GDT: Los Angeles Kings @ Vancouver Canucks 12/28/16 7:00PST

[Little Psycho]

I fell asleep after the first period and am glad I did

There's a game tonight too! Man, I remember when I used to know the schedule by heart. Oh how times have changed.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Maybe they'll actually try tonight.

 

[Little Psycho]

I don't know.... I feel a multipoint game for McDavid. Watch him make Muzzin look like a traffic cone.

 

[kingsholygrail]

I don't know.... I feel a multipoint game for McDavid. Watch him make Muzzin look like a traffic cone.

I dunno about that. The Kings have been pretty good even when they're bad at limiting the scoring of the superstars. It's usually the plugs and mid-liner guys that burn us.

 

[BigKing]

I thought the last few road games were probably the best they've played all season.

Last night was pathetic, however. Lack of Toffoli doesn't excuse it.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Kopitar would be 9th on the Oilers in scoring. Gaborik has as many goals as Lander, Hendricks, and Caligula.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I thought the last few road games were probably the best they've played all season.

Last night was pathetic, however. Lack of Toffoli doesn't excuse it.

Yeah, it's like that break was the worst thing that could happen. Typical letdown game, and the problem is it was completely predictable. That's my biggest issue with it. Hell, I almost feel better about tonight's game than last night's.

 

[sinister6000]

Core players that the Kings could not afford to get injured this season, Jonathan Quick, Jeff Carter, Anze Kopitar, Tyler Toffoli, Marion Gaborik, and Drew Doughty. doughty is the only top player that has not missed games this season.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

And even Doughty was banged up. Lotta injuries this year and we're still fighting. I love it. Just don't like games like last night

 

[lexlavender]

I feel like this team thinks it has the horses to be able to take some nights off, only to once again realize we're hanging on to a playoff spot by the skin of our teeth.

 

[Bandit]

Kopitar would be 9th on the Oilers in scoring. Gaborik has as many goals as Lander, Hendricks, and Caligula.

Is that bad?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I feel like this team thinks it has the horses to be able to take some nights off, only to once again realize we're hanging on to a playoff spot by the skin of our teeth.

I really don't think it's that 2015 team again, I don't think they believe they're better than they are. They've honestly just weathered a lot so far and to be where they are after such a massive road trip is a victory in itself, but they HAVE to take care of business in January at home. Playing so well has earned them a bit of a breather for better or for worse, but hopefully that stinker last night was their breather.

 

[AlphaBravo]

This team just doesn't have the talent right now and is wholly dependent on Sutter's system to keep us afloat.

We have a mediocre goalie, who is decent on some nights and keeps us in the game, and below average on other nights and lets in one or two soft goals.

We only have four real top 6 forwards, instead of 6 (Carter, Kopitar, Toffoli, and Pearson), and 3 out of the 4 are under performing this year.

The rest of our forward group is made up of bottom sixers most of whom are good enough to play under Sutter's system, which simply keeps us in the game (more than we can ask at this point).

The only bright spot is that our defensemen are more or less solid, and probably the best we have had since winning the cup in 2014.

I don't think there is anything available for us at the trade deadline that can solve the aforementioned problems. Quick coming back in top form will help the goalie situation, but getting one or two top 6 forwards is nearly impossible and we have nobody in the AHL that can fill that role (especially with Kempe underperforming).

 

[Butch 19]

Kopitar would be 9th on the Oilers in scoring. Gaborik has as many goals as Lander, Hendricks, and Caligula.

I knew this would be bad, but this is seriously depressing.

If Carter wasn't producing, it would be much worse than it is...

It's gonna be so embarrassing when the ASG comes to town next month.

 

[AlphaBravo]

I knew this would be bad, but this is seriously depressing.

If Carter wasn't producing, it would be much worse than it is...

It's gonna be so embarrassing when the ASG comes to town next month.

Kopitar doesn't deserve to be in the all star game. Not sure if voting is done, but only Doughty and Carter should be selected from the Kings.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Is that bad?

They're only 4 points behind the Oilers, maybe 2 after tonight. So good or bad? It's certainly not good, but it also hasn't killed the Kings yet.

I knew this would be bad, but this is seriously depressing.

If Carter wasn't producing, it would be much worse than it is...

It's gonna be so embarrassing when the ASG comes to town next month.

Yeah, it's dicey. Carter is well above his career sh%, and only trailing his high from 2013. On the other hand, Toffoli, Kopitar, and Gaborik are all below their career sh%. You figure, Carter comes down, everyone else goes up, and they all live happily in the middle somewhere. But who knows with Gaborik anymore, Kopitar is(and we say this all the time when he's ice cold) probably playing hurt, and Toffoli has just been along for the ride with the rest of the team this year. And now he's out for who knows how long.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

They're only 4 points behind the Oilers, maybe 2 after tonight. So good or bad? It's certainly not good, but it also hasn't killed the Kings yet.



Yeah, it's dicey. Carter is well above his career sh%, and only trailing his high from 2013. On the other hand, Toffoli, Kopitar, and Gaborik are all below their career sh%. You figure, Carter comes down, everyone else goes up, and they all live happily in the middle somewhere. But who knows with Gaborik anymore, Kopitar is(and we say this all the time when he's ice cold) probably playing hurt, and Toffoli has just been along for the ride with the rest of the team this year. And now he's out for who knows how long.

He's visibly got practically a cast on.

Maybe ultimately it's just an excuse and criticism is fair game, but it's not just some BS assumption. Kopitar is playing hurt, for better or for worse (it's obviously for worse as he's just playing the role of a defensive 3C right now).

 

[KingsFan7824]

He's visibly got practically a cast on.

Maybe ultimately it's just an excuse and criticism is fair game, but it's not just some BS assumption. Kopitar is playing hurt, for better or for worse (it's obviously for worse as he's just playing the role of a defensive 3C right now).

It's obvious right now. I'm just saying that we do always at least hope every time Kopitar goes into a slump that he's hurt. Maybe it's just because of the way he moves on the ice in general. We did it during the 2013 playoffs, and then it turned out nothing was wrong. At least publicly anyway.

Maybe he does get banged up more than we know. Maybe he just gets exhausted playing so many tough minutes. Not that he was burning up the league before he missed those games this year. 2G and 8pts in 15 games before the injury. 1G and 8pts in 15 games since the injury.

 

[Little Psycho]

I knew this would be bad, but this is seriously depressing.

If Carter wasn't producing, it would be much worse than it is...

It's gonna be so embarrassing when the ASG comes to town next month.

Isn't McDavid running away with the captaincy for the Pacific? If so that would be hilarious