be friends with someone here via the SJ connection

Teams are not letting them run that, so they have to adapt......

Thats what I dont think is happening is the adapt part.. e.g. id like to see them go to hard forecheck tonite vs use the 1-3-1.. DeBoer in his pregame interview was talking about the 1-3-1 and how to deal

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Must be friends with someone here via the SJ connection


Thats what I dont think is happening is the adapt part.. e.g. id like to see them go to hard forecheck tonite vs use the 1-3-1.. DeBoer in his pregame interview was talking about the 1-3-1 and how to deal

Yep also attention to detail which is what I told you was missing several games ago.

As far as pp entry just dump enter with speed

 

[Herby]

i'm not going to comment on anything else you said... but this just simply does not happen.

There's no directive from the front office telling anyone to do that.

I understand that everybody on here has their own opinions and criticisms of the organization but sometimes you guys decided that because you believe something passionately enough that it's true and that therefore anyone who contests that truth is either carrying water for the organization or is just blind or foolish.

Not every assumption or opinion you guys collectively hold and repeat is true.

Some of them may be true... this one is not.

So the others are true, that is fine if only one gets objection. I also put it last because I thought it was the least ridiculous out of all the things.

I still believe it's a terrible look for her to be commenting on posts by people like Russell and calling for it to be deleted because in her mind it makes the organization look bad, especially when she has never once said anything about any of the flat out lies that have been told by members of the organization on Hoven's podcast and on yours, platforms with much larger followings than Russell has.

She says nothing about Yannetti's whoppers to Hoven and yourself about past organizational philosophy that are contradicted by searching for 30 seconds on hockeydb or eliteprospects , but she is there to chime in on a tweet about ice-time by a guy with a fraction of the followers.

And look, I know this is your livelihood and you are very likely close to many of the people getting skewed here (and even you yourself kind of have been), but you can't be surprised when people act like this in response to how media members within the inner-circle act towards fans and other media members not in the circle. I've lived all over the country, from the three biggest markets, to college towns to places where one team controls everything, there is no team in any of those places that have the bizarre media coverage set-up that the Kings have, trust me, its a unique situation to the Kings. A lot of that is definitely do to the market itself, but much of it is self-inflicted by the Kings, who very clearly don't want to have any negative media coverage at all and tightly control who and what is covered.

 

[tny760]

i'm not going to comment on anything else you said... but this just simply does not happen.

There's no directive from the front office telling anyone to do that.

I understand that everybody on here has their own opinions and criticisms of the organization but sometimes you guys decided that because you believe something passionately enough that it's true and that therefore anyone who contests that truth is either carrying water for the organization or is just blind or foolish.

Not every assumption or opinion you guys collectively hold and repeat is true.

Some of them may be true... this one is not.

i'm not going to speak for him but this isn't an opinion kind of argument, she factually, as a front-facing org broadcast member, chose to post on twitter asking an independent member of the media to change his post. she deserves to have questions asked of her for that

i don't think anyone out there honestly thinks that it's an org directive, but quite frankly, the biggest personalities are quite argumentative with fans and even as someone who doesn't consume much outside-of-the-game kings media, i feel it. hoven and bernstein are dismissive of fans while being buddy buddy with the org, hammond and rosen got ejected for a group of now-employees. there's a concerted effort to make the circle whether or not the directive is to make the circle

 

[All The Kings Men]

So the others are true, that is fine if only one gets objection. I also put it last because I thought it was the least ridiculous out of all the things.

Didn't come close to saying that.

I still believe it's a terrible look for her to be commenting on posts by people like Russell and calling for it to be deleted because in her mind it makes the organization look bad, especially when she has never once said anything about any of the flat out lies that have been told by members of the organization on Hoven's podcast and on yours, platforms with much larger followings than Russell has.

You can feel however you like about what Carrlyn did.

You're assuming the reason for her tweet and I believe you are assuming wrong.

She says nothing about Yannetti's whoppers to Hoven and yourself about past organizational philosophy that are contradicted by searching for 30 seconds on hockeydb or eliteprospects , but she is there to chime in on a tweet about ice-time by a guy with a fraction of the followers.

She may not even be aware of them. I don't know.

I know that I don't feel that Yannetti or Murray or Emerson ever lied to ME. Wether or not you believe they lie on other platforms or how we want to define "lies" in general is an entirely different conversation that I'm unwilling to have and will now no doubt be accused of something for even saying that.

And look, I know this is your livelihood and you are very likely close to many of the people getting skewed here (and even you yourself kind of have been), but you can't be surprised when people act like this in response to how media members within the inner-circle act towards fans and other media members not in the circle.

I would not have responded to THAT tweet in THAT way.
I understand when you guys take shots at the organization.
I have agreed with some of the shots that get taken.
Obviously I'll never publicly make it known which takes I agree with or don't.

The "Media" in our market is unlike most other professional markets and other teams.
I get that... I get it fully and completely.

When I tell you that the front office isn't directing Carrlyn or me or Fox or Nickson or Darryl to attack independent fan publications for what they tweet I can only ask that you believe me that it is NOT happening.

