LA KINGS 2023/4 Regular season discussion

[Axl Rhoadz]

Value for Grundstrom and JAD is pretty much the same.....seems like an extra step to make an extra step

You think Grundstom and JAD are equal? I would take Grundstrom 9 out of 10 times.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

You think Grundstom and JAD are equal? I would take Grundstrom 9 out of 10 times.

Have the same trade value,

 

[YP44]

You think Grundstom and JAD are equal? I would take Grundstrom 9 out of 10 times.

In a world where every penny to cap matters I think they are closer then the should be

 

[Herby]

Grundstrom has more value than JAD.

JAD was available on waivers a month ago with a small cap number, if he had any kind of value someone would have claimed him.

 

[Fishhead]

Right now, Grundstrom would be gone before you got to the "r" in waivers.

 

[Vote4Lubo]

You think Grundstom and JAD are equal? I would take Grundstrom 9 out of 10 times.

This is probably the most logical thing you have ever said. Proud of you!

 

[Jungle Boy]

I would take Greer also but Calgary just picked him up.

Waiver pick up! Teams usually trade those guys and makes something out of nothing.

 

[kingsfan28]

Re: goalies there's just not a lot out there. This is why it's dangerous to go into the season with questionmarks at goaltender.

You can easily get a 1B/backup guy no problem, the league is littered with them. Even for the Kings, if Copley tanks out, you still have Rittich to try out and maybe even Portillo before you start giving up assets for 'similar' guys. I'm thinking of the various trade board threads where teams are trying to hold the Kings ransom for random dudes like Allen. At this point, both the Oilers and Kings would be on the lookout for a differencemaker, not a plug. Actually, the Oilers may just be looking to stop the bleeding/gain stability, but you get my drift.

If it makes us feel any better--kinda doesn't for me--as mad as I was that we couldnt swing the trade to position ourselves for Wallstedt, the Oilers actually traded out of it.

I'm glad you brought this up. The Oilers were right there to grab him and passed for an extra 3rd rnd pick. It took a 1st and a 3rd to move up, the Kings didn't have the 1st. [ used on Clarke at 8]
.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

This is probably the most logical thing you have ever said. Proud of you!

You must have me confused with someone else because that's all I do around here is preach logic. I don't make bold predictions, pretend I can see into the future, act like I know how every prospect will ultimately fare, claim to know what the GM's plan is or isn't....I could go on forever. Yeah, that's not me!

 

[johnjm22]

I like JAD would make a fine NHLer if given enough opportunity.

 

[Fishhead]

Starting to see a trend in Kings games with the opposition.

Here is the opposition forward time at 5v5 for the top-8 in the game last night. I just chose Danault, but it's pretty much the same for Dubois and Kopitar:

Jonathan Marchessault	R	4:58	3	9	25.00	31.25	1	7	12.50
Ivan Barbashev	C	4:46	4	9	30.77	26.67	2	6	25.00
Jack Eichel	C	4:43	3	9	25.00	31.25	1	7	12.50
William Karlsson	C	3:33	2	2	50.00	25.00	2	2	50.00
Pavel Dorofeyev	L	3:30	2	1	66.67	24.00	2	1	66.67
Mark Stone	R	3:16	2	8	20.00	33.33	2	8	20.00
Michael Amadio	R	3:16	2	8	20.00	33.33	2	8	20.00
Paul Cotter	C	3:01	1	1	50.00	26.92	1	1	50.00

Last year, teams would simply match the King's lines with 1 or 2 lines for almost the whole game, taking advantageous matchups. This year teams don't really know what to do.

Here is what we saw against Vegas last year. Granted, their lines are a bit different:

Phil Kessel		6:06​
Jack Eichel		5:55​
Mark Stone		5:25​
Reilly Smith		5:22​
Brett Howden		5:07​
Chandler Stephenson		4:57​
William Karlsson		2:54​
Jonathan Marchessault		2:22​

So mostly two lines and then it drops off rapidly. We are a really tough matchup this year, no doubt about it. You see this trend in almost every game, but particularly in the last two weeks. And don't forget those were road games, so other coaches get the choice.

 

[Piston]

At the risk of stating the obvious, the Kings aren't going anywhere with Copely as one of our goaltenders. This needs to be addressed ASAP before Talbot wears down.

