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

[kilowatt]

You have got to be kidding me

Clague clearly wasn't the guy...but he was also symbolic of the development and deployment issues that are ongoing.

Yeah Clague played a total of 33 games with LA strewn across three seasons, averaging about 16 minutes of ice time (and almost zero power play time).

Thinking back, it’s interesting that both Doughty and Kopitar have one thing in common: there was room for both of them to step in and become the top dog. Is that an essential ingredient for a young star? Would Byfield have looked any different if Kopitar had been hurt? Durzi stepped in and looked great, would Clarke have looked even better?

 

[kinghock]

i don't think speed will be as big an issue when he is playing less mins, learns the tricks of the trade , and doesn't have the pressure he was under here to start with . the kid isn't a #1 dman but played his heart out trying to be one and did get better almost every game , as a third pairing running the 2nd PP i think he will excel this season hopefully for us

I would like to agree with your opinion, but when I see player of his size loses every foot rase every time to almost everybody I have my doubts about him

 

[King'sPawn]

Jordan Spence is just another Paul LaDue.

Trade him for Landeskog now when we have the chance.

This is sarcasm, right?

Rookie of the year in minor junior (MJAHL). Rookie of the year in major junior the following year (QMJHL). Defenseman of the year after that (QMJHL). WJC silver. AHL all-rookie team. Then steps in as a 20 year-old rookie and averages the 4th highest ice time per game in the regular season (even more than Durzi).

It's one thing to like Durzi more than Spence. I disagree, but it's defensible.

LaDue scored 18 points over 5 NHL seasons. Spence is already at 8. LaDue was 24 when he debuted in the NHL and Spence just turned 21 in February.

Again, if you're joking, I apologize. But considering you said you prefer Durzi, it's hard to tell.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah Clague played a total of 33 games with LA strewn across three seasons, averaging about 16 minutes of ice time (and almost zero power play time).

Thinking back, it’s interesting that both Doughty and Kopitar have one thing in common: there was room for both of them to step in and become the top dog. Is that an essential ingredient for a young star? Would Byfield have looked any different if Kopitar had been hurt? Durzi stepped in and looked great, would Clarke have looked even better?

I know a lot of people disagree but that's part of my argument for more icetime for Byfield. Puck skill players need big time on ice with the puck, ie not just bottom six checkign minutes. Hard to get in any kind of rhythm getting every 4th-5th shift or worse and no PP/key offensive situations.

 

[kingsfan28]

I'm not concerned over defensive mistakes of Bjornfot. He is very good already and will be better.

I'm concerned over defensive mistakes of Durzi, because I believe his issue is his physical limitations. I do not believe he is ever going to be faster…

the guy has played maybe 60 pro games...thats it. Rookies make mistakes and get better. He was thrown right into the fire without a lot of time to coach him at this level. He got better as the season went along, and that was very reassuring. Remember how bad Muzzin was his first few seasons? Durzi will be fine.

 

[Fishhead]

the guy has played maybe 60 pro games...thats it. Rookies make mistakes and get better. He was thrown right into the fire without a lot of time to coach him at this level. He got better as the season went along, and that was very reassuring. Remember how bad Muzzin was his first few seasons? Durzi will be fine.

My biggest concern is does he have the tools? I feel Muzzin is a poor comparison because he always had the IQ and positioning, you could see it. Durzi is great at recovery but he struggled game in/game out with the basic, boring plays like standing up, poke checking, funneling a guy where you want him to go, and so on.

 

[kingsfan28]

You have got to be kidding me

Clague clearly wasn't the guy...but he was also symbolic of the development and deployment issues that are ongoing.

Sorry, just me being a bit snarky towards him. He was basically given a spot on the team without any challenge and did nothing with it. He always looked like he could never figure it out and eventually lost his spot. I really wanted him to succeed, but you could just tell it was never going to work. He was no better in MTL , if not worse.

 

[Fishhead]

You have got to be kidding me

Clague clearly wasn't the guy...but he was also symbolic of the development and deployment issues that are ongoing.

You know, I banged the Clague drum for a long time, and I thought most of his problems resulted from not getting a shot in good spots, stuck in the AHL, and so on. But after watching him in Montreal, he's just not as good as I thought he was. Some of it was probably developmental, but I think most of it is on Kale. He just doesn't have that higher gear to be any more than a #7.

