LA KINGS 2023/4 Regular season discussion

[kings11]

15 goals 30 assists tops imo

I’d wager he gets +5 in each…
20 goals, 35 assists…. Though don’t be surprised if his assists are in the 40s

 

[Mattias]

Hell yes Turcotte.

Hope this kid makes Lizotte expendable.

 

[Lt Dan]

Hell yes Turcotte.

Hope this kid makes Lizotte expendable.

To me Lizzote= Derek Armstrong. The further he is up in your lineup, the worse your team is.
Lizzo does his job well and brings a lot of energy and gets the other guys going.

It's not his fault he was playing on the 2nd and 3rd lines previously. That was a lack of depth.

 

[King'sPawn]

To me Lizzote= Derek Armstrong. The further he is up in your lineup, the worse your team is.
Lizzo does his job well and brings a lot of energy and gets the other guys going.

It's not his fault he was playing on the 2nd and 3rd lines previously. That was a lack of depth.

Well said. Lizotte, like Armstrong, would get unnecessary hate for playing himself up in the lineup. Neither were "high skill" players, but both punched above their weight class.

 

[funky]

It has been an interesting, off-season, and an interesting start to the season. I like reading through and watching all the arguments. I can understand one portion of our fan base optimisms, as well, at the same time I can see the polar opposites criticisms.

For me, it’s somewhere in the middle at this point.

Management has painted themselves into a corner, but at the same time has assembled 90% of an awesome team.

At this point, there’s no money left to fill the holes in this team but at the same time I still am optimistic that growth of this team can be improved from within, in ever position but goaltending.

We’re only one game into the season against a perennial Stanley Cup contender, and we came with our B team due to cap restraints. It was no surprise that we got suspect goaltending. To leave a foot of net exposed for that many seconds with a sniper walking in, as well as not being in a position to react to a deflected shot does look poor. Everyone says we don’t need an elite goaltender to win the Stanley Cup but we still need an “A” level goaltender. Best we have “B” level goaltenders in this organization.

My main worry in this team is goaltending.

A close second is the way we cater to some of our vets. It’s time that the coaching staff has to feel the flow to the game and allow our rookies and young players to start taking over. Especially the games that they are noticeable in like last night.

If last night with Doughty and Roy fighting the power-play repeats itself, they either need to be taken off the PP or demoted to the second team. Spence or Clarke both excel at those roles, so play them in their strengths.

If Kopitar and Doughty, just wanna play catch the pickle, maybe it’s time to put Byfield in a position to succeed.

This team is going to win a lot of games this year, but there’s also gonna be a lot of nailbiter‘s. As much as I love Kopitar and Doughty, my goal is not winning one last cup for them, my goal is to successfully merge the younger players into the lineup, then successfully put them in positions where they can bypass the older players like Kopitar and Doughty having the elder two be accent pieces and not the leaders.

I will include players like Fiala, Kempe, and Dubois in the group with Byfield, Laf, Clarke and Spence.

Everyone of those younger players and rookies don’t have a problem wading into scrums and some of them play like complete pricks already.

It is time to find an identity, and that identity will be made when the younger players on the team step up and make it their team.

We had a tough guy in the lineup last night and they’re little concussion case ran two of our guys. I am no longer in the belief. You need a knuckle dragger on the team, but we need a team that stands up for one another and will knocksomebody on their ass in retaliation. It’s definitely not the old crowd on the steam.

 

[Kingsfan1]

First my apologies to Mysterman2 , Raccoon Jesus and Johnny Utah the thread is locked so I couldn’t reply to you guys .

Now for the game analysis our stars looked terrible and did not come out ready to play . They couldnt make a simple tape to tape pass nor control the puck all night .

Laferriere is a keeper he looked confident and the crowd absolutely loved his fight and take down. He earned his stripes with that fight ! Attaboy

I have seen many fans say Fiala made a dick move by taking the shot after the whistle but i was at the game in section 112 row 4 literally infront of the play and i promise you no one in our section heard the whistle so im not sure Fiala did either .

Funny thing is Grundstrom looked pretty good yesterday but on what i said in the other thread i just feel like his role and line slot does not bode well with his cap hit . I was hoping Grundy would turn out to be a poor mana Holmstrom for us so unless he gets moved up to the 3rd line over Kaliyev and ceases the opportunity, i would say Blake should move him because we can utilize his cap better . However with the cap going up next year and if my calculations are correct we should have about 9 million to resign Arvy and Roy which i hope we do then maybe Grundys cap hit wouldn’t be an issue .

