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LA KINGS 2023/4 Regular season discussion

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Todd McLellan named Head Coach, will be introduced Wednesday - LA Kings Insider

General Manager Rob Blake was hoping to check a number of boxes off when setting out to hire the next LA Kings head coach. His preferred hire was someone who instilled structure both organizationally and on the ice, who motivated players and commanded respect from behind the bench that generated...
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I think it’s instructive to review Blake’s quotes when McLellan was hired to understand how we got to the current situation.

“We have a mix of old and young, and you can see the direction we went since the deadline, but someone has to come in that can allow the older players the credibility to play a certain way, to teach them, but then also incorporate young players into that mix,” Blake said. “It’s difficult.”
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Allowing the older players to play a certain way translates to the 1-3-1. Incorporating younger players is why you see the kids who are reliable get consistent minutes over those with more upside.

“Take a look – for the last eight years, they got rid of hooking, got rid of slashing on the hands. Goalie equipment continually gets smaller and narrower, power plays, you start in the offensive zone,” Blake said. “Any rule that’s come into play goes towards offense. You start seeing offense take over the defensive structure. That structure still has to be there, but when you defend, it’s so difficult staying on the puck, and it’s hard. Teams are just getting the puck out of the zone. So, you want to play with the puck, you want to play offense, you want to be going after the other team. … But you can’t can’t turn your back on the [defensive side]. You can’t cheat for offense, but you can manufacture it.”
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Blake is aware that the game has trended more offensive and says the key is getting the puck out of the defensive zone. This is the core failure. He’s put too much stock into defending over moving the puck.

And my guess is that is due to wrongly prioritizing a system that the vets are comfortable with. It was a poor strategy from the start of the rebuild.
 
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Lizotte is the 3c again heading into the playoffs after Blake spent big over the summer to address it.
They should have put Dubois on wing months ago instead of trying to save face. Lizotte should be a 4c.
They could have been trying combinations with Byfield Turcotte and Thomas in the 3c role to get settled for half the season when it was clear Dubois aint it.
 
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Schmooley said:
Lizotte is the 3c again heading into the playoffs after Blake spent big over the summer to address it.
They should have put Dubois on wing months ago instead of trying to save face. Lizotte should be a 4c.
They could have been trying combinations with Byfield Turcotte and Thomas in the 3c role to get settled for half the season when it was clear Dubois aint it.
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seriously. it's not like PLD just went dormant, he's been a no-show since day 1. experiment's over. fall on your sword and give him his cushy wing slot

all season should've been kopi-danault-byfield-turc down the middle but we've got 3.50iq brainlets running shit here
 
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Drank a little too much with a couple buddies last night at the local brewery watching the Twins game and we got to talking hockey....
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watch Kopitar go down with an injury forcing PLD to play top 6 minutes and to the surprise of everyone he rocks it and LA comes out of round 1.

could honestly be worse case scenario as it means Blake keeps his job
 
AbsentMojo said:
Interesting take here...

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Look, I’m all for putting on the tin foil hat for a good conspiracy, especially when it points towards the ineptitude of the current brass.

However, I think it has a whole lot more to do with recovering sunk cost on a former 5th overall pick that is subject to waivers next year.
 
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Trash Panda said:
Look, I’m all for putting on the tin foil hat for a good conspiracy, especially when it points towards the ineptitude of the current brass.

However, I think it has a whole lot more to do with recovering sunk cost on a former 5th overall pick that is subject to waivers next year.
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To me it smacks of a decision made to get a look-see at Thomas before sending him back to Ontario regardless of his play.

Maybe it's just some well-earned cynicism kicking in, but these guys keep out-thinking themselves. They keep neutering all emotion out of the organization, and it reflects on-ice.
 
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bland said:
To me it smacks of a decision made to get a look-see at Thomas before sending him back to Ontario regardless of his play.

Maybe it's just some well-earned cynicism kicking in, but these guys keep out-thinking themselves. They keep neutering all emotion out of the organization, and it reflects on-ice.
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I mean, either option still points towards gross incompetence, and I wouldn’t hesitate to believe either.

This organization needs a burn down from the top in the worst way possible.
 
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bland said:
To me it smacks of a decision made to get a look-see at Thomas before sending him back to Ontario regardless of his play.

Maybe it's just some well-earned cynicism kicking in, but these guys keep out-thinking themselves. They keep neutering all emotion out of the organization, and it reflects on-ice.
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yeah i like me a good pat brisson conspiracy theory but i'm not really buying this one

might just want akil down there for the last games or playoffs? the time for cap gymnastics has passed i assume

just not seeing any smoking gun
 
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Trash Panda said:
Look, I’m all for putting on the tin foil hat for a good conspiracy, especially when it points towards the ineptitude of the current brass.

However, I think it has a whole lot more to do with recovering sunk cost on a former 5th overall pick that is subject to waivers next year.
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It could be just their pecking order - that they dont wally pip injured guys... but nothing about Blake in his playing or GM career has displayed those kind of core hockey values - so who knows.
 
I have been watching a lot of Reign games in person recently - they are the opposite of the Kings - they are young, fast and tough.

Hopefully LA lets Lewis, Lizotte, Grundstrom all move on and give players like Fagemo, Turcotte, and Thomas a shot next year AND also add some grit at forward.

I would sign Arvidsson to a one year deal, but cheap. Otherwise, he can go too.

Trade Kayilev.
 
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AbsentMojo said:
Interesting take here...

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Daft conspiracy theory. So how does this account for the time he spent in the AHL without a call up… utter rubbish.

It’s more likely the wanted Turcotte to get a game in. Both will be available in the post season.
 
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Turcotte leaving school early though, now there's a Brisson move

but the Kings org has that push-pull relationship between "kid is under 25" and "kid is a brisson client" so no wonder he's been dicked all over God's green earth
 
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