GDT: Los Angeles Kings at Washington Capitals - February 3, 2015 - 4:00 p.m. (PST)

[PJ Kings Hockey]

I've gone through the stages of "No worries, the Kings got this" to reverse-jinx pessimism to "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" to gallows humor.

ETA: Now I'm just going to relax and cheer on the small victories of my favorite team.

 

[MsMeow]

Yup, reminds me of the 2010 Flyers, making the cup finals and then missing the playoffs the next year. Look at how that's turned out for them, they're a ****ing mess. Lombardi and the ownership are far more competent, but its still a concern.

I still see this team as a black hole/borderline trade deadline seller. They're a way different team this year who look finished out there...

They beat Buffalo in the first round in 2011.

 

[KingsFan7824]

1-7-2 on the road against the East. Not including EN/SO goals, being outscored 32-16 in those 10 games.

Kopitar/Gaborik/Carter/Brown - 2 combined goals on the road against the East.

Lewis/King/Nolan/Greene - 4 combined goals on the road against the East.

The guy in the AHL, 2 goals on the road against the East.

 

[burnstick]

Who's being sent to Manchester next?

Send Mcbain to Manchester sit McNabb for a few games and give Miller or Bodnarchuk a few games
Both can skate and are puck movers

 

[YP44]

Send Mcbain to Manchester sit McNabb for a few games and give Miller or Bodnarchuk a few games
Both can skate and are puck movers

how are the defensively? Can they tell if a player on the other team is wide open in the crease and connect the dots to realize "hey maybe someone should cover that guy"?

 

[burnstick]

how are the defensively? Can they tell if a player on the other team is wide open in the crease and connect the dots to realize "hey maybe someone should cover that guy"?

That's funny and true !

Either player would bring some speed and first pass abilities

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

That's funny and true !

Either player would bring some speed and first pass abilities

And at least that first-game, first-chance adrenaline. Screw it at this point, right?

I didn't buy it before but we really are seeing each opponent's best every night. Can you remember the last team that had a 'bad game' against us? Last time a goalie also had a 'bad game' against us (that i can remember) was that week when we had the Nashville game. Our average night vs. the opponents best or near-best = a lot of losses, we're not that talented, and you know EVERYONE would be thrilled to keep us out of the playoffs.

 

[BigKing]

Well, my girlfriend and my buddies' significant others will be happy that the season actually ends in April and not June so I guess there is a positive? I met my girlfriend in August of '12 so her first Kings season experience was the lockout season: she had no idea what an 82-game schedule and then 26 playoff game run would be like. "It ends in June and then starts in September already?" Hahaha.

Small things I guess. I would be spitting fire about this team if it wasn't for the mulligan rule the season following a Cup win. My sincere worry, however, is that this team had a window but Voynov, Richards and the Canadian Dollar slammed it shut.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kings were 11th in the conference on March 9th, 2012. Just putting that out there.

 

[burnstick]

And at least that first-game, first-chance adrenaline. Screw it at this point, right?

I didn't buy it before but we really are seeing each opponent's best every night. Can you remember the last team that had a 'bad game' against us? Last time a goalie also had a 'bad game' against us (that i can remember) was that week when we had the Nashville game. Our average night vs. the opponents best or near-best = a lot of losses, we're not that talented, and you know EVERYONE would be thrilled to keep us out of the playoffs.

So True

They have to add some energy I looked and Bodnarchuk's stats he has over 50 points last two seasons in Manchester and is plus +60 in those two seasons
Miller is also doing very well this year as well

 

[Bandit]

You think it's bad now, just wait til Doughty gets hurt...

 

[Face Wash]

Kings were 11th in the conference on March 9th, 2012. Just putting that out there.

Jeff Carter's 7th game with the Kings (scored his 4th goal in a loss to DET that night). There are no Jeff Carters or Marian Gaboriks coming this season...at least not without a MAJOR multi-player trade going down. And the team was 3 years younger then as well. had A LOT less mileage on it.

And they had Willie Mitchell, Rob Scuderi and Slava Voynov...so....there's that.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Jeff Carter's 7th game with the Kings (scored his 4th goal in a loss to DET that night). There are no Jeff Carters or Marian Gaboriks coming this season...at least not without a MAJOR multi-player trade going down. And the team was 3 years younger then as well. had A LOT less mileage on it.

And they had Willie Mitchell, Rob Scuderi and Slava Voynov...so....there's that.

I don't think DL is just going to sit on his hands and watch this season pass him by though he may wait to see if we're buyers or sellers. I see more of a McNabb futures trade than one of the previous deadline deals too. But I'm just saying it's possible, not necessarily probable. We're arguably in a worse spot if you're talking about the actual shape of the team but we were in a mathematically worse spot then so just food for thought.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kings were 11th in the conference on March 9th, 2012. Just putting that out there.

I don't think that's accurate.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20142015&type=con&date=03/09/2012

They were in 9th place with 74 points, one point out of a playoff spot with a record of 31-24-12.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't think that's accurate.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20142015&type=con&date=03/09/2012

They were in 9th place with 74 points, one point out of a playoff spot with a record of 31-24-12.

Maybe I should have said 'after games on March 9th.'