Talbot didnt look great but those watching on tv might have a better input as to whether the goals were soft because being at the game 2 of the goals looked like defensive breakdowns to me . And Todd made a terrible call pulling the goalie that early .

The difference maker imo was when the score was 3-2 and we couldn’t even setup the pp and Colorado came back and scored to make it 4-2 .
It seems as though teams are more aggressive on the pk so far this year from the games ive been watching so we need to adapt

 

[Johnny Utah]

Byfield and Laffy looked good. That's about it.

The bullying of the Kings continues by smaller players again - this time by Bowen Byram.

 

[bland]

Going into this season I find it very difficult to worry about the individual issues, since fixing enough of them simply isn't possible due to the cap constraints and roster make up. The big problem is the model at use. It simply cannot work, yet it keeps getting repeated and augmented over and over again.

Nothing will change until they understand that they are not contenders. They need a fresh, enthusiastic outlook that is forward thinking. That means cutting ties with Kopitar and Doughty, allowing kids to assume roles of importance and showing a willingness to take some lumps. Until that happens, its just wheels spinning in mud made by flooding their own yard.

No reason to complain about a splinter when you are standing on the gallows.

 

[deaderhead28]

Hell yes Turcotte.

Hope this kid makes Lizotte expendable.

Lizotte isn't a issue, in fact he has more heart than anyone out there on the ice.

 

[King'sPawn]

I have seen many fans say Fiala made a dick move by taking the shot after the whistle but i was at the game in section 112 row 4 literally infront of the play and i promise you no one in our section heard the whistle so im not sure Fiala did either .

We all heard it on the telecast. Even PLD floated after entry and lobbed it at Fiala. I have a hard time buying he didn't know.

Funny thing is Grundstrom looked pretty good yesterday but on what i said in the other thread i just feel like his role and line slot does not bode well with his cap hit . I was hoping Grundy would turn out to be a poor mana Holmstrom for us so unless he gets moved up to the 3rd line over Kaliyev and ceases the opportunity, i would say Blake should move him because we can utilize his cap better .

Holmstrom didn't start playing in the NHL until he was 23. He scored 34 in 82 games as a 25 year-old, which is Grundstrom's current age.

I think people really forget how young some of these players are. Granted, the younger players need to be better earlier in their careers in a cap world, but if you're setting expectations on a player, make sure they're fair. You can't expect Grundstrom before Holmstrom before Holmstrom was Holmstrom.

 

[BigKing]

@King'sPawn Grundstrom can't be Grundstrom unless he finishes his checks every chance he gets. He has a skillset in that regard that is very much lacking on this team.

Last night, he passes up finishing a check and then immediately commits a lazy penalty instead. Later on in the period, he uses the body and it directly leads to a goal. Who would have thought that finishing checks leads to turnovers?

Inconsistency with young players is not uncommon so I'm not crapping on the guy; however, consistently finishing checks is a lot easier than scoring goals so being inconsistent in that regard shouldn't be an issue at this point.

 

[tigermask48]

 

[King'sPawn]

@King'sPawn Grundstrom can't be Grundstrom unless he finishes his checks every chance he gets. He has a skillset in that regard that is very much lacking on this team.

Last night, he passes up finishing a check and then immediately commits a lazy penalty instead. Later on in the period, he uses the body and it directly leads to a goal. Who would have thought that finishing checks leads to turnovers?

Inconsistency with young players is not uncommon so I'm not crapping on the guy; however, consistently finishing checks is a lot easier than scoring goals so being inconsistent in that regard shouldn't be an issue at this point.

I agree his inconsistency in physical engagement is an issue, as that's his strongest feature. I'm just pointing out that saying "I was hoping he'd be a poor man's Holmstrom" when Holmstrom didn't start taking off until around this age is a bit unfair of a bar.

I do think he still has plenty of room for improvement. Others (not saying you) reference his $1.3 million contract as some sort of albatross, and others feel he hasn't measured up to their expectations. I'm just saying, ultimately, there are some fair criticisms and some unfair being levied against an inconsistent fourth liner.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Hell yes Turcotte.

