Speculation: LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster Thread 2022-23 Season Part 2

[YP44]

still waiting on Korpisalo and Gavrikov extensions.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Ranking every NHL playoff team’s goalie tandem: Is Andrei Vasilevskiy and Tampa No. 1?

Which playoff teams are strong in net? Which teams are weak? Harman Dayal breaks down each squad's goaltending this postseason.

theathletic.com

Clear Sight Analytics’ private model analyzes the danger of every shot a goaltender faces based on many of the same characteristics that public expected goal models factor in, but takes it a step further because it can account for the pass made before the shot, screens, offensive situation (eg: off the rush or on a cycle type of possession) and more. For example, when there’s a backdoor scoring chance after a cross-seam pass, a public model can’t account for how dangerous east-west passes are and how they force goalies to move from post to post. Clear Sight Analytics’ model, however, would be able to add that crucial context.

That can help us analyze how a goaltender has performed relative to the team’s defensive play in front. The metric for that is called adjusted save percentage.

Joonas Korpisalo has been exactly what the Kings needed to stabilize their play in the crease. He’s rocking a .921 save percentage in L.A. but was also very good behind a horrible defensive structure in Columbus (which is why his solid save percentage for the season as a whole undersells just how well he’s played). Korpisalo’s had plenty of highs and lows in his career, but the key is that he’s finally healthy. He understandably started the season a little slow after double hip surgery in the offseason but has been on fire since then.

“Since December 10, he is eighth in the NHL in adjusted save percentage,” said Woodley. “(In that span), he’s not far behind Juuse Saros and ahead of Andrei Vasilevskiy and a lot of other big-name goalies. He’s been good long before the trade. With the health came a different goalie.”

Korpisalo also has an edge in that we’ve seen him dominate the last time his team made the playoffs. He posted a .941 save percentage through nine games in the 2020 bubble for Columbus, which included him stealing the first-round series against the Leafs. That big game experience, in addition to his strong play this season, matters.

Plus an interesting note on Edmonton:

What’s fascinating is that Clear Sight’s data paints the Oilers’ defensive play as significantly better than the public perception. According to their model, Edmonton’s expected goals-against rate is fourth-best among NHL teams this season, behind only Carolina, Los Angeles and Dallas. Is the label of Edmonton as a porous defensive team outdated, especially since Mattias Ekholm’s perfect fit on the blueline?

Since Clear Sight is higher on Edmonton’s defensive play than most, it assigns less credit to Skinner’s play than you might expect, with his adjusted save percentage ranking 36th. But the good news is that Skinner’s gotten hot lately, ranking top 15 by the metric since March 1. The 24-year-old obviously lacks NHL playoff experience but there’s plenty of reason for optimism.

2023 NHL playoff preview: Oilers vs. Kings

The Kings were a tough out against the Oilers in the first round last year, and the same should be true in this series.

theathletic.com

 

[redcard]

To all those people who were bashing on Kopitar at the start of the season, he led the team in points... again... for the millionth time.. at age 50.

So stfu.

His 74 points and 28 goals were the 5th highest of his career.

His 20:18 TOI/GP was the 2nd lowest of his career.

13 points behind Luc, 166 behind Dionne for most as a King.

Solid year.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Ranking every NHL playoff team’s goalie tandem: Is Andrei Vasilevskiy and Tampa No. 1?

Which playoff teams are strong in net? Which teams are weak? Harman Dayal breaks down each squad's goaltending this postseason.

theathletic.com

Will the NHL ever fix the save percentage stat to be percentage and not percentage / 100... either rename it, or make represent its name.

 

[Statto]

His 74 points and 28 goals were the 5th highest of his career.

His 20:18 TOI/GP was the 2nd lowest of his career.

13 points behind Luc, 166 behind Dionne for most as a King.

Solid year.

Which kinda makes the point about reducing his ice time. I’d really like them to shave off a bit more next season to the 18-19 minute range because I’m sure he can then replicate that level of output.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

 

[AbsentMojo]

we f***ed. Edit: but if this a Koala psyop, his stock goes way up

 

[Nasti]

Either Fiala goes in cold turkey, or he’s done.

 

[Shellz]

I bet the only one that comes back is Edler. The most important piece to TMs playoff race.