 

[King'sPawn]

At the risk of stating the obvious, the Kings aren't going anywhere with Copely as one of our goaltenders. This needs to be addressed ASAP before Talbot wears down.

With the Oilers playing so poorly and potentially missing the playoffs, it's almost as if making a trade for another center (Dubois) to beat them isn't a good idea.

The team without Dubois last year was one of the best regular season teams in Kings history. Heck, it will probably still be really good now. But I'm still not convinced he's the solution to a problem we're not even sure existed.

 

[Schrute farms]

PLD and Blake are being saved by the emergence of QB and Talbot (Englund a bit too). Without Talbot and QB's emergence, wow things could be a disaster right now.

Just hoping Talbot can stay healthy and PLD eventually wakes up. It's a bit painful thinking what if we had GV still and used AI/Kupari/2nd (& PLDs cap space) for something needed -- like a decent backup goalie. Maybe even a lesser expensive, engaged PF center (even with GV sent off). Heck, i wish we simply kept and used that 2nd round pick.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

PLD and Blake are being saved by the emergence of QB and Talbot (Englund a bit too). Without Talbot and QB's emergence, wow things could be a disaster right now.

Just hoping Talbot can stay healthy and PLD eventually wakes up. It's a bit painful thinking what if we had GV still and used AI/Kupari/2nd (& PLDs cap space) for something needed -- like a decent backup goalie. Maybe even a lesser expensive, engaged PF center (even with GV sent off). Heck, i wish we simply kept and used that 2nd round pick.

Unreal....

PLD is fine.

 

[Master Yoda]

With the Oilers playing so poorly and potentially missing the playoffs, it's almost as if making a trade for another center (Dubois) to beat them isn't a good idea.

The team without Dubois last year was one of the best regular season teams in Kings history. Heck, it will probably still be really good now. But I'm still not convinced he's the solution to a problem we're not even sure existed.

I see it working like the Jeff Carter trade on the forward lines. It puts Danault in a better spot as a 3C, making the bottom 6 much stronger.
Even if they don't have to deal with Edmonton, it creates matchup problems for other teams and they match up better against Vegas too.
Except the big question with goaltending will remain throughout the season even if Talbot can play like a true #1, which they couldn't address because of the PLD trade and his contract.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

PLD and Blake are being saved by the emergence of QB and Talbot (Englund a bit too). Without Talbot and QB's emergence, wow things could be a disaster right now.

Just hoping Talbot can stay healthy and PLD eventually wakes up. It's a bit painful thinking what if we had GV still and used AI/Kupari/2nd (& PLDs cap space) for something needed -- like a decent backup goalie. Maybe even a lesser expensive, engaged PF center (even with GV sent off). Heck, i wish we simply kept and used that 2nd round pick.

Now that I think about this a bit more, it really makes me curious. Obviously you are alluding to the idea of PLD is disappointment thus far, so then I would ask you, what were your expectations? If you look at his stats, he's only one point away from being in his career average, so were the expectations that he would suddenly be an 80+point player (and just for the record, it's ignorant as f*** to assume we know this 13 games into the season)?

So, if he ends up being the same player that he has been his whole career....what are we disappointed about? How much he gets paid? Is that a severe overpayment for a 70-point player? (I honestly don't know)

 

[Schrute farms]

Sorry, but I respectfully decline your offer of a discussion on this topic. IMO you are unable to objectively discuss anything related to the Kings. Every topic is black & white and predetermined beforehand based on your personal slant. I'll pass.

 

[lumbergh]

Now that I think about this a bit more, it really makes me curious. Obviously you are alluding to the idea of PLD is disappointment thus far, so then I would ask you, what were your expectations? If you look at his stats, he's only one point away from being in his career average, so were the expectations that he would suddenly be an 80+point player (and just for the record, it's ignorant as f*** to assume we know this 13 games into the season)?

So, if he ends up being the same player that he has been his whole career....what are we disappointed about? How much he gets paid? Is that a severe overpayment for a 70-point player? (I honestly don't know)

I'm sure lots of people here are hung up on his $8.5M/year contract, which makes him the second highest paid forward on the team. The fact that he's tied for sixth in points on the team doesn't match that salary status.