Was using the following: http://www.shrpsports.com/nhl/

Thought it may have the tiebreakers all screwy since I sorted by conference.

Regardless, point was it was a dogfight for the final few spots.

 

[deeshamrock]

Kings were 11th in the conference on March 9th, 2012. Just putting that out there.

That was a different team, some key players have moved on and more importantly, the remaining players are 3 years older and 3 years worth of long seasons til June and mental and physical wear and tear.

This isn't 2012...has no bearing on this year.

Also the playoff format changed since then and so has the competition.

 

[AKAY47]

Someone mentioned it yesterday and they were spot on. This team is the 2011 Philadelphia Flyers. Went to the finals vs Chicago and didn't make the playoffs the next year. Outside of Kopitar, Carter, Doughty and Quick, there is no talent. Gaborik was unreal last year and had a little bit of positive this year but he's been the guy from Columbus all over again. Toffoli is a great secondary player but not someone you rely on to win games for you.

Dustin Brown said that there are a lot of guys on our team who would be superstars if they played elsewhere. I've been thinking about that for the past 30 minutes and can't figure out who he's talking about?

 

[YP44]

Someone mentioned it yesterday and they were spot on. This team is the 2011 Philadelphia Flyers. Went to the finals vs Chicago and didn't make the playoffs the next year. Outside of Kopitar, Carter, Doughty and Quick, there is no talent. Gaborik was unreal last year and had a little bit of positive this year but he's been the guy from Columbus all over again. Toffoli is a great secondary player but not someone you rely on to win games for you.

Dustin Brown said that there are a lot of guys on our team who would be superstars if they played elsewhere. I've been thinking about that for the past 30 minutes and can't figure out who he's talking about?

The team needs to nut up and start playing hard and fast. Take ownership for your own damn game.

 

[KingsFan7824]

The Kings and Panthers have no history. It's a game that is usually slept through by the players. It's just that they can't do that this time. Already 0-2 on the trip, with the previous game really bringing out the questions about the state of the team. Another OT/SO loss and the best they can do is 5 points in 5 games, which is exactly the pace they've been on for most of the season, which has put them where they are in the standings. Another regulation loss, and it'll be pile on time, with Tampa Bay coming up in the next game.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

I literally laughed out loud.

Wasn't it a little weird the epix show didn't address the Richards situation?

That next episode is going to be depressing.

I saw a tweet or something that said the EPIX crew got stuck at the airport because of weather the day the Richards stuff went down.

 

[HansH]

Kings were 11th in the conference on March 9th, 2012. Just putting that out there.

They also had a different coach and were still working their way out of the hole that they had put themselves in when they tuned out TM -- and also got a blockbuster trade around that time.

This time, the coach they're riding is the coach they had when they worked themselves into this hole. I don't see DS getting fired to light the fire under the team to get their way into the playoffs this time. So, again, not an apt comparison.

2012 was 2012, 2015 is 2015. Only time will tell us if 2015 looks more like the years of futility we long-time fans are used to, or like the blessed three-year window that seems to so many fans to be the entirety of the history of this franchise.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think everyone is focused on the wrong thing re: the date I posted. No doubt it's a different team and a different time; the point is that being a handful of points out at this point of the season happens every year (and seems to with this team in particular) so even if we were out in March it's far from unheard of to slingshot into a preferable spot...hey, maybe even a cup or two! Imagine if there were a team that did that!

I understand just as well as everyone else what's going on with this team right now, but I also wanted to interject some sunshine for the folks sitting on the TNT plunger.

 

[TimoneX]

The Kings would have to play out of their minds to make it now. Their odds dropped a whopping 12% after that performance last evening. Too many road games remaining and they're just not the same team away from staples center.

I don't get to see enough of their games. Can anyone tell me why they can't score goals on the road?

 

[bob77]

I think everyone is focused on the wrong thing re: the date I posted. No doubt it's a different team and a different time; the point is that being a handful of points out at this point of the season happens every year (and seems to with this team in particular) so even if we were out in March it's far from unheard of to slingshot into a preferable spot...hey, maybe even a cup or two! Imagine if there were a team that did that!

I understand just as well as everyone else what's going on with this team right now, but I also wanted to interject some sunshine for the folks sitting on the TNT plunger.

It becomes more of a problem now that they are not just chasing one team. They might catch one, but now they have overcome four teams just to make the final playoff spot. Getting more difficult by the minute.

 

[bob77]

Originally Posted by burnstick
Send Mcbain to Manchester sit McNabb for a few games and give Miller or Bodnarchuk a few games
Both can skate and are puck movers
how are the defensively? Can they tell if a player on the other team is wide open in the crease and connect the dots to realize "hey maybe someone should cover that guy"?
[Reply]

Forbort is much more suited defensively to answer your question. Also, he has good quickness for a big guy. Forbort also makes a good first pass out of the zone. Certainly no worse than Miller or Bods. Miller and Bods would be better than Forbort once at the offensive blue line. Think Muzzin on the offensive blue line compared to Greene or Regher. So, who you'd like to see up depends on what you believe to be the teams bigger problem. It'd be interesting to see how all three would fare and fit in or not.