 

[Seattle King]

we f***ed. Edit: but if this a Koala psyop, his stock goes way up

Todd isnt even playing checkers, lets not make him into Garry Kasparov

 

[kingsfan28]

If they don't travel to edm, then we'll know for sure.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

UPDATED: Kings-Oilers First Round Playoff Schedule and Early Notes

mayorsmanor.com

Hoven claims Fiala has skated this week and that there’s “optimism” at least one if not both of Vilardi/Fiala will play Monday:

Perhaps the biggest questions heading into next week center around the health of forwards Gabe Vilardi and Kevin Fiala, as well as which goaltender coach Todd McLellan will elect to start in net.

While nothing official has been confirmed regarding the status of Vilardi and Fiala, there remains a lot of optimism that at least one of them — perhaps both — will be ready for game action come Monday. Both players, along with defenseman Alex Edler, have skated at various times this week.

 

[Herby]

UPDATED: Kings-Oilers First Round Playoff Schedule and Early Notes

mayorsmanor.com

Hoven claims Fiala has skated this week and that there’s “optimism” at least one if not both of Vilardi/Fiala will play Monday:

That is great news. They will need 3 lines of production to have a chance in this series.

 

[AbsentMojo]

UPDATED: Kings-Oilers First Round Playoff Schedule and Early Notes

mayorsmanor.com

Hoven claims Fiala has skated this week and that there’s “optimism” at least one if not both of Vilardi/Fiala will play Monday:

Hopefully that isnt mayor's manure

 

[Nasti]

Random thought today. Kopitar is only 4 games away from tying Brown for the franchise record. Doughty is 16 games away from tying Taylor for third. Crazy to think that Taylor had the record for so many years and now all of a sudden, he’s about to be 4th.

Kopitar is also just 9 assists away from tying Dionne for the franchise lead.

 

[johnjm22]

I can't get excited about Vilardi and Fiala returning because they're probably not going to be 100%.

 

[HookKing]

If Fiala could play he would have been out there practicing already. I don't see him playing at all in this series perhaps game 5 is a long shot if we make it that far. I think that bit about Gabe injuring his knee earlier may have been true but I think a upper body issue is the real problem. Even if one or both guys eventually hobble on to the ice what do you really have.

 

[All The Kings Men]

UPDATED: Kings-Oilers First Round Playoff Schedule and Early Notes

mayorsmanor.com

Hoven claims Fiala has skated this week and that there’s “optimism” at least one if not both of Vilardi/Fiala will play Monday:

might want to check that paragraph again

 

[johnjm22]

While nothing official has been confirmed regarding the status of Vilardi and Fiala, there remains a lot of optimism that at least one of them — perhaps both — will be ready for game action come Monday. Neither player, nor defenseman Alex Edler, has been cleared to participate in full team activities as of yet.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Come back!

Great news! He’s already up in EDM, waiting for the team to join him.

 

[bouncesonly]

At least we got back Doughty, and Arvidsson for the first game, plus a 41 goal scoring Kempe.

And our D went from Anderson/Roy/Durzi/Edler/Stetcher/Matta/Spence to Doughty/Anderson/Roy/Gavrikov/Walker/Durzi/Edler

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

might want to check that paragraph again

While nothing official has been confirmed regarding the status of Vilardi and Fiala, there remains a lot of optimism that at least one of them — perhaps both — will be ready for game action come Monday. Neither player, nor defenseman Alex Edler, has been cleared to participate in full team activities as of yet.

Ha so he went and changed what it said without noting that he edited it. I copy and pasted directly from the article when I posted that.

Cowardly move, particularly when he has a cross-out of something that was changed about the schedule a few lines above in the article.

 

[KingsHockey24]

UFA Forwards that could fill in as our "tough guy" role ranked by toughness.

1. Milan Lucic
2. Ryan Reaves
3. Wayne Simmonds
4. Brendan Lemieux
5. Nick Foligno
6. Nick Ritchie
7. Brett Ritchie
8. Miles Wood
9. Noel Acciari
10. Austin Watson

 

[kings11]

UFA Forwards that could fill in as our "tough guy" role ranked by toughness.

1. Milan Lucic
2. Ryan Reaves
3. Wayne Simmonds
4. Brendan Lemieux
5. Nick Foligno
6. Nick Ritchie
7. Brett Ritchie
8. Miles Wood
9. Noel Acciari
10. Austin Watson

Which one of those guys would sign for a million or less? You can thank Philly for me asking that question since they thought it be a great idea to give an enforcer that contract!

 

[KingsHockey24]

Which one of those guys would sign for a million or less? You can thank Philly for me asking that question since they thought it be a great idea to give an enforcer that contract!

Of that players on that list the three cheapest would probably be Brett Ritchie, Wayne Simmonds, and Austin Watson who is actually less tough than MacEwen.