 

[All The Kings Men]

i'm not going to speak for him but this isn't an opinion kind of argument, she factually, as a front-facing org broadcast member, chose to post on twitter asking an independent member of the media to change his post. she deserves to have questions asked of her for that

Fine.

That doesn't mean she was directed to say it or that it's part of some sinister internal plot to silence fans from *checks notes* pointing out a meaningless stat about even strength time during a single game.

Eddie Garcia called for Todd McLellan to be fired.

None of "us" has said anything about it, criticized it, called for Eddie to take it back or anything else. In fact ALL of "us" will probably continue to appear on his show whenever we are asked.

I don't think anyone out there honestly thinks that it's an org directive, but quite frankly, the biggest personalities are quite argumentative with fans and even as someone who doesn't consume much outside-of-the-game kings media, i feel it.

hoven and bernstein are dismissive of fans while being buddy buddy with the org, hammond and rosen got ejected for a group of now-employees. there's a concerted effort to make the circle whether or not the directive is to make the circle

I can't speak about how other people behave.

I can say that Hammond resigned as a result of NHL policies he didn't agree with during a labor stoppage.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Raccoon Jesus called out on Kings talk, Westcoast Bias’ tweet and the Doughty response mentioned on 31 thoughts and Spittin Chicklets and Caryln Bathe coming for Russell on Twitter.

What a a world….

 

[Johnny Utah]

In hindsight, I would have done a complete rebuild, moved Doughty (he did not want to be part of it), Kopitar would have stayed like Getzlaf did and retire a King, and the Kings could have kept Faber, Vilardi, and all the wasted draft picks.

It would have been a painful few years - I know those two 1st round exists are so valuable to this franchise. But in the end, would have been for the best. Kings could have possible landed a lottery pick and top D man or forward to go with Clarke, Byfield, etc.

 

[Maynard]

They'd get destroyed and would have to hire a PR firm. I think the main difference is bloggers can only get access if they lick boots and become pravda since they have no backing organization and established media like news outlets get access regardless. Helaine Elliot used to criticize the team in the past. Not sure if she still does - dont read her column.

Todd must be so relieved when he’s at a post game presser and all he has to do is field beach ball questions from Chad Dooley and Carrlyn.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Todd must be so relieved when he’s at a post game presser and all he has to do is field beach ball questions from Chad Dooley and Carrlyn.

Highest paid coach with the lowest chance of accountability from the GM or press corps - perfect fit for him.

 

[Sol]

Well just so we’re clear Rosen and Hammond didn’t last long as a part of the organization. They were pretty critical of the Kings. Maybe it’s not vocalized but I don’t think that’s a coincidence. It also doesn’t come as a shock that no one asks anyone tough questions

 

[Johnny Utah]

Are the Kings the Biden administration of the NHL? Asking for a friend...

 

[AbsentMojo]

Are the Kings the Biden administration of the NHL? Asking for a friend...

Someone asked Biden at a presser what his administration has done for the country since he's been in office.. he said "we've created a banana republic, if you can keep it"

 

[kingsfan28]

I definitely get worked up at the team but i love all the posters here otherwise and it makes it so much easier to channel my eucalyptus at todd instead of someone else going oh YEAH well DID YOU EVEN GET 14 minutes of NHL icetime to KNOW how to PK?

Damn...that's a 10 dollar word and maybe a first on this site.

 

[Master Yoda]

Are the Kings the Biden administration of the NHL? Asking for a friend...

Jean-Pierre definitely sounds like a hockey name lol

 

[Herby]

In hindsight, I would have done a complete rebuild, moved Doughty (he did not want to be part of it), Kopitar would have stayed like Getzlaf did and retire a King, and the Kings could have kept Faber, Vilardi, and all the wasted draft picks.

It would have been a painful few years - I know those two 1st round exists are so valuable to this franchise. But in the end, would have been for the best. Kings could have possible landed a lottery pick and top D man or forward to go with Clarke, Byfield, etc.

There were many people on this forum who were saying this the entire time. Saying how stupid it was to try and win a championship with players as old as Kopitar and Doughty being the center pieces. How this "reload", "rebuild on the fly", "contend and develop" nonsense had never been done successfully anywhere else in the league. Of course none of the people who said that were ever star players for the Kings on the ice, so what do they know?

Again, this would be what the foundation of LA Kings team traditionally developed would look like right now had the team not ended their rebuild in the summer of 2021.


Kopitar - 36
Kempe - 27
Moore - 28
Byfield - 21
Vilardi - 24
Kupari - 23
Kaliyev - 22
Laferriere - 22

Faber - 21
Clarke - 20
Spence - 22
Anderson - 24
Durzi - 25

Top 10 pick in 2022
Top 10 pick in 2023
Multiple high picks/prospects for Doughty (would have been more in 2019 obv)
1st at last years deadline for Roy.
1st at 2022 deadline for Iafallo

Even with the disasters that the 2018 and 2019 drafts ended up being for the Kings, they would have been out of it or very close to being out of the rebuild. Ready to make this generations Mike Richards trade.

Just sad to think what could have been had one different decision been made, but instead we will likely have to have a new GM come in here and just completely gut everything and start over. This is not going to be easy and will take time, old players on big contracts, no young superstar like we had with Kopi the last rebuild, the PLD albatross, no goaltending depth.