It's not a disaster in any way. Dubois isn't exactly blowing anyone away with his production or his play. It's fine to acknowledge that Dubois hasn't lived up to his contract so far, but his contract term is only 2% fulfilled so far. Plenty of time to stew on how disappointed Schrute farms will be.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I'm sure lots of people here are hung up on his $8.5M/year contract, which makes him the second highest paid forward on the team.

Right, but is 8.5M an extreme overpayment for a 70-point player across the league?

 

[lumbergh]

Right, but is 8.5M an extreme overpayment for a 70-point player across the league?

His cap hit puts him as the 14-17th highest cap hit center in the league. So yeah, he is kinda overpaid. Players in the same neighborhood:

Dylan Larkin $8.7M 5 12 17
Sidney Crosby $8.7M 7 7 14
Leon Draisaitl $8.5M 5 10 15
Bo Horvat $8.5M 4 5 9
Mika Zibanejad $8.5 M 2 8 10
Pierre-Luc Dubois $8.5M 4 4 8
Seabass tAho $8.46M 2 8 10
Roope Hintz $8.45M 5 6 11
Tim Stutzle $8.35M 3 12 15

I don't think anyone should be happy about PLD's production in 13 games so far. He has the lowest points per game of anyone on that list.

 

[Sol]

What makes PLD overpaid is that he’s getting paid massive money while having the luxury of playing in Kopitars shadow. What makes PLD overpaid is that he’s a third line center, gets easier match ups, and he still coasts. I don’t care how many points PLD has. “He’s at his average” yeah as a first liner getting the most difficult match ups. He should be scoring more and at least trying more than 2-3 times a game to be a factor.

He’s too f***ign lazy and this has been a problem with him his whole career. And I fear now that he has Kopitar doing the heavy work it will incentivize him to be even more lazy.

 

[johnjm22]

His cap hit puts him as the 14-17th highest cap hit center in the league. So yeah, he is kinda overpaid. Players in the same neighborhood:

Dylan Larkin $8.7M 5 12 17
Sidney Crosby $8.7M 7 7 14
Leon Draisaitl $8.5M 5 10 15
Bo Horvat $8.5M 4 5 9
Mika Zibanejad $8.5 M 2 8 10
Pierre-Luc Dubois $8.5M 4 4 8
Seabass tAho $8.46M 2 8 10
Roope Hintz $8.45M 5 6 11
Tim Stutzle $8.35M 3 12 15

I don't think anyone should be happy about PLD's production in 13 games so far. He has the lowest points per game of anyone on that list.

Some of those contracts can't be compared because they were signed so long ago.

10% of the cap seems about in the neighborhood of what you would expect for PLD at the time of the signing.

 

[King'sPawn]

I see it working like the Jeff Carter trade on the forward lines. It puts Danault in a better spot as a 3C, making the bottom 6 much stronger.
Even if they don't have to deal with Edmonton, it creates matchup problems for other teams and they match up better against Vegas too.
Except the big question with goaltending will remain throughout the season even if Talbot can play like a true #1, which they couldn't address because of the PLD trade and his contract.

You're not wrong. But committing $8.5 million to an inconsistent player, particularly for 8 years, is a major gamble. And he doesn't even have the excuse of "he's playing for a bad team/he's in a frozen wasteland". He's playing for a great team in LA. So, why is he so often disengaged now? Are you ready for 8 more years of this? Are you ready for 644 more games of this?

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

His cap hit puts him as the 14-17th highest cap hit center in the league. So yeah, he is kinda overpaid. Players in the same neighborhood:

Dylan Larkin $8.7M 5 12 17
Sidney Crosby $8.7M 7 7 14
Leon Draisaitl $8.5M 5 10 15
Bo Horvat $8.5M 4 5 9
Mika Zibanejad $8.5 M 2 8 10
Pierre-Luc Dubois $8.5M 4 4 8
Seabass tAho $8.46M 2 8 10
Roope Hintz $8.45M 5 6 11
Tim Stutzle $8.35M 3 12 15

I don't think anyone should be happy about PLD's production in 13 games so far. He has the lowest points per game of anyone on that list.

Agree...however, I do feel that Fiala's lack of goal scoring hasn't helped PLD's stats. There's been numerous chances that the Fiala of last year would have connected on that he just hasn't done so far this season. (nobody is worse at that than Byfield though - wtf does that guy have to do to start burying some of those chances)