 

[kilowatt]

My biggest concern is does he have the tools? I feel Muzzin is a poor comparison because he always had the IQ and positioning, you could see it. Durzi is great at recovery but he struggled game in/game out with the basic, boring plays like standing up, poke checking, funneling a guy where you want him to go, and so on.

Muzzin and IQ don’t really go hand in hand. Positioning maybe, but he was a lot like Jack Johnson, large toolbox but questionable decisions. For the first season or two, “Muffin” and “Muzzkill” were Jake’s nicknames around these parts specifically because of his lack of hockey IQ.

 

[kingsfan28]

My biggest concern is does he have the tools? I feel Muzzin is a poor comparison because he always had the IQ and positioning, you could see it. Durzi is great at recovery but he struggled game in/game out with the basic, boring plays like standing up, poke checking, funneling a guy where you want him to go, and so on.

We need time to find out, not to just base it off of half a season where he was put in a position [injuries to all the dmen] to have to be the top guy. We all know he's not, and once slotted correctly, he's going to be better. I only used Muzzin because he really struggled and got burned a lot his first few years.

 

[KINGS17]

My biggest concern is does he have the tools? I feel Muzzin is a poor comparison because he always had the IQ and positioning, you could see it. Durzi is great at recovery but he struggled game in/game out with the basic, boring plays like standing up, poke checking, funneling a guy where you want him to go, and so on.

I think you are right, I don't see the comparison between Muzzin and Durzi. Muzzin would make physical gaffes from time to time, like fanning on a pass, but his positioning was always rock solid.

 

[Trash Panda]

Muzzin and IQ don’t really go hand in hand. Positioning maybe, but he was a lot like Jack Johnson, large toolbox but questionable decisions. For the first season or two, “Muffin” and “Muzzkill” were Jake’s nicknames around these parts specifically because of his lack of hockey IQ.

Yeah, I don’t quite understand how someone could watch any one game of muzz and see hockey IQ anywhere near average, much less good.

He is almost Maatta-level dumb, to the point where some nights he was so far off on a read that when the puck went to the one spot it shouldn’t ever be, he looked like ray borque.

Every tool but foot speed, and no box to put ‘em in.

 

[johnjm22]

If Muzzin's hockey IQ was that poor, he wouldn't have developed into such a good defenseman.

 

[KingsFan7824]

With the talk of Muzzin, I'm just looking at his career, and I get to 14-15. It's not Muzzin specific, but just gets the ball rolling. How does that team, with most of a severely battle tested group intact, lose to a McDavid-less Oilers team in the last week of the season, and not even make the playoffs, but this year, with no Doughty for 40 games and no playoffs, take a beast-mode McDavid Oilers team to 7 games?

The way you lose Voynov and Doughty are very different, but the 14-15 team was full of men.

Is the line between winning and losing that small?

 

[TwzKing]

So Durzi was one of the kings with shoulder surgery. Still, stand by Spence was one.

 

[Schmooley]

So Durzi was one of the kings with shoulder surgery. Still, stand by Spence was one.

Yea I think Spence, Iafallo, Lemieux, Edler, and Bjornfot were all hurt. Also possibly Lizotte unless he was just not very effective playing between AA and Brown like all the other centers that played there before him.

 

[Gjwrams]

Yea I think Spence, Iafallo, Lemieux, Edler, and Bjornfot were all hurt. Also possibly Lizotte unless he was just not very effective playing between AA and Brown like all the other centers that played there before him.

I honestly don’t know how Lizotte is NOT always playing hurt the way that pinball is flying all over the ice Game after game.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Sorry, just me being a bit snarky towards him. He was basically given a spot on the team without any challenge and did nothing with it. He always looked like he could never figure it out and eventually lost his spot. I really wanted him to succeed, but you could just tell it was never going to work. He was no better in MTL , if not worse.

You know, I banged the Clague drum for a long time, and I thought most of his problems resulted from not getting a shot in good spots, stuck in the AHL, and so on. But after watching him in Montreal, he's just not as good as I thought he was. Some of it was probably developmental, but I think most of it is on Kale. He just doesn't have that higher gear to be any more than a #7.

