Speculation: LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster Thread part VII

[King'sPawn]

The testament of organizational depth: staying in it despite countless injuries.

One of the biggest issues plaguing the Kings for years has been secondary and tertiary scoring. This year, there have been countless games where another line has stepped up and contributed some key offense.

When Kopitar's line struggled for stretches, Danault's line stepped up the most, but Lemieux-Lizotte-Kaliyev all did great on the bottom six. Even after injuries, Danault's line stepped up again. But then most recently on the road trip, Kopitar's line started picking up some steam.

It goes back to a saying that caused some to eviscerate Kopitar and question his "heart." When everyone is good, nobody has to be great.

The Kings aren't a one-line team. It used to be centered on Kopitar and then Carter. Now, more is expected of everyone.

 

[Trash Panda]

The testament of organizational depth: staying in it despite countless injuries.

One of the biggest issues plaguing the Kings for years has been secondary and tertiary scoring. This year, there have been countless games where another line has stepped up and contributed some key offense.

When Kopitar's line struggled for stretches, Danault's line stepped up the most, but Lemieux-Lizotte-Kaliyev all did great on the bottom six. Even after injuries, Danault's line stepped up again. But then most recently on the road trip, Kopitar's line started picking up some steam.

It goes back to a saying that caused some to eviscerate Kopitar and question his "heart." When everyone is good, nobody has to be great.

The Kings aren't a one-line team. It used to be centered on Kopitar and then Carter. Now, more is expected of everyone.

It is evisceration with some cause, Kopitar is an all-world talent with such a pedestrian drive.

Could you imagine what a force he would be with the attitude of Mike Richards or Justin Williams? Would be Lindros without the scumbag side.

You are 100% right though, the ways this years team is finding to win is a great indication of a positive culture taking hold.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

For the numerous high quality acquisitions made within the past year, ie Danault Arvidsson, Moore and Durzi via trade, Lizzotte and Lemiuex, Edler, even Stecher, Rob Blake deserves GM of the year. The best possession line in the NHL was formed by his acquisitions alone.

Agreed. Those that want consideration for TM for coach of the year...ok, but without Danault, Arvidsson, Edler, the Kings would be under .500 this year. TM deserves some consideration, but Blake deserves more.

 

[Piston]

With Ryan Getzlaf just announcing his retirement, one can wonder if Dustin Brown can be far behind. Both were drafted in 2003 and both have only played for one franchise their entire career. Both have also been pillars of their respective communities. I would hate to see Brown signed for one more year although being a healthy scratch for much of the time, and with his large family, going elsewhere would seem like a non-starter. Looks like Dustin may recover in time to get into a couple of more games this season and be honored with a night.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Agreed. Those that want consideration for TM for coach of the year...ok, but without Danault, Arvidsson, Edler, the Kings would be under .500 this year. TM deserves some consideration, but Blake deserves more.

I agree. If the Kings make the playoffs, I will give more credit to Blake than TM....but then again, show me a Jack Adams winner who was coaching a good team that had bad players.

 

[Schmooley]

I agree. If the Kings make the playoffs, I will give more credit to Blake than TM....but then again, show me a Jack Adams winner who was coaching a good team who had bad players.

Tmac is a really good coach in some ways. He gets his teams to buy in and play hard. Runs a competent system. Seems like a pretty nice and straight forward guy and earns the respect of the players.
His downfall is and has always been in-game management.

 

[Nasti]

Tmac is a really good coach in some ways. He gets his teams to buy in and play hard. Runs a competent system. Seems like a pretty nice and straight forward guy and earns the respect of the players.
His downfall is and has always been in-game management.

The fact that one of his former players is who hired him is proof that he’s a players coach.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

The fact that one of his former players is who hired him is proof that he’s a players coach.

Kempe spoke pretty high of him in the last Chiclets podcast. Did you catch that one, @Sol ?

 

[Sol]

Kempe spoke pretty high of him in the last Chiclets podcast. Did you catch that one, @Sol ?

was he supposed to talk shit?

 

[Sol]

The fact that one of his former players is who hired him is proof that he’s a players coach.