Hope this kid makes Lizotte expendable.

Lizotte is expendable mainly because he doesnt have enough size to go up against playoff caliber 4th lines. With the PLD acquisition (filling in the top 3Cs) and Turcotte's apparent emergence it makes him obsolete and basically in the way of a cheaper option like Turcotte.. add in the cap problem and it seems like moving him would make a lot of sense.

 

[kingsfan28]

Now we get to engage in LTIR cap shenanigans at the big boys table.

Those only work with guys who contracts are over 8 mil or washed up former stars who's contract are traded for "futures".

 

[kingsfan28]

I agree his inconsistency in physical engagement is an issue, as that's his strongest feature. I'm just pointing out that saying "I was hoping he'd be a poor man's Holmstrom" when Holmstrom didn't start taking off until around this age is a bit unfair of a bar.

I do think he still has plenty of room for improvement. Others (not saying you) reference his $1.3 million contract as some sort of albatross, and others feel he hasn't measured up to their expectations. I'm just saying, ultimately, there are some fair criticisms and some unfair being levied against an inconsistent fourth liner.

Carls not getting any better. He floats a lot and sort of engages when he wants, then takes really bad penalties. Like last night. He has the skill to put goals in from time to time , but as of now, he blocking younger guys with better skill sets from playing .

 

[No Name The Nameless]

Predictions for Quinton Byfield this season ?

1 goal

 

[bland]

Lizotte is expendable mainly because he doesnt have enough size to go up against playoff caliber 4th lines. With the PLD acquisition (filling in the top 3Cs) and Turcotte's apparent emergence it makes him obsolete and basically in the way of a cheaper option like Turcotte.. add in the cap problem and it seems like moving him would make a lot of sense.

You don't want Turcotte learning how to be a 4th liner. Its a total waste of his ability and he isn't suited for the kind of game you need out of that role. It would be the same mistakes made that speed-bumped Kaliyev and Kupari's transitions into the NHL.

Lizotte just isn't a problem. Having $25 million wrapped up in the centers that ARE blockading Turcotte and Byfield IS the problem here.

Imagine both Byfield and Turcotte both "breaking out" this year and STILL not having room for two top 5 picks in their best spots because you locked in mediocrity above them for the next half decade.

 

[The Butcher]

It might sound crazy to some of you but maybe Doughty has to go. I still love the kid but he'd still return a great young goalie at this point in his career and solve much of the cap issues.

 

[kilowatt]

It might sound crazy to some of you but maybe Doughty has to go. I still love the kid but he'd still return a great young goalie at this point in his career and solve much of the cap issues.

Who is trading for Doughty? He’s got four years remaining at $11,000,000. Maybe to Florida for Bobrovsky? I don’t see anyone else trading for him.

 

[The Butcher]

Who is trading for Doughty? He’s got four years remaining at $11,000,000. Maybe to Florida for Bobrovsky? I don’t see anyone else trading for him.

Someone would overvalue him in a desperate push for the playoffs or put them over the top. GMs do all kinds of crazy things at the deadline. Even if the Kings retained some salary it'd still free up a lot of breathing room.

 

[King'sPawn]

Carls not getting any better. He floats a lot and sort of engages when he wants, then takes really bad penalties. Like last night. He has the skill to put goals in from time to time , but as of now, he blocking younger guys with better skill sets from playing .

What 4th line left wing in the system is he blocking?

And if you're talking about more skilled players, why do people keep wanting skilled players to act as grinders on the fourth line?

It might sound crazy to some of you but maybe Doughty has to go. I still love the kid but he'd still return a great young goalie at this point in his career and solve much of the cap issues.

I'm willing to give Doughty more time, but he needs to play better and he needs to stop getting put on the first powerplay.

The Kings have Spence and Clarke who should get real opportunity out there.

 

[Kurrilino]

Lizotte isn't a issue, in fact he has more heart than anyone out there on the ice.

And have you ever seen someone hearting the puck into the net?

 

[kingsfan28]

View attachment 751975

This had to come from either the Vegas or Tampa board.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

My god it’s too much to imagine dumping Doughty, and using the cap space to completely retool the defense to allow Clarke and Spence to go do their thing.

Of course Blake would likely just give Provorov 8.25 x7 in a couple years. Fart.