Oh for sure, Clague just turned out to not be good enough in the end. When he was 'given' a spot recall he got hurt and then lost it. Kinda bunk.

But, the developmental mismanagement happened then, and it's happening in the same way now.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I honestly don’t know how Lizotte is NOT always playing hurt the way that pinball is flying all over the ice Game after game.

If I played one shift the same way Lizotte does I'd be in a full body cast for the 2nd period.

 

[kilowatt]

If Muzzin's hockey IQ was that poor, he wouldn't have developed into such a good defenseman.

I specifically mentioned his first two seasons in LA. He’s certainly developed into a smarter player over the last 10 years almost by necessity, because he’s not especially fleet of foot.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

With the talk of Muzzin, I'm just looking at his career, and I get to 14-15. It's not Muzzin specific, but just gets the ball rolling. How does that team, with most of a severely battle tested group intact, lose to a McDavid-less Oilers team in the last week of the season, and not even make the playoffs, but this year, with no Doughty for 40 games and no playoffs, take a beast-mode McDavid Oilers team to 7 games?

The way you lose Voynov and Doughty are very different, but the 14-15 team was full of men.

Is the line between winning and losing that small?

Kinda, given they had the same record that year with 95 points that took them to the Stanley Cup in 2012, only had four more points this year. But I also think they were pretty burnt out from four years of deep run hockey and Sutter on top of the absolute nightmare of 2015...plus they didn't have excited youth to jump in really.

I also like to go back to that offseason and wonder what would have happened if the Kings won the McDavid lottery

 

[All The Kings Men]

With the talk of Muzzin, I'm just looking at his career, and I get to 14-15. It's not Muzzin specific, but just gets the ball rolling. How does that team, with most of a severely battle tested group intact, lose to a McDavid-less Oilers team in the last week of the season, and not even make the playoffs, but this year, with no Doughty for 40 games and no playoffs, take a beast-mode McDavid Oilers team to 7 games?

The way you lose Voynov and Doughty are very different, but the 14-15 team was full of men.

Is the line between winning and losing that small?

You wanna further blow your own mind?

At 5v5 The Kings were

1st in CF%
1st in SF%
4th in GF%
5th in xGF%

for the season

8th Net PP
4th in Regulation Wins (37) but 15th in ROW (38)

Calgary was 16th in RW (32) but 8th in ROW (41) and

THAT RIGHT THERE is where the margin can be seen


they missed the playoffs by a single point because they wouldn't win a damn game when it mattered and Calgary and Vancouver wouldn't lose down the stretch

I hate that season so much.

Bizarro Season.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Also that stupid stupid season is why I will forever insist on calling it a "Bonus Point" and not a "Loser Point"

The Kings went 2-8 in the Shootout
The Flames went 4-3 in the Shootout

The Flames finished with 97 points. The Kings finished with 95.

So I was wrong. It wasn't one point. It was two points. The two points the Flames picked up in the Shootout.

I hate that season so much.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Kings

37-27-18 = 92 points

Flames

32-30-20 = 84 points

But because of the system that allegedly rewards "LOSER POINTS BOO HOO" the Flames wind up making the playoff two points ahead of the Kings?

Those garbage points being awarded at the end of the game? Those are BONUS POINTS not earned by the team that gets them. Not points unfairly handed out to a "loser".

 

[King'sPawn]

You wanna further blow your own mind?

At 5v5 The Kings were

1st in CF%
1st in SF%
4th in GF%
5th in xGF%

for the season

8th Net PP
4th in Regulation Wins (37) but 15th in ROW (38)

Calgary was 16th in RW (32) but 8th in ROW (41) and

THAT RIGHT THERE is where the margin can be seen


they missed the playoffs by a single point because they wouldn't win a damn game when it mattered and Calgary and Vancouver wouldn't lose down the stretch

I hate that season so much.

Bizarro Season.

Just for fun, if the 3-2-1-0 system was implemented:
Kings 37*3 + 1*2 + 15*1 = 111+2+15 = 128
Flames 32*3 + 9*2 + 7*1 = 96 + 18 + 7 = 121

If the league implemented a 3 pts for RW, 2 for OTW, 1 for OTL, the Kings would have surpassed the Flames.