Exactly. And I think its disingenuous to suggest that the success of the team this year is from coaching. Coaching has cost more games than won. The reason why Kings are doing well is because of Blake's acquisitions and the talent level of the team being much higher.

It's safe to say that we've all bitched about Todd's deployments right now so much that only to the woefully blind he looks like a good coach.

A mediocre coach at best being carried by a good team. The overworking of Kopitar, and the treatment of younger players isn't good coaching. It's desperation and lack of trust. In no world can you have these traits and be a good coach. He's a mediocre coach at best and anyone who thinks otherwise honestly needs to stop drinking the Koolaid. He's a failure in the playoffs for a reason.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

was he supposed to talk shit?

No, I guess he was supposed to lie. He did a good job.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Exactly. And I think its disingenuous to suggest that the success of the team this year is from coaching. Coaching has cost more games than won. The reason why Kings are doing well is because of Blake's acquisitions and the talent level of the team being much higher.

Wow... you are f***ing reaching. Did TM hurt you in another life?

I suppose it was TM's fault for this 1st goal that Peterson allowed last night, eh? Couldn't you point to that as the reason they lost?

 

[Sol]

Wow... you are f***ing reaching. Did TM hurt you in another life?

I suppose it was TM's fault for this 1st goal that Peterson allowed last night, eh? Couldn't you point to that as the reason they lost?

The vets play all the man advantage. Moore, and Iafallo are all out there for an eternity. When the Kids ride pine.


"You are f***ing reaching"

Lest we forget Axl Rhoadz incredible quote "I think it's weird that you only seem to care about special teams. Any interest in wins or losses?"

Says a lot about a person that they can't grasp the concept that special teams influence wins and losses. Lay off the pipe. Especially Todds. Lol.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Wow... you are f***ing reaching. Did TM hurt you in another life?

I suppose it was TM's fault for this 1st goal that Peterson allowed last night, eh? Couldn't you point to that as the reason they lost?

No, but to get outmaneuvered with last change so much (3rd line in dzone with 1st line, lol) and to go 1 for infinity on the powerplay by using the same personnel for almost the entire last 10 minutes is illustrative of the bench failure that finds him usually making the 1st round and then going golfing.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Practice 4/5 - Partial Team Skate + Return Updates, Kempe's Milestone, Kupari on growth/impact - LA Kings Insider

Good afternoon, Insiders! To those who were out at Crypto.com Arena last night, it was great to meet many of you! A close game for sure, though one I think we all hoped went the other way. I am hopeful everyone had a great time regardless, and hopeful to bring the event back next season […]

lakingsinsider.com

I've had fear 23 was coming back soon...but 2 of them????? I feel very bad for Lemieux.

'The trio of Dustin Brown, Brendan Lemieux and Dustin Brown skated with the full group again today, the second straight day they’ve joined the full group in regular contact jerseys.'

They will find the error soon and correct it...unless they have cloned him. They should have cloned Drew, though.

 

[kingsfan28]

Kempe and his 31 goals may be the most surprising thing [aside from our record] this season. And also how he told Toffoli to shut the f- up for trying to be a tough guy while chirping him.

 

[kingsfan28]

No, but to get outmaneuvered with last change so much (3rd line in dzone with 1st line, lol) and to go 1 for infinity on the powerplay by using the same personnel for almost the entire last 10 minutes is illustrative of the bench failure that finds him usually making the 1st round and then going golfing.

Yeah, this was a problem all night. Did he even think of putting the 2nd unit out there at all to start the pp, change players around, you know anything other than what we saw?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kempe and his 31 goals may be the most surprising thing [aside from our record] this season. And also how he told Toffoli to shut the f- up for trying to be a tough guy while chirping him.

Adrian was definitely on one last night, from the goal faces to the shove off with TT

 

[KingsFan7824]

It is evisceration with some cause, Kopitar is an all-world talent with such a pedestrian drive.

Could you imagine what a force he would be with the attitude of Mike Richards or Justin Williams? Would be Lindros without the scumbag side.

You are 100% right though, the ways this years team is finding to win is a great indication of a positive culture taking hold.

That's evicerating him for something he's not, which isn't fair. Can you imagine the force Richards would've been if he was 4 inches and 40lbs bigger?

At first, you wonder why Kopitar doesn't take it to the net more often. Dude's huge! That skill! Just go at the net! Once he doesn't do that time and time again, at some point you have to accept that he's not that guy. If he was, he would've done it more.

You can't teach height. You can't teach skill. You can't teach drive. You have it beyond what it takes to make the league at all, or you don't. If everyone had the same drive as Richards or Williams, they wouldn't have stood out because of it.

 

[King'sPawn]

That's evicerating him for something he's not, which isn't fair. Can you imagine the force Richards would've been if he was 4 inches and 40lbs bigger?

At first, you wonder why Kopitar doesn't take it to the net more often. Dude's huge! That skill! Just go at the net! Once he doesn't do that time and time again, at some point you have to accept that he's not that guy. If he was, he would've done it more.

You can't teach height. You can't teach skill. You can't teach drive. You have it beyond what it takes to make the league at all, or you don't. If everyone had the same drive as Richards or Williams, they wouldn't have stood out because of it.

I've always said that Kopitar gets blamed for being a golden retriever instead of a doberman.

And, I repeat: a very true statement about team success was weaponized to attack his character.

It'a no secret I'm a big fan of Kopitar and perhaps more forgiving of his shortcomings, but there have been some takes on here that I strongly hope people have come to reconsider.

 

[bland]

I've always said that Kopitar gets blamed for being a golden retriever instead of a doberman.

And, I repeat: a very true statement about team success was weaponized to attack his character.

It'a no secret I'm a big fan of Kopitar and perhaps more forgiving of his shortcomings, but there have been some takes on here that I strongly hope people have come to reconsider.

Nope.

The problem with that statement is that the inverse has always held more water. For far too long in his career he has played on a team that needed someone to be great because not everyone was good. Anze has always been perfectly at peace consistently playing his game, very, very rarely giving more. And his team has been suffering for a long time while Anze has carried just his share of the load while there was plenty more room on his massive shoulders.

That doesn't mean that what he brings hasn't been fully appreciated, just that when all is said and done we can celebrate his career while also being disappointed that he was always more comfortable than hungry.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Nope.

The problem with that statement is that the inverse has always held more water. For far too long in his career he has played on a team that needed someone to be great because not everyone was good. Anze has always been perfectly at peace consistently playing his game, very, very rarely giving more. And his team has been suffering for a long time while Anze has carried just his share of the load while there was plenty more room on his massive shoulders.

That doesn't mean that what he brings hasn't been fully appreciated, just that when all is said and done we can celebrate his career while also being disappointed that he was always more comfortable than hungry.

Unless you are in the room and on the ice with him, that is, and always will be an absolute bullshit idiotic take.

 

[Choralone]

And if Kopitar had wings he'd be a bird.

 

[Martyros]

And if Kopitar had wings he'd be a bird.

More like chicken wings.

 

[King'sPawn]

Nope.

The problem with that statement is that the inverse has always held more water. For far too long in his career he has played on a team that needed someone to be great because not everyone was good. Anze has always been perfectly at peace consistently playing his game, very, very rarely giving more. And his team has been suffering for a long time while Anze has carried just his share of the load while there was plenty more room on his massive shoulders.

That doesn't mean that what he brings hasn't been fully appreciated, just that when all is said and done we can celebrate his career while also being disappointed that he was always more comfortable than hungry.

Top scorer on the team in all but 2 seasons. One of the top defensive forwards on one of the top defensive teams. Missed fewer games in his entire career than Doughty has missed this season. Playing 20+ minutes a night. Historically shutting down the top opposing players.

- how is that "not great enough" in its own right?
- he's getting blamed for not demanding more out of himself while, as you said, the GMs haven't formed good enough teams?
- I appreciate you rephrasing your rhetoric and having more specific criticisms that are arguable... but it still sounds like you don't appreciate all that he's done, even